Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to announce it is finally infrastructure year for Georgia's Fifth Congressional District.

I have seen firsthand how the infrastructure bill will transform the entire Fifth Congressional District in Georgia. To share just a few projects: We are going to repair crumbling bridges in the city of South Fulton; extend the Peachtree Creek Greenway in Brookhaven; make Forest Park a more pedestrian-friendly city; and maintain Hartsfield-Jackson's title as the world's busiest airport. We are delivering for the people.

I am especially proud that the infrastructure bill includes the Reconnecting Neighborhoods Program, based on legislation that I wrote. This program will reconnect neighborhoods like the Sweet Auburn district that was intentionally divided by the construction of Federal interstates.

This is a matter of racial justice because far too often, it was Black neighborhoods that were divided. I have met with community leaders to hear what they need from the program, and I will continue to be their voice in Washington as they build back better.

And I almost forgot. While we are making these decades-overdue investments in infrastructure, we are going to also create millions of good-paying, union jobs. Democrats have delivered for the Fifth District and our country, and we are not done yet.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to share the words of my constituent, Yolanda Renee King, that I received this morning:

``I am 13 years old and the only grandchild of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King. When I was just 5 years old, in 2013, the Supreme Court undid the Voting Rights Act that my grandparents and so many in their generation fought and died for.

``When I was 12, in 2021, the Supreme Court further weakened the law until there was almost nothing left.

``States like my home State of Georgia were ready and waiting. They immediately passed laws that make it harder for people to vote, make it impossible to protect elections, and even criminalize the act of passing out food and water to people who wait in long lines.

``That means I and my peers have fewer rights today than we had the day we were born. I can only imagine what my grandparents would say about that. We must pass Federal voting rights legislation now to ensure democracy for all Americans. We cannot wait.''

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Bowman for yielding.

I am here today with the urgent request that the Biden administration cancel the student debt obligations that burden 44.7 million Americans. I am one of these 44.7 million Americans who is still paying off student loans well after our college days.

I rise today to elevate the voices of the numerous constituents who continuously call me, Facebook me, and DM me to tell me their stories, including Natalie from Morningside and Jacob from Atlanta, both of whom told me that they are desperate for relief and that they only see heartache in their futures, all thanks to their student loan debt.

But we know that it doesn't have to be this way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a financial lifeline was extended to the American people with emergency student loan relief. But that lifeline is going to end in just 2 short months.

Now that we have seen that being free of the burden of student loan debt is possible, we must deliver for the American people and cancel student debt permanently.

Student debt is disproportionately held by Black borrowers and continues to worsen the racial wealth gap. Nowhere is it more obvious to have this

vicious cycle of student loan debt exacerbate the racial wealth gap than with our historically Black colleges and universities. Not only am I a proud third-generation HBCU alum of Talladega College, but Georgia's Fifth Congressional District has more HBCUs than any other congressional district in this country.

HBCUs have been intentionally underfunded throughout their history. While the Build Back Better Act will partially rectify that injustice, HBCUs are still struggling to meet the needs of the more than 290,000 students enrolled in more than 100 HBCUs across America today. HBCUs' endowments are smaller compared to those of predominantly White institutions, and, in turn, that limits the aid that HBCUs can provide to our students, leading to larger student loans and smaller alumni donations, burdening grads with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and perpetuating the cycle for generations to come.

Student loan debt also prevents people from starting a family and building a better life. An Education Trust study found that of graduate degree holders who earn between $75,000 and $100,000 with $94,000 in student loan debt, 55 percent of debtors delayed investments in retirement; 67 percent postponed buying a home; and 36 percent postponed having a child.

We live in the richest country in the world. We ought to be ashamed of these statistics. We shouldn't accept that people must choose between paying off student loans or having the family that they have always dreamed of. For generations, American students have heard that a college education is the key to unlocking the American Dream. Instead of unlocking the American Dream, we have only created a uniquely American nightmare.

We made a promise to the American people. We can deliver on that promise by canceling student loan debt so that everyone can thrive and not merely survive.

I thank Representative Bowman for hosting this Special Order hour, and I look forward to making sure that we deliver on the promise of America for everyone.

Madam Speaker, Maya Angelou said that when people show you who they are, believe them the first time. Mississippi showed us.

The State made its intent clear today before the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, despite 50 years of constitutional precedent that clearly upholds it. This is about politicians controlling people's bodies and decisions.

In my 10 years working for Planned Parenthood in the South, I saw exactly who is hurt the most by harmful abortion bans: Black, indigenous, and people of color, LGBTQI-plus communities, people struggling to make ends meet. Without Roe, the threat to abortion is real and far-reaching. Half of U.S. States are poised to ban abortion entirely, including my home State of Georgia.

Abortion is essential. We must ensure that everyone, no matter their ZIP Code has the freedom to make decisions about their health and their families.

In the House, we did our part by passing the Women's Health Protection Act. It is time for the Senate to do its job so that we can rightfully keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the House resolution calling for the immediate censure of Representative Paul Gosar. Posting an edited video on social media depicting violence against another Member of this body is reprehensible.

Make no mistakes, violent speech breeds violent actions. On my third day of Congress, I learned exactly how dangerous words of leaders in this country can be. Allowing this type of dangerous messaging to go unchecked puts all of our lives at risk. Following the January 6 attacks, my family had to get security for our safety. I never imagined having to drop my kindergartner off at school with security in tow.

This routine brand of violence against women in politics is a direct attempt to silence us. We can hold different opinions and disagree, but violent hate speech is unacceptable in any party. Leaders in Congress must be held accountable for their actions.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this basic standard of conduct and join me in holding my colleague accountable.

Will the gentlewoman yield?

Madam Speaker, in Atlanta we are known for making history and a little bit of good trouble.

As the home of Congressman John Lewis, the home of Hammerin' Hank Aaron, who was an Atlanta Brave, we are ready to make history once again and win this World Series, just like we won the first game last night--and we will be ready with a nice southern soul food dinner.

Madam Speaker, everyone, inside Congress and out, has a duty to stop domestic violence.

Those of us in the House of Representatives can fulfill that duty today by voting to reauthorize and strengthen the Family Violence and Prevention Services program.

Sadly, Atlanta experienced what researchers at Emory University called the ``co-occurring pandemics'' of COVID-19 and domestic violence. The victims of both were disproportionately in marginalized communities.

A strengthened Family Violence and Prevention Services program may have prevented those acts of violence in the first place. This bill's expanded resources will support organizations like the Partnership Against Domestic Violence, and everyone else working in the Fifth District to end domestic violence.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, I want you to know you are not alone. Please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 800- 799-SAFE or text ``START'' to 88788.

Thank you to my fellow Georgian Lucy McBath and to Chairman Bobby Scott for their leadership in advancing this crucial legislation.

I urge all my colleagues to vote yes on the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act because there are not two sides to this issue. You are either opposed to domestic violence or you aren't.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of reproductive freedom; for the people I met while working for Planned Parenthood who had to travel across State lines just to get the care that they need.

The relentless assault on abortion in State legislatures and courtrooms has nothing to do with health or care. It is about scoring political points on the backs of those most marginalized.

It might be Texas first, then Mississippi, then my home State of Georgia where, as we speak, another despicable abortion ban is having its day in Federal court right now.

We can't leave the right to safe and legal abortion to the whim of States. Congress must ensure that everyone, no matter their ZIP Code, can make decisions about their health and families freely.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Women's Health Protection Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in the spirit of my predecessor, Congressman John Lewis.

Congressman Lewis taught us that when you see something that is not fair, not just, not right, you have a moral obligation to find a way to get in the way.

The voter suppression laws that have been enacted across the country and what is happening in my home State of Georgia is the very definition of the good trouble that John Lewis taught us to get into, to push back against.

We might not be counting jelly beans in a jar but make no mistake, they seek the same purpose: to stop people who look like me from accessing their right to vote.

We all have an opportunity to get in the way today by voting ``yes'' on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

If my colleagues ever wondered what they would have done during the civil rights movement, this is your opportunity to find out. Our democracy is on the line.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the INVEST in America Act, which includes the legislative provision based on my bill, the Reconnecting Neighborhoods and Strengthening Communities Act.

This act is a long overdue matter of racial justice and environmental justice. The Federal Highway Act of 1956 built highways through the middle of cities, sometimes to intentionally displace Black families, disconnecting thriving communities, and made devastating economic impacts that still exist today.

We have a responsibility to undo the harm of these intentional decisions. Two examples of these disenfranchising projects are in the Fifth District of Georgia that you see right next to me. The Sweet Auburn and Summerhill communities were divided by the construction of the downtown connector and I-20.

Millions of people in the districts across the country will benefit from the Reconnecting Neighborhoods Program because the government built these projects in virtually every major city.

My program invests in the redesign or removal of infrastructural barriers built through communities of color. It ensures the infrastructure of the future will serve communities rather than divide them.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act and my amendment to the bill.

For older job seekers and workers, age discrimination remains a barrier to both getting employed and staying employed. According to an AARP survey released in 2019, three in five older workers report that they have seen or experienced age discrimination on the job.

Age discrimination should have no place in decisions about an employee. It doesn't matter if age is one factor or the only factor in these decisions. Discrimination is still wrong.

Under current law, an older worker must prove that a negative action was taken against them solely because of their age to pursue legal remedy for age discrimination. That leaves out a lot of workers who have been marginalized because of their age.

The bill before us would create a reasonable burden of proof under the law to allow more workers who have faced age discrimination to pursue relief.

Enacting this legislation would be a monumental step, but we have more to do to ensure that all older workers are served well by protections under law because the circumstances facing older workers are not all the same.

Many older workers face intersectional discrimination based not only on their age, but also due to factors like their race, their gender, or disability status. For example, in a 2017 experimental study published by the Federal Reserve Bank, researchers found that older women encounter more age discrimination in the hiring process and callback process than men.

To ensure equitable protection for individuals experiencing intersectional discrimination, we have to understand any disparities they may face in pursuing relief from discrimination as this legislation is implemented.

My amendment tasks the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with completing a study on these disparities and reporting back to Congress within 2 years. This analysis will be crucial to ensuring our laws are serving all of us and that we are truly reaching the ideal of equality for all.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Chair Waters' Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act and amendments that I have been able to make to the bill.

Our work in Congress must focus on how to make life better for the most marginalized in our communities. This bill centers that goal by ensuring fair debt collection and consumer protection. Today, I am offering two amendments to further advance that work.

Currently, a borrower's credit score isn't negatively affected if they miss a Federal student loan payment during the pandemic. This protection was made possible with bipartisan support. It is time that we extend the same protection to private student loan borrowers, and I am happy to have partnered with Congresswoman Alma Adams to advance an amendment that does just that.

I also authored an amendment that commissions a report to analyze racial disparities in debt collection practices and recommend solutions. Additional study in this area will help us ensure greater equity going forward.

I urge my colleagues to support these amendments and the overall bill before us today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act and my amendment to this bill.

On average, full-time working women need to work well into the next year to catch up to the salary our male counterparts earned the previous year. March 24 marked the day that women's salaries, on average, caught up to the salaries of our male counterparts in 2020. For several subgroups of women, this date won't come until later this year. For example, as a Black woman, it will take until August--an additional 8 months--to make the same salary of our male counterparts as they did in 2020.

The American people look to Congress to be a force for economic justice and create policies that are fair and just. It is simply wrong that in the 21st century women still face pay inequity. That is why I am proud to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will strengthen existing laws to ensure that women are getting the pay that they deserve.

My amendment will build on this crucial legislation by reestablishing the Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force. This task force, which previously existed during the Obama-Biden administration, will ensure Federal agencies are working together to limit any potential gaps in enforcement of equal pay laws. Putting this task force back in place will bring us one step closer to ensuring that women finally receive equal pay for equal work.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the bill before us today to ensure that women are paid fairly.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

The Violence Against Women Act is a decades-old law that helps protect some of my most vulnerable constituents from abuse. Unfortunately, the law has been expired since 2018.

At a time when the pandemic has forced many women in unsafe domestic situations to stay home, we owe them action. And I came to Congress to get results.

Today, I'll be proud to vote to advance strong and bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and update the Violence Against Women Act.

The bill is going to extend the protections the law has in place while improving violence prevention and victim services. It will ensure communities of color are well served by the law.

And what's more, the bill is forward-looking. It designs studies to assess the challenges survivors face with things like achieving economic security and paying off their student loans. Today, I'm offering an amendment to make sure these studies consider how these matters can have disparate impacts by race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and the bill before us today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021. This common-sense legislation would save lives in every state, every congressional district, and every community, by preventing guns from being sold to people who are dangers to themselves or others.

If this is truly ``The People's House'' then we MUST pass H.R. 8 for the safety and protection of all people. Enough is enough. Too many times innocent lives have been lost to guns in the hands of people wishing to do harm. That's why 93 percent of Americans support requiring universal background checks on all gun sales. The people know: background checks work.

By preventing guns from falling into the hands of people with mental illness or criminal history. Last year was a particularly tragic year for the Fifth District, with 177 lives ended at the barrel of a gun. My heart breaks knowing there have already been 25 gun-related deaths in my District this year. As I speak today, I am remembering Kennedy Maxie. A sweet, seven-year-old Black girl shot and killed in Atlanta while Christmas shopping with her family last December. She was an innocent victim, killed by someone who had no business with a gun.

The tragedies are too many, and the gun violence too frequent. It's past time we did something.