Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to humbly honor and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Entergy's Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station, proudly located in Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District, which I represent in Louisiana.

Since 1985, Entergy's Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station has proudly served the residents of St. Charles Parish, the State of Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast region for 40 years, providing safe, reliable, and carbon-free electricity.

Waterford 3's clean, reliable generation supports Entergy's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, with interim goals of a 50 percent emission rate reduction by 2030 and a 50 percent carbon-free energy-generating capacity by 2030. This plant is a cornerstone of energy resilience in Southeast Louisiana, playing a vital role in meeting the power needs of nearly half a million customers by providing a maximum dependable capacity of 1,152 megawatts and contributing to grid stability during periods of peak demand and extreme weather events.

Waterford 3 employs more than 800 employees and contractors who have demonstrated a commitment to operational excellence, nuclear safety, emergency preparedness, and professional standards, exemplifying the spirit of public service and technical leadership. Additionally, Waterford 3 has maintained a strong and ongoing partnership with the St. Charles Parish community, providing local jobs, supporting charitable organizations, investing in STEM education, and preparing future generations through workforce development initiatives.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the plant's operation and the 100th anniversary of Entergy serving the state of Louisiana. This milestone honors the legacy and achievements of its employees and the plant's significant role in Louisiana's energy future.

I congratulate Entergy's Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station, its leadership, and employees, on their anniversary. I extend my best wishes to Entergy for maintaining its commitment to powering Louisiana and for being a strong community partner throughout the state.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on H. Res. 719.

I will not vote for this resolution. While I stand firmly and without hesitation against all forms of violence, I cannot support language that requires us to praise a man who so often showed disdain and disrespect for others. This resolution is misleading. It attempts to make us forget the harm of his words and the pain caused by his ideology.

No one should ever be attacked or killed because of their political beliefs. Violence is wrong. Period. As Americans, we resolve our differences through debate, through dialogue, and through the ballot box--not through bloodshed. I believe deeply in the Constitution, and that includes the right to free speech, even when we strongly disagree with it. But free speech does not erase the responsibility to tell the truth about its consequences.

Charlie Kirk did not deserve to be murdered for his views. His life was taken unjustly, and that violence must be condemned in the strongest terms. My most sincere prayers go out to his wife, children, and his extended family during this time of great personal loss.

At the same time, we cannot ignore that he used his platform to demean Black women like Michelle Obama and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, to dismiss diversity and fairness as ``anti-White,'' to question the qualifications of Black professionals, to mock LGBTQ Americans, to oppose health care for transgender people, and to promote the so-called ``great replacement'' theory. He even went so far as to say, ``I have a very, very radical view on this, but I can defend it, and I've thought about it. We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960's.'' These are not harmless words. They carry the same spirit of division that once fueled Jim Crow--when racism and bigotry were written into law to deny people their rights and dignity.

As a son of the South, I know how deeply such words can wound. They open old scars, justify injustice, and threaten the unity of our future. That is why I reject both violence and hate speech. Violence because no life should be taken for an opinion. Hate speech because no life should be diminished by the false claim that some people are less American, less worthy, or less human.

I proudly represent a district that reflects the very fabric of this nation. Black, White, Latino, Asian, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, people of every faith and people of no faith. Men and women, gay and straight, transgender and nonbinary. Every person deserves dignity, safety, and equal protection under the law.

This is what it means to be American. We do not honor our democracy by praising division or by rewriting the truth. We honor it by recommitting ourselves to peace, to justice, and to equality. That is how we heal, and that is how we ensure that the failures of Jim Crow, the poison of racism, and the sting of bigotry never again define our Nation.

I close with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who reminded us: ``Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.'' Let us be the light, let us reject hate, and let us stand together as one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue that affects men of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds: prostate cancer.

Just last week, I introduced a resolution designating September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. As co-chair of the bipartisan Men's Health Caucus, this issue is close to my heart.

Every year, the Black community is disproportionately affected by prostate cancer. Specifically, Black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as their White counterparts. This alarming trend highlights an urgent need for action.

To address the disparities in prostate cancer outcomes, we must ensure at-risk populations have access to prevention, early detection, and treatment options.

This disease does not have to be a death sentence, and this disparity isn't written in stone. We have the tools to close that gap.

Together, we can increase awareness through campaigns like Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and beat prostate cancer once and for all. Together, let's end this scourge on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend a warm welcome to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians and the head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

As the spiritual leader of the second-largest Christian Church in the world, His All-Holiness carries a message of peace, reconciliation, and interfaith dialogue that resonates deeply across all faith traditions. His enduring commitment to religious freedom, environmental stewardship, and global unity has earned him recognition as a moral voice not only for Orthodox Christians but for people of all faiths.

Many of my constituents in the Greek Orthodox community, and Orthodox Christians across the United States, look forward to his visit to Washington, D.C. with great pride and reverence. They view his presence here as an opportunity to celebrate the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of Orthodox Christianity and to reaffirm the strong bonds between the United States and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

It is my honor to welcome His All-Holiness to our Nation's capital and to recognize his tireless efforts in promoting peace, human dignity, and spiritual leadership across the globe.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this important visit and in celebrating the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to humbly honor and celebrate the heroic accomplishment of the Saint Augustine High School 1975 Football Team, proudly located in Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District, of which I represent in Louisiana.

From 1951, its first year as a Catholic high school in New Orleans, through the mid-1960s, St. Augustine excelled in three major varsity sports: football, basketball and track and field. But the school, opened under the administration of New Orleans Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel, was relegated to competing in the Louisiana Interscholastic Athletic and Literary Organization (LIALO) during the closing era of segregation.

Its principal, Josephite Father Robert Grant, wanted more for his athletes. He wanted them to compete against the city's other Catholic schools, who were members of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. His first attempt came in 1962 when Father Grant wrote to the principals of the five schools--Jesuit, St. Aloysius, Holy Cross, De La Salle and Redemptorist--asking them to compete against St. Aug on an interscholastic sports level. He thought that would be possible because the Archdiocese of New Orleans had already desegregated its elementary schools.

No one accepted the invitation. But there was one reply, by De La Salle principal, Christian Brother Cassian. It was painfully blunt: ``Father, personally, I am not one to rush into situations which may not be to my advantage and to those associated with me. For years, I have refused to play certain high school teams on the basis that there was nothing to gain by such competition. This is how I feel about your request to play De La Salle. Time may change my attitude.''

Mr. Clarence Jupiter, who would go on to become a top administrator at Xavier University, championed the cause by asking why St. Augustine and Xavier Preparatory, which competed in major boys' sports, were not allowed to play their white Catholic counterparts? These institutions developed All-Americans and future pros and perform exceptionally well. Yet the fans never saw these schools compete against the other five. On the surface, little was happening to change the situation, but Father Grant was tirelessly working behind the scenes.

In June 1964, Fr. Grant notified Archbishop John Cody that he would seek admittance to the LHSAA, to establish athletic relations with the other Catholic high schools in the archdiocese. He also notified those schools of his plan, asking them to include St. Aug on their basketball, baseball and track and field schedules for the 1964-65 school year.

Father Grant had no delusions that LHSAA Commissioner T.H. ``Muddy'' Waters would greet his request with open arms. And he was right. Jesuit principal Father C.J. Stallworth, who had served on the LHSAA executive committee for seven years, said he would do what he could to assist St. Augustine, but added it would be helpful to him to have Sister Madalena of Xavier Prep also apply for admission to bolster his request.

Father Grant faced resistance from other Catholic schools, whose coaches set the athletic schedules. The Catholic League coaches ignored the two LIALO schools when they set the schedules for 1964-65. The CYO tournament and Knights of Columbus track meet also kept their events segregated.

At the January 1965 annual meeting, the LHSAA denied St. Augustine's membership request but amended its constitution to allow LHSAA and LIALO schools to compete against each other.

A year later, Rummel, Shaw and Cor Jesu were admitted by a two-thirds vote of LHSAA principals; St. Aug was not. Although the local Catholic school principals voted to admit the school into their district by a 5- 3 count, the vote of LHSAA principals numbered 11 yeas, 185 nays. The rest is history.

St. Augustine gained entry through a federal court suit in 1966, the CYO allowed St. Augustine and Xavier Prep to compete in its tournament, and the Knights of Columbus ceased running its annual track and field meet.

On Friday, December 12, 1975, in Strawberry Stadium. located on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, Louisiana, the Saint Augustine High School Purple Knights achieved their first state title in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA)--the all- white athletic league that St. Aug integrated through winning a Federal Court case in 1967.

St. Augustine has won state championships in football, basketball and track over the years. Xavier Prep became an all-girls school a few years after joining the LHSAA.

The LIALO became a defunct organization in 1969. Its members joined the LHSAA. Almost every high school in the LHSAA has a mixed enrollment.

Team Roster Included: Virgil Alexis, Michael Ben, Winston

Burns, Ken Cobette, Gary Craddock, Oyd Craddock, Charles

Cross, Donald Davis, Kurt Davis, Travis Duroncelet, Joseph

Evans, Greg Fernandez, Bernard Gaines, Zachary Gaston, Henry

Gibson, Derek Gray, Raymond Gray, Marty Griffin, Richard

Harleaux, Louis Holmes, Arthur Hunter, Harold Jackson, Walter

Lain, Sidney Lawrence, Thaddeus Lee, Stephen McNair, Michael

Moody, Keith Moore, Elliot Muhammad (Boisdore), Louis Oubre,

Larry Parker, Tyrone Parker, Burnell Quinn, Eric Richard,

Victor Richard, Michael Roussell, Tyronne Smith, Gary

Washington, Christopher Willard, Alan Williams, Wydell

Williams, Rynell Wilson.

Deceased Team Members: Joseph Broussard, Nathaniel Dorsey,

John Doucette, Alan Florent, Percy Gibson, Arthur Hagan,

Byron Honore, Ronnie James, Jerome Mazique, Alvin Reed,

George Robertson, Daryl Smith, Renard Smith, Brian Thompson,

Fredrick Thornton.

Coaching Staff: Ronald Arceneaux, Anthony Biagas, Eddie

Flint, Daryl McConduit (Deceased), Anthony Simmons

(Deceased), Otis Washington--Head Coach (Deceased).

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding the time.

I stand in strong support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan Open RAN Outreach Act with Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina. I am grateful that the full House is considering this bill.

Today's bill is an example of what bipartisanship can look like on the Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill provides greater Federal support for small telecommunications companies in rural and disadvantaged communities to help these companies improve their networks and remove potentially insecure Chinese network hardware.

Specifically, this bill directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to provide outreach and technical assistance to small

communications network providers about the benefits of transitioning to Open Radio Access Networks, or Open RAN or ORAN technologies.

It is imperative that telecommunications providers of all sizes are aware of and have access to cutting-edge technologies. It is also the case that this bill promotes U.S. technological innovations and competitiveness and, most importantly, our national security.

While I am proud to be a part of this effort, I would be remiss in not highlighting that programs like the wireless supply chain innovation grant program may be negatively affected by reconciliation decisions made by the administration.

This is a pivotal step toward strengthening our Nation's telecommunications infrastructure. By providing technical assistance and outreach to small telecommunications providers, especially in rural areas, this bill opens the door to a more secure, diverse, and competitive wireless network landscape.

The shift to Open RAN technology not only enhances national security by reducing reliance on foreign-made equipment but also boosts American manufacturing and fosters innovation in 5G and 6G.

The bill ensures that rural communities are no longer left behind in the race for cutting-edge technology, driving down costs and empowering smaller carriers to build stronger, more resilient networks.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to pass the Open RAN Outreach Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for yielding.

`` . . . the path to which I've been committed . . . extends beyond the issue of race alone, and beyond class as well. And gender. And age. And every other distinction that tends to separate us. . . .''

These words are from Congressman John Lewis. These words from the late, great Congressman John Lewis remind us that the struggle for justice isn't confined to just one issue, one identity, or one community. It is a path that winds through race, class, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, and faith because injustice does not discriminate, and neither should our fight to end it.

Intersectionality teaches us that we must see the whole person, not just a voter, a worker, or a statistic but a human carrying layered experiences that public policy must protect. Civil rights cannot be carved up. They must be defended broadly, boldly, and universally.

As a son of the South and as a Congressman from Louisiana, I know the dual truths of this region, the undeniable progress that we have made, and the painful inequities that still persist. In the very soil where freedom once faltered, we have seen hope rise, but let's not mistake signs of change for signs of completion. Our work is far from done.

From voting rights to reproductive justice, from health equity to environmental justice, from economic fairness to criminal justice reform, the fight continues, and it must be rooted in policies that recognize the full complexity of who people are.

This isn't about left or right. It is about right and wrong. It is about ensuring that, whether you are Black, White, rich, poor, young, old, gay, straight, rural, or urban, your dignity is protected, your rights are upheld, and your government sees you.

Let's walk the path that John Lewis laid for us with moral clarity, radical inclusion, and relentless love not just for some but for all.

That is how we protect democracy. That is how we make good trouble. That is how we build a more perfect union.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the congresswoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to affirm a simple truth: Congress is a coequal branch of government, not a ceremonial afterthought, not merely a suggestion box, and not someone that is along for the ride. We are constitutionally equal with our powers delineated in Article I of the United States Constitution.

Yet, under the Trump administration, we have witnessed a disturbing pattern: a blatant disregard for the constitutional role of Congress and its vital duty of oversight. Subpoenas are ignored. Testimony is blocked. Oversight is treated not as a safeguard and not as a constitutional role or duty of democracy but as an inconvenience of power, an inconvenience of having the audacity to do our jobs and to make sure, yes, sir, that you are doing yours, because that is a part of our responsibility.

It is what we take our oath of office for. It is what the Constitution and the Framers of the United States Constitution envisioned when they set out some 237 years ago to write the United States Constitution, that no one body would become so powerful that it could do as it pleases without any checks or balances.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker. This is not about partisan politics. It is about the preservation of our Republic.

When an administration past, present, or future believes it can operate without oversight or accountability, then democracy begins to erode.

Congress has both the authority and the obligation to shine light into the darkest corners of our government. Oversight is not obstruction, it is our constitutional duty.

We owe it to the American people to ask hard questions, to demand honest answers, and to ensure that no one--I mean no one--not even the President, is above the law. That is not defiance, that is democracy.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor that I rise today to co-anchor this CBC Special Order hour, along with my distinguished colleague from Virginia, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan.

For the next 60 minutes, members of the CBC will have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people during this Men's Health Month, an issue of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the constituents we represent, and all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, every year, we recognize the month of June as Men's Health Month. It is a time to encourage men to set an example for their families by engaging in preventive healthcare. It is about breaking harmful habits, making informed decisions, and prioritizing health in a way that protects not just individuals but the whole community.

This effort plays a vital role in addressing a stark and troubling reality: Men have higher mortality rates in most of the leading causes of death and have a lifespan nearly 6 years shorter than women.

These numbers should concern all of us because they affect all of us. When men ignore their health or delay getting care, it doesn't happen in isolation. It impacts their children, their spouses, their coworkers, and the broader economy.

By highlighting the importance of routine check-ups, screenings, and early detection, Men's Health Month aims to shift that reality. It is not just about improving men's personal outcomes; it is about strengthening the support systems around them: the women who care for them, the employers who depend on them, and the families who love them. However, we have a long way to go.

Did you know that only 49 percent of men in the U.S. aged 21 and older had a routine doctor's appointment or cancer screening in the past year? These are dismal numbers. That is according to the Prevent Cancer's 2025 Early Detection Survey. That is less than half. It is not just a missed opportunity; it is a public crisis in the making.

We can't normalize avoidance or downplay the importance of check-ups. Preventive care isn't optional. It is essential. Preventive care is much cheaper, much more efficient than curative care: pay me now or pay me later.

I am proud to serve as the co-chair of the Men's Health Caucus, stepping into this role following the passing of my dear friend and colleague, the Honorable Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. Donald was a tireless advocate for health equity, and I am honored to continue his legacy.

The Men's Health Caucus is a bipartisan group. We are united by a shared goal, ensuring that men, no matter where they live, what they look like, what their race or religion may be, all have access to healthcare, to health information, to quality care that they need to live longer, healthier lives.

As chair, I am committed to continuing this important work and encouraging men to take a proactive approach to their health not just during June but every month of the year.

The caucus focuses on key areas like mental health care, prostate cancer screening, traumatic brain injury, and urological health. These are not fringe issues; they are central to the well-being of men across America, and yet they often go unaddressed until it is too late.

We are working hard to change that. We are educating Congress and the public, bringing in medical professionals and public health experts, and pushing for legislative solutions that will have real and lasting impacts.

We know that men and boys historically have not been as proactive in seeking medical care. Too often there is a stigma, a belief that asking for help or going to the doctor is a sign of weakness. We have been taught to suck it up, big boys don't cry. Come on, man. You can do it. Until it is too late. We often only go to a doctor when we are deathly ill or we break a bone.

Our counterparts, young ladies and women, unlike boys and men, because

of the complexities of their bodies, are accustomed to having regular checkups. Men, on the other hand, are taught you don't need it until oftentimes it is too late.

Mr. Speaker, this is a wake-up call for America. This is a wake-up call for all of us to do better, to take care of ourselves, be a part of the solution and not the problem. This stigma often leaves us in a very bad situation. It is not a weakness. In fact, it couldn't be further from the truth.

Real strength is taking control of your health. Real strength is getting checked. Real strength is talking about mental health before it becomes a crisis.

When we are sick with diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other ailment, we see a doctor. We modify our diets. We exercise. We take a pill. We talk to someone, but with mental health, we somehow think we will just stick our head in the sand and it will go away; but it won't. You are not alone, trust me.

For those who are listening, for those in the Chamber, you are not alone. There is help for you. There are resources available to make things better, but you have to take that step. You have to get past the stigma. Mental imbalance, anxiety, and depression are as common as the common cold, but unlike the cold, they won't go away on their own. It requires attention. You can live a very long, comfortable, healthy, happy life, but it requires action on your part.

That is why our caucus is engaging in talent, on both sides of the aisle. Recognizing that this is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. This is an American issue. This is a human issue. This is an issue that together we can demonstrate to the American people that, yes, Republicans and Democrats alike can work together to address something that is crippling our Nation. Our young people, our older people, and our people in between, are suffering.

Social media has made it very difficult for our young people. COVID made it very difficult for our young people. The pressures of life make it very difficult for people. Our poor economy makes it difficult for people, and a lack of effective healthcare makes it difficult for people.

Let's do better. Let's do better together. We are working across the aisle because we realize that together we can do something. The political spectrum and collaborating with health experts to advance smarter policies around education, prevention, and access will make a difference. Healthcare is more than a personal issue; it is a community issue. I know how deeply it affects the strengths and prosperity of our neighborhoods, especially when it comes to historically underserved populations.

It is no secret that systemic racism negatively impacts health outcomes for Black Americans. That is not speculation. It is well- documented. Black men face higher risks of chronic conditions, receive fewer preventive services, and experience worse outcomes overall. This must stop.

It is simply unacceptable. We cannot build a healthy world if we leave entire communities behind. I hope Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is listening. Healthcare is real.

Let's make America healthy again by keeping programs like Medicaid. Let's make America healthy again by making sure that children are eating nutritious meals. Let's make America healthy again by making sure people in rural communities have access to hospitals and healthcare. Let's make America healthy again by providing the resources that they need to be healthy.

It is not just something to say. The data is empirical. When we invest in healthy outcomes, we get healthy outcomes. The reverse is also true. When we take away resources, we see what happens: people get sick, people die, people show up in emergency rooms because they don't have healthcare.

Pay me now or pay me later. Preventive care versus curative care. Preventive care is a whole lot cheaper, less strain on the system. Healthier people are more productive citizens. When a person doesn't take their medicine because they can't afford it, when a person is denied access to healthcare, they ultimately show up in an emergency room, and it clogs and strains the system. It is a heck of a lot easier to prevent it than it is to cure it.

I am also proud to be the Democratic co-lead on the bipartisan PSA Screening for HIM Act. This bill would require private insurance companies to plan to cover preventive prostate cancer screening for men at high risk, including African Americans and those with a family history of the disease.

To speak plainly, Black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as White men. This disparity isn't inevitable. It is a direct result of gaps in access, awareness, and preventive care. We have the tools to close that gap. We just need the political will to use them.

Men's Health Month gives us the opportunity to spotlight these issues, but more importantly it is a call to action, not just a time to talk about it. It is a call to action for everyone to do something. When we drive our cars, and that flashing light comes on to suggest you have a problem with your engine, you have to change your oil, your brakes are not working properly, you quickly pull that expensive machine over. You do this because you don't want to ruin it, you don't want to blow a gasket, you don't want to damage your precious BMW, Mercedes, or SUV.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my brothers and sisters, my family, my friends: Your body often sends a similar signal. It is that headache that won't go away. It is the difficulty in breathing. It is the limp in the leg and the numbness in the hand. That is your engine light telling you: Pull over, get it checked. Pull over, get it checked. You are in threat. You are in danger of blowing a gasket, except this gasket is not a tube in your car. It is not a radiator. It is a vessel in your head that causes a stroke. It is a vessel in your heart that causes a heart attack.

Pay attention to that light that goes off, not just in your car, but in your body. Pay attention to your friends when you see symptoms. When you see something, say something. Friends don't let friends walk around sick. We all have a responsibility.

It is a reminder that when we prioritize health, families grow stronger, workforces become more resilient, communities thrive. This month, I encourage every man to schedule that appointment, get that screening, talk to your doctor, talk to your family, talk to your friends. Health is not something to be ashamed of or pushed aside. It is something to be proud of.

I encourage all of us lawmakers, advocates, healthcare providers, and community leaders to push for policies that reflect that priority because when we invest in men's health, we invest in everyone's future. Let's keep moving forward. Let's continue this discussion as we all become healthier, smarter, and more productive citizens, which will ultimately make our Nation a stronger place.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan), my dear friend and the outstanding co-anchor for this CBC Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the great State of Virginia (Ms. McClellan) for her passionate plea for people to listen and to wake up.

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

Mr. Speaker, during this month of men's health, it almost sounds silly to say month of men's health. Men's health cannot be confined to 30 days in June.

Men's health is every day. Paying attention to the warning signs is every day. We must recognize the importance of taking care of ourselves, having regular checkups, eating right, and dieting.

We must realize the importance of exercising and taking care of our mental health, particularly in the stressful jobs that we are fortunate to have in this very body. We deal with the complexities of legislation that often cause us sometimes to raise our voice, sometimes get emotional, sometimes take it home with us in the sense of wanting to do more but being hamstrung sometimes by the very politics that built this body.

It is our mental health, and our physical health all tied together that is so important. There are so many of these factors that cause cancer and that cause dreaded diseases because we don't care for ourselves.

During the month of June, let us highlight men's health, but let us talk about men's health 365 days a year. Let us bring resources to bear to make sure that we are preventive, that we are careful, that we are taking care of ourselves, and that we are looking out for each other.

Our mental, our physical, and our emotional health are critically important to our success as leaders. It is important to our teachers, our taxi drivers, our nurses, our men and women in uniform, our police officers, our firefighters, and the people that are working everyday jobs who keep America moving.

What makes America tick? Americans make America tick. Healthy Americans make America tick. People working together make America tick. We must work together, side by side, with our Republican counterparts. We must put aside the foolishness of ideological divides and advance causes that make us all stronger as Americans.

We know that many of these diseases can be cured if caught in time. According to the American Cancer Society, men have a 1 in 726 average lifetime risk of breast cancer. We often think about mammograms and breast cancer being something just for women. Guess what? It is not. Men get and die from breast cancer. It is possible. Mr. Speaker, 1 in 726 men have an average lifetime risk of getting breast cancer.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 172,258 men in the United States who were diagnosed with prostate cancer, only 28,343 men died of it in 2014.

This supports the thought that screening programs may be detecting what otherwise might be a silent disease. If caught in time, it doesn't have to be a death sentence.

Black and African-American men are much more likely to develop prostate cancer. One in six Black men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime compared to eight overall. In fact, Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with and 2.1 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than White men. Black or White, too many are dying when they don't have to.

According to the American Lung Association, each year more men are diagnosed and develop lung cancer than in past years. African-American men have a higher risk of dying from the disease compared to other racial or ethnic groups.

According to the American Cancer Association, colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men younger than 50 years of age. Let that sink in. This is a disease that, if caught in time, doesn't have to be a death sentence.

According to the American Cancer Society, there are 9,720 new cases of testicular cancer diagnosed as of 2025 and about 600 deaths from testicular cancer.

It is important for men to know their family history of cancer. About 1 in 10 cancers are caused by inherited genetic mutations.

To say it differently, if grandpa had it, his descendants might, too. Check family trees. Talk to parents. Talk to loved ones. Take a moment and ask those questions. How did great-grandpa die? What was his ailment? What was the history in the family? It may very well save a life.

According to the National Cancer Institute, many men don't know that they have this inherited risk. Why? Big boys don't cry. We suck it up. That little pain will go away. It is nothing. I will shake it off. I will feel better tomorrow. It is the check engine light that we ignore except it won't get better. In most cases, it gets worse.

That tingling in the hand may every now and then go away, but it comes back. It is that light trying to tell us that something is wrong. Remember, we pull over the BMW. We pull over the fancy Yukon. We pull over the prized 1971 Corvette because we don't want to damage that classic.

What about the classic we are for our children? What about the classic we are for our grandchildren? What about the classic we are for our family? What about the classic we are for our community, for our church members, for our fraternity brothers, and for people we have been a tutor and a mentor to? What about just for ourselves?

According to the CDC, a stroke is a leading cause of death among men. About four out of five strokes are preventable.

According to the CDC, men under the age of 44 are hospitalized for certain types of strokes at a higher rate than women in the same age group because women pay attention to their bodies. Women go to the doctor for regular checkups. By and large, women see physicians regularly, and we simply don't.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, studies show that, although men and women may have chronic kidney disease, men are more likely to reach kidney failure sooner than women. Again, they tend to find out sooner.

Mr. Speaker, do you see the trend? Do you see where we are going?

The earlier we find out, the greater the prevention and the greater the cure. We don't have to die. We don't have to stand over the coffin of young people, wondering how this happened. We don't have to go through communities and watch young men drag half of their bodies because they have had prolonged high blood pressure, which has led to diabetes and strokes and heart failure.

Then at 25, a man has a stroke, and half of his body is paralyzed because of his salt intake, poor diet, or lack of exercise. Yes, they are ignoring that light and that signal that says go to the doctor. Something is out of balance.

Mental health is the very same way.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, nearly 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, but less than one- half will receive treatment, and more than four times as many men than women will die by suicide every year.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, men show fewer signs and fewer warnings such as talking about suicide, making them more likely to complete the task of suicide.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, men suffering from mental health illnesses are less likely to receive mental health treatment or diagnoses because we stick our heads in the sand. We stay in bed all day. We have an extra drink. We don't go to work. We don't play golf like we used to. We don't stay with our friends like we used to. Those are the trends.

Staying on the sofa all day is not the answer. Although you think for the moment it makes you feel better, Mr. Speaker. You have to get up, you have to get out, and you have to talk to somebody. You have got to exercise. You have to seek help. You have got to dial 9-8-8, a federally funded program that is manned 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. You can pick up the phone and talk to someone anonymously. You don't have to give your name, where you live, or who you are. No one will trace your number and show up at your door, unless you want them to. They will provide base-level communications and talk to you about how you can get further help. They will talk you off the cliff at 3 a.m., when you think you are all alone and you are so sad that you are contemplating hurting yourself or someone else. There are resources here for you, and you don't have to suffer it alone.

Mental health is real. Depression is real. We know that according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America one of the leading causes of disability in Americans is schizophrenia. Approximately 3.5 million people in America have the diagnosis, and 90 percent of those are diagnosed by the age of 30.

Many are missed. Many are the young people whom we see standing on the street corner talking to themselves, shadowboxing in the dark, appearing to have a conversation with someone, appearing angry at one moment and jovial the next. They are sleeping under the overpasses with everything they own in a grocery cart. It is not enough to say: ``Get a job, you bum.''

We don't know what they are going through. These are someone's children, many of whom have suffered some catastrophic breakdown that causes them to hear voices and to do things that they wouldn't ordinarily do.

Who are we to say: ``Get a job, you bum?''

Many of them are people who served in our armed services and who have served honorably protecting our flanks in foreign lands.

Who are we to say: ``Get a job, you bum?''

Who are we to judge them, to roll our window up quickly and speed off as if we didn't see them?

Mr. Speaker, I understand there are scammers out there. I understand there may be people beating the system. That is true. However, the next time you see that kid or old man standing out there talking to himself, Mr. Speaker, shadowboxing with no shirt on, clearly, they have been sleeping on the street, consider calling 9-1-1. Consider calling the mental health hotline. Consider calling not the police because you think it is unsavory to see this, Mr. Speaker, but consider calling a mental health hotline to get them help.

That is because most of these cases can be cured and made better if only there were someone in their lives who: A, knew where they were, because sometimes they just don't; and B, had the resources.

Secretary Kennedy has the resources to help them get better. He has the resources to get them the level of mental health care that they need to be better and to be productive and to silence those voices in their head.

There are those people who think they are just bums and they are just going to take that money and go buy crack or a bottle of wine, perhaps.

Let me tell you why, Mr. Speaker. Consider this for a moment: Maybe, just maybe, the only way they have to feel normal and to silence those voices is to take a hit on that crack pipe and have 30 seconds of calm. I am not just suggesting it. It is a horrible way to do it. However, if you have nothing else, you have no resources, no doctor, no family, and no one to care for you, you have discovered that, ``Oh, man, when I get that quick hit on the pipe, then I feel like everyone else.''

Mr. Speaker, you have to understand what they are going through. It is not to justify it, but it makes a little more sense why they take that swig of vodka, that guzzle of wine, not because they are some helpless and hopeless alcoholic but because they are seeking sobriety of a different sort, Mr. Speaker, sobriety through getting high.

Let me say that again, Mr. Speaker, sobriety through getting high. It is an opportunity to calm those voices in your head, an opportunity to silence those demons, an opportunity to just, for once, feel normal and to feel like that grocery cart that you are sitting in is the Lazy Boy that many of us enjoy in our homes.

Mental health is real. The pain of Americans is real. Mental health care needs resources.

As far as cardiovascular health, according to the CDC, 50.8 percent of men aged 18 and older have high blood pressure and are taking high blood pressure medication. Men develop heart disease 10 times earlier, on average, than women according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. According to the American Medical Association more than one in three adult men have some form of undiagnosed cardiovascular disease.

According to the CDC, about three in four men in the United States have overweight or obesity tendencies. According to the CDC, 41.6 percent of men aged 20 and older suffer with obesity in the U.S. from fast food, saturated fats, high sugar content, sedentary lifestyles, and diabetes. According to the CDC, men are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes at a lower weight than women.

Managing your weight and managing your diet, Mr. Speaker, makes a difference. According to the CDC, about one in nine African-American men and one in seven Hispanic men have been diagnosed with diabetes. Many more have diabetes but simply don't know it.

Fertility: According to studies, male obesity has been shown to impact fertility. According to studies, more than 1 in 10 men looking for fertility evaluations have been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

What we talked about today are things that we can control. There are many things in life that we cannot. There are many problems that we contemplate, that we debate, and that we search for answers. We have different approaches, and we all believe that we have the right answer. None of us may be right, but we have the opportunity to debate it, and, hopefully, through debate and exchange we come up with a better plan.

That is the importance of bipartisanship. That is the importance of this Men's Health Caucus. It is a bipartisan effort to exchange ideas, to talk about norms, to talk about nuances, and to talk about how we can get better. It is through these discussions that we get better. It is through checking the engine lights. Yes, it is through making sure that Congress, in one of our most important constitutionally given tools, uses the power of the purse, as found in Article I of the United States Constitution in order to provide resources to States, to local communities, and to the National Institutes of Health to study dreaded diseases, to have preventive care, to have mental health professionals in our schools dealing with our young people, to have senior living facilities funded with professionals who are there for them. It is making sure that 9-8-8 stays completely funded so people at 3 a.m., 2 a.m. or at any time of the day can pick up the phone and save their life or that of someone else's.

Yes, Men's Health Month is American health month. Yes, Men's Health Month is real. While we talk about it in June, I encourage you to talk about it, and, more importantly, do something about it every day of the year. Once you have got yourself healthy, turn to your friend, turn to your brother, turn to your dad, and teach your young sons that it is okay to not be okay sometimes.

It is okay to feel sad, but not a sustained sad. It is okay to be sick and to say: I need to see a doctor. Little boys who grow up understanding that, grow up to be healthier men, and to be more productive citizens who are able to care for their families, care for our communities, and be the leaders that they are destined to be.

If you are ill, if you are sick, you won't be able to fulfill your full potential. Preventative care is much more

efficient, much cheaper than curative care. Pay me now or pay me later. Medicaid is a tool that allows us to pay me now and pay me far less.

Make sure people are healthy. Make sure communities have what they need. Make sure we are fully funding the National Institutes of Health so we can identify these dreaded diseases and save lives.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for this time. I thank my co-anchor, the Honorable Congresswoman from Virginia, Jennifer McClellan, and the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.

My friends, I hope we have touched upon something. I hope we walk away from this realizing that we collectively have the power to do this. Put down our arms on some of this trash. We have got plenty of stuff we can be mad about, plenty of stuff we can fight about. Healthcare should not be one.

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 22 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be here to co- anchor this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour for the month of June. I thank my esteemed colleague and dear friend, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, a Democrat from Virginia's Fourth District, for her outstanding leadership and for leading this incredible hour.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight during National Gun Violence Awareness Month not just with sorrow but with a sense of urgency. I rise tonight during the National Gun Violence Awareness Month to shake the core of our very beings.

I want to be abundantly clear that this is not about taking away anyone's Second Amendment right to bear arms. Mr. Speaker, don't be fooled by the gun manufacturers that want to continue to put profits over people, over children, and over people's lives.

I am from the South. I am a gun enthusiast. I do believe in the Second Amendment, but I am a responsible gun owner. I am trained to use my firearm. I understand the importance of proper storage, protection, and training. I understand the importance of having reasonable waiting periods and the importance of being familiar with your weapon and making sure it is never left where children or untrained people can gain access.

Yes, the Second Amendment stands, but our common sense stands, too. We must protect communities and make sure that firearms never find their way into the hands of people who are ill-trained, who have ill intent, and who seek to cause the damage that we have seen with our mass shootings.

For far too long, our Nation has tolerated an epidemic that is killing our children, our friends, and our future. Gun violence has ravaged this country. While every American feels the impact, Black communities bear the brunt. Black communities die from gun violence at 2.7 times the rate of our White counterparts. Let me say that again: 2.7 times the rate.

Over 13,300 Black lives are lost every year to gun violence. That is not a statistic. That is our sons, our daughters, our neighbors, and our church members. That is an entire generation lost.

In 2023 alone, firearm homicides in Black communities rose by over 23 percent, suicides by 50 percent, and unintentional shootings by 11 percent. These are not isolated tragedies. This is a pattern, a crisis, an epidemic.

Yet, this Congress remains stuck in neutral. It has been 3 years since the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was signed into law by President Biden.

Did I say bipartisan? Yes, it was bipartisan. I voted for it. I stood proudly with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take this important step.

Let's be honest. It was just that, one step. It was a step that needs to be followed up with more steps, more action, more help, and more signals that we are bigger and better than the gun lobby.

Since then, since that one step, mass shootings have surged. Right now, families are afraid to go to the mall, the movie theater, schools, grocery stores, concerts, and places of worship. No one feels safe because, oftentimes, nowhere is safe.

The Gun Violence Archive has already reported that 133 mass shootings have happened this year, and it is only the first week of June.

Every shooting leaves behind a shattered family, a traumatized community, and a ripple effect that lasts generations.

Let's be clear. Black Americans are not just victims of community violence. We are also disproportionately impacted by rogue police violence, police shootings, and shootings of unarmed men and women, often young people.

The truth can't be ignored when we talk about gun violence in our country. Accountability must be a part of our reform.

We know that thoughts and prayers after these tragedies are important and powerful, too, but words alone can't do it. We must put our well- wishes and our prayers into action.

I recognize that at this moment, we demand action because words alone won't stop a bullet. I know that being silent wouldn't stop a bullet. I know being complicit won't stop a bullet. I know pointing fingers won't stop a bullet. I know running from the scoring of the NRA won't stop a bullet.

I know what can stop a bullet. It is men and women in this body standing up together and saying that enough is enough. That is because these lives are not just Black, not just White, not just Democrat, not just Independent, and not just Republican. They are Americans. They are our children, our seniors, and our neighbors. They are our friends, and they are our colleagues.

Wake up. This is not about us against them. This is about us fighting an epidemic. It is an epidemic that is literally killing our community.

Today, I said to my colleagues across the aisle, do not look away. Come to the table. Work with us. The cost of inaction is measured in lives lost in our neighborhoods, in our classrooms, and in our communities across the country.

To my Republican colleagues, do not look away. Do not wait until the next shooting is in your neighborhood. Do not wait until it is your constituent, your relative, your friend, your fraternity brother, your sorority sister, your neighbor, your colleague, your loved one.

Mass shooters don't care about your party. They don't care about your socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, they often think of hate based by race, based by who you are, by who you choose to love, by who you choose to worship.

This is America, and these are all things that are a part of our strength. Let's not allow them to push us into the corner and fight against each other. We should not live like this. Gun violence is not a political issue. It is a human issue.

The time for reform is not tomorrow. The time for reform is not next year. The time for reform is now, and the people who must do it are us.

Let's rise to this moment. Let's demonstrate to the American people that while Republicans and Democrats may disagree philosophically on many things, let us agree that gun violence is no way for Americans to have to live.

Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the privilege of welcoming the Corkern family to the Capitol. They traveled all the way from Louisiana to join me for the Energy and Commerce Committee's budget reconciliation markup because they, like so many Americans, are proof that Medicaid saves lives.

Connor Corkern was born 18 years ago with a congenital brain malfunction. At 6 weeks old, Connor's parents were told that his brain malfunction was so significant that he would need one-on-one care for all aspects of his life.

After nearly a decade of being on a waiting list for home- and community-based disability waivers, Connor was given an emergency New Opportunities Waiver, or NOW, in 2015. It changed their lives.

Medicaid funding and waivers like the New Opportunities Waiver, NOW, have been and continue to be the lifeline for the Corkerns. His Medicaid waiver is the reason he is able to live today.

When Republicans attack Medicaid, they attack families like the Corkerns. Cutting Medicaid means that a little boy born today with Connor's medical needs might not make it to his high school graduation. Connor and so many others need this service to live.

Mr. Speaker, if the Republicans like their big, beautiful bill so much, I beg this question: Why are they displaying it at 1 o'clock in the morning?

Mr. Speaker, I thank our outstanding leaders tonight for this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of our museums, our cultural institutions. We know that African-American history is, in fact, American history, and it must be recognized as such.

The Musk-Trump administration's executive orders targeting museums are disgraceful. It is a disgraceful attempt to erase Black Americans' contributions from our Nation's history.

I am especially disgusted by the administration's attack on the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

For so many years, under the leadership of the late John Lewis, who played a key role in the efforts to secure funding and legislation for this museum. Our community fought for the creation of this museum. Our community fought many times for it when Republicans fought against it. Finally, it was signed into law in a bipartisan way. It was signed by George W. Bush in 2003.

Mr. Speaker, it was a bipartisan effort--this museum that tells the story of the struggles of African Americans and the contributions of African Americans, which, by the way, is American history, history that everyone should know--the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is history, just that. It happened.

You can't untouch or touch up what has already happened.

When it was finally signed, many stood together hand-in-hand--Black and White, Republican and Democrat--recognizing the significance and the importance of this monumental legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask: Why was it okay then for Republicans, Black and White, Democrats, and Independents to stand together hailing the importance of this international museum of history that recognizes the contributions of African Americans and the pain and suffering of the African-American community?

Why was it okay for us to be lockstep then and not now? Why is this Republican administration so threatened by this museum that it would seek to defund, defame, and deface?

This museum today is a testament of the legacy of generations who sacrificed everything for justice, progress, and equality. We will not stand by as our history is dismissed, diminished, or defunded.

The National Museum of African-American History and Culture is not divisive; it is essential. It tells the truth of a people who built this Nation, endured its greatest injustices, and still rise to shape its future with brilliance, faith, and resilience in the face of great obstacles, even in 2025. Yet, we rise.

When the administration chooses to target museums that honor Black history, it is engaging in a deliberate attempt to silence the truth and to erase the past.

I demand, we demand, and we all should demand full support for every museum and institution that honors dignity, struggles, and the contributions of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and all Americans because our history is important.

African-American history is, in fact, American history. You cannot separate the two. Our history is a history that everyone should know.

The Congressional Black Caucus earned the name, the ``Conscience of the Congress.'' We are here tonight to say:

Hands off of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

Hands off of our hard-fought gains.

Hands off of the efforts to remind people that a history that is forgotten is a history that is repeated.

History and culture will stand, and all other similar institutions across our Nation should likewise be protected. Let's end this foolish, foolish Musk-Trump notion that our Constitution doesn't matter, that our rule of law doesn't matter, and that our ability to work together somehow is a bad thing. We know it isn't.

I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to wake up and not let anyone divide us any further than we have already been divided. We are one country. We have a responsibility to the people to do the right thing.

We will continue to use all of the tools in our toolbox. You have heard me speak of the three Cs--the Congress, the courts, and the community--and we will use every one of them, and we will continue to fight until victory is won.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great concern regarding our First and Fifth Amendment rights. Our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and right to due process are under attack by the Musk-Trump administration.

You don't have to like what someone says philosophically, politically, or otherwise, but free speech is not based on what you like or dislike or choose to hear or not hear; it is based on one's ability to express themselves. It is not conditioned on what you like to hear. Free speech is free speech.

We will not stand by while they violate the principles that form the bedrock of our democracy. Right now, this administration is defying a Supreme Court decision that ordered them to facilitate the return of an individual who was deported without due process. Alongside others, he was sent to an inhumane prison in a different country without a hearing. This happened in the United States, violating his right to due process. There are many individuals whose stories deserve to be told, so today I am going to highlight just a few.

Last week, I led a bicameral codel to two ICE detention facilities in Louisiana where Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Wendy Brito are being held.

Mahmoud Khalil is a lawful permanent resident and Columbia graduate student who was detained because of his participation in a peaceful protest. I had an opportunity to sit and visit with him. He said, without fear of contradiction: I am not anti-Semitic. I am not pro- Hamas. I am simply concerned about my homeland and the treatment of the people that are there.

Rumeysa Ozturk is a Ph.D. student detained because she wrote an op-ed in her school newspaper.

Wendy Brito, a mother of three U.S. citizens, who may one day be U.S. Senators. A U.S. citizen right here on our homeland, was deported without giving her due process. Her lawyer was in the waiting room. They would not let her have access to the lawyer. Then they added insult to injury by saying she signed a waiver.

Who and what mother would not say, when asked: Do you want your children to go with you versus being with some strangers would not opt for that first option?

Ms. Brito simply said: What are you going to do with my children? They said: Well, they can go with you. As a father, I would have made the same decision, but her lawyer was in the other room begging for an opportunity to stand in, and they would not give him or her an opportunity to do so.

Arresting people who are in this country legally--people whose only crimes have been to exercise their right to free speech--is an assault on our civil liberties and our Constitution.

An attack on these individuals is an attack on all of us. Who is to say what this ruthless administration will do next or who they will do it to? Will it be your family member, your friend, or a coworker who is taken without cause?

I am reminded of a quote from Angela Davis: ``If they come for me in the morning, they will come for you in the night.''

We must all stick together and fight for the rights of our great country, this great Constitution, the First Amendment right of free speech, and the Fifth Amendment right of due process. We must continue speaking up and fighting back against these tyrants and preserve our Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if you found this funny or if you are laughing at a joke that is on your phone, but this is serious business, sir.