Katherine Clark

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Clerk, I rise to nominate Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House. Madam Clerk, 212, 212, 212, 212, 212, 212, and, today, 212--212 House Democrats stand united behind our leader because Hakeem Jeffries stands united for the American people. The historic dysfunction that we are seeing, this intraparty fight that the American people have been drawn into, is imperiling our national security. It will imperil the ability of this government to deliver basic services. It is imperiling our jobs and our responsibility to serve our constituents, but it is also entirely predictable. They are failing to convene Congress today, but for years, they have failed to deliver the votes for the American people. When schools and small businesses needed to reopen, and the American people wanted vaccines, they said no. When we capped insulin costs for seniors at $35 a month, they said no. When we lowered healthcare costs and premiums for working families, they said no. When we defended the civil rights of LGBTQ+ Americans, they said no. When we protected lives from senseless gun violence, especially in the wake of the horrors of Buffalo and Uvalde, they said no. When we stood up for women and reproductive freedom, they said no. When we brought manufacturing back to America, they said no. When we answered the urgent call to protect our planet and invest in clean energy and create tens of millions of good-paying jobs, they said no. When we said women deserve equal pay for equal work, they said no. When we said that childcare and paid family leave should be available to every worker in this country, to every family, they said no. When we secured the fundamental right to vote for every single American, they said no. When we stood by our veterans and expanded their access to healthcare, they said no. When we defended our democracy 2 years ago tomorrow from a tyrannical President following the January 6 insurrection, they said no. House Democrats will stand together. We will stand for the American people. It is our job and our responsibility to elect a Speaker who stands with them, and with great pride, I nominate Hakeem Jeffries.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chair, recently, hospital staff and healthcare providers in my district shared with me that their emergency rooms are filled with children and teens struggling with their mental health. We know rates of youth anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation have skyrocketed across the country. While this was a problem before COVID, the pandemic has made it so much worse. This is a national emergency, specifically in our schools. Last year, 75 percent of public schools reported increased concerns around students showing trauma symptoms. Yet, only half of those schools felt they had the resources to be able to address students' mental health needs. Our children need help, and our parents need a place to turn. The Mental Health Matters Act includes legislation to address the critical and unmet needs for school-based mental health providers. My legislation establishes a 5-year grant program to recruit and retain counselors in public schools, ensuring that whether you are in Head Start or high school, kids have the mental health care support they need to be healthy and thrive. Mr. Chair, a ``yes'' vote today for this act is a vote for a healthy future for all.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, January 6 is one of the darkest days in American history. We now know in great detail how the former President and his cronies were attempting to use the electoral certification process to undermine our democracy to take away the people's vote. They tried to delegitimize a free and fair election with their lies, subvert the results certified and sent by the States, and pressure a Vice President into rejecting his constitutional responsibilities, all of which erupted in violence, hate, and bloodshed right here in our Capitol. We walked through the blood and broken glass right outside of this Chamber to cast our votes to uphold our democracy. Today, we must vote for the Electoral Count Act to ensure that the rule of law and the will of the people will always prevail in this Chamber and in this country.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this is exactly what the American people need. It lowers costs, it creates great-paying jobs, and it makes our communities safer by addressing the lethal effects of climate change. Seniors won't have to choose between putting food on the table and paying for their prescription drugs; More families are going to be able to afford healthcare; Homes and cars will be more affordable and efficient; U.S. companies will be able to create great-paying jobs and lead the clean technology revolution; Billionaires and corporations will finally have to pay their fair share while working people will have more money in their pockets; Costs will be lower, water will be cleaner, green jobs will be plentiful, and our future will be brighter. In every way, this game-changing bill moves America forward. Democrats are lowering costs for everyday Americans. We are standing up to special interests who have blocked cutting the cost of prescription drugs over and over again and America's critical transition to clean energy. We are rebuilding a stronger, greener economy. We are infusing the tax system with fairness. This is a win for the American public. This is a win for people over politics.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, today we vote to protect the right to obtain and use birth control, a choice that should be yours and yours alone. As a reminder, the year is 2022, not 1922, not 1822. It is well established. Birth control is central to a person's ability to plan their future, to care for their families, get an education, have a career. But the extremist Republican Party is determined to take us back in time and take away our freedoms. Politicians have no business in your bedroom or your doctor's office. They are coming for birth control. They are coming for IVF. We have seen the plans. We have seen the legislation. House Democrats are taking a stand. We will defend our rights and defeat the Republicans' assault on freedom.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, overturning Roe overturned our freedom. The freedom to make our own healthcare decisions is fundamental to our humanity and our dignity. It is about the right to control our own lives. It is about the mother of three who simply can't afford to care for another child. It is about a young rape victim who shouldn't be mandated to carry her attacker's pregnancy to term. It is about the mom who desperately wants a baby but has a miscarriage and needs abortion care to prevent a potentially lethal infection. Government-mandated pregnancy, that is our new reality. This week, House Democrats will protect access to abortion and secure the right to reproductive care. We will fight against the Republican's scorched earth campaign against freedom for women, freedom to practice our faith, and freedom to make decisions for our families. We will fight to let every person control their bodies, their choices, and their futures.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, today in our country 321 people will be shot, and 111 of them will die from those gunshots. Twenty-two of the people who are shot every day in this country are kids, just like the 19 fourth graders sitting in their classroom while they were massacred in Uvalde. So I ask my colleagues: How many more? How many more innocent people need to die? How many more elders will be murdered at a grocery store or in their houses of worship? How many more children, slaughtered in their classroom, will be enough to do something to save lives? We are considering the most basic measures to keep people safe from gun violence and to keep families from having to I.D. their children by DNA after their bodies were destroyed by a weapon of war. Raising the age to 21 to buy assault rifles, safe gun storage, and cracking down on gun trafficking are obvious solutions. Vote ``yes'' to protect families. Vote ``yes'' to save our children.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Massachusetts State Lottery as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Since selling its first ticket on March 22, 1972, the Mass Lottery has generated over $137 billion in revenues, returning over $29 billion in net profit to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These funds have been distributed to all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts as unrestricted local aid, supporting a wide range of initiatives, including public safety, snow removal, road improvements, school staffing and services, programs for seniors, and parks and recreation projects. The Mass Lottery has awarded over $96 billion in prizes to its loyal customers. Prize winners have been able to put their winnings toward the purchase of homes, sending their kids to college, opening their own businesses, covering medical expenses and making donations to charitable organizations. The Mass Lottery has been a valuable source of additional income for thousands of businesses across the state, and collectively the Mass Lottery's retail partners have earned over $7.8 billion in commissions and bonuses over the last fifty years. Under the guidance of the Mass Lottery, Charitable Gaming events have given non-profit organizations in Massachusetts opportunities to raise money to support their causes while providing social entertainment in their communities. Over the last five decades, Mass Lottery employees have worked diligently to build the Mass Lottery into one of the most successful lotteries in the world. In turn, the Mass Lottery has been a valuable employer in the state, offering a wide range of career opportunities with pathways for advancement within the organization. The Mass Lottery will be commemorating ``50 Years of Winning'' throughout 2022 by showing its appreciation for the customers, retailers, communities and employees who are a part of its amazing success story. Madam Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize the Massachusetts State Lottery as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking Chairwoman Johnson for all of her leadership and her diligence in bringing the America COMPETES Act to the floor. Once again, Democrats are answering the economic challenges we face with real solutions. What we didn't hear in the last 20 minutes or so was anything about how this act is going to strengthen our supply chain, it is going to create American jobs, and it is going to bring families lower costs and fully stocked shelves. It will improve our national security and global competitiveness by reducing our reliance on semiconductor production abroad and supporting innovation and research right here at home. What is more, this act not only creates great jobs but invests in our STEM workforce, helping it to better represent the diversity of our Nation and create better outcomes for everyone. With this bill, Americans will feel the benefits of our work in Washington at the gas pump, the car dealership, and the grocery store. I am proud to vote ``yes'' for this act that will turbocharge our economy and national security.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, the January 6 insurrection may have been quelled, but the assault on our democracy is alive. Across 19 States, Republican legislatures have enacted 33 voter suppression laws. Here in Congress, we have witnessed unanimous Republican obstruction against commonsense, prodemocracy voter protections: early voting, vote by mail, election day as a Federal holiday. When did protecting the right to vote become partisan? When it became about the powerful and not the people. We can't sit on the sidelines while the most precious, sacred tool in our democracy is eroded. The question before us is simple and yet profound: Are you for the continuation of our democracy or are you not?

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, for almost 50 years, the law has recognized that the decision of whether to have or not have an abortion is protected by the Constitution. Yet, in the last decade, State lawmakers have pushed through nearly 500 restrictive laws that make abortion difficult and sometimes impossible to access. This fight has reached a breaking point. The Mississippi law being challenged at the Supreme Court today would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability. Anti- abortion policies are about power and control, control over our bodies and control over our families. We won't stand for it. We will defend our rights and freedom to access safe and legal abortion. Keep your bans off our bodies. Keep out of our doctors' offices and family decisions. Keep our constitutional rights in place.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Neal for his incredible work in putting together this bill and all his leadership and friendship. And today, we have the build back better agenda before us that was built on conversations that President Biden had with the American people so we can meet this time of historic challenge for them with historic progress. The Build Back Better Act lowers costs and taxes for working families, creates jobs, and puts us on a path towards sustainability. We will provide 26 million children with access to affordable, quality childcare and universal pre-K. This will let families, and especially women in this country, get back to work and give all of our kids a great start. We will build one million units of affordable housing, cut prescription drug costs and cap insulin costs, expand healthcare coverage, extend the historic child tax cut, and invest directly in climate resiliency and clean energy. We declare with this bill that care is economic infrastructure and send a message to families and providers both that help is on the way. And all of this is done with a through line of equity. This is what is possible when we put families front and center here in Washington. Mr. Speaker, so today, we build back better.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, it started with a white supremacist online fringe movement, and it turned into a deadly January 6 insurrection. Now I stand before you because a Member of this body has once again had her life threatened, but this time by a colleague who posted a video of killing her on his official account. Think about that. It is no coincidence that the recipients of this violence are most often women and women of color because this violence is directly connected to sexism and racism. We cannot and must not accept this behavior. Silence and excuses are condoning it. And the excuses we have heard today--this is okay because it is a highly stylized killing; it is a cartoon; it was some sort of youth outreach--are grotesque. Enough is enough. Vote for this resolution. Vote for censure. Vote for decency.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, it is the Constitution that says women have the right to make their own decisions regarding their bodies. It is the Constitution that gives people the right to make a decision about abortion with their families, their doctor, and in accordance with their faith. But for over 50 years this right has been under attack. And today we say there is no room in that decision for politicians, there is no room for bounty hunters. This decision resides with people, with women. Today, we will pass the Women's Health Protection Act, and we will say clearly: This right is now enshrined in law, and we are not going back.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the appropriations package we will pass this week because this document respects the dignity and humanity of women in this country and around the world. For the first time in over 40 years, the Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill without the Hyde amendment. For decades, the Hyde amendment has prevented women of color and low-income people from receiving basic healthcare. Hyde forces one in four women under Medicaid to carry a pregnancy to term. Twenty percent of the women in this country rely on Medicaid, including half of all American people living below the Federal poverty line, and millions of women of color. Yet, they are denied their constitutional right to healthcare, including an abortion. This is discrimination. The legal right to an abortion is meaningless if you are unable to afford one. Abortion is healthcare. The legal right to an abortion is based on access, and that should not be denied based on your income or insurance coverage. Budgets are documents that represent our values, and that is why I am so proud to put forward a spending package that rejects Hyde, and also provides a directive to the VA to implement a comprehensive sexual assault and harassment policy, $1.2 billion for maternal and child health, a repeal of the restrictive Helms amendment and global and domestic gag rules, and so much more. This is a good day for women here and around the globe. I thank Chair DeLauro and I thank the millions of activists who fought to make this moment a reality. We will continue our march for equity shoulder to shoulder with you.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, 19 years ago, this body passed the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force based on lies and misinformation about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. This authorization has entangled us in a decades-long war, costing billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives. Millions of young people in this country, including my three children, have never known an America that wasn't at war. This repeal is long overdue and absolutely vital to protecting the integrity of our system of checks and balances and the security of our Nation and servicemembers. Today we stand up for Congress' constitutional war powers and the right to say ``no'' to conflicts abroad and ``yes'' to peace. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a deadly public health emergency, an economic crisis, and a disturbing rise in anti-Asian hate. Unfortunately, discrimination against the AAPI community is not new. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the internment of Japanese Americans, the U.S. has a long history of discrimination towards AAPI immigrants and their descendants. This new wave of xenophobia has led to fear, threats, and outright violence. Madam Speaker, by passing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act today, we are standing up for our neighbors and against discrimination. We take this vote during AAPI Heritage Month, a time to acknowledge incredible contributions of this community and also the interconnection of the American story and our mutual security. I am proud to represent a large and vibrant AAPI community in my district, and I have seen that community come together over the last year and joined to help their neighbors and demand justice for all. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this bill today. It is critical and long overdue.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, in December, American women lost 156,000 jobs, accounting for 100 percent of jobs lost; and since the start of this pandemic, nearly 3 million women have been pushed out of the workforce. Women have borne the brunt of the economic crisis brought on by this pandemic, and gender pay inequality is at the root of the problem. More than five decades after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women still only make 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, and that gap is even wider for women of color. By passing the Paycheck Fairness Act today, we are correcting this injustice and ensuring that all people receive equal pay for equal work. Let's be clear: this isn't a women's issue. Pay inequity hurts children, families, and our entire economy. It is fundamental to our recovery and our ability to not just rebuild to status quo, but to rebuild a just and inclusive America for all.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sandra Fenwick's achievements as the Chief Executive Officer of Boston Children's Hospital. Ms. Fenwick, known to most as Sandi, has served as CEO of Boston Children's since 2013 and for fourteen years prior, served as the hospital's Chief Operating Officer. Sandi has led the hospital's efforts to control costs and adapt to a changing health care environment. As CEO, she leads a team of 20,000 people dedicated to improving and advancing child health through the delivery of high quality clinical care, advancing groundbreaking biomedical research, providing medical education to the next generation of pediatric providers and investments in the community. Boston Children's is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate for Harvard Medical School and the largest pediatric training program in the nation. The hospital is the largest pediatric research entity in the world. Each year, they care for children from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, seeing more pediatric patients with rare diseases and complex conditions than any other hospital in the world. Boston Children's has been ranked the No. 1 children's hospital by U.S. News and World report every single year since Sandi has been the CEO. As a Member of Congress who represents children and families in the Boston area, and as a parent myself, I am deeply grateful to have an institution like Boston Children's in my home state. It is the leadership, provided over the years by Sandi Fenwick and the fantastic team that she has cultivated, that has led this institution to thrive and become one of the greatest resources for children in our local communities and around the world. My work with Sandi goes back many years to my time at the Massachusetts State House and more recently, here in Congress. In the face of growing threats to our children's health and well-being, there is no better advocate for them than Sandi Fenwick. She has walked with patients and families through the State House and the halls of Congress, to help tell their stories and she has worked passionately behind the scenes to ensure investments in their care every day for years. Her voice for children reaches beyond the walls of the hospital and indeed, beyond Boston--in particular through her service as the Chair of the Public Policy Committee of the Children's Hospital Association. Sandi had planned to announce her retirement a year ago and chose to remain at the helm of the hospital to see them through the most intense part of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know what challenges that hospitals have faced in the past year. Under Sandi's leadership, Boston Children's has been a constant presence for our children and this month, she leaves the institution poised and ready to work on the challenges of the future. I applaud her achievements and want to wish her well in her retirement and all future endeavors.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. As the rates of COVID-19 spiked across the country, so did the rates of domestic violence. This pandemic within the pandemic must be stopped, and before us are the tools to save lives and end the cycle of violence. The VAWA reauthorization makes crucial improvements to the law. It closes legal loopholes to stop violent partners from accessing firearms. It tackles the growing threat of online harassment by training law enforcement on cybercrimes. It provides services for survivors of dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. And it improves protections for Native women. Today, we stand up for everyone by providing safety everywhere, at home, at work, on campus, and online. Let us vote together to end domestic violence.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for your incredible work and that of your committee. A few weeks ago, my colleagues across the aisle were animated in their support of fairness for women. So here is the moment to dispel any doubts that that was just a disingenuous defense of bigotry and truly help American women by supporting this transformative legislation. Women have been on the front lines of this crisis. Over two million women have been pushed out of work while fighting to keep their families fed, healthy, and housed. Because of this pandemic, women's participation in the workforce is at a 33-year low. A vote ``yes'' for the American Rescue Plan is a vote to say vaccines can get into the arms of teachers and our frontline workers. That direct checks will go to 85 percent of Americans. An expanded child tax credit will cut child poverty in half. Unprecedented childcare funding will directly benefit its workforce made up of 95 percent women. Vote ``yes'' for women. Vote ``yes'' for families. Vote ``yes'' for a more equitable future.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, in 2016, after the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting, I, with my colleagues, sat in protest on this very floor with our friend, the late Congressman John Lewis. On that day, Congressman Lewis told us: ``We have turned deaf ears to the blood of the innocent and the concern of our Nation. We are blind to a crisis.'' Mr. Speaker, nearly 5 years later, we have endured thousands of mass shootings. We have mourned the loss of 100 people every single day to suicide and homicide with guns. Today's vote will improve the safety of our schools, our communities, and our streets. It is a vote for kids, parents, veterans, and our neighbors. I stand here today thinking of the many survivors and families who have been waiting for this moment, and I think of my friend, John, who told us to always speak out for the voiceless and act boldly for justice. Today, with this bill, we will do just that.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, the insurrection on January 6 had a specific purpose: to overturn our election and to violently disenfranchise millions of voters. The immediate threat to the Capitol has been quelled, but our democracy's future is still unclear. Across the country there are ongoing efforts to suppress and limit votes. Dark money fuels campaigns without transparency and accountability, and partisan gerrymandering tilts the playing field. A vote for H.R. 1 is a vote for equality, for transparency, and for returning power to the people. Mr. Speaker, 56 years ago on March 7, John Lewis almost lost his life on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the right to vote. He said: ``Your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful, nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.'' Let's strive for that more perfect union. Let's confirm our democracy and vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, a few years ago, at a townhall in my district, a young student asked me: What is Congress going to do to protect trans people like me? He bravely stood before an auditorium of neighbors and told me he was terrified by the bigotry and discrimination against him and his LGBTQ-plus community members. I have heard these fears expressed by my own nonbinary child. Their fears are not misplaced. Our LGBTQ neighbors face discrimination in healthcare, housing, education, and employment. Even here, in the people's House, Members of Congress are describing transgender people as something less than, as undeserving, and illegitimate. Today, our vote for the Equality Act says to every person that you matter, that you deserve to live your truth with respect and dignity, that there will be no true freedom for anyone until there is equality for everyone.

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts

Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, suffragist and abolitionist Lucy Stone stated, ``If we speak the truth fearlessly, we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things.'' The truth is, President Trump incited a violent attack against the United States Government. The truth is, President Trump spent his Presidency inflaming hate, white supremacy, anti-Semitism, and violence. The truth is, he was enabled by all those who perpetuated the lie that the most secure election in our Nation's history was stolen. The truth is that these seditious actions left five dead, our Capitol besieged, our security threatened, and our democracy hanging in the balance. And the truth is, a vote to impeach is our resounding declaration that the government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish.