Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to vigorously condemn the administration's threats to impose damaging tariffs on imports from Mexico. The proposal underlines a serious misunderstanding of how our economy benefits from trade with Mexico.

Here are the facts. Mexico is the United States' largest trading partner in the world. In Texas alone, Laredo and El Paso saw $55.8 billion and $18.6 billion in trade passing through their borders last year.

Every product from Mexico will be taxed higher by the White House, forcing us to pay more for household goods we buy every day. It is not just the avocados we use for guacamole or the tequilas we use for margaritas, not that I drink any of them. It will be everything, autos, computers, and machine goods.

Some estimate that even a 5 percent general tariff could eliminate more than 400,000 U.S. jobs. This would be catastrophic to my State and other States on the border.

The White House clearly does not understand the special economic relationship between Texas and Mexico and has shown that it is willing to throw away our economy for bravado and bullying.

Madam Speaker, today we remember the life of Josue Flores. At the young age of eleven years old, Josue was murdered while he walked home from school in Houston's Northside. Three years have passed since that day and every day that passes our community still feels sadness and mourns his loss. As family, friends and neighbors gather tonight at Holy Name Catholic Church to remember our little angel, we also remember what we are all striving for. We want safety. We want security. We want justice.

All of us have a role to play in making our community safer. The concerned parents and neighbors of Safe Walk Home go above and beyond. Together, they form a powerful force of protection for our school children. When I served in the Texas Senate, we worked hard to secure funding for organizations that help provide safe passage for children going to and from school in high crime or violent areas. Now, here in Congress, I continue to believe that we must do more to make the trip to and from school safe for every child in Houston, in Texas, and across the United States. Josue continues to touch our lives and watch over our work. Let us rededicate ourselves to keeping our children safe from harm.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the action being taken by this body to protect and expand affordable health care and lower prescription drug costs.

Because of soaring prescription drug costs, Texans and Americans are struggling to meet their health needs.

These costs are especially burdensome for the 65,000 senior citizens in my district, where the average senior takes 4\1/2\ medications each month.

Last year, nearly 20 percent skipped doses due to the high costs alone. This is absolutely unacceptable.

This moment calls for action to protect the health and well-being of Americans.

And action is exactly what House Democrats are doing. The bills passed this week will tackle out-of-control drug prices head-on and fight the Trump administration's efforts to destabilize Medicare and our health care markets.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of H.R. 5, the Equality Act. We have made much progress in recent years, but the reality is that many still face discrimination because of who they are and whom they love.

As has been well-documented during the legislative record for H.R. 5, there are currently no Federal protections for LGBTQ people in the United States. So let's refocus on what this bill is really about.

In 30 States, LGBTQ people can be fired, refused housing, or denied services simply because of who they are. The Equality Act would greatly extend civil rights for this community, providing protections across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, and jury duty.

In Texas, that means having explicit protections for LGBTQ people for the first time in our history. Updating Federal law will tear down barriers to prosperity and lead to better outcomes for our families, neighbors, and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will benefit nearly 1 million LGBTQ Texans and countless other Americans.

Finally, in Texas, when we say y'all, we will mean all.

Mr. Speaker, I want to add that as a woman and as a Catholic, I know I am not forfeiting any of my rights, not my women's rights or my religious rights. We need to go back and make sure that we pass this bill because for once, when we say justice for all at the end of our pledge, it should mean justice for all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong and steadfast support of the Equality Act.

We've made a lot of progress in recent years, but the reality is that many still face discrimination because of who they are and the people they love.

In Texas, the discrimination and inequality faced by the LGBTQ community is heartbreaking and entirely un-American, but with the Equality Act we can do something about it.

The Equality Act will greatly extend civil rights for the LGBTQ community, providing consistent and explicit protections from discrimination for LGBTQ people across key areas of life including employment, housing, credit, and education.

In Texas, that means having explicit protections for LGBTQ people for the first time in our history. Updating federal law will tear down barriers to prosperity and lead to better outcomes for our family members, neighbors, and loved-ones.

This is long overdue for nearly 1 million LGBTQ Texans and is why I urge all of my colleagues to make the Equality Act the law of the land.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the serious threat that soaring costs of prescription drugs pose to the health and well-being of families.

Americans spend more money on prescription drug prices per person than any other country in the world. The problem has grown so much that now Americans are paying more for out-of-pocket drugs every year than for hospital care. These inflated prices are sapping the strength of our economy and the health of our families.

However, this is a challenge, Mr. Speaker, we can begin to tackle in this Congress this year. We can begin to fight this battle now by targeting abusive barriers to entry for cheaper generic drugs and taking steps to simplify pricing in our overly complicated system.

That is why, last week, my colleagues and I on the Judiciary Committee voted to refer four bills for consideration that will give generic drug manufacturers greater access to our markets, increase competition, and save lives in the process.

I call on all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan measure.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2019.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the Trump administration's new attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

Over 4.5 million non-elderly Texans have preexisting conditions that could keep them from getting insurance if the administration gets its wishes in Federal court. This is truly outrageous.

No family should have to choose between lifesaving care and going bankrupt. And we cannot forget how important this is for Latinos, there are many in my district, who already have the highest uninsured rate of any group in the United States.

Regardless of the language you speak, or the color of your skin, healthcare is a right, and we will defend it for everyone.

The well-being of our families and their health is the top priority of House Democrats, and I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, we will do everything in our power to make sure this administration does not strip away the access to healthcare for our loved ones.

Yes, we can, and we will.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the first 100 days of the 116th Congress. In this short amount of time, Madam Speaker, a lot has surely happened.

At our swearing in, the Congress became the most diverse on record, including 42 freshman women. And with one in five Members of Congress being people of color, we have come a long way, baby.

As our Representatives in Congress begin to look more like the communities we represent, our legislative priorities also more closely reflect the will of the people.

Our citizens have sent a message loud and clear that Congress should be giving a voice to our families on Main Street and not to the rich and the wealthy on Wall Street. As a result, we have been focused on passing groundbreaking legislation that protects our democracy, expands our civil liberties, provides for a stronger national security, and boosts our economy, all while staying true to our values.

Passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, is the largest, most sweeping election reform and campaign finance reform bill to pass the House in our Nation's history.

It also significantly protects access to the ballot box for every American; it will shed light on the corrupting influence of dark money in our campaign finance system; and, finally, it will return the voices of working-class Americans to our democracy. And the best part: election day would be a holiday.

We are upholding the promise of equal protection under the law for our citizens. With the Equality Act, we are finally providing explicit protections to the LGBTQ community, finally making them equal under the eyes of the law.

We are keeping our promise to women as well. With the introduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act, we are finally taking steps to close the wage gap, where women in Texas still make only 79 cents for every dollar a man makes, and 44 cents if you are Hispanic.

With the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, we are upholding our sacred duty to protect the millions of Texas women who experience violence and domestic abuse every year.

Perhaps most importantly for my district, we have finally introduced the Dream and Promise Act, which will provide protections for immigrants who, in their hearts, are often as American as myself and anyone else on this House floor.

These young men and women--about 113,100 in my district--whom we call

family, friends, and colleagues, will be able to continue working hard in their communities and contributing to our economy--nearly $50 billion a year, by the way--without fear of being separated from their families.

Unfortunately, during our 100 days, the Trump administration's top priority has proven not to be for the people. The administration's recent budget proposal included deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and the SNAP assistance program, all of this to pay for the radical GOP tax cuts which they have made on the backs of working people, veterans, and seniors.

After the eventual passage of the bipartisan budget without funding for a border wall, this administration decided to create a completely avoidable but devastating government shutdown. The 26-day shutdown cost families real money and opportunity, maybe more than 800,000 workers without a paycheck during that time.

Since then, we have seen an illegal national emergency declaration that seeks to take funding from vital national security needs to build the President's border wall.

We are also now hearing threats of another shutdown, this time shutting down the border completely. This is wrong and downright reckless. Trade through our southern border accounts for $1.7 billion per day and would hurt our Texas economy.

And, finally, the Trump administration is trying once again to take our healthcare system, this time through the courts. This move could leave up to 53 million non-elderly Americans with preexisting conditions without access to healthcare--320,000 in my district. This is cruel; it is immoral; and it is just plain wrong.

It should be clear that our work is not done.

I am proud to be a Member of the majority that will fight for the people, defend our democracy, protect access to quality, affordable healthcare, and do so with justice and decency.

Madam Speaker, we have accomplished so much in these first 100 days, but we must make sure that the American people know that we are resoundingly focused on real solutions that will actually keep our border safe, help our businesses, and uphold our American values.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong and unwavering support for H.R. 5, the Dream and Promise Act.

I am proud to represent the 29th Congressional District of Texas. One of the things I am most proud of is the strong and vibrant immigration communities that reside in our district, where thousands of DACA, TPS, and DED recipients live, work, and play beside us as neighbors and colleagues. If Dreamers were forced to leave our district tomorrow, we would lose over $400 million of GDP.

Our immigration policies put politics over people, which often hurt our children who are in constant fear of being separated and uprooted from the country they call their own. This is wrong for our economy. This is wrong for our communities. This is wrong for our country.

It is time that we pass a permanent solution for these vital members of our society, which is why I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 5.

Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I rise today to express my strong support for this bill, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.

Since the Brady law was enacted in 1994, many American lives have been saved, murders have fallen by at least 32 percent, and our community streets are safer and stronger as a result. But our work is not done. In Houston alone, we see an average of 550 acts of gun violence per year.

Too many of our loved ones are lost to senseless gun violence that could be prevented by keeping firearms out of dangerous hands. We know expanded background checks work.

States requiring background checks on all handgun sales see half as many mass shootings as States without the expanded requirements. That is why I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 8. This commonsense bill will prevent private firearm sales to prohibit purchasers and close online and gun show loopholes.

While this bill does not cover everything, it is a step in the right direction that will make my district--Houston, Texas--and this country safer.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as January is School Board Recognition Month.

I regret that this new job has prevented me from attending celebrations this month in the school districts across my district-- Texas' 29th.

They include: Houston, Aldine, Humble, Sheldon, Channelview, Deer Park, Pasadena, and Galena Park lSD.

All these districts and their employees deserve a big Texas thank-you for all they do to prepare our children for their future.

Thank you especially to all of our School Board Trustees for all they do for our students and schools in the Houston Region. We must all do our part to ensure our students get the well-rounded education they deserve.

Madam speaker, I also want to congratulate the Galena Park North Shore High School Mustangs Football Team in winning the Conference 6A D1 State Championship.

I urge everyone to attend a community pep rally this Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 3 p.m. at the Galena Park Stadium. Go Mustangs.

Madam Speaker, I rise to object to the administration's threat to issue a national emergency declaration and reprogram money that has been allocated for Hurricane Harvey.

I join a bipartisan group of Texas legislators in opposition to this diversion,

including my former colleagues from the Texas Senate. This administration is seeking any funds or any means to go around Congress to build his wall.

Congress is a coequal branch of government, Madam Speaker, with a duty to appropriate funds for Hurricane Harvey. Any action to delay or divert those funds puts lives at risk and potentially displaces people from their homes, many in my own district in Houston.

We must do more to mitigate the damages caused by flooding. Diverting disaster funds to pay for a wall will not accomplish that goal.

I am proud of the bipartisan opposition to this effort, and I hope that we can work together in that same spirit to end this Trump shutdown.

Mr. Speaker, this body has passed bipartisan bills to open up the government, yet this shutdown could become the longest one in the history of this country.

My communities in Houston are feeling the real effects of this shutdown. Over one-in-five families in my district depend on food stamps. This shutdown continues to threaten their food security and, in some cases, their health and well-being. This issue hits our seniors especially hard, because over 11 percent of food stamp recipients are seniors and over three-quarters of those live alone.

In Texas, almost 30,000 Federal employees are furloughed or working with no guarantee of a paycheck.

At Houston's Hobby Airport, in my district, we may put air travelers at risk. TSA employees, air traffic controllers, and Customs and Border Protection agents are required to work without pay.

No one should be forced to barter for their rent or food, be evicted from their home, or be forced to work without pay.

We have passed bipartisan legislation to end this shutdown. Let's reopen our government and let's pay our workers.