Lizzie Fletcher

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Like many of my colleagues and constituents, I am concerned about the impacts that data centers fuelling AI technologies are having on the affordability and reliability of our Nation's power grid, absent guardrails from Congress. Those concerns are only growing. However, AI can also be deployed to help mitigate some of the stress on our grid by making it easier to model a complex grid to see where reliability issues may emerge in the future or by cutting down on the length of time that grid operators take to review a power plant's application to connect to the power grid. H.R. 9339 is a straightforward, bipartisan bill. It requires the Department of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation to study how to use artificial intelligence and other computing tools to enhance grid reliability and to report those findings back to Congress. Nothing in this bill means that I or my colleagues will pause our efforts to put commonsense guardrails on data centers to protect American families, but we want to make sure we can get the most out of these technologies at the same time to better protect our grid in an era where the risk of blackouts is rising. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, once again, I believe that this is an important first step in addressing these issues, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, one of the most frustrating aspects of the explosion of artificial intelligence-driven demand for electricity is that we actually have no idea how large it will be. We know the demand for power is soaring, but estimates vary all over the place. One study from this February estimated that by the end of the decade, data centers would consume anywhere between 9 and 17 percent of all American electricity. Both of those numbers are enormous, but the gap between them is enormous, too. We simply need to get smarter about our demand forecasts. This isn't an academic point. Demand projections for the future impact electricity prices today. Utilities across the Nation are investing in infrastructure and putting steel in the ground today based on the best available estimates of what demand for electricity will look like 3 to 5 years from now. If they are wrong because the estimates are too high, there is no refund. Families across the Nation will be stuck holding the bag. If they are wrong because the estimates are too low, then our grid gets less reliable, and the risk of blackouts increases. It is a lose-lose situation. H.R. 9332, the Load Forecasting Enhancement Act, helps fix this problem by requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to create joint boards with State regulators to figure out best practices for predicting electricity demand. The bill requires State regulators to push for their utilities to use those best practices. It is a smart solution that gets every relevant party to the table. I commend my colleague, Representative Menendez, for co-leading this bill. I will note that all of these efforts become more difficult if data centers continue issuing NDAs that prevent utilities from comparing notes to see if they are getting requests from the same data center. We need guardrails on data center development to ensure transparency for communities and regulators. This bill doesn't entirely fix the problem, but it represents an important first step. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, in closing, I just encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Democrats have argued for years that growing our power grid is crucial. A grid that is too small, too dumb, and too rigid only serves to make power unreliable and increase American families' power bills. A grid that is larger, smarter, and more flexible is what we need, especially if we hope to withstand a wave of data-center-driven demand for power. While it is critical that we give grid operators new tools to build new power lines, the cheapest and quickest way to expand our grid is to get more of what we currently have. For decades, utilities have largely used the same conductors and power lines, but it doesn't have to be that way. New advanced conductors can often carry much more power through the same transmission line than traditional conductors. H.R. 6633, the High-Capacity Grid Act would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to issue a rule requiring utilities to use the best available class of transmission conductors. I want to note two important things. First, the bill focuses on the best-available class of conductors, not a single technology. The goal here is not to favor a single company or a single technology, but to give FERC and the Department of Energy the flexibility to designate what constitutes the best-available class of conductors. Second, the bill relies on FERC to maintain a balance, to ensure that utilities have the ability to use other conductors when they really need to, and to ensure that the exceptions do not become the rule. This bill is only a small part of a much larger conversation we need to have about how to expand our power grid. Unfortunately, Republicans and the Trump administration have been reluctant to engage in serious conversations on what we can do to build a grid for the 21st century. I think that is a shame, and there should be more transmission bills on the floor along with this one today. We should be considering Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Castor's bill to speed up the process that generators use to connect to the power grid. This bill certainly won't solve the problem by itself, but it does represent an important first step. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Through this bill and others like it, this Congress has increased ICE and CBP's authority and decreased their accountability to the Congress and to the citizens of this country. Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I am voting ``no,'' and I urge all Members who believe that the people should have a say here to do the same.

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. This rule reflects the utter failure of this Congress to do its job, to listen to the voices of the people of the United States, and to bring them to this Chamber to address their concerns and needs. For months, people who live in my district have been calling my office every day, deeply concerned about the actions of ICE and CBP. They are calling for reforms, accountability, and the United States Congress to recognize the American citizens who have been killed at the hands of ICE and CBP agents this year, and the thousands and thousands of families living in this country whose lives have been torn apart and are living in fear because of the immigration policies and practices, the lawlessness, of this administration. None of that has happened here. Instead, this Congress has willfully refused to even discuss those calls to action on this floor or anywhere else debates are supposed to take place.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Chair, I thank Ranking Member Bishop for yielding. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this bill and to object that House Republicans on the Rules Committee failed to include the amendment that I offered to increase and decrease funding for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service by $10 million to focus on the threat of New World screwworm. Yesterday, we learned that the New World screwworm has been found in Texas. This is something that Texans have been worrying about and have been warning Washington about for nearly 2 years. This flesh-eating parasite, previously eradicated from the United States, poses a huge threat to our cattle, and Texas is home to the largest cattle population in the country. There are more than 12 million cattle, and it is a nearly a $15-billion cattle industry. We have not seen a screwworm outbreak since the 1970s. It cost the United States hundreds of millions of dollars and took years to eradicate and contain. An outbreak today will be devastating to U.S. livestock producers and drive up already high costs for beef at the grocery stores that all Americans will see. Now, for decades, our country has remained relatively pest-free thanks to the hard work of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is tasked with eradicating and keeping dangers like screwworm at bay. Last March, though, the Trump administration fired more than 15,000 USDA employees, including more than 1,300 staff at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, leaving our farmers and ranchers vulnerable. Plus, the DOGE team, in their infinite wisdom, eliminated a program to contain the screwworm in Central America. This is what happens when you do not listen to the experts and the people who know what they are doing. Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, who represents south Texas, has warned people in Washington that USDA experts have told him we need to be producing 700 million sterile flies, but the administration hasn't listened. The threat of New World screwworm is just one consequence of the Trump administration's reckless campaign to eliminate funding for government programs and research initiatives that our country invests in and that Americans rely on. Importantly, this Congress has utterly failed to do anything about it and failed to stop it. Rebuilding our Federal Government's capacity to respond swiftly during crisis takes time, and as Texas farmers and ranchers can tell you, we are witnessing a crisis unfold before our eyes right now. Madam Chair, for these reasons and the many others my colleagues have identified, I will be voting against this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, in the nearly 2 weeks since the House last met, people across America witnessed the execution of another American citizen, Alex Pretti, by agents of the United States Government, Border Patrol agents operating far from the border in Minneapolis. People across the country watched in horror as Federal agents executed him and then immediately tried to assassinate his character, lying about who he is and what he was doing. The American people see through these lies, just as they see that this administration is taking action every single day against its own people that are unconstitutional, un-American, and unconscionable. People are talking about it everywhere. In our House Democratic Caucus, we are talking about what we can do about it. The only place where we are not talking about it is here in this Chamber on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. As Mr. McGovern just noted, once again, the Republicans, who control what comes to the floor, blocked any amendments to the bill, stopping not just the policy proposed but the policy debate about the potential solutions and the problems that they address altogether. Now they say we will address them in 2 weeks. Mr. Speaker, we don't need 2 weeks. We don't have 2 weeks when Americans are being killed, detained, harassed, and silenced by their government. There should be no higher priority for the U.S. House of Representatives and for the entire Congress than protecting the people who we represent and protecting the Constitution that gives us all of our rights. It is being violated daily by this administration and by officials who have sworn an oath to protect it, just as we have, as Members of Congress. Mr. Speaker, we are not doing that here today. That is why I am voting ``no'' on this rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, as the House considers this rule and the legislation it advances, I rise to remind all who are present in the Chamber, all Members of this body, and every person in this country that the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution states: ``The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.'' Yet, all across America, from Maine to Minnesota to California and everywhere in between, hardworking, law-abiding people in the United States, American citizens, are living in fear of exactly this. They are afraid to go to work, afraid to go to church, afraid to go to school, afraid to go to the hardware store because unidentified, masked agents, often in plain clothes and unmarked cars, are breaking down doors to their homes, are pulling people from their cars, are stopping people on the street, and asking them to show their papers and prove they belong here. This is not only unconstitutional. It is un-American, and this Congress must do something to stop it. Brave Americans are standing up and saying no all across this country. We have to do that here, we have to do it now, and it starts by voting ``no'' on this rule.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the disingenuously named Lower Healthcare Premiums for All Americans Act, which does not, in fact, lower healthcare premiums for all Americans. In response to political pressure from the very real healthcare crisis before us, House Republicans have rushed this bill to the floor without input from House Democrats and without going through the Energy and Commerce Committee, as it should, or any actual legislative process. That might sound like it is in the weeds, but it is not. It is a glaring failure to engage in real and meaningful policy that the country is demanding. It is a response to the crisis that this Republican Congress has created with the cuts it made earlier this year and its failure to extend the premium tax credits, which we can fix today. It is another example of this Congress failing to do its real work. We have to see the big picture here. Congress isn't working as it should. Speaker Johnson and House Republicans are pushing this bill on the floor to address a political crisis, not the healthcare crisis. If House Republicans were serious, this bill would actually do something to lower costs. Instead, the experts tell us this bill will do nothing to decrease costs for Americans and nothing to curb junk plans, but it does have a backdoor ban on abortion for people on ACA plans.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, on December 15, 2025, a family commitment caused me to miss Roll Call votes No. 335 and No. 336. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 335, and YEA on Roll Call No. 336.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, on November 17, 2025, a flight delay caused me to miss Roll Call votes No. 286 and No. 287. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 286, and YEA on Roll Call No. 287.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise with gratitude and affection to recognize the contributions of Sarah Kaplan Feinmann to Texas' 7th Congressional District, to the United States House of Representatives, and to the United States of America. Sarah arrived in Washington, D.C., in 2011, after graduating cum laude from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies and International Relations. Sarah brought her passion and deep commitment to public service to her work at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. That commitment guided her to the Hill in 2013, where she worked over the years to help develop and implement meaningful policy through her work on the staff of the New Democrat Coalition and later her work in the Office of Congressman Eric Swalwell, where she served as a senior legislative assistant, senior advisor, and inaugural director of Future Forum. During that time, Sarah also earned her Master of Arts in Security Studies from Georgetown University. At the start of the 116th Congress, in January 2019, Sarah joined my office as my first Chief of Staff for Texas' 7th Congressional District, serving her hometown and the people who live there enthusiastically and tirelessly. Sarah dedicated herself to building a team to serve the residents of Texas' 7th Congressional District at all times, and has done so during times of great challenge in the district and the country. Sarah led our office in efforts to ensure that our team is ready and able to do all it can for constituents in every possible circumstance, that our community's priorities are reflected in our work, and that our work delivers meaningful progress for people at home and across the country. Sarah has been a partner and friend who has demonstrated her dedication to our district, to our staff, and to our country each day for nearly seven years. She has built lasting and meaningful relationships across the Hill. She has served as a mentor for many. And she has made meaningful and lasting contributions that will continue to shape our office and our district in the years ahead. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Texas' 7th Congressional District, I express my deep and sincere gratitude, and my very best wishes, to Sarah Kaplan Feinmann and her family as they begin their new chapter off the Hill.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Carolyn Durso, Lana Ngyuen, Jaya Sheth, and Elise Peneguy from Girl Scouts of San Jacinto, for their selection to represent Girl Scouts of the USA at the United Nations' 69th Commission on the Status of Women. Each year, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) joins more than 5,000 women and girls from around the world at the United Nations headquarters in New York to participate in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Delegates representing GSUSA undergo a rigorous application process and training to prepare them for their participation in the CSW. As delegates, girls have the opportunity to engage with GSUSA's work around global advocacy, learn about global issues, see firsthand how global entities function, and have their voices heard on global issues impacting girls and young women. The CSW is a functional commission of the United Nations, dedicated to shaping global standards on gender equality and the advancement and empowerment of women and girls. Each year, national representatives of Member States gather for a two-week session to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards, and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and the advancement of women worldwide. As NGO Consultative members, GSUSA and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts participate to bring the voice of girls and young women to the global stage. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Texas' Seventh Congressional District, I congratulate these four young women on their selection. I thank them for their leadership and send best wishes for their future endeavors.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, Sylvester Turner personified what it means to be a Houstonian, to believe in possibility, to work for it, and to share it with others. In his presence, you could always feel the love for the city that we call home and for all of the people who live there. We were lucky to have his service to our community for decades as a representative in the Texas Legislature, as our mayor, and now representing the 18th Congressional District of Texas. We were lucky to have his example to learn from, and I was lucky to have him as my friend. As our hometown paper said today: ``Sylvester Turner's life embodied the American Dream and Houston's history like no other.'' May his memory be a blessing and his remarkable life an inspiration to us all.

Ms. FLETCHER

Ms. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Texas delegation, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes on December 5, 2024, due to being sick. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 484; YEA on Roll Call No. 485; YEA on Roll Call No. 486; YEA on Roll Call No. 487; and YEA on Roll Call No. 488.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following vote on November 20, 2024, due to a scheduling conflict. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 474.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes on December 5 and 6, 2024, due to being sick. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 489; NAY on Roll Call No. 490; NAY on Roll Call No. 491; and YEA on Roll Call No. 492.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes on December 3 and 4, 2024

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise with deep gratitude to Ben Jackson for his many years of service and exceptional work for Texas' Seventh Congressional District. After working in Congress for more than 13 years and for our district for almost six years, Ben is leaving my office this year. Ben has served Texas' Seventh Congressional District for as long as I have, joining our staff as Legislative Director when we opened our office in January 2019. An integral part of my team from the start, he has worked tirelessly and effectively, handling issues of all kinds. As our office grew, so did Ben's role in it, as he moved from Legislative Director to Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor. He has worked on issues of great importance to our district with a portfolio that includes energy, tax, financial services, and economic issues. While working in my office, Ben also grew in his personal life and became a father to his son, Charles. Throughout his almost six years serving our district, Ben has built meaningful relationships across our community and has led the way on efforts to ensure our district's and our region's priorities are included in our work, and that our work in Washington delivers meaningful progress back home. Outstanding in his policy work, Ben was also an outstanding team member who always remained supportive of his colleagues and served as a mentor for many of them. His work and his positive contributions have had--and will continue to have--a lasting impact on our team and on our district, and we will miss him. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Texas' Seventh Congressional District, I express my deep and sincere gratitude and best wishes to Ben Jackson as he begins a new chapter.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the work of Dr. Cedric Dark, a board-certified emergency physician who serves people across Houston in a trauma center and who has just written his first book, ``Under the Gun: An ER Doctor's Cure for America's Gun Epidemic,'' published by Johns Hopkins University Press. As an emergency physician, Dr. Dark has witnessed the devastating impacts of gun violence in our community, and his experiences in the emergency room have motivated him to work to find policy solutions to reduce gun violence. ``Under the Gun'' reminds us that making public policy and keeping our communities safe are collaborative efforts that benefit from the wisdom, experience, and participation of many. While some people tell our doctors to stay in their lane, through this insightful and compelling work, Dr. Dark demonstrates that gun violence prevention is and must be all of our lane.

Mrs. FLETCHER

Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise with deep gratitude to Cameron Hull for her many years of service and exceptional work for Texas' Seventh Congressional District. After working for our district for more than 5\1/2\ years, Cameron will leave my office to attend graduate school at Harvard University, where she expects to earn a Master's degree in Urban Planning. Cameron has served Texas' Seventh Congressional District for as long as I have, joining our district staff as a Staff Assistant in Washington, D.C. as we opened our office in January 2019. An integral part of my team from the start, she has worked tirelessly and effectively, handling issues of all kinds and engaging with our constituents in meaningful ways. As our office grew, so did Cameron's role in it, as she moved from Staff Assistant to Legislative Correspondent to Legislative Assistant to Senior Legislative Assistant. She has worked on issues of great importance to our district with a portfolio that includes transportation, infrastructure, and flooding policy. It is fitting then that her work here has inspired her to pursue a career in urban planning. Throughout her more than 5 years serving our district, Cameron has demonstrated a real passion for improving Texas' Seventh Congressional District and the broader Houston region. She has built meaningful relationships across our community and has led the way on efforts to ensure our district's and our region's priorities are included in our work and that our work in Washington delivers meaningful progress back home. Outstanding in her policy work, Cameron was also an outstanding team member who always remained positive and supportive of her colleagues. Her work and her positive contributions have had--and will continue to have--a lasting impact on our team and on our district, and we will miss her. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Texas' Seventh Congressional District, I express my deep and sincere gratitude and best wishes to Cameron Hull as she continues her service to community and country in a new way and begins a new chapter this fall.