Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize AgeWays, a human services agency, as they celebrate fifty years of service to our seasoned residents of Southeast Michigan.

Formerly known as Area Agency on Aging 1-B, AgeWays has been a resource for seniors and their caregivers since 1974. They take an active role in helping older adults access services and assistance they need to live independently. They serve over 700,000 people in their six-county service areas, providing comprehensive services such as direct care, meals on wheels, transportation, and health and wellness programs. They have been a steadfast partner for the communities of the 12th Congressional District who rely on their work.

The 12th District is proud to recognize their incredible and dedicated leadership to serving our seasoned residents and we offer our congratulations as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. Please join me in recognizing AgeWays in celebration of fifty years of commitment to our community.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Bishop Robert Delano Taylor, of Glad Tidings Church in Detroit, as he is promoted as the Presiding Bishop of Southwest Michigan Agape Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.

Since 1987, Bishop Taylor has served as the pastor of Glad Tidings Church, where he has led his family in faith and spearheaded numerous programs in service to the community. He has launched initiatives to provide vital resources to children, youth, and families, as well as offering essential support to the homeless during winter months, as well as providing backpacks, free haircuts, and dental services during annual back-to-school rallies.

In his new role, Bishop Taylor undertakes the monumental task of overseeing a vast network of over fifty congregations. In addition to

his administrative duties, Bishop Taylor dedicates himself to nurturing and guiding the pastors within his jurisdiction, ensuring they are equipped with the requisite resources to foster their spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth. His steadfast commitment to the betterment of others is evident in every aspect of his leadership.

The 12th Congressional District offers our congratulations and recognition of Bishop Robert Delano Taylor for his spiritual leadership and impact on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned about the escalating repression of First Amendment protected speech and assembly on college campuses across our country.

To all the elected university boards and appointed presidents, it needs to be very clear: Your students' constitutional rights don't end when they enter your campus grounds.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record statements from the ACLU and from Bend the Arc.

[April 26, 2024]

ACLU Urges College and University Leaders to Protect Free Speech and

Academic Freedom

New York.--In response to the anti-war protests happening

at colleges across the country, and the disturbing arrests

that have followed, the American Civil Liberties Union sent a

letter to leaders at both public and private universities.

The letter states:

``As you fashion responses to the activism of your students

(and faculty and staff), it is essential that you not

sacrifice principles of academic freedom and free speech that

are core to the educational mission of your respected

Institution.''

Authored by ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero and

National Legal Director David Cole, the letter offers

university leaders five basic guardrails to ensure freedom of

speech and academic freedom are protected on campus:

1. They must not single out particular viewpoints for

censorship, discipline, or disproportionate punishment.

2. They must protect students from targeted discriminatory

harassment and violence, but may not penalize people for

taking sides on the war in Gaza, even if expressed in deeply

offensive terms.

3. They can announce and enforce reasonable content-neutral

time, place, or manner policies on protesting activity, but

they must leave ample room for students to express

themselves. These rules must be applied consistently and

without regard to viewpoint.

4. They must recognize that armed police on campus can

endanger students and are a measure of last resort.

5. They must resist the pressures placed on them by

politicians seeking to exploit campus tensions.

The letter also informs university leaders of relevant

Supreme Court precedent:

``The Supreme Court has forcefully rejected the premise

that, `because of the acknowledged need for order, First

Amendment protections should apply with less force on college

campuses than in the community at large.' ''

The letter strongly advises university leaders to be

``cognizant of the history of law enforcement using

inappropriate and excessive force in responding to protests,

particularly against communities of color,'' and that--as

events of the past week have made abundantly clear--arresting

peaceful protestors is likely to escalate, not calm, tensions

on campus.

The letter also reiterates that violence is never an

acceptable protest tactic and that ``physically intimidating

students by blocking their movements or pursuing them

aggressively is unprotected conduct, not protected speech.''

Mr. Speaker, the ACLU statement says: ``As you fashion responses to the activism of your students (and faculty and staff), it is essential that you not sacrifice principles of academic freedom and free speech that are core to the educational mission of your respected institution.''

From Bend the Arc's statement: ``Protest is essential to our movement work and must be protected, and we firmly stand against anti-Semitism being used as an excuse to threaten free speech and criticism of university and U.S. policy. To be clear, criticism of American policy towards Israel is not inherently anti-Semitic.''

Mr. Speaker, dissent is a fundamental American value, from the civil rights movement to antiwar protests to the movement for Black lives, immigrant rights, our country has a long history of students leading movements for change and challenging the status

quo that oppresses and normalizes genocide across the world.

I am deeply moved by the courageous young people in more than 100 encampments at colleges across our Nation that are demanding divestment in support of a genocide in Gaza and apartheid Government of Israel.

I had the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to visit an encampment at the University of Michigan that has public programming. They put it online for families on various issues. The day I went, they were recognizing the anniversary of the Armenian genocide and having someone also speak about the connectivity to the Palestinian Nakba. It was inspiring to see these brave students across races, of all faiths and backgrounds, standing side by side in solidarity to protest for peace. From Jummah prayer to Shabbat, they are coming together in a way I wish my colleagues would welcome.

Sending in militarized police forces and even snipers to stop these students from exercising their First Amendment rights is truly disgusting.

My colleagues are so outraged by students opposing genocide and apartheid, but many of these same Members were completely silent last year when we saw the dramatic increase of threats, literally death threats on historical Black colleges and universities across the country.

This state-sanctioned violence, including the arrests and threatened felony prosecutions of students, can only be seen as an explicit effort to silence students and take away their First Amendment rights.

Mr. Speaker, no student--not one--should be met with academic repercussions or police brutality on their own campuses for exercising, peacefully, their rights to free speech and assembly.

Why is it, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues and every headline from mainstream media are more concerned and outraged about these protests than they are about the over 35,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza? Seventy percent of them are women and children.

There are no universities left in Gaza, but no outrage. Multiple mass graves have been uncovered at several locations that Israeli forces have recently withdrawn from. Two hundred bodies were found at al-Shifa Hospital, literally fresh bodies found with their hands tied behind their backs, naked.

Where is the outrage for these war crimes? This is not just me. This is the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Our government isn't just complicit in this genocide. We are actively participating.

Students are occupying their campuses to peacefully protest for an end to these atrocities and for divestment in this genocide and apartheid. They are even renaming some of the buildings after Palestinian children who have been killed. These students should be praised for standing up for what they believe in, not vilified, smeared with misinformation campaigns and silence.

I call on these universities to end the repressive tactics, exercise restraint, denounce ongoing police brutality, and stop suppressing the very activism, academic freedom, and thoughtful debate that they seek to inspire in their students.

Mr. Speaker, we don't want to see an apology years later. No. We want to see action today to protect these students. We don't want to have you all, in 10 years, praise the same students for doing what was right. We don't want to see it. We need it now. They deserve it now.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and stand in solidarity in the remembrance of the millions of lives lost during this tragic event.

Let us not forget the hate and mistreatment Armenian families faced and make sure that this terrible event is never forgotten in the minds of Americans and our history. The Armenian Genocide was one of the darkest moments in human history, resulting in the deaths of approximately a million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Today, let us be reminded to always treat our neighbors with love and human dignity, and inspired by the memory of those lost, to never stop fighting for a better world in their honor.

I join the Armenian communities of Michigan and across my district in recognizing the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide as we remember the lives of the loved ones lost a century ago.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Congressional Mamas' Caucus, I am asking our Chamber to please take a moment to recognize that we are experiencing a Black maternal health crisis in our country.

In Michigan's 12th Congressional District, we are experiencing not only the Black maternal health crisis but also an infant mortality crisis.

We don't want another study. We want action.

Michigan has had one of the highest death rates among Black women in our country because our systems and institutions have failed to provide our Black neighbors with the comprehensive, high-quality care they deserve, a system free of systemic racism.

To address the Black maternal mortality crisis, we must understand and acknowledge our country's racist history and the ways in which it has manifested in our healthcare system. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. This is unacceptable.

Black women have consistently been neglected and mistreated in our healthcare system. They should feel safe and supported by their healthcare professionals, and they should be believed.

Black women in frontline communities like ours also live with the devastating effects of preexisting conditions from air and water pollution.

I founded the Congressional Mamas' Caucus with Mothering Justice because we were tired. We were tired of policies created about mothers but not with mothers.

I am also incredibly proud to have been a supporter and cosponsor of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a comprehensive bill that would address every dimension of the maternal health crisis in America.

This legislative package will extend WIC eligibility, fund community- based organizations, prioritize Black maternal mental health, support incarcerated mothers, and invest in Federal programs to address the Black maternal health crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I will not stop until Black women receive the equitable, nondiscriminatory, comprehensive care they deserve.

Get the Lead Out

Mr. Speaker, water contaminated by lead service lines can be found in every single congressional district in our country. From rural areas to densely populated cities, lead service lines are widespread and pose serious health risks to all of us, but particularly our children.

I founded the Get the Lead Out Caucus with the goal of eliminating lead from our drinking water once and for all.

Experts have estimated that we need $60 billion to replace every single lead pipe in America in the next 10 years. We continue to wake up to stories about children being poisoned and cities having to hand out bottled water because they have failed to invest in our water infrastructure.

We are now seeing our own food supply being impacted by toxic water being used to wash produce that ends up in our refrigerators and on our dining room tables.

People across our country are being forced to drink, bathe, cook, and wash dishes with water that is literally poisoning our bodies.

This is a public health crisis, Mr. Speaker, and it affects all of us in the United States.

I am proud that I am leading, in partnership with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Lisa Blunt Rochester, an appropriations request to provide $1.5 billion in additional funding for lead service line replacement in Michigan and throughout the country in the next fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in this initiative. I know that many of our municipalities have talked to all of us about struggling to find the resources to meet the urgent need for lead pipe detection and replacement, so this $1.5 billion would keep us on track for our goal of total nationwide lead pipe replacement in the next decade.

Tribal nations across the Great Lakes remind us that water is life. There is no more precious resource than water. We must continue to demand that clean, affordable water is a human right in our country.

Congratulating Laila Nasher

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to congratulate Laila Nasher, a resident from our district and a dedicated leader in our community, for becoming the first Yemeni-American woman to earn the prestigious Truman Scholarship award.

Born in Aden, Yemen, Laila is a proud immigrant and was raised by her mother in Detroit. In 2021, I had the honor and privilege of Laila interning in our office, and since then I have watched from afar her incredible commitment to public service, and it continues to just grow.

Laila is committed to advancing equity in our public education and supporting underserved communities and first-generation college students like herself. As a student at Harvard, she is now studying social anthropology and history and inspiring young Yemeni-American women in our community and across our country to pursue their dreams.

I am so proud of Laila in receiving the Truman Scholarship award and cannot wait to see all that she is going to be able to accomplish in the years to come. Please join me in congratulating Laila for her outstanding achievements and deep commitment to our community.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize longtime Inkster and 12th District resident Nobie Mae Hill as we mourn her passing at the age of one hundred eleven.

Born and raised in Alabama, Ms. Hill was no stranger to a life of hard work, having spent years working on a plantation. After marrying and starting a family, Ms. Hill and her family moved to Michigan, settling in Inkster in the 1940s. She lived a full and vibrant life and became an integral part of the community. A trailblazer, Ms. Hill owned and operated two beauty salons in Inkster. She was also an active member of Inkster's Springhill Baptist Church.

Nobie Mae Hill was a beloved member of the community. Her kindness and warmth will be missed by all who knew her. Please join me in honoring her memory.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his courage and trying to save lives, especially the lives of our children and trying again to address the crisis that we have in our country.

It is always an honor to be able to serve the families of the 12th Congressional District in Michigan.

Before I was a Congresswoman, my two sons made me a mother. I am speaking to you all as a mother more than anything.

It is important to understand--this is a true fact--that gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in our country. As of today, there have already been 106 mass shootings--that is more mass shootings than the days in the year so far.

You know what is more horrific? It is more horrific that the gun violence in our communities that is happening every single day doesn't even make the news anymore.

Congress has become so numb--this institution--truly numb to the gun violence crisis in our country that they are not even paying attention any longer.

We cannot continue like this, Mr. Speaker. I refuse to accept that the death of kids is the status quo.

We have not voted on a single gun violence prevention bill under this Republican majority.

Guns now have more rights in our country than women do. It is sick.

It is disgusting that campaign donations from the NRA and gun manufacturers have bought inaction and bought the silence of many of my colleagues and blocked many, many important, major reforms that we need to keep our communities safe across our Nation.

Every one of our colleagues that refuses to vote for commonsense gun violence prevention I truly believe has blood on their hands-- responsibility.

It is clear. They value guns more than the lives of our children. I truly believe our children deserve so much more than, again, inaction and our continued silence.

I thank my colleague for hosting this Special Order. I have seen him on this floor being a father, being a Congressman, and we know what is at stake. Again, no parent ever should worry about their child when they leave home, that they would be a victim of gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, the most successful internet affordability program in our Nation's history will soon run out of money unless Congress acts.

There are 23 million families who rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program in our country. If Congress doesn't reauthorize this funding, the program will run out of money in a matter of weeks.

This is deeply concerning for thousands of our residents who depend on this program for internet access. In Michigan's 12th District alone, this program has benefited 110,000 households, reducing broadband costs in the district by $52.1 million annually.

Losing this access would jeopardize the well-being and opportunities, Mr. Speaker, for an estimated 64 million Americans, especially our seasoned residents. That is why the program is so important and why I cosponsored the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act and I urge Speaker Johnson to bring this bill to the floor for a vote.

Access to internet is a necessity for our communities; not a luxury. From education to employment to scheduling healthcare appointments to access to health services, everyone deserves affordable internet access.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot let this crucial resource expire and leave our residents disconnected.

Disability Justice

Mr. Speaker, disability rights are human rights. Everyone in our country and around the world, including people living with disabilities, deserves to lead a fulfilling life with dignity.

I am committed to dismantling the barriers and injustices our neighbors with disabilities face to ensure our country is living up to our values of equity and equal rights for all people.

Our neighbors with disabilities cannot receive the quality healthcare they need and deserve when medical facilities lack accessible equipment like examination tables, weight scales, dental chairs, and radiology devices. I can't even imagine.

This is why I joined my sister in service, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, in urging the Justice Department to address this issue and help the disabled community access equitable healthcare. I am so grateful for her leadership and partnership.

Please know that studies have shown that women with disabilities have a higher risk of dying from breast cancer and cervical cancer but are less likely than able-bodied women to receive mammograms and other tests to diagnose those conditions because of the lack of access to equipment.

Mr. Speaker, we must address this injustice with the urgency it deserves.

Recognizing Eid Al-Fitr

Today, Mr. Speaker, is Eid Al-Fitr, an end to the holy month of Ramadan.

Eid Mubarak to all my fellow Muslims in Michigan's 12th Congressional District, across the country, and the world. May Allah accept our fasts and deeds of the past month and forgive us for our shortcomings.

Mr. Speaker, this Eid is not the same for the Muslim communities that our Members represent. Gaza is on their minds and hearts today as they witness

the starvation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians continue.

The images of children in Gaza celebrating Eid on top of the rubble of their homes, schools, and masjids that no longer stand brings them to tears.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to please listen to them. Listen to our fellow Americans of the Muslim faith when they urge my colleagues to not just pray, but also demand a permanent cease-fire.

Mr. Speaker, saving lives should not be controversial.

Housing Crisis

Mr. Speaker, no one can disagree that we are facing a housing crisis in our country.

Today, the average renter now pays over 30 percent of their income toward rent, and 78 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. In metro Detroit alone, there are three extremely low-income renter households for each unit that is both affordable and available.

Our investments in public housing have long been insufficient. The Detroit Housing Commission needs hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improvements, but they only have $12 million annually to spend.

I introduced the Public Housing for the 21st Century Act to ensure that public housing developers have access to the latest, best practices using local policy tools and financing.

When it comes to homeownership, after the 2008 financial crisis, Michigan experienced the largest decrease in Black homeownership compared to any other State in the country. The Black homeownership rates in Wayne and Oakland counties in my district dropped more than 10 percentage points. This is a crisis that must be addressed.

This is Fair Housing Month. I am urging my colleagues to please support the largest investment in funding for HUD's affordable housing and homelessness programs for the next fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Motaz Azaiza, a Palestinian journalist, for his ongoing coverage of the Palestinian people and his commitment to telling their stories.

Mr. Azaiza has focused his life's work on capturing the daily life of Palestinians in Gaza. Since the war began, he has bravely used his platform to document the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the lives of the innocent people who have been killed. Mr. Azaiza's images on the ground have exposed the war crimes being committed by the Israeli government for the world to see. We applaud his efforts and bravery for risking his life to report on these atrocities.

Please join me in recognizing the numerous contributions of Motaz Azaiza in the field of journalism

Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Helen Bandyke, Dearborn resident and one of Michigan's Rosie the Riveters, as she celebrates her 103rd birthday.

During World War II countless women like Ms. Bandyke from across the Nation and right here in Southeast Michigan took over jobs that had been previously performed by men and held our country down during extremely trying times. Ms. Bandyke proudly worked at Chrysler's DeSoto Plant in Dearborn in 1942 while her husband served overseas. She was among those strong women who blazed the trail for women in the workforce. I am so proud of Ms. Bandyke and her incredible contribution to our Nation's labor movement and our history.

Please join me and the people of Dearborn and Michigan's 12th District Strong as we honor Ms. Helen Bandyke and wish her the happiest of birthdays.

Mr. Speaker, I love recognizing our community mothers in Detroit.

Amy Good founded Alternatives for Girls, a nationally recognized organization serving at-risk youth women in southeast Michigan. For the past 37 years, Amy Good has led Alternatives for Girls with integrity and commitment to the organization's mission to ensure a better quality of life and future for girls and young women who have survived homelessness, violence, and trauma.

With their support, many young girls can go on to succeed in school, graduate, and become leaders in our communities by providing shelter, housing, mentorship programs, skills training, and much more.

With Amy's partnership, I am so proud to announce that our office was able to secure $1.1 million for the Alternatives for Girls to construct the Dr. Maya Angelou Village that will create 45 units of affordable, integrated

permanent supportive housing for at-risk families.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Amy Good for her outstanding service to our residents in southeast Michigan as we wish her well in her next endeavor.

Mother Parks Federal Building

Mr. Speaker, Congress passed legislation to celebrate the mother of the civil rights movement and a beloved resident of our community, Mother Rosa Parks.

I thank Senator Debbie Stabenow, the McCauley Parks family, and everyone who supported this legislation. It was a privilege to lead this effort in the House to rename our Federal building downtown at 985 Michigan Avenue in Detroit the Rosa Parks Federal Building.

We honor Mother Rosa Parks today and every day for her bravery and unwavering commitment to justice. The Montgomery bus boycott showed the world the power of nonviolent resistance and collective action. Her strength resonated to millions across our Nation, inspiring a wave of protests, boycotts, and marches. Her protest challenged the status quo and paved the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to outlaw racial segregation in our Nation.

As we reflect on Rosa Parks' legacy, let us not only remember her incredible courage but also recognize the work that still lies before us. Let us honor her memory by continuing to challenge inequality, by speaking out against injustice, and by standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.

Starvation in Gaza

Mr. Speaker, over 1.5 million Palestinians are now displaced in Rafah without food, clean water, or medicine.

More than 13,000 children have already been killed by the Israeli Government. Another child is killed in Gaza every 15 minutes.

Many have witnessed family members literally dismembered before their eyes. They have witnessed their loved ones buried under the rubble while they were holding each other.

The trauma has led to children as young as 5, Mr. Speaker, saying that they would prefer to die.

Additionally, as if the threat from the bullets and bombs wasn't enough, Palestinians are now dying of starvation across Gaza. At least 27 children and 3 adults have already starved to death. They have been forced to eat grass and animal feed just to survive.

Let's be clear, this isn't a tragic accident. What we are witnessing, all of us across this world, is the Israeli Government using starvation as a weapon of war. The starvation is a result of the total siege on Gaza and the intentional targeting of local food production, infrastructure, and obstruction of aid convoys.

Recently, at least 112 Palestinians were killed after Israeli Government forces opened fire on hundreds waiting to collect flour. The Israeli Government has been intentionally starving the Palestinian people, families. These are some of the most horrific crimes against humanity committed in this century. To target starving people seeking food is beyond belief.

Now, my colleagues are pushing legislation to send more American tax dollars to the apartheid government of Israel and stop funding UNRWA, the major organization that provides desperately needed food and humanitarian assistance to starving Palestinians.

Now, Members here, all of them, are going to be contributing to the starvation of Palestinian families.

This is Yazan. He was only 10 years old when he died due to severe malnutrition and lack of proper healthcare caused by the siege and blockade in Gaza. His family, originally from the north, was displaced several times and wanted to make it to Rafah in hopes of finding food and medicine for Yazan, who needed it to survive, but there was nothing they could do to help him.

This has to stop. What has happened to our shared humanity? Palestinians deserve to live. Palestinian children aren't disposable. They deserve to grow old.

Netanyahu has said he will move forward with an invasion of Rafah with or without a temporary cease-fire. He said it.

Let's be clear, though. A temporary cease-fire is not enough. There is nothing humanitarian about feeding starving children for 6 weeks before the bombing and killing resumes. A lasting, permanent cease-fire is what we need.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 89.

Mr. Speaker, as one of the only few who doesn't take corporate PAC money in this institution, I am here to tell you the truth, per usual.

H.R. 1121 is a danger to all of our communities. The President must have a full range of tools to protect our health, safety, and climate from dangers of fracking.

We know this bill is nothing more than a waste of time. I would like to take a step back for a minute and remind people of the truth, why we are here in this situation right now, with fracking being practically unregulated at the Federal level.

Nearly 20 years ago, Mr. Speaker, then-Vice President Dick Cheney, the former CEO of Halliburton, managed to insert a loophole into the Energy Act of 2005 specifically exempting fracking chemicals from EPA regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Halliburton, of course, is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world and also just happens to be behind most of the major fracking worldwide.

For the last 20 years, we have been dealing with the Halliburton loophole, a terrible reminder of the revolving door of oil, money, and politics, and how Big Oil buys its way into the Halls of Congress.

This bill is another step to enshrine fracking protections and polluter loopholes into law, and it is wrong. It says to people in our communities all across the country, the people who elected us--urban, rural communities--that corporate polluters' profits are more important than their health.

The mere fact that fracking is linked to childhood cancer should be enough for us to act. I merely ask for us, please, don't frack with our health.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 79 (E-BRIDGE Act); YEA on Roll Call No. 80 (Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act); NAY on Roll Call No. 81 (Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6276) USE IT Act, and providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1065) denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies); and NAY on Roll Call No. 86 (Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act).

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk made in order by the rule.

Madam Chair, we all know there are incredibly important issues that are facing many of our families, and one of them is the rise in just uncontrollable corporate greed that we continue to see.

If you want your child to sit next to you on the airplane, expect a fee. If you cancel your cable early, expect a fee. If you pay your credit card late, in Michigan, average credit card late fees from big banks are more than $20. Sadly, even the medical industry imposes hidden costs and surprise bills. Collectively, these junk fees cost our residents billions of dollars each year, Madam Chair.

The telecommunications industry alone takes in an estimated $28 billion in fees annually from our residents. This is wrong. It is actually sick. We must push back against corporate greed.

Consumers should not have to deal with hidden charges and fees. None of my residents should have to deal with this, especially as the rising cost of services and fees continue to happen on top of these hidden fees. In this Chamber, we should all make sure that any law we pass does not support companies that exploit consumers. It is so important.

My amendment is simple. It ensures that any exemptions or benefits provided in this act may not apply to companies that impose the junk fees on our residents. That is it.

The act makes it easier for companies that employ gig workers to pay them in equity in lieu of a real salary. It exempts small issuers from disclosing basic financial information like revenues and expenses. It expands exemptions for venture capital funds, which played a significant part in the Silicon Valley Bank failure.

Regulation on the private funds industry would revert back to pre- Dodd-Frank era, allowing such funds to avoid supplying the SEC with basic information.

Such Wall Street giveaways we know are problematic and debatable. What is not debatable is that this body would relax or roll back regulations meant to protect our retirees and at the same time reward the companies that are literally negatively impacting our hardworking families with hidden fees and surprise costs. It is maddening.

I urge my colleagues to protect consumers and to promote transparency--they deserve to know--by adopting my amendment, which would ensure that those companies that benefit from this act do not also profit from imposing junk fees on our residents.

Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).

Madam Chair, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, yes, but it is surprise fees. It is hidden fees. Many of the residents outside this Chamber would disagree.

I think it is really important to understand the underlying bill amends the security laws, and the security laws are administered by the SEC. Be that as it may, it is incredibly important to understand that, of course, there are fees, but hidden fees. We are talking about hidden, surprise fees that our residents know nothing about. That is the essence of why we need this amendment.

Again, we cannot continue to allow our residents to be impacted negatively by the fact that they don't want to be transparent. They want to hide these fees. They don't want us to know exactly what they are charging us.

So, again, I think it is incredibly important.

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

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.