Jasmine Crockett

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. And stop going after women's reproductive rights, because if you believe in freedom, then kids should be able to go to school and know that they will be safe.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to commemorate a leader of the north Texas Pakistani community, Mr. Hafeez Khan. There are over 50,000 Pakistani Americans living in my home of north Texas, a prosperous, hardworking community that grows every single year. Mr. Kahn has used his position as a prominent business leader in Dallas to advocate for the Pakistani-American community, both in Texas and across the country. When Mr. Kahn heard that part of the beautiful Pakistani Embassy here in Washington was set to be sold, he stepped up to purchase the property and preserve its historical and cultural significance. For the Pakistani-American community, the Embassy building here in our Nation's Capital is more than just a piece of property. It has served as a place of welcome, community, and support for this vibrant, thriving immigrant community. Mr. Speaker, thanks to Mr. Kahn's philanthropy, this setting will serve as a landmark of Pakistani culture for years to come.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to mourn the loss of my constituent and a beloved member of the United States Postal Service, Eugene Gates. On Wednesday, Mr. Gates passed while delivering mail on his route in Dallas, Texas, where the heat index reached temperatures of nearly 115 degrees. My heart breaks for Eugene's wife, Carla, his children, grandchildren, and everyone in Lancaster, Texas, who called him neighbor and friend. Mr. Gates was a 40-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service and will be remembered and mourned by many in north Texas who looked forward to his visits every day. He had the heart of a public servant and will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing him. As a member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, I have continued to uplift and fight my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for respect and to protect and honor those Federal workers just like Mr. Gates instead of belittling them. Mr. Gates should be here. It is past time that we do the people's work in the people's House. I pray that we honor Mr. Gates' life by offering pragmatic solutions along with our prayers. We need to do this for Eugene, his family, and for all of our letter carriers putting public service before self every single day.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the Afiya Center, a Dallas-based reproductive health organization that has been at the forefront of providing refuge, education, and resources to address the unique needs of Black women and gender-expansive individuals. Established in response to the disproportionate impact of the HIV-AIDS epidemic on Black women and girls in Texas, the Afiya Center stands as the only Black women-led, Black women-centered, and Black women-inclusive reproductive justice organization in the state. Through their life-enriching programs, the Afiya Center has worked tirelessly to address socioeconomic disparities among Black women at risk, or living with, HIV-AIDS. The organization has also been instrumental in promoting birth justice and improving Black maternal health outcomes in Dallas and throughout Texas. As a safety network, collaborator, resource center, and info-hub, the Afiya Center has played a pivotal role in mobilizing grassroots organizing and advocating for policy changes throughout the state. The Afiya Center's ``Get Tested, Grab a Bite'' community HIV testing day event, celebrating its 10th year, demonstrates the organization's commitment towards decreasing HIV, destigmatizing HIV-AIDS within the community, and addressing the social determinants of health that disproportionately affect Black women in Texas by providing free HIV testing. Moreover, this year's event goes beyond HIV testing by providing additional resources such as COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, Medicaid enrollment, and other services. Given that an estimated one- in-seven people living with HIV unaware of their status, testing events like the Afiya Center's are vital to not only raise awareness and promote responsible relations but also to encourage individuals to prioritize their health and destigmatize this preventable disease. Texas, and particularly Dallas County, continues to face significant challenges regarding HIV prevalence. Over 18,000 people in the Dallas area are living with HIV, and despite advances in testing and medicine, the United States still experiences high rates of new infections. Black women and girls bear a disproportionate burden, with more than half of Black Texans living with HIV being women. The Afiya Center's unwavering dedication to addressing these disparities and providing support to those affected is commendable. I urge my colleagues and the public to recognize the crucial work that organizations like the Afiya Center provide and support their ongoing efforts. Together, we can promote HIV awareness, eliminate stigma, and ensure that all individuals have access to the necessary resources and care they need to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. I commend the Afiya Center for their tireless advocacy, their commitment to reproductive justice, and their transformative influence on the countless lives they have touched. Their remarkable achievements and the impactful work they do each and every day is a testament to their mission of empowering individuals, eliminating stigma, and striving for a healthier and more equitable future.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Madam Speaker, my Republican colleagues love to pray but can't stay, stay and do the job we were elected to do because, frankly, they aren't capable of governing. Don't believe me? Just think back to the first few days that we were here, the days in which they were so dysfunctional that they had to go through 15 rounds before we could get to a Speaker. Now, mark my words, he is dragging this out, and, unfortunately, the entire country is going into a tailspin not because they care about being fiscally responsible but more so because he cares about his precious Speakership. We have seen the words of the radical right Republicans and what he said last week, and this is all about holding us hostage. Let me tell you something: My constituents deserve better. My constituents deserve to have a House that functions and stays and does the job instead of deciding that it is time to go and play. I have a constituent that has called my office in north Texas talking about the fact that he could not get his Federal retirement for months. Well, guess what? We finally got it pushed through, but leave it up to this House, and he won't get what he deserved and what he worked for. Working families deserve a House that will stay instead of play.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the 19 children and 2 teachers murdered in Uvalde, Texas, 1 year ago today. One excruciating year has passed for the families of those we lost at Robb Elementary that day. A year of empty childhood bedrooms and vacant desks where a child should be. One full year, and what do we have to show for it? What has this legislative body done to answer the pain of these parents with policy? I ask myself this: Have we passed any measures on this floor that will stop the next Uvalde? The answer to that is an obvious no, we have not, because in the year since the second worst school shooting in American history, there has been 39 more. My district is about 355 miles north of Uvalde, but the horror of that day haunts every Texan as if it happened right next door; maybe that is because it is happening next door, in a wave of gun violence that has touched every corner of Texas, in every public space we once saw as safe. Just this month, my home of north Texas has grieved the deaths of eight Texans in a hateful act of violence at a shopping mall. That was the ninth mass shooting in Texas in 14 years. Fourteen years that lawmakers in Texas and Washington have used to loosen gun regulations. Mr. Speaker, I will tell you something: As a Texan and as an American, I am tired. I am tired of being traumatized. Texas is tired of the terror. It is time to do our jobs and legislate instead of pontificate. The 21 Texans ripped from their families last year deserve more. The people of Uvalde who have grieved and cried and demanded change deserve more. I hope we don't come back here in a year with the same amount of nothing to show for these grieving families. I hope we can show up having passed universal background checks and a ban on the weapon of war that stole those children's lives, but if history--history that many Republicans don't believe we should have taught in schools--if history is any indication, then yet another year will pass, more lives will be lost, and politicians will put on their pastoral hats and issue prayers instead of practicing what they preach, which is to be tough on crime and to keep these weapons of war out of the hands of the many domestic terrorists that have, frankly, been radicalized by the rightwing extreme rhetoric. Regardless of what the Republicans do or don't do, regardless of their lack of courage, I will continue doing what I do best, which is standing for commonsense solutions that will save lives. To my colleagues, I challenge you. Let's not fail these parents and children again. The number one killer of children in this country is guns right now. It is time that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle practice what they preach and be pro-life. Mr. Speaker, let's save some lives.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in memory of the eight Texans who lost their lives last weekend during a shooting in Allen, Texas. These eight Texans should be the future of Texas: Young, diverse, full of life and promise. Instead, they represent the tragedy of Texas today: A Texas where a family must prepare for a trip to the mall as if it is an active war zone. A Texas where lives of kindergartners have less value than the right of Neo-Nazis to own AR- 15s. Mr. Speaker, I rise and ask the question: Aren't you tired of grieving? Is this what your constituents sent you here to do, to send thoughts and prayers? Texans are tired of grieving. El Paso, Uvalde, Cleveland, Allen, and the list goes on. We simply can't accept this. For the eight lives lost in Allen, we will not accept this. For the five lives lost in Cleveland, we will not accept this. For the 19 children and two teachers murdered in Uvalde, we will not accept this. For the 23 lives lost in El Paso, we will not accept this. We must honor our fellow Texans with action. It is the very least that we can do.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, as a Texan, I rise today to speak on the expiration of title 42, but our immigration story neither begins nor ends there. As a child, I was taught songs like ``America the Beautiful,'' but today I can honestly say that beauty must really be in the eye of the beholder because the inhumanity that is playing out around migrants is far from beautiful. Congress needs to pass humane, substantive, and sustainable, bipartisan immigration reform that provides for an orderly, transparent, and efficient process for asylum seekers, clears out the decades-long backlog, and keeps our communities safe. For years, House and Senate Democrats have worked to pass immigration reform with little to no support from our Republican colleagues. I am left asking: Is this what America the beautiful looks like? Republicans are constantly fanning the flames of hate instead of offering help to a country that is craving more leadership and less lies. Republicans have essentially decided that immigrants make for great political pawns. The problem is, we aren't playing chess. This is real life, with radical rhetoric that has real-world consequences and getting people killed. Just this weekend a man in Brownsville, Texas, used his truck to plow through and kill eight people sitting at a bus stop. We have got to do better. America really needs to be beautiful. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. As a Texan, I rise today to speak on the expiration of Title 42. But our immigration story neither begins nor ends there. As a child, I was taught songs like ``America the Beautiful'', but today I can honestly say that beauty must be in the eye of the beholder, because the inhumanity that is playing out around migrants is far from beautiful. Congress needs to pass humane, substantive, & sustainable bipartisan immigration reform that provides for an orderly, transparent, and efficient process for asylum seekers, clears out the decades-long backlog, and keeps our communities safe. For years, House and Senate Democrats have worked to pass immigration reform, with little to no support from our Republican colleagues. I'm left asking, is this what America the Beautiful looks like? Republicans are constantly fanning the flames hate instead of offering Help to a country that is craving more leadership and less lies. Republicans have essentially decided that immigrants make for great political pawns. The problem is, we aren't playing chess, this is real life, with radical rhetoric that has real-world consequences-- getting people killed. Just this weekend a man in Brownsville TX used his truck to plow through and kill 8 people sitting at a bus stop next to a shelter for migrants. And four years ago, a man radicalized by republican rhetoric walked into a Walmart in El Paso and murdered 23 people he believed were invading the border as part of the so-called ``great replacement''. America, the beautiful? Not so much, but we can be. We used to be. And so with that maybe we need a little history. This country was founded by and is made up of immigrants. It is within the very fabric of who we are to do what the greatest speaker for this house always reminds us to do--recognize that our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. So let's ask ourselves, is America's continued inhumane treatment of immigrants beautiful? Does it live up to our values. I yield back.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today appalled by the Speaker's debt ceiling bill. Right now, the Speaker stands alone, threatening to not pay bills we owe to advance his personal policy preferences. If we don't pay our bills, there will be catastrophic consequences for everyone. The interest rate would skyrocket, making it nearly impossible to afford a home or car and closing opportunities for upward mobility for millions of Americans. The stock market will crater as investors lose faith in the ability of our government to perform even the most basic function because of the Speaker's bill. The result would be millions of Americans' retirement accounts wiped out. For years, the threat of such economic catastrophe historically made even the threat of default off-limits, but the Speaker knows that what he has is an extreme minority in his caucus and that what he wants is deeply unpopular, so he is trying to hold our government hostage. He stands alone because he knows that no Democrat will support this ransom, so he needs each and every Republican to fall in line behind him. I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle know that their constituents are watching, watching to see who their Representative came to Congress to fight for, your Speaker or your seniors. The Speaker's bill will add additional work reporting requirements for seniors in their fifties in order to receive basic food assistance. Across the country, there are no less than 3 million seniors who could lose food assistance because of this bill. My colleagues must make a choice: your Speaker or your seniors. Because everything in D.C. is filled with jargon, I want to pause for a moment to make sure we all understand who the Speaker's bill is targeting. The people the Speaker is targeting are seniors in their fifties who don't even have $6 a day for food. That is all SNAP pays, $6 a day for food, but the Speaker's bill would deny even that paltry aid to hundreds of thousands of our constituents. Soon, those on the other side of the aisle must decide who matters more to them, your Speaker or your seniors. Make no mistake: This isn't about getting people to work. If you worked twice what was required, a full 40-hour week at minimum wage, which, frankly, is most of what is on the table for these seniors, you would still be on SNAP. The only way the Speaker's bill saves money, which he does say, is if people have their benefits stripped away, if seniors go hungry. Each of my colleagues must ask who matters more, your Speaker or your seniors? The Speaker's bill will kick seniors off SNAP rolls. Many seniors can't find a job at all because they face age discrimination. There is a reason that current law exempts those over 49. To expect them to have the same odds of finding a job as a young recipient is callous and cruel. Ask yourselves, who did you come to Congress to serve, your Speaker or your seniors? Even though the bill is only supposed to apply to able-bodied adults without dependents, that claim is laughable. Many of our constituents in their fifties are grandparents. They have childcare responsibilities even if the child isn't their dependent. Requiring them to neglect their grandchild or else go hungry is cruel and heartless. I hope my colleagues ask themselves who they came to Congress to serve, your Speaker or your seniors, because so many seniors will go hungry if the Speaker's bill becomes law. As the pandemic SNAP policies are ending, State agencies are responsible for updating participants' information so those eligible for assistance don't go hungry, but in many States, no outreach or only perfunctory outreach was performed. My concern is that if the Speaker's bill becomes law, tens of thousands of seniors who think they aren't subject to these reporting requirements will suddenly find themselves without benefits. If for any reason these seniors are denied benefits under the Speaker's bill, they will be ineligible for food assistance for the next 3 years. When we vote on this bill, we will be voting on a very simple question: support your Speaker or support your seniors. The burden lies with each of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. It is within your range, your power, to protect our seniors. Right now, the Speaker stands alone with a deeply unpopular proposal. Each of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is asked to starve our seniors. If that is the policy of this House, that responsibility will be entirely on your shoulders. The choice is now yours. Quite simply, each Republican must answer the question: Who do you fight for, your Speaker or your seniors?

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Reverend Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, who is celebrating 40 years of being pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church. As a dynamic and influential teacher of God's word, he has remained a beacon of hope for many in Dallas and across our country. Joining Friendship-West as pastor in 1983, the church's membership has grown tremendously, starting with just under 100 members and now serving over 12,000. As a servant leader, he has embedded himself in our communities. He has remained at the forefront of empowering underserved people while taking the lead in advocating for issues such as voting rights, fair lending practices, just food policies, and criminal justice reform. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Through the years, Pastor Haynes has remained faithful to the assignment God has called him to. As a member of Friendship-West, his friend, and his Congresswoman, I couldn't be any prouder of the work he is doing as he continues to challenge the status quo and redefine what it means to be a pastor. I congratulate Pastor Haynes on 40 years as pastor and your lifetime of service to our community.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my friend and community champion, Kirk Meyers-Hill, who passed away on Monday, April 3, 2023. Mr. Meyers-Hill was a true servant leader across the South Dallas community who made it his mission to uplift the needs of others. He'll be remembered for his dedicated service to the LGBTQ+ community and his strides in strengthening our neighborhoods across Dallas. It is the passion and love for people that made him the outstanding leader he was. In 2005, Mr. Meyers-Hill founded Abounding Prosperity, Inc., an organization that remains a beacon of hope and resource throughout the community. Through AP, he remained diligent in being a tireless advocate for the health and wellness of the Black family, particularly Black LGBTQ+ neighbors in Dallas. Specifically, he and his organization served as a hub for providing much-needed services such as HIV/STI testing & screening, HEP C screening, pREP education, and much more. During the recent Monkeypox outbreak, Mr. Meyers-Hill and his team quickly sprang into action by providing education and serving as one of the main centers for vaccinations. In addition to his service with Abounding Prosperity, Inc., Mr. Meyers-Hill served as President of Dallas Southern Pride which is an annual celebration and outlet for Black LGBTQ+ neighbors to celebrate who they are. This annual event has only grown under the leadership of Kirk and as a result, has become one of the premier events for Black LGBTQ+ neighbors across the country. Outside of the celebration, Dallas Southern Pride embraces the strong impact our LGBTQ+ neighbors have had on history locally in Dallas, nationally, and internationally. Mr. Meyers-Hill was not only a great non-profit leader, but unequivocally known as an advocate for our community in every situation. He continuously kept a smile on his face and strived to make a difference in the lives of others. His generous and warm spirit is what I believe will keep us strong as a community, especially for those who had the pleasure of knowing him. I am confident in the fact that our LGBTQ+ community in Dallas is where it is today only because of Kirk Meyers-Hill and his trailblazing work. These remarks stand as a testament to the life, legacy, and service of Kirk, who so profoundly touched the lives of so many people. My thoughts and prayers are with his husband, Ricky, and his entire family and community of loved ones whom he impacted through his work. The Bible reminds us in Psalms 30:5 that ``weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.'' Today, and in the days to come, I pray that God will comfort his family and friends with the peace that passes, knowing that despite our time of sadness, Kirk Meyers-Hill lived a purposeful life of service and changed countless lives for the better.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Madam Chair, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 1, the misleadingly named Lower Energy Costs Act. I had everything written down of what I was going to say, but then I started hearing some other stuff. I decided that what I wanted to talk about is a few things. Number one: I need the American people to understand that H.R. 1 means that this is the first bill. This is the bill that the party in power thinks matters most. This is where their priorities lie. When you look at what the Democrats did, they decided that they wanted to stand for democracy after there were those that wanted to try to tear our democracy apart. I have to rest here for a second, simply because at the time I was a Texas House Representative who had to flee my State because of voting rights. I urged this House to pass H.R. 1, simply because we were trying to make sure that people would not cheat in these elections. Just because you have control of the House doesn't mean that you didn't take your time and gerrymander these lines because we know that is exactly what happened. That is the only reason that the Democrats are not currently in control. The reason that this margin is so tight is because our policies stand for the people. Let's talk about this bill. This bill is about putting people over polluters. If we want to talk about what the Republicans do when they are in control and they get to decide about power, let's talk about the State of Texas. Let's talk about the fact that we have left the State of Texas in the dark over and over. It was interesting to look across the aisle and see a sign that said that the Republicans will keep the lights on. Well, go talk to Texas and find out if the lights have been kept on or if we have been left in the dark. We are consistently left in the dark because there is this idea that if we just go ahead and get rid of regulations that everything will work out. Unfortunately, it has not worked out. It has not worked out to the tune of us actually losing lives in the State of Texas. That is why we are here standing before you, making sure that we are fighting for actual lower bills when it comes to our everyday working families that are already squeezed by inflation. We heard Mr. Speaker talk about the fact that he wanted to make sure there was more money in people's pockets for medicine. When it came down to voting for the Inflation Reduction Act, I don't believe that there were too many Republicans that were voting for that--to make sure we could lower the cost of insulin--just to make sure that the Record is clear--if we want to make sure we are putting more money into their pockets. House Republicans want to lower energy costs for big polluters, plain and simple. That means somebody foots the bill and somebody pays the price. Once again, go ask my constituents in Texas. We are the ones who are footing the bill for the failures of our grid over and over and over. My constituents tend to be Black and Brown, mostly, and they tend to be those that are disproportionately living in polluted communities today, that are only able to breathe because of the scant environmental protections we actually have. They are being asked to not only endure the brunt of pollution, but also endure the bill of pollution. I will not and I cannot stand for it. When this bill guts Clean Air Act safeguards to let polluters earn profits faster by curtailing the already paltry public comment period, my constituents foot the bill.

Ms. CROCKETT. Madam Chair, my constituents foot the bill with increased rates of lung disease, healthcare costs, and child mortality. Who foots the bill for these lower energy costs? Not the polluters. It is the little girl on the playground in my district who is inhaling toxic fumes from the concrete plant right next to her school. That little girl will be scarred for the rest of her life with an increased risk of asthma, bronchitis, and cancer just so polluters can make a quick buck. You know what makes it crystal clear who the supporters really care about? The Lower Energy Costs Act repeals the home electric rebate program passed last year to reimburse the cost of energy efficient home equipment that would have actually lowered Americans' energy costs. House Republicans are lowering energy costs for polluters all right and lowering all of our life expectancy right along with it. Madam Chair, H.R. 1 puts politics over people and puts polluters over people.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, as a congresswoman, and a champion of health care initiatives, and as a voice for breast cancer survivors, a disease that affects minority women and all women, I am here today to talk about the pressing need for increased funding for triple-negative breast cancer. Breast cancer is a devastating disease that affects far too many of us. But triple-negative breast cancer, in particular, is one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer. Women with triple-negative breast cancer often face a worse prognosis and limited treatment options. This is why we need to increase funding for research into this disease. We need to find better ways to detect it early and to develop new treatments that will give women with triple-negative breast cancer a fighting chance. But funding for research is not enough. We also need to ensure equity and access to treatment for all women with breast cancer, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Women from marginalized communities often face barriers to accessing care, and we must work to break down those barriers. No woman should have to fight breast cancer alone, and no woman should be denied the care she needs because of where she comes from or how much money she makes. We must come together as a community, regardless of political party, to ensure that all women have access to the care and treatment they need. I urge my fellow lawmakers to join me in supporting increased funding for triple-negative breast cancer research and ensuring equity and access to care for all women with breast cancer. Together, we can make a difference and save lives.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the removal of Congresswoman Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. I begin by asking: What is the crime? You see, Mr. Speaker, this is a question that many in this country have been asking over the last week: What is the crime? Now, many were referring to Tyre Nichols, but I am asking this question as it relates to Congresswoman Omar. Was her so-called crime allegedly committing fraud in Brazil? Was her so-called crime allegedly breaking campaign finance laws during her election to Congress? Was her so-called crime stealing from a roommate? Was her so-called crime defrauding and outright lying to her constituents? No, it was none of the above. These are crimes that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have no qualms in countenancing when it is politically expedient. I ask again: What is the crime? There are those who have been accused of and/or under investigation for participating in attacking our very democracy here on January 6, and they have been seated on committees. Here we are with our first African-born Member of Congress, who has not been accused of the above crimes or any crime, and we are wasting taxpayer dollars debating her removal from her duly appointed position on the Foreign Affairs Committee. I ask again, Mr. Speaker: What is her crime? Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the removal of Congresswoman Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee and I begin by asking what is the crime? You see this is a question that many in this country have been asking over the last week. What is the crime? Now many were referring to Tyre Nichols, but I am asking this question as it relates to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Was her so-called crime allegedly committing fraud in Brazil? Was her so-called crime allegedly breaking campaign finance laws during her election to Congress? Was her so-called crime stealing from a roommate? Was her so-called crime defrauding and outright lying to her constituents? NO. None of the above. But these are crimes that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have no qualm in countenancing when it is politically expedient. So again I ask, what is the crime? There are those that have been accused of and or under investigation for participating in attacking our very democracy here on January 6th and they have been seated on committees. So here we are with our first African-born Member of Congress who has not been accused of the above-crimes or any other crimes and we are wasting taxpayer dollars debating her removal from her duly appointed position on Foreign Affairs. So I ask again--what is the crime? I certainly hope my colleagues across the aisle will do more than claim the moral high road and actually take the moral high road and acknowledge the hypocrisy and do what is right. The country is tired of the consistent double standards. Finally, while I am still unclear of what the alleged crime is, I sure hope Rep. Omar's so-called ``crime'' isn't the same asTyre's.

Ms. CROCKETT

Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today gravely concerned about the passage of H.R. 21. Texas' hardworking families sent me to Washington to represent them in good faith, and dozens of them fear the passage of this bill. My constituents are working every single day to make ends meet and took time out of their day to share their fears of this bill becoming law. Why? Because this Republican bill will raise costs on working families across the country. When Hurricane Gustav hit my home State of Texas, key energy supplies went offline, and we relied on the quick response from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to avoid catastrophe. The SPR has been used countless times to keep the lights on during emergencies. H.R. 21 will make it impossible for our government to quickly respond to emergencies, leaving Americans abandoned in the dark when they are most in need. After going a week without electing a Speaker, I think Congress should get its own House in order before trying to claim the powers of the President or interfere with the energy market.