Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Cuyahoga County's Myesha Watkins on her latest and well-earned recognition for serving the people of northeast Ohio.

Last month, Myesha received the Capstone Achievement Award from the University of Chicago's Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy. This distinction highlights her as a local and national leader when it comes to violence prevention.

As the executive director of the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance and in her current role as the administrator of the Cuyahoga County Office of Violence Prevention, Myesha has dedicated herself to the hard work of public safety.

For years, she has been there for the people of Cleveland--in our schools, our community centers, our emergency rooms, and our most overlooked and underserved neighborhoods. She has been there taking direct action to mediate conflict, deescalate crises, and stop the cycle of violence.

This work isn't easy, but as Myesha often says, it is a calling, and it makes a difference.

That is why I was outraged earlier this year when the Trump administration rescinded Federal grants awarded to the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance. Grants that had been awarded by the past administration were stripped away. It was a betrayal of northeast Ohio, but Myesha and our community have never stopped doing the work to make our neighborhoods safer because we know that community-oriented solutions work and are needed.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Myesha on her recognition from the University of Chicago. On behalf of a grateful district and a grateful nation, I thank her for her service and commitment to making our Cleveland communities safer.

Trump's Attacks on Black America

Mr. Speaker, there is a saying: When America catches a cold, Black America gets pneumonia.

Since January 20, make no mistake, this country has been running a fever, a moral sickness, one that begins at the very top, a twisted agenda that pardons the powerful, protects the predators, and punishes the people. Black Americans are paying the price.

Mr. Speaker, buried in the last jobs report was this number: The Black unemployment rate is now 7\1/2\ percent. That is a recession- level rate, the highest rate since the pandemic.

Do you think they care at Mar-a-Lago? I will tell you who does care: the people in the community I represent. They are watching as prices keep going up while funding for programs people need, like SNAP, Medicaid, and the ACA, keep going down.

It doesn't stop at the kitchen table. No, we are witnessing a whole- of-government effort to erase Black history, to diminish Black voices, and to stifle Black progress.

More than $3 billion in Federal funding has been cut from HBCUs, Black communities, and Black entrepreneurs. Over 6,000 Federal research programs and datasets related to racial disparities have been deleted, putting us in the dark on everything from sickle cell anemia to maternal health.

We have seen Black authors pulled from school shelves and government websites quietly erase information on figures like Harriet Tubman and Jackie Robinson.

Just last month, we learned that memorials honoring the contributions of Black American soldiers during World War II were stripped from a military cemetery in the Netherlands.

This is not a coincidence. This is an all-out attack on our past, our present, and our future.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Black Americans will not be erased. We will not be silenced, and neither will the millions of people of all backgrounds who are being harmed by this White House.

It is time for us to take up their voice and carry on their fight before this sickness spreads further.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the Honorable Jane L. Campbell for her distinguished career in public office and public service. As a Clevelander, a Member of Congress, and a representative of communities across Northeast Ohio, I truly appreciate the varied ways in which she served the people throughout her many years of service.

In 2001, Campbell became the first woman elected Mayor of the City of Cleveland. As Mayor she helped spur economic development in downtown Cleveland and our lakefront, and stabilized the city's finances. And to date, she remains the only female Mayor in Cleveland's history. Campbell's historic mayoralty was preceded by six terms in the Ohio House of Representatives and two terms as Cuyahoga County Commissioner.

Following her time in office, Campbell also served as Chief of Staff for Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Senior Advisor to Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, and worked in leadership roles for the National Development Council, the International Economic Institute, and the National Democratic Institute. Through her years of service, uplifting underserved communities has been a consistent theme.

In 2019, Campbell was appointed as the President and CEO of the United States Capitol Historical Society (USCHS). Chartered by Congress, the USCHS was founded to foster patriotism and to connect the American people with the history that is made inside their Capitol here in Washington. As President, Campbell strengthened and expanded the Historical Society's public events, educational programming, outreach to students, online programming and more.

This week, I join people from across Ohio and the country in celebrating her career and sharing my thanks for her dedication to the ideals of our country.

Jane Campbell made history in Cleveland, and in Washington she led the effort to preserve history. From City Hall to the halls of the Capitol, she championed the virtues of our Republic.

I thank the Honorable Jane Campbell for all the ways she has served. We wish her the best upon her retirement.

Mr. Speaker, how do we know if this President is working for us? He is working for us if we make over $4 million and are about to pocket a new tax cut of $300,000.

He is working for us if we attend Great Gatsby parties at his club or plan to sip cocktails in his new White House ballroom.

He is working for us if we bankroll his crypto schemes or pony up for Presidential pardons.

He is working for us if we are wealthy, well-connected, and don't want the Epstein files to see the light of day.

Mr. Speaker, if we are struggling to afford rent or groceries, if premiums are breaking our budget, he is not working for us. No, he is driving up our costs by imposing reckless tariffs and cutting SNAP, Medicaid, and ACA subsidies. This President works for the wealthy, and working people are paying the price.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for leading tonight's Special Order hour. I thank my colleagues in the CBC for standing up for this fight.

The fight to protect healthcare is another reminder of why I am so proud to be part of the Congressional Black Caucus. The members I serve with are truly the conscience of the Congress.

Since January 20, 2025, we have not given 1 inch to this cruel, callous, chaotic, and corrupt White House. The truth is, the communities we represent, including my hometown of Cleveland, cannot afford Trump's agenda. Working people cannot afford Trump's agenda, and Black America cannot afford Trump's agenda.

There is an expression: When America catches a cold, Black America gets the flu. I would argue it is more like COVID before the vaccine.

We can't afford the tariffs. We can't afford the bailouts. We can't afford the tax giveaways to the Mar-a-Lago guest list. We can't afford the largest cuts to Medicaid and to the Affordable Care Act in this Nation's history.

Let's be clear about what is happening. We are living through a reverse Robin Hood story in America.

It hasn't always been this way. Because of the work of President Obama, President Biden, and Democrats in Congress, the Black uninsured rate fell to historic lows last year. That is right. We went from 20 percent of Black Americans being uninsured to just 10 percent.

It is not just Black Americans or people living in cities who have benefited. In fact, some of the Whitest and most rural parts of America rely on the Affordable Care Act the most, including a lot of farmers in my State of Ohio.

There were a lot of gaps in the old system. There were a lot of holes in the safety net. If Trump has his way, there are going to be a lot more holes in the net and a lot more people without healthcare-- millions more, to be exact.

Mr. Speaker, 38,000 people in my district are facing huge healthcare cost increases because of Trump's ACA cuts. The average cost increase is $700 per person per year. A lot of families will have to pay thousands more. Their voices should be heard, and we are uplifting their voices.

Here is what Talia from Cleveland shared with my office: ``I logged into healthcare.gov to renew my plan for next year, and my monthly premium multiplied by a factor of four. It is currently set to be four times as much for health insurance as it was this year. I didn't go ahead and enroll yet because I am hoping Congress gets their heads in the game to do what is right. I am not making any more money this year than I did last year. My income is the same. Rent is going to increase. Gas is increasing. Groceries are increasing. Utility bills are increasing--and now my healthcare, too. It is becoming impossible to survive in this country.''

Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with Talia. To my colleagues across the aisle, I implore you to stop protecting the powerful. Stop serving the wealthy. Start listening to the people.

Truly, it is time for Congress to get their heads in the game. I thank Talia for sharing her story, and I want to assure her we will not give up on this fight.

It is time we work together to cancel the cuts, lower the costs, and protect healthcare for all Americans.

Madam Speaker, I have just come back from our district work period in northeast Ohio, and let me tell you, Madam Speaker, there is nothing better than being home being in our churches, in our union halls, and our community centers listening to the people I serve.

Let me tell you what I heard, Madam Speaker. It was crystal clear. People are getting squeezed.

Groceries--a very old fashioned word--are too expensive. Gas is too expensive. Housing is way too expensive, and Trump's chaos and corruption are making it all worse.

I heard how tariffs are jacking up prices, crushing small businesses, and threatening workers. I heard how the one big, ugly bill is about to make utility bills, student loans, and grocery costs skyrocket, all to give the richest Americans more tax breaks.

I heard how the President's cancellation of community safety funding will make our neighborhoods less safe, and I heard how his attacks on unions at the VA and FEMA will ripple right into the private sector, hurting working men and women everywhere.

Donald Trump's latest stunt, firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, is illegal, reckless, and a straight-up power grab designed to give him control of the Fed and raise costs for families.

An independent Federal Reserve is the bedrock of American prosperity. If you undermine it, retirement savings vanish, mortgage rates climb, and life gets more expensive for everyone.

Madam Speaker, this is bigger than economics. This is about freedom. Take a look around our country. We have military patrols in American cities, political investigations of the President's critics, mass detentions without due process, Federal agents hidden behind masks, museums ordered to rewrite history, the government bullying private companies and universities, and banners of the President's face that would even make Kim Jong-un blush.

This is a toxic agenda, and the President knows it. That is why he is changing the rules in the middle of the game. Need I remind you, 4 years ago, he demanded Georgia find him votes? Now, he is demanding red States find him more seats in Congress.

All this for what? So Donald Trump can enrich himself and his billionaire allies while everyday, hardworking Americans pay the bill.

I just have to ask, Madam Speaker: Where are the so-called constitutional conservatives? Will even one of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle find the courage to stand up? Have they not learned that cowering before this man only works until he decides you are expendable?

It may be easy to look away when people are without welfare status, when they suffer, or when people you don't like are targeted, fired, or erased. It may be easy when the victims live in places like Cleveland, Chicago, or Washington, but be clear: It never ends there.

As a Black woman, I know who the cruel and oppressive executive orders and policies punish first, but I also know this: Once it starts, everyone is punished.

This is the moment to defend our economy, to defend our Constitution, and to defend our freedoms and elections.

Madam Speaker, let me close with this. Last week, President Trump said: I have the right to do anything I want to do. I am the President of the United States.

He said it and laid it on the table in plain sight for all of us to see. He wants no checks, no balances, not from the courts, not from Congress, and not from the voters.

It is time to wake up, America, before it is too late.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and the underlying bill.

For the first time in history, this bill would force States to pay for part of SNAP benefits, and it would require States to increase their share of administrative costs.

This is an unfunded mandate, plain and simple.

Let's be clear. The costs are staggering, the consequences are devastating, and the cruelty is deeply disturbing.

This policy punishes those who can least afford it: seniors on a fixed income, veterans, and families already forced to choose between gas and groceries.

States will be stuck in a corner. They will cut benefits, cut eligibility, or cut public safety, education, housing, and mental health programs just to stay afloat.

This isn't just a budgeting decision. It is a values decision, and for what? All to take from the hungry and give it to the wealthy. To slash SNAP benefits just $6 per day hands a quarter-million-dollar tax break to the top 0.1 percent. That is not policy. That is plunder. The math doesn't lie.

In North Carolina, it is $400 million. That is more than the entire State budget for child development and early education. In Georgia, it is $500 million, double what the State spends on child welfare. In my State of Ohio, it is $300 million, four times the transportation budget.

My colleagues are writing checks that the government can't cash. When the money runs out, the food runs out. Children will go hungry. Seniors will skip meals. Veterans, working moms, and working dads will be turned down

and turned away all because of a vote taken here today.

This mandate isn't just unfunded. It is unfathomable.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this provision, reject this rule, and reject this betrayal. Don't reward the rich on the backs of hungry Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. Speaker, include in the Record the following proclamation:

Whereas, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was

founded in 1913 on the campus of Howard University by 22

visionary collegiate women committed to public service with a

primary focus on the Black community;

Whereas, for over 100 years, Delta Sigma Theta has

championed the causes of economic development, educational

advancement, international awareness, physical and mental

health, and political involvement, uplifting communities and

inspiring generations of women leaders;

Whereas, the Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter has served

as a beacon of sisterhood, scholarship, and service in

Northeast Ohio, exemplifying the sorority's mission through

impactful programming, civic engagement, and unwavering

advocacy for social justice and equity;

Whereas, in 2025, the Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter

proudly celebrates its Centennial Anniversary, marking 100

years of transformative leadership, dedicated service, and

lasting contributions to the region and beyond;

Whereas, the Centennial Celebration, joined by

International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes and Mistress of

Ceremonies, actress, comedian, NAACP Image Award Winner, your

Soror, Kym Whitley, highlights the legacy and continued

excellence of this dynamic organization;

Now, therefore be it resolved, that I, Congresswoman

Shontel M. Brown, representing the 11th Congressional

District of Ohio, do hereby recognize and commend the Greater

Cleveland Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,

Incorporated for a century of distinguished service and

meaningful impact, and extend heartfelt congratulations on

this historic milestone.

Be it further resolved, this resolution honors the enduring

legacy of the Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter and its

commitment to uplifting, empowering, and transforming our

communities for the better.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and the underlying bill.

Let's be clear, Republicans are paying for massive tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires by cutting $300 billion from SNAP.

Instead of owning those cuts, Republicans are punting their problems to the States, forcing Governors and legislators to do the dirty work of denying food assistance. That is not fiscal responsibility. That is political cowardice.

This is an unfunded Federal mandate, plain and simple. States would have to cover at least 5 percent of SNAP benefits and up to 25 percent.

What they call skin in the game is unworkable. The hits to States' budgets would be massive, up to $4.5 billion over 10 years in Louisiana, $4 billion in Alabama, $15 billion in Florida, and $7.5 billion in my home State of Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, what does that mean? Well, I am glad you asked. It means fewer dollars for schools, opioid response, and basic services. Any way you cut it, families lose.

If States can't pick up the bill, they will have to cut benefits or kick folks off the program, a program that currently provides $6 a day, on average.

This plan will take away food from kids, working families, veterans, seniors, and the disabled. It will hit red States, blue States, and every State and every district.

Even Republicans know how damaging this is. That is why they have delayed implementation until when? After the next election.

Hiding the consequences doesn't make them less real. Their own State legislators, Democrats and Republicans, oppose this plan. The National Conference of State Legislatures calls it fiscally unsustainable and warns it will harm the very people SNAP is meant to help.

This is a shameful attempt to dodge accountability while handing out tax breaks on the backs of hungry families.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Protect SNAP. Don't make struggling Americans pay for tax breaks for the wealthy.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with Leader Jeffries and my Democratic Women's Caucus colleagues to oppose harmful cuts to food and health assistance.

Today, I rise to share the story of Cheryl from Cleveland Heights, a constituent whose life could be upended by cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.

Cheryl is a retired small business owner who ran an advertising company with her husband for 25 years. They were forced to close that business due to their health issues.

Cheryl lives with chronic respiratory issues and arthritis. Her husband is disabled. She also takes care of her 90-year-old father who is disabled, too. None of them can work, and they depend on SNAP and Medicaid to survive. If Congress guts these programs, it will gut a lifeline for Cheryl and her family.

Mr. Speaker, we must remember who we are here to serve. These are real people with real lives, and we must stand up for them.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous materials on the subject of this special order.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor this CBC Special Order hour along with my distinguished colleague, Representative Kamlager-Dove.

For the next 60 minutes, members of the CBC have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people on erasing Black history, an issue of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the constituents we represent, as well as all Americans.

It is with great honor that I rise today to lead this CBC Special Order hour. For the next hour, members of the CBC will speak directly to the American people on the topic of Black history and ongoing efforts to erase that history.

Mr. Speaker, this is a time of fear, worry, and anxiety for millions of Americans. President Trump said that he was going to usher in a golden age. However, after 119 long, long days of this Presidency, it hasn't felt like a golden age. It has felt like a dark age, especially for Black Americans.

President Trump and his administration have attacked diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the government, in schools, and in the private sector.

President Trump has rolled back anti-discrimination laws, and Trump has tried to freeze Federal funds that benefit Black communities, including in my district in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

It is not just about his actions. It is also about his words, his rhetoric, and what he values.

President Trump and his allies have blamed diversity, which is just code for Black people, for the January plane crash at Ronald Reagan Airport; for the South Carolina wildfires; for the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge collapse in Baltimore; and even the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment; and on and on and on.

If something goes wrong somewhere, anywhere, in their mind, diversity, equity, and inclusion is to blame. In President Trump's vision, every Black American on the job, every woman, and every immigrant is a DEI hire, a DEI hire who is blocking more qualified White men from the jobs and the positions of power that are rightfully theirs.

Moreover, President Trump has the audacity to talk about his agenda being about restoring meritocracy. They use that word over and over and over again in their executive orders.

Meritocracy: The meritocracy of his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who is an unqualified TV host and who texted war plans to people by accident; the meritocracy of his Health and Human Services Secretary, Mr. Robert Kennedy, Jr., who is a conspiracy theorist and whose primary experience in healthcare and science is using Google; the meritocracy of Elon Musk's unvetted, unqualified, and unaccountable minions at DOGE.

The spoken and unspoken message behind all of this is that Black Americans and other minorities don't deserve a seat at the table and that we don't have merit.

The impact is real. Last month, in my district, a man checked out 100 books on Black, Jewish, and LGBTQ topics from the Beachwood Public Library. He didn't check out those books to read them. He checked them out to burn them, and he didn't do it in secret. No, he didn't hide behind shame. He posted this on social media because he wanted people to see.

See, this kind of hate doesn't happen in a vacuum. It is part of a disturbing wave we are seeing across the country, a wave fueled-- sometimes with a wink and a nod, sometimes with a bullhorn--by leaders who should know better than to fan the flames of division for political gain, a wave normalized by the Secretary of Defense banning books about diversity and deleting Pentagon websites highlighting the service of women, LGBTQ people, and minority servicemembers, including Major League Baseball legend Jackie Robinson.

Mr. Speaker, what happened in my district isn't just censorship. It is an act of hate, plain and simple.

I join leaders from across northeast Ohio in condemning this act. These attempts to erase the voices of marginalized communities are an attack on the values of inclusion, empathy, and understanding.

Mr. Speaker, you can only truly have a community with understanding, and to understand your neighbor, you have to understand history.

That is our topic tonight: history. I am deeply concerned about the ongoing effort to erase Black history from our museums, schools, and American life.

Last month, President Trump issued an executive order on ``restoring truth and sanity to American history.'' Of course, there are all kinds of debates when it comes to history. That is how we advance knowledge.

Is that what Trump cares about when he talks about truth? Of course not.

His executive order directed Vice President Vance and the Secretary of the Interior, two individuals who are not historians, to remove objects, exhibits, and funding from the Smithsonian museums and national parks that don't fit Trump's agenda or Trump's incorrect version of history. That bears repeating: Trump's incorrect version of history.

Think about all the Smithsonian museums, all the national parks, and all the historical exhibits around the country. Where do you think they directed most of their attention? That is right. Their main focus has been on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, right down the street on The National Mall.

Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. Trump's executive order mentioned that museum by name out of hundreds across America and laid the foundation for denying future Federal funds.

One thing we have seen from this administration is that they mean what they say. This is such a radical shift, and it has happened in just a short time. Trump's takeover of the Republican Party seems like it has been forever, but it hasn't always been like this.

When the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016, it was a bipartisan celebration. Joining President Obama that day were President Bush and Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. These aren't woke individuals by any means, but they understood the importance of that museum being on The National Mall. In a perverse way, Trump does, too. That is why he is attacking it.

Black America is not taking this sitting down. In the last month, Black churches from across the country have organized trips to the museum and fundraisers to support it.

Black America raised their voices when Pete Hegseth tried to erase the history of Jackie Robinson because our history matters.

Black excellence should be celebrated. The role we have played in shaping our country should be recognized, and the pain and legacy of slavery and discrimination should be understood. If we don't reckon with our past, we will never understand the present, and we will never build a better future.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I know it is not just the President who wants to erase Black history, and I know the backlash didn't start just this year.

In 2023, the State of Florida, our Nation's third most populous State, released education guidelines that included that slavery provided benefits because slaves were able to learn skills. They now require that as part of their curriculum, that slavery was beneficial, some type of workforce training program.

Florida also launched a comprehensive effort to ban advanced placement courses on Black history, while local school districts were newly empowered to ban books on Black history.

This is a nationwide problem. In fact, there are now more States where teaching Black history has been restricted than there are States where it is required. That is right, only 12 States out of 50 require Black history to be taught, while there are now 18 States that have passed legislation restricting Black history education.

Here is why this matters. We know there is inequality in this country. No one would deny that. We know who overwhelmingly has the wealth, power, and influence and who doesn't. In America, for every $100 in wealth owned by White households, Black households own $15. You can find statistics like that, no matter how you slice it, on housing, health, savings, you name it.

Last week, we were debating nutrition benefits and food stamps in this body. In my district, one in three Black households relies on food stamps. For the White households, it is 1 in 10.

This is the heart of the issue. Do you recognize, like I do, like my CBC colleagues do, that this discrepancy did not happen by accident? It didn't happen by accident. It happened by design. Do you deny that and think that all the racial inequality in this country is really the fault of Black people?

That is really the argument. The only way you can make that case is to erase history, whitewash history, and rewrite history.

That is why history matters. That is why our museums matter. That is why our books, literature, and experiences matter. That is why we are going to keep fighting back.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to lead this Special Order hour tonight. I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Kamlager-Dove), my friend from the 37th District.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Troy Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), a place with rich culture.

Mr. Speaker, it is my distinguished privilege to yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan), my good friend who represents the Fourth District.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her personal and powerful story about the benefits of history, as well as healing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland, the Honorable Glenn Ivey.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, as we talk about the importance of Black history tonight, I also want to highlight northeast Ohio's rich connection to Black history.

In northeast Ohio, our Black history legacy stacks up against anyone's. In fact, one of the first places to celebrate Black History Month for a whole month was Kent State University. After decades as just a week-long event, Kent State made it a full month in 1970, 6 years before the White House did.

Northeast Ohio is also home to the great Jesse Owens who smashed the myth of white supremacy on a global stage, right under Hitler's nose at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Northeast Ohio has shaped the life and stories of Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison and the poet, Langston Hughes.

Cleveland is where Larry Doby integrated the American League. Carl Stokes made history as the first Black mayor of a major city, and Garrett Morgan invented the traffic light.

Black leadership from Cleveland also changed the calendar. In 1890, Ohio Representative John Patterson Green, the first Black-elected official in Cleveland, authored legislation to establish Labor Day as a State holiday 4 years before it became a Federal holiday.

Frederick Douglass spoke in Cleveland multiple times, beginning in the 1840s, connecting us to the abolition movement nationwide.

In 1851, Sojourner Truth delivered her famous speech, ``Ain't I a Woman?'' down the road in Akron; a landmark event in Black feminism.

A century later, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke frequently in Cleveland and lent his support for our local civil rights efforts.

Northeast Ohio's Black history legacy includes three Representatives who came before me: Representatives Louis Stokes, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Marcia L. Fudge represented northeast Ohio for over 50 years. They chaired committees and subcommittees and served on some of the House's most powerful committees.

Congressman Stokes and Congresswoman Fudge both chaired the Congressional Black Caucus.

In 2021, Congresswoman Fudge was confirmed as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the first Black woman to lead the agency since the 1970s.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we continue to celebrate Black leadership, Black achievement, and Black excellence because we have been so frequently ignored, erased, and minimized.

Finally, Black history is American history and local history in Ohio and across the country. In 1967, Dr. King spoke at Glenville High School in Cleveland. Speaking that day, he talked about how our history isn't separate from the country's; it is part of it. He said: ``Abused and scorned as we may be, our destiny is tied up with the destiny of America.''

Speaking in Cleveland, Dr. King concluded with a simple message which should be our charge today: `` . . . we must keep moving, we must keep going.'' The goal of the Congressional Black Caucus is to keep us moving forward.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues and I have highlighted over this past hour how this administration is intentionally attacking Black history, which is an attack on American history, we will not allow this attack to continue.

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

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 27 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California, (Ms. Kamlager-Dove), my dear friend and colleague for leading our CBC Special Order hour this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate Ms. Kamlager-Dove's voice in Congress, from the way she fights for her constituents in Los Angeles, to her work on the Judiciary Committee. She is such a strong advocate.

On the Oversight Committee, we are doing similar work, trying to provide the American people with some amount of transparency and accountability because we have a President who doesn't think that the rules apply to him.

Here we are tonight to talk about Trump's first 100 days.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage people watching--shout out to my mom and dad. I know we have at least two viewers tonight. For the others, I encourage them to check out Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove's social media series titled ``Is This Stuff Legal?''

She is doing a great job breaking down how this has been a lawless White House from day one, and the truth is time and time again what this administration has been doing has not been legal.

In fact, in Trump's first 100 days, more than 220 lawsuits were filed directly challenging his agenda. Federal judges have issued over 130 court orders blocking or pausing those actions. If we do the math, Trump is being sued more than twice a day, and he is losing in court more than once a day.

They have tried to fire Federal workers without cause, detain and deport people without due process, freeze and deny congressionally appropriated funds, and seize sensitive taxpayer information through the Treasury and Social Security.

This is why Trump's White House is now ignoring Federal courts and openly ignoring the Constitution. He doesn't have a mandate. He doesn't have the votes in Congress, and he doesn't have a legal agenda, so he wants to ignore the law.

We should not be surprised by this. Trump said he was going to be a dictator on day one. He told us this is what he was going to do. I personally don't know of any dictators who stop being a dictator on their own.

We have got to fight back, and we have got to fight back in Congress, in the courts, and in the community.

My constituents in Cleveland and people across the country are counting on us to stand up, fight back, and use every tool we have to oppose this agenda because this has been 100 days of chaos, cruelty, and cuts.

The Trump administration has broken the economy, broken the law, and broken our alliances.

In just 100 days, this White House has shrunk the economy, raised prices, and put us on track for a recession.

Now, President Biden handed him the strongest economy in the world, and Trump is running it into the ground, which really isn't surprising because this is a man who could not make money running a casino; not to mention the fact that he filed bankruptcy six times.

The disastrous policies of this White House are hurting the entire country, absent a few of his billionaire buddies, of course, but it is the people that many of us represent that are the most at risk.

This is a White House that constantly diminishes and dismisses Black achievement; a White House that blames anything and everything on diversity, equity, and inclusion; a White House that is trying to defund our public safety programs and our police; a White House that is trying to defund our schools, and a White House that has rolled back Federal antidiscrimination policies that have been on the books since 1965--that is right--since 1965.

In his first week, President Trump revoked the ``Equal Employment Opportunity'' executive order that prohibited racial discrimination for Federal contractors.

Let's be clear: They aren't hiding this agenda to make discrimination legal again.

That is why I filed legislation to restore those policies, and I am proud to have had over 60 cosponsors in the House, including many of my colleagues here this evening.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a disastrous 100 days, but I feel the worst is yet to come.

This week, the Republican-led committees are working on Trump's Republican rip-off, a plan to take from our constituents so that they can give to the ultrawealthy and the very well-connected. We are talking about healthcare and taking away Medicaid coverage. We are talking about nutrition and taking away SNAP benefits from families and so much more, because the budget they voted for called for $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $230 billion in cuts to SNAP.

Here is the reality: 21 percent of my district is living below the poverty line and 30 percent of children are in poverty. I represent 280,000 people on Medicaid, 160,000 people on SNAP. These aren't just numbers; these are real people. Sadly, this White House isn't listening to them, so it is up to us to amplify their voices tonight, today, and every day.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove, for leading this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, it has been 100 days of broken promises, cuts, and chaos from the Trump administration.

The damage has been done from my district in Cleveland to rural America.

Here is how Trump has hurt the farm economy in just 100 days:

President Trump has fired critical staff at USDA and gutted key programs that support rural communities.

He has enacted tariff chaos, driving up the cost of fertilizer, fuel, and equipment.

He has launched a trade war, again putting farmers at risk of retaliatory tariffs that will dry up export markets.

He has slashed over a billion dollars from food programs that put fresh produce in school cafeterias and keep food banks stocked.

Meanwhile, Republicans are pushing to gut SNAP, a program that feeds 40 million Americans and delivers billions in revenue back to the farm country.

Working families in urban, suburban, and rural communities across America are footing the bill for Trump's chaos.

The bottom line is that Trump's broken economy isn't working for anyone.

Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Dorian Pace, a Cleveland Heights School Bus Driver, whose heroism, service, and character saved the lives of fifteen students.

It was the morning of February 27th when Mr. Pace heard a loud boom from under the bus. This is when the experience he accumulated from his eleven years working with the

Cleveland Heights School District kicked in to save the lives of students as the bus began to be engulfed in flames.

From the moment the school bus doors open in the early morning to dropping out children off at the bus stop in the afternoon, school bus drivers are vital to ensuring that the most precious among our community have a safe passage to and from school. Mr. Pace is a proud member of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees/American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (OAPSE/AFSCME) Local 4 and The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

Prior to working for the Cleveland Heights School District, he worked with the Bellefaire JCB, mental health facility, which provides 24/7 treatment for youth and adolescents in Northeast, Ohio. Mr. Pace's commitment to public service is a testament to the many hardworking individuals of OH-11.

I thank Mr. Pace for saving the lives of fifteen children and for dedicating his life to serving our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Black History Month.

Black History Month means a lot to me, and it means a lot to my constituents in northeast Ohio.

Just in the last few days, we have been reminded of how the past and present are connected. Last week, in Cleveland, we celebrated the 90th birthday of the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., and his wife, Edwina Moss, two local civil rights icons who have fought for justice, fairness, and opportunity for Black people in Cleveland for decades.

Sunday was also the 100th birthday of Congressman Louis Stokes, the first Black American to represent Ohio in Congress. Congressman Stokes was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and represented northeast Ohio for 30 years. He also established a legacy of leadership that carried on to Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Marcia Fudge. They are three strong Black leaders who represented the district I now represent.

Black History Month isn't just about trailblazers, icons, and famous names. It is also about Black culture, community, and excellence, and the history and experience that binds us all. It is often a time of joy and celebration.

Black History Month feels a little different this year. President Trump and his MAGA allies have frozen funding for programs that address inequality and support equal opportunity, rolled back decades of civil rights and discrimination protections, and tried to erase Black history in our schools. He jumps at every opportunity he gets to attack Black America, using DEI as a racist dog whistle and pushing false and offensive ideas that Black Americans haven't earned or deserved their success.

Let's call this what it is: Trump's resegregation agenda.

We know what happens when prejudice prevails. Opportunity is obstructed, and red lines are drawn with Federal funds. We have seen this story before.

Yet despite the dark clouds gathering above 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Black Americans have long battled bigotry, broken barriers, and built a brighter future despite the odds.

The fight is familiar. Black history teaches us the power of resilience, resistance, and relentless struggle. That is what I owe my constituents, and that is what we owe each other.

elon musk must justify his job

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, unelected, unaccountable, unvetted, and unconfirmed billionaire, Elon Musk, demanded every Federal worker justify their job. He demanded five reasons they deserve to keep it.

Let's turn that around. Here are five things the world's richest man did just last week:

One, DOGE deleted the five biggest spending cuts it bragged about just last week, because nearly one-half of those savings don't exist. The receipts didn't add up.

Two, more than 20 employees resigned from DOGE, refusing to ``jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services.''

Three, one of Musk's companies secured a lucrative FAA contract, laying bare his blatant conflicts of interest. Somehow, I doubt that one will be canceled.

Number four, he fired 6,000 veterans serving the American people.

Why? Apparently, it is because a disabled vet's salary is wasteful, but $4.5 trillion in billionaire tax breaks are necessary.

Five, he axed bird flu experts, nuclear safety officers, and IRS workers, right in the middle of tax season.

So before Elon Musk demands five justifications from a VA nurse in Cleveland, maybe he should justify his own job. Instead of asking nurses, firefighters, air traffic controllers, and Federal scientists to justify their jobs, let's ask the billionaire to justify his.

Mr. Speaker, I promise you, the American people won't need more than five reasons to fire him.