Suzanne Bonamici

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. As I close, Madam Speaker, I find it disturbing that my-- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has again expired.

Ms. BONAMICI. I find it disturbing and disappointing that my colleagues seem to be more obsessed with what genitals are in people's pants than whether they can afford their healthcare or housing bills.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Figures for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as the co-chair of the bipartisan Oceans Caucus, I rise enthusiastically today in support of S. 216, the Senate companion to my bipartisan legislation, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. Marine debris does not stay in one place. A plastic bottle tossed inland can end up hundreds of miles away, wrapped around a propeller, tangled in fishing gear, or broken down into microplastics that end up in the food we eat. Across the country, communities see the damage every day. In the Pacific Northwest, crews use Marine Debris Program grants to remove abandoned and derelict vessels--rusting tankers that leak fuel, collapse into waterways, and scatter debris with every storm. These removals protect ports, safeguard workers, and prevent thousands of pounds of plastic and fiberglass from entering the ocean. In Alaska and the Gulf Coast, the program targets ghost fishing gear, including abandoned nets and traps. One abandoned net can trap fish, seabirds, and marine mammals for decades. Through this program, local partners recover that gear, return usable materials to fishers and anglers, and stop the cycle of loss. In the Great Lakes, communities use these funds to intercept plastic before it reaches open water, cleaning up shorelines, restoring habitats, and keeping microplastics out of the drinking water systems that serve millions of people. This program doesn't stop at cleanup. It fuels economies and strengthens resilience. Since its creation in 2006, the Marine Debris Program has removed more than 36,000 metric tons of debris. According to NOAA, last year, the program's removal projects drove more than $474 million in tourism and $248 million in recreational value in just the four States in which it operates. The Marine Debris Program supports research and innovation that address microplastics and microfibers, the invisible pollution shed from tires, textiles, and everyday products. These particles show up in ocean sediments, seafood, and even human bloodstreams. This program helps the scientists track them, understand them, and stop them at the source. The Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act reauthorizes the Marine Debris Program so communities can keep doing this important work. It also makes targeted, responsible administrative fixes to the Marine Debris Foundation, so the public-private partnerships deliver results faster and more effectively. The Senate passed this bipartisan bill unanimously earlier this year, and today, Congress can send it to the President's desk. We often think of plastic pollution as an overwhelming problem, and we haven't made the strides necessary to solve it. The Marine Debris Program and the Marine Debris Foundation are proven tools that make a difference. When Congress invests in practical solutions to save our seas by empowering local leaders, scientists, fishers, and cleanup crews, it makes measurable progress. This bill protects ecosystems, jobs, and public health. Mr. Speaker, clean water and a healthy ocean support every community in this country, coastal and inland. I thank my colleagues, Representatives Radewagen and Moylan, for co-leading this legislation, and Senators Sullivan and Whitehouse for leading it in the Senate. I urge my colleagues to support the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Figures for yielding. I rise today in support of H.R. 3962, the Enhancing, Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America's Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems Act, or ESTUARIES Act. Estuaries rank among the most productive ecosystems in the country, where freshwater meets saltwater, and entire communities benefit from that key meeting point. Families depend on estuaries for clean water. Fishers depend on them for healthy stocks. Small businesses depend on them for tourism, recreation, and the natural beauty that draws people to our coasts. When estuaries thrive, local communities thrive. The National Estuary Program makes that possible. For more than three decades, NEP partnerships have restored wetlands, improved water quality, reduced toxic pollutants, strengthened fish habitat, and built natural buffers that protect homes and businesses from flooding and storm surge. These partnerships unite scientists, local governments, Tribal nations, fishers and anglers, farmers, and community leaders around a shared plan, and those plans deliver results. In Tillamook Bay in Oregon, in the district I am honored to represent, the NEP helped restore hundreds of acres of tidal wetland which improved salmon runs, protected dairy farms from flooding, and created new recreational corridors. On the Gulf Coast, NEP projects rebuilt marshes that shield front- line communities from hurricanes. In New England, estuary programs helped revive the shellfish beds that sustain entire working waterfronts. This bill continues the NEP's successful legacy. The ESTUARIES Act reauthorizes competitive grants from 2031 so every estuary of national significance can implement science-driven conservation, respond to emerging threats, and support long-term economic resilience. This bill upholds a simple principle: When we give local experts the tools they need, they protect the ecosystems that protect us. This legislation reflects a strong bipartisan, bicameral commitment to support these critical ecosystems and recognize their significance. I thank Representative Figures for leading this effort. I thank, as well, Representative Johnson for his support. Also, I thank my fellow co-chairs of the Bipartisan Estuary Caucus for their partnership: Representatives Haridopolos, Mast, and Ranking Member Larsen. Together we can continue decades of success in estuary restoration and resilience. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the ESTUARIES Act.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for organizing this Special Order hour but also for her leadership. We are so fortunate to have Representative Hayes on the Committee on Education and Workforce, National Teacher of the Year, and I will say what an honor it is to serve with the gentlewoman. Mr. Speaker, I ran for Congress because I care so much about public education. Although I haven't been a teacher, I spent a lot of time in public schools myself, as a parent volunteer, serving on committees, and advocating for education over the years. Little did I ever dream that I would come to Congress and have to fight for the actual existence of the Department of Education. We are watching--and I condemn in the strongest terms--this illegal and unconstitutional dismantling of the Department of Education. What message does it say to our country and around the world that we won't have a Department of Education? We are going to fight this because we know that the Department of Education was created by an act of Congress, and only Congress can eliminate it. We look at what is happening with all of these programs--the programs that help low-income students, students with disabilities, and higher ed. I got through community college and college and law school because I had Federal support. Programs like TRIO and GEAR UP that help underserved students, these are all under attack. It feels like we are just watching the unfolding of the Project 2025 playbook. Now we are seeing the Secretary try to outsource all of these things to other agencies. Mr. Speaker, I tell you: Poll after poll shows that the majority of parents across the country support the Department of Education, and that is especially true with parents of students with disabilities. They know how important that is. I tell you: Over my years and decades as an education advocate, I have never had anyone say to me: We need less money for IDEA. It is always: Please fully fund IDEA. People know that public education is an investment. They know that our students are our future. Yet we are seeing a Congress here where our colleagues, Representative Hayes, found $170 billion with a b--$170 billion to give to the Department of Homeland Security to carry out an inhumane mass deportation agenda. Imagine if we had $170 billion to carry out a mass education agenda. That would be wonderful for our country and for our economy. I tell you: Right now, we are seeing this war on public education, but we are not going to back down. I think about the education laws. I know Ranking Member Scott talked about the civil rights obligations of the Department of Education, and we know that a lot of the education laws that came about were signed by President Johnson in the civil rights era to expand opportunities and to close opportunity gaps. Right now, there are approximately 25,000 pending civil rights complaints at the Office for Civil Rights, which has been gutted. Mr. Speaker, 7 of the 12 regional offices were closed, and 90 percent of the Office for Civil Rights employees have been issued termination notices. Now the Department has tried to call some of them back because they can't handle the backlog. That is government inefficiency, not government efficiency.

Ms. BONAMICI. Look at the interagency agreements, where they are trying to outsource all of these programs to other agencies that don't have the staff, don't have the expertise, and Congress didn't approve it. I am here with you today, Representative Hayes, to say: We need the Department of Education. The Republican majority cannot abolish that. The Trump administration cannot abolish the Department of Education without congressional aid. I wanted to ask Representative Hayes: We have had some conversations, you and I, where we hear people say: Well, we have to close down the Department of Education because students aren't doing as well now ever since the Department of Education existed. If you will engage in a brief colloquy with me, and let's talk about why that is an erroneous assumption.

Ms. BONAMICI. Absolutely.

Ms. BONAMICI. That is why we have Federal education research, which they are also trying to cut. I tell you: If we could fully fund IDEA, if we could fully fund title I for low-income schools, fund title II for professional development, fund title III for English language learners, and fund title IV-A for well-rounded education that includes the arts and music, school security, and technology, imagine. What would that look like, Representative Hayes?

Ms. BONAMICI. Absolutely. Kids can't learn if they are hungry, if they are homeless, or if they are sick. Those programs really matter. I thank Representative Hayes for leading this. We must protect the Department of Education. It is the future of our children. More than 90 percent of the students in this country attend public schools. It is a good investment, and that is true from early childhood to the K-12 system and higher education, as well. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Hayes. I am with her in the fight.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn in the strongest possible terms the illegal and unconstitutional dismantling of the Department of Education by the Trump administration. Congress created the Department of Education. Only an act of Congress could eliminate it. The administration knows this, so they are trying to circumvent the separation of powers by chipping away at the Department until it is gone. What a sad and terrible message that sends to the country and the world. The administration's latest attack on the Department of Education is with six interagency agreements that will move critical programs and services out of the Department of Education to other agencies without the needed expertise, funding, or staff. The programs this administration illegally reassigned to other departments include Title I, which provides funding for schools with high populations of low-income students; the McKinney-Vento grant program for youth experiencing homelessness; grant programs for English learners, rural schools, literary initiatives; and more. Programs like TRIO and GEAR UP help underserved students access and succeed in higher education, and they moved those, too. They moved programs that support HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions. These are statutory responsibilities that Congress directed the Department of Education to fulfill. Instead of fulfilling those legal responsibilities, Secretary McMahon decided to follow the Project 2025 playbook by outsourcing the work as part of the Trump agenda to abolish the Department of Education. These actions will make it more difficult for local schools to get the funding they need. Now, they will have to navigate multiple Federal agencies instead of one. It is inefficient, unnecessary, and unpopular. Poll after poll shows that the majority of parents support the Department of Education, and that is especially true with parents of students with disabilities. These parents know what is at stake if schools lose the Federal resources they rely on to educate every student, no matter their background or ability. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has endangered these resources by intentionally burying them behind additional layers of red tape and bureaucracy. There is a lot we could be doing to improve public education. To prepare future students, they need a well-rounded education that inspires critical thinking, confidence, communication, creativity, and a love of learning. Students need arts and music education, hands-on project-based lessons that teach teamwork, and a wide range of career and technical education classes. We must invest in, not cut, educational research, and we need to promote, rather than politicize, family, parental, and community engagement. To fully learn and thrive, students need to have enough food to eat, and they deserve the best physical infrastructure in which to learn. They need access to behavioral healthcare, and they need to be safe and feel safe. Unfortunately, right now, many students across the country are terrified to go to school because ICE is in their community. In Oregon, ICE agents are stalking school parking lots and school routes and detaining parents in front of their children. In one instance, ICE agents surrounded two high school students at a coffee shop and pointed rifles at them. This is beyond unacceptable. Students as young as 9 years old know these actions are wrong. A fourth grade student gave me a handwritten letter, saying she is worried that ICE will take her friends away and that her friends will go home and their parents won't be there because they got deported. How is a student supposed to focus on learning if they are afraid that armed, masked agents are going to take their family and friends? These are children. Unfortunately, House Republicans are taking their cues from Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, and others who do not grasp the damage they are causing to children as they try to close the Department of Education and slash education funding, food assistance, and health insurance but somehow manage to find and give $170 billion to the Department of Homeland Security to carry out an inhumane mass deportation agenda. It is tragic, and it is pathetic. This administration has declared war on public education, but we are not backing down. We will not stop fighting against the dismantling of the Department of Education and the weaponization of immigration enforcement. House Democrats understand how much better our country would be if we had a mass education plan instead of a mass deportation plan.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my profound opposition to the aggressive, cruel, and dangerous immigration enforcement actions that are taking place in Oregon and across the country. During the past few months, we have seen a dramatic increase in agents from ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Oregon, fueled by hatred and Donald Trump's inhumane, out-of-touch mass deportation agenda. I am infuriated by story after story of extreme overreach, excessive force, and brutal tactics being used by masked ICE agents to arrest and detain Oregonians. In Portland, ICE wrongfully separated a young, loving mom from her four little children for 4 months. In Hillsboro, multiple unmarked SUVs circled a man in a parking lot. He was simply going to pick up groceries. In Beaverton, ICE was parked on the street, randomly scanning license plates of cars, and then checking names. They wrongfully arrested a man who would have been sent to detention had his lawyer not intervened at the very last minute. At the ICE facility in Portland, ICE staff are lying to lawyers, pepper spraying people who are peacefully protesting, and recklessly exposing residents who live nearby, including seniors, veterans, and children to toxic fumes. ICE detained one of my constituents, Victor Cruz, because he has the same name as someone with a criminal record. My constituent showed the ICE agents his identification. It didn't matter. He doesn't have a criminal record, nor was there a warrant for his arrest. It didn't matter. He has a valid work permit, a job, and a pending visa case. It didn't matter. He has a heart condition and a pacemaker. It didn't matter. Victor is a well-respected member of the community with, as you can see, adorable grandchildren. He was arrested, detained, and sent to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. Then immigration officials tried to deport him. I visited Victor in Tacoma, where he was kept in bleak conditions and spoke about his experience and his hopes to be reunited with his family. After almost 4 weeks of being wrongfully detained, Victor Cruz was finally released after an outpouring of support from the community, his friends, and neighbors, and with the assistance of his lawyer. I am overjoyed, but he should never have been arrested and detained in the first place. For far too many others, they aren't as fortunate. ICE is now moving people from the detention facility to other immigration facilities across the U.S. to block legal action. As this headline says, ICE's strategy is to ``Detain people first and ask questions later.'' Simply put, ICE is not following the law. They are part of an out-of- control Federal agency, indiscriminately kidnapping people off the streets, and sowing terror in our communities. This is not how a civilized Nation treats its people. There are countless stories of ICE drawing their weapons and pointing them at bystanders, driving into oncoming traffic to deter bystanders from filming them. To make matters worse, now the Trump administration is demeaning and scapegoating immigrants. The United States of America is a country of immigrants and our Nation is stronger because of its diversity, but the Trump administration's actions are actually making America more dangerous. This isn't about safety. Nobody wants violent criminals in their neighborhoods and districts, but that is not the issue here. In fact, ICE is spending so much time targeting people based on their race or ethnicity that they aren't focused on the real criminals. Recently, I spoke with a high school student who is terrified that his family and friends will be kidnapped. I spoke with education leaders who were in tears about the trauma they are seeing in their school districts and with students who are afraid for themselves and their families. This trauma will last for years and will affect the ability of these kids to learn and thrive in schools. I met with Latino businessowners who have seen significant reductions in people visiting their shops and restaurants. The common thread in their interactions was the word ``terror.'' Earlier this week, high school students were here advocating for humane immigration policies. They spoke about how the Trump administration is dehumanizing immigrants and making it more difficult for people to call America home. High schoolers know this is wrong. You and I know this is wrong. I urge my colleagues to show some empathy and understanding. Let's show some respect for civil and human rights. Work with us on humane immigration reform. Mr. Speaker, we cannot allow these abuses of power and lawless actions to continue. We must all speak out. Let's work together to put an end to this ugly chapter in our country's history.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this continuing resolution. I will not support a bill that will continue the Republicans' assault on Americans and their pocketbooks. At a time when Oregonians and Americans are already struggling with rising costs, this bill locks in devastating cuts to healthcare and drives up the cost, in many cases, significantly. The assault on healthcare and the Republican shutdown more broadly are further proof that the first 10 months of this Trump administration have been chaotic, harmful, and completely out of touch with the needs of the American people. Donald Trump held an extravagant Great Gatsby party at Mar-a-Lago the night before SNAP benefits expired, while the administration and Republicans continue to ignore the needs of working families. That is not governing. They have abandoned their responsibility to bring down costs and grow the economy. Mr. Speaker, this bill was already bad, but now they have added this corrupt, get-rich-quick scheme to give hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to Trump-aligned Senators. That is outrageous. Oregonians and Americans deserve better. My colleagues should listen to their constituents, vote ``no,'' and come back to the table and join us in the work to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this Continuing Resolution. Although I support opening the government after this devastating 43-day shutdown, I will not support a bill that will continue the Republican's assault on Americans and their pocketbooks. At a time when Oregonians and Americans are already struggling with rising costs, this bill locks in devastating cuts to health care and drives up the cost of health insurance--in many cases significantly. Just a few months ago the Republicans passed a cruel budget in which they paid for tax cuts for billionaires by making the largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in history. Now they are continuing their heartless obsession with destroying the Affordable Care Act. These Republican policies are damaging to the entire health care system, but are especially harmful for rural hospitals and clinics. At home in Oregon, hospitals and health systems have described the consequences of this agenda as `catastrophic.' Staff will be reduced, clinics will close, and we will go back to the day when people without insurance delayed care and ended up in emergency rooms. These cuts to health care--and the Republican shutdown more broadly-- are further proof that the first ten months of this Trump administration have been chaotic, harmful, and completely out of touch with the needs of the American people. Donald Trump held an extravagant Great Gatsby party at Mar-a-Lago the night before SNAP benefits expired, and the administration and Republicans continue to ignore the needs of working families. That's not governing; it's a cruel and corrupt abdication of their promise and their responsibility to bring down costs and grow the economy. Oregonians and Americans deserve better. During the shutdown I held three town hall meetings--something most Republicans still refuse to do--and heard from many constituents who are extremely worried about the already high cost of living. The Republican health care cuts and the increased costs the Republicans are locking in with this bill will make life harder, not easier, for the people we represent. The Republicans who crafted these policies might change their minds if they actually showed up to hear from their constituents. Donald Trump claimed he would lower costs, but this bill, along with his chaotic tariff policies, are making costs rise--not fall. People across this country are struggling to pay for housing, groceries, child care, and other necessities. Too many families have already reached their breaking point, and this will drive them further into debt and despair. The Republican agenda would dramatically increase premiums for more than 198,000 Oregonians, including my constituent Teresa from Clatsop County. Teresa, a small business owner, runs a small flower and produce farm. Like many small business owners, she purchases her coverage on the Oregon health care exchange. Because of Republicans' refusal to protect health care, her premium will soon be going from $230 a month to $1,077 a month. This is unconscionable, unacceptable, and unnecessary. Teresa is about to turn 60; she works a tough, physical job. Running a small family farm is challenging even in a strong economy. She won't be able to afford her premium, and yet she can't afford to be without health care. One illness or one injury could threaten her health and her livelihood. Teresa could be forced to close her family business--a business that plays an important part in Oregon's north coast economy. Teresa is not alone. Americans across the country are receiving similar letters about dramatic premium increases, forcing them to make impossible decisions; if they keep their coverage, how will they pay for food and housing and child care? They can't. Teresa, and everyone in the United States, should feel secure, not fearful, when they get sick. They deserve better. I am fighting to make health care accessible and affordable, and I'm asking Republicans to join House Democrats in this important work. We've had weeks to address the rising costs--to consider good-faith proposals that could prevent pushing millions off a health care cliff. But the Speaker of the House closed the United States House of Representatives for business for seven weeks. That's no way to run government. This Continuing Resolution is a betrayal to the people we represent. Outrageously, at the last-minute Republicans included a provision in this bill that allows certain Republican Senators to sue the federal government for hundreds of thousands of dollars in connection with seizing their phone records regarding Jan. 6, 2021. This provision is a get-rich-quick scheme for Senators who attempted to overthrow democracy. It's the epitome of corruption and has no place in Congress much less in a spending bill. I supported removing the language from the bill, but Republican leadership didn't even let us vote on an amendment to do that. I invite my colleagues to listen to their constituents, vote no, come back to the table, and join us in the work to make healthcare affordable and accessible for all.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, ``Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.'' Madam Speaker, like many of you, I grew up singing that song. We sang it at camp, on holidays, and in school. It has no genre. It has been performed by country, soul, gospel, and Latin rock artists like Carlos Santana, Pat Boone, Johnny Mathis, Gladys Knight, Nat King Cole, and Mahalia Jackson. Here is its history. It was written back in the 1950s for a group of teenagers from different religions and racial and economic backgrounds. They were brought together in California at a workshop designed to create friendship and understanding through education. The teens said that singing helped them to create a climate where they would have world peace and understanding. I have been thinking about that a lot this past week, especially in the context of education. This is National Arts in Education Week. It is a time to celebrate and recognize the importance of arts education. Maybe you wonder why, Madam Speaker. There are many reasons, and here are three: Students do better in school when they have arts education. Arts education inspires creativity, which is important for economic growth and innovation. Importantly, the arts help heal, and students and our Nation need healing. First, scores of studies over several years show that students do better in all subjects when they have arts education. Unfortunately, arts education is often seen as an extra, or it is cut because it is not included in the national test scores, but that is very shortsighted. Arts education has a remarkable and positive effect on students' academic, social, and emotional outcomes, including higher test scores, more compassion for others, and fewer disciplinary problems. It also keeps students interested in school, improves attendance, and increases graduation rates. Arts education benefits every student, even in preschool. A recent study shows that students in an arts-integrated preschool show three times the growth in vocabulary compared with a similar program without the arts. That is something to celebrate. Second, arts education will prepare students for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Many people talk about the four Cs of job skills for the 21st century: collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking. I will add a fifth: confidence. I visited Quatama Elementary School, an arts-integrated STEAM school in my home State of Oregon, where two sixth-grade students explained how they made a stop-motion animation film about cell division. Now, that was very impressive, and they were very confident. With more technology and artificial intelligence, students will need skills to observe, analyze, question, and consider multiple perspectives. It is not just answering questions, it is knowing what questions to ask. These skills are all enhanced with arts education. There are millions of jobs in arts and culture sectors across the country. Madam Speaker, when you listen to music or watch a TV show or a movie or play a video game, those are all created by artists. However, collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, and confidence help in any career and in life. Finally, the arts heal, and we need that now. The brain research is there; the arts improve health and well-being. A few years ago I met two students at Aloha High School in Oregon. They were in a music class. They were high school students, and I asked them what they liked about the class. They told me they had both lost family members during COVID, so they wrote a song about it. They said that when they sang, it made them feel better. In fact, the former Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, said that music is medicine, and research continues to show the healing power of the arts. The VA runs a successful arts therapy program for veterans with PTSD. World-renowned soprano, Renee Fleming, recently released ``Music and Mind'', a new book about harnessing the arts for health and wellness. It is full of examples, stories, and research. For today's children and young adults who will be tomorrow's leaders, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the bipartisan Arts Education for All bill. For those keeping track, it is H.R. 2485, and to fully fund the Every Student Succeeds Act, especially title I and title IV-A. This is so students do better in school and become creative, critical thinkers. It is so our economy can thrive because the next generation will know how to collaborate, communicate, and come up with new ideas and new ways to solve problems. It is also so young people and people of every generation can learn more about each other's ideas and culture, and we can work on healing.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chair, I thank Representative Stansbury for yielding. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to this amendment, which would ban transgender women from participating in women's sports but also lead to challenges on all women's bodies, making the military and academies less safe for any women to enlist, no matter who they are. Military personnel already undergo in-depth medical exams, and this amendment would allow for women and trans people to be subjected to increased and invasive targeting and harassment. Athletic associations and the service academies are better prepared to understand the sports that they regulate and how to provide both respect for transgender people and fairness in sports. These associations and academies should be addressing this issue, not politicians, especially politicians who do not understand that trans people are not men who put on skirts. Republicans have already banned trans people from the military and the service academies via executive action. This amendment is just another backdoor attempt to discourage transgender people from enlisting in the future while making the military less safe for all women and embedding discrimination into law. This amendment is a classic example of politicians trying to insert themselves where they don't belong. I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to demand answers, answers from the Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget. Today, it is July 22, and the Trump administration continues to withhold more than $5 billion in critical K-12 and adult education funding that should have been released by the July 1 deadline. More than 150 Democratic Members of the House of Representatives joined a group of 42 Senators, including 10 Republican Senators, in calling on Secretary McMahon and Director Vought to release the funds by July 15. That date has obviously passed, but we have received no answers. Although the administration did release the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants yesterday, they are a small percentage of the outstanding funding, and there is still no word on any of the other grants. School districts across the country are scrambling to make decisions, but they have unclear information and severely constrained budgets. Many districts have already been forced to lay off educators and staff who will not be paid without the Federal funding. For many students across the country, the new school year starts in a few weeks, and schools are now in an all-out crisis. As one administrator told me, it is a ``five-alarm fire.'' Funds authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act are not a luxury. They are part of what closes opportunity gaps. They are a critical part of our effort to provide students across the country, regardless of income or ZIP Code, with a world-class education. Yes, this is about civil rights. Every single dollar is a good investment in students and in our future. State administered title I, part C grants, which have been around since the 1960s, support migrant students. These grants help children of mobile farmworkers and fishers, people who are harvesting our crops and putting food on our tables, meet academic standards and graduate from high school, preparing them to become responsible citizens and productive employees. Title II grants provide essential support to recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality teachers and school leaders. These grants address the growing educator workforce shortage and provide professional development for educators to improve teaching and student outcomes. Title III grants provide English language learners with the integrated academic support they need to learn English and meet State standards. Title IV, part A grants are designed to give students access to a well-rounded education. That is what students need: to improve school safety and to create better conditions for student learning and engagement. These grants fund critical music and arts programs and integrate technology into the classrooms so students can develop digital literacy skills. Finally, Adult Basic and Literacy Education grants help provide integrated education and training services that promote essential skills for the 21st century workforce. These are all programs that Congress authorized. Again, these are programs that Congress authorized, yet the Trump administration is refusing to release the funds. Mr. Speaker, 10 Republican Senators were brave enough and principled enough to request with the Democrats that the administration release these funds for their intended purposes, yet we have heard nothing, nothing, from House Republicans about the illegal and unconstitutional withholding of these congressionally appropriated dollars. Is there a fear of President Trump keeping them from their commitment to the millions of students in the school districts that they were elected to represent? I tell my colleagues that everyone can show that they care about the kids in their districts, that they care about education. Everyone should join us in demanding answers. Secretary McMahon and Director Vought must release these funds immediately. This is about our Nation's children, our students, and our future leaders. They deserve better.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Older Americans Act, which President Johnson signed into law on July 14, 1965. Older Americans Act programs serve about 11 million older adults across the country, including 212,000 people in my home State of Oregon. The act provides vital services, including meal delivery, transportation, caregiver support, job training, and protection from elder abuse. These programs help older Americans maintain dignity, health, and independence as they age. President Trump recently began dismantling the Administration for Community Living, which implements OAA programs and disburses funds. It is the only government entity that advocates for older adults. Almost half the staff in this office has already been laid off, jeopardizing the vital programs that support so many aging Americans and their families every single day. The Older Americans Act is a longtime bipartisan commitment. We must fight every effort to strip these services from the 11 million Americans who benefit from these programs in every congressional district in every State in this country. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reverse those cuts and to strongly support the Older Americans Act.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to attend today's vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 191, YEA on Roll Call No. 192, and YEA on Roll Call No. 193. personal explanation

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. 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.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the so- called ``One Big Beautiful Bill Act.'' There is nothing beautiful about this bill. Over the past several weeks I've heard from many constituents in NW Oregon who are overwhelmingly opposed to this harmful and partisan legislation. I strongly opposed the original House version of this bill, which passed by one vote, but the bill that came back from the Senate is even worse. The Senate bill passed only with arm-twisting and a tie-breaking vote by the Vice President. And here we are again, in the middle of the night again, considering a bill that will have devastating consequences for Oregonians and Americans. The cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will result in up to 17 million people losing access to health care. There are 1.4 million Oregonians on Oregon's Health Plan, including 1 in 3 children. Hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes will be forced to cut back services or close, and people will die prematurely. Republicans are also defunding Planned Parenthood, which provides necessary family planning services and reproductive health care. No other provider network has the capacity, expertise, or reach to replace Planned Parenthood's essential care, particularly in underserved communities. When women can't access comprehensive health care services, they are more likely to die. Significant cuts to food assistance will mean that more people, many of them children, will go hungry. This bill guts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP, and takes away critical food assistance from vulnerable groups, including veterans, people who are homeless, stay-at-home parents, and youth aging out of foster care. Now is not the time to raise grocery costs for families and force states to choose between taking SNAP benefits away from large numbers of people or ending their SNAP programs entirely. This is inexcusable in the United States of America. Access to food stamps when I was in college helped me complete my education, and without that critical nutrition assistance it's likely that I would not be a Member of Congress today. This Big, Bad Bill reverses the progress we've made addressing climate change, resulting in thousands of lost jobs in renewable energy, dirtier air and water, more extreme heat events, and poorer health outcomes. At a time when energy demand is surging and clean technologies are finally delivering lower costs and good-paying jobs, this bill slams the brakes. It phases out solar, wind, battery storage, and electric vehicle tax credits by 2028. According to the Energy Information Administration, this bill will gut the very incentives that are powering 93 percent of new capacity growth. This fossil fuel wish list will end more than 800,000 clean energy jobs by 2040, which will wipe out domestic manufacturing gains and shut down sectors that are finally bringing investment to rural communities. That sabotage doesn't just hurt the economy, it endangers lives. Sidelining renewables and clean storage that keep the lights and air conditioning on during heat waves is a death sentence. Experts warn that heat wave-induced blackouts could kill 13,000 people. This bill doesn't just cripple our grid; it puts lives at risk. This bill will exacerbate devastating heat waves and extreme weather events. It strips EPA funding, repeals protections against pollutants, and ends longstanding air quality rules that keep children with asthma out of the ER. Ending these safeguards could cause thousands more asthma attacks per day in frontline communities. This bill also greenlights unchecked offshore oil and gas leasing. It guts environmental reviews and public comment requirements. It threatens fisheries, tourism economies, and coastal communities that will see pollution, spills, storms, and sea level rise long after the members who voted for this bill are gone. It abandons and condemns those most at risk to real, unmitigated danger to give tax breaks to Big Oil. This Republican bill gives billions more to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when their unidentified, masked agents are abusing their power with dangerous sweeps that violate due process and create human and economic destruction. These indiscriminate raids do not make our communities safer--and often have the opposite effect when done in sensitive locations like courthouses and schools. That is 20 times more agents, arrests, and illegal detention centers. Further, the Trump Administration is diverting FEMA funds away from disaster recovery to build and operate an inhumane new prison for migrants in Florida. This funding will fuel more cruel actions and set our country on a more dangerous path. I worked my way through community college, university, and law school with grants, loans, and work study, so I understand the importance of federal financial aid. Cuts in this bill will close the doors of opportunity to higher education for thousands of students who do not come from wealthy families. The lost potential from these cuts is wrong for students, the country, and the economy. This bill will slash billions of dollars in federal funding for higher education, raising student loan payments for working and middle-class borrowers, and making it harder for students to access an affordable college education. The bill eliminates PLUS loans for parents and graduate students and modifies repayment programs to remove some of the lowest- cost options for borrowers. By capping the amount parents and graduate students can borrow in federal loans each year without meaningful measures to lower the cost of higher education, the bill will close the doors of opportunity for many low-income students. These harmful policies will also impede access to graduate education and, by extension, exacerbate workforce shortages in professional fields such as teaching, behavioral health, and social work. Instead of investing in public education, this bill enacts a federal voucher scheme that redirects tax dollars to unaccountable K-12 private schools. This disproportionately and negatively affects rural communities and can violate the separation of religion and government. Finally, this financially irresponsible bill adds between 3 to 5 trillion dollars in new debt. It's puzzling why any fiscal hawk voted for it. And for what? To pay for tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations; tax breaks they don't need. This legislation is the most regressive giveaway and wealth transfer that Congress has ever considered. The top 20 percent of income earners will get at least 68 percent of the tax benefits and everyone else will see their costs increase. The poorest Americans will be paying for tax breaks for the richest. I'm a policymaker, mom, and education advocate, and I know that our country does better when we treat people with humanity, break down barriers, and open doors of opportunity. This bill does nothing to Make America Great Again; it's one of the most dangerous, mean, and regressive bills I've ever seen, and I urge my colleagues to stand up for their constituents and reject this horrible bill.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to a crisis in the American West and across the country. Extreme wildfires now ravage my home State of Oregon every summer, and the threat is growing. I am here today to speak out against cuts to programs that support wildland firefighters and their frontline crews. For years now, American families in the Pacific Northwest have lived on the edge, wondering if this will be the year they are forced to flee their homes at night with only their children, their pets, and whatever few mementos they can frantically grab in the moments after the evacuation alert. I have spoken with Oregonians who lost everything in the blink of an eye; homes, family heirlooms, beloved pets, and, tragically, family members. I have spoken with people who demonstrate extraordinary bravery and step into the line of duty as wildland firefighters, sacrificing their safety to protect their neighbors and their communities. The 2020 Labor Day fires were the most destructive in our State's history. Mr. Speaker, 1.4 million acres burned. More than 4,000 homes were destroyed, and at least nine people died. Smoke filled the air for days throughout the region. Last year, Oregon saw 1.9 million acres burn, setting a new record. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to set aside political differences on this issue because the danger is spreading. Wildfire season now stretches for much of the year. That threat has reached States that never expected to see megafires. From the scorched hills of Hawaii to smoke-filled skies in New York, this is no longer just a Western States problem. It is a national emergency. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please listen to the American West when we say that this is a crisis that will kill thousands more until we act. Let's work together on real solutions, like investing in wildfire preparedness and providing better pay and benefits for wildland firefighters. The administration's current plan of slashing volunteer wildfire crews is a disingenuous attempt to cut costs. It is shortsighted and will cause more loss of property and lives. I stand ready to work with anyone who is willing to take this threat seriously. Funding Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the weaponization of our Federal Government and the Trump administration's actions to distort agency missions and cancel valuable grant programs. In March and again in April, I wrote to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, at the Department of Homeland Security regarding a decision they made to abruptly cut funding for the Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program. The Immigration and Nationality Act established USCIS to administer immigration benefits and citizenship programs. USCIS oversees lawful immigration into the United States and provides services, including determining eligibility for citizenship, verifying employment eligibility, administering humanitarian programs, and promoting instruction and training on citizenship rights and responsibilities. As I wrote in my letter to the USCIS, the Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program furthers this mission by providing grant funding to organizations that support eligible, lawful permanent residents with the U.S. citizenship application process, civics instruction, and other services to help prepare for naturalization. If my colleagues haven't been to a naturalization ceremony, I encourage everyone to do this. These are the types of people we want to be U.S. citizens. In response to my letter, USCIS Acting Deputy Director Kika Scott tried to justify the decision to cancel this program by stating that it no longer effectuates the agency's priorities. That is unacceptable and a frustrating explanation. First, we frequently hear from our colleagues across the aisle who say that people need to come here legally. As I said, this is a program that helps eligible, legal permanent residents with the U.S. citizenship process. Second, Congress already appropriated this funding, so it is illegal and unconstitutional for the administration to block the grant funding just because a President doesn't like immigrants and is doing everything in his power to vilify them. The United States was built by people who came to this country to seek a better life for themselves and their families. This thoughtless decision is an abuse of power and just one more example of how the Trump administration is scapegoating immigrants. Today, during Immigrant Heritage Month, I am, once again, calling on USCIS to reinstate the remainder of the canceled grant awards that helped refugees and other aspiring Americans who came to the United States through legal pathways to assimilate and contribute positively to our vibrant communities and the economy.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn the House GOP's rescission request that would take back $9.4 billion in Federal funding Congress appropriated for foreign aid, the State Department, and public media. We know how devastating the loss of this funding would be for people around the globe. Ending these investments will undoubtedly cost lives and diminish our standing in the world. Taking back the almost $1.1 billion in funding that Congress appropriated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is ludicrous. The Trump administration says they are cutting public broadcasting because it is partisan and biased. What is the basis for that claim? Maybe it is because the shows on PBS, like the very popular ``Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood,'' teach children the importance of kindness, respect, empathy, and caring for others. These are all traits that are absent from this current administration. The only partisan bias is from this administration itself as they seek to weaponize public broadcasting, which offers many benefits to everyone, including: alerting the public and sharing information about emergencies in times of crisis; teaching children reading and social and emotional development skills; and reaching areas that lack reliable and affordable access to broadband internet, particularly in rural areas. The loss of PBS KIDS in particular would deprive millions of children and families of formative learning experiences from programs that are designed specifically for kids, not just ``Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood,'' but also ``Arthur,'' ``Sid the Science Kid,'' and much more. The Trump administration claims to be pro-family, but this request to rescind the funding is yet another antifamily example from this administration. Further, the $1.1 billion cost for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting represents 0.0001 percent of the entire Federal budget. PBS reaches every congressional district across the country and costs a mere $1.60 per person each year. What else provides so much value for less than $2 per person? The Trump administration is cutting pennies of valuable programming out of spite. Most Americans trust PBS because it is publicly funded. Just like public broadcasting should be objective, so should the funding decisions about it. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this rescission package. IRA Clean Energy Incentives Defense

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, in their big, ugly bill, Republicans are once again trying to rip away clean energy tax credits, one of the most effective job-creating tools we ever had. Thousands of workers, many in rural and coastal counties in my home State of Oregon, but also across the country, will lose the jobs they just started. Jobs in solar, wind, battery storage, clean manufacturing, those are jobs with good wages and benefits that are supporting their families. Ripping away these credits means that instead of finishing construction on clean power plants, Republicans will abandon billions in sunk costs, leave half-built equipment, and electricity bills will go up. Utility companies are expecting major rate hikes if these credits vanish because, without them, they will be forced to rely on more expensive, unstable, and dirty fossil fuels. Local economies will be devastated by shuttered worksites, canceled investments, and families will be uprooted. Imagine if we could generate our own power right here in America with the safest, most advanced technologies in the world. Now consider that we can deploy cheap, clean energy, but the Republicans won't let us. Are they afraid of offending big oil companies? These credits are working. They sparked more than $300 billion in private sector investment. They have launched a manufacturing comeback in communities that have waited decades for it. Repealing them, that would be economic self-sabotage. Here is the thing: Republicans are pushing this repeal, and they are also backing Donald Trump's declaration of a so-called energy emergency. If we are in an energy emergency, why would we gut the industries that are expanding supplies, cutting costs, and creating stability? We wouldn't. We don't solve a so-called emergency by kneecapping every solution except oil. It is not about ideology. Many, if not most, of these projects that will lose out are in parts of the country represented by my Republican colleagues. It is about whether we keep building the future or tear it down before it has had a chance. We should be competing with China. We should be making energy cheaper, not more expensive. We should be backing the American workers who are finally getting the chance to accelerate our energy leadership. Instead, the Republicans' big, ugly bill says to pack it up and go home. I won't stand for that, and neither should anyone who claims to care about jobs, economic growth, or energy security.

Ms. BONAMICI

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, the news today is about a bill. It is a big bill. The Republicans' big, bad bill is cruel, coldhearted, and completely unnecessary. It is not even fiscally responsible. It is actually going to add to the deficit. This massive bill, which is more than a thousand pages, was and is being negotiated behind closed doors. The debate started at 1 o'clock in the morning, in the darkness of night. This bill is going to strip healthcare and food assistance from millions of Americans so billionaires can get trillions of dollars in tax breaks. Mr. Speaker, who is afraid of the big, bad bill? A lot of people are, and for good reason. Make no mistake, if you rip healthcare away from millions of Americans, people will die. Right now, this is the largest Medicaid cut in American history. In fact, a headline today summarizing the Congressional Budget Office score on this bill said: ``Wealthy gain, low-income people lose from GOP megabill.'' They are right. There are about 1.4 million Oregonians on Medicaid, including one in three children. I challenge my colleagues to go to a pediatric cancer wing and tell a child with leukemia and their parents that they can no longer afford lifesaving treatment. If my colleagues don't have the courage to tell them to their face, then don't support this bill. This bill takes food from hungry children. SNAP helps more than 775,000 Oregonians, 50 percent of whom are children, put food on the table. This bill would lead to a significant reduction in food benefits for families. I guess billionaires can eat caviar in their mansions or on their yachts while launching celebrities in rockets on vanity tours of space, but everyday Americans will be left unsure about whether they will have enough to feed their families. The top 20 percent of income earners are going to get at least 68 percent of the benefits in the bill, while Oregonians and Americans who benefit from Medicaid and SNAP will be left to suffer. Student loan borrowers could be in debt until they die because of this big, bad bill. Many students who get Pell grants will be harmed. The bill will raise monthly student loan payments for working- and middle-class borrowers, affecting 15 million people across the country. That includes more than 50,000 Oregonian students and families who, with this bill, will have limited options for repayment relief. No question, unless you are from a wealthy family, this bill will close the doors of opportunity for the next generation to access affordable college. Families will pay more for groceries, gas, insurance, and utilities, but oil companies and corporate executives will get tax breaks. This bill will hike the average household electricity bill by about 10 percent, forcing families to pay more while corporate polluters are getting a windfall. Nationwide, families would pay an extra $6 billion. Republicans are going to make it easier for corporate polluters to poison our water and air. We will see an increase in the number of wildfires and floods that devastate communities, and that will lead to continued skyrocketing insurance premiums and property damage. Farmers and ranchers are collateral damage. This bill green-lights more drilling and mining that will spoil water supplies used for irrigation and livestock, poisoning the land while fossil fuel CEOs profit. Public lands belong to all Americans, not billionaire donors, but Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are going to privatize, drill, and destroy them for profit. That will eviscerate the very spaces that make us America the beautiful. Finally, tucked into this bill is a 10-year block on State regulation of artificial intelligence, which might make sense if we had policies at the Federal level for safety, security, and bias. We don't, so the public will face uncharted and unchecked harm. For all these reasons and more, I oppose this misguided legislation, and I urge every one of my colleagues to vote ``no.''