Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 119 and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 120.

Mr. Speaker, as one of the first Muslim woman elected ever in the history of the United States to Congress, I rise in support of opposing all forms of hate. No one should ever experience feeling less than, live in fear, or be exposed to oppression, discrimination or violence because of their sexual orientation, their immigration status, their faith, the color of their skin, their ethnicity, their income status or any other form of identifiers. I rise in support of our United States Constitution where all beings are created equal and will fight every day to oppose racism in our country.

I urge my colleagues to have an open heart, to be present, to serve with compassion, and to hear one another. My colleagues have a rare opportunity to serve with me, an American Muslim woman, who can offer a different understanding of what it is to be a country that is truly equal and inclusive.

Mr. Chair, today I rise in support of H.R. 1, the For the People Act. H.R. 1 will restore our democracy.

We need a comprehensive bill, Mr. Chairman, that takes action on what the people sent us to Congress to do: to work on their behalf and to ensure that government is truly for, by, and of the people; and we must demand it immediately.

We know that today many people, especially those at home in my congressional district in the 13th, various communities of color across this country, continue to face voter disenfranchisement while trying to exercise their right to vote and make their voices heard. We must acknowledge this injustice and remedy it immediately.

We need to have stricter rules, Mr. Chair, rules of conflict of interest when it comes to the offices of the President, the Vice President, and the appointees, including the reaffirmation of the requirement to divest in business interests. We do that with H.R. 1.

I commend my colleagues for the additional language requiring both that language for the executive branch, trading individual stocks, and so forth.

Mr. Chair, we can't allow our democracy to be tainted. We must demand that our government is stronger, more transparent, and more accessible for all of our Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Conference Report to Accompany H.J. Res. 31.

Our country used to celebrate being a nation of immigrants, one that protected the most vulnerable and those fleeing from violence and persecution. We are, after all, home to the American Dream. Increasingly, though, this country's policies have become a nightmare for immigrant families, adults, and children.

People, including children, have died under our custody, and immigrants and refugees are being targeted, detained and deported with little oversight or accountability, and with no regard for keeping families together. DHS, specifically it's enforcement methods and immigration policy is out of alignment with our American values, and instead of increasing its funding to separate families and cage children, we must step back and conduct an audit of DHS funding and policies, with an eye towards decreasing its budget and ending the militarization of our immigration system. More importantly, we need an audit of our morality as

a country. Our true test is how we treat the most vulnerable amongst us, including our neighbors seeking a better life.

Since the creation of DHS in 2003, both CBP and ICE's budgets have more than doubled, to a total of nearly $24 billion today. Moreover, transfer and reprogramming authority allow ICE and CBP to siphon money from other departments to support their activities, leaving their true budgets largely unaccountable and often illusory. ICE, for instance, has redirected appropriations to grow its detention camps and enforcement operations, spending beyond what Congress appropriated. This deal does nothing to restrict this transfer authority and will see an increase in immigration detention of more than 11 percent, or 5,000 additional detentions every day, and representing a 25 percent increase total over Obama Administration levels.

It is unconscionable that our federal budget would be spent on private detention centers, like those run by Core Civic and GEO Groups, who hold hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts from DHS for private detention camps. These for-profit camps are violating human rights by not providing hot water, serving spoiled food and denying medical care. Not coincidentally, each of Core Civic and GEO Group gave $250,000 to President Trump's inaugural committee. Our budget is not a tool for rewarding campaign supporters, and it cannot be used to perpetuate human rights abuses or make a profit on the backs of children and our immigrant neighbors.

The Conference Report also provides $1.375 billion for wall construction, a complete waste of resources that makes us no safer but perpetuates environmental degradation and dehumanizes border communities. It expands CBP's short term custody without any safeguards, increases funding for Homeland Security Investigation ICE agents who conduct militarized raids and abuse rights and their authority, and funds border security technology despite a long history of DHS abuses.

Once we voted to reopen the government, albeit short-term, a few of my colleagues and I released a letter declaring that we would not vote for an increase in funding for the harmful, hateful, and inhumane actions of some agencies within DHS. We asked that the conference committee work to cut DHS funding, get rid of transfer authority for funds so the Trump Administration can no longer use the DHS as a slush fund, and implement stronger accountability measures beyond just reporting. It is unfortunate that this DHS funding bill includes none of this. Instead, it includes money for a wall, an increase in DHS funding, and lacks necessary accountability measures. We should be fighting for a just border and a comprehensive immigration system. We must demand change. We owe it to the American people and those coming to this country for a better life. A presidency built on misinformation, fearmongering, and division should not be rewarded for its threats of shutdowns and instituting national emergencies.

My Democratic colleagues in the conference have negotiated in good faith with the President and Republican leadership, and even despite this, Republicans have confirmed that once again President Trump will ignore the principles that the Constitution has set forth and declare a National Emergency. Both sides should be alarmed at this continuous degradation of the rule of law, separation of powers, and disregard for our Constitution.

I cannot in good conscious vote for this DHS funding bill. On behalf of my immigrant neighbors, I must reject hateful policies and rhetoric by the Trump Administration. I am committed to working toward a just border, a welcoming country, and a comprehensive immigration system that respects the humanity and dignity of people while inspiring people to live up to the best of our country's ideals.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the incredibly strong city of Flint.

I had a unique relationship with Congressman Dingell, who we lovingly called ``The Dean'' in Michigan. Because I was a young activist, ``radical,'' always out there protesting for clean air, protesting for good-paying jobs, and he was the person who, even though we had different styles and different approaches to various issues, he never reduced or tried to silence my voice and many of the voices of the

young people who were really trying to get the Clean Air Act to be put in place and have corporate polluters be held accountable.

As I transitioned into elected office in the Michigan Legislature and became a State representative, within a few months of being a State representative, there was a corporate billionaire who owned a bridge, and there was this whole, huge controversy around whether or not he had a permit or whether or not he was following the environmental impact statement process that is there on the Federal level.

This is a community where one in five children has asthma. This is the community I was raised in. It was the first issue that came before me as a member of the State legislature in Michigan, and I was at a loss. Many people said, Congressman Dingell, The Dean, has historical, institutional knowledge of this company, and you should sit down with him and talk to him.

I was completely taken aback and could not believe that Congressman Dingell reached out to me right away and also got my residents at that time a hearing, which you don't usually get with the U.S. Coast Guard, a hearing that happened in a public school right in the center of the neighborhood that was directly impacted.

We had over 500 residents that finally felt heard, many of them giving testimony after testimony of why a corporation needed to follow the rules, needed to follow the processes for the EPA, the Federal Highway Administration, and the number of entities that were involved in possibly a new bridge crossing.

What I also incredibly loved is I remember sitting on a panel about immigration reform with Congressman Dingell at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. As a city and State rep, I remember coming in to the capitol, driving about an hour or so. It was a very cold day, and I believe it was snowing. I was disheveled, as I usually am, and I looked to him--if you know Congressman Dingell, Mr. Speaker, he always had the cane, and he would put his cane right between his two knees and just sit there, and he would look up from his glasses.

I looked at him, and I said: Congressman Dingell, I just don't know how you have been doing it for so long. This is so hard because they lie.

He looked at me, and he said--I just loved what he said, because he turned to me, and he always called me young lady--he said: Young lady, there is a saying in India that if you stand still enough at the riverbank--stand still--that your enemies will float by dead.

I have no idea why, but that calmed me because he was teaching me stillness, but he was also teaching me patience. I just felt so much better afterward.

We had an incredible panel that uplifted so many of our immigrant neighbors. Again, from someone who has such a huge and powerful presence and from me, this young activist who carries a bullhorn in her car, and I could sit next to this amazing, incredible person and feel heard, feel seen, and be on a panel with him and serve with him in so many powerful ways around our environmental justice issues.

I will forever remember the humbling experience as his last ride in front of the Capitol, to have been serving now in this Chamber that he served for 59 years, 11 different Presidents. I was telling my 13-year- old son about him. He said: I want to look him up. I want to find out.

I said: You need to, because he is a rarity.

I hope to honor his tremendous legacy by doing the same thing he did, because I know there will be a generation after me that may be different and may have a different style, and I never want to ever shush or silence them in any way and I want them to be heard just like he did for me.

So I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart for teaching me so much. I am just so pleased to have been serving by his side in many ways, but also that he served me and my family for so many years.

I thank Congressman Kildee so much for allowing me to speak about my dear friend, Congressman John Dingell.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a legend, the Honorable Congressman John D. Dingell, whom we lovingly call in Michigan ``The Dean.''

Congressman Dingell will truly be missed. For 59 years, he served our great State of Michigan and our country. He believed in the power of this institution, the power it had to transform hate to love, to elevate the most vulnerable and to uplift our servicemen and -women.

Dean Dingell's legacy will live on with his memorable work on the historic Civil Rights Act, the Clean Air Act, and the need for universal healthcare.

I still remember to this day as a State legislator in Michigan when I had an environmental injustice issue going on in my district and he got me a United States Coast Guard hearing, a public hearing, in southwest Detroit. He called me, and he said: Kid, this is your last chance to fight the injustice.

I still remember coming in to serve on a panel with him at the University of Michigan--Ann Arbor campus on immigrant rights and the need for immigration reform. I sat next to him, very frustrated after a long day in Lansing fighting for scrap metal reform, and saying to him: How can you do it so long? The special interest groups are so tough, and they are so tainting the process when it comes to issues that matter for our people.

He taught me and spoke to me about the power of stillness.

Congressman Dingell's strength and humanity will truly be missed. I thank the gentleman for his wicked sense of humor. Even more importantly, I am grateful he was always so warm and kind to us younger activists and for never trying to reduce my voice or others' voices.

His drive for a better world will live on with his lovely Deborah, as he calls her, his best friend and my current sister in Congress, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.

Some of the last things he was saying, of course, was the incredible humor that he had on Twitter, but I still remember the specific thing that he said: ``I signed up to fight Nazis 73 years ago, and I'll do it again if I have to. Hatred, bigotry, and fascism should have no place in this country.''

As a Muslim girl growing up in America today, I am grateful to Congressman Dingell for his courage and his love.

Rest in peace, my friend. Thank you so much.

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

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 1 o'clock and 11 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, February 11, 2019, at noon for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained, if I would have been here, I would have voted yes.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Waters for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the FIND Trafficking Act.

Human trafficking is pervasive across the United States and the world. My own home State of Michigan ranks in the top 10th of States when it comes to this issue.

Sex and drug trafficking is a horrific experience for some of the most vulnerable populations, including children and those who have experienced trauma and violence in the past.

Human trafficking takes form in many ways, ways that we sometimes may not even know exists. With virtual currency becoming more and more common, along with the vast, unknown happenings on the dark web, it is important for us to have access to information to stop this kind of illegal trafficking.

We must find ways to limit financial options for those who seek to exploit and harm others through trafficking. The FIND Trafficking Act will allow us to understand virtual currencies and online marketplaces, especially on the dark web, and how it has contributed to the rise of sex and drug trafficking across this country.

With the popularity of virtual currency, it is important for us to make sure that it is not being used for this in the fight against trafficking. It is my hope that we all stand in support of this bill.

They can try to hide, Mr. Speaker, behind the dark web and these faceless currencies, but under the leadership of Chairwoman Waters, Member Vargas, and Member Wagner, we hope to find you and to stop you from harming our residents.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to take a moment as we honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on his

90th birthday yesterday, and we continue to honor him throughout this week and next Monday.

During this time, we recognize that we are in a society that is still riddled with injustices. As Representatives, we have a duty to lift up those who are marginalized and work to ensure that we continue a path toward justice for every person. No person should ever feel less than in the United States of America.

May we remember his legacy and his words and recommit to fighting for justice and equality. May we also speak out loudly and unapologetically about the ills of our society and work every single day to stay on the right side of justice.

Madam Speaker, in regard to the government shutdown, I am very passionate about making sure that we put a human face to this crisis, so I rise today, during the 26th day of this reckless government shutdown.

The real crisis here is the negative human impact. In the homes of each of the Federal workers across this Nation, nearly a month without pay. Our Federal workers are having to go to pawn shops to get cash to live. This is not right.

Yes, there is a crisis for the families in my district who have corporate polluters today in their backyards that do not have any EPA inspectors monitoring our air quality.

Yes, there is a crisis for the families who are wondering if their housing assistance will come next month from HUD.

The shutdown will have a long-lasting negative impact on our lives, and it must end immediately.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take some time today to share stories about residents in Michigan who are impacted directly.

Gregory Simpkins, who is president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 778, said four of the union's TSA employees quit last week and three the week before. Right now, TSA employees are deemed essential and still going to work but are not getting paid.

Ms. Wilson, one of our TSA employees, said the morale is so low she has never seen anything like it. With personal budgets stretched, she is afraid they will lose even more workers. One worker said to her that he can't pay for gas money to get to work, and he is worried and scared for the future of his family and for his life.

Federal environmental protection workers right now are not at work protecting us, so when I think of this, I think of Line 5, which is a very dangerous oil pipeline that threatens the drinking water supply for Michiganders and our freshwater in the Great Lakes.

We are in trouble, Madam Speaker, because the computers that run that model for emergency response is shut down during this crisis.

Mark Coryell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3907, represents EPA workers who work in the Motor Vehicle Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He and his colleagues are furloughed, meaning they are not working right now and not getting their pay.

For the public, this means they are not working on regulations that are now lagging because they are not showing up. Their lab certifies fuel efficiency numbers automakers display when selling cars to ensure that they protect our air quality and abide by the emission standards.

So, Madam Speaker, this is reckless and irresponsible. It is reckless that Mitch McConnell's Senate cannot muster up the courage to reopen the government.

Senator McConnell works for the American people. He has been missing in action during this crisis. He doesn't work for the President of the United States; he works for the American people. I ask him to stand up and do what is right for all of us and for our Nation and to open up government.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Ocasio-Cortez).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin).

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Porter).

Madam Speaker, as you can see, there has been a huge challenge among the American people across the country. In my district alone, I have the third poorest congressional district, with ZIP Codes with the worst air quality in the country.

Many of the workers who are not showing up to work are directly providing critical services to our residents back home. It is important for us to see beyond, obviously, the numbers of 800,000 workers. What were they doing? How were they providing for the American people? How were they serving our Nation?

We to continue to be very focused on the fact that this is a huge crisis that needs to be addressed, and we need the leadership of the Senate to rise and to support the bills, the same ones we sent to them before our January swearing in. They supported it then. I have no idea why they haven't been able to pass again the same exact bills they supported before we became the leaders in the majority in the House.

Madam Speaker, I, again, urge all of the Americans who are directly impacted by the shutdown to please reach out to us. Seek out help.

As the gentlewoman from California said, we are here to serve you. We are here to help you in any way that we can.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring my people's voice into this Chamber. They are going through day 25 of an unnecessary government shutdown. They are begging their landlords not to evict them because HUD funding is suspended.

Our neighbors at home who live among the biggest corporate polluters are wondering, without EPA inspectors on duty, if they are breathing in more toxins than permitted under the law.

Madam Speaker, when did it become okay to use people as pawns, to jeopardize the well-being and way of life of our residents back home?

I urge the leadership in the Senate to put people first. Majority Leader McConnell works for the American people, not the President. We don't need the President's support.

So, please, Senators, pass the bills you supported before, and let's get our government up and running again for our families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against drunk driving, a senseless, unacceptable, and preventable act. I uplift my dear friends, the Abbas family, who lost their lives tragically due to the fault of a drunk driver. They were kind. They were loving.

According to the CDC, alcohol-impaired fatalities accounted for 29 percent of the total vehicle traffic accidents in 2017. I honor their memory today by supporting my colleague, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, in her proposal to expand the use of breathalyzers in new vehicles.

This doesn't change the fact that someone got drunk and got behind the wheel of a car, and, as a result, we lost five bright lights in Michigan: Issam Abbas, Dr. Rima Abbas, and their three children, Ali, Isabelle, and Giselle.

I want to repeat a quote by Helen Keller: ``What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us.''

Let us honor the memory and the lives of the Abbas family and pray for the comfort of their surviving family.

In regards to the shutdown, Mr. Speaker, I would like to help my colleagues understand the human toll on our residents and thousands of Federal workers across the Nation. It is now day 20.

Today, over 400 housing units across my district, the 13th Congressional District, are directly impacted by the HUD funding expiring due to the government shutdown. HUD is begging landlords to not evict our residents due to the lack of payment.

HUD provides affordable rent for over 40,000 low-income families across this Nation. We are talking about residents who are disabled, children, seniors, and veterans who are living with challenges that require assistance to live.

Mr. Speaker, again, going on day 20, we are creating a humanitarian crisis. In Detroit, Michigan, there are nearly 1,000 families affected by this current situation. The number is sure to rise as the shutdown continues.

Another area of the shutdown that we cannot stress enough is the amount of workers who do not know when they will receive their next paycheck. In Michigan alone, we have 6,000 workers, mostly in southeastern Michigan, and now they are scrambling to figure out how they will pay for their shelter and food for their family.

In Wayne County, Michigan, Federal workers are being given an extension to pay their property taxes. The shutdown is causing a disruption in their lives and so many that are connected. The bills will continue to come, Mr. Speaker. The late fines and interest fees will pile up while the administration plays games with the lives of the American people.

Government must be about people first. The continued denial that the real crisis is the shutdown will cause a detrimental impact on our residents. The cost to reopen government will continue to increase. We deserve better. We deserve our President to lead with compassion.

It is critical that we put a human face to this crisis so that we understand the real impact on everyday people.

The U.S. Coast Guard employees in Michigan today are at risk of missing their next paycheck. They are currently working around the clock on the Great Lakes breaking ice to keep our shipping and logistics industries going. They are providing a critical role in our regional economy and security without knowing whether they will get paid.

Our Coast Guard even rescued a man from Lake Michigan, an honorable action, but let's thank them by paying

them so they can take care of their families.

Jasmine, a worker that has been with the TSA for nearly 16 years, has already been unable to cover her bills and had to turn to her own mother for financial help. She said that they are doing their job to the best of their ability and feel that they are being treated as pawns in something they have no control over.

She is right, Mr. Speaker. She and her fellow workers are wondering how they are going to pay for gas and feed their children.

I know I am a new Member here, but the disconnect of many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and the current administration, it has been felt here and also back home. I see it. It is toxic, and it will never serve the American people. The disconnection with real people will continue to deny the right for our citizens to live with human dignity.

I have vital EPA workers that monitor air pollution in my district that have been off duty for weeks now. One in five children has asthma in my district, Mr. Speaker. This is unjust. We need to have a functional and open government that protects us. We have some of the worst corporate polluters in the country in the 13th Congressional District, and now we have no one protecting us from air pollution violators. Let's get them back to work for our residents.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a handful of examples of Americans that are being harmed by the actions of this administration and the inaction of the Senate. We must end this shutdown now. Our residents deserve us to lead with compassion and responsibility.