Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to bring awareness to the Republicans' effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and weaken protections provided by Medicaid and Medicare. Republicans began their sabotage of the ACA when many of their Governors, including Alabama's Governor, refused to expand Medicaid. In these states, the full benefits of the law haven't been realized. Working families have been left behind, rural hospitals have closed, and premiums have risen.

Make no mistake, these governors created an environment in which Republican politicians could campaign on the failures of the ACA, all while taking NO credit for the failures they created. The millions of working Americans who fall in the Medicaid gap and live in non- expansion states have been overlooked! This body needs to be laser focused on improving the marketplace for the working Americans who have fallen victim to the lack of Medicaid expansion.

Last year, I sat down with my hairdresser in Birmingham, and she immediately told me about how she had lost her health coverage. She didn't know why, but as she explained her situation, I quickly realized that she had fallen into our state's Medicaid gap.

A few years before in 2014, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, she received Cost Sharing Reductions to afford commercial health insurance for the first time at an affordable rate.

Unfortunately, President Trump has decided that he doesn't value those CSRs and has pulled those subsidies. But last year, before his harmful decision was implemented, my hairdresser fell victim to another form of health care sabotage--our Republican Governor's failure to expand Medicaid.

Since 2014, my hairdresser had comprehensive coverage through Blue Cross, subsidized by cost sharing reductions from the ACA. She had access to primary care appointments and everything she needed to lead a healthy life. Unfortunately, hairdressing is one of the many careers in the service economy in which income fluctuates from year to year. And in 2017, her income fell below the poverty line.

If she lived in an expansion state, she would have had the option to be covered by Medicaid while she continued to work. But instead, she lives in Alabama. She was left without coverage because she made too much to qualify for Medicaid.

She was forced into the commercial market with no premium assistance whatsoever. Premiums are higher in states that didn't expand Medicaid. Therefore, premiums in Alabama are much higher than what she could afford. President Trump's elimination of the cost-sharing reductions has been cited by insurers as a driving force behind premium hikes in 2018.

My hairdresser was anxious about having an emergency in which she would be left with large medical bills she couldn't pay. I was heartbroken seeing her pain. Fortunately, we were able to connect her with patient navigators at a large hospital in Birmingham. The Trump Administration has ended contracts with navigators under the ACA, but since the hospital has sufficient resources, they have taken the cost of continuing the program on themselves.

I was happy we could help her, but there are millions of working Americans like her who don't have that kind of access to their Member of Congress. For these Americans, even a year without basic health care coverage can be catastrophic.

When I think about the health disparities currently plaguing Republican states, I think about all of the constituents I've met while in Congress. We cannot allow our working constituents to continue being victims of political malpractice. We can no longer ignore the vulnerable residents of non-expansion states and their needs.

Make no mistake, the ACA strengthened access to primary health care services across the country, even in non-expansion states. In Alabama alone, the law gave 897,000 mental health and substance use disorder benefits, treated more than two million children and adults for pre- existing conditions, and gave more than 650,000 Medicare enrollees free preventives services. However, approximately 235,000 Alabamians would have gained health insurance coverage if the state expanded Medicaid.

It is my sincere hope that Congress will work together to alleviate the economic constraints of health care access for hardworking individuals across America. We need to restore what was best about the ACA and improve access for all.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in acknowledgement of Gun Violence Awareness Month. The rising tide of gun violence continues to claim far too many lives. On an average day in America, 96 people are killed with guns, and over 180 are injured. Too many Americans no longer feel safe in their schools, places of business, and homes. From Santa Fe to Parkland, to Huffman High School in my home district in Birmingham, children are losing their lives due to gun violence. No parent should have to worry about the safety oftheir child while in school.

I would like to take this time to remember those who lost their lives due to gun violence

in our communities. While we grieve for those we lost and pray for their families, we must work together to prevent future gun violence atrocities.

While I am a proponent of the Second Amendment, we can no longer accept the status quo. With each mass shooting, a call to action comes and goes until the next shooting occurs. We are beyond the point of waiting. It is time for Congress to act. I urge my colleagues to take up gun safety measures that will protect our families and our communities. We cannot continue to mourn these tragedies without doing all we can to prevent them.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, ``injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' The injustice of gun violence affects each of our constituents and communities. Mr. Speaker, now is the time to set aside party politics and work together in the best interests of our nation to reduce gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call votes held on June 25th and 26th of 2018, I was inescapably detained handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. If I had been present, I would have voted YES on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 299, YES on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 5783, NO on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 961, NO on H. Res. 961, YES on final passage of H.R. 4294, YES on final passage of H.R. 2083 , and YES on final passage of H.R. 5841.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to address the Trump Administration's renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. NAFTA, which governs trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, has a substantial impact Alabama farmers, workers, industry, and consumers.

Over 173,000 Alabama jobs are dependent on NAFTA, with the state exporting over $7.7 billion in goods and services to Canada and Mexico. Canada is Alabama's largest export market and Mexico is the state's 4th largest. If the Trump administration withdrew from NAFTA, as they have threatened to do, Alabama's economy would suffer. Americans would lose their jobs, supply chains would be disrupted, and we would see a severe economic downturn.

Moreover, I am strongly opposed to the many radical proposals being pushed by the Trump Administration, such as the five-year sunset provision and the auto rules of origin proposal. A five-year sunset clause would deter long-term investment and promote uncertainty, effectively weakening the entire agreement. Also, increasing the auto rules of origin threshold requiring more auto parts to originate in the U.S. would hurt the competitiveness of the largest automotive manufacturers in my district. These facilities, including Mercedes and Hyundai, provide Alabamians with quality, high paying jobs that that my district cannot afford to lose.

What we need is a free and fair modernized NAFTA that includes provisions like a digital trade chapter and updated intellectual property rights protections. It is time this administration focused on negotiating with our Canadian and Mexican allies to improve the agreement for all three countries so that we can expand markets and grow America's economy.

I strongly urge the Trump Administration to stop threatening withdrawal from NAFTA, and

I hope that the United States Trade Representative will focus on modernizing the agreement instead of pushing radical proposals that would hurt Alabamians.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to address a new wave sweeping the state of Alabama and the nation. In response to the Trump administration's continued attack on women as well as the #MeToo movement, at least 70 African-American women ran for office in the Alabama primary on June 5th. These women ran for their local school boards, for county judgeships, for state lawmakers, and for Congress.

Black women have been the backbone of families and communities for generations, providing an unwavering source of strength. I know I stand on the shoulders of such women of strength, like Shirley Chisholm, Harriett Tubman, and Amelia Boynton Robinson. Moreover, I am inspired every day by my mother, Nancy Garner Sewell, who was the first African American female elected to the City Council of Selma, Alabama. These dynamic black women gave all they had to create a more just and free America. Yet, the fight is long from over.

As the first African-American woman elected to Congress from the State of Alabama in 2010, I am overjoyed to see so many others enthusiastic to serve their communities by running for office. Black women are refusing to sit idly on the sidelines. Whether it is on issues of access to quality healthcare, education, equal pay for equal work, or engagement in the political arena, we have women from around the country that are joining the fight to let the world know that we will hold our elected officials accountable on issues that affect us, our families, and our communities.

As more black women continue to speak out and run for office, I look forward to welcoming them to the table.

Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to congratulate Health Services Incorporated on its 50th anniversary of providing affordable health and wellness services to residents of Alabama's 7th Congressional District.

Throughout its 50-year history, Health Services has provided extraordinary healthcare service to the City of Montgomery and its surrounding communities. As a participant in the Federal Health Center Program, Health Services has worked tirelessly to improve the health of the underserved by delivering primary care, pediatric services, dentistry, optometry, family planning, counseling services, veteran benefits, WIC services, and healthcare enrollment services.

Health Services traces its origin back to the late Senator J. Lister Hill, an innovator in his own right who pioneered healthcare legislation such as the Hill-Burton Act. This act was instrumental in providing federal funds to construct medical facilities such as Health Services with the goal of expanding quality health coverage to all Americans, especially those in rural or lower income areas.

Beginning as a small clinic in the basement of Montgomery City Hall in 1968, Health Services used funds made available by the Hill-Burton Act to construct their first clinic in the early 1970s. The building was renamed the Lister Hill Health Center in 1973 to honor Senator Hill. After the renaming, Health Services began expanding its operation, opening its second clinic in 1981 to serve Montgomery County's rural population.

In 1995 Health Services opened its first school-based center and began expanding into other rural Alabama counties, including its Lowndes County office in 1998. Since then, the doctors and providers at Health Services have expanded to 10 locations across 5 counties. Health Services has grown to be the number one healthcare provider to the underserved in South Central Alabama.

All of Health Services' locations operate on a sliding fee schedule to ensure the availability of quality health care to all of those who need medical attention. In addition to helping patients register for federal healthcare programs, Health Services also pioneers programs to bring health information to the communities it serves.

Presently, Health Services Women's Pavilion sees an average of 450 obstetrical patients and another 300 women seeking gynecological services each month. For low-income families without health insurance, Health Services' low fees and accessible healthcare are invaluable. In Montgomery County, Alabama, 15.8 percent of the population is uninsured, and in Lowndes County, 17 percent of Alabamians are uninsured. Without groups like Health Services, it would be extremely difficult for underserved residents in Montgomery, Lowndes, and other counties across Central Alabama to have access to quality healthcare.

On behalf of the 7th Congressional District, the State of Alabama and this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the tremendous accomplishments and extraordinary contributions of Health Services Incorporated--an organization that has worked tirelessly to provide quality and innovative healthcare to the citizens of Alabama for more than 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the countless brave men and women who worked to achieve integration on the campus of the University of Alabama (UA). This battle was finally won on June 11, 1963, nearly a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregation unconstitutional in the 1954 landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. On that day, school officials attempted to allow black students to enter the University of Alabama, while then-Governor George C. Wallace took his infamous ``Stand in the Schoolhouse Door.''

During the stand, Governor Wallace stood at the doors of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama to physically, and symbolically, block the entry of two black students: Vivian Malone and James Hood.

While Hood and Malone's attempt to desegregate the University of Alabama was historic, they were not the first black students to apply or attend the school. Autherine Lucy, a graduate student from Shiloh, had been accepted to the University and attended for three days in 1956. In response to her attendance, mob violence broke out on UA's campus, and university officials said the school could no longer protect Lucy. She filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against the University, which was used as an excuse to expel her.

Five years later, with the help of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund of Alabama, Hood and Malone applied to enroll at the University of Alabama. Their applications were denied and the two students faced threats for even applying, but Hood and Malone persisted. After two years of court proceedings, District Court Judge Harlan Grooms granted Hood and Malone permission to enroll at the University of Alabama, ruling that the University was in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.

Despite the ruling, Governor Wallace blocked the school doors, even as federal authorities demanded he step aside. When Wallace refused to budge, President John F. Kennedy called for 100 troops from the Alabama National Guard to assist federal marshals in helping Hood and Malone enter campus. At that point, Governor Wallace stepped aside.

In 1965, Malone received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and became the first African American to graduate from the University of Alabama. Hood left the University after only two months, but returned in 1995 to begin earning his doctorate degree. On May 17, 1997, he received his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies.

The legacy of Wallace's stand in the schoolhouse door is twofold. Although it is a reminder of the sacrifices made by African American students seeking a higher education, it also served as a turning point for the first steps toward racial equality at the University and within the State of Alabama.

We commend the bravery and determination of the students who continued to fight for their rights and for equal access to education despite facing resistance from all levels of society. We also recognize the importance of continuing to work towards creating a more fair and just society for all citizens.

In the years since the ``Stand in the Schoolhouse Doors,'' Malone, Hood, and countless others have been able to rightfully enroll at the University of Alabama. To this day, students of all ethnicities and backgrounds, including those involved in UA's Black Alumni Association, have gone on to earn undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees from the University of Alabama. As Malone reflected on her time at the University, she hoped that her impact would be lasting. ``I was just one person, but I think of the thousands of people who came after me, and I would just like to think their road might have been a little bit easier, [because of us]'' Malone said.

It is because of the courage shown by Vivian Malone and James Hood that students from the University of Alabama have since been able to create a Black Alumni Association dedicated to alumni engagement, scholarship support, mentoring, and networking. Since it was established in 2016, the group has contributed more than $16,000 in donations towards the AAAN Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Since 1963, the University of Alabama has continued to solidify its legacy by exemplifying its continued commitment to inclusion and equality for all persons willing to learn and grow on their campus. Regardless of race, the University of Alabama promises to welcome all students through its doors.

I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating diversity and inclusion at the University of Alabama on the 55th anniversary of its integration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank all of the Members who have worked across the aisle on the opioid bills we've passed over the past two weeks. The bipartisan work that has gone into these bills is exactly what our constituents sent us to Congress to do. I have enjoyed working with Rep. Peter Roskam on H.R. 5773, the Preventing Addiction for Susceptible Seniors Act, which passed on Tuesday as a suspension. Since our committee has jurisdiction over the Medicare program, we found it necessary to

work on legislation that helps the seniors impacted by the opioid crisis across this country.

The bill included another bill I worked on with Rep. Renacci, H.R. 5715, the Strengthening Partnerships to Prevent Opioid Abuse Act. The bill encourages greater data sharing between CMS and insurers.

All the bills passed in recent weeks represent the first step in addressing a crisis that has impacted millions of Americans and their families. In 2016, we lost 64,000 American lives from drug overdoses. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.

After today, we must continue to focus on policies that lift our constituents out of the conditions that lead to addiction. Whether that results from social isolation, financial anxiety, emotional or physical trauma, inadequate access to primary or mental health care, we should consider how all of the policies we advance in this body will impact our constituents.

The lessons from past drug crises and the evidence supporting the public health approach we are taking today can guide us as we seek an end to the current opioid crisis--without revamping the failed and costly War on Drugs.

Opioid addiction is a disease that has spread to millions of Americans across the country, from our young students to our parents and grandparents, from our rural communities to our big cities. Alabama, which has the highest rate of opioid prescriptions in the country, is a battleground in our fight against this epidemic.

Millions of Americans become addicted to opioids after being prescribed opioids after surgery or to manage pain. My congressional district and state is home to many retired coal miners and men and women who have spent their lives working in physically intensive jobs in manufacturing. I have no doubt that the chronic pain they have sustained from years in physically taxing work environments is real and requires pain medication.

I also have heard from constituents with sickle cell disease and cancer, who require pain management to treat the pain that results from their conditions.

Moving forward, I am committed to working on policies that advance and encourage the development and adoption of non-opioid alternatives for pain management. From increased access to physical therapy and chiropractic care to post-surgical non-opioid alternatives, I urge CMS to take the steps they can today to change reimbursement policies that discourage providers to prescribe non-opioid alternatives.

The preventative action necessary for a crisis as such can be observed in the case of Jessica Kilpatrick, an Alabama woman in a small town in Northwest Alabama. As stated in the Washington Post, ``for as long as she could remember, pills made the intolerable possible. Now, without them, she was a poor woman in a poor town with a swollen right foot from a 10-hour shift [at Burger King] and a new key tag from Narcotics Anonymous that said ``Clean and Serene for Eighteen months.''

Susceptibility to relapse on this road to recovery is fueled by the lack of access to adequate treatment for both pain and addiction. I am deeply concerned about Alabamians who work hard every day but yet fall into the Medicaid gap. Workers who make more than 18 percent of the poverty line but less than the federal poverty line do not qualify for any assistance, making prevention and treatment more expensive in non- expansion states and unaffordable for Alabamians in minimum wage jobs.

I urge all Members of Congress to support H.R. 6 today because it marks a positive step in the right direction as we work to improve the lives of the millions of Americans impacted by the opioid and addiction crisis.

Mr. Speaker, during the votes held on June 19, 2018, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. If I had been present I would have voted YES on the SOUND Disposal and Packaging Act (H.R. 5687) and YES on Final Passage of the SENIOR Communities Protection Act (H.R. 5676).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out for the millions of American families who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic.

Every day we hear another story of parents who have lost their child to a heroin overdose or of young children who are left behind without care as their parents struggle with addiction.

In Alabama, which has the highest rate of opioid prescription use in this Nation, residents average 1.2 prescriptions per person.

Mr. Speaker, this epidemic doesn't discriminate by age or income or gender. The opioid epidemic has taken from families of every background.

Now, more than ever, these victims need our help. It is our job to help them find treatment not as criminals, but as patients in need of care.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that we are finally seeing as a society that addiction is not something to be criminalized but, rather, addiction is, indeed, a public health crisis. It is not a crime. It is a chronic neurological

disorder, and it does make sense for us to find help for those who need it and not to put them in jail.

Unfortunately, during the 1980s and 1990s during the crack addiction, we criminalized that addiction and destroyed so many families, many of whom are in my district. But, Mr. Speaker, I am glad that we see that the opioid epidemic is, indeed, a public health crisis. I am equally glad that, Mr. Speaker, we are finally working in a bipartisan way to actually find the needed help that these families need in order to break such addictions.

Today I am glad to see that Republicans and Democrats working together in Congress are trying to solve the opioid epidemic and to help those in need. At a time when Congress is struggling with partisan gridlock, I am glad and happy to see that this week has been declared by my Republican colleagues as Opioid Week, where we will talk about bipartisan bills in order to solve this crisis.

I am proud to have introduced bipartisan legislation with Republican Congressman Peter Roskam. Our bill, the Preventing Addiction for Susceptible Seniors Act, helps prevent abuse among seniors without limiting access to needed medication.

For an at-risk senior, our legislation requires part D to create a lock-in plan that prevents patients from doctor shopping. Our legislation would also streamline communications between CMS and part C and part D plans regarding program integrity.

Mr. Speaker, bipartisan solutions like these are a step forward in our work to solve the opioid crisis. I look forward to my bill with Mr. Roskam coming before this body next week. I truly believe that we have the power to end this epidemic.

I have heard reports from Alabama groups that our poison control center is getting fewer calls about opioid emergencies. A new study shows that the opioid prescription rate in Alabama has finally begun to decrease.

States have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs that have proven successful, and many pharmacists have limited opioid prescriptions to 7 days.

If we are going to put a stop to the opioid crisis, we need to collaborate with every stakeholder. We also need to make sure that our societal safety net is working effectively to give a path out of addiction, rather than letting them fall through the cracks.

I want to take a moment to share a story about a person in my district, Jessica, a constituent from Alabama.

Jessica was a victim of parental abuse as a child. She was introduced to opioids by a doctor for a sports injury in high school. By 17, she was crushing and snorting pills. She received 330 pills a month.

Jessica had three children and lost custody of all three at different points. She started using heroin after losing custody of her youngest son. Then her brother died of a heroin overdose.

I share this story because I believe Jessica's story speaks to the financial stresses that working-class Americans recovering from addiction feel every day. Now in recovery, Jessica works 10-hour night shifts at Burger King. Given the hours she works, Jessica falls into our State's Medicaid gap. She doesn't qualify to receive Medicaid, so she doesn't have health insurance.

Jessica has been clean for over a year. But, Mr. Speaker, because she doesn't have health insurance, this makes her addiction problem and fighting it much harder.

The bills that we are considering this week and next week are a step toward this. There are no silver bullets. But, Mr. Speaker, I do believe that we as a body can help to address this horrible epidemic. I am glad that we are finally seeing that addiction is not criminal, but rather a public health crisis, and we are seeking to solve it.

Mr. Speaker, during the votes held the night of June 7, 2018, and votes held on June 8, 2018, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. Had I been present, I would have voted NO on H.R. 3. Regarding amendments to H.R. 5895, I would have voted YES on the Tsongas Amendment; YES on the Beyer Amendment; NO on the Gosar (No. 24) Amendment; YES on the Lee Amendment; YES on the Connolly Amendment; NO on the Gosar (No. 29) Amendment; YES on the Lowenthal Amendment; NO on the Blackburn Amendment; No on the Norman Amendment; NO on the Gohmert Amendment; NO on the Meadows Amendment; and YES on the Takano Amendment. I would have voted YES

on the Democratic Motion to Recommit H.R. 5895, and NO on Final Passage of H.R. 5895.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a crisis facing rural America: the deterioration of water and wastewater infrastructure in our rural communities.

As the House considers passage of the Water Resources Development Act, WRDA, millions of Americans in my district and across the country are facing a health and infrastructure emergency due to failing wastewater systems.

In Alabama's rural Black Belt, I have toured communities where a home's only sewage system is a straight pipe that carries untreated waste directly into their yards and property. Alabama is not alone in this issue. Reports by the EPA document that the same lack of wastewater infrastructure is all across rural America where rural and remote areas are not connected to a city or county water and sewer line.

Mr. Speaker, I introduced the bipartisan Rural Septic Tank Access Act with my Alabama Republican colleague, Congressman Mike Rogers, which takes a first step towards providing rural Americans with the resources they need to maintain stable, safe, and efficient water systems.

As the House continues to debate infrastructure investment, I urge this body to address the wastewater crisis facing our rural communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sheyann Webb Christburg, a leader in the American Voting Rights Movement. A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Sheyann was only eight years old when she dared to march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on Bloody Sunday. She courageously participated in the March from Selma to Montgomery which led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Today, we pay tribute to Sheyann as one of the youngest foot soldiers for justice.

Sheyann was born in Selma, Alabama, in 1956 to parents John and Betty Webb as one of eight children. Growing up in public housing, she attended a segregated public school. As Sheyann walked to her third grade class one morning in January 1965, she stumbled across a meeting at Brown Chapel AME Church. There, she saw an uncommon sight for Alabama in the 1960s--both black and white people congregated together outside of the church. Noticing how powerful the moment was and never one to shy away, a curious Sheyann stepped inside to find Dr. Martin Luther King's aide Hosea Williams speaking to the crowd. Williams' words instantly caught her attention: ``If you can't vote, then you're not free, and if you ain't free, children, then you're a slave''.

Sheyann's participation in the mass meetings were not free from criticism. Upon returning to school, she was reprimanded for being late and attending potentially dangerous meetings. The Birmingham Church bombing had just taken place a few years prior, and her parents were worried that she would be a target for violence. Being involved in the Voting Rights Movement was dangerous, as it could jeopardize her parents' jobs or get them kicked out of public housing. But that did not stop her, Sheyann was determined to blaze her own trail towards freedom.

For her 9th birthday, Sheyann asked her parents to register to vote and stood in line with them at the local Dallas County courthouse for an entire day before they were registered. Sheyann was not deterred by her teachers either. Despite their warnings, she continued to skip class becoming the only child to regularly attend the mass meetings at Brown Chapel.

Sheyann was often accompanied to the after-school meetings by her schoolmate friend Rachel West. The two girls became particularly close with Dr. King himself. ``What do you want?'', he would often ask the girls. ``Freedom!'' They would yell back, going back and forth louder and louder until they would all collapse with laughter. ``Do you young ladies have your marching shoes on?'', he would ask them. Sheyann always had her marching shoes on.

On March 7, 1965, Sheyann marched with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what later became known as Bloody Sunday. She was beaten with billy clubs and sprayed with tear gas. Despite being terrified by the violence that erupted, she was determined to continue to march. Sheyann kept attending mass meetings at Brown Chapel AME Church and marched again with SCLC towards Montgomery on March 21, 1965. Her enthusiasm was arguably too much even for Dr. King, who told her she did not have to march all the way to Montgomery and had her picked up by a van and driven back to Selma.

Sheyann's activism continued long after the marches. In junior high school, she became one of the first black students to integrate into an all-white school in Selma. She was pushed down stairs, called bad names, and was suspended from school--all while receiving no support from the administration. But Sheyann remained unbought and unbossed in her activism throughout her life, graduating from Tuskegee Institute in 1979.

Today, Sheyann continues her outreach and civic engagement through her company, KEEP Productions Youth Development Mentoring and Modeling Program, where she works with youth ages two to eighteen to help them blaze their own trails to success. Because Sheyann knows firsthand how impactful childhood opportunities can be, her program assists youth in helping them build self-esteem, confidence, and find purpose in their lives. In addition, she also works with youth groups across the State of Alabama to organize development workshops and training programs that help young people obtain the skills they need to succeed.

Sheyann remains vocal about her experiences in the Voting Rights Movement, writing the book `Selma, Lord, Selma' which was eventually turned into a movie. She speaks to numerous religious, community, and educational institutions throughout the world and regularly appears on national talk shows.

On a personal note, I am privileged to have known Sheyann Webb Christburg all my life as a native daughter of Selma and my former babysitter. Sheyann has made such an incredible imprint on my life as a mentor, confidante and friend. To know Sheyann, is to be inspired by Sheyann. Her courage in the face of adversity, her moral compass on issues of social justice and her heart of gold are her trademark and standard bearers. I know that it is because of her influence on my life that I am Alabama's first Black Congresswoman. To say thank you doesn't seem an adequate reflection of my sincere gratitude.

On behalf of the 7th Congressional District, the State of Alabama and this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the tremendous accomplishments and extraordinary contributions of Sheyann Webb Christburg--an American icon of the Voting Rights Movement. We pay tribute to her bravery as a trailblazer and honor her continued efforts to motivate and uplift up children across the State of Alabama and this nation.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 200.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to this cruel and mean-spirited farm bill, a farm bill that will leave working families and our children out in the cold.

The farm bill we are debating today cuts $23 billion from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That would leave 2 million Americans without the support that they need to put food on the table.

Mr. Speaker, I represent both rural and urban, from Birmingham to the Black Belt of Alabama, and I can say definitely that every community in my district will be worse off under this bill.

For children and working families in my district, SNAP means the difference between a hot meal or going to bed hungry. For farmers and grocery stores in my district, SNAP is an investment in our food system that creates 50,000 agricultural jobs across the country.

After the Republicans have shoved down a tax bill that gives the cuts to the wealthiest Americans and adds $2 trillion to our deficit, they now want to cut the benefits for hungry children and working families.

I believe this is morally wrong. You see, Mr. Speaker, the face of SNAP in my district is not the welfare mother trying to get over. No. The face of SNAP in my district--where 70 percent of the people who are beneficiaries in my district are children under the age of 17 years old--the face of SNAP in America are needy children.

We must and can do better. I am going to vote ``no,'' and I urge my colleagues to do the same.