Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and commemorate the extraordinary service and enduring legacy of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known with pride and reverence as the Six Triple Eight. Formed in 1944 during World War II, the Six Triple Eight was the first and only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas in United States military history. Comprising over 850 courageous women from the Women's Army Corps, the WAC, the unit represented 32 States across our Nation. Many trained at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, a rare opportunity afforded to African-American women at the time. These women answered the call to serve their country despite the dual burdens of racism and sexism, which too often obscured their contributions. Yet, their mission was essential. Deployed to England and later France, the Six Triple Eight was tasked with clearing an enormous backlog of more than 17 million pieces of undelivered mail, reconnecting American troops with their loved ones. Operating in grueling conditions in cold, dark, and often dangerous warehouses, they worked around the clock in three shifts, accomplishing in just 3 months what had been projected to take 6 months. Their guiding motto: No Mail, Low Moral. It was more than a slogan. It was a lifeline. By restoring vital communication between soldiers and their families, they uplifted the spirit of the Armed Forces and strengthened the emotional backbone of a nation at war. Despite their unprecedented success, the women of the Six Triple Eight returned home to a country that failed to properly recognize their valor. For decades, their contributions were left out of the mainstream military narrative. That silence began to break, though, in 2022 when Congress passed and the President signed the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Act, affirming that these women's sacrifice and excellence are integral to our national story. Let the record show, let the record reflect, the Six Triple Eight was not merely a military unit. It was a living testament to discipline, resilience, and the unyielding patriotism of Black women in service to a country that had yet to fully serve them in return. As we enter this legacy into the Congressional Record, I call upon my colleagues and future generations to honor the Six Triple Eight, not only in commemoration but in our ongoing pursuit of justice, equity, and historical truth. It is recognized that August 10, 2025, is Six Triple Eight Day in Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I urge all residents across the Nation to honor the service, sacrifice, and legacy of the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The women who served in the 6888th battalion from Illinois are listed in this communique. Mr. Speaker, I thank them for their service and dedication.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rules to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition and can never vote for this big, bad, inhumane, and ugly bill because it will wreck healthcare delivery. It takes food from hungry children. It sentences seniors to early deaths. It eliminates jobs and destabilizes our economy just to give the superrich and wealthy more influence, more power, and more wealth. It takes from the poor, from the disabled, from the sick, from the hungry, and gives to the wealthy. This bill is cruel. It is immoral. It is a crime about to happen. It is draconian. It is dangerous. It is criminal. If you want to stop crime, vote ``no,'' as I will.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition and could never vote for this Big, Bad, Inhumane, and Ugly bill because it will wreck health care delivery, take food from hungry children, sentence seniors to early deaths, eliminate jobs, and destabilize our economy just to give the super rich and wealthy more influence, more power, more wealth. It takes from the poor, from the disabled, from the sick, and from the hungry and gives to the wealthy. As our country prepares to celebrate its independence, the extremist Republican Congress and Trump Administration enact the most cruel, draconian, inhumane legislation that I've voted on since I've been here. Government, I seriously believe, should help people and not hurt them. At a time to celebrate that people from diverse backgrounds worked together to create a new country, the Republican Congress and Trump Administration advance hate and brutality to divide our great nation. I reject this bill that makes poor people poorer, sick people sicker, and hungry people hungrier. I reject this bill that bill rips health care from 17 million Americans, with over 535,840 Illinoisans expected to lose their health insurance, including 102,174 children and 27,000 seniors in my District alone. I reject this bill that will close hospitals and kick people out of their nursing homes--not only in my district but across the country, especially in urban inner-city communities and rural communities for sure. I reject this bill that explodes poverty and suffering while giving the wealthy trillions in tax cuts. I reject this bill's irresponsible explosion of the deficit that triggers statutory cuts to critical programs supporting children and families. These Paygo reductions would eliminate funding for the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program--known as MIECHV--that is proven to improve mother and child health, family safety, and child development. It would eliminate the guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program that we know helps prevent child maltreatment and strengthen families. It would eradicate the Social Services Block Grant that provides substantial investment in childcare, child welfare, and adult protective services. These egregious cuts alone will cost Illinois over $72 million dollars and hurt Illinois' children, seniors, and families. I reject this bill that gifts tax cuts to the wealthy, paid for by denying and depriving low-income, poor people, senior citizens, and sick people, the health care, food assistance, housing assistance, and economic development opportunities that they need. There is a fundamental flaw in the thinking that brings this bill before us. It is Robinhood in Reverse. It takes from those who have the least--the poor, the disabled, the sick, and the hungry--only to give to those who already have the most, the wealthy. This bill is cruel. It is immoral. It is a crime about to happen. It is draconian. It is dangerous. It is criminal. So, if my colleagues want to stop crime, vote no as I will.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that affirmed marriage equality nationwide on June 26, 2015. This ruling positively impacted the lives of millions of LGBTQIA+ Americans and serves as a significant milestone toward equal rights for all. I wish to honor the legacies of Jim Obergefell, his late husband John Arthur, and all the couples who brought the battle for marriage equality to the steps of the United States Supreme Court. Furthermore, I would like to honor the incredible activists--Marsha P. Johnson, Bayard Rustin, Audre Lorde and Harvey Milk--who played instrumental roles in fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights decades before this case reached the Supreme Court. To this day, their legacies inspire Americans to advocate, celebrate, and respect the differences we have as people to promote equal rights. It is fitting that this anniversary falls during Pride Month, a time to recognize the strength and perseverance of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as a call to action for equality. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration and extremist Republicans are attacking LGBTQIA+ rights around the country. These extremists are banning books that feature LGBTQIA+ characters from schools, eliminating the suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQIA+ individuals, rolling back civil rights protections, and undermining the health, military service, and education of LGBTQIA+ Americans. House Republicans recently passed a dangerous bill out of Committee that threatens to jail parents and doctors offering medically-affirming care to trans youth. Policymakers in Washington should not make private health decisions for Americans. LGBTQIA+ individuals are humans and deserve equal civil rights protections under the law, autonomy, and dignity. I reject extremist efforts to promote hate and harm based on who one loves or how they self-identify. In the face of these intensified efforts to hurt LGBTQIA+ individuals, I promise to continue to fight for equal rights for LGBTQIA+ Americans. We must protect same-sex marriages and civil rights laws for LGBTQIA+ individuals. We must enact the Equality Act that would amend the Civil Right Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. We must enact my bill--the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act--that would prohibit any entity that receives federal child welfare funds from discriminating against children, youth, or prospective adoptive or foster parents based on religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. I am committed to continuing to support legislation that protects the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals because everyone deserves the right to be who they are, free from discrimination. Celebration is an act of resistance. In the face of an administration that wants to reinvigorate injustice and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, it is essential to celebrate our country's landmark marriage equality ruling and Pride month and to commit ourselves to ensuring that ``We the People'' includes all Americans.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about gun violence and its devastating impact on our citizens and Nation. It is a time to honor the lives of those tragically taken due to gun violence, to recognize that gun violence inflicts trauma and tragedy on individuals, families, and communities, and to advance effective gun violence prevention efforts. In 2023, there were nearly 47,000 firearm-related deaths, which is approximately 128 people dying due to firearms every day. In 2024, more than 500 mass shootings occurred--more than one a day. Gun violence is the leading cause of death of children and teens. Yet the Trump Administration pushes action after action to make Americans more likely to suffer gun violence. President Trump effectively legalized machine guns, rescinded millions of dollars in grants for gun violence reduction, eliminated gun violence data, and revoked the zero-tolerance policy that was a powerful tool for combatting gun trafficking and straw purchases. Further, the Republican budget bill would eliminate the gun silencer tax on the purchase or transfer of silencers and eliminate silence registrations. The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans seek to undo decades of progress reducing gun violence. It is imperative that we continue to fight for the right for our youth to live in a society where they do not have to worry constantly about gun violence. Illinois and the City of Chicago have made great progress in implementing programs that reduce gun violence. Three years ago, Illinois created the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention which is responsible for awarding grants to organizations rooted in helping reduce gun violence, including the Chicago-based Peacekeepers Program. The Peacekeepers Program currently serves around 30 communities. In the communities that the Peacekeepers served, there was a 31 percent reduction in gun violence in 2023 and 2024 compared to the previous two years. Illinois and the City of Chicago can implement strict gun regulations and fund programs that reduce gun violence, but if neighboring states like Indiana and Wisconsin keep weak restrictions in place, then almost anyone can cross those state borders and acquire a gun. We must do more. We must limit the number of guns that exist in our country. We must ban assault weapons and enact strong background checks with no loopholes. We must repeal immunity for firearm manufacturers so individuals can bring civil actions to hold these companies responsible for their role in the gun violence epidemic. We must provide funding for programs with demonstrated success in reducing gun violence. During my time in Congress, I have worked diligently to pass legislation that will effectively regulate firearms and reduce gun violence. I lead the Ammo Identification Act and the Gun Violence Prevention and Safe Communities Act. These bills aim to reduce gun violence by requiring serial numbers to be engraved on ammunition to improve and creating guaranteed funding for gun violence prevention programs by increasing the excise tax on firearms and ammunition. Gun violence is a public health crisis, and our federal government must lead the effort to enact effective gun violence prevention legislation.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, after just four short years since I proudly cast my vote to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday through the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, the very history that this day honors is now under attack by the current administration. While we mark Juneteenth with prayers and proclamations, we must also confront a harsh and unsettling truth: the significance of this day and African American history is being erased. Across our Nation, we are witnessing the systemic losses of our hard-fought gains--the stripping of diversity, equity, and inclusion from federal institutions, censoring school curriculums, and silencing conversations about the true history of America. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed over 250,000 enslaved Black people that they were free--more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is a reminder that freedom and equality remain delayed for Black Americans. For generations, this history of intentional continuation of slavery was ignored, and, now that it is finally acknowledged as part of our Nation's past, we see the Trump Administration trying to strip away Black history. Banning books, censoring lessons, and eliminating honest conversations about race is not about education, it is about control. We must ensure that Juneteenth is not just a day off but a day of truth. In 2005, I partnered with then-Senator Barack Obama to introduce legislation recognizing Juneteenth. And now that it has become law, we must defend it and the history it represents from being erased. The history of our people is not optional. Let me be clear: Black history is American history. As a Black man who was raised in the rural South during segregation, I know all too well what it feels like to be told that your history does not matter. As the Representative of the 7th Congressional District of Illinois, a district with a rich history of Black culture and resilience, I fight in Congress for equity, inclusion, and the honest American history. Today, the Trump Administration threatens Chicago Public Schools with the loss of over one billion dollars in federal funding for its efforts to improve the success and reduce suspensions of Black students, teach Black history, and recruit teachers who reflect the students they teach. African Americans have faced enormous challenges in every corner of life--education, economic security, health care, employment, housing and the criminal justice system. We are routinely denied opportunity solely because of the color of our skin. And still, we continue to fight for justice and equity in the face of deep-rooted, systemic racism. This Juneteenth, Chicago will celebrate Juneteenth as a testament to community, remembrance, and pride. There is the Pullman Porter Museum's Juneteenth parade, games, and concert. Or the Cook County celebration at Malcolm X College, the Juneteenth Annual barbeque at the DuSable Black History Museum, or 1865 Fest in West Garfield Park, to name just a few. Events like these are not just festivals: they are declarations that we will not be silent. We will celebrate. We will educate. We will resist. I will continue to fight for equality and opportunity at every turn, while honoring the history my forefathers and foremothers endured. Let's not forget, the White House and this country were built by enslaved labor. As we commemorate Juneteenth this year, let it be a call to action. The struggle for freedom will not end here. I am committed to protecting the truth of our past, fighting for justice in our present, and building a future where every African American can learn their history, see their worth, and know they belong.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Representative Charlie Rangel was a dear friend and mentor of mine. He was very engaged and responsible for writing the Affordable Care Act and getting it passed. Charlie was a great one. Giving Tribute to Whitney M. Young Magnet High School

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and its administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and especially students. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, located in Chicago, Illinois, is a public, 4-year magnet high school known for its academic excellence and selective enrollment. It offers an accelerated program, called the Academic Center, for seventh and eighth graders. Admission is based on entrance exams, standardized tests, and elementary school grades. The school has a strong focus on developing well-rounded individuals with a variety of performing and fine arts programs alongside academic preparation. The school is comprehensive and excels in athletics, as well. For example, during the 2023-2024 school year, they were city champs in boys' water polo, girls' basketball, girls' golf, girls' softball, and girls' swim and diving. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School was also the State champion in the Academic Decathlon during the last school year. While the school and its students have always been outstanding in the world of academics, this year in 2025, for the first time in the history of the school or any school that I know about in the city of Chicago, 23 of its students achieved a perfect score on the ACT test. Of course, the ACT is widely used in admission decisions and as a predictor of college success. I am certain that, if the business, civil rights, and National Urban League leader, Whitney M. Young, was alive today, he would join with us to congratulate Principal Rickey Harris and the entire Whitney M. Young Magnet High School community, especially the 23 ACT perfect scorers, on this monumental accomplishment. Imagine 23 perfect scorers in one school and in one place. What an accomplishment. What an achievement. I congratulate Whitney Young students, and everybody associated with this great accomplishment.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, government should help people, not harm them. Government should aid the vulnerable in asking for help, not exclude them from assistance with excessive barriers only to lavish the wealthy with trillions. This bill makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. It boosts billionaires by dramatically cutting food, health care, nursing home service, and education from tens of millions of children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and workers. This bill rips health care from 13.7 million Americans, with over 449,000 Illinoisans expected to lose their health insurance, including over 102,000 children and 27,000 seniors in my District. Under this bill, a millionaire enjoys $81,500 in tax cuts while those earning less than $30,000 get crushed by a $5 billion tax increase. As any good grift, the Republican bill uses tricks to pretend it's helping regular Americans while it shepherds the biggest loss of health care and nutrition assistance in our Nation's history, exploding poverty and suffering. In addition to the direct harm, the bill's irresponsible explosion of the deficit triggers statutory cuts to critical programs supporting children and families. These Paygo reductions would zero out funding for the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program that is proven to improve mother and child health, family safety, and child development. It would eliminate the guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program that helps prevent child maltreatment and strengthen families. It would eradicate the Social Services Block Grant that provides substantial investment in child care, child welfare, and adult protective services. These egregious cuts alone will cost Illinois over $72 million dollars and hurt Illinois children, seniors, and families. This isn't right. It is unAmerican. It is immoral. And, I oppose this cruel bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the Good Book teaches us to care for the least among us. In medicine, we vow to do no harm. Yet, the Republican budget plan inflicts suffering on the least among us to lavish riches on the wealthiest and most secure. This bill rips health care from 13.7 million Americans, with 449,818 lllinoisans expected to lose their health insurance. In my Congressional District alone, this cruel Republican plan threatens to cut health insurance from over 240,000 people on the Illinois Medical Assistance Program, including over 102,000 children and 27,000 seniors. Thousands of seniors and persons with disabilities risk losing their nursing home coverage. This Republican bill further raises taxes and health premiums on 24 million Americans, and the $73 billion cuts to Medicaid providers will close hospitals, nursing homes, and other cash- strapped providers. Government should help people, not harm them. Government should aid the vulnerable in asking for relief, not exclude them from assistance with excessive barriers. Yet this ruthless Republican bill cuts $300 billion in food assistance for millions of seniors, children, and parents--which then costs farmers at least $30 billion in lost income. The loss of SNAP and Medicaid then threatens the 15.6 million children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals and the 20 million kids who get summer EBT via direct certification. In my District, this bill likely increases hunger for about 244,000 people who could lose SNAP and for over 80,000 children who could lose free lunch. This Republican scam makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. It boosts billionaires while cutting the food, health care, education, and housing for tens of millions of children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and workers. In addition to the direct harm, the bill's irresponsible explosion of the deficit triggers statutory cuts to critical programs supporting children and families. These Paygo cuts would zero out funding for the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program that is proven to improve mother and child health, family safety, and child development. It would eliminate the guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program that helps prevent child maltreatment and strengthen families. It would eradicate the Social Services Block Grant that provides substantial investment in child care, child welfare, and adult protective services. These cuts cost Illinois over $41 million in SSBG, over $18 million in home visiting, and over $13 million in Safe and Stable funding. These egregious cuts hurt Illinois children, seniors, and families. As any good grift, the Republican bill uses tricks to pretend it's helping regular Americans while it shepherds the biggest loss of health care and nutrition assistance in our Nation's history, exploding poverty and inflicting suffering. Under this bill, a millionaire enjoys a windfall 310 times greater than a hardworking American making $50,000 or less. A person making over one million dollars a year gets $81,500 in tax cuts while those earning less than $50,000 only get $265--a laughable sum that evaporates in the face of trillions of dollars in assistance cuts. Disgustingly, if you earn less than $30,000, you get crushed with a $5 billion tax increase. This isn't right. It is un-American. It is immoral. I oppose this cruel bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Margaret Wolfe Hungerford said: ``Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'' I behold no beauty in cutting and seeing cut the heart out of healthcare in America. I see no beauty in children not being able to take care of themselves because their parents don't have the resources. I see no beauty in a bill that promotes wealth for the wealthy and decreases services and resources for those at the bottom. It is a bad bill. It is not good for America.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, my constituent, Debra, has this to say about Medicaid, and I agree. She says: It is absolutely essential. She adopted two medically fragile children from foster care. Both have Medicaid as their primary and only health insurance. They both receive services through the Division of Specialized Care for Children in Illinois. Her daughter has a Medically Fragile, Technology Dependent waiver. Together, they require 19 daily prescription medications. Her son requires a nightly injection that is $4,000 a month. Her daughter requires multiple pieces of expensive medical equipment. She would never have been able to adopt or afford to keep them without knowing they would receive Medicaid. She is so proud of them. Medicaid is a vital, lifesaving program for thousands of children like hers. Mr. Speaker, I agree, and let's make it accessible to all who need it. I thank Debra, and I thank her children.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned by President Trump's chaotic, contradictory, and harmful trade policy that affect American families and my state of Illinois. His emergency powers to impose tariffs have disrupted business and commerce to operate successfully during a time of inconsistent policy initiatives with major trading partners like Canada, China, and Mexico. What is more alarming is that this trade policy also undermines the Republican Party's historic commitment to free markets and open trade. It is not based on a clear, comprehensive, well-balanced and measured policy vision, but rather on arbitrary decisions that seem to reflect the preferences of a single individual--or a small group--more than the American people. We've now reached a point where this `` America First'' trade policy is now delivering real economic damage across the country. I want to emphasize that this is not an isolated concern. My constituents, as well as economists, academicians, and policy experts across the country have echoed the same worries. The Administration's recent approach to tariffs has created serious uncertainty for U.S. businesses, workers, and consumers. This is not just a matter of opinion, it is supported by data and economic analysis. Economic experts estimate that the 2025 tariffs will raise overall prices by 2.3 percent, costing the average household $3,800 annually, with even greater burdens on working-class families. Clothing prices are expected to jump by 33 percent, and food prices by 4.5 percent. These are not abstract numbers, they represent real consequences for real people: higher grocery bills and more expensive everyday essentials. For instance, Canada, Illinois's top export market for oil, vehicles parts, and agricultural products, has already signaled retaliation, threatening our supply chains and manufacturing sectors. A similar pattern occurs with China, where Illinois sends substantial volumes of agricultural products and electronics. Mexico is another major trading partner in auto parts, machinery, and food products. Disrupting the supply chains through tariffs or threats to pull out of trade deals like the USMCA could destabilize job-creating industries within Illinois. Moreover, this trade strategy is not only economically damaging, but also unconstitutional. Congress, not the President, holds the exclusive authority to regulate foreign commerce. The Administration's abuse of emergency powers to give himself authority to regulate foreign trade and impose tariffs on the entire world bypasses the legislative process, undermines transparency, and strips away the opportunity for public accountability. This is why, I urge my colleagues, especially Republican Members of Congress, to approach this trade policy in a joint and measured manner for our constituents. When Congress gives away its capacity to question and dialogue with the other branch, we weaken our position and risk deals that don't reflect all American values or economic priorities.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Henry Peter Brougham once said, ``Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave.'' The Trump Administration's deliberate evisceration of education--from preschool to higher education--is a dangerous attack on our democracy that will damage our people, communities, and country. Given that education is a key factor in economic well-being, federal education law promotes equity and access so that students from various backgrounds can thrive. President Trump, with the help of Elon Musk, is gutting the Department of Education under the false pretense of returning power to the states which already have the primary responsibility for public education. In addition to cutting federal workers that oversee Head Start, President Trump reportedly plans to eliminate Head Start in his FY26 Budget. Head Start reduces educational disparities so that lower-income children enter school ready to learn. Gutting it directly harms over 1 million parents who rely on Head Start to work, over 800,000 children, and tens of thousands of workers--undermining vulnerable children and communities. For K-12 education, Trump's actions jeopardize key programs that improve educational success for low-income students and students with disabilities. Contrary to federal law, Mr. Trump plans to withhold Title I grants that help districts meet the educational needs of students with limited financial means based on his personal whims about curricular content. Title I assists 26 million children across the nation and is a principal tool to address the disparities that impact marginalized groups, such as Black and brown students. Further, the Republicans Budget plans seek to dramatically cut education funding, with Illinois at risk of losing approximately $793 million and 12,000 teachers. Further, Trump's cuts threaten the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) that provides protection and funding for students with disabilities. Illinois received one billion dollars in IDEA funding in 2024 to strengthen education for our youngest Illinoisans. Federal support is vital to providing students with an educational foundation for success. The attacks on higher education are equally devastating to the well- being of our citizens and economy, promoting a greater divide between the haves and have nots. This Trump Administration seeks to slash key federal programs that improve access to higher education, including Pell Grants, loans, work-study, TRIO, GEAR UP, and CCAMPIS. Approximately 45 percent of full-time Black students graduate from public four-year colleges and universities within six years, with finances playing a large role in this outcome. Stripping first- generation, low-income, or minority students of the few financial and academic resources the government provides reduces college affordability and, once again, places students who are already at a disadvantage further from the finish line. In addition, he signed an executive order refusing Public Service Loan Forgiveness to non-profits that he does not like. President Trump further is targeting higher education institutions as if they were the enemy, withholding billions in research funds, removing visas from students and faculty, illegally-halting grants, and threatening to revoke their nonprofit status simply because their work does not align with the President's agenda. Illinois is home to several R1 institutions whose work revolves around studying underrepresented populations that are impacted by these decisions. I helped expand these federal education laws and research funding, and I will fight to protect them. The Trump-Musk administration and Congressional Republicans seek to demolish the educational foundation of our country to fund tax handouts for the wealthiest individuals and companies. I am especially appalled by the President's myopic focus to write race, gender, and ability out of history. We must remind ourselves that federal investment in education fosters enrichment and equal opportunities. If we allow this evisceration of education to continue, our country and students will wither.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as a policymaker and citizen, I unconditionally and absolutely reject President Trump's and Elon Musk's work to steal American's Social Security benefits, a scheme that hurts middle-class and working-class families and seniors to pay for tax handouts to billionaires. When Americans already face increased prices and economic hardship from the President's chaotic policies, Mr. Trump threatens Social Security--the leading assistance program that 73 million Americans depend on for monthly assistance. This group includes the more than 7 million seniors aged 65 or older for whom 90 percent of their income is their earned Social Security benefits. Without Social Security, 52.2 percent of older women would live in poverty. About 45 percent of Black seniors, 52 percent of Latino seniors, and 41 percent of Asian-American seniors rely mostly or only on Social Security for income. This effort to gut Social Security is an appalling illustration of the highest level of greed, where billionaires rob from hard-working Americans to augment their wealth. By slashing staff, closing 6 out of 10 regional offices, cutting customer service operations, restricting phone service assistance, and spreading falsehoods about the Social Security Administration (SSA), Trump and Musk jeopardize Americans' earned benefits and security. Let me be clear--cuts to the Social Security Administration that prevent beneficiaries from accessing their benefits are absolutely, unequivocally backdoor benefit cuts. Seniors and people with disabilities cannot get help by phone due to reduced phone service. They can't get help by the website that frequently crashes and presents access barriers to the elderly. Nor can they get help in person given the increased distance to offices and longer wait times due to dramatic staff cuts and office closures. At the time when the greatest number of baby boomers are retiring and need the most help and when SSA already is at its lowest staffing level in decades, it is unconscionable that the Republicans seek to gut Social Security and throw seniors, orphans, and those with disabilities into poverty. All baby boomers will be 67 by 2031. So we are in the peak period of retirement. I introduced the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act as an essential step to protecting Social Security benefits for the 1 in 5 Americans who need these community offices. Field offices serve as a lifeline for seniors and people with disabilities, giving the in-person assistance to ensure they receive their correct benefits. In my Congressional District alone, 68,550 retired workers, 12,772 disabled workers, and 5,239 widowers or parents receive critical Social Security benefits. An additional 25,000 receive Supplemental Security Income to pay their bills and survive. These constituents rely on field offices when they need help. Field offices are not extra or fluff; they are crucial. I also must refuse the default Republican Social Security ``reform'' of raising the retirement age to 70 given that it would disproportionately harm Black men and communities of color who have lower life expectances. Systematic inequalities in socioeconomic status, education, food security, and access to healthcare play an intricate role in life expectancy. The life expectancy for Black men is age 72.8, in contrast to 77.5 for White men. All Americans should equitably reap the earned benefits of their tireless labor. With fewer than 100 days in office, President Trump has already caused tremendous harm to Social Security, jeopardizing the well-being of tens of millions of seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. This assault on Social Security is an assault on our nation's most vulnerable and least secure. Across the nation, this damage is in addition to his erratic and senseless tariffs and the dramatic reductions or eliminations of essential supports for housing, healthcare, food, and education and so much more. These policies threaten the livelihoods of individuals and our nation's economy--all so the obscenely wealthy grow more secure while condemning the majority to a precarious existence, defenseless against life's unpredictability and wholly susceptible to exploitation and despair. I will fight with every ounce of my being to oppose President Trump's and Elon Musk's theft of Social Security and the Republican effort to cripple Americans for their greed.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of April as Sarcoidosis Awareness Month. Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas--tiny clumps of inflammatory cells--in one or more organs of the body. When the immune system goes into overdrive and too many of these clumps form, they can interfere with an organ's structure and function. When left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which is the permanent scarring of organ tissue. This disorder affects the lungs in approximately 90 percent of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body. Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure. Sarcoidosis is considered chronic in people whose disease remains active for more than 2 to 5 years; in this population sarcoidosis can be debilitating and life-threatening. It's estimated that the prevalence of sarcoidosis in the U.S. ranges between 150,000 and 200,000 with an estimated 1.2 million individuals with sarcoidosis worldwide. I am proud to have the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) based in my district, in the city of Chicago. I've had the chance to meet wonderful patient advocates and hear their stories. FSR is committed to advancing pivotal research and improving the lives of all impacted by sarcoidosis and has funded over 7 million dollars to support academic research to better understand the cause, mechanisms of progression, and the effective and efficient path to better patient outcomes. Most recently, I worked with FSR to address a lack of clarity from the Department of Labor regarding whether or not clinical trial participation was a permissible use of leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Like other chronic and rare disease patient populations, clinical trial access is critically important for patients with sarcoidosis, as there is no cure and there is a lack of treatment options. When requesting time off to participate in clinical trials, some patients have been denied as HR departments have not interpreted clinical trial participation as a permissible use of leave under FMLA. I, along with other Congress members and leading stakeholder organizations such as FSR, reached out to the DOL to get this clarification. Fortunately, the DOL responded confirming that they interpret clinical trial participation, when medically necessary, is a permissible use of leave under FMLA. It further clarified that both patients and caregivers are guaranteed job protection under FMLA, when meeting the necessary requirements and choosing to participate in clinical trials. This effort extends beyond sarcoidosis and extends to all those seeking to participate in clinical trials. I am now working to spread awareness of this finding, so employers, employees, HR departments and patients are aware of proper use of leave under FMLA. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. In celebration of this accomplishment and years of innovation, empowerment and progress, I call on my colleagues to recognize the goals and ideals of Sarcoidosis Awareness Month by supporting federal activities that improve the lives of patients impacted by Sarcoidosis, and to raise awareness and shine a light on the 1.2 million people living with Sarcoidosis.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 998, the Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help Act. This bill will help taxpayers better understand why they have received a math error notice from the Internal Revenue Service. Currently, math error notices can be vague and confusing. The law does not specify how the IRS must describe the math error or require the IRS to inform taxpayers that they have 60 days to request that the math error assessment be reversed. This bill will fix these issues by requiring the Internal Revenue Service to provide a clear and straightforward explanation of any alleged math or clerical error in the notice. It also requires the IRS to update procedures on how to request abatement and, upon the determination of an abatement, to issue a notice of abatement to the taxpayer. Furthermore, this bill requires implementation of a pilot program to explore the use of alternative mail delivery methods for issuance of math error notices. I am proud to stand with my colleagues on the Committee on Ways and Means in support of this commonsense reform that will help taxpayers and improve IRS administration, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 998 is a commonsense, bipartisan bill. I encourage my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 997, the National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act. I am pleased to lead this bill with my colleague, Representative Feenstra from Iowa. The National Taxpayer Advocate is the independent advocate working to assist taxpayers. I am deeply grateful to her and her team for their outstanding work to identify tax policy improvements, to help taxpayers at large, and for their work to help individual taxpayers when they need assistance with a specific problem. The bill makes a small but important statutory clarification that the National Taxpayer Advocate may appoint and supervise her own legal counsel, rather than only using attorneys that report to the IRS chief counsel. Being able to appoint independent counsel is an essential step to preserving the independence of the National Taxpayer Advocate Office, as required under section 7803(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Given her independent role, the National Taxpayer Advocate often takes positions contrary to the positions of the IRS and the Office of Chief Counsel. As a result, the National Taxpayer Advocate needs her own independent counsel to advise and adopt legal positions so that she can effectively advocate for taxpayers and to advise Congress. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the committee is marking up the National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act today to protect the independence of the National Taxpayer Advocate, and I hope that this bipartisan effort will extend to dealing with the threat of data privacy that the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service currently are experiencing. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 997 is a commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation and is the product of a recommendation made by the Taxpayer Advocate. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1152, the Electronic Filing and Payment Fairness Act. Taxpayers should have one clear deadline to file documents and make required payments. Under current law, payments or certain documents that are mailed to the IRS are considered timely filed as long as they are postmarked by midnight on the due date. This is called the mailbox rule. However, if a taxpayer submits certain payments or documents to the IRS electronically on a given due date but they are not processed until the next day, they would be considered late. This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the mailbox rule to extend to electronic tax payments and documents. The IRS should not treat taxpayers who choose to file electronically differently than those who file by mail. This bill would ensure the same standard for all Americans regardless of how they file. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time so I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1152 is a narrowly targeted bill that can provide meaningful help and assurance to taxpayers. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to reluctantly oppose H.R. 1156 that would extend the statute of limitations for pandemic unemployment insurance fraud for 5 years. During the pandemic, criminal actors and fraud rings took advantage of overwhelmed State unemployment offices and unqualified contractors to steal billions of dollars from American taxpayers. Like the rest of my Democratic colleagues, I have strongly supported the Department of Labor Inspector General's, or OIG, efforts to serve justice and recover taxpayer dollars. We opposed Republican cuts to the OIG budget that slowed their work. Then 2 years ago, when the inspector general recommended we extend the statute of limitations for specific crimes to allow more time for prosecution of criminal rings, we tried to work with our Republican colleagues on a bill to accomplish that. Why then am I opposing this bill today? Just before this bill was introduced, President Trump illegally fired the very inspector general who recommended this extension of the statute of limitations and who led the OIG's work to prosecute criminal rings, securing 1,400 convictions and over $1 billion in court-ordered restitution. President Trump also illegally fired 16 other nonpartisan inspectors general, the same officials we depend on to fight fraud and hold agencies accountable. Since that time, we have seen Elon Musk and his DOGE team sweep through Federal agencies, firing experts, demanding access to American citizens' most sensitive identity and financial information, and levying unfounded accusations of fraud at Federal program beneficiaries, even at Social Security recipients. One in four Americans received pandemic unemployment benefits. Many of them unknowingly received modest overpayments, often because of State or contractor errors. For example, Arkansas businesses received specific instructions from the Arkansas unemployment office about how their workers should report income on their pandemic unemployment applications. Unfortunately, this guidance was incorrect, resulting in overpayments. Consequently, the Arkansas unemployment office applied to the Department of Labor for permission to waive overpayments to employees whose employers gave them incorrect information. These workers did nothing wrong, but the bill today would allow the DOGE team to falsely claim these workers defrauded the government and file criminal charges 10 years after they spent the funds on rent and food to survive the pandemic. Extending the statute of limitations without a Senate-confirmed nonpartisan inspector general and without any guardrails limiting the extension to serious criminals could put every American who lost their job during the pandemic at risk of harassment and accusations of fraud. Given the false accusations of rampant fraud by Federal program beneficiaries, coupled with the administration's stopping enforcement against criminal activity by certain foreign adversaries, any extension of the statute of limitations needs guardrails in the law to protect workers who were unemployed during the pandemic. I filed an amendment to limit the extension to cases with an expected recovery of at least $100,000, which is standard practice at the Office of Inspector General right now. I am deeply disappointed that my amendment that would simply codify current practice was not made in order so that I could support the bill. This bill will also cut the Department of Labor's limited budget to support State fraud prevention, including criminal identity verification tools. As unemployment surges across the country due to the DOGE firing of Federal employees and contractors, due to the Trump administration's illegal cuts to nonprofits and theft of Federal funding, and due to the Trump trade wars, States will need all the help they can get to pay benefits accurately and to protect against the same bad actors that targeted us during the pandemic. Mr. Speaker, given the failure of this Republican bill to protect the tens of millions of unemployed workers during the pandemic from the DOGE witch hunt, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill until language is included that ensures that the prosecution focus remains on criminal rings and large-scale fraud rather than overpayments due to State individual errors. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).