Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Orange County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, a devoted public servant whose leadership and compassion left an enduring mark on the community she loved.

For more than two decades, Commissioner Bedford served Orange County with integrity and purpose. She believed people deserve better, and she worked tirelessly to strengthen public education, expand opportunity, and ensure every family had a voice in local government.

She was a steadfast advocate for people with autism and developmental disabilities, helping families navigate complex systems and secure the support that they needed.

I will remember Jamezetta as a trusted colleague and dear friend who led with kindness and never lost sight of the people she served.

I offer my heartfelt condolences to her family, her loved ones, and the entire Orange County community. She will be deeply missed, but her example of selfless service will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a bipartisan effort to designate today, May 20, as National Women in Aerospace Day, honoring the extraordinary women whose talent, courage, and innovation have shaped America's leadership in aviation and space exploration.

May 20 marks the anniversary of Amelia Earhart's solo historic transatlantic flight, a defining moment that inspired generations of women to pursue careers once thought beyond reach.

From the engineers and scientists behind America's greatest achievements to astronauts leading the next era of exploration, women have long since been essential to the success of our aerospace enterprise.

This resolution recognizes not only the women who made history but also the young women and girls who will shape the future of aerospace innovation and discovery.

As ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, I am proud to help lead this bipartisan resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating the remarkable contributions of women in aerospace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent, Ms. Kaye Gantt, on her retirement from the National Institute of Minority Economic Development after 17 years of distinguished service.

For nearly two decades, Ms. Gantt dedicated herself to advancing economic opportunity and supporting minority entrepreneurs across North Carolina. Through her leadership and unwavering commitment, she helped strengthen an organization whose mission is vital to expanding access to capital, resources, and opportunity for underserved communities.

Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Gantt provided operational leadership for a relief initiative that helped the institute's CDFI affiliate deliver more than $20 million in grants to over 2,000 historically underutilized businesses, helping countless small businesses survive an extraordinarily difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for Ms. Kaye Gantt's service and lasting impact and wish her a joyful and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for anchoring this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside my colleagues in opposition to the all-out assault on Black Americans' right to vote in the wake of Trump's Supreme Court's choice to gut the Voting Rights Act.

The Voting Rights Act was a piece of legislation that was won in blood. Though we can see the racism and hatred still present in our Nation, the passage of the Voting Rights Act was a line in the sand: that we would protect and include Black voices in our democracy.

In the nearly 200 years between the establishment of this country and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, millions of Black Americans died fighting for this right.

It wasn't a right that we achieved just through a protest in Selma, where they attacked hundreds of our brothers and sisters. It wasn't a right that we achieved just through a march to the Capitol alongside hundreds of thousands of people across our communities. It was a right that we achieved also through the struggle of the millions of Black Americans whose stories were never told and whose voices were never heard by our government.

The millions of Black Americans throughout our history organized and fought, without the recognition that they deserved, to lay the groundwork for people like me to have the opportunity to represent the very congressional districts where we once attended segregated elementary schools.

The passage of the Voting Rights Act was that hope that, finally, we would no longer go without our voices being heard and that none of us would have to die for that right ever again.

Now, as if we needed any confirmation of the rationale behind the senseless Supreme Court ruling, Republican statehouses nationwide are now mobilizing in an effort to target Black Members of Congress and Black majority districts.

In Tennessee, they ignored Black representatives locked in arms on the floor of the State legislature as they dismantled the only Black majority district in a State where the Clinton 12 once marched for their right to attend integrated schools.

In Alabama, they stared on as my colleague, Congressman Figures, pleaded with them to stop redrawing the court-mandated congressional map that gave Alabama, the State at the epicenter of the modern civil rights movement, two Black Members of Congress for the first time in its history.

In Virginia, they overthrew a referendum that would help balance the power in Congress, the same State that once approved a referendum by white supremacists to rewrite the State constitution in order to disenfranchise Black voters.

In my State, North Carolina, we have seen this playbook carried out with the redrawing of congressional maps to eliminate the seats of three Democrats and the redrawing of that congressional map just a few years later in a concerted effort to attack Black lawmakers.

I consider myself incredibly lucky to still be here in the Halls of Congress while many of our fellow Black lawmakers have not been as fortunate.

As one of the few Members of Congress left who experienced the systemic segregation put in place across the South firsthand as a young girl in an all-Black elementary school, I stand here with this message: We will not go back.

We deserve more than to have our government stomp on our voices, our representation, and our votes. Just as I deserved access to the same elementary school as the White boys and girls, our ancestors fought, bled, and died for the right to vote and the right to have our voices heard by Congress.

As we feel their pain with every step back that this government forces upon us, rest assured that we will always come back stronger.

Your cheating of our electoral systems through gerrymandering and voter disenfranchisement is an admission that your leadership has failed the American people. We see through you. We will not rest, and we will continue to honor the work of our ancestors with action.

Mr. Speaker, today marks 16 years since the Supreme Court handed down its disastrous Citizens United decision, a ruling that opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate money in our elections and fundamentally distorted our democracy.

By discarding decades of precedent, the Supreme Court declared that unlimited spending in elections poses no threat to our democratic system and that corporations are entitled to the same political rights as the people whose lives are governed by the outcomes of those elections.

What emerged from this transfer of power was an election system that no longer depends primarily on voters but rather on outside entities whose sole purpose is to spend unlimited money, often without public accountability, to influence who holds power and how that power is used.

Since Citizens United, we have watched a parallel political system take shape, one dominated by super-PACs and dark money organizations that can raise and spend unlimited sums and operate with fewer rules, less transparency, and the ability to determine election outcomes long before voters cast a ballot. A small number of wealthy donors now wield influence far out of proportion to the voters they seek to affect.

This concentration of power has consequences for how this institution functions. When unlimited outside spending can be deployed against a single vote, it shapes the decisions lawmakers can take. It narrows the range of feasibility policy. It rewards delay and protects entrenched interests, often at the expense of the public's priorities.

Meanwhile, Americans face one of the most pressing affordability crises in decades. Healthcare, housing, childcare, energy, and grocery costs are all rising, yet policies that could provide immediate relief are repeatedly stalled.

At the same time, industries that benefit from higher costs or weaker enforcement continue to earn record profits and protect their advantage with unlimited political spending. Although Citizens United did not create these problems, it enabled them to persist and grow.

While the long-term goal must be to overturn Citizens United through a constitutional amendment, Congress has the power and the responsibility to act immediately to limit its damage.

The American people deserve a government that answers to them. Sixteen years of Citizens United is long enough. We must restore accountability, strengthen transparency, and defend the voice of every voter.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for organizing this Special Order hour and for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in reflecting on the life, legacy, and enduring moral leadership of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose vision of justice and equality continues to shape our Nation's conscience.

Dr. King's work reminds us that progress in this country has never been inevitable and that the rights and freedoms that we cherish have always required vigilance, courage, and sustained commitment. Today, that lesson is as urgent as ever. Across our country, communities are feeling the weight of an administration that governs through extremism, division, punishment, and exclusion.

We see it in attacks on our voting rights, in efforts to criminalize protests, in targeting immigrants and asylum seekers, in the rollback of civil rights protections, and in policies that deepen economic inequality while shielding the powerful from accountability.

Dr. King did not believe justice was self-executed. He understood that progress is never handed down. It is demanded. He warned us, as you heard from our chairwoman, that our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Silence, Mr. Speaker, is exactly what this moment does not allow.

Progress is never achieved without persistence, and justice is never advanced without those willing to confront complacency and demand accountability.

The Congressional Black Caucus will not be silent while families are pushed deeper into poverty, while communities of color are targeted by discriminatory policies, and while the promise of our democracy is narrowed to serve the few instead of the many.

We refuse to accept the vision of America where cruelty is policy and inequality is the goal. Instead, we stand in the tradition of Dr. King, committed to dignity, equity, and justice for all. We will continue to speak out, to act, and to fight until the promise of this Nation is fully realized.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our distinguished leaders for this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, 5 years ago, our Nation witnessed an unthinkable assault on American democracy when a violent crowd breached the U.S. Capitol with one purpose: to overturn a lawful election and hold onto power by force.

Law enforcement officers stood between that mob and the Constitution. More than 140 brave officers were injured, and several lost their lives defending this institution. Their courage deserves not just remembrance but that we remain vigilant in upholding the rule of law.

The attack on January 6 was the result of a President who chose division over truth, grievance over governance, and chaos over accountability. That choice continues to threaten our democracy today, as Donald Trump practices deliberate deception and escalating extremism.

Democracy is fragile, and it demands our constant defense. It can only survive when we act to protect it each and every day.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to Trump's rescission package, which includes an unfathomable $8.2 billion cut to USAID funding.

My home State of North Carolina is the fourth largest recipient of USAID funding, which invests roughly $194 million into our State economy. Gutting this support threatens local jobs, weakens our research institutions, and undermines the economic stability of communities across my State.

In my district alone, the damaging effects of the administration's cuts to USAID are already being felt. Thousands of talented professionals have lost their jobs, and vital partnerships with our local universities have been terminated.

These devastating cuts are not only costing people their livelihoods here at home but are also putting lives at risk around the world.

USAID is a cornerstone of our national security, advancing global health, powering research across the country, and reinforcing America's leadership on the world stage.

Slashing this funding will be disastrous for our allies, destabilize vulnerable regions, and hurt communities. We cannot stand for it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to the life of a dedicated public servant and civil rights champion, former Mayor Horace Johnson, Sr., of Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Mayor Johnson was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. As the first Black mayor of Hillsborough, his election marked a historic moment not just for the town but for the broader movement toward equity and representation in government, inspiring generations of future leaders.

Mayor Johnson's legacy reaches far beyond his title. He was a lifelong advocate for civil rights, school integration, and voting access, values that he upheld not only in word but in action.

Mayor Johnson understood that government could be a force for good, and he always lived with integrity, wisdom, and compassion. Throughout his many years of public service and leadership, the town of Hillsborough became not just more inclusive but more forward-thinking, more resilient, and more just.

Mr. Speaker, I join the town of Hillsborough in mourning the loss of a true pillar of our community, and I offer my deepest condolences to Mayor Johnson's family, loved ones, and the entire community during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman McClellan and Congressman Carter for anchoring this Special Order hour to bring attention to one of the most pressing and pervasive challenges confronting our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with urgency, grief, and determination during National Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time for us to recognize the heartbreaking toll that gun violence continues to take on communities across the country.

I am deeply saddened that this past Sunday in my home State of North Carolina, there was a mass shooting where at least 80 shots were fired, killing 1 person and injuring 11 others.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Gun violence is a public health epidemic that affects Americans and ravages communities in every ZIP Code in every State. Yet, year after year, we see the same devastating trend: Black Americans are dying from gun violence at nearly three times the rate of White Americans.

Each year, more than 13,000 Black lives are lost to this epidemic. They are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends, and neighbors whose futures are stolen, whose communities are left grieving, and whose absence is deeply felt every single day.

Tragically, the violence does not end there. For years, Black Americans have faced a persistent and disproportionate risk of being killed in police encounters involving firearms. Let me be clear: No one in America should have to fear for their lives in our schools, our stores, our places of worship, our streets, or anywhere in our communities.

Yet, while this crisis and disparity continues to grow across the country, some in Congress are moving in the wrong direction. Again, my colleagues just shared that, just a couple of weeks ago House Republicans voted along party lines to pass the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included a provision to deregulate silencers. Due to the dangers they pose, these devices have been highly regulated for nearly 100 years, and this provision would make it easier for individuals to use firearms with less risk of detection, further endangering our communities already suffering from gun violence.

This is not the type of comprehensive gun reform legislation that the American people need or deserve. A majority of Americans support universal background checks, closing loopholes in gun sales, red flag laws, and safe storage legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: What are we waiting for? The oath of office that all Members of Congress took demands that we protect the American people. Yet, every day that we delay, lives are lost.

I urge my Republican colleagues to join House Democrats, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in advancing meaningful, commonsense reforms that will save lives, reduce violence, and protect all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleagues for organizing this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in solidarity with my colleagues to stand up and speak out against the proposed budget and demonization of science and the science community.

America is where we are today because of what we create. Whether it is manufacturing, innovation, scientific and medical research, or technology transfer, all these fields require science and the millions of researchers and innovators who push American STEM in our Nation's workforce to the forefront.

These efforts are critical to my district, which includes the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Durham and Wake Technical Community Colleges, and so many new up-and-coming industry leaders in STEM.

However, in total, the Trump administration has canceled nearly $20 million in NSF research grants to North Carolina as a whole.

Take, for instance, an NSF-funded grant that was recently canceled in my district, North Carolina's Fourth, that was aimed at addressing the lack of diversity in the engineering doctoral workforce and promoting the retention of students from underrepresented groups.

Recent doctoral engineering attrition rates revealed a disproportionately high loss of students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM, like women, minorities, and people from rural areas.

Researchers in my district were working to help us address this critical gap, funded by NSF, now canceled under the guise of being so- called woke.

Still, the majority continues to conflate the need to bolster manufacturing with the destruction of our scientific institutions.

We need to make things here at home. Does America really win if China does all the innovation?

I like the idea of an America that supports domestic manufacturing and is a leader in innovation, not an America that does China's manufacturing work.

Right now, because of the senseless cuts to NSF, NIH, and scientific institutions across the board, we are, instead, taking steps toward losing a generation of innovators and helping China lead global STEM innovation, not us.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham, which has been at the forefront of advancing the heritage of the historic Hayti and the African-American experience.

Through dance, music, and culture, this center has continued to uplift and enrich the vibrancy and spirit of our city in immeasurable ways. The history of Durham cannot be separated from the history of Durham's Black Wall Street and Hayti, a thriving cultural and business hub for Black Americans.

The Hayti Heritage Center's steadfast commitment to preserving this rich heritage is a profound gift to our community. Now more than ever, as we see efforts to rewrite our Nation's past, the work of centers like these, which promote cultural understanding through community events, are more critical than ever. It is truly an honor to represent a district that is home to such a remarkable institution.

Madam Speaker, the impact that the center has had on generations of our community cannot be understated. I congratulate the center on this tremendous milestone, and I look forward to seeing them all and the meaningful work and achievements that lie ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Women's History Month on this last day of March.

Every year during this month, we celebrate the countless contributions that women have made throughout America's history. This includes women of color, immigrant women, women with disabilities, lesbian and trans women, and others, who have led the charge in pushing America forward and advancing the ideals of equity and justice for all.

However, since Trump has taken office, women in my district and across the country are being targeted by harmful orders and policies and are feeling the direct impacts of this administration's extreme actions.

Republicans also recently passed a budget which includes billions in cuts for community projects in districts across the country, many of which were intended for domestic violence shelters, youth community centers, and childcare centers.

The same bill also directed that the Energy and Commerce Committee make at least $880 billion in cuts. This would require deep cuts to Medicaid specifically, which helps provide coverage for over 40 percent of births in the United States.

This administration can try to erase the word ``women'' from government, but it will not erase us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1534, the bipartisan Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or the IMPACT Act, which will strengthen the competitiveness of American manufacturing through innovation and development of technologies to decarbonize and improve the efficiency of cement, concrete, and asphalt production.

U.S. producers are leading the way in the innovation of critical building materials production, and we have a real opportunity in front of us to bolster our Nation's infrastructure while making significant strides to reduce global emissions.

The climate crisis remains one of the most pressing issues of our lifetime, and it is vital that we take action now by investing in clean technologies and creating pathways here at home to accelerate and commercialize these new opportunities to reduce harmful emissions.

Globally, cement manufacturing accounts for nearly 8 percent of all carbon emissions, and we have a unique opportunity to reduce pollution in industrial emissions by creating new manufacturing opportunities here at home that can take the place of aging processes based on fossil fuels.

This bill will enable partnerships between industry, innovators, and the U.S. Government that will enhance existing production methods, unlock new and innovative techniques, and offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the application of low-emission cement, concrete, and asphalt.

Together, the IMPACT Act--alongside IMPACT Act 2.0, introduced in the House earlier this month by Congressman Miller and me, and the Senate's Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act, led by Senators Coons and Tillis-- will bolster U.S.-led efforts to deploy clean technologies in the industrial sector while enhancing the global competitiveness of American innovation.

The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, and this can be seen in my own district, North Carolina's Fourth, where local startup Biomason is revolutionizing the cement industry through its use of biotechnology to manufacture low-carbon concrete.

With global demand for building materials set to rise through this century, we must prioritize investments in advanced materials science and scale-up domestic manufacturing by fostering an innovation pipeline that creates jobs and enhances our competitiveness on the world stage. This bill does just that.

With this commonsense piece of legislation, everyone wins. It will help us achieve measurable and meaningful emissions reductions, modernize manufacturing, and improve workers' health and public health, all while creating good-paying jobs across America.

I am proud to join Representative Max Miller in introducing the IMPACT Act, which passed the House last Congress and through the House Science Committee unanimously. It has received strong and bicameral support from industry and industry partners, innovators, climate organizations, manufacturing, and trade associations nationwide.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan and commonsense legislation, which will unlock innovation and clean manufacturing in the United States, create domestic job opportunities, and protect our planet.