Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is an unfortunate reality that hypocrisy has become a guiding principle of the leadership of this body.

Three times we raised the debt limit under the previous President. Those three times the American people never once had to worry that we would not pay our bills or that their retirement was in danger.

This is a manufactured crisis by House Republicans. It is an act of calculated cruelty that would put millions out of work and force families across the country to wonder where their next meal will come from.

In my district, an estimated 95,600 households with Social Security checks are at risk.

My constituents are not alone. Madam Speaker, think of the people back home who elected you to represent their interests faithfully. It is in no one's interest to manufacture an economic crisis.

We can fix this crisis right now. All we need are five brave Republicans, five Republicans who care about veterans, five Republicans who care about Social Security, five Republicans who care about Medicare, and five Republicans who care about our future.

It is time to do our job.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for hosting this Special Order hour tonight.

Mr. Speaker, when I ran for Congress, I ran on gun violence prevention. That was 10 years ago, and I am running just as hard today.

I always ask just who or how many have to be killed before we really do something about this public health crisis.

According to a recent study by professors from Harvard and Cambridge, by the age of 40, half of Chicago residents have seen someone shot. Just seeing someone shot is known to cause trauma and PTSD that impacts your ability to lead a happy, healthy life. Our communities deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, 56 percent of Black and Hispanic residents under 40 witnessed a shooting, compared to 25 percent of White residents under 40. Black Chicago residents are more than three times more likely to be shot than White residents. Mr. Speaker, 176 victims have been killed in Chicago in 2023.

Just this weekend alone, 4 people were killed and 22 were wounded because of gun violence in Chicago. This past weekend, a 27-year-old man was shot while putting groceries in his car.

Hours later, a Chicago police officer was fatally shot as she arrived home from work early Saturday. She was 24. Instead of graduating with her master's next week, it will be her funeral.

The next day, a 25-year-old man was killed in a drive-by shooting.

Among the 22 wounded in the past weekend was a 15-year-old boy who was shot in the leg and rushed to the hospital.

In the last month around the country, a young lady was shot and killed while turning into a driveway, something we have all done. A boy was shot because he knocked on the wrong door while looking for his siblings. We have

all knocked on the wrong door from time to time. A dad and a little girl were shot because the basketball they were playing with rolled into a neighbor's yard.

Mr. Speaker, two cheerleaders were shot because they went to the wrong car--something I know I have done before--and the guy jumped out and shot the cheerleaders.

Is this the kind of country we want to survive in? I will tell you, this is not living.

We have got to do more. My colleagues have named the various things that we can do, and I work in a very bipartisan way. But I tell you, Mr. Speaker, Republicans have blood on their hands. It is just amazing to me that in these 10 years they have turned a blind eye. They talk about the Second Amendment. Many of us have told them we believe in the Second Amendment, but we also believe that people have the right to go to the park, to go to the store, to go to school, to ride the city bus, to come out of band practice, and to come out of choir practice.

What about those rights for those people?

Think about it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we have a gun problem in the United States. This problem has been ongoing for years, but the continued events make this reality all the more stark.

Kaylin Gillis was shot and killed for turning around in a driveway, something so many of us have done.

Heather Roth and Payton Washington, two cheerleaders, were shot for mistakenly getting into a car they thought was theirs, something so many of us have done.

Kinsley White and her parents were shot for retrieving a basketball in a neighbor's yard, something so many of us have done.

Ralph Yarl was shot for ringing the wrong doorbell when picking up his siblings, something so many of us have done.

All of this violence, not to mention the mass shootings in Dadeville, Louisville, and Nashville this month, reminds us that going about your daily life can quickly turn deadly in this country.

Death should not be a consequence for simply living our lives. We cannot continue to look away from the thousands of lives taken by gun violence every year that barely register in the headlines.

This past weekend, 17 people were shot in Chicago, including a 3- year-old from Calumet Heights and a 6-year-old from Woodlawn. The weekend before, 10 were killed and 26 wounded. Four were killed and 21 injured the weekend before that.

Whether it is from a fight gone too far, an accidental discharge, a stray bullet, or death by suicide, guns make our communities more dangerous and restrict other people's freedoms. Walking down the street or playing with your kids on the front porch shouldn't be dangerous activities.

I am sick and tired of gun violence only being acknowledged in Chicago to say that gun laws don't work. This is simply not true.

According to trace data from the ATF, only 49 percent of crime guns used in Illinois are from Illinois. Illegal gun trafficking from States with fewer gun protections makes my constituents less safe.

Whether it is background checks, consumer safety laws, community violence intervention, or cracking down on gun trafficking, gun safety laws work. States that have fewer gun laws have higher gun deaths.

Already in 2023, 13,000 people have died because of a gun, and another 10,000 have been wounded. These numbers include homicides, suicides, mass shootings, and daily gun violence.

One thing these incidents all have in common is that access to a firearm made them more deadly.

This is a public health crisis that is painfully American. Unlike our peer countries, life expectancy in this country is not rising after the worst of the pandemic has abated. Life expectancy continues to decline because our young people are dying, and too many of those deaths are from guns.

The data shows that violence begets violence begets violence. More violence means fewer job opportunities, fewer education opportunities, and fewer opportunities to build a healthy family.

The solution is not cutting Social Security, not cutting Medicaid, not adding onerous work requirements, not cutting school funding. The solution is better gun safety laws, and we must invest in our communities to stop the cycle of violence.

We must dispense with the false choice between better gun safety measures and what some dare to call freedom. A constant, slow-motion massacre is not the price of freedom. This is a farce.

What about our freedom to go to the grocery store and church, to go to school, to ride on the bus, to play in the park, to come out of choir practice, to get coffee from a coffee shop without fear of getting shot?

No matter who they are or where they grew up, someone being shot to death is not an inevitability. They died because we failed them. We failed their family. We failed their community.

I am tired of failing. We have the tools to stop this senseless violence. We just need the courage to use them.

I have been fighting for stronger gun safety laws since my first day in Congress, and I am not going to stop. I

can't imagine looking at a mom who has lost her child or a brother that has lost his sister and telling them to calm down, to stop asking for something to change.

We all deserve the freedom to live without fear. Thoughts and prayers are nice, but they won't save lives. Doing nothing is not an option.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the women of the Divine Nine, the historically Black sororities of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

I am proud to honor the organizations that have produced some of our Nation's best and brightest leaders. For over 100 years, these organizations have fostered and empowered generations of Black women to become leaders in government, business, academia, and so much more.

I am not exaggerating when I say these historically Black sororities have shaped the course of history.

I want to take a moment to salute each sorority.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority--their colors are salmon pink and apple green--was founded in 1908 at Howard University. Their mission: Service to all mankind. Their sisterhood proudly boasts Vice President Kamala Harris; also my colleagues, Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee, Terri Sewell, Frederica Wilson, Alma Adams, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Lauren Underwood, Emilia Sykes, and Lisa Blunt Rochester.

I salute former Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and also members of their membership, civil rights leaders Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, and their honorable president, Danette Anthony Reed.

Next, we have Delta Sigma Theta. Their colors are crimson and cream, founded in 1913 at Howard University. Delta's motto is ``intelligence is the torch of wisdom.''

Delta counts as sisters, my esteemed colleagues Yvette Clarke, Joyce Beatty, Stacey Plaskett, Lucy McBath, Summer Lee, Jasmine Crockett, Valerie Foushee, and our newest Member, Jennifer McClellan. I also salute former Congresswoman Val Demings and our HUD Secretary, Marsha Fudge.

Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was the first African-American woman elected to Congress, and she also was a member of Delta Sigma Theta. Their honorable president is Elsie Cooke-Holmes.

Next, we have Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Their colors are blue and white. It was founded in 1920 at Howard University. Zeta's founding principles are scholarship, service, sisterhood, and finer womanhood.

My colleague Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove is a member of Zeta Phi Beta, as well as former Congresswoman Donna Edwards and the late Congresswoman Julia Carson. They boast as members Anita Hill and author Zora Neale Hurston. Their honorable president is Stacie NC Grant.

Last but not least, my sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. We wear the colors of royal blue and gold. We were founded in 1922 at Butler University, just celebrating our 100th year.

My sisters in Sigma are Congresswoman Barbara Lee, as well as the late Congresswoman Lindy Boggs, and former Congresswoman Corrine Brown. In our membership is the first African-American winner of an Academy Award, Hattie McDaniel, and the first African-American woman journalist to cover the White House, Alice Allison Dunnigan. Our esteemed grand basileus is Rasheeda S. Liberty.

The women of the Divine Nine have driven progress on everything from women's suffrage to civil rights. These organizations were instrumental to the end of the brutal regime of Jim Crow. Alumnae have also made advancements in industry, medicine, entertainment, and more.

In short, the historically Black sororities have been critical to the advancement of Black women in America and have changed history for the better.

Our work is far from done. The strength and solidarity of these organizations is needed now more than ever.

In just the first months of 2023, our country continues to see efforts to turn back the clock on fundamental civil rights. Black people are still not safe in their own communities. Black people have less say in their government, and voting rights are being chipped away. The threat of racist violence is still painfully present in too many communities.

I have so much hope in the new generation of leaders that begin their journey as college students with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, or Sigma Gamma Rho. Each year, more young people go out into the world to make our country a better place.

The road ahead is long, but I am confident that our coalitions for justice and equality will only grow because of the continued strength of the women of the Divine Nine along with our five historically Black fraternities.

Mr. Speaker, today we honor the hard work and service of Larry R. Rogers, Sr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Larry Rogers, Sr.

Larry was a loving father and grandfather and a devoted Chicago sports fan, but he was known to many for changing their lives in the courtroom.

Larry was a native of the Roseland community in Chicago and came to the practice of law while he was working three jobs to support his family. There were very few other Black attorneys at the time, and Larry Rogers, Sr., helped pave the way for more lawyers who looked like him.

As a lawyer, Larry fought for the little guy. He won hundreds of millions of dollars for victims of corporate malfeasance and medical malpractice. One of his most notable accomplishments was winning an eight-figure verdict for victims of chloride-deficient baby formula even after the Department of Justice declined to press charges.

He lived a life devoted to giving the powerless a chance to take on the most powerful. Larry Rogers, Sr., leaves behind a legacy that all of Illinois can be proud of. It was an honor to know him.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to salute my sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, for its centennial celebration on November 12, 2022. We were founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Butler University November 12, 1922, by seven illustrious schoolteachers. Now we are led by the wonderful Grand Basileus Rasheeda Liberty, and we will embark on our next 100 with greater service, greater progress.

Madam Speaker, today we celebrate the 21st Anniversary of Rev. Dr. Trunell D. Felder's leadership of New Faith Baptist Church International.

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church International has served the Chicagoland area for 21 years under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Trunell D. Felder;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church was founded in 1976 as a result of the efforts of Rev. Junius Dudley who wished to bring the Black worship experience to the Park Forest community area;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church experienced phenomenal growth under the leadership of Rev. Frank Thomas, bringing membership from 30 active members to 2,250 active members;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church continued to expand within the community and, in 1984, broke ground for a permanent facility at 25 S. Central Avenue in Matteson, Illinois;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church expanded to youth outreach and developed a youth ministry targeting high school and junior high school students with programs such as ``Jesus and Me'' (J.A.M.) and ``Helping Young People Excel'' (H.Y.P.E.);

Whereas, Rev. Dr. Trunell D. Felder began his official duties as Senior Pastor of New Faith Baptist Church on October 1, 2001 and saw membership grow from 2,250 active members to 7,000+ active members;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church expanded their evangelism and community efforts within Matteson and surrounding communities, especially within the Ford Heights community through providing free health screenings, free school supplies, job fairs, and a carnival to the community;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church became an international ministry in 2005 and expanded to Ghana, West Africa with 15 churches and 6 Christian schools, and to Cape Town, South Africa with 6 churches;

Whereas, Rev. Dr. Trunell D. Felder and Rev. Dr. Alexis L. Felder founded The Joseph Assignment, a Christian global humanitarian organization that has impacted the lives of over 320,000 people living in extreme poverty;

Whereas, New Faith Baptist Church International continues to dedicate their time and service to the Matteson community and surrounding areas, sharing the love of Christ with the world--until all have heard; and

Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the House of Representatives of the United States of America that the hard work and service of Rev. Dr. Trunell D. Felder and New Faith Baptist Church International be remembered and honored.

Madam Speaker, today we honor the hard work and dedication of Illinoisan Mike Jordan.

Whereas, Mike Jordan is retiring from his position on July 31, 2022 after serving as a State Farm Insurance agent for 43 years in Chicago's South Suburbs;

Whereas, Mike Jordan has been uplifted throughout his career by his wife, Patricia, and daughter Allison;

Whereas, Mike Jordan always greets people with a smile on his face, a bounce in his step, and an eagerness to offer whatever help he can;

Whereas, Mike Jordan is active in his local community of Park Forest, striving to improve the village by serving on the community's Economic Development Advisory Group as the Vice Chairperson and as a member of the St. Irenaeus Catholic Parish Finance Committee;

Whereas, Mike Jordan's relationship with former President Barack Obama led him to encourage the former President to pursue the Presidency; and was active in former President Barack Obama's campaigns for U.S. Senator and his two runs for the Presidency;

Whereas, he has always sought to exceed his clients' highest expectations, including by visiting a business owner's business to inquire about storm and rain damage before the business owner had time to initiate a request for service;

Whereas, Mike Jordan kindly offered a ride home to a client after the client was involved in a late-night automobile accident; and the client said ``It's not the policy. I just have the best insurance agent in the world!'';

Whereas, Mike Jordan is humble about his widespread influence on his community and his church, and serves as a mentor and advisor to many fortunate people across the United States;

Whereas, he has positively impacted so many people's lives and helped countless families;

Whereas, Mike Jordan ends every conversation in which he is engaged with an expression of gratitude; and now, therefore, be it

Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the United States of America that the hard work and service of Mike Jordan be remembered and honored.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about Reese Hamsmith, an 18-month-old child who died due to complications 2 months after ingesting a button battery. This story has become more and more common with nearly 3,500 children ingesting button and coin batteries each year.

Just under a year ago is when I first met with Reese's mom, Trista. Trista's story is heartbreaking, but she has turned her and her family's grief into action. She approached my office with an idea for a bill so that other families are spared this experience.

Reese's Law requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to create safety standards for products that contain a button or coin batteries to prevent accidental ingestion by children under 6 years old.

I thank Trista for her fierce advocacy for continuing to share Reese's story, and for helping make this bill become a reality.

I am proud that this bipartisan bill passed the House yesterday and my colleagues voted to protect children and help save countless lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

We are here today to protect our constituents and save lives. We have waited far too long for this day.

Elements of my bill, the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act, are included in this legislation to crack down on the illegal gun trafficking and straw purchasing that is bringing guns into communities across the country.

I know just how detrimental trafficking can be to a community. Last year, in Chicago, a single stolen gun was linked to at least 27 separate shootings before it was taken off the street. Two dozen people were shot during its use and two of them killed.

More than half of guns used in Chicago shootings are brought into the city by trafficking. Thank you, Wisconsin and Indiana.

We have lost so many people and traumatized countless others.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation to help make Chicagoland a safer place.

Madam Speaker, in June, we celebrate Pride Month, a time to not only uplift members of our LGBTQ+ community and honor those who have fought for LGBTQ+ rights and equality but also to recommit ourselves to ensuring and advancing those rights.

Last week, President Biden signed an executive order to build on the historic progress his administration has made for LGBTQ+ people. I am thrilled that with this executive order, President Biden will address discriminatory legislative attacks against LGBTQ+ people, prevent harmful conversion therapy, safeguard healthcare and mental health programs, support LGBTQ+ foster youth, prevent homelessness, and improve connections to the Federal programs that keep LGBTQ+ people safe and healthy.

No one should face discrimination because of who they are. Rising hate and violence against the LGBTQ+ community is unacceptable. I will continue working to ensure our LGBTQ+ Americans are protected.

Madam Speaker, for years I have heard that tired argument that gun violence prevention legislation won't work. ``Just look at Chicago,'' they say, ``where residents have some of the strictest gun laws but the highest rates of gun violence.''

The reason for that is simple--gun trafficking. More than 60 percent of guns used in crimes in Chicago come from out of State, and we are not the only city where this happens.

According to the ATF, from just 2016 to 2020, one-third of the more than 1.3 million crime guns recovered and traced by law enforcement were brought in across State lines. These guns are purchased in States with lax laws, trafficked across State lines, and then sold to people in our State who we know should not have a gun.

In Illinois, we are doing everything we can to protect our residents. Our neighbors are failing us. That is why I introduced the Prevent Gun Trafficking Act, and why I am so glad this solution is included in the Protecting Our Kids Act. This is a simple, commonsense solution. Making straw purchasing a Federal crime will help stop the flow of guns into our communities from out of State. Most importantly, it will save lives.

Stopping gun trafficking and straw purchasing is just one step we can take to eliminate gun violence. The Protecting Our Kids Act is a smart, broad approach to a complex issue. Passing this bill is the next step forward in saving children, and we cannot wait.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I am sick and tired of standing up here to say I am sick and tired. I am tired of reminding my colleagues that we have a gun violence epidemic in this country outside of mass shootings.

We hold moments of silence. We stand up, we sit down, but we do nothing. The mass shooting carried out by a racist white supremacist in Buffalo last weekend was absolutely horrible. I am truly sorry for the victims' families and for the whole community.

But also know, this weekend in Chicago 33 people were shot and five died, and we did nothing. I care both about the people who are killed by guns, whether they are shot alone in a park or next to their neighbors in a supermarket. I see a lot of colleagues expressing outrage about the Buffalo shooting, but outrage means nothing until we start legislating or investing in solutions.

I do not care what the Senate will or won't pass. Let them go on record and show the American people whether they care about their safety or not. Just who and how many have to die before we take action?

Madam Speaker, during the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerabilities that have existed in our domestic supply chains for years were put to the test.

The vulnerabilities of our supply chain resulted in consumers being faced with empty shelves at stores and small businesses struggling to reach consumers.

We must act now to restore our supply chain and ensure that our economy is prepared for the next crisis.

The House took the first step in passing the America COMPETES Act. As the House and Senate resolve differences, we must include the supply chain provisions in the final House bill so we can repair these supply chain vulnerabilities.

The supply chain provisions included the Supply CHAIN Act, which I led with Representatives Bordeaux and Kinzinger.

We need an office of supply chain resilience and crisis response at the Department of Commerce to monitor critical supply chains and encourage partnerships between the Federal Government and industry.

It is time to repair our supply chains and protect our economy.