Joyce Beatty

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my good friend and colleague, Congresswoman Robin Kelly for tonight's special order hour on gun violence. Congresswoman Kelly is a stalwart leader against gun violence and serves as a visible, out-front advocate for putting an end to the gun violence epidemic. Far too many children, families, and communities have been devastated and destroyed by a gun inappropriately in the hands of a shooter. We have seen far too many deaths, too many young African-Americans with guns, too many killed by guns. My district in Central Ohio has seen an alarming rise in gun violence. Just this week, Columbus saw its 130th homicide of the year, which is closing in on an all-time record. We can and must do better. I stand with Congresswoman Kelly in her relentless efforts, calling on the Congress to honor victims through action. We can join together to pass commonsense gun laws--background checks; no fly-no buy; and safety locks. Gun violence is a health epidemic--one that we cannot address in isolation. We must fund mental health programs, we must address the needs of urban communities, and we must provide sustainable community and economic development initiatives to reduce violence--like community policing coupled with commonsense gun reforms. Tonight, Congresswoman Kelly puts a face on the victims of gun violence. I join and salute her for reading the names of victims. As we read the names, let us remember that, gun violence isn't a Democrat or Republican issue--it is an American issue requiring an American solution.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, it is, indeed, my honor to join my colleagues tonight to recognize and celebrate 150 years of excellence in education at HBCUs. I thank the congresswoman from North Carolina's 12th Congressional District (Ms. Adams) for leading the charge tonight. And to our CBC chairman, Congressman Cedric Richmond, I thank him for allowing us to come forward and not only tell our stories about the 150 years, but to demonstrate to all of those, Mr. Speaker, who are watching tonight, that we set an example for others to follow. The nine HBCUs celebrating their 150th anniversaries this year have been educating and transforming Black students across this Nation into leaders. For 150 years, HBCUs have weathered the violence of Jim Crow laws and funding cuts to continue to be the light in many of our overlooked communities. While my alma mater, Central State University, hasn't been here for 150 years, it was established in 1887. And in 2014, it received the designation as a land-grant university, the last of the HBCUs to become a land-grant. For 130 years, Central State University has been that light, that training ground for African-American change makers--African-American change makers in a nation like you see in this picture. It was just a few months ago I traveled back for my homecoming to celebrate with friends and classmates, 130 years. It is 130 years of a university that has produced classmates like Nancy Wilson, Leontyne Price, Orlando Brown, Arsenio Hall, Jason Thomas, a United States Marine who was there during the aftermath of 9/11 and rescued people. Also, we have people like Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African- American students who, as we all remember, in 1957, were the first Black students ever to attend classes at Little Rock Central High School. I am very thankful for 40-plus years of friendships with individuals like Zenobia Leavell. And when I think of Linda Brown, and as we call her ``Lulu,'' for organizing this picture, because we stand tall, and we represent all sectors of this community. Central State provided an education for this little girl from Dayton, Ohio, when my mother and father sat down and they were able to put their dollars and cents together to not only send me, but to send every one of my siblings to an HBCU university. They said: We want you to go there, but we want you to come back. Little did they know that I would stand in the Halls of Congress and advocate for HBCU universities. Attending Central State University changed my life. It is important for you to know, when we talk about HBCUs, I know it all too well. Just yesterday, I sat at our kitchen table with my grandbabies and their parents and my husband, and our conversation--I was so proud because, you see, it was Howard University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College that produced us. When you think about my husband, an attorney, a graduate of Howard University; when you think about Otto III, an attorney and entrepreneur and graduate of Morehouse College; when you think of Laurel Beatty Blunt, a common pleas court judge and a graduate of Spelman College; I am so proud that when I sat there and I looked at my grandbabies, Leah and Spencer, and as Leah beamed because she was wearing a T-shirt that said: I am Spelman-bound, Grammy; and then there is Spencer, who will be going to Morehouse, that is because we stand on the shoulders of so many. Why do we come tonight? We come to tell you that 40 percent of all Black Members of Congress are graduates of HBCUs; 12.5 percent of all Black CEOs, HBCUs; half of all the Black professors at non-HBCUs; 50 percent of all Black lawyers, graduates of HBCUs; and 80 percent of all Black judges, graduates of HBCUs. When I think about today, with Trump's administration and with their proposals to cut Pell grants, when I think about the threats to hold construction grants, when I think about Republicans' assault on students in the Republican tax scam hike, it is a sad day in America. We come today because we want our voices to be heard, because we know, in the words of one of our own, Barbara Jordan: ``Education remains the key to both economic and political empowerment. That is why schools charged with educating African Americans have, perhaps, the deepest challenge of all.'' Mr. Speaker, let me end by saying two things in the words of Nelson Mandela, and I think it sums it all up: ``Education is the most powerful weapon you can have to change the world.'' That is why I stand here with my colleagues, standing up for HBCUs, standing up that this administration will understand that we expect-- no, we demand to get the appropriate funding so our children, our grandchildren, and generations yet unborn will have the same opportunities that I have had and so many more, because when HBCUs succeed, America succeeds.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, December 4, 2017, I was absent from the House Chamber during Roll Call votes 653 and 654. Had I been present, I would have voted nay on Roll Call vote 653 and yea on Roll Call vote 654.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, Sixty-two years ago last week, an African- American seamstress named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama bus. Her defiance and subsequent jailing sparked the peaceful, Montgomery Bus Boycott that eventually led to the desegregation of public transportation. Though small in stature, Rosa Parks became an enormous figure in the Civil Rights Movement and earned the title:``Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.'' Her life and actions showed me and so many Americans how the ``Power of One'' person can make a difference in the pursuit of what is right and just. When I served in the state assembly, I championed legislation that made Ohio the first state in the nation to designate December 1st as Rosa Parks Day. Monday of this week, I hosted a Community Leaders' Forum: ``The Power of One: We Are Walking in It'' to remind and educate hundreds of my constituents of the work of Rosa Parks. I believe it is our collective responsibility to walk in the footsteps of Rosa Parks and honor the Power of One.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Congresswoman Waters, for standing up for consumers. As I stand here today, first, let me just say I echo all of the comments of my colleagues on this side of the aisle, and I, too, rise in opposition of H.R. 1699, a bill that would put the lowest income and most vulnerable consumers at risk of becoming victims of predatory lending. This bill would increase the chances of consumers being steered into higher cost loans when they could otherwise qualify for lower cost alternatives. As an aside, it is quite interesting to sit here and listen to my colleagues on the other side have such great interest in affordable housing and low-income residents, and yet, as I have sat on the Financial Services Committee, I have watched them repeatedly cut funds to the budget for low-income residents and not stand up for some of the statements when former Director Richard Cordray came in to talk about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and what they have done to stamp out this type of predatory lending. It is also quite interesting, and I would be remiss not to mention, that last week President Trump appointed the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, to lead the Bureau, yet he is the same man who spent years trying to eliminate this organization, a man who did not stand up for low-income, affordable housing. Mr. Speaker, I will end by saying I think we need someone who can stand up for consumers, and I am pleased to hear my colleagues say that they believe in consumer protection and that they are going to advocate for those with low income and they are going to stand up against predatory lending. So it should be interesting, as we move forward. Mr. Speaker, I am in opposition to H.R. 1699.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about tax reform. Tax reform should be all about helping those who are in need: Working families, veterans, seniors, small-business owners, just to name a few. Unfortunately, the plan that the congressional Republicans are currently ramming through the Senate with the vote that could happen just in a few short hours does exactly the opposite. Their plan would overwhelmingly benefit the superrich and the well- connected at the expense of the middle class, small businesses, not to mention veterans and seniors struggling to make ends meet. The middle class and small businesses, we can do better by them. Instead of giving us a budget-busting half-trillion-dollar tax cut to the wealthiest Americans, let's provide greater tax relief to working families. Let's keep our promise to the veterans. Let's strengthen Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid. Let's help the aspiring entrepreneurs pursue their passion. Let's ensure better wages, better jobs, better opportunities, and a better future for all Americans.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary public service of Elaine Roberts on the occasion of her retirement. Elaine has spent the last 17 years in Columbus and Central Ohio, serving as the Executive Director of the Columbus Airport Authority beginning in 2000 and then as President and CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority when it was created in 2003. Our regional airport authority oversees three air facilities: John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International Airport, and the general aviation airport, Bolton Field. Those three airports, and the businesses associated with them, have flourished under Elaine's leadership and now collectively support 54,000 jobs and $6.6 billion in total annual economic output. I greatly appreciate the work she has done to encourage entrepreneurship in the airports, particularly for African-American businesses. During her tenure, Elaine oversaw $1 billion of investment in airport improvements, including the terminal modernization at John Glenn International and a new control tower at Rickenbacker. I am also thankful for Elaine's contribution in honoring Jerrie Mock--a fellow- Ohioan and the first woman to fly solo around the world in her plane, the Spirit of Columbus--with a life-size statue in the main passenger concourse. From the very beginning, Central Ohio has played a leading role to advances in aviation, and we are particularly proud of Elaine who stood out as one of the leading women in her field. She was recognized as a ``Champion of Change'' by the White House in 2015 and won the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Airport Executives. Earlier this year, the YWCA honored her with its Women of Achievement Award, and the Women for Economic and Leadership Development presented her with their Riveter Award. Elaine also serves on the board of the Columbus Partnership and Experience Columbus. Elaine has been a steadfast leader over the years, and I am happy to call her a friend. On behalf of the people of Columbus, I thank her and wish her the best. After 35 years in the aviation industry, Elaine plans to retire to South Carolina by the end of the year. I sincerely hope that she and her wife, Dale, will travel back to Columbus from time to time to visit and to see her lasting, positive impact on our community.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, today, I come to the people's House floor in strong opposition to the Ryan-McConnell billionaires-first tax plan, a plan that overwhelmingly benefits the superrich and well-connected, and scams the middle class and our most vulnerable Americans. But don't just take it from me. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, working families in my home State of Ohio would see their taxes increase by $1,000 per year, while the wealthiest Americans, people like President Trump, would see their taxes decrease by as much as $747,000, according to the Tax Policy Center. Not to be overshadowed, the Tax Policy Center also concluded that nearly 80 percent of the bill's benefits pad the pockets of the wealthiest Americans. At the same time, it eliminates the medical expenses deduction, student loan deduction, and the new markets tax credit. That does not seem like fair taxes to me. Instead of raising taxes on the middle class, what we should be doing is allowing for a better future, better opportunities, better jobs, and better wages for all Americans.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, first let me say I certainly want to join my colleague, Congressman Steve Stivers, in thanking Congressman Bilirakis and Congressman Walz for all of their work in allowing us to make this possible to be here today. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise to offer my enthusiastic support for the National Veterans Memorial and Museum Act, H.R. 1900, designating it as a public museum for the exclusive purpose of sharing the experience and voices of veterans across all eras, conflicts, and branches of the military. As you have heard, it will be housed in my district, so I am especially pleased that it is being built in a partnership with private pay, a partnership with government, and a partnership that is blessed by the veterans of central Ohio and across the Nation. The museum concept was the brainchild of the Nation's good friend: World War II veteran, legendary astronaut, and former U.S. Senator from Ohio, John Glenn, who was a dear friend and one of my constituents. John also chaired the Veterans Committee. Mr. Speaker, if Senator Glenn were here today, he would share with us how this museum will honor, connect, inspire, and educate all Americans about the unified service and sacrifices of our Nation's more than 40 million veterans. I salute this Congress and my community for recognizing the need for veterans of all eras to have a museum to collectively call their own. Mr. Speaker, I could not stand here without again thanking my colleague and veteran, Congressman Steve Stivers, for his relentless work, for his leadership, and his partnership throughout the development of this project. This project certainly shares with us what bipartisan work can do. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to thank Congressman Tiberi for joining us. I greatly appreciate and want to personally thank the leadership of Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz, and also the subcommittee leadership, because they expressed their concerns. We addressed the concerns in a very constructive way. That is what partnerships and leadership is all about. Because of their good work, it has strengthened the operations of the project and the viability of the project. H.R. 1900 has the support of The American Legion, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the VFW. Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to support this legislation and to come to Columbus when it is open to see it in person and how it honors the stories and the sacrifices of our Nation's veterans.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, today, House Republicans will move one step closer to giving a budget-busting $2 trillion tax cut to the superwealthy on the backs of hardworking Americans, one step closer to increasing taxes on vulnerable Americans, one step closer to gutting Medicaid by $1 trillion and slashing Medicare by $500 billion, one step closer to decimating programs that help veterans, seniors, students, and families. Many families in my home district in Ohio are struggling--struggling because they haven't had a pay increase in over a decade. That is why, instead of pushing Donald Trump's ``Billionaire's First Tax Cut Plan,'' we need to ensure that all Americans have a chance to achieve an American Dream by expanding the earned income tax credit, child care tax credit, and low housing income tax credit, not capping retirement contributions, and eliminating tax loopholes that allow U.S. companies to profit from shipping jobs overseas. Mr. Speaker, it is time that we provide a level playing field for all families to truly help them have a better life.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately on October 10, 2017, I missed Roll Call vote no. 558 and Roll Call vote no. 559 both under Suspension of the Rules due to family-related medical reasons. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today to express my opposition to the newest TrumpCare bill that will result in 21 million fewer Americans having healthcare insurance. Once again, Senate Republicans, like House Republicans, are rushing to pass a hurtful bill that every major healthcare group, from the American Medical Association to Kaiser, is opposing. The latest heartless version of TrumpCare is no different than the previous plans because it still leaves many in the cold. As the old saying goes, it is like putting lipstick on a pig, as the bill still allows States to eliminate essential healthcare benefits like ER visits, preventative screenings, and prescription drug coverage. This misguided plan also guts Medicaid, at a loss of $4 billion in Federal funds to Ohio--my State--and allows insurers to charge seniors and people with preexisting health conditions more money for less coverage. Now it is time to stand together and hold strong with Senator John McCain and the Governors of Ohio, Nevada, and other States. Republicans should work with Democrats to create a better deal, better jobs, better healthcare, and a better future for all Americans.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, Monday, July 31, 2017 marks Black Women's Equal Pay Day, which observes the amount of time it takes the average Black woman to earn the same pay that the average White man earns in one calendar year. In other words, Black women have to work all of 2016 and up to July 31, 2017 to earn what their white male counterparts made in 2016. This is shameful, and it is time for Congress to act to eradicate pay inequities once and for all. Black women earn 60 percent of what their white male counterparts do, which is why it takes approximately eight additional months for them to reach pay parity with white men. The unfortunate reality of this wage gap is that this reality sets up Black women to fail. The 40 cents they fail to earn accumulates and limits them from fully participating in the U.S. economy. This money could be used to help pay down student loan debt, buy their first home, or purchase a car. It could help them pay for quality child care, start a business, or help care for elderly family members. But earning 40 percent less does not just affect Black women's current economic situation, it also affects their ability to plan for their future. Being underpaid for equal work contributes to a wealth gap, retirement gap, and inheritance gap, which hinders upward mobility for future generations. According to the Pew Research Center, 54 percent of Black children live with a single parent, and Black families have 13 times less wealth than white families. A lack of wealth and savings means Black families have less to pass down to their children. If Congress fails to act to ensure wage equality, then all women will lag behind in pay equity until 2059. This is unacceptable. Years of progress has resulted in Black women working across all fields and reaching high levels of academic achievement and it is time for these advancements to result in equal pay for equal work. I call on Republican Leadership to bring to the House floor, the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 1869, and the Raise the Wage Act, H.R. 15. As a proud cosponsor of both of these two pieces of legislation, I urge immediate consideration of these bills so that pay equity can be achieved once and for all.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, on July 18, 2017, I missed Roll Call votes 386 and 387. Had I been present, I would have voted Yes on both the Tonko Amendment (Roll Call vote 386), and the Beyer Amendment (Roll Call vote 387).

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today in support of National Housing Week of Action and to stand up for a better deal for hardworking Americans. Access to affordable housing directly impacts the ability of Americans to have a better job, better wages, and a better future. However, far too many families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads as the cost of rent is rising, mortgages are harder to get, and wages remain stagnant. Due to cuts in Federal rental assistance, only one in four people eligible for it actually are receiving it. Our constituents deserve a better deal. I join Democrats in standing up to create millions of good-paying jobs, full-time jobs by investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and offering apprenticeship programs to new workers. Mr. Speaker, I will continue to fight for affordable housing programs so all Americans can have the ability to achieve the American Dream.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to let the American people know that my message is standing up for hardworking American people; standing up for hardworking American people to have the healthcare that they deserve and that they have with the Affordable Care Act; standing up for the American people so they can have equal voting rights and not have a sham voting rights commission that President Trump has developed; standing up for American people so they can have an investment in jobs and in their communities; standing up for the American people against Trump's budget; standing up for the American people so we can keep Medicaid; standing up for the American people so we can make sure that they have healthcare, that they have jobs, that we don't cut Medicaid and the safety net programs that allow us to have hardworking Americans supporting their families.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Veasey for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to stand on this floor, but when I think that tonight I have to stand here and talk about the topic that the Congressional Black Caucus comes to the House floor to speak out against is a sad day. Mr. Speaker, I thank my classmate and colleague and friend, Congressman Marc Veasey, for taking a leadership role and for making that clarion call to ask us to come. Many of us will come tonight and speak out. Several of us will file our message so it can be recorded. Others will be back in their districts fighting for voting rights. This is something we have to do because, unfortunately, it has been over 50 years since President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which has been the most powerful tool in defending the voting rights of minorities. The Voting Rights Act, as you have heard tonight and you will continue to hear, outlawed the harassment, the intimidation, and the violence that many African Americans experienced when trying to exercise their right to vote. It ended some of the most overtly discriminatory practices in our country's history by banning literacy tests, appointing Federal examiners in certain problematic areas to register voters and monitor elections, and criminalizing voter intimidation threats and coercion. Also key to the Voting Rights Act, you have heard many of our attorneys explain it and talk about the creation of the preclearance process that required certain places with some of the worst histories of discrimination to gain approval from a Federal court or the Department of Justice before making election changes. However, Mr. Speaker, during my first term in Congress, I became a part of this history. It was in 2013 that the United States Supreme Court struck down this crucial provision of the Voting Rights Act in the Shelby County v. Holder decision, opening the door for States to reduce--I am going to say that again, Mr. Speaker--opening the door to reduce the electoral power of minority communities. And with that door open, many States are taking this opportunity to pass a slew or a wave of laws, including strict voter ID requirements, early voting cutbacks, and registration restrictions, making it harder for many hardworking Americans to vote. That is just not right. Every citizen should have the right to vote. Following the 2016 election, President Trump falsely claimed that millions voted illegally, perpetuating the myth of voter fraud long used to justify restrictive legislation that suppresses voters in low- income areas. I stand here today to tell you that it is not true. And when the Congressional Black Caucus hears the President of these United States using terms like ``voter fraud'' or ``illegally voted,'' we can read between the lines, Mr. Speaker. He is signaling his intent, in my opinion, to suppress the vote. He is signaling the support for efforts that will make it even harder for poor people, people of color, women, elderly people, to vote, one of the fundamental rights that we have to vote. While the legislative maneuvers to restrict our citizens' fundamental right to vote should shock the conscience, it has not, and that is why we are standing on this floor today. That is why we are asking Democrats and Republicans to work together to correct this wrong. We have witnessed the history of some 50-plus years of what happened to many people in some of our Southern States. Mr. Speaker, it is just not right, and that is why we are here today. As former President Barack Obama said: ``This is something that has constantly been disproved.'' As a matter of fact, ``This is fake news.'' Now, one of my colleagues came to the floor tonight and said this is not a Democrat or a Republican issue. Well, let me say it a little differently. This should not be a Democrat or Republican issue; but if it were a bipartisan issue, we wouldn't be standing here in this Special Order hour demanding and asking that we come together, as Democrats and Republicans, and restore the voting rights. So let me be very clear. The Congressional Black Caucus, through the leadership of our chairman, Congressman Cedric Richmond, through the leadership of our power-of-the-hour chair, Congressman Marc Veasey, and the other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, one of the largest minority caucuses in this House, we stand ready to advocate, we stand ready to protect those who we come here to protect. So as elected officials, we have a responsibility to ensure the right of ``one person, one vote,'' and part of this responsibility includes making it easier, Mr. Speaker, not harder for citizens to vote. And we will not stop our quest in ensuring justice for all Americans.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 52nd Anniversary of the Older Americans Act, a landmark bill signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 14, 1965. The Older Americans Act provides critical support services for tens of millions of senior citizens and their families. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, our country has an obligation to keep these programs strong. Older Americans should be able to live a life of dignity and independence. However, that promise is under attack by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans. Trumpcare will hurt older Americans by gutting Medicaid by $722 billion and allowing insurers to charge older Americans more money for less coverage, no matter their health status. Not to be outdone, Trump's very first budget would eliminate programs like Meals on Wheels and senior employment services, forcing countless older Americans into a life of hunger and poverty. We cannot break our promise to our seniors. Democrats will continue to fight to protect the Older Americans Act and ensure every American can live their full life with dignity.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, on June 29, 2017, I missed Roll Call vote No. 341. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yes'' on the Motion to Recommit with Instructions.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Karen Bass of California, for her relentless work, and also my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, including Congressman Chris Smith, for working on this. Mr. Speaker, today is a historic day. I stand on the U.S. House floor to advocate for the passage of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act. I have had many meetings with Kenneth Morris, Frederick Douglass' great-great-great-grandson on this issue, sharing with him my work on my bill, H.R. 246, from the last Congress, which improves the response of victims of child sex trafficking. I am committed to ending human trafficking and to ensuring that this bill honoring Frederick Douglass' legacy becomes a law. The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act puts $130 million in funding for the prevention, protection, and, yes, prosecution of human trafficking. This investment is so needed, Mr. Speaker, because victims of human trafficking often live in the shadows of society. That is why it is up to all of us and why it is a bipartisan bill. This legislation makes an investment in education. We have heard what it does with airports and what it does if you have survivors and government working together. So let me end by reminding all of us that, in the words of Frederick Douglass, if we talk about protecting our children and preventing human sex trafficking, he would say, as he has said, ``It is easier to build strong children'' than to repair a broken system. Let us talk about protection. These young girls and boys are sometimes held by invisible chains. We are here today to remove those chains.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the House Committee on Financial Services' Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance in recognition of June as National Homeownership Month. For many families across this country, homeownership is the cornerstone of achieving their American Dream. It has proven to be one of the most effective ways for lower-and middle-income families to build wealth. Unfortunately, nearly a decade after the 2008 Financial Crisis, realizing the American Dream is still out of reach for too many Americans due to tightened mortgage credit standards throughout the industry. Each year, National Homeownership Month provides us the opportunity to recognize and identify the significant benefits of homeownership and the resources needed to help more Americans become homeowners. In that spirit, it is equally important that we continue to support efforts to improve financial literacy in the home buying process through the many housing counseling programs across the country. That is why I introduced the Housing Financial Literacy Act, H.R. 851, which will help make homeownership a reality for more families by giving first-time homebuyers who complete a Department of Housing and Urban Development-certified housing counseling course a discount on their Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance premium of 25 basis points. Let's make the American Dream of homeownership accessible for more Americans this National Homeownership Month and every month throughout the year.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose TrumpCare, a bill that will cause at least 22 million Americans to lose healthcare. Senate Republicans and House Republicans drafted their bill in secret, behind closed doors, and without a single hearing. But after seeing the bill, Mr. Speaker, I know why they kept it a secret. TrumpCare will allow States to eliminate essential healthcare benefits like emergency room visits, preventative screenings, and prescription drug coverage. TrumpCare will gut Medicaid $772 billion and allow insurers to charge hardworking Americans more money for less coverage. It will cost the State of Ohio, my State, more than $25 billion, giving 400 of the richest families a massive tax break. Hardworking Americans should not have to choose between going to the doctor and putting food on their table. Republicans should work with Democrats to create a healthcare system that gives all Americans fair health coverage.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to Trumpcare and the shameful, secret process Senate Republicans are using to pass this destructive legislation. Last month, I proudly voted against Trumpcare, a bill that guts the Affordable Care Act, raises costs while providing less coverage, and gives tax cuts to the 400 wealthiest American families. Mr. Speaker, the version of Trumpcare that passed the House is so bad, the President himself called it ``mean''. A bill so mean it raises healthcare costs for hard-working families. A bill so mean it makes millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions uninsurable. A bill so mean it forces states to cut benefits and kick millions of people off Medicaid. The American people deserve better--they deserve transparency; they deserve openness; they deserve the chance to read the bill; and, Mr. Speaker, they deserve affordable healthcare.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Financial Services Committee in strong opposition to the Financial CHOICE Act, or, more appropriately titled, the ``Wrong'' CHOICE Act. The proponents of this bill claim it is about regulatory relief for our Nation's community banks, but it is not. This bill guts the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an organization that was developed to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, abusive practices. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today because the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has done amazing things. This bill would dismantle it, dismantle a Bureau that just in 6 years has recovered almost $12 billion for over 29 million Americans. Mr. Speaker, this is the wrong choice. This bill returns the American economy to the deregulatory state that led us to the great financial crisis and the deepest recession since the Great Depression. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, because the fundamental question is, it does not provide choice or hope or opportunity for investors or for entrepreneurs.

Mrs. BEATTY

Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Chair, I thank Ranking Member Waters for yielding me time. I stand here and I join my colleagues in opposition to the Financial CHOICE Act. It is the wrong act. And let me just say this to you: Certainly, it does not provide choice nor does it create hope and opportunity for investors and for consumers and for entrepreneurs. I am from the great State of Ohio, and you may have a sign that says people are for it; I have letters from ProgressOhio; I have letters from Policy Matters Ohio; I also have a letter here from the National Consumer Law Center, Advancing Fairness In The Marketplace For All. Let me just tell you what they are saying. They are saying that it is breathtaking--the assault on hardworking Americans, the assault on businesses that want to level the playing field to improve the economy. Mr. Chair, this is ridiculous that we stand here. If it was such a good choice, we would have had more meetings on it. If it was such a good choice for hardworking Americans, then we would have worked with Republicans and Democrats to make it a fair choice, to make it a right choice. But I stand here today and tell you it is the wrong choice for consumers. It is the wrong choice because it eviscerates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It is against the people, and it is not for hardworking Americans.