Yvette Clarke

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day in righteous indignation and vehement opposition to the barbaric policing, detention, and, indeed, even murder of immigrants at the hands of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and CBP, on the orders of Donald Trump. With immunity granted not by the law, but by lawlessness, President Trump's untrained, unrestrained, and utterly amoral agents within ICE and CBP are perpetrating a crusade of cruelty with very few parallels in our history. It has struck our neighbors, taken our loved ones from their homes, and left dozens of decent people on our streets and those illegally detained dead with no crimes committed, but a belief in an American Dream that no longer exists and has become a living nightmare. To my GOP colleagues, tell me this: In what moral, God-fearing nation would the penalty for seeking a better life be a brutal death? In what modern country would people fleeing injustice and inhumanity find nothing but more injustice and more inhumanity? The Statue of Liberty begs to give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Those words call out to the world's most vulnerable people so America might be their survival and not their death. It is time for this terrible experiment in Trumpism to end and, in turn, to secure a new immigration system centered on compassion, not cruelty, not dehumanization, and not death; entrusted to competent officers, not kidnapping, not killer thugs; and bent toward justice, not broken by Donald Trump.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am Representative D. Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus for the 119th Session of Congress, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District in central and southwest Brooklyn. I thank my dear colleague Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour and really setting the table for a conversation that we are having this evening. I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to honor the life and legacy of our dear friend and former colleague, the conscience of this Congress, Congressman John Lewis. For more than 30 years in the United States House of Representatives and over the course of his life, Congressman John Lewis never stopped fighting for justice, equality, and the right to vote. Today, the very ideals that Congressman Lewis spent his life fighting to protect are under sustained and unprecedented attack. As we speak, extremist Republicans at the local, State, and national levels are using every tactic in their arsenal to disenfranchise Black and minority communities. To date, hundreds of bills to restrict voting access have been introduced in States around the country with the aim of closing polling locations, curbing early voting and mail-in ballots, and imposing stricter national voter ID requirements. Right now Republicans in the Congress are fighting to jam through voter suppression legislation, like the so-called SAVE America Act and the Voter ID Act, ushering in a national ID program. In the wake of the Callais decision, Black political power and representation has come under direct assault, with Republican-led legislatures and Governors moving to redraw congressional maps across the south ahead of the November election in a brazen effort to dilute Black voting strength and reverse decades of hard-fought civil rights progress secured through the Voting Rights Act. With these unprecedented assaults on our voting rights and the slow erosion of our constitutional and Democratic norms, each of us has a moral responsibility to speak out and act out as Congressman John Lewis did. Voting rights are and have always been the CBC's North Star. For generations, our communities have marched, fought, and even died for the right to vote. Congressman Lewis certainly knew this. At a time when our democracy is under constant siege by the Trump administration, we must do all that we can to protect those most fundamental and foundational rights. It is a shame that partisan politics has brought us to a point that we cannot agree that access to the ballot box should be a right afforded to every American. Congressman John Lewis devoted every day of his life to fighting to make our country live up to its highest ideals--to promise that we are all created equal. From the Edmund Pettus Bridge to the Halls of Congress, the boy from Troy never stopped making good trouble. As he would say: necessary trouble. It is in that spirit that the CBC and House Democrats will always fight back against the voter suppression that plagues our country and impedes access to the ballot box, particularly in Black communities. It is in light of that spirit that we will not stop until we pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore and modernize the protections of the Voting Rights Act to prevent States from erecting new barriers to the ballot box. Mr. Speaker, I will just say that we miss John Lewis. In this moment, it is up to all of us to pick up the mantle of his legacy and press forward, making good trouble, necessary trouble.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a sense of overwhelming gratitude and admiration for my longtime district director, Ms. Anita Taylor, as she celebrates her retirement. For more than two decades, from my days as a member of the New York City Council to my tenure in the House of Representatives, Anita has stood by my side, devoted to the cause of selflessly serving the people of the Ninth District of New York, the beloved community that we call home. As my district director, she has never failed to rise on behalf of those who need her aid or just her listening ear and wise counsel. Truly, Anita is a woman so dear to my heart, so essential to my team, and so beloved by the good people of Brooklyn. While I am overjoyed to see her embrace her next chapter and all the beauty, peace, and rejuvenation it has to offer, I cannot help but feel a sense of melancholy on having to enter into this new chapter in my own career without her by my side. Thankfully, I know she is only a phone call away. From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of Team Clarke and the people of New York's Ninth Congressional District, I thank Anita. I wish her only the best because the best is all she has ever delivered, and the best is what she deserves. I congratulate her.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, due to scheduled activities and planned obligations within the district, I had to miss votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 223, and YEA on Roll Call No. 224.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District in central and southwest Brooklyn. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. It has been 13 days since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, opening the door to a coordinated attack on Black political power and fair representation across the South. Since the Callais decision came down, Republicans across the country have wasted no time in their zealous pursuit of power. They have moved with lighting speed to enact new congressional maps in Florida, Tennessee, and Missouri, and are taking aggressive action in Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina. Let's be clear: This is an outright power grab, downright theft, snatching fair representation from Black voters across the South of the United States. It is about silencing Black voices, dismantling majority Black districts, and rigging the map in their favor as elections are already underway. For years, we have sounded the alarm as the Voting Rights Act was chipped away piece by piece. Today, the consequences are here, and they are dangerous. Not since Jim Crow have we witnessed such a sweeping and deliberate effort to disenfranchise Black voters, but we are not powerless, and we are not backing down. Every inch of progress in this country has been fought for, won through struggle, through resistance, and through the courage of people this Nation tried to leave behind. The Voting Rights Act was not handed over freely. It was fought for, organized for, litigated for, and ultimately won through the blood and sacrifices of Black Americans and allies who demanded better from their country. As a nation, we are being called to that same courageous fight today. We owe that to the generations who came before us, the freedom fighters who faced dogs, batons, firehoses, and jail cells so that we could have a voice here in the Halls of Congress. We owe it to the generations coming after us who deserve a country where their vote is protected, their voice is heard, and their future is not predetermined by those who fear their power. This fight is for nothing short of the future of American democracy itself, and the CBC will meet this challenge head-on, as we have time and time again, on behalf of the communities we serve. To anyone who thinks we will be discouraged, to anyone who believes that we will be silenced, to anyone who hopes we will sit this moment out, they are mistaken. A setback is just an opportunity for a comeback, and we have no intention of allowing Republicans to drag us backward. When November comes, we will show up in numbers too big to ignore and too powerful to suppress. That is because our history has taught us that progress is never given, it is won. It is won by ordinary people with extraordinary courage and by communities that refuse to be erased. That is the legacy we have inherited, and that is the legacy we intend to protect. We are still here. We are still fighting, and together we will win. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for yielding.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia, my esteemed colleague Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, for sharing her story and for being so pointed in the ways in which Black women have been disadvantaged with respect to Black maternal health and for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. Good evening. I am Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York. I rise tonight with my colleagues of the CBC because the state of Black maternal health in America is not just a public health issue. It is a moral crisis. In the wealthiest Nation in the world, American women suffer the highest rates of maternal mortality. This crisis falls hardest on Black women. We know the facts. In the United States, Black women are still three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. The vast majority of complications are preventable with timely, high-quality care. Too many families are left grieving. Too many warnings have gone unheard. Behind every statistic is a name, a story, and a family forever changed. These stories demand more than sympathy. They demand action. These disparities are the outcome of deep inequities in access to healthcare, structural racism, and a system that too often fails Black women at every stage of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. These deaths are preventable. Yet, instead of preventing them and improving maternal health, Republicans are stripping coverage that mothers rely on, worsening an already deadly crisis. Efforts to dismantle healthcare, undermine reproductive health services, and strip away critical protections will continue to disproportionately harm Black women around our Nation. Now is the time when we should be building on progress, not continuing the pattern of neglect and disregard for our health and our lives. We must continue to invest in community-based care; diversify the maternal health workforce; address implicit bias in our healthcare system; and ensure that every woman, no matter her ZIP Code, has access to quality, affordable care. The Congressional Black Caucus will continue to fight for policies that center equity, protect access, and save lives. Black maternal health is about more than healthcare. It is about justice. It is about dignity. It is about whether this country is willing to value Black women the way that we deserve to be valued. We will not stop until Black mothers are safe, supported, and able to thrive before, during, and after giving birth.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me add my voice to that of those who have thanked both Representative Gillen and, of course, Representative Pressley for their leadership and their stewardship in bringing us to this day. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day as just one out of many voices proclaiming that we will not stand idly by as 5,400 Haitian TPS holders in New York City and approximately 345,000 others across America who we have come to call our neighbors, friends, and loved ones are forced back to the same gang violence, exploitation, chaos, and instability that they once narrowly escaped with their lives. As I stand here, I do so in diametric opposition to this administration, which knows full well of our Haitian neighbors' plight yet does not seek to alleviate their pain. Instead, they hope only to become an active participant in it. That is because in the twisted, dystopian, political sphere that has been created by the Trump administration and its leadership, these are not innocent families and children struggling for freedom and yearning for any semblance of safety, but instead are nothing more than numbers to fuel their ever-cruel, forever-hungry deportation machine. Since the moment they arrived in America, Haitian TPS holders have dedicated themselves to contributing to this Nation. They have built businesses, built families, and built up their communities. Through their undeniable strength of character and resilient spirit, they have become an inseparable part of our city and country's social fabric. If anyone would like an example of what it truly means to be a good and decent American, let's look towards Haitian Americans and the families up the street. My colleagues and I have repeatedly urged the administration to extend protections for our most vulnerable neighbors at this most perilous time. Thus far, our call has gone unanswered. If Donald Trump intends to continue this injustice by covering his ears and pretending we are silent, let this bipartisan discharge petition serve as a blaring beacon that even he cannot ignore. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to make the moral decision to pass this necessary humanitarian legislation, protect our Haitian neighbors from certain devastation, and vote ``yes'' on this resolution.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for his leadership and for yielding time to me. I also thank Congressman Cleo Fields, who was an anchor of this evening's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District. I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to honor the enduring legacy of the late Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. Today, we reaffirm our deep gratitude for his extraordinary contributions to American democracy and global human rights. For more than one-half century, Reverend Jackson stood on the front lines of the movement for justice, equality, and human dignity. From marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the civil rights movement to building institutions that empowered millions, his life's work helped move our Nation closer to its founding ideals. Through the founding of Operation PUSH and later the Rainbow Coalition, he built one of the most influential social justice movements in modern American history. In 1984, Reverend Jackson broke barriers, running for the Democratic Presidential nomination and becoming the first African American to run and win in statewide primaries and caucuses, garnering over 3 million votes. Through his historic Presidential campaigns and decades of organizing, Reverend Jackson helped break open doors for Black political power in this Nation, expanding the electorate, building multiracial coalitions, and paving the way for a new generation of Black elected leaders. Many of us serving in Congress today walk paths that Reverend Jackson helped clear. He challenged America to live up to its highest ideals, pushed leaders to act with courage, and reminded the Nation that democracy works best when it works for everyone. The Congressional Black Caucus honors his extraordinary contributions to this Nation and to humanity. His life stands as a testament to faith in action, courage in the face of adversity, and an unshakeable belief in the power of people coming together to build a more just society. At a time when the powers that be seek to take our community backward, Reverend Jackson's leadership, moral clarity, and dedication to justice will be greatly missed.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I had a familial obligation to tend to. Had I been present, I would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 105; NAY on Roll Call No. 106; NAY on Roll Call No. 107; and NAY on Roll Call No. 108.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for anchoring this evening's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour and for her diligence and commitment to sending the message of the CBC throughout this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women & Girls to recognize Women's History Month and the countless contributions women have made to our Nation and to the world. These 31 days offer a vital opportunity to honor women of every background for their achievements, which have too often been overlooked, celebrating the progress and rights secured by those who have paved the way. Even as we celebrate, we must confront a difficult truth: many of the same barriers that our mothers and grandmothers fought to dismantle unfortunately persist today. Disparities in access to capital, education, opportunity, and power remain far too wide. We cannot ignore the growing efforts to roll back hard-won rights. We cannot yield to forces that would usher in a future where the next generation of women has fewer freedoms than those who came before them. This is not an exaggeration or hyperbole. Policies that undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion already having real consequences, including the displacement of over 300,000 Black women from the workforce on the basis of DEI dog whistles. Let's be clear. These are not statistics. These are our mothers, daughters, entrepreneurs, and essential workers whose contributions are being shoved aside and whitewashed. We know when Black women thrive, our communities thrive, our Nation thrives. Women's History Month must also be a call to action and a moment to speak plainly about the threats to women's voting rights, bodily autonomy, and economic opportunities to support their families. Mr. Speaker, we are not going back. We owe it to those who came before us and those who will follow to stand firm in defense of that progress.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, in the centennial year of Black History Month, I rise today as just one voice in the continuous and collective effort to celebrate the incomparable Congresswoman Shirley Anita Chisholm to the degree that she deserves. For her legacy of justice and equality in Brooklyn, New York, and America, for the possibilities her very being opened to millions of Black women and girls, for never failing to live her American Dream out loud, I am proud to introduce my resolution that would result in a tribute worthy of her character and accomplishments: the permanent placement of her statue in the United States Capitol. In this time of unprecedented attacks on the true story of our country, honoring Shirley Chisholm with a statue in the Halls of Congress would signal to the American people that this body is still committed to recognizing the defining figures of our history. We must show future generations that the progress of today did not appear by accident. It took unrelenting passion, integrity, and dedication. It took leaders like Congresswoman Chisholm, who from her first day to the last remained unbought and unbossed. I believe we have a moral mandate and a real opportunity here not just to examine racial inequalities that permeate every sector and segment of our society but the responsibility to reflect on how we got here, right here in these Halls. Looking toward the faces in this room with me now, I can say with certainty that Shirley Chisholm's legacy is reflected in myself and the many colleagues of today.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Good evening, I am Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District located in Brooklyn, New York. I thank my colleagues--Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a real champion for the people of Ohio, and Congressman Jim Clyburn, leadership extraordinaire--for co-anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to again commemorate the centennial of Black History Month and to reflect on the innumerable contributions to our country that Black Americans have made throughout our Nation's history. Black History Month offers our community a time to celebrate our hidden figures and impactful heroes, including our Black veterans and servicemembers. Today, we honor the generations of Black veterans whose courage, advocacy, sacrifice, and patriotism have moved our country and world forward. Since our Nation's founding, our military has relied on Black Americans to answer the call to serve. Quite frankly, it occurred prior to our founding. From the Revolutionary War and Crispus Attucks to Harriet Tubman, spy, scout, nurse, and cook for the Union Army during the Civil War. From the Tuskegee Airmen, the valiant and courageous Red Tails, to the brilliant and extraordinary Six Triple Eight, Black women and men have always been on the front lines, standing for the values that make our Nation great. With such a storied legacy of service to our Nation, it is unfortunate that racially discriminatory practices have for too long obstructed Black veterans from equally accessing veterans benefits, like housing, education, and healthcare. From the denial of the GI Bill benefits, effectively shutting nearly 1.2 million Black veterans out of its promise, decades of discrimination have produced profound and lasting economic consequences for Black servicemembers and their families. Today, Black veterans account for nearly a third of our Nation's unhoused veteran population, and Black veterans are nearly two times as likely to live in poverty. These years of discriminatory practices against our Nation's Black veterans have only been compounded by this administration's recent actions within the Department of Defense. From eliminating equitable practices that benefit our diverse military leadership to creating a hostile environment that Black veterans have warned will deter a diverse population of prospective servicemembers, to removing evidence of the historical impacts of Black servicewomen and -men, this administration is committed to further marginalizing our Nation's heroes. It is important that we never forget the unique history and contributions of our Nation's Black veterans. As the conscience of the Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus refuses to allow the sacrifices of these patriotic Americans, Black Americans, to go unnoticed or to be erased. We will never be able to fully repay our veterans, given the sacrifices they have made for our country, but as Congress, it is our responsibility to make sure we do all we can to ensure that they have what they need when they return home. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus for their commitment to supporting our Nation's veterans and for recognizing the role that Black veterans play in American history and to this very day within our U.S. military.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York, Mr. Adriano Espaillat, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day in opposition to ICE, CBP, and any others that are added to this Federal militia that is supposed to be part of the administration of immigration in the United States of America. I also rise in remembrance of all those innocent lives its agents and enforcers have stolen. For 1 painful year under the Trump administration, this rogue agency has engaged in an unrestrained crusade of cruelty against our migrant neighbors and the places they call home, all powered by the $85 billion and counting hand-delivered to them by Republicans in Congress and their overlord in the White House, all conducted with immunity granted not by law but by lawlessness. ICE agents are in our streets, where they are out every day kidnapping, trafficking, torturing, and, indeed, even murdering immigrant Americans and American citizens in the cold and hidden recesses of their detention centers, where atrocities beyond our wildest nightmares are occurring without cessation. I am speaking of atrocities like the death of Jean Wilson Brutus at the Delaney Hall Detention Center, who passed away from a medical event while under the careless and unconcerned watch of ICE. The title of ICE's press release following the tragedy? ``Criminal illegal alien passes away at University Hospital following medical emergency at Delaney Hall Detention Facility.'' How callous. How sick. In one sentence, these twisted individuals reveal the systemic rot and culture of inhumanity that is inherent in ICE operations. It is heartbreaking to know that Mr. Brutus' death was not an isolated tragedy. There have been 45 deaths and counting under Donald Trump's tyranny. In what moral nation would the penalty for seeking a better life for yourself or your neighbors be a terrible death? In what decent society would the government deploy propaganda to convince the masses that its victims deserved their fate? Catching an ICE agent in a bad mood should not warrant capital punishment. Being undocumented should not be a death sentence. Hear me when I say that ICE is a rogue entity incapable of doing its duty and incapable of re-earning the public trust that it has betrayed. It is an existential danger to public safety, American decency, and the American Dream. Mr. Speaker, if there is a single revelation to emerge from this abyss of wickedness, let it be that our immigration apparatus needs bold and systemic change, and may that change be a system centered in compassion, not cruelty; entrusted to competent officers, not kidnapping traffickers and killer thugs, and bent toward justice, not broken by ICE.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month and to reflect on the innumerable contributions to our country that Black Americans have made throughout our Nation's history. During Black History Month, we celebrate the generations of Black Americans whose courage, advocacy, sacrifice, and patriotism have moved our Nation and the world forward. From the American Revolutionary War to Reconstruction, the Great Migration, the success of Black Wall Street, the jazz age and the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights movement and beyond, there is no time in history that Black people have not contributed to the vitality and success of our country. As chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am proud that as our caucus has grown from 13 visionary members in 1971 to a historic 62 members in 2026, we have continued fighting to dismantle barriers, create opportunities, and protect the rights of our communities. Throughout our Nation's history, the CBC has been called to confront countless threats to our communities. Time and again, we have answered that call and stood in the breach on behalf of our communities and the values that make our Nation strong. Today, under the shadow of the Trump administration, we are being called to yet another unprecedented and consequential time in the history of our country that we must address head-on. The past year of President Trump's path of destruction has targeted our communities relentlessly. From purging the Federal Government of Black leaders and Black workers to removing the presence of Black stories and accomplishments from education and historical landmarks across the country, to launching volatile and violent campaigns against Black immigrants, the message from the administration to Black Americans has never been more clearer. At any moment, the Supreme Court could strike down section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, putting our most basic and fundamental rights on the chopping block. These threats have put Black America, once again, in a perilous position, but we are not powerless and will fight back. On the shoulders of our Founders, we will continue to push back against efforts to impede our progress, erase our history, and cut off access to opportunities in our communities. We understand that the anti-DEI movement means anti-Black. This month and every month, we will continue to make clear that the contributions of Black Americans will not ever be erased, undermined, or undone. We will continue fighting for access to the ballot, fair representation, and our fundamental freedoms, which are under threat each and every day. Our history, Black history, is American history.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District in central and south Brooklyn. I thank Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to commemorate the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King held an unyielding belief that women and men everywhere, regardless of color or creed, are equal. He used the power of words and the example of nonviolent resistance to bring us closer to racial and economic justice. Dr. King was a man of courage, principles, and faith. We are forever in his debt. Today, his example inspires us all toward our highest ideals as Americans. As we gather to honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an American hero and patriot, we are keenly aware of the pivotal moment in history in which we stand and of the forces actively working to undermine his life's work. At a time when the most vulnerable communities in our Nation are under relentless attack, the Congressional Black Caucus continues to uphold Dr. King's legacy, rooted in justice, fairness, and equity for all. Today, ironically, also marks the 1-year anniversary of the Trump administration. As we reflect on the damage that this administration has inflicted on communities across this Nation, we call on our colleagues across the aisle to honor the teachings and philosophy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to work with us to reject the hateful agenda that has taken hold. Dr. King devoted his life to reminding us that silence in the face of injustice is not an option. As he so powerfully said: ``Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.'' The Congressional Black Caucus refuses to remain silent in the face of the pain this administration inflicts on the American people, from the assaults on voting rights with the looming Louisiana v. Callais decision before the Supreme Court, to deepening economic inequality, to the threats against our Nation's healthcare. Today, we are recommitting ourselves to the fight of keeping Dr. King's dream and his mission alive.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, good evening. I am Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus for the 119th session of Congress, and proud Representative of New York's Ninth Congressional District, located in central and southwest Brooklyn. I thank my colleagues, Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina and Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland, for co-anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus to reflect on the solemn anniversary of the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol. The deadly insurrection of January 6, 2021, was not merely an attack on a building, but a direct and violent assault on Members of Congress, law enforcement, staff, and the very foundations of our democracy. Today, this evening, we honor the extraordinary bravery of the United States Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers who protected our democracy and ensured that the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results failed. Five years later, it is not lost on members of our Caucus that efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, through false claims of illegitimate voting, occurred during a year when we saw historic participation of Black voters. That participation resulted in Democratic victories up and down the ballot, as well as the election of the first Black woman Vice President. Today, we cannot ignore the reality that efforts to disenfranchise Black communities are still ongoing. Soon, in the Louisiana v. Callais case, the Supreme Court will decide whether section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which outlaws racial discrimination in our electoral system, still allows Black and minority voters to challenge racially discriminatory voting maps in court, making clear that the fight to protect our democracy is far from over. We will never forget the horrors of January 6, nor will we turn a blind eye to the efforts that continue to threaten the promise of equal participation in our democracy and undermine the very foundations on which this Nation and its governance has been built. The January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the occupants of the Capitol complex is a day that will live in infamy.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 333, and NAY on Roll Call No. 334.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for her hard work and dedication in anchoring the Special Order hour of the Congressional Black Caucus for 3 consecutive weeks, as she has rightly stated. We are so proud of the work she is doing to uplift the stories of people across this Nation who are standing on the edge of what could be catastrophic in terms of healthcare. Mr. Speaker, good evening, I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District, which is located in central and southwest Brooklyn. I thank my colleague once again, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. I rise tonight, Mr. Speaker, with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to bring awareness to the fast approaching ACA tax credit funding deadline and to give voice to everyday Americans who will be harmed by the Republican-led healthcare crisis. The enhanced ACA tax credits are set to expire on December 31 unless congressional Republicans join Democrats to extend them. In a few short weeks, millions of Americans will be forced to pay astronomical prices for their health insurance. Many will lose coverage altogether because they will not be able to afford it. I want to share the story of a constituent who lives in my district in Brooklyn, a woman who wants to work, who does work, and who contributes to her community every single day. Denise, of Prospect Lefferts Gardens, is self-employed. She is a graphic designer. She also lives with lupus, a serious autoimmune condition that requires consistent care and access to specialists. The only reason she has been able to stay in the workforce is because of the Affordable Care Act, and specifically the enhanced premium tax credits that have made quality health insurance something she could actually afford. Those credits lowered her monthly premium enough so that she could manage her health, pay her rent, and keep her small business going. However, now she is being told that if these enhanced credits expire, her premium could double. When she found out that her healthcare costs could become unaffordable, she said: ``The only reason I can work at all is because I can manage my lupus with regular care. I can't pay New York City rent, pay those premiums, and keep my business going. It feels like Congress is telling disabled people, don't work, go back on full benefits.'' Mr. Speaker, doubling someone's premium doesn't just strain a budget, it changes a life. It forces people to give up work. It pushes people with disabilities out of the workforce. It tells them that independence is a luxury that they can't afford. My constituent does not want to stop working. She does not want to give up, but if Congress allows these credits to expire, we are effectively telling her and millions like her that staying insured and staying employed are no longer compatible choices. That is wrong. It is within our power to prevent it. All 214 Democrats have signed a discharge petition that will extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for 3 years. All we need are four Republicans who are willing to join us in protecting our Nation's healthcare. Allowing these tax credits to expire is, indeed, a choice, and it is the wrong choice. Our communities are counting on us to do the right thing and to put their needs over politics. It is people over politics.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Ramirez for yielding, and I appreciate her leadership in this moment. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day in opposition to the vicious, violent, unconstitutional, and illegal war Donald Trump and his administration continue to wage against our immigrant neighbors. On the President's orders, the Department of Homeland Security and its agents of hatred have taken unprecedented, unthinkable, and abusive control over the lives of immigrant Americans. His goon squad has broken up families, torn apart communities, and committed atrocities equal only to the worst sins in the history of our Nation, with extra sins to spare. Refugees, asylum seekers, and countless other people desperately seeking any semblance of safety beyond our shores have only found more pain here in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Even our neighbors with citizenship have been targeted in this campaign of hatred. In fact, more than 170 U.S. citizens have already been wrongfully detained under this administration, some held for days, many subjected to brutality just for brutality's sake. It pains me to know and to say that four of these citizens were arrested during ICE's crackdown on New York City's Canal Street. It is disgusting, unconstitutional, and uncivilized. No matter how desperately he wishes it weren't, I have news for the President: New York City will always be a sanctuary to the oppressed and the powerless, as will other communities like ours across this Nation. Our doors will always be open to those seeking refuge and safety. No matter how deeply they try to dehumanize immigrant Americans, the people of this country know full well where the inhumanity lies. The President and his masked agents of violence and hatred have seen to that. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Delia Ramirez so much for your leadership, for your truth telling, and for your standing up. Mr. Speaker, to all of my colleagues on the Progressive Caucus, we are on the right side of history. This history that we are experiencing right now, this era, will go down in infamy.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for her steadfast leadership and for hosting our Special Order hour this evening. Mr. Speaker, good evening. I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District, located in Brooklyn, New York. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to bring awareness to the fast-approaching ACA tax credit funding deadline, 30 days to go, and to give voice to everyday Americans who will be harmed by the Republican-led healthcare crisis. The enhanced ACA tax credits are set to expire on December 31 unless congressional Republicans join Democrats to extend them. Without an extension of the ACA tax credits, tens of millions of individuals and families can expect to pay significantly higher health insurance premiums for marketplace plans. Without these tax credits, Americans will see their healthcare costs skyrocket, increase by hundreds if not thousands of dollars per month, which will force families who are already struggling with the cost of living to face unaffordable premium spikes or lose coverage altogether. The ACA tax credits have ensured that families, seniors, young adults, and workers in every CBC district could afford quality healthcare. In our districts, we have heard from countless constituents who receive their healthcare on the ACA marketplace who are now worried about the cost of their healthcare going up. One of my constituents, Lilah Wilson, a small business owner who depends on the ACA marketplace said: ``My heart dropped when I got an email earlier this month stating that I might lose my insurance benefits. I already struggle to afford the city that I have grown up in and contributed to as a small business owner.'' She continued: ``Shopping for health insurance through the marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act was the first time that I had assurance of affordable, good insurance. We must protect this program. It is a matter of survival.'' At every turn, Republicans have turned their backs on the American people. President Trump and congressional Republicans promised the American people that they would take swift action on day one to address our Nation's affordability crisis by lowering the high cost of living. Well, instead, they unleashed the most aggressive assault on our Nation's healthcare in history, and the damage has been devastating. Across the country, we are already seeing hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics that serve our communities closing their doors, and now Republicans' refusal to extend ACA premium tax credits is driving up costs and pushing coverage out of reach for many in our communities. The CBC and House Democrats stood united for more than 40 days to prevent exactly this outcome while Republicans refused to negotiate and left working families to bear the consequences. We are calling on our Republican colleagues to join us in putting the well-being of the American people above partisanship, to put people over politics. This is not an abstract policy debate. It is about real lives. It is about parents deciding whether to fill a prescription or pay the rent. It is about seniors choosing between a doctor's visit and groceries. It is about young adults, gig workers, caregivers, and small business owners who depend on the ACA marketplace for the coverage that keeps them healthy and financially secure. Let me be clear: Allowing these tax credits to expire is a choice. It is a choice of greed. It is a choice of cruelty. It is the wrong choice.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I rise to give notice of my intent to raise a question of the privileges of the House. The form of the resolution is as follows: Censuring Representative Cory Mills. Whereas Representative Cory Mills has on several occasions conducted himself in a manner that reflects discredit upon the House of Representatives; Whereas on February 19, 2025, Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to resolve a private matter at Representative Cory Mills' residence, where officers were called to the 1300 block of Maryland Avenue, Southwest around 1:15 p.m. for the report of an assault; Whereas police reports obtained by NBC4 Washington confirmed that the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department was investigating Representative Cory Mills for an alleged assault of a 27-year old woman that took place on February 19, 2025, at the residence of Representative Cory Mills; Whereas the first police report, provided to NBC4 Washington by a source and confirmed by a second source familiar with the investigation, said that the 27-year-old woman accused her significant other for over a year of having grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out of the door, and also said that the woman involved showed the officer ``bruises on her arm which appeared fresh''; Whereas NBC4 Washington also reported that the Metropolitan Police Department identified Representative Cory Mills as the significant other of the alleged victim of assault--which alleged victim was a 27- year-old woman who was not the wife of Representative Cory Mills--and that the alleged victim ``let officers hear Subject 1 [now identified by MPD as Mills] instruct her to lie about the origin of her bruises . . . Eventually, Subject 1 made contact with police and admitted that the situation escalated from verbal to physical, but it was severe enough to create bruising''; Whereas on February 21, 2025, the Washington post also confirmed two DC police officials said that the alleged victim of assault initially told a 911 operator and police that she had been assaulted and that officers said she also had what seemed to be visible injuries, and that while a supervisor initially classified the offense internally as a family disturbance, police commanders later learned of the incident, reviewed the reports and body camera footage from the responding officers, and reclassified the case as a domestic violence assault; Whereas on February 21, 2025, NBC4 Washington also reported that the Metropolitan Police Department determined that probable cause to arrest Representative Cory Mills for misdemeanor assault existed and sent an arrest warrant for Representative Cory Mills to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia; however, then-Acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin refused to sign the arrest warrant for Representative Cory Mills and instead returned the case to the Metropolitan Police Department for further investigation; Whereas on July 14, 2025, a different former romantic partner of Representative Cory Mills, who was apparently in a relationship with Representative Mills from November 2021 to February 2025, reported to authorities in Florida that Representative Mills threatened to release nude images and other intimate videos of her and threatened to harm her future romantic partners in retaliation for her decision to end a relationship with Representative Mills after seeing the public reports described above concerning the alleged February 2025 physical assault; Whereas on October 14, 2025, the Circuit Court of the Third Judicial Circuit in Columbia County, Florida, issued a Final Judgment of Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence against Representative Cory Mills, based on a finding that his former romantic partner was a victim of dating violence or had reasonable cause to believe she was in imminent danger of becoming a victim of an act of dating violence; Whereas in August 2024, the Office of Congressional Conduct adopted and transmitted to the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives a report indicating that there was substantial reason to believe that Representative Cory Mills may have omitted or misrepresented required information in his financial disclosure statements, accepted excessive contributions to his campaign committee in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have derived from Representative Cory Mills' personal funds, entered into, held, or enjoyed contracts with federal agencies while he was a Member of Congress, and may have accepted through his campaign committee in- kind contributions or other contributions not lawfully made; Whereas individuals who served with Representative Cory Mills have called into question the veracity of the account of events which formed the basis of a recommendation that Representative Cory Mills receive an award of a Bronze Star, bestowed in 2021, for his service under enemy fire in Iraq in 2003; Whereas in August 2024, Representative Cory Mills provided the Daytona Beach News with documents purporting to prove that he earned a Bronze Star with heroism, including a Department of the Army Form 638 recommending Representative Cory Mills for a Bronze Star which includes a signature from then-Army Brigade Commander Arnold N. Gordon-Bray; however, Retired Brigadier General Bray told the Daytona Beach News- Journal in August 2024 that he did not sign a Bronze Star recommendation for Representative Cory Mills; Whereas five people who served with Representative Cory Mills, including two men who were reported as having been personally saved by Representative Cory Mills at great risk to his own life as a basis for the recommendation for his Bronze Star in the Department of the Army Form 638, disputed that Representative Cory Mills was involved in their rescue or provided life-saving care; Whereas one Private First Class cited as having been involved in one of the listed achievements on Representative Cory Mills's Army Form 638 recommending him for a Bronze Star denied that Representative Cory Mills provided him any aid and also denied that his injuries were life threatening; Whereas one Sergeant cited as having been involved in one of the listed achievements on Representative Cory Mills's Army Form 638 recommending him for a Bronze Star called the account a ``fabrication'' and claimed that he ``was not involved in any claims that Cory Mills makes about me''; and Whereas despite the numerous available contradictions of the accounts forming the basis of the recommendation for his Bronze Star, Representative Cory Mills described the legitimate factual disputes raised by individuals he purportedly served with and rescued as ``slander and defamation'' in a statement to the Daytona Beach News Journal: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That-- (1) Representative Cory Mills be censured; (2) Representative Cory Mills forthwith present himself in the well of the House of Representatives for the pronouncement of censure; (3) Representative Cory Mills be censured with the public reading of this resolution by the Speaker; and (4) Representative Cory Mills is hereby removed from the following standing committee of the House of Representatives: the Committee on Armed Services.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, the conscience of the Congress, in strong opposition to this resolution. This resolution is a blatantly partisan, shameless attack. As we sit here today, Donald Trump is still the single person in this country with the authority and the ability to deliver justice to survivors and truth to the American people by just releasing the files. So instead of answering why Donald Trump chooses every single day not to release the Epstein files, they are pointing fingers at this side of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, unlike the President, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett has committed no crime, violated no rule, and broken no promises. There has been no investigation, no due process, no inquiry into whether the Congresswoman had any connection whatsoever to Epstein's despicable and disgusting criminal conduct. This resolution would have us remove a capable and hardworking member of one of the most serious working committees in this body on the basis of a conversation from more than 6 years ago, which broke no rules, broke no laws, and has no connection to any criminal activity. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this partisan resolution, this sham.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for anchoring us in the Congressional Black Caucus' Special Order hour, ``Stories from Home: The human costs of expiring healthcare tax credits.'' Tonight, we have already heard from my colleagues, and we speak for everyday Americans, families, seniors, young adults, and workers who now face the devastating reality that their healthcare premiums are about to double--in some cases, triple and quadruple--when critical tax credits expire at year's end. In New York's Ninth Congressional District, this crisis is not theoretical. It is happening to the single mother in Flatbush, Brooklyn, who finally had been able to afford her son's asthma medication. It is happening to the retired home health aide in Brownsville stretching every dollar just to stay covered. It is happening to the young entrepreneur in Crown Heights who took a chance on starting a business because these credits made health insurance reachable and reliable. For years, these tax credits which were extended during the pandemic have been a stabilizing force for families across Brooklyn, New York. They helped to protect our communities, kept our small businesses afloat, and ensured that our neighbors could see a doctor without sacrificing their rent payments, groceries, or the lifesaving medications that many, many rely on. Yet, because of a prolonged and entirely avoidable Trump-Republican government shutdown and because Republicans refused to negotiate, the expiration of these credits will hit working families the hardest. In a city where the cost of living is already sky high, premium spikes will push many in New York's Ninth District to the brink of losing coverage altogether. House Democrats stood united for more than 40 days to prevent this outcome. We fought to shield families from exactly this kind of financial ruin and healthcare shock. Once again, our Republican colleagues across the aisle chose politics over people, and Brooklyn, New York, like other districts across the Nation, will feel that pain most acutely. Mr. Speaker, tonight, the Congressional Black Caucus has done what it has always done: We center the people. We will bring forward the stories from home, stories from New York's Ninth District and every district represented by the CBC. We will make sure that this Chamber hears their names, sees and feels their struggle, and understands the real-world consequences of inaction, because this is not just a policy. This is about whether families in Brooklyn, New York, can afford their medications; whether seniors can age with dignity; whether our healthcare infrastructure can withstand the shock of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, using the emergency room as primary care; and whether our children can grow up healthy and secure. The CBC is leading the fight for the extension of these critical tax credits and for the health, well-being, and humanity of every person who we represent. Mr. Speaker, I hope that these stories this evening drive it home.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I rise to give notice of my intention to raise a question of the privileges of the House in the form of a resolution, as follows: Whereas, Representative Cory Mills has on several occasions conducted himself in a manner that reflects discredit upon the House of Representatives; Whereas, on February 19, 2025, Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to resolve a private matter at Representative Cory Mills' residence, where officers were called to the 1300 block of Maryland Avenue, Southwest, around 1:15 p.m. for the report of an assault; Whereas, police reports obtained by NBC4 Washington confirmed that the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department was investigating Representative Cory Mills for an alleged assault of a 27-year-old woman that took place on February 19, 2025, at the residence of Representative Cory Mills; Whereas, the first police report provided to NBC4 Washington by a source and confirmed by a second source familiar with the investigation said that the 27-year-old woman accused her significant other for over a year of having grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out of the door, and also said that the woman involved showed the officer ``bruises on her arm which appeared fresh''; Whereas, NBC4 Washington also reported that the Metropolitan Police Department identified Representative Cory Mills as the significant other of the alleged victim of assault, which alleged victim was a 27- year-old woman who was not the wife of Representative Cory Mills, and that the alleged victim ``let officers hear Subject 1, [now identified by MPD as Mills] instruct her to lie about the origin of her bruises. . . . Eventually, Subject 1 made contact with police and admitted that the situation escalated from verbal to physical, but it was severe enough to create bruising''; Whereas, on February 21, 2025, The Washington Post also confirmed two D.C. police officials said that the alleged victim of assault initially told a 911 operator and police that she had been assaulted and that officers said she also had what seemed to be visible injuries, and that while a supervisor initially classified the offense internally as a family disturbance, police commanders later learned of the incident, reviewed the reports and body-cam footage from the responding officers, and reclassified the case as a domestic violence assault; Whereas, on February 21, 2025, NBC4 Washington also reported that the Metropolitan Police Department determined that probable cause to arrest Representative Cory Mills for misdemeanor assault existed and sent an arrest warrant for Representative Cory Mills to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. However, then-acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin refused to sign the arrest warrant for Representative Cory Mills and instead returned the case to the Metropolitan Police Department for further investigation; Whereas, on July 14, 2025, a different former romantic partner of Representative Cory Mills, who was apparently in a relationship with Representative Mills from November 2021 to February of 2025, reported to authorities in Florida that Representative Mills threatened to release nude images and other intimate videos of her and threatened to harm her future romantic partners in retaliation for her decision to end the relationship with Representative Mills after seeing the public records described above concerning the alleged February 2025 physical assault; Whereas, in August 2024, the Office of Congressional Conduct adopted and transmitted to the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives a report indicating that there was substantial reason to believe that Representative Cory Mills may have omitted or misrepresented required information in his financial disclosure statements, accepted excessive contributions to his campaign committee in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have derived from Representative Cory Mills' personal funds, entered into, held, or enjoyed contracts with Federal agencies while he was a Member of Congress, and may have accepted through his campaign committee in- kind contributions or other contributions not lawfully made; Whereas, individuals who served with Representative Cory Mills have called into question the veracity of the accounts of events which formed the basis of a recommendation that Representative Cory Mills receive an award of a Bronze Star, bestowed in 2021, for his service under enemy fire in Iraq in 2003; Whereas, in August 2024, Representative Cory Mills provided the Daytona Beach News with documents purporting to prove that he earned a Bronze Star with heroism, including a Department of Army Form 638 recommending Representative Cory Mills for a Bronze Star which includes a signature from then-Army Brigade Commander Arnold N. Gordon-Bray; however, retired Brigadier General Bray told the Daytona Beach News- Journal in August 2024 that he did not sign a Bronze Star recommendation for Representative Cory Mills; Whereas, five people who served with Representative Cory Mills, including two men who were reported as having been personally saved by Representative Cory Mills at great risk to his own life as a basis for the recommendation for his Bronze Star in the Department of the Army Form 638, disputed that Representative Cory Mills was involved in their rescue or providing lifesaving care; Whereas, one private first class cited as having been involved in one of the listed achievements on Representative Cory Mills' Army Form 638 recommending him for a Bronze Star denied that Representative Cory Mills provided him any aid and also denied his injuries were life- threatening; Whereas, one sergeant cited as having been involved in one of the listed achievements on Representative Cory Mills' Army Form 638 recommending him for a Bronze Star called the account a ``fabrication'' and claimed that he ``was not involved in any claims that Cory Mills makes about me''; and Whereas, despite the numerous available contradictions of the accounts forming the basis of the recommendation for his Bronze Star, Representative Cory Mills described the legitimate factual disputes raised by individuals he purportedly served with and rescued as ``slander and defamation'' in a statement to the Daytona Beach News- Journal: Now, therefore, be it resolved, that-- One, Representative Cory Mills be censured; Two, Representative Cory Mills forthwith present himself in the well of the House of Representatives for the pronouncement of censure; and Three, Representative Cory Mills be censured with the public reading of this resolution by the Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of the privileges of the House and offer the resolution that was previously noticed.

Ms. CLARKE of New York

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge support for a crackdown on vision benefit managers, or VBMs, and their exploitative industry that exists only to profit from the eyeglass frames and lenses they make, the labs they own and operate, and the patient data gathering and mass retail operations built around them. VBMs not only undermine healthcare access and quality, but threaten the existence of independent eye care practices nationwide. VBM contracting abuses are already rampant, and their control over the independent eye care practice is only growing. We cannot turn a blind eye, pun intended, to the serious conflict of interest concerns when a plan becomes both a healthcare provider and payer. We cannot ignore the consequences of this unacceptable status quo, which has arbitrarily limited treatment options to those which are profitable for the VBM instead of effective for the patient.