Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan and Congressman Troy Carter for anchoring the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.

I rise tonight with my colleagues of the CBC to recognize Gun Violence Awareness Month and to bring attention to the impact of gun violence on Black communities around our Nation.

For decades, gun violence has been an epidemic that has had disproportionate and devastating impacts on Black communities. In fact, the facts are sobering and clear. On average, more than 13,000 Black people die from gun violence each year. In the United States, Black Americans die from gun violence at nearly three times the rate of White Americans.

In 2023, firearm homicides against Black Americans rose over 23 percent. In that same year, firearm suicides in Black communities increased 50 percent, and unintentional shooting deaths rose 11 percent. In the 5 years since the police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, police shootings of Black Americans have continued to rise.

These are not simply statistics. These are the heartbreaking stories of tragedy and loss that should shake our collective conscience as Americans of goodwill.

From the racist murder of nine parishioners at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, to the racist mass shooting at the Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York, that claimed the lives of 10 people, to countless police shootings of unarmed Black men, women, and children, our Nation has, unfortunately, bore witness to far too many horrific acts of gun violence against Black communities.

This crisis of gun violence requires action, not thoughts and prayers as the American people have become far too accustomed to hearing from many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Instead of working to pass legislation to keep our communities safe from gun violence, the Republicans included in their reconciliation package a provision that calls for the elimination of registration and ownership requirements for silencers that have been in place since the National Firearms Act went into effect in 1934.

By contrast, when House Democrats were in the majority in the 117th Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus was instrumental in passing the most significant piece of gun reform legislation in nearly 30 years with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden.

With that historic legislation, we took meaningful steps to protect our children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the overall threat of gun violence around our country by extending background checks for firearm purchases, clarifying licensing requirements, funding red flag laws and crisis intervention programs, and weakening the boyfriend loophole.

While we have made strides toward commonsense gun reform, more needs to be done to keep our communities safe. During this National Gun Violence Awareness Month and throughout the year, the Congressional Black Caucus recognizes the critical need for reforming our gun safety laws to protect all of our communities.

Our caucus remains committed to meeting this crisis with the urgency of now to end the senseless acts of violence that take thousands of innocent lives every year. That time for reform is now.

Let me first start by thanking Jennifer McClellan of Virginia and Jim Clyburn of South Carolina for anchoring this evening's Special Order hour on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus.

I rise on this day in opposition to President Trump's unprecedented and alarming efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. With no consideration for the will of Congress or the will of the American people, Donald Trump has commenced an attack on education that we haven't seen the likes of since the racist segregationist Plessy versus Ferguson decision declaring separate but equal as an educational doctrine.

At a time when racial segregation is increasing in our schools to levels not seen since before the Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal had no place in the United States, Donald Trump's actions will not only make our schools more segregated and less equal but they will put quality education out of reach for countless young Americans today and in the years to come.

No matter what justification the President gives, we know the real reason he is tearing apart the Department of Education. That is to steal money from public schools and funnel it into private ones that don't care about teaching our kids, only indoctrinating them into the cult of Trump.

Mr. Speaker, make no mistake. These attacks on the Department of Education are deeply, deeply unpopular in every corner of the country. In fact, two-thirds of Americans oppose them. They oppose them because families from all walks of life rely on the Department of Education to meet their children's needs.

Districts with high rates of poverty depend on Title I funding to serve their students, just as parents of children with disabilities or special needs depend on IDEA funding to give their kids the care they deserve.

In New York's Ninth District alone, the administration has already clawed back $4 million in funds that our schools were entitled to. That figure is as much as $300 million across our State.

Because of Trump's war on education, classroom sizes will balloon. Teachers' recruitment will plummet. Higher education will be inaccessible for thousands of students. Money will be taken from students with disabilities and special needs and given to the President's allies.

Let's be clear. The President's actions represent a disturbing new step in his crusade against public education and all it represents. I reject his war against education, just as I will reject whatever bill comes before Congress to further damage the Department of Education.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Only days ago, New York State and our Nation lost a giant, an icon with the passing of Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes.

I have known Dr. Dukes for most of my life, and I consider it one of my greatest blessings to have called her my friend, mentor, soror, Link Sister, and inspiration.

When we look back on Dr. Dukes' remarkable life, we will remember her tireless advocacy and work to further

racial diversity, equity and inclusion, and prosperity for the Black community. We will remember her leadership as president of the NAACP and its New York chapter, which solidified her as a source for social action and change. We will remember how she stood tall against the oppressive status quo of Jim Crow and paved the way forward to a more enlightened, more accepting, more loving era for our country and world.

I know I will remember the image of her arm in arm with my mother, Dr. Una Clarke, at the Democratic Convention, where they stood in the trenches together, fighting for the Black community at each other's sides.

Truly, Dr. Dukes lived a life of courage, resolve, and unmatched tenacity. We owe her a debt of gratitude that can never be measured or repaid, and I will miss my friend's warmth and wisdom so dearly.

Ma Dukes, we will never forget you. May you rest in power. May you rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Janelle Bynum from the great State of Oregon and Congressman Shomari Figures from the great State of Alabama for co-anchoring tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.

I rise today with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to commemorate Black History Month and to reflect on the innumerable contributions to our country that Black Americans have made throughout our Nation's history.

During Black History Month, we celebrate the generations of Black Americans whose courage, advocacy, sacrifice, and patriotism have moved our Nation and the world forward. From Reconstruction and the Great Migration to the success of Black Wall Street, the jazz age, the Harlem Renaissance, the civil rights movement, and beyond, there is no time in history that Black people have not contributed to the vitality and success of our country.

As chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am proud that as our caucus has grown from 13 visionary members in 1971 to a historic 62 members in the year 2025, 4 of whom serve in the United States Senate, we have continued fighting to dismantle barriers, create opportunities, and protect the rights of our communities.

Throughout our Nation's history, the Congressional Black Caucus has been called to confront countless threats to our communities, our educational attainment, our economic prosperity, and our health and well-being. Time and again, we have answered the call and stood in the breach on behalf of Black America and the values that make our country strong.

Under the shadow of the Trump administration, we are being called to yet another unprecedented and consequential time in the history and life of our country that we must address head-on.

With the creation of the 14th Amendment, America took one step toward rectifying its original sin of slavery and protecting the birthright citizenship of all Black Americans. Threats from President Trump to the 14th Amendment have put Black America, once again, in a perilous position. Today, we are facing cruelty and threats to the very fabric of our democracy and existence.

As the Trump administration seeks to continue to take our country back in time, the Congressional Black Caucus stands at the front lines of protecting our communities and calling out these and other thinly veiled attempts to erase centuries of progress for Black America.

This administration's recent actions aimed at taking away critical tools of success and our fundamental freedoms will not go unanswered.

On the shoulders of our Founders, we will continue to push back against efforts to impede our progress, erase our history, and cut off our access to capital and better opportunities in our communities.

This month and every month, we will continue to make clear that the contributions of Black Americans will not and cannot be erased, undermined, or undone.

We will continue to fight for access to the ballot box, fair representation, diversity initiatives, and our fundamental freedoms, which are, sadly, under threat each and every day.

As the conscience of the Congress, we will not sit back and be silent as these attacks on our communities continue. Our history, Black history, is American history, and we are not going back.

Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to recognize the Mo Better Jaguars of Brownsville, Brooklyn, who capped off an undefeated season by overcoming their opponent 13-7 in the national Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando. Truly, these exceptional young men have defied all the odds and proven precisely what Brooklyn is capable of.

While the team's skill, cohesion, and passion were never in question throughout their sensational season, when challenges brought upon by high travel costs arose that would have prevented the Jaguars from competing for the D2 Title, their community stepped in. Through their support, the team succeeded in raising the funds they needed to reach the championship game, where they ultimately prevailed.

I extend my sincerest congratulations to every player, coach, family, and fan whose collective efforts led the Mo Better Jaguars to their well-deserved victory. Our community is incredibly proud of their achievements and their dedication, and we look forward to watching their athletic careers continue as they reach new and exciting triumphs.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, our adversaries are growing bolder and more sophisticated in using cyber tools to gain access to government and critical infrastructure networks. As we speak, the Federal Government and its private-sector partners are working to understand the full scope and scale of the telecommunications hack by state-sponsored threat actors from China, known as Salt Typhoon.

The Salt Typhoon telecom hack followed warnings issued earlier this year by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its Federal partners that state-sponsored threat actors from China are ``seeking to pre-position themselves on IT networks for disruptive or destructive cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure.''

H.R. 9769, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act, formalizes interagency efforts already underway to defend against state-sponsored threat activity directed by the People's Republic of China.

Notably, it would establish an interagency task force and a reporting requirement to ensure Congress is informed of sector-specific cyber threat trends and additional resources or authorities the government needs to protect government and critical infrastructure networks, among other things.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 9769, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 9769, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, according to testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security earlier this year, there are approximately 2,000 cybersecurity vacancies at the Department of Homeland Security. Recent cyber intrusions like the Salt Typhoon telecom breach demonstrate the urgent need to fill those empty desks.

That is why I have introduced H.R. 9689, the DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act. This bill codifies DHS' cyber internship program, helping ensure DHS continues to expand its efforts to support individuals seeking to join the cyber workforce.

Internships are particularly valuable for building the workforce because they help build the connection from school to work. For students, they provide critical work experience that can help launch their careers with the practical skills they will need in the workforce. For the Department, internships can help support the cyber mission while building a pipeline to future employment at DHS.

Importantly, these internships are paid, ensuring the program is accessible to all. This summer, 85 interns participated in DHS' new cyber internship program.

Enacting this legislation will ensure that DHS continues the program while adding new oversight requirements to keep Congress informed on how the Department is recruiting interns and utilizing the program to support its cyber mission.

Additionally, my legislation directs the Department to meet cyber talent where it is, whether in high school, community and 4-year colleges, technical schools, or graduate school. Recruiting cyber talent from a broad range of educational institutions will result in a bigger pool of applicants and reflect best practices that more employers should implement.

I thank Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee Chairman Garbarino for cosponsoring this bill and my colleagues on the House Committee on Homeland Security for supporting it at our markup in September. I look forward to similar bipartisan support in the full House.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the DHS Cybersecurity Internship Program Act will advance our shared goal of strengthening the American cyber workforce while supporting DHS' effort to recruit the next generation of cyber talent and to defend the homeland.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 9689, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6229, the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act, sponsored by the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

H.R. 6229 is a bipartisan bill that would make our communities safer during large public events and mass gatherings by ensuring that our State,

local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement have access to tools, resources, and help from the Department of Homeland Security.

We all know that the United States holds some of the world's greatest events, from professional football games to Formula One races, rodeos, State fairs, NASCAR, and so on. Every one of these events, big or small, requires security planning and management by State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials. Good planning and management are what it takes to prevent threats at mass gatherings and public events and, in the event of any danger, respond quickly and effectively.

H.R. 6229 is an opportunity for Congress to provide our communities with planning and management resources by authorizing the Special Event Assessment Rating program, known as the SEAR program, within DHS.

The SEAR program has had great success in every one of the States we represent, helping us ensure safe and enjoyable experiences at home events, big and small.

What SEAR does is measure the risk of a terrorist attack or other hazards, as appropriate, on a special event. Events are submitted to DHS by a State, local, Tribal, or territorial partner for an assessment.

Under the bill, DHS may provide security coordination and protection support for events with the most serious ratings.

Earlier this year in a hearing during National Police Week, former Atlanta Chief of Police Rodney Bryant told the House Committee on Homeland Security that the SEAR program and DHS resources helped him ensure a safe experience for Americans attending the Super Bowl and college football playoff championship.

Looking forward, our communities are going to need even more help from DHS through the SEAR program. In addition to longstanding large- scale public events like NFL games or New Year's celebrations in Times Square, the United States has a robust and growing presence on the Formula One racing circuit, and in just 2 years, we will be host to the World Cup.

DHS recently informed Congress that the World Cup matches across the country in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and New Jersey are SEAR rated and will need Federal help to secure their global soccer matches.

Mr. Speaker, it is time we authorize this critical program and ensure that these social, sporting, and other events can be enjoyed freely, safely, and without fear.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), the author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing.

Mr. Speaker, authorizing SEAR's great work will ensure that DHS may continue providing risk assessments and support to certain preplanned special events across the United States.

I thank Representatives Titus of Nevada and Hudson of North Carolina for introducing this bill, which will strengthen Homeland Security and protect our greatest community events from terrorism or other security threats.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 6229, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, during this era of partisanship and discord, there is one issue on which I hope we can all agree: that veterans who are disabled while serving our country should be provided the utmost care and respect.

Unfortunately, our current airport security screening systems cause unnecessary delays and intrusions for many disabled veterans.

The VETS Safe Travel Act, H.R. 7365, would help address these challenges by allowing veterans with service-connected disabilities and severe injuries to enroll in the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck expedited screening program at no cost to the veteran.

Doing so will allow disabled veterans to move through airport screening quickly and with minimal hassle.

Importantly, such veterans will still be required to undergo the background checks required for all passengers enrolling in the PreCheck program, thus maintaining the integrity and security of the program.

In addition, during committee consideration of this bill, Democrats offered an amendment that would ensure the bill does not unintentionally require TSA to increase PreCheck enrollment fees for all other passengers to pay for the enrollments of disabled veterans.

By passing this bill, Congress will improve everyday life for disabled veterans as they travel.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing.

Mr. Speaker, we owe our disabled veterans not only our gratitude for their service but our commitment to their continued care. This is a sensible

bill that would help ensure disabled veterans are provided the benefits and dignity they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the actions of the Chinese Communist Party at home and around the world have shown us that China is intent on undermining the global standing of the United States and weakening democratic institutions and norms.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, China is expanding its covert influence and aims to sow doubts about U.S. leadership and undermine democracy, including by interfering in our elections.

The FBI director has stated that the CCP poses a broad and unrelenting threat to the United States critical infrastructure.

H.R. 9668 would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish a working group to coordinate its efforts to address threats that the CCP poses to the homeland. The working group would evaluate threats posed by the CCP, identify what DHS is doing to address these threats, identify what more could be done to address these threats, and then facilitate coordination across DHS to holistically address the threats from the CCP.

By supporting this bill, Congress can ensure that DHS has a strong and unified response to the Chinese Communist Party provocation and aggression.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi), who is the bill's Democratic lead.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Strong and Suozzi for leading on this bill, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, Mr. McHenry, and the ranking member for bringing this legislation to the floor.

I thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee for her tenacity in making sure that we would see this come to fruition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as one of the many women who stand on the shoulders of Shirley Anita Chisolm and in strong support of S. 4243, the Shirley Chisolm Congressional Gold Medal Act.

We honor the first African-American woman elected to Congress and a trailblazer whose life and work continue to inspire generations of leaders. Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm was a woman who had the audacity to be a catalyst for change unbossed and unbought.

From her candidacy for President of the United States to her first day in the New York State Assembly, Shirley Chisolm paved the way for Black Americans, Caribbean Americans, women, and marginalized communities overlooked in our political system.

She showed us what was possible and, in doing so, raised the standard of what it means to be a woman who is unbought and unbossed.

She was a daughter of Brooklyn, my soror, both of us made in the Brooklyn Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and above all, a daughter of progress.

This Congressional Gold Medal serves as a testament and a symbol of her achievements as a political trailblazer and advocate for those who were too often left behind.

It is our responsibility to ensure her legacy is not just remembered, but built upon.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Let us honor Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm for her courage, her vision, and her unmatched contributions to Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus, and our Nation at large.

As she so powerfully said: ``If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.''

Today, let us solidify her seat and honor her rightful place in history.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank my dear colleague, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, along with her partner, Congressman Jonathan Jackson, for anchoring this evening's Special Order hour honoring Shirley Chisolm.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on this special occasion to celebrate and commemorate the 100th birthday of the late Congresswoman Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm and in commemoration of her lifetime of extraordinary trailblazing achievement.

Shirley Chisolm was a woman who truly lived her American Dream out loud, unapologetically, and with audacity. Her special brand of leadership and her charismatic persona in concert with her audacious eloquence and sheer elegance brought to the world our fight for justice through the embodiment of a petite woman from Brooklyn.

As the only Black woman in the New York State congressional delegation, also a Brooklynite, and the Member who holds the very same seat in part that Shirley Chisholm once held, I am not only duty bound to prioritize the marginalized and overlooked and protect the underserved and left behind, I am compelled to do so.

My Congress Member, Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm, did the same for me. She championed my cause, she paid it forward, and she pulled me up, just as she did for all Americans. You see, Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm was a woman who dared to be a catalyst for change.

From her first day in the New York State Assembly to her last in the United States House of Representatives and beyond, Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm fought to deliver justice, fairness, and equality to all Americans.

We are all very fortunate that her life's work, which pioneered progress

and restructured the status quo, altered the very chemistry of this body and has provided us a blueprint that we need to do the same.

Remembering the name and remembering the accolades of Shirley Chisolm does more than memorialize her life and legacy. It proves to the millions of Black girls and women in this country that if they achieve, if they strive for their greatness, if they better their country and this world, then they too may be remembered eternally by the Nation they devoted their lives to bettering. They, too, may be remembered for all time as the trailblazers and changemakers of their day.

We know all too well that progress has never happened by accident. It takes leaders, and in many cases, it takes Black women leaders. Thankfully, today we have countless of them to lean on and to learn from.

Together, I believe we have a moral mandate and an opportunity to not just examine racial inequalities that span every sector and every segment of our society, but the responsibility to tell the truth about how we got here. By celebrating the late Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm, we are fulfilling that responsibility.

It is indeed my honor to stand here. Both of us were born in the month of November. Both of us are daughters of Caribbean immigrants. Both of us love to dance and love to dress. Shirley Chisolm was a trailblazer, Shirley Chisolm was a changemaker, and Shirley Chisolm will forever be remembered.

Madam Speaker, let me thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Congressman Jonathan Jackson, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Steven Horsford, and my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus for this opportunity to share some thoughts about our dearly beloved colleague, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

To Elwyn Lee, Erica and Jason, other members of the Lee family and staff, loved ones, friends and constituents, on behalf of myself, the Clarke family, and the people of the Ninth District of New York, I extend my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences.

Madam Speaker, I rise on this day to remember the gentlewoman from Texas, my friend, my mentor, my dear colleague, the honorable and incomparable Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Sheila was the granddaughter of Jamaican immigrants and a daughter of New York. I was blessed to have known her for many years. I have served with her for just short of 18 years. We both served on the Homeland Security Committee.

We bonded over many of our deep connections. My parents are Jamaican immigrants. As it turned out, Sheila Jackson Lee's uncle was one of my mother's biggest donors when she was a member of the New York City Council.

I had an opportunity as a councilmember to meet the incomparable Sheila Jackson Lee at many events and activities and occasions where we gathered. To come to Congress, as the only Black woman elected to Congress in the year 2007, I ran into someone who I had already become acquainted with and who put me under her wings.

As the author of the Violence Against Women Act, the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, the woman who reintroduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and H.R. 40, the bill to provide a study on reparations, our Nation will long remember the scale and scope of her legislative acumen and successes. We were blessed because she was a justice seeker and relentlessly so.

There was not a piece of legislation, as one of my colleagues--I think it was Barbara--stated where she did not come in with an amendment if she found any inequities within that legislation. She was able to convince Members on both sides of the aisle of the need to include an amendment that would provide that breathing room for the oppressed in our communities.

We are grateful for not only her leadership of the people of Houston, Texas, but by extension the people across this Nation who have benefited from her work.

We in the Congressional Black Caucus and countless others across the Nation will long feel the gravity of her absence.

One of the projects that we worked on together is now resident at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and that is the Sojourner Truth Legacy Project. Prior to my arrival here in the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Lee led a group of women to make sure that a bust of Sojourner Truth would be placed in the United States Capitol. She worked, and she worked, and she worked, and the year that I was elected, as it turns out, not only was the legislation passed to have that bust created, but it was actually placed in the new Capitol Visitor Center in 2007.

She was an integral part of establishing the Sojourner Truth Legacy Project at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation where we look at the work of Black women across this Nation, those who are overlooked and who are marginalized and lift them up for the great works that they do in our communities and across the Nation in every community.

We will miss her counsel. She often spoke about the struggle to establish that bust which was the presence and the essence of Black women's power in this Capitol. We are forever grateful to Sheila for her tenacity and her audacity that she was a warrior.

She was a true Representative and an advocate of and for the people who devoted all of her talent, intellect, expertise, and energy to the people. Whatever moments of hardship and uncertainty lie ahead, may we all draw strength from her memory and her legacy.

I pray that my sister, the Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, rest in peace and that she rest in power. To her staff members who have been loyal to her, who have worked hard because she worked harder to make a difference in this body, I extend to you on behalf of the people of the Ninth District of New York, the Clarke family, and of course myself my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences.

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

I rise today on behalf of the people of the Ninth District of New York, the Clarke family, and myself to remember a true gentleman from New Jersey, the honorable and incomparable Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr.

Just about everyone who was blessed to know my dear friend, Donald, will remember a man with unwavering principles guided by his belief that every American deserves an advocate willing to fight for their best possible future, not to mention his incomparable sense of style. Those bow ties were just classic.

I think back fondly on my time serving alongside Donald throughout his six terms in the House of Representatives and the precious time we shared. We both served on the Committee on Homeland Security together.

One of the memories I have is sitting by his side, deep into the early morning in defense of Secretary Mayorkas during the sham impeachment proceedings, as he admonished those who chose to laugh at the depiction of an officer--as they continued to move different issues forward that were certainly not truthful--on horseback who was using a whip on human beings at the border.

The second instance is of his righteous anger at the existence of a challenge coin commemorating the abuses Black and Brown migrants faced at our southern border.

Each of these stories exemplify the singular commitment to justice and moral courage which defined Donald's tenure here in Congress.

We supported one another in our districts, and we would move back and forth, him coming to Brooklyn, New York, and me going to Newark, New Jersey, to be of support to one another. We shared so much in common: our sense of humor, our sense of fashion, and our genres of music.

We often talked about the fact that when we were younger, we would frequent the same nightclubs right there in Newark, New Jersey, and that was one of our bonding moments.

I can say with confidence that all of Congress will dearly miss Congressman Payne's leadership, kind spirit, and unparalleled dedication to making progress.

So to Beatrice and the triplets, to his loved ones, friends, and staff, I send them love and light and extend my heartfelt condolences during this season of their bereavement.

Mr. Speaker, I will miss my brother and my dear friend.

Rest in peace, Donald Payne, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day to help shed light on an escalating crisis 700 miles from the shores of Florida. That crisis is in the island nation of Haiti.

I thank my colleagues for anchoring this evening's Special Order hour as part of our mission in the Congressional Black Caucus: Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, and Congressman Jonathan Jackson, your leadership is tremendous, and, of course, my colleague, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the Haitian people are experiencing some of the most horrific times in modern-day civil society. Their democracy has been suspended and there is no viable governance. Anarchy is poised to take root, and there is no protection for the people.

This is a humanitarian crisis that has reached unprecedented levels with widespread food insecurity, hunger, and undeterred gang violence, filling the void and terrorizing the nation.

According to the U.N., 4 million people in Haiti face acute food insecurity and 1 million are one step away from famine. Imagine the population of Los Angeles, subject to severe food insecurity and violence that has led to a spike in starvation, with goods unable to move freely while people are forced to remain in their homes out of fear for their lives.

Haiti is a mere 700 miles from our shores, yet in many ways, Haiti has been forgotten. It is urgent, crucial, that we pay attention.

American lore and ethos paint the United States as a Nation of immigrants, but our Nation has historically welcomed mostly immigrants of European origin, like Donald Trump, who once asked: Why are we having all these people from ``S-hole'' countries come here?

Some of the wealthiest people in the world, who despite being immigrants themselves, continue to push insane conspiracies, completely devoid of compassion, logic, and reason. They repeatedly use the rhetoric of the white supremacist great replacement conspiracy theory, focus efforts on the erasure of Black immigrants' contributions to our Nation from our history, and hoping that a whitewashed or real replacement theory of disinformation will endure.

Their racial cruelty and inhumanity have only enabled maltreatment of Black immigrants as temporary workers or, worse, as criminals, rather than as legal, permanent residents and asylum-seekers, as political pawns rather than people in need.

They describe Haitians as invaders. Desperate families seeking refuge, clinging to life and their fleeting tenuous futures are not invaders. Such rhetoric reflects an ongoing 21st century vicious quest for racial hierarchy in immigration policy that deters and blocks Black refugees and immigrants from entering the United States.

It is urgent that we pay attention, because the Black African descendant diaspora has always been the reservoir to Black communities and Black families in the United States, from Malcolm X, whose mother was from the island nation of Grenada, to Vice President Kamala Harris, whose father is Jamaican, just like mine.

As we continue to bear witness to the hell unfolding on a small nation a mere 700 miles off our coast, we can never forget that Black history is American history.

In closing, I implore my colleagues and the administration to come together for our Haitian sisters and brothers. My co-chairs from the Haiti Caucus and I will continue to push this administration to extend TPS for Haiti and a pause in deportations.

The whole country is unstable and dangerous. There is no excuse to send anyone anywhere in Haiti. Let me repeat: There is no excuse to send anyone anywhere in Haiti. We cannot give credence to those who would have us give in to fear, forsaking our American values for reasons beyond logic and comprehension. We cannot forsake our American values for reasons beyond comprehension or give credence to those who would have us give in to fear.

Our Nation rises to its greatest heights when we are guided by our hearts and compassion and moral obligations to our neighbors in need.

I, again, thank my colleagues for spending this time tonight.