Katherine Clark

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I recently had the privilege of joining the Union of Concerned Scientists and more than 300 of my constituents for a town hall to discuss the Trump administration's continued, devastating attacks on science. The event--``What's at Stake, What's Possible: A Massachusetts Science Town Hall''--featured distinguished professors from Boston University, a Ph.D. candidate at MIT, and a local small business owner. Each spoke movingly about the damage inflicted by this administration's irrational, indefensible decision to cut research funding, politicize federal grantmaking, and destroy the institutions responsible for driving American innovation. The takeaway was clear: The cost of this war on science is nothing less than our global competitiveness, our environment, our health, and ultimately our lives. We must act now to restore scientific integrity and protect our scientists from the personal, destructive whims of politicians.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, we have been at war with Iran for 2\1/2\ months. What do we have to show for it? There is no victory. There is no strategy. We still don't have an objective. In fact, the President keeps saying this war is over, but we have 50,000 troops deployed to the region. The strait is still closed. Shipping is still blockaded, and negotiations that should be about making sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon are completely stalled out. Meanwhile, every single day, working Americans are paying the price. Gas prices have spiked. They have skyrocketed through the roof. Utility bills are going up. Because of increased shipping costs, we are seeing further increases in the price of food, clothes, toys, car parts, everything that you can imagine a family needs. There is still no end in sight, and there won't be an end in sight unless Republicans decide to work for the American people and do their job. The single fastest way to bring down costs is to end this war. Once again, Republicans are going to have an opportunity to do just that. Once again, they have a chance to bring our servicemembers home and end this chaos. Once again, they have a chance to side with working families and our troops. The American people deserve better than they are getting from the GOP. Vote ``yes.'' Show the American people you are on their side.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, 6 weeks ago, Democrats brought a War Powers Resolution to this House floor. We called on Republicans to join us and bring this conflict to an end. They refused. Mike Johnson declared with pride that Donald Trump's mission is nearly accomplished. Well, 6 weeks later, what are Americans seeing? We are seeing gas prices out of control, grocery prices going up, and a fertilizer shortage that is threatening to drive prices even higher. Americans are seeing hundreds of casualties in a war that no one has given them the respect to explain. However, one thing is clear: Americans are being asked to foot the bill with the lives of their sons and daughters. With the $2 billion a day that we are spending on this conflict, that could be going to help Americans afford to go see a doctor, help feed our seniors and hungry veterans, help drive down prices and help Americans who are working hard and not making it be able to afford the rising cost of gas and housing and groceries that are being driven ever higher by this conflict. Before this war, we were in a position of strength. Iran was weakened. The Strait of Hormuz was in no danger of being closed. However, now, Donald Trump and his enablers have marched us into a position of far more weakness. Our goal now of this conflict is to return to the status quo before this conflict, but who is paying the price? Who is paying the price for this? It is the American people. Don't take my word for it. President Donald Trump told us because of this war: It is not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare. Imagine that. That is an American working family last doctrine. Mr. Speaker, today, Republicans have a choice. Are you going to continue to enable him and his madness, or are you going to prioritize Americans, the working families of this country, and vote ``yes'' for this resolution?

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, yesterday Speaker Mike Johnson said that November will be a choice between common sense and crazy, and today he has proven himself right. This is a battle between common sense and crazy. On the one side, we have a bipartisan bill to reopen TSA, reopen the Coast Guard while we are at war, reopen FEMA ahead of hurricane season, reopen our cybersecurity agency before the FBI gets hacked again, and reopen all the agencies that actually keep people safe. That is common sense. That is what Democrats are advocating for. Crazy is wanting to keep all that shut down, all of it, so that masked ICE agents can keep kicking down doors without warrants, so they can keep committing acts of terror in our communities. House Republicans have the easiest possible path to put people first. Vote for a bill that every Senate Republican voted for this morning. All they had to do was get out of the way, and they couldn't even bring themselves to do it. This is a battle between common sense and crazy, and the American people know which side the Republicans are on, and it is not the side of the people of this country.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for all her work and for yielding. Madam Speaker, the Republican TSA shutdown has dragged on now for over a month. Officers haven't been paid in weeks. Hundreds have walked off the job because they simply can't afford to work for no pay. Travelers are stuck waiting in lines that have soared up to 9 hours because Republicans have decided to use airport security as a political weapon. If they cared about what we are seeing in airports across the country, if they really cared about the chaos they have caused, they would end this today. House Democrats have a bill to get TSA funded, to get these officers paid, and to get passengers where they need to go safely. We have tried repeatedly to bring it to the floor, and every time Republicans have stood in the way. If any one of them are feeling a bit of regret, they could help us force a vote. We have a discharge petition right there on the dais. Not one Republican has signed it. Why the obstruction? Why refuse to solve an agonizingly solvable problem? Well, Donald Trump said it himself. He will not support a single dollar for the TSA. He will not allow airports to get back to normal unless we make it harder to vote and harder to register to vote, unless we drown voters in red tape and ban mail-in voting, except for the President. That is what this has come down to. Our national security is being compromised. Airports are in chaos. Officers and travelers are the ones paying the price because Donald Trump views them as nothing more than collateral damage in his attempt to rig the midterm elections. If there is any Republican across the aisle who is ready to choose their constituents and the working people of this country over Trump, if anyone in the GOP is starting to realize this is spinning out of control, join us. Let's end this insanity. Let's pay TSA workers, and we can have an ICE operation that works like every other police department across the country. Madam Speaker, let's do it today. Put the safety and security of the American people first.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute the extraordinary public service of my Policy Director, Robin Juliano, as she completes her latest tour of duty on Capitol Hill. I know I am joined by both Members and staff, across the House and Senate, in my immense gratitude for this incomparable maestro of the legislative process--who has spent her career mobilizing the powers of this institution to deliver for American families. I am in awe of Robin's talent and intellect, her generosity and kindness, and her unshakable belief in our capacity to build a more perfect union for our children. That belief fueled a journey that has taken her to the White House and both chambers of Congress: getting her start with the legendary Barbara Mikulski; waging appropriations fights alongside Tom Harkin, Nita Lowey, and Rosa DeLauro; and advising the President of the United States on his National Economic Council. Robin's leadership on Team Clark has left a lasting impact and legacy of service. Robin is so beloved throughout this institution, and we will miss her dearly. On behalf of everyone here in the People's House, I offer my deepest thanks and best wishes to Robin, Ben, Oliver, and Elise.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) for yielding. Donald Trump has taken America to war without authorization, without explanation, and without a strategy or an exit plan. Six brave servicemembers have already given the ultimate sacrifice. Others have been wounded, and Americans are stranded across the region. What do we hear from our Commander in Chief? He shrugs and says, ``That is the way it is'' and how about that ballroom? The American people do not want their sons and daughters shipped to another war in the Middle East when they don't even know what the mission is. They want a country where their children can do better and reach higher than their parents did, where they don't just survive but can actually get ahead and where a doctor's appointment is not a luxury. What are they getting instead? Republicans have been raiding their healthcare, their Social Security, and their veterans benefits, all to enrich the billionaire class. Illegal tariffs are jacking up prices. Secret police are murdering Americans in the streets. A corrupt DOJ is covering for pedophiles while denying their victims justice. Today, you can stand with Americans who are entitled to know what the objective of this war is and what the cost will be. They deserve to know the sacrifice will not fall just on working and military families but will be shared by the wealthy and powerful. Today, you can join us in telling the President that the Constitution is not just a suggestion; that our country belongs to its people, to the American people; that the power to declare war belongs to the people's Representatives; and that 250 years later, whatever Donald Trump may think, America still has no kings.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, let's be clear here. Republicans aren't worried about noncitizens voting. They are afraid of actual American citizens voting. Why? It is because they are losing. Among women they are losing by 10 points in the upcoming midterms because losing is what happens when my colleagues tell people they are going to tackle the high cost of living, and they turn around and hike their healthcare premiums. They hike grocery costs. Also, billionaires can weasel out of paying their fair share. They are trying to say this is a voter ID bill. That is not what is happening here. Let's just look at a typical mom. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle must know some working mothers. The ones I hear from across my district and across this country are struggling to put food on the table for their kids. They work two jobs to try and make ends meet. They are trying to juggle getting their kids to school and maybe catch an occasional game. They fear they will never find childcare they can afford. They pray nobody in the family gets sick because they can't afford a doctor either. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are going to say to those women that because they got married and changed their names, they have to go down to a clerk and prove that they are citizens, sign affidavits, and do this in person. This is a minefield of red tape that the majority has put in front of women and American citizens and their right to vote. Thanks to the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. Mace), the so- called champion of women and safe places, this bill will now go into effect immediately, which means that primaries that are weeks from now, all of these people are going to be met with the fact that they didn't have time or know that they had to prove their citizenship. Good luck voting, ladies. As a kicker, the bill mandates that every State turn over their voter rolls to DHS and Kristi Noem. Mr. Speaker, this bill is an outrage. This is election rigging. This is voter suppression. The American people aren't going to stand for it, and nobody should vote for it.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, today is not about ICE funding. Republicans already gave ICE $75 billion. Today is about the fact that we have a masked paramilitary force terrorizing our communities. Republicans had the opportunity in this bill to enact commonsense checks on ICE operations. They refused. First, they refused to ensure ICE abides by the same laws and procedures as our local and State police: that they are unmasked when on duty, that they actually wear the body cameras, that they wear a name plate identifying who they are, and that they are held responsible for excessive force. Second, the GOP refused to join us in upholding the Constitution. Not only are these arrests warrantless, but ICE has also now determined they have the right to search your home without a judicial warrant. That is illegal, and it is unconstitutional. Third, they refused to make sure that the use of deadly force is always thoroughly investigated. When Renee Good was shot to death, Kristi Noem declared her a domestic terrorist within hours. The only investigation Noem was interested in was an investigation into Renee Good's widow. That is not justice. That is not security for the American people. Fourth, Republicans refused to agree to the simple concept that American citizens should not be detained and deported. The people going about their business should not be kidnapped because of the color of their skin or because they are engaging in peaceful protests. Finally, Republicans refused to prioritize the very real work that DHS does in our communities: stopping fentanyl trafficking, stopping child trafficking, and stopping cartels. DHS is taking those investigators off those cases and putting them on ICE raids. It is at the expense of our national security. When the GOP can't even agree to commonsense guardrails, it is clear this isn't about immigration. This isn't about security. This is about state-sanctioned terror. This is about the political retribution of a vengeful President. I will not rubberstamp the Federal Government's use of political violence against its own people, and I am asking every Member to join me in voting ``no.''

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bid farewell to my floor director, the incomparable Ray Salazar. If you have had the privilege of serving in this Chamber, you know what a gem, what a patriot, and what an indispensable pillar of this institution Ray is. You also know what a reliable friend and adviser he is, and you know what a loss his departure will be for the House of Representatives. From his time with Leader Hoyer to his years on my team, every time he stepped onto this floor he has strengthened our institution, always leading with values and integrity, bringing a steady hand to his work along with his encyclopedic knowledge of parliamentary procedure. I thank Ray for his 13 years of extraordinary service. He is the model of what it means to be a public servant, waking up every day to work for the American people. We wish him all the best in his next chapter.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the Commonwealth for yielding. Mr. Speaker, today, thanks to the persistence of the American people, because millions of constituents have called their Members of Congress, shown up at townhalls, shown up and marched in the streets, because of parents who spoke out for their kids, for doctors who spoke out for their patients, neighbors who mobilized together, today, Congress has a chance to vote for Americans' healthcare. Today, thanks to the strength and unity of our Democratic Caucus, the House will vote to restore the ACA tax credits, and I will vote to restore the affordable marketplace plans that working people depend on to stay healthy, to live, to survive. Today, I will vote to prioritize the lives of regular people over the greed of billionaires and start bringing the Republican healthcare crisis to an end. This vote won't solve every problem the GOP has created. We still have to reverse their cuts to Medicaid and Medicare. We still have to stop the closure of rural hospitals and deal with the maternity health crisis and work together--yes, work together--to create a healthcare system that is affordable and accessible to everyone. Today, we can begin. Today, the people's House has a chance to stand with and for the people. I hope we have a strong bipartisan majority for this vote and that the Senate will immediately do the same.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Republican Party is, what are you doing? What are you doing? Why won't you use your immense powers as the majority to help the American people? The bill before us does nothing for the 15 million Americans who are about to lose their health insurance, the 1 million children who are about to become uninsured, the hundreds of hospitals that are closing or on the verge of closing, or the 24 million people who are staring down premiums they simply cannot afford. It does nothing to solve a crisis that the Republicans have inflicted on the American people, but, but, but, in typical fashion, here is what it does do. It does promote the GOP dream of a nationwide abortion ban. You found time for that, but today is the day to stop these tax credits from expiring. You called us back in July from recess to make sure that we voted on tax cuts, to make them permanent for the very richest Americans, but now that we have a bipartisan discharge petition ready to vote on today, you can't find the time to do it. We are ready to vote, Mr. Speaker. You have the power to bring that to the floor today. Let the will of the people be the will of the people's House. Let's stop the premium hikes, extend the ACA tax credits, and get back to building a healthcare system that is worthy of the American people.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, we have finally taken a vote that recognizes the need for the survivors and victims of Jeffrey Epstein to have justice and transparency. Not minutes later, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman) is filing yet another partisan resolution. I ask all of my colleagues to support this motion to refer this to the Ethics Committee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and move the previous question on the motion. The previous question was ordered.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, this should be an easy vote. This is about justice for the victims and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. This is about every victim of trafficking and sexual abuse, monstrous crimes that thrive in secrecy and fear. Yet, instead of shining a light on that darkness, just moments ago, Donald Trump defended the continued obstruction of releasing these files. Even as House Republicans prepared to vote ``yes'' today, Speaker Johnson is calling this a show vote. He is calling it dangerous. He is signaling the U.S. Senate to block it. Republicans continue to use their power to shield rich pedophiles from justice. If you can't stand up for these survivors, how can anyone trust you to stand up for them?

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with pride, gratitude, and some bittersweet news. After nearly 8 years on Team Clark, Kathryn Alexander, my communications director and senior adviser, is moving on to her next project and her next chapter. Kathryn, affectionately known as ``KA'' to all of us, brings her incredible style, good humor, patriotism, compassion, and wicked-smart strategy to all she does. It has been a privilege to have her in the trenches with me, from late-night press conferences to early-morning interviews. It will always be my distinct honor to call her my friend. I thank KA. She is extraordinary. May this next chapter bring her, Mike, Nolan, and baby Jude all of the happiness and all of the bliss that they deserve.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump said the cost- of-living crisis is fake news, ``a con job by the Democrats.'' Mr. Speaker, 60 percent of Americans can't afford a basic quality of life, 45 percent have had to skip a doctor's appointment or a prescription because they can't afford it, and 41 percent are living with medical debt. The American people are simply not making it. Not only is that crisis real, it is a crisis that Republicans promised to solve. Voters believed them. Now, after a 54-day hiatus, what are Republicans doing? They are voting to raise the cost of living. They are voting to make it even harder to get by, not by some marginal amount. They are doubling, tripling, and quadrupling monthly premiums. What is their defense? They are looking people in the eye and flat- out gaslighting them: Costs aren't up; costs are down. Trump says: ``I don't want to hear about the affordability.'' Well, get used to hearing about it. You are going to hear about it a lot because people are feeling it every single day. People can't make rent. They can't afford their prescriptions. They can't afford to take their kid to a doctor. They can't find childcare. When they find it, they can't afford that, either. Grocery and utility bills are spiking. This is the crisis of our time, and it is about to get exponentially worse because of the GOP's craven allegiance to billionaires over working people. The cost-of-living crisis is not fake news. It is not a perception issue. It is daily life for the people that we all represent. Let's do something about it. Let's reject this budget. Let's stop the healthcare cuts. Let's stop the premium hikes. Let's stop the hospital closures, and let's stop the billionaire giveaways.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bid farewell to my senior floor adviser and alumna of Teams Jayapal, McBath, and Pelosi, the one and only, the incomparable, Allison Blankenship. The last few years have been some of the most unpredictable in the history of this Chamber, and throughout all of it, Allison has been a constant and joyful guiding light. From the longest speech in House history to the longest vote, Allison has skillfully navigated the unprecedented. She has powered through all-nighters with a smile, with pride, and always with helpful information, because above all, she is driven by a love of country, a love of justice, and a love of this institution and its people. We thank Allison for her hard work, and we wish her all the best on her next chapter. We will not forget Allison, and we hope she will not forget us.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. I have a motion at the desk, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to warmly welcome the spiritual head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, His All- Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, to Washington, D.C. The longest-serving Archbishop of Constantinople in the history of Christianity, the Ecumenical Patriarch will arrive in the United States this month to receive the distinguished Templeton Prize. This prestigious award will be presented in recognition of his ``pioneering efforts to bridge scientific and spiritual understandings of humanity's relationship with the natural world, bringing together people of different faiths to heed a call for stewardship of creation.'' Guiding the world's 300 million Eastern Orthodox Christians since his election in 1991, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been a powerful voice for our common responsibilities to one another--our shared obligation to defend the freedom, dignity, and wellbeing of our neighbors and of future generations. I am especially grateful for the impact his leadership has had on Orthodox Christians across the United States, particularly the more than 600 families at St. Demetrios Church in Weston, Massachusetts. For decades, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has had the deepest respect of the American people and of this institution--an abiding admiration reflected in Congress' decision to award him the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997. Today, the Ecumenical Patriarch continues to bring together people of all faiths in the pursuit of peace, mutual respect, and a future more worthy of our children. I join my colleagues in commending his invaluable work, and I proudly join my Orthodox constituents in welcoming him back to the United States.