Adriano Espaillat

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished ranking member of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 8772, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2025. Before I discuss the bill, Mr. Chair, let me start by taking a moment to thank our colleague, Jennifer Wexton, who represents Virginia's 10th District, for her unwavering dedication and service in this Congress. I am in awe of her courage and wish her and her family all the best. We will miss Ms. Wexton all over Congress here. She has been an exemplary Member of this House, and we trust that her legacy will be forever cemented in this House. We thank Ms. Wexton for all that she does, her courage, her resilience, her honesty, and her commitment to the American people. I thank also my colleague, Chairman Valadao, and the subcommittee staff who work daily to ensure the legislative branch has the resources that it needs to support America and its people. Really, this work is so important to our Nation. As the chairman indicated, the bill before us today includes $5.5 billion in discretionary appropriations to fund the offices of the House of Representatives and joint legislative branch items. This is an increase of 3.5 percent from fiscal year 2024 enacted levels. I agree with the chairman when he says this bill provides the resources for Congress to serve their constituents and conduct our oversight responsibilities. The funding in this bill is reasonable and continues the operations for legislative branch agencies. However, Mr. Chairman, the legislative branch bill should never be a place for divisive politics. The legislative branch bill should be used to ensure Congress has the tools, the necessary tools, it needs to legislate and support the constituents we serve in a fair, transparent, and equitable manner. Instead, and unfortunately, this bill contains some very concerning messaging provisions that have absolutely no place within the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. This bill contains provisions that eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and allows for discrimination towards the LGBTQI+ community. The majority seems obsessed with cutting Federal funding and eliminating programs that help fight climate change and those that help grow and diversify our country. For example, this bill removes a provision to eliminate or reduce plastic waste right here in this legislative branch of government. We should start by leading with our own example. To save the planet, we should start right here in our House. In addition, it eliminates a requirement for Members to lease low-emissions vehicles. As we face a tremendous heat wave, I challenge anybody to walk back to Longworth or Rayburn three or four times today to see how much of a challenge it will be. Yet, we don't want to accept the provisions that were enacted before to have climate change impact provisions in the bill. Plus, this bill does not include longstanding legislation allowing the legislative branch agencies to employ individuals with an employment authorization document under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, DACA. This House and the many agencies that make up the entire legislative branch of government should make every effort to reflect and consider all the people in this great Nation we serve and the many districts our Members represent. Mr. Chair, the legislative branch bill should represent a collaboration between our two parties. We come to this campus to work together. That is what the American people expect and deserve. Our place of business is to be a role model for a more equitable, inclusive, and positive working environment. Instead, this bill includes hurtful and offensive provisions to many Americans, including our very own staff supporting this great institution and those we work alongside daily. I don't agree with these divisive ideas, and for that reason, Mr. Chairman, for that reason alone, I cannot support this bill. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the resolution recommending that the House of Representatives find Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. This resolution is not only a distraction but a waste of valuable time and resources that could be better spent addressing the pressing needs of the American people. Firstly, this contempt vote is politically motivated and baseless. Attorney General Garland has consistently cooperated with Congress, providing over 2,500 pages of documents and making senior officials available for testimony. These facts underscore his commitment to transparency and accountability, making the charge of contempt unfounded. Furthermore, let's consider the broader implications of this resolution. Pursuing this baseless contempt charge diverts attention from the real issues that matter to working-class Americans. According to recent data, policies that directly impact the well-being and opportunities of American families should be our primary focus. For instance: Economic Support: We should be prioritizing policies that boost economic opportunities. The American Rescue Plan, for example, has already provided significant relief to millions of families. Continued efforts in this vein would better serve our constituents. Healthcare Access: Expanding access to affordable healthcare remains a critical need. By focusing on comprehensive healthcare reforms, we can ensure that every American has the coverage they need. Education and Workforce Development: Investing in education and workforce training programs is essential for the future of our economy. These initiatives equip Americans with the skills necessary to compete in a rapidly changing job market. Infrastructure and Clean Energy: Comprehensive infrastructure projects, including advancements in clean energy, create jobs and promote sustainable growth. These initiatives not only strengthen our economy but also address the urgent issue of climate change. Instead of engaging in politically charged actions that yield no tangible benefits, we must redirect our efforts toward these meaningful policies. Addressing these key areas will directly enhance the lives of working-class Americans and foster a more prosperous and equitable society. I urge my colleagues to reject this contempt resolution. Let us focus our energy on policies that deliver real results for our constituents, ensuring that we are truly serving the American people's best interests.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, through recent confirmed reports, we now know that after the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito flew an upside-down American flag in front of his home for several days. This is just the latest brazen act by an out-of-control, extreme MAGA Justice whose conduct is directly responsible for the current public opinion on the Supreme Court being at record lows. The inverted flag was a well-known symbol flown by far-right, extreme MAGA activists in early 2021. These were extremists who believed the former President's nonsensical election lie and who supported the goals of the January 6 assault on this body and our democracy. Federal judges cannot make political displays, and Alito is a Supreme Court Justice. He knew exactly what he was doing when he expressed solidarity with January 6 criminals. To quote Esmeralda Santiago: ``Tell me who you walk with, and I'll tell you who you are.'' Time and time again, Alito has shown us who he is, a far-right, extreme MAGA ideologue who is anything but impartial with regards to justice. In 2022, Alito followed the directives of the former President and the far-right, extreme MAGA camp to defy the will of the American people and 50 years of legal precedent by writing the decision to reverse Roe v. Wade. Along with his fellow extreme MAGA Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Alito has routinely failed to report large, luxury gifts paid for by some of his friends, private flights, and other payments to him and his family by wealthy, far-right extremists. Worst of all, Justice Alito has also openly failed to recuse himself from any of the several January 6-related cases currently before the Supreme Court. His bias is clearly showing. During last month's oral arguments before the Supreme Court in the Donald Trump election interference case, Alito cozied up to Trump's absurd legal argument that past Presidents are completely immune from criminal prosecution. You should recuse yourself. In last month's oral arguments in a separate case involving charges against January 6 Capitol insurrectionists, Alito revealed his view that prosecutors may have gone too far by daring to charge these defendants. You should recuse yourself. Justice Alito is someone who will do everything in his power to make sure Donald Trump and the January 6 insurrectionists evade prosecution and accountability for their crimes. For the sake of our democracy, Justice Alito must immediately recuse himself from all and any January 6-related cases before the Supreme Court. Justice Alito's behavior also underscores the need for Congress to immediately pass H.R. 926, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. With H.R. 926, Supreme Court Justices like Samuel Alito will finally be held subject to the same ethics and recusal standards as other Federal judges in a manner that is meaningful and enforceable. Until this occurs, Justice Alito and his insurrectionist worldview will continue to dominate our highest court, representing a threat not just to the rule of law but also to American democracy itself.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, today and this week has been Police Week here in Washington, D.C. We saw how hundreds of police officers came to the Nation's Capital to be recognized and to be honored for their service across neighborhoods and cities and States of this great Nation. Police officers respond to crises, to a violent situation, to a family conflict, and to someone brandishing a weapon. It is not often that a police officer responds to a friendly situation. They respond to conflict, so they put their lives in harm's way for all of us in America. Neighborhoods across the country expect police officers to show up when they call upon them to protect them. This week is the week where we stand up here in the Nation's Capitol and recognize the men and women in uniform that protect our families, our neighborhoods, our cities, and our States. For us here in the House of Representatives, and for me in particular, I am forever grateful to the heroic officers who protected the Capitol. I will forever remember the 140 officers who were injured and the five who lost their lives as a result of the attack on January 6 right in this Chamber. They didn't determine whether the Member was a Republican Member or whether the Member was a Democrat Member. They came to protect our lives, and in many ways, they also showed up here confronting a violent, racist mob to protect democracy, to protect the House of Representatives, and on the other side, to protect the Senate. I take this opportunity, Madam Speaker, to recognize the officers that lost their lives: Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who died from causes the day after the attack; Howard Liebengood from the Capitol Police as well; Jeffrey Smith from the Metropolitan Police Department; Gunther Hashida from the Metropolitan Police Department; and Kyle DeFreytag from the Metropolitan Police Department. I am grateful for the brave officers also that testified in front of the January 6 committee: Officer Michael Fanone; Officer Harry Dunn; a New Yorker, Brooklynite, Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell; and Officer Daniel Hodges. It has been more than a year since Congress agreed to install a plaque to honor the officers who defended this very Capitol during the January 6 attack. I brought a poster of that plaque that has not yet been installed. We can talk all the fanfare we want about how great the police department is here in the metropolitan D.C. area and across the country, but we have failed for over a year to properly recognize the Capitol Police officers and the local police departments that protected our very own lives. We have failed to install the plaque, and that is why I bring this poster of it to show the American people that we want to honor not just all the police officers across the country but also the ones that defended this Capitol and protected us from an angry, violent mob whose intent was to kill Nancy Pelosi and whose clear intent was to assassinate Vice President Pence. They made no distinction on our political affiliation here in this Chamber. They weren't going to ask us for our pin or our voting card and whether we are a Republican or a Democrat. They will have made no distinction. Yet, the police officers were here, and we have failed to properly honor them.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I represent the district where Columbia University is located, and as protests have continued to escalate, I have had the opportunity to meet with many Jewish students on the Columbia campus. I strongly believe that the ability to peacefully protest is a fundamental American value, and I support a student's ability to free expression. However, instances of anti-Semitic hate speech have left these students feeling scared and alone. I want to tell them tonight: You are not alone. However, vandalism, breaking the law, and anti-Semitism aren't part of peaceful protesting. As the recent escalation has disrupted campus life and placed students in harm's way, the university must immediately prioritize providing safety and order for all students on campus. As Members of Congress, we have a duty to pass meaningful legislation to protect students and all Americans against anti-Semitism and other forms of hate, and we will do that.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove myself as a cosponsor of H. Res. 1068.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Black History Month as today marks the closing of that very important celebration in our community and across the Nation. However, Black History Month is not just a month. It is every day of the year, and it must reaffirm unity in action. During this month, we reflect on the significance of the shoulders we stand on, the shoulders of giants in Harlem such as the late, great Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and our former Congress Member, the Lion of Lenox Avenue, Charles B. Rangel. This month and always, we must acknowledge the achievements of Black Americans throughout the Nation's history. That is why, Madam Speaker, I am proud to introduce the Holcombe Rucker Park Landmark Act. This is a noncontroversial measure that would honor the life and legacy of Holcombe Rucker, a World War II veteran, Harlem Junior High School teacher, family man, and graduate of City College in New York City. He dedicated his entire life to uplifting Harlem through compassion, books, and basketball. My bill would ensure the preservation of Holcombe Rucker Park, considered by many across the country as the ``Mecca of Basketball.'' Rucker Park has helped forge a path to multiple NBA stars, such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, ``Tiny'' Archibald, and the great Earl ``The Pearl'' Monroe. This Federal recognition would also preserve the park's legacy and ensure that future generations can appreciate his role in shaping the cultural and sporting landscapes of our Nation. Speaking of Federal recognition, we are also closing out Dominican Heritage Month. This week, I joined Dominican-American leaders and the diaspora to ring the closing bell at Nasdaq in honor of a day of importance, Dominican Independence Day, February 27, and in recognition of Dominican economic contributions to the United States of America. Dominicans have more than tripled in population since the 1990s to represent a population of a total of 2.4 million people in the United States, the fourth largest population of Latinos in these United States. Our contribution to this great Nation grows even stronger every day. Just 2 weeks ago, we also had Dominicans on the Hill, where thousands of Dominican Americans joined us here to bring forward their message for recovery for our Nation. Madam Speaker, finally, we will hear a lot about the border this week. We must remember that the border solution lies not just on border safety. We recognize that there must be greater border safety, particularly at the points of entry, where most of the fentanyl comes through in trucks and other vehicles. However, we must also make sure that we don't gut our asylum system. We need to make sure America continues to be a beacon of hope and an opportunity for people that are persecuted all over the world. It must be a balanced approach with four underpinnings: one, of course, border security measures to make our southern border stronger; two, one that acknowledges the root causes of migration in the hemisphere; three, one that also acknowledges the economic needs of our Nation for immigrants, such as farmworkers and work permits; and, finally, sensible, comprehensive immigration reform for Dreamers, TPS recipients, and family reunification. Madam Speaker, I finalize by saying that we do have a bipartisan piece of legislation supported by Republicans and Democrats. It is called the Dignity Act, and it has these four very important underpinnings: greater border security, an acknowledgement of the root causes of migration, the economics, and comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address a matter of great concern to all Americans. Yesterday, House Republicans recklessly voted to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. They engaged in a sham exercise that not only degrades the value and the importance of this democratic institution, but last week they went through the effort to engage in an exercise to publicly lay at the doorstep of one person, Secretary Mayorkas, the crisis of migration and immigration which has been permanent in the United States of America for decades upon decades upon decades. House Republicans blame a single man for a perennial immigration crisis caused by Congress' decades-long failure to pass immigration law. During the Reagan administration, we saw how President Reagan addressed comprehensive immigration reform. In fact, alluding to the great lady at the New York Harbor, he said: ``It is that lady who gives us our great and special place in the world.'' George Bush addressed the immigration crisis. George W. Bush addressed the immigration crisis. This crisis has been before us for decades upon decades upon decades. Yet, yesterday, after a failed vote last week by one vote, the Republicans recklessly voted to impeach Secretary Mayorkas in a sham process that, as I said earlier, degrades the value of this great democratic institution. Even conservative scholars will note that Secretary Mayorkas has done a strong job in advancing solutions within the confines of our existing immigration laws, which we all agree are broken. Yet, instead of working with us to actually improve our laws, the Republican leadership pursued a bogus impeachment trial, fueled purely by their desire to win votes and by fanning the flames of xenophobia. We saw that play out in New York during the past weeks, and we saw the results last night. New Yorkers rejected that attitude. New Yorkers rejected that effort to divide us. Instead, Republicans must join Members of their caucus in critical efforts to actually pass legislation on immigration. This can be achieved by passing the bipartisan--and let me say this again, Madam Speaker--the bipartisan Dignity Act, which I stand in support of today. H.R. 3599, the Dignity Act, represents Congress' best chances in 37 years to finally fix our broken immigration system, and is supported by Republicans and Democrats. This bipartisan bill contains immigration fixes in four key areas that both Democrats and Republicans should fall behind. One, of course, is border safety. We all agree that something should be done about the border. The other one is immigration reform. Components of immigration reform that we know are critical and important, as Ronald Reagan said, for the future of our Nation. A third bucket is jobs and the economy. We must inject more energy in jobs and our economy. Of course, the fourth bucket is the root causes of migration in our hemisphere. So for border security, we can do a lot by providing substantial funding to combat fentanyl smuggling and for border technologies that will modernize our ports of entry. Fentanyl is coming in through our ports of entry by wheels. Vehicles are bringing it in. Let's modernize our ports of entry to ensure that we stop that crisis. Madam Speaker, again, we have a solution. It is called the Dignity Act.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, in 1986, Republican President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act. That 1986 Reagan bill, in addition to implementing border security, granted a pathway to citizenship to nearly 3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Then in 1990, Mr. Speaker, Republican President George Bush signed another immigration act, which, among other measures, created the Temporary Protective Status program, known as TPS, to provide relief for immigrants from countries who are immersed in deep suffering. Later on, Mr. Speaker, his son, George W. Bush, also followed through in providing relief to immigrants across the Nation. Mr. Speaker, what has happened to that Republican Party? I want to know where they are today. Issues with our immigration system has existed since the Reagan years. The only difference today is their lack of bipartisan desire from MAGA Republicans to work with us and address this issue. President Bush worked with Senator Kennedy. George W. Bush worked across the aisle to find equal ground. Instead of coming to the table to address issues on the border security and compassionate measures like protections for Dreamers, which 80 percent of voters support, MAGA Republicans are turning their backs on legislation to fix our immigration system. Instead of doing their jobs, the latest stunt of House Republicans is a bogus, baseless impeachment inquiry of Secretary Mayorkas, which blames a single man for the situation at the border. A situation that has been around since the Reagan years and lays at the doorstep of a single man, Mr. Speaker, this issue. It is a bogus and baseless political tool in an election year. That is what this impeachment proceeding is, Mr. Speaker. Listen to the Republicans when they speak on this as they have time and time again failed to articulate any charge against Secretary Mayorkas. Even conservative experts agree this impeachment inquiry is a sham. Michael Chertoff, a former judge and DHS Secretary under President George W. Bush, stated that Republicans have failed to put forward any evidence that meets the bar for this impeachment. This is a bogus impeachment process that is used as a political tool in an election year. In reality, Secretary Mayorkas has done all he can to improve conditions in the ports of entry where fentanyl comes through every day through wheels, not through migrants. He has done all he could to bring technology to the border in a balanced approach, but even so, Secretary Mayorkas can only execute the laws that are written by Congress, and this Congress has been negligent, derelict in its duty not to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Instead of acting with us to fix this issue, Republicans are pursuing a bogus impeachment inquiry, trying to lay a problem that has dragged for decades upon decades upon decades in Republican administrations and Democrat administrations at the doorstep of Secretary Mayorkas. It is a bogus, political tool that they resort to every 4 years to try to get elected. And that is why, Mr. Speaker, they choose not to fix the problem. They don't want to put it in the rear-view mirror. They want to go to it every 4 years so they can flame xenophobia against ordinary immigrants like myself. I stand here to denounce this bogus, baseless impeachment proceeding against Secretary Mayorkas. If anybody should be expelled, it is the leadership of that party that has been negligent in their duties to address a balanced approach that takes into consideration border safety, that takes into consideration immigration reform, that takes into consideration the impact on the economy of farmworkers, that takes into consideration the root causes of migration in the hemisphere.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding to me. As co-chair of the bipartisan Latino-Jewish Caucus, I rise today to tell an important story. There are many hostages. Over 100 hostages have been held for 115 days from all walks of life. Children, a 1-year- old child, seniors, women, and family members are being held hostage. I rise today to tell the story of a 34-year-old Israeli-Colombian hostage by the name of Elkana Bohbot, whose family I met this past December. Elkana is not just an Israeli-Colombian. He is the beloved sibling of Jacob and Uriel Bohbot, the loving husband of Geraldyn Bohbot, and the dad of a 3-year-old. Before October 7, Elkana had just opened up an ice cream shop in Tel Aviv and was looking forward to taking his 3-year-old son there for the first time. Just imagine that, Mr. Speaker: a dad opening up an ice cream store and just waiting to see how his 3-year-old son will react when he first tastes that chocolate, that vanilla, or that strawberry ice cream. I think we could identify with the magic of that moment. Yet now, every passing day for Elkana and his family are a waking nightmare. The last time Elkana's family saw him was in a Hamas video that was taken on October 7 alongside other hostages, and, in it, Elkana was severely injured. Elkana has been forced to survive each passing day in the depths of Hamas tunnels without ventilation or fresh air fighting through asthma attacks because he is asthmatic without his medication. At 115 days, Mr. Speaker, Elkana's life is hanging in the balance. Every day is a day of hope for all of us, and we will not give up on our actions to bring Elkana Bohbot home, as well as the other hostages.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, when the child tax credit was originally expanded by the American Rescue Plan in 2021, it provided a lifeline to families during very serious economic hardship. The benefit allowed families to receive an extra $3,600 annually for kids under the age of 6 years old and $3,000 annually for children over 6 years of age. In my district, the child tax credit provided $185 million to 123,000 children and 47,000 families. The expansion lifted 13,700 children in my district out of poverty. It is a district with a median household income of $48,638 and where emergency room visits for children with asthma are 20 times higher in the Bronx than any other borough. An average of 28 percent of residents are paying 50 percent or more of their income in rent. It is a district where about 84 percent of the 475,000 households earn below the poverty level and have a severe rent burden. Mr. Speaker, students in the school districts that I represent receive some of the highest rates of title I funding in the city. I am heartened to hear of the negotiations that will include an expanded child tax credit for low-income families. However, the agreement fails to make the full child tax credit available as a refund to families with little or no taxable income. I don't get this. All of a sudden, this is leaving the neediest families, the lowest earning families, out of the benefit. They will receive no child tax credit. The objectors to this are the same folks who share this floor and, time after time, refer to the Bible. They say that the Bible states that we must feed the hungry. They say that the Bible states that we must shelter the homeless. They say that the Bible says that we must provide clothing to those who are needy. They say that the Bible says that we must welcome strangers. Mr. Speaker, the same Holy Book that they refer to year after year says that we must welcome strangers. Now, I can share with you that it says, for example, in Matthew: ``For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me.'' Yet, these folks oppose helping the neediest, and they go back home every week to their districts and rely on the Holy Book that says completely the opposite. We just heard it right here on the floor, Mr. Speaker. Under the framework, again, the lowest earning families will receive no child tax credit. It is crucial that the tax framework be improved to ensure that substantial tax cuts to working-class families are there and that they receive that benefit just as we did back in 2021. The naysayers are either with the Holy Book or not. The naysayers cannot continue to oppose the neediest. We have to provide this help to America's neediest families. It is at the very center of who we are as a country. Let's welcome the strangers. The economy needs them. Historically, we have not been able to move forward without the help of them. Every chapter of our history that has seen a major transformation in our economy has seen the presence of strangers. Let's give them the help that they need.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, due to an unforeseen matter, I was absent for Roll Call No. 2. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the women of the Brides March, who for 24 years since Gladys Ricart's tragic death on her wedding day, have held the annual Brides March in her memory to speak out against domestic violence. Each year, I host the brides in Washington to honor Gladys' life and legacy. During this past National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I reintroduced my Gladys Ricart Resolution, which fights back against domestic violence. I will not rest until Gladys Ricart's story is told across America and is a thing of the past. We will continue to fight to prevent domestic violence. Every State in the Union must have a code of laws against domestic violence. We will always remember Gladys Ricart.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I voted NAY on Roll Call No. 681 when I intended to vote YEA.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the lack of resources for safe and affordable housing in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development funding bill. Sadly, it does nothing to address the significant housing and community development needs of our constituents. Across the country, Madam Speaker, more Americans than ever are cost burdened with the price of rent. Parents are worried about whether they can keep a roof over their families' head. Frankly, Madam Speaker, the rent is too damn high. This bill rescinds $560 million from accounts that would address the current harmful conditions of the housing that residents currently face. The New York City Housing Authority has revealed that over the next 5 years, to address the current and future capital needs, the agency will need $60 billion. These needs will only continue to compound. Instead of helping make these investments, the bill funds the public housing fund at a $150 million below last year's fiscal budget. Americans deserve to live in safe, reliable, and dignified housing, Madam Speaker. The bill does nothing, absolutely nothing, to accomplish this, and I urge my colleagues to vote against its final passage.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dyckman basketball, the red carpet of streetball. In my district, basketball is everything to Dyckman. It is the opportunity to connect with friends and neighbors in fellowship and celebration of the vibrancy of our community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a halt in the 30-year tradition of the Dyckman summer basketball tournament, but I am here to tell you that Dyckman is back. Featured in the sports documentary ``Dyckman: The Comeback,'' the incredible team of Dyckman sports worldwide, CEO Ken Stevens and Sharon Bond, or Ms. B as she is known throughout the community, have poured a tremendous amount of love into the sport. Madam Speaker, I congratulate them on their Emmy award-winning documentary, and I congratulate the dedicated Dyckman team. Dyckman basketball is back.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank President Joe Biden for the investment of $1.2 trillion--that is right, Mr. Speaker--trillion with a t, of the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act. We hear a lot of noise from the other side every single day, but when we see those shovels going in the ground and when we see those major projects coming forward across the Nation, those same Members that are making noise on the other side of the aisle will show up to the ribbon- cutting, Mr. Speaker, and some of them may be there to take credit for the project. The biggest investment in the history of our Nation with regard to infrastructure and jobs. It is not just infrastructure; it is an economic development machine that will generate hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of jobs across our Nation. I thank our President for his investment in our Nation, and particularly in the 13th Congressional District, which is an iconic district that has Harlem; East Harlem, also known as El Barrio; Washington Heights--yeah, some of you may have seen the movie ``In the Heights''--Inwood; and the Northwest Bronx. The second phase of the Second Avenue subway just kicked off this past weekend. Mr. Speaker, I thank our Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, for coming to our district to kick off the second phase of the Second Avenue subway right in East Harlem. This phase is such an important phase for a community that has for far too long been subjected to a transportation desert. On Saturday, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration stood hand in hand with East Harlem leaders to sign off on a $3.4 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement. This was part of the capital investment grant program that received record funding under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. I thank the Secretary for coming to my district. The funding will help support a 1.8-mile extension of the Q line. Some people seem to think that America cannot build a subway anymore. Yes, we can. Yes, we can when we put people over politics. This new initiative on the East Side of Manhattan will connect the Q line from 96th Street to 125th Street to Harlem and will relieve an over-crowded Lexington Avenue line which is the most overcrowded line in the Nation, if not the world. It will transport over 200,000 riders on a daily basis in the most heavily used transit corridor in America. Saturday marked the start of a vibrant economic future for families across East Harlem, and we worked with the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative at City College that Congressman Rangel and I have been working on to ensure that we train those young people in our communities so they can have access to prevailing wage jobs. This project is also called Uptown Grand Central. As you can see, Mr. Speaker, we will have a transportation hub that will connect Harlem to the rest of the world. You can see the lines here that will go from 125th Street to 96th Street. Now, the first phase went uptown right through the Silk Stocking District, the richest ZIP Codes in the country. Maybe they weren't too open about the jobs, but we are laser focused on making sure that the second phase creates thousands of jobs. The first phase created 16,000 jobs and generated $142 million in wages and produced $2.87 billion in economic activity during the construction. This second phase will lift that district, East Harlem, not only producing jobs but injecting oxygen to our economy. Yes, we can when we put people over politics. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here to tell you that this project will connect Harlem to the rest of the world. It will connect the Second Avenue Subway to the Metro-North line and 14 counties outside of New York City. Mr. Speaker, I stand here to say we have a bright future.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. ESPAILLAT

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me repeat that the legislative branch should never be a place for divisive politics. The legislative branch bill should be used to ensure Congress has the tools it needs to legislate and support the constituents we serve. It should be used to ensure we have a successful democracy through effective and responsible governance. The Republicans, again, are obsessed with cutting and cutting Federal funds and eliminating programs that help to grow and diversify our country. Passing these partisan bills will not help keep the government open. It just will not make that happen. We should be really focused on keeping our government open and preventing a pending shutdown. The former Speaker met with the President and had a handshake. Let's honor that handshake. Let's not cut to the bone and hurt the American people. I don't agree also with these divisive ideas and partisan tactics. I believe we can and should do much better. For these reasons, I cannot support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I rise again to oppose this bill. This bill doesn't do enough. It just doesn't do enough to support critical investment for the future of the legislative branch of government, including critical enhancement to strengthen our physical and cybersecurity posture or provide dedicated funding for the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, I was shocked not to see bipartisan language that has been supported by both sides of the House for years to allow the legislative branch agencies to employ individuals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, DACA, Program. Every Member's staffer should feel safe as they serve the American people. Every office and committee in Congress should be able to benefit from the bipartisan work carried out by the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Importantly, every Member from every district across the Nation should have access to every resource that will allow them to serve the constituency with the services that they need. This includes the ability to hire a staffer who represents the makeup of their district. That is fundamental in a democracy. This committee has a long tradition of protecting individual Members' ability to operate their offices how they see fit and employing individuals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program should be no exception. For this reason, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to the committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment includes language that would permit funds in the Act to be used to employ individuals with an employment authorization document under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, DACA, Program. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of this amendment into the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.