Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Ms. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK

Ms. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Madam Speaker, you have heard from my distinguished colleagues about our topic today, which is raising the debt ceiling, all issues of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, our constituents, Congress, and all Americans tonight. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the exceptional dedication and commitment of the students and families of Broward County. As a testament to their perseverance, Broward County Public Schools will be hosting the 10th Annual Outstanding Attendance Recognition Event to honor these amazing students. This event not only acknowledges the students' academic success but also highlights the importance of consistent attendance to ensure our youth have access to quality education and an opportunity to reach their full potential. It is my honor to congratulate Mathew Bastien, Jowinley Cimeus, Alshine Mondesir, Freya Sykes, Nicole McGowan, and Saioa Elesgarai for their outstanding record of attendance.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Kelly for her remarks. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Allred).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Kamlager-Dove).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor the CBC Special Order hour along with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), my distinguished colleague. For the next 60 minutes, members of the CBC have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people on gun violence, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and what we must do to build upon all issues of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the constituents we represent, and all Americans. I rise today to demand that we take decisive action to stop the gun violence epidemic. We simply cannot stand by and watch more innocent Americans lose their lives. The fate of our loved ones should not be up for partisan debate. I will work with any elected official to put people over politics and implement solutions that keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. It is why I am joined here with my colleagues to support the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This law is a commonsense and practical solution to the barrage of gun violence that many of us have unfortunately become too familiar with. Of course, there is certainly more that Congress can do, should be doing, and needs to do. We can pass an assault weapons ban, which would take these weapons of war off the streets and out of our classrooms. We can enhance the background checks process, making sure individuals who purchase guns are fully vetted beforehand. We can end immunity for gun manufacturers that produce deadly firearms that take our lives. There is no shortage of common sense and immediate solutions that this body can implement. Unfortunately, House Republicans have failed to move with the same sense of urgency as House Democrats have in response to the spate of gun shootings. This is not a partisan matter, either. Gun violence impacts families, blue States, red States, and purple States. Each and every heartbreaking mass shooting serves as a painful reminder of the normalcy and how normal this gun violence epidemic has become. It is infiltrating our daily lives. These headlines frustrate me deeply, and they should do the same for each and every Representative in this body. Thoughts and prayers must be coupled with legislative action, tangible solutions that address this crisis. Let's join together and build on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, ensuring a safer country for the next generation and others to come. We have the responsibility to act as lawmakers, as parents, as Americans. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), our honorable assistant Democratic leader of the House.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, as parents, we only want the best for our kids. That is why I speak before you today as not just a Member of Congress but as a mom who is terrified about sudden cardiac arrest and its impact on our young people. Together, we have the ability to protect our kids before it strikes. The odds of surviving cardiac arrest remain low when occurring outside of a hospital setting such as in the classroom or the soccer field. I can't even imagine what it would feel like to get that call about my children. Here is where AEDs come into play in saving lives in a moment of crisis. I am proud to announce that I have introduced the Access to AEDs Act, my bipartisan legislation that will reduce deaths from sudden cardiac arrest. My legislation would establish a grant program for schools that they can use to buy and maintain lifesaving AEDs, develop cardiac emergency response plans, and provide crucial CPR and AED training. Our children's well-being is not up for political debate. All children's lives are put on the line when sudden cardiac arrest hits. We have a responsibility as Members of Congress, as parents, and as American citizens to ensure that every child has a chance to survive sudden cardiac arrest.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my deep concern with Speaker McCarthy's reckless plan to address the debt ceiling, which will impose a hardship on working Americans. Instead of solving problems, House Republicans are holding our Nation hostage and demanding that their ransom be met. Let us not beat around the bush: Caps equal cuts, and Speaker McCarthy's brinkmanship is dangerous. If extreme Republicans have their way, communities across the country will suffer. The 320-page proposal from the other side of the aisle pushes forward drastic cuts to government programs, programs that families in my district desperately need. The Republican Party seems to be more focused on padding the pockets of large corporations and billionaires instead of lending a hand to working Americans. The GOP framework is nothing short of a catastrophe. It includes sweeping cuts to SNAP and food assistance programs that low-income families depend on. It destroys President Biden's student loan debt agenda under the guise of fiscal responsibility. It imposes cruel Medicaid work requirements, ripping healthcare coverage directly from people's hands. It would rescind $80 billion allocated to the IRS through President Biden's historic Inflation Reduction Act. It would repeal clean energy tax credits, which have proven crucial in addressing the climate crisis. What Republicans are proposing is just not in the best interests of our working people. The American people need a government that works for them, not against them. There will certainly be an opportunity to debate the GOP's rightwing policy proposals down the road, but doing so at the expense of the American people through gamesmanship is reckless and irresponsible. We need to all work together to make life easier, not harder. Members of Congress have a responsibility to serve the American people. I urge Speaker McCarthy and the Republicans to stop playing political games with our economy and those we are elected to serve.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today again for the second time to express my concerns with Speaker McCarthy's proposal which cancelled President Biden's student loan debt forgiveness program and wreaks havoc on our educational system. President Biden is committed to providing economic relief for families and ensuring that all students can access quality education that sets them up on the best pathway to success. Altogether, more than 40 million borrowers would qualify for the Biden administration's debt relief program. It is also targeted at those who need the most help with nearly 90 percent of the benefits of the relief going to out-of-school borrowers who earn less than $75,000 per year. Speaker McCarthy has other priorities. Both he and other extreme Republicans are willing to send our economy into a recession, using American students as a bargaining chip. If extreme MAGA Republicans had their way, they would not only eliminate Pell Grants for more than 6,000 students in Florida but would also reduce the maximum reward by nearly $1,000 for the remaining 500,000 students who receive Pell Grants. This would be especially harmful to communities of color. Black and Brown college graduates owe an average of $25,000 more in student debt than White college graduates. Black women carry the highest student loan debt burden of any racial or ethnic group. This is unacceptable. Republicans aren't stopping at college either. Their proposal would mean 10,000 children in Florida would lose access to childcare and to slots in the Head Start programs. Nationwide, 100,000 children would lose access to childcare, making it difficult for parents to join the workforce. My Republican colleagues care more about special interest groups and massive corporations than our children. We need to be investing in our kids all across America and in their lives and give them the tools they need for success. Speaker McCarthy's proposal does the exact opposite. I call on the Republicans to quit playing games with our children's future. It is time for our parties to come together and make decisions that are best for our community and for all Americans. The party politics, the partisan politics, must end today. I ask Leader McCarthy to not go forward with this proposal and to have compassion for American people, for our students, for our children, and for Americans across this country.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the third time in opposition to Speaker McCarthy's debt ceiling brinksmanship, which would deliver a crushing setback to the numerous successes of President Biden and House Democrats. Just look at how far we have come. Annual inflation has declined in the last 9 months. Gas prices are much lower than the record highs we saw in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. The price of many foods like chicken and fruits and vegetables have declined in March. Labor force participation is at record-high levels. Unemployment has reached a 50-year low of 3.5 percent. Within the Black community, unemployment has never been this low. Real income has risen both for low-income Americans and across the economy as a whole. All the while, our deficit has dropped more than $1.7 trillion in 2 years. We are not out of the woods yet. There is always more we can do and could be done to reduce the financial burdens faced by American families and making things even just a little bit easier. Let's give credit where credit is due. Since taking office, President Biden has passed legislation that has created a strong foundation for the economy to grow and he has invested in the middle class. The administration has worked tirelessly to reduce the cost of living and bringing down the cost of prices. President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has also been transformative, slashing kitchen table costs for working families, forcing pharmaceutical companies to negotiate lower drug prices, capping insulin at $35 per month for Medicare patients, and cutting healthcare insurance premiums for millions of Americans. President Biden's budget proposal stands in stark contrast to what Speaker McCarthy has floated. It is bold, compassionate, and puts working families over politics. Not only would President Biden's proposal reduce the deficit by $3 trillion over the next 10 years, but it does so while investing in our Nation. It lowers costs for working families by making childcare, healthcare, and housing more affordable. These are all things that are crucial to our economy and to the American people at this present time. Now is the time for my Republican colleagues to put aside partisan politics and work with us to pass a budget that reinforces America's promise to our constituents. House Republicans should not stand in the way of this progress.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order hour.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, for the next 60 minutes, we have a chance to speak directly to the American people on issues that are of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the constituents we represent, and all Americans. I rise today for the Tennessee Three, who stood in the face of bigotry and vitriol to fight for the communities they serve. After six lives were lost due to gun violence in Nashville, the Republican-led Tennessee Legislature expelled two Black lawmakers who stood with families, teachers, and students to demand a solution. What happened to Representative Justin Pearson and Representative Justin Jones is an utter disgrace. This expulsion was a blow to our democracy and underscored the legislature's flagrant disrespect for their First Amendment rights. The families of those who lost loved ones in The Covenant School shooting deserve real legislative solutions, not bigotry and petty politics. As elected officials, it is our solemn responsibility to keep our communities safe from gun violence. Extreme Republicans have other priorities; protecting the NRA instead of our children and silencing the voices of our Black leaders. Extremist Republicans continue to look the other way as our schools become firing ranges; as our movie theaters become firing ranges; as our places of worship become firing ranges. It should provide us with some comfort that both of these lawmakers expelled were recently reinstated with unanimous support. Local leaders in Shelby County and Nashville were able to see through the hatred and recognize that representatives Pearson and Jones were fighting for their constituents. However, let's not forget that what happened in the Tennessee Legislature can happen in any community anywhere in our country. Any State could be next, including my home State of Florida. We cannot forget about why Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were expelled in the first place. They were fighting for an answer to end the gun violence epidemic that wreaks havoc in all communities in our country. Nashville, like so many other cities, has been touched by this crisis. Families in South Florida know it all too well after a gunman entered the grounds of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and took 17 innocent lives in 2018. Enough is enough. I urge Congress to come together in passing an assault weapons ban before more lives are lost. This senseless violence can no longer be left unaddressed. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois, (Mr. Jackson).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), from the Third District.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, can I inquire how much time is remaining?

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), from the 18th District.

Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the Seventh District of Georgia (Mrs. McBath).