Paul Tonko

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois, Representative Jackson, for bringing us together for a discussion and dialogue on what is an essential wrongdoing of late by this administration: denying the opportunity, the concept, of DEI.

Across our great country, we are witnessing an onslaught of dangerous policies, executive actions, hateful legislation, and vile rhetoric, all designed to strip away rights, sow fear, and erase hard-fought progress.

The Trump administration has engaged in a calculated and relentless assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Federal Government and beyond.

These harmful policies would eradicate programs that address persistent inequalities in American life. They would worsen systemic disparities in access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. They would restrict the right for Americans to exist as they are.

Our STEM education workforce has suffered because of sweeping cuts to DEI initiatives. Since January 2025, the Trump administration has made dramatic cuts to NSF programs, many aimed at broadening opportunity for underrepresented students in STEM education.

Of the 1,500 grants that NSF has canceled, nearly 90 percent had references to DEI.

One of those terminated grants was an NSF award at the University at Albany, which I represent in the 20th Congressional District of New York. Called Striving to Achieve Gender Equity in STEM, this program is essential. It aims to increase the number of women in STEM fields.

Just last month, the Department of Justice declared three Federal educational programs aimed at diversifying STEM as unconstitutional.

University at Albany has done great work with funding from the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation programming to develop inclusive teaching practices and increase participation by underrepresented students in STEM.

Terminating programs like this sends a clear signal by this administration of who is allowed to participate in science.

Upholding scientific integrity means protecting the independence of science and the civil rights of our scientific workforce.

Beyond attacks on our scientific education system, we have seen attacks on our historical institutions and museums in the name of anti- wokeness: from policing content at national parks and monuments, to removing artwork and displays referencing slavery, to attacking the independence of the Smithsonian and how stories are told.

This manipulation of history serves to consolidate political power by erasing marginalized voices and experiences and limiting whose humanity is considered valid.

DEI is not radical, wasteful, and certainly is not just an acronym or a policy. It means our histories, our stories, no matter how uncomfortable and challenging, continue to be shared. It means first- generation college students can join programs that connect them to research and open doors to new career paths.

Mr. Speaker, it is a commitment to removing barriers and expanding opportunity so that every person can succeed. It is a commitment we must continue to fight for, making certain that there is equity, inclusion, and diversity that brings the great diversity of this Nation into a celebratory moment, one that speaks to fairness and justice, to opportunity, to make certain that all people, no matter what their background, have a chance to succeed and share their talent with the American experience.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for bringing us together this evening. He is an awesome voice for fairness.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Health Center Week and celebrate the vital role Community Health Centers play in improving the health and well-being of millions of Americans. This week, we honor the dedicated health professionals, staff, and leaders who make these centers a trusted source of care for communities across the United States.

For nearly 60 years, Community Health Centers have been a cornerstone of our Nation's health care system, delivering high-quality, comprehensive care to 52 million patients across more than 17,000 communities. These centers are a critical part of New York's primary care safety net, serving more than 2.5 million patients across 900 sites. Nearly 60 percent of New York's Community Health Center patients are enrolled in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, or are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

These centers, which include our Capital Region's own Whitney Young Health Center and Hometown Health Centers, deliver integrated, whole- person care to patients and families who need it most. This includes primary and preventive care, behavioral health services, substance use disorder treatment, dental care, vision care, and other essential services. With more than $9.2 million in federal investments, these sites serve more than 36,983 patients, providing life-saving care that builds healthier communities throughout the Capital Region. I have been proud to help deliver federal support for these Community Health Centers, including funding to create a new dental clinic at Hometown Health Centers and establish a community-based dental residency program at Whitney Young Health Center. These investments ensure more Capital Region residents can access the care they need close to home.

As we recognize the vital role of Whitney Young Health Center and Hometown Health Centers, we celebrate their longstanding commitment to deliver equitable, accessible care to patients in our region and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legacy of Bishop McKinley B. Johnson, who passed away last week after seven decades of service to the Albany community as a faith leader and a powerful moral conscience.

As his family said last week, Bishop Johnson always believed that ``the work of the Gospel and the work of justice were never separate errands.''

Through every step of his long and transformative career, Bishop Johnson personified these powerful ideals of justice and faith.

From the pulpit of the Greater Saint Johns Church of God in Christ in Albany's South End, Bishop Johnson never hesitated to speak truth to power.

Time after time, he and his wife, Sue, advocated fiercely for their beloved community and stood at the forefront of decades of struggles for civil rights and equality.

While I join Bishop Johnson's many loved ones in mourning this tremendous loss for our community, I also know that his legacy will live on forever in the battles he fought, the changes he spurred, and the people he inspired.

May his memory continue to be a blessing.