Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am so honored and privileged to be here tonight to speak on the Congressional Black Caucus, with our Special Order hour tonight specific to honoring Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join tonight's Special Order hour honoring Black History Month, my Black history, my people, my community.

As a second vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, it is vitally important to me that we commemorate the stories and triumphs of Black Americans all year long and especially during Black History Month.

I am the daughter of civil rights leaders. My father was the Illinois branch president of the NAACP and served on its executive board for over 25 years. I grew up in the struggle. I grew up in the marches. I grew up in the rallies. I certainly learned how to sing ``We Shall Overcome'' because it is what I sang with my family all the time, for as long as I can remember.

I draw upon the strength of these experiences, the experiences and strength of my mother and my father during a time which feels not unlike the uncertainty of the 1960s. Though there are those who may feel discouraged that we are fighting the same bigotry and the same hatred, going down the same road that my parents fought against, that Dr. King fought against, that Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer fought against, that our dear friend and beloved colleague John Lewis fought against, I continue to look to the civil rights movement as a reminder that we are not powerless.

Our voices and our role as legislators in this body give us all the tools that we need to speak up, to stand up, and to fight back for Black America and for all of America.

It is what my father did and what my mother did, even during a time when diners charged him more money for a cup of coffee than the White man sitting next to him.

I can remember, as a child living in Chicago, Illinois, going into a local Walgreens. I remember standing there with my family, all of them fair-skinned, with red hair, brown hair, and freckles, and me, the brownest child in the family, being told I couldn't go sit with my family because they didn't believe I was a part of my family.

It is these kinds of experiences that I will fight for the rest of my life to make sure that no child, no individual in this country, ever feels discriminated against. It is what my father did. It is what I did as a grieving mother when my son, Jordan, was killed by a White man who simply didn't like the loud music that he was playing in his car. It is what we must do now as a Presidential administration, emboldened by hatred and vengeance, seeks to weaken and dismantle Federal programs that support our veterans, care for our seniors, and defend our Nation from public health emergencies, just to name a few.

What we must continue to do as we face threats of erasing Black history, American history, we must continue to fight from our classrooms and from our textbooks.

We must stand up. Black America must speak out. We must remember

our responsibility to act--not just to react--in the best interests of all the American people. In the face of attacks on minority communities in a nation where our diversity is truly our strength, it is more important than ever that we celebrate the progress of this Nation--and Black history is part of this Nation--of every step which brings us closer to forming a more perfect Union.

We have been promised that by this Constitution. We have been promised that by this country, and I know that we will continue to fight every step of the way to fulfill that promise.

In my time in Congress, I have been privileged to represent a rich tapestry of this Nation, woven by the many threads which make us uniquely American. I have been proud to represent one of the most diverse congressional districts in America, and I am honored to represent so many talented local leaders who have blazed a trail and accomplished many firsts in their community.

In my current district, eight mayors or county executives are the first Black people to ever serve in those positions. Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom, Douglasville Mayor Rochelle Robinson, Fairburn Mayor Mario Avery, Fayetteville Mayor Ed Johnson, Mableton Mayor Michael Owens, Palmetto Mayor Teresa Thomas-Smith, and Powder Springs Mayor Al Thurman.

These leaders can be proud of the fact that they were the first, and I take pride in knowing that they will certainly not be the last.

The fact that I was elected the first Black Representative of Georgia's Sixth Congressional District, the first Democrat to hold that seat since 1979, the first person of color to ever hold that seat in 2018 is a testament to the progress in our State and to the work of leaders on the ground and Black America. I am grateful for all those who have paved the path of progress for me and all future leaders to follow in their footsteps.

Mr. Speaker, we face extraordinary and unprecedented challenges in this moment, but this month and always, we will celebrate the strength of America's diversity, the unity of her people, and our unwavering determination to leave behind a brighter tomorrow for future generations, for our children. They deserve that. Because of the celebrations of African Americans that we are talking about during this Special Order hour, I have every confidence that my people will overcome.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Union City, Georgia, for being named a City of Civility by the Georgia Municipal Association.

Union City has adopted a civility resolution and a pledge built on active listening, empathy, and respect for differing opinions, efforts which, to quote from their materials: Encourage ``respectful and constructive dialogue'' in public spaces.

We, this body, must work harder than ever before to improve our civic and political discourse. Recalling the words of President Abraham Lincoln in his first inaugural address: May we not let passion break our bonds of affection, that we be touched by the better angels of our nature.

I am proud that leaders in my district in Georgia are setting this example for the entire Nation. I congratulate Mayor Williams and the Union City Council for earning this distinguished recognition.

Madam Speaker, when school lets out and the heat of summer comes, the promise of daily meals falls away for too many children.

Last year, summer meal programs in Georgia failed to serve one-third of our counties and reached less than 15 percent of eligible children.

The Federal summer EBT program fills in the gaps for hardworking parents who some nights might take less for themselves so there is enough to go around the table.

I have led three letters to the Governor of Georgia to encourage him to accept the Federal dollars that would give every eligible child access to summer meals. We have received no substantive response.

The next deadline is this Saturday.

Without this program, kids in Georgia might have to rely on only half a sandwich from a friend at the park picnic table or, God forbid, go without.

Please don't let Georgia families be left out again this summer.

Madam Speaker, I had always wanted to start a family of my own, but like many women in America, I struggled to get pregnant. Some days I kept praying to God wondering if He was ever going to allow me to have a child at all. For far too many women in this country, the miracle of pregnancy often ends in tragedy.

Our State of Georgia has one of the worst rates of maternal death in this country, and Black mothers face even worse statistics. Now extremists want to mandate our healthcare decisions and intimidate our doctors with political games that cut off access to care, care that once saved my life.

My story is not unique. Lives are at risk, and I fear for the safety of families in Georgia and across the country if these attempts succeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the opening of the Akers Mill ramp project.

During my first months in Congress in 2018, I gathered Federal officials to speak about the importance of the investment in our State's infrastructure. In July of that year, my team was able to announce a $5 million grant, the final funding needed to complete the project.

I am so proud that, working together, we were finally able to secure the resources for our project that will serve more than 100,000 commuters in my community and benefit all of metropolitan Atlanta.

I thank the Cumberland Community Improvement District, our partners in Cobb County, the Atlanta Regional Commission, and our State and Federal officials who had a hand in making this project a reality.

I congratulate the entire Cumberland community.

Mr. Speaker, Atlanta and the State of Georgia have lost one of our greatest champions. My constituent, State senator, and former minority whip Vincent Fort, passed away

at the age of 68 after a long battle with cancer.

Known as the people's champion, he took up causes like saving Grady Hospital, authoring Georgia's first antihate crime laws, and saving people's homes from predatory lenders. He was always there, fighting for the least of these.

After the murder of my son, Senator Fort was the very first elected official to invite me to share my story of Jordan at our State Capitol. He didn't know me then, but he knew that what happened to Jordan was wrong and that our story needed to be told. That is just the kind of man that he was.

May we all be so lucky to reflect on our lives and say: I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. I know Vincent's family can say this of him.

My heart is with the children that he loved so very much--Zan, Chloe, and Zoe--and with those who knew him best. He will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor President Jimmy Carter and the legacy he leaves behind as the former President from my State of Georgia.

President Carter was the small-town son of a farmer and a nurse. He carried with him humble sensibilities, strong values, and a commitment to faith that reinforced his servant leadership first in the Navy and then in the highest office in the land. His work before and after his Presidency reminds us all that our capacity for impact is independent of the title that we wear or the place that we call home.

President Carter cared deeply about peace and prosperity across our world, and his commitment to God's people is one that those of us from Georgia remember as we, ourselves, represent and serve our home State.

Though he has departed this world, we know that his legacy will live on not only through the work of the Carter Center but through those of us inspired by his life and leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I hold the Carter family and all who know President Carter in my heart during this time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Barbara Lee speaks for me.

I do rise today to honor my dear colleague and friend, Congresswoman Barbara Lee from California, who will be retiring at the end of a longstanding and extraordinarily remarkable career in Congress.

Congresswoman Lee, you are more than a servant-leader to America. You are an example by which countless women of color can seek to emulate as we step up to be the voices of our communities.

You are unabashed in speaking truth to power and unwavering in your convictions for change and your convictions for community and your convictions for helping the least of these. I truly wish there were so many more people here that would stand on those very convictions.

Barbara, you have never been afraid to stand up and speak out, even when the odds are against you. You inspire me each and every single day. I mean, I see you running around here and making deals and dealing with the people and your bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle. I see you walking these Halls, I mean, literally running these Halls to do the work of the people with new fervor for progress in America.

I am truly going to be so sorry to see you leave. You are such a galvanizing voice. As you continue to transition away from the Halls of Congress, I know that your work is not finished yet.

I am encouraged by everything that you have done here, everything you have done preceding the time that I have come to Washington. I really look forward to everything that you are going to be doing going forward. I know that your work is not finished yet. God is not done with you yet.

I just look forward to the next chapter of leadership, you know, in your life and what that is going to look like for the communities that you represent.

Just as it was expressed even earlier, you know, just like Representative Shirley Chisholm who is, you know, our leader, you have always been unbought and unbossed. You are a light in this world. You are a city on a hill and a name that is never going to be forgotten.

I want to thank you very, very much. When I first came here, people kept telling me I couldn't be on the Judiciary Committee because I wasn't an attorney and I didn't have the experience and I didn't know how to fight for justice.

You said to me: If this is where you believe you need to be, and we know why you have come to Congress, I will make it happen.

Thank you for allowing me to use my voice in the Halls of Congress for reform and justice and gun safety and all the things that I so, so believe in. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be able to stand for justice and democracy in these Halls, and I am going to miss you.

Mr. Speaker, I think this is truly one of the best representative policies for bipartisanship. When our children are dying and when our children are no longer safe in their environments, when they are simply going to school to get an education, I cannot think of a greater time for bipartisanship. I thank Congressmen Owens, Scott, and Duncan so very much for their willingness to save our children.

My son, Jordan, was killed in a shooting in 2012, so I know the pain of losing a child. I know the hole that it leaves in your soul and the questions it leaves you behind to dwell on; the feelings of guilt and yearning to do anything that you can to reverse the irreversible and to spend just a little bit more time with that person who was taken from you far too soon. You want to tell them all the things that you wish that you could have during their short time here on Earth, but we know that we are not that lucky.

The only thing that we can do now is harness that pain and try to do something positive with it. Harness it and try to make a lasting change that will prevent other families from suffering a similar tragedy. We must try to create a legacy that truly speaks to the memory of that person that you loved so deeply.

This is the reason why I came to Congress, and the same reason why Jeanne Clery's parents took their power back and got the Clery Act signed into law after the tragic killing of their daughter on campus in 1986.

Jeanne Clery's parents made the same argument that I have heard time and time again from families all over this country who have lost loved ones to hazing at colleges and universities: If we had only known; if only we had been made aware sooner; if only we had been given a clearer picture of the situation that took our child away from us, maybe we could have done something.

That is what this bill is about. It is about transparency and accountability, empowering students and families so that they can make informed decisions about the schools that they attend or the clubs that they join.

It is about ensuring that college remains a place of new beginnings and hope for our children's future. It is simply about just saving lives.

I thank all of the families who have been working on this effort for so many years and who are watching from home but also watching here with us today in our House gallery.

I thank Hank Nuwer for his years of meticulous research on the history of hazing deaths in this country.

I thank Representatives Jeff Duncan and Glenn Thompson for their commitment to helping to see this bill through.

I thank Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member Bobby Scott and their staff for coming together on this truly critical issue.

With efforts like these we are showing the American people that regardless of what they see on social media or whatever they see on TV, there are still people in Washington who are willing to put partisanship aside, engage in good faith together, and do the hard work that is so necessary to make positive change for the folks that are relying on us back home.

I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill. I am so encouraged by this measure to come together to say the least of these, to save our children. They deserve so much more from us, and in these moments today we are giving them what they deserve, a chance to survive, a chance to grow and to prosper, and a chance to be in America the way it is designed for them to be.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of names of students who died from hazing-related activities. This is a list of known hazing deaths from 1847 to 2023. These are the names that we honor today with this legislation.

Year, Name, Institution, State:

1847, Jonathan D. Torrence, Amherst College, Massachusetts;

1873, Mortimer N. Leggett, Cornell University, New York;

1884, Frederick Schwatka Strang, United States Naval Academy,

Maryland; 1892, Wilkins Ruskin, Yale University, Connecticut;

1899, Edward F. Berkeley, Cornell University, New York; 1900,

Hugh C. Moore, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Massachusetts; 1900, Oscar Booz, United States Military

Academy, New York; 1903, Martin Loew, University of Maryland,

Baltimore, Maryland; 1905, Stuart L. Pierson, Kenyon College,

Ohio; 1905, James R. Branch, Jr., United States Naval

Academy, Maryland; 1906, William Miller, Stanford University,

California; 1908, Emil S. (Ernie) Gram, Worcester Polytechnic

Institute, Massachusetts; 1912, Isaac William Rand,

University of North Carolina, North Carolina; 1913, Francis

W. Obenchain, Purdue University, Indiana; 1914, William R.

Bowlus, St. John's Military College, Maryland; 1915, Thurber

Sweet, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia; 1915, Eldridge

Scott Griffith, University of Kentucky, Kentucky.

1915-1916, Ludwig Von Gerichten, New Mexico Military

Institute, New Mexico; 1916, Paul N. Blue, Morningside

College, Iowa; 1916, William Lifson, University of

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania; 1917, William Ashcom Bullock,

College of the City of New York, New York; 1919, Frank

McCullough, Colgate University, New York; 1921, Leighton

Mount, Northwestern University, Illinois; 1922, William

Duncan Saunders, Hamilton College, New York; 1923, Glenn

Kersh, University of Alabama, Alabama; 1923, Ainsworth Brown,

Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania; 1923, Louis

Aubere, Northwestern University, Illinois; 1925, Reginald

Stringfellow, University of Utah, Utah; 1928, Nolte McElroy,

University of Texas, Texas; 1929, Orsa George Steinmetz Jr.,

Indiana University, Indiana; 1931, Lloyd Neuman Aune, Stout

Institute, Wisconsin; 1934, Paul Kutch, Oregon State

University, Oregon; 1935, Richard Wendell Beitzel, Dickinson

College, Pennsylvania.

1936, Willie B. Barkley, Mississippi State University (then

Mississippi State College), Mississippi; 1940, Hubert L.

(Hugo) Spake Jr., University of Missouri, Missouri; 1945,

Robert G. Perry, St. Louis University, Missouri; 1948, James

(Jim) Irvin Peterson, Montana State University, Montana;

1949, Hale Thompson Gehl, Brown University, Rhode Island;

1950, Gerald Loren Foletta, University of California,

Berkeley, California; 1950, Dean J. Niswonger, Wittenberg

University, Ohio; 1951, Allen Kaplan, Northwestern State

College, Louisiana; 1951, Thomas Kleppner, University of

Miami, Florida; 1951, Fred E. Evens, University of Miami,

Florida; 1953, Calvin Dougherty, Milligan College, Tennessee;

1954, Peter Mertz, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania; 1956,

Thomas Clark, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Massachusetts; 1956, Karl B. Bailey, Rice University (then

Rice Institute), Texas; 1956, Cecil William Carrol, Rice

University (then Rice Institute), Texas; 1957, Max Caulk,

University of California, Santa Barbara, California; 1959,

Richard Terrell Swanson, University of Southern California,

California.

1960, Harry Lamphier, Jr., Northern Illinois University,

Illinois; 1960, William Gustafson, Northern Illinois

University, Illinois; 1960, William Kempfer, Northern

Illinois University, Illinois; 1960, John Pauls, Northern

Illinois University, Illinois; 1961, Joe Henry Derham, Jr.,

Clemson University, South Carolina; 1964, Jose Manual Costa,

University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island; 1965, Richard

Winder, Georgetown College, Kentucky; 1967, John E. Clifton,

Baylor University, Texas; 1968, Michael L. DiBacco,

Steubenville College, Ohio; 1968, Trent Ciarrochia,

Steubenville College, Ohio; 1968, William Entinger,

Steubenville College, Ohio; 1969, Scott Edward Graeler,

Muskingum University (then Muskingum College), Ohio; 1970,

Donna Bedinger, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois; 1971,

Wayne Kennedy, Tulane University, Louisiana; 1972, Fred

Phillip Bronne, Pierce College, California; 1972, Brian

Cursack, University of Maryland, Maryland; 1973, Mitchell

(Mitch) Fishkin, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania; 1974,

Thomas Morgan Elliott, Grove City College, Pennsylvania.

1974, John Curtin, Grove City College, Pennsylvania; 1974,

Rudolph Mion, Grove City College, Pennsylvania; 1974, Gary

Gilliland, Grove City College, Pennsylvania; 1974, William E.

Flowers, Monmouth College, New Jersey; 1974, Michael James

Bishop, Bluefield State College, West Virginia; 1975, Richard

A. Gowins, Northern Illinois University, Illinois; 1975,

David ``Lumpy'' Hoffmann, University of Wisconsin, Stevens

Point, Wisconsin; 1975, John Davies, University of Nevada,

Reno, Nevada; 1975, John Asher, Washington State University,

Washington; 1975, Theodore Ben, Cheyney University of

Pennsylvania (then-Cheyney State College), Pennsylvania;

1976, Samuel Mark Click, Texas Tech University, Texas; 1976,

Thomas Fitzgerald, St. John's University, New York; 1977,

Robert J. Bazile, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania;

1977, Randall Crustals, University of Missouri, Rolla,

Missouri; 1978, Stephen J. McNamara, Loras College, Iowa;

1978, Charles (Chuck) Stenzel, Alfred University, New York;

1978, Nathaniel Swinson, North Carolina Central University,

North Carolina.

1979, Bruce Wiseman, Louisiana State University, Louisiana;

1979, Richard C. Fuhs, Jr., Rutgers University, New Jersey;

1979, Norsha Lynn Delk, Virginia State College, Virginia;

1979, Robert Etheridge, Virginia State College, Virginia;

1980, Kingsley Davidson, University of North Dakota, North

Dakota; 1980, David Masciantonio, Clarkson University, New

York; 1980, Curtis Huntley, Mississippi State University,

Mississippi; 1980, Lex Dean Batson, University of Missouri,

Missouri; 1980, Joseph (Joey) Parrella, Ithaca College, New

York; 1980, Steve Call, University of Lowell, Massachusetts;

1980, L. Barry Ballou, University of South Carolina, South

Carolina; 1981, Rick Cerra, University of Wisconsin,

Superior, Wisconsin; 1982, Victor (Ricky) M. Siegel, Towson

State University, Maryland; 1982, Christopher Meigs,

University of Virginia, Virginia; 1982, Brian H. McKittrick,

University of Virginia, Virginia; 1984, Arnaldo Mercado

Perez, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico;

1983, Vann Watts, Tennessee State University, Tennessee;

1984, Brad Bing, University of California, Davis, California;

1984, Bruce Dean Goodrich, Texas A & M University, Texas.

1984, Jay Lenaghan, American International College,

Massachusetts; 1984, Jeffrey Franklin Long, California State

University, Chico, California; 1985, Sherri Ann Clark,

University of Colorado, Colorado; 1985, Richard ``Rich''

Allyn Butler, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri;

1986, Harold Thomas, Lamar University, Texas; 1986, Mark

Seeberger, University of Texas, Texas; 1987, Harry (Skip)

Cline Jr., University of Mississippi, Mississippi; 1987, Todd

Alan Prince, University of Arkansas, Arkansas; 1987, David

Dunshee, Stanford University, California; 1988, James

Callahan, Rutgers University, New Jersey; 1988, Bryan

Higgins, State University of New York at Albany, New York;

1988, Matthew S. McCoy, University of Richmond, Virginia;

1988, Gregg Scott Phillips, University of Texas, Texas; 1988,

Sean T. Hickey, Rider University (then Rider College), New

Jersey; 1989, Joel Harris, Morehouse College, Georgia; 1989,

Steven Butterworth, Dickinson College, Pennsylvania; 1990,

Nick Haben, Western Illinois University, Illinois.

1991, Mike Nisbet, University of Missouri, Rolla, Missouri;

1991, John Moncello, University of California, Berkeley,

California; 1991, Rolland C. Pederson, Trinity University,

Texas; 1992, Jonathan S. McNamara, University of Vermont,

Vermont; 1992, Gregory Batipps, University of Virginia,

Virginia; 1992, J.B. (John B.) Joynt III, Frostburg State

University, Maryland; 1993, Chad Saucier, Auburn University,

Alabama; 1993, Leslie Ware, Alcorn State University,

Mississippi; 1994, Terry Linn, Bloomsburg University,

Pennsylvania; 1994, Michael Davis, Southeast Missouri State,

Missouri; 1994, Justin Chambers, Carnegie Mellon University,

Pennsylvania; 1995, Gabriel Higgins, University of Texas,

Texas; 1995, Brian Nicholas Cook, University of Virginia,

Virginia; 1995, Matthew Garofolo, University of Iowa, Iowa;

1996, Todd Martin Cruikshank, University of New Hampshire,

New Hampshire; 1997, Trey Walker, Texas A & M, Texas; 1997,

Brian T. Sanders, University of California Los Angeles,

California; 1997, Brian Pearce, University of California Los

Angeles, California; 1997, Steven Velazquez, North Carolina

State University, North Carolina.

1997, Benjamin Wynne, Louisiana State University,

Louisiana; 1997, Binaya Oja, Clarkson University and State

University of New York at Potsdam, New York; 1997, Scott

Krueger, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Massachusetts; 1998, John Laduca, University of Washington,

Washington; 1998, Courtney Cantor, University of Michigan,

Michigan; 1998, Dudley R. Moore IV, University of

Mississippi, Mississippi; 1998, Jack L. Ivey, Jr., University

of Texas, Texas; 1999, Kevin Lawless, Iona College, New York;

1999, Stephen Petz, Ferris State University, Michigan; 1999,

Donnie Lindsey Jr., University of Richmond, Virginia; 2000,

Adrian Heideman, Chico State University, California; 2000,

Terry Ryan Stirling, Old Dominion University, Virginia; 2000,

Ben Folsom Grantham III, University of Georgia, Georgia;

2001, Seth Korona, Indiana University, Indiana; 2001, Joseph

T. Green, Tennessee State University, Tennessee; 2001, Chad

Meredith, University of Miami, Florida; 2001, Ken

Christiansen, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota;

2001, Zachary Aaron Michael Mullins, Texas Tech University,

Texas;

2002, Clay Warren, Texas Tech University, Texas; 2002, Ben

Klein, Alfred University, New York; 2002, Brian Nicholas

Jimenez, San Diego State University, California; 2002,

Zachary Jacobs, San Diego State University, California; 2002,

Kenitha Saafir, California State University, Los Angeles,

California; 2002, Kristin High, California State University,

California; 2002, Albert (A.J.) Santos, University of Nevada,

Reno, Nevada; 2002, Daniel Reardon, University of Maryland,

Maryland; 2002, Gregory (Greg) Randall Davis, Occidental

College, California; 2003, Nicholas Grass, Yale University,

Connecticut; 2003, Kyle Burnat, Yale University, Connecticut;

2003, Andrew Dwyer, Yale University, Connecticut; 2003, Sean

Fenton, Yale University, Connecticut; 2003, Walter Dean

Jennings, Plattsburgh State (State University of New York),

New York; 2003, Jerry Hopkins, Rochester Institute of

Technology New York; 2003, Kelly Nester, Plymouth State

University, New Hampshire; 2003, Robert Schmalz, Bradley

University, Illinois; 2004, Lynn Gordon ``Gordie'' Bailey

Jr., University of Colorado, Colorado.

2004, Blake Hammontree, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma;

2004, Brent E. Johnson, Southern Illinois University at

Carbondale, Illinois; 2005, Matthew Carrington, Chico State

University, California; 2005, Kenny Luong, University of

California Irvine, California; 2005, Phanta ``Jack''

Phoummarath, University of Texas, Texas; 2006, Tyler Cross,

University of Texas, Texas; 2006, Zach Dunlevy, Limestone

College, South Carolina; 2007, Nikolas Gallegos, Stephen F.

Austin University, Texas; 2007, Gary Louis DeVercelly, Jr.,

Rider University, New Jersey; 2008, Brett Griffin, University

of Delaware, Delaware; 2008, Johnny D. Smith, Wabash College,

Indiana; 2008, Harrison Kowiak, Lenoir Rhyne University,

North Carolina; 2008, Michael Anthony, Smallwood Starks, Utah

State, Utah; 2008, Carson Leonard Starkey, Cal Poly,

California; 2009, Arman Partamian, SUNY Geneseo, New York;

2009, Donnie Wade Jr., Prairie View A & M, Texas; 2010,

Samuel Mason, Radford University, Virginia; 2010, Victoria

Carter, East Carolina University, North Carolina; 2010,

Briana Latrice Gather, East Carolina University, North

Carolina.

2011, George Desdunes, Cornell University, New York; 2011,

Robert Darnell Champion, Florida A & M, Florida; 2012,

William (Will) Torrance, Vincennes University, Indiana; 2012,

Philip Dhanens, Fresno State University, California; 2012,

Everett Glenn, Lafayette College, Pennsylvania; 2012, David

R. Bogenberger, Northern Illinois University, Illinois; 2012,

Preston Vorhauer, University of Idaho, Idaho; 2012, Marcus

Thomas, Bethune-Cookman University, Florida; 2012, Robert

Eugene Tipton, Jr., High Point University, North Carolina;

2012, David Shannon, University of North Carolina, North

Carolina; 2012, Jack Culolias, Arizona State University,

Arizona; 2013, Marvell Edmondson, Virginia State University,

Virginia; 2013, Jauwan Holmes, Virginia State University,

Virginia; 2013, Peter Tran, San Francisco State University,

California; 2013, Anthony Barksdale II, Boston University,

Massachusetts; 2013, Chun ``Mike'' Deng, Baruch College, New

York; 2014, Marquise Braham, Penn State, Altoona,

Pennsylvania; 2014, Armando Villa, California State

University, Northridge, California; 2014, Tucker W. Hipps,

Clemson University, South Carolina.

2014, Trevor Duffy, University of Albany, New York; 2014,

Nolan M. Burch, West Virginia University, West Virginia;

2014, Dalton Debrick, Texas Tech University, Texas; 2014,

Clayton Real, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska; 2015,

Praneet Karki, Louisiana State University, Louisiana; 2015,

Charlie Terreni, Jr., University of South Carolina, South

Carolina; 2016, Michael Anthony Walker, Ferrum College,

Virginia; 2016, Ryan Abele, University of Nevada, Nevada;

2016, Jordan Taylor, Texas State, Texas; 2016, Joe Dada,

Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania; 2017, Timothy J.

Piazza, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania; 2017,

Maxwell (Max) Gruver, Louisiana State University, Louisiana;

2017, Andrew Coffey, Florida State, Florida; 2017, Matthew

(Matt) Ellis, Texas State University, Texas; 2017, Alasdair

Russell, University of Southern California, California; 2017,

Harrison Carter Cole, Hampden Sydney College, Virginia; 2017,

Jordan Hankins, Northwestern University, Illinois; 2018,

Joseph Little, Texas A & M, Texas; 2018, Collin Wiant, Ohio

University, Ohio.

2018, Nicholas ``Nicky'' Cumberland, University of Texas,

Texas; 2018, Tyler Hilliard, University of California at

Riverside, California; 2018, Alexander Levi Rainey Beletsis,

University of California, Santa Cruz, California; 2019,

Marlon Jackson, Delaware State University, Delaware; 2019,

Noah Domingo, University of California, Irvine, California;

2019, Sebastian Serafin-Bazan, University of Buffalo, New

York; 2019, Bea Castro, Cal State Fullerton, California;

2019, Samuel Martinez, Washington State University,

Washington; 2019, Antonio (Anthony) Tsialas, Cornell

University, New York; 2019, Rahat Jalil, University of

Nebraska, Nebraska; 2019, Justin King, Bloomsburg University,

Pennsylvania; 2019, Dylan Hernandez, San Diego State,

California; 2020, Lauren Nicole Sawyer, Emory & Henry

College, Virginia; 2021, James Gilfedder, Lyon College,

Arkansas; 2021, Adam Jeffrey Oakes, Virginia Commonwealth

University (VCU), Virginia; 2021, Stone Justin Foltz, Bowling

Green State University, Ohio; 2021, Lofton Hazelwood,

University of Kentucky, Kentucky; 2021, Phat Nguyen, Michigan

State University, Michigan; 2023, Luke Tyler, Washington

State University, Washington.

Mr. Speaker, while we have a number of hazing victims' families who are joining us today here in the House gallery, we know that hazing has taken hundreds of lives and impacted countless families.

I would also like to thank Dr. Hank Nuwer for his years of research in compiling this list. Without this important work, hazing prevention work would not have come as far as it has.

Madam Chair, had I been present, I would have voted NO on Roll Call No. 294.

Amendment No. 58 Offered by Mr. Tiffany

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to host tonight's Special Order 30 minutes with the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and Assistant Leader Neguse.

We are entering the final week of Gun Violence Awareness Month. On this 25th day of June, it is estimated that over 2,500 Americans have lost their lives due to gun violence in this month alone. Over 100 people are dying in this country every single day.

Back in my home State of Georgia, I have seen the compounding impact of gun violence in our communities. Earlier this month, there was a shooting at the Peachtree Center mall where a gunman shot and injured three people. Just hours later, a man who was interviewed by local news as a witness to the first shooting went on to commit an act of gun violence himself, hijacking a Gwinnett County bus and fatally shooting a passenger that very same day.

I don't know what anybody else thinks, but this epidemic is truly real. I know firsthand the pain of losing a loved one to senseless gun violence. It has been nearly 12 years now since I lost my son, Jordan, when he was just 17 years old.

On Black Friday in 2012, Jordan and his friends were simply going out shopping at the mall. They stopped at a convenience store gas station for all of 3\1/2\ minutes because my son, Jordan, said: Hey, guys, if we are going to pick up girls at the mall, you have to have fresh breath.

In those 3\1/2\ minutes, a man pulled up next to the boys in their car, and he started complaining about the loud music that they were playing. He racially profiled them, called them gang bangers. He called them thugs.

Then, he fired 10 shots into the car, killing my only son, and then he simply drove away. He acted as if nothing had ever happened.

He went back to his hotel with his girlfriend. They walked their puppy, Charlie. They ordered a pizza, and they made themselves a couple of stiff rum and Cokes. Then, they simply went to bed.

It was only the next morning that they saw on television that a young Black male had been killed by 10 bullets at a convenience store gas station. This man and his girlfriend just simply got in their car and drove 170 miles back to Satellite Beach, Florida.

During the trial of my son's killer, I made a promise that I would spend the rest of my life fighting to make sure that no one else ever had to experience the pain and trauma that not only my family has experienced but the ever-growing club of people in this country who are succumbing to it every single day, parents who are burying their children who have been taken from this Earth far too early.

I became an advocate for gun safety. I became a spokesperson for Everytown for Gun Safety in America. In a district that was once held by Newt Gingrich, I ran for Congress strictly on a platform of gun safety and to save as many lives in this country as I possibly could. Against all odds, I won.

In the 5 years since I have come to Congress, the House Democratic Caucus has truly become the gun safety caucus. That truly gives me hope because I never ever thought I would be here. I never ever thought I would be standing on this floor. I never ever thought I would be here in Congress, living out my son's legacy as we pass as many bills as we can to stop more families from feeling the same pain that I felt from losing a child to unnecessary and horrific gun violence in America.

It is a testament to leaders like our Gun Violence Prevention Task Force chairman, Mike Thompson, that we are able to celebrate these victories, these monumental accomplishments, and the remarkable change that has happened just within the last few years.

Today marks 2 years of major gun safety reform with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, led by our gun sense House Democratic Caucus and President Biden, with parts of my red flag bill, with community intervention funding, and with mental health resources for all 50 States, solutions that the American people overwhelmingly have been crying out for and support.

We are building on that monumental progress every single day with the assault weapons ban and also the introduction of my bipartisan GOSAFE Act to keep weapons of war off of American streets and out of our schools.

With the introduction of new legislation and movement forward on discharge petitions to force votes on these very important bills, we, the gun sense Democratic Caucus, are working to protect the American people every single day. Even if the current majority doesn't want to stand up for the safety of their own constituents and their families, we are committed. We will do that because the American people deserve to live in their communities in this country safely and freely.

Tonight, we will hear from legislators. Many of these legislators are some of the most dedicated Members on this Hill who are making this kind of progress possible every single day. They do this work day in and day out, leaders who have elevated the profile of gun violence prevention in the Halls of this Congress and many who championed this issue long before they were ever even considered an elected official.

This work takes all of us. That is why I am so grateful for this evening's speakers who are here with us tonight who will focus on our energy and the work that we have done during Gun Violence Prevention Awareness Month and hope that we can continue to encourage people to rededicate ourselves to the work of saving lives.

I have never been more optimistic about the future of this movement, and that is because of the work that I am blessed and privileged to do with my colleagues in this Chamber. Together, truly, we are definitely making a difference.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), our assistant Democratic leader.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse for his wonderful words.

At this time, I yield to Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Michigan, Ms. Stevens, for her comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Kathy Manning of North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for her comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to one of our newest Members of the Democratic Caucus, Mr. Tim Kennedy of New York.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their commitment to their communities and for the safety of this Nation. 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 49 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage (AANHPI) Month 2024. Each May, our Nation commemorates the anniversaries of the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Since a commemoration of these anniversaries was first proposed in 1977, we have celebrated the history, accomplishments, and contributions of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities in America. On Wednesday, May 29, it is my distinct honor and privilege to join Gwinnett County's 2024 Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration.

Gwinnett County is home to Georgia's largest AANHPI community. I am proud to represent such a beautiful tapestry of ethnicities, nationalities, faith traditions, and experiences, and I am truly privileged to know and work with so many of these individuals in Georgia every single day. Whether running a business, working with students, or inspiring civic participation in our political system, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in our community have made an indelible mark in their professional fields and in the lives of those they serve. Since 2023, I have also been a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to fight for the AANHPI communities here in Georgia and across our country. Together, we can support the hard-working Americans who bring their unique experiences to our Nation, advocate and advance our shared goals, and celebrate the many contributions that have made America a more perfect union.

This month and always, I am honored to represent the cultures, nationalities, and spoken languages that make up this vibrant community. Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to be the lead sponsor of H.R. 3019, the Federal Prison Oversight Act. I am proud to rise in support of this bipartisan legislation today.

My son, Jordan Davis, was killed when he was 17 years old by a man who is now serving a life sentence in prison. Through my family's pain, I have found the strength, believe it or not, to actually forgive my son's killer.

I introduced this bill after I heard from families and advocates about alarming corruption, misconduct, and a lack of oversight in this country's prison systems that has led to tragedy and loss for far too many families across this Nation.

As legislators here in Congress, we have the power to lead policies that help to restore trust and transparency within these systems. I introduced the Federal Prison Oversight Act out of the belief that everyone deserves to be treated humanely and with respect. My bill will establish a Federal framework for comprehensive risk-based inspections of Federal prisons to identify areas of improvement.

High-risk work is not something to be taken lightly. For the brave men and women working within our prison system, this is their daily routine. They protect and care for others while risking their lives because they believe in the power of rehabilitation.

As their elected officials, we have the duty to make sure the roofs over their heads will not cave in on them. We have a duty to make sure that their systems are updated and that there are medical services and mental health resources necessary to protect themselves, incarcerated individuals, and everyone who may live near these facilities.

Our prison system should be one that rehabilitates Americans whenever possible, providing for long and healthy lives. The steps outlined in our bill will help to improve recidivism rates and make sure that our prisons are held accountable while implementing evidence-based programs.

I have had the opportunity to speak with the new Federal Director for the Bureau of Prisons. She has been in my office. I have had good, healthy conversations with her.

Passing this bill, I truly believe, is a first step in the right direction to protecting the rights of the administrators, the staff, and those who are actually serving their time.

I thank Representative Armstrong here in the House, as well as Senator Ossoff in the Senate. I thank Chair Comer and Ranking Member Raskin for moving this bill through committee, and I thank all the committee members who saw the importance and the value of this bill and the value of trying to rehabilitate individuals who can be rehabilitated and reintroduced again into society to be successful human beings.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, as a mother in Congress, one of my top priorities is protecting children. I know the incomparable love that a person can feel for their child and the horrors of losing a child. I set out to pass a bill that will protect our children and help law enforcement in their efforts to find those who wish to prey on the vulnerabilities of kids across the globe.

That is why I am so proud to support the REPORT Act which includes my bill, the END Child Exploitation Act. As a provision in the REPORT Act, the END Child Exploitation Act will empower law enforcement to conduct comprehensive, thorough investigations without their evidence being prematurely thrown out after 90 days and instead extends evidence preservation to one year.

Technology is making advancements every day and while that means progress for many of us, that also means new avenues for predators to gain access to our young. These predators have gotten creative with their exploitative means, and it is our job to get even more creative so that law enforcement has the tools and support to track these horrible individuals.

I have heard far too many stories of young children and teens being targeted by those wishing to spread child sexual abuse material. Our children are our future and as parents and loved ones of these children, it is our job to go the extra mile to protect them.