Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 36.

Personal Explanation

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I regret to inform you that I was unable to attend today's legislative session. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 34, YEA on Roll Call No. 35, and YEA on Roll Call No. 36.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Willa ``Willie'' Cash, a long-time resident and community mother of Detroit in Michigan's 12th District Strong as we mourn her recent passing.

Ms. Cash was born to the late Reed Barbee and Daisy Lilly Glass Barbee in Ripley, Tennessee on August 21, 1937. She graduated from Osceola High School in Osceola Arkansas and graduated from Wilson Junior College in Chicago, Illinois with an associate degree in business. Willa was introduced to her late husband, James E. Cash, by a mutual friend and they married in 1962. They later gave birth to fraternal twins, La'Tanya and La'Trece, James and Willa were married 53 years at the time of his passing in 2015. Willa worked at Realco Company and James at Sears, Roebuck & Co. in Chicago, Illinois and in 1979 the family moved to Detroit.

Ms. Cash's work touched the lives of many when she transitioned to working for the State of Michigan Department of Unemployment Services, and later the Michigan Department of Human Services, where she served as a Family Independence Specialist before retiring in 1999 after 26 years of service.

Ms. Cash was a caring and concerned community member. She volunteered her time and energy with Unity Temple Apostolic Church of Detroit, the Greenwich Park Association Block Club, and she was a proud, lifelong registered voter, and a member-retiree of the UAW Region 1-A. Her hobbies included talking to her sister LaDora and friends daily, listening to her favorite gospel singer Lee Williams and the Spiritual QCs, and watching her favorite television programs.

Above all, Ms. Cash's love, concern, and compassion for her family were extraordinary. Nothing compared to the special bond for her only grandchild A'uston who was the light of her world. She and her husband James gave A'uston all their energy and resources to assist him in graduating college and becoming a successful overseas professional basketball player. They were extremely proud of him. She kept his college team poster in her trunk to show it off on occasion.

Please join me in recognizing Ms. Willa Cash's numerous contributions to our community as we honor her memory.

Offered By: Ms. Tlaib

Amendment No. 10: Page 3, line 9, strike the closing

quotation mark and the final period.

Page 3, after line 9, insert the following:

``(4) Environmental reviews.--Before issuing any oil and

gas lease or permit pursuant to the plan, the Secretary of

the Interior shall complete a separate environmental review

for each such lease and permit in accordance with section

102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)).''.

Offered By: Ms. Tlaib

Amendment No. 11: Page 3, line 9, insert ``the

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the

Council on Environmental Quality,'' before ``and the''.

Offered By: Ms. Tlaib

Amendment No. 12: Page 2, line 13, strike ``date of

enactment of this subsection'' and insert ``date this

paragraph takes effect described in paragraph (4)''.

Page 3, line 9, strike the closing quotation mark and the

final period.

Page 3, after line 9, insert the following:

``(4) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect on

the date on which the Administrator of the Environmental

Protection Agency submits to Congress a report containing the

results of a study of the effects on environmental justice

and greenhouse gas emissions that are likely to result from

implementation of the plan required to be developed under

such paragraph.''.

Offered By: Ms. Tlaib

Amendment No. 13: Add at the end the following:

Offered By: Ms. Tlaib

Amendment No. 14: Page 3, line 5, strike ``10 percent'' and

insert ``0.1 percent''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the extreme anti-abortion agenda that my colleagues on the other side are advancing, despite clear opposition across our country.

In November, Mr. Speaker, access to abortion care was on the ballot, and the American people rejected the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe and refused to allow far-right extremists to take away their right to bodily autonomy.

Voters in Vermont, in the Speaker's home State of California, and in my home State of Michigan codified abortion rights in their State constitutions.

Voters in Montana, as well as Kentucky, Senator Mitch McConnell's home State, rejected attempts to restrict their access to reproductive freedom. Still, they are advancing a policy agenda to criminalize abortion nationwide with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Let me be clear: Abortion bans impact and endanger the lives of many of our residents, including those who live with disabilities.

We will have many fights ahead of us, Mr. Speaker, and I will continue to hold the line to push back against the policy violence by those who want to continue to inflict on the American people the extreme right agenda.

We will continue, my colleagues and I, to mobilize and organize a movement to secure reproductive justice across our Nation, and I will continue to fight like hell until abortion rights are restored as the law of the land.

Palestinian Human Rights

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the only Palestinian American serving in the United States Congress.

I feel a strong responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to humanize the Palestinian people who are living under increasingly oppressive and racist apartheid policies.

2022 was one of the deadliest in memory for Palestinians. Dozens of children were killed by the Government of Israel, and many were targeted. Groups like DCI-Palestine that monitor these killings were targeted.

We cannot look away, Mr. Speaker, and gaslight the oppressive and violent policies toward the Palestinian people, who are experiencing, right now, literally, the taking away of their human dignity and their right to be able to freely live and raise their children without this type of targeting.

We can't keep handing over billions each year to an apartheid state violating human rights. We are dealing with a far-right government there now promising to make things worse.

They are not even hiding it, Mr. Speaker. They are intentionally saying exactly what they are going to continue to do, which is the status quo, again, making it very dangerous for Palestinians to live and thrive.

No person--not one, Palestinian, Israeli, anyone--deserves to suffer or die for who they are, what they believe, or where they were born. The sooner we end unconditional support for Israel's apartheid government, the sooner we can begin making good on that belief.

Today, I am thinking of my Sity, my grandmother, who deserves to have human dignity. She should not be denied of who she is solely because she was born Palestinian, to be able to feel safe and to be able to have human rights.

I am also thinking today, Mr. Speaker, of the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the countless Palestinians who deserved to live but whose lives were cut short.

I thank the Speaker for at least trying to listen and hear from someone who, again, is connected to so many folks on the ground there who deserve to be seen and heard in this Chamber.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jaylee Lynch, Garden City, Michigan's longest-serving city council member, as she celebrates 23 years of service, including 4 years as Mayor of Garden City.

A lifelong resident of Garden City, Jaylee Lynch has embodied the spirit of public service. The people of Garden City hold a special place in her heart and took pride in representing a welcoming community. Jaylee Lynch's dedication to her city was evident in the work she championed to ensure the expansion of the fire department, community center, and downtown redevelopment.

During her tenure, Council Member Lynch advocated for the issues most important to the residents of Garden City as a representative on the Conference of Western Wayne. Outside of her official work, Council Member Lynch is an active member of several service-oriented organizations, including the Garden City Kiwanis Club.

Please join me in showing appreciation for Garden City Council Member Jaylee Lynch for more than two decades of public service for her 15 years of service to the people of Michigan's 13th District Strong, as we wish her well on her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, today I want to acknowledge the legacy and dedication of William ``Bill'' Wild for his more than 20 years of public service to our communities.

Mayor Wild is Westland's longest-serving mayor. A Westland native and graduate of John Glenn High School, Mayor Wild took pride in giving back to the community that raised him. He was especially proud of his accomplishments in helping improve infrastructure, including an overhaul of Westland's municipal center, building a vibrant shopping district, and bringing a citywide recycling program to Westland.

Mayor Wild's commitment and many years of services has been exceptional and outstanding. The 13th District, Wayne County and the Westland community extend their gratitude to Mayor Bill Wild for his many contributions to the growth and prosperity of Westland. It has been an honor to be one of his many partners serving Westland neighborhoods.

Please join me as we recognize Mayor Bill Wild's many contributions to the families of the Westland and 13th Congressional District as we wish him well.

Madam Speaker, today I want to recognize Randy Walker, Garden City, Michigan's longest-serving mayor.

Randy Walker held the office of mayor from 2008 until 2022. Prior to that he served a term on city council. Mayor Walker is a lifelong resident of Garden City. He has always been passionate about serving the community that raised him. Over the years, Mayor Walker has given his time to many service-oriented organizations, including the Kiwanis Club. His love for the community runs deep and it shined through in the initiatives he undertook and supported as our public official.

Please join me in thanking Mayor Randy Walker for his 15 years of service to the people of Garden City in Michigan's 13th District Strong. The 13th Congressional District wishes him well in his retirement and thanks him for his partnership and service to our district.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of civil rights trailblazer Mamie King-Chalmers, a longtime resident of Detroit in Michigan's 13th District Strong, as we honor her memory.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Mamie King-Chalmers witnessed and experienced violence at the forefront of the civil rights movement. Unable to bear the injustice of life in the Jim Crow era southern United States, Ms. King-Chalmers was moved to fight racism for a better future for all. The images of snarling dogs and fire hoses aimed at nonviolent protesters are the symbols of the vitriol of that time, and it was an all too real experience for Ms. King-Chalmers. Her image was captured in an iconic photo depicting her as one of three Black people forced to brace themselves against a building while being blasted with water from a firehose in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. The photo appeared in Life magazine.

Eventually, Mamie King-Chalmers, along with her husband Reverend Raymond Gill, moved and settled with their family in Detroit. She always shared the unvarnished truth of her life during that violent time. As a civil rights advocate, she spoke out about the need for change. She was courageous and unwavering in her commitment.

Please join me in recognizing Mamie King-Chalmers' advocacy in the fight for justice as we honor her legacy. May she rest in power.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community who have fought for equal dignity under the law for decades.

For far too long our LGBTQ neighbors have been discriminated against simply for being who they are and loving who they love. Today, if that case is overturned, same-sex couples would not be allowed to marry in the State of Michigan.

Every single American, no matter their faith, race, gender identity, or sexual orientation has the right to marry the person they love.

I am proud to be here today in the people's House as Congress takes this historic vote to send this legislation to President Biden's desk.

Today, we take one more step toward equality and justice for all. May we continue to build upon this progress by ensuring that all LGBTQ+ neighbors have what they need to thrive and be protected under law.

Madam Speaker, today I rise in memory of Debra Walker, Detroit resident and community activist, whose bright light will live on in our hearts.

Debra was a remarkable and devoted resident of Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. She got her start in community organizing while she served as an Americorps volunteer following her retirement from a career in the automotive industry. Debra's service had no bounds, and she was a friend to many and a dedicated volunteer to countless organizations. Her commitments were deeply rooted in our community with Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium, Corktown Business Association, Corktown Experience, Alternatives for Girls, and People's Community Services, to name a few. She was especially proud of the organizations she founded, Black CAT, whose work focused on social justice issues and Women Achieving Victory and Esteem (WAVE), a support group for African American breast cancer patients and their families.

In addition to her work in the community, Debra was also an entrepreneur, artist, crafter, poet, and spoken word performer. She was passionate about the arts, which led her to found Power in Poetry Experience of Detroit, which created a platform for performing artists across Detroit. The community will always fondly remember Ladel's, the children's bookstore that Debra owned and ran. The store's selections, stories that exposed children to diverse cultures and representation of communities like their own, were truly reflective of the community Debra wanted to create. She truly embodied the generosity and warm- heartedness of Detroit.

Please join me in honoring the memory of Debra Walker as our community mourns her loss.

Madam Speaker, today I want to celebrate the life of Joan Robinson Cheeks, a long-time resident of Detroit, as we mourn her loss.

Joan had a long career serving the public in the City of Detroit's Housing Department. Joan proudly stood up for the values she felt strongly about. It was no surprise that upon retirement, Joan threw herself whole-heartedly into work with local organizations, including the Michigan Democratic Party, whose work focused on issues like voter protection. Joan served as a precinct delegate for many years.

Joan also strongly believed in community service. She spearheaded the Wayne County Annual Senior Citizens Picnic at Hines Park. She was a steadfast volunteer at the Butzel Family Center, assisting for many years with their annual Thanksgiving turkey distribution.

Joan was truly in her element when she was engaging with people. She was always willing to volunteer her time and always with a smile on her face. Her presence will truly be missed

Please join me in recognizing the many outstanding contributions of Joan Robinson Cheeks to the communities of Michigan's 13th District Strong as we honor her memory.