Laura Gillen

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 146 and YEA on Roll Call No. 147.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of National Police Week, and on behalf of New York's Fourth Congressional District, I am proud to stand here today to honor our brave men and women in law enforcement. Every day, our officers are on the front lines of the most urgent public safety challenges in service to our community. When disaster strikes and people are in need, our law enforcement officers are the first to respond. Despite the risks, the long hours, and the constant stress, hundreds of thousands of officers wake up each day, put on their badge, and answer the call. They do it for us, for our loved ones, and for our communities. This week serves as a solemn reminder of the dangers that our officers face daily. Without law enforcement, we would not enjoy the security we often take for granted. With courage and with bravery, our officers run toward danger every day to keep us and our loved ones safe. Today, we honor Nassau County's own who gave their lives in the line of duty. Among them are Officers Erick Contreras, Christopher Cizmarik, Kevin Canavan, and Philip Schifini of the Nassau County Police Department who bravely served our community on 9/11, one of the darkest days in American history. In the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, they are among the brave first responders who ran toward danger, working tirelessly among the toxic rubble at Ground Zero. Years later, all four would tragically lose their lives caused by the toxins that they were exposed to in their heroic efforts. This is a painful reminder of the lasting cost of their selfless service. Unfortunately, thousands of our heroic law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel who bravely answered the call on the darkest day in our Nation's history continue to suffer from life- threatening cancers, respiratory diseases, and other debilitating conditions from the toxins at Ground Zero. That is why I was proud to help reintroduce the bipartisan 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act, which would permanently fix the current funding shortfalls in the World Trade Center Health Program. We owe it to our 9/11 first responders to ensure that the programs they rely on will be fully funded and fully staffed. In addition, last year, we also lost Officer Jonathan Diller who proudly served with the NYPD. Tragically, he was killed last year while conducting a routine traffic stop in Queens. In just 3 years on the force, Detective Diller made over 70 arrests and was honored with three Excellent Police Duty medals. His colleagues remember him as a bright, positive presence, always eager to learn, deeply dedicated, and truly passionate about the job he loved. The names I mentioned are not just names on a list. They were fathers, brothers, sons, and friends. They were pillars in their department and in their communities, whose courage will never be forgotten, and their sacrifice will never be in vain. On behalf of all of Long Island, we will never forget those who laid down their lives in service to others. As we mark Police Week, may God bless the officers who gave up their lives to keep Americans safe and may He give their loved ones comfort. Mr. Speaker, I thank, honor, and stand with all of our officers, past, present, and future.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to demand that Congress restore the full State and local tax deduction which would cut taxes for Nassau County residents. On Long Island, we pay some of the highest taxes in the country, and we send far more to Washington than we get back. For the past 8 years, this cap has hiked tax bills for hardworking families in my district and those in other high-tax States, even as the cost of living continues to rise. These families deserve real relief. It is what the President promised when he came to my district and said he would get SALT back. Well, it is time to deliver, Mr. President. At this very moment, the majority is advancing a reconciliation bill that fails to meaningfully lower our taxes for Long Island when we are already facing a cost of living crisis. Mr. Speaker, that is totally unacceptable. There is bipartisan agreement among my New York colleagues that the majority's offer is a slap in the face to New Yorkers. We need to hold the line and push for a full repeal that will bring tax bills down and give Long Islanders much-needed tax relief. I came to Congress to cut taxes and make life more affordable for my residents. I will continue to explore every possible avenue to do just that.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to address the unfair double taxation that my constituents are facing due to the State and local tax deduction cap. Hardworking families across Long Island and across our State and many other States already face some of the highest tax burdens in the Nation. For 8 years, they have been unfairly penalized and subject to double taxation. I have heard from countless hardworking families in my district over the past few years who have had to pay tens of thousands of dollars more in taxes, making their lives even more expensive and adding to the cost-of-living crisis on Long Island. Last year, the President came to my district and vowed to get SALT back. My constituents deserve this real relief; so let's go. I will continue to push for a full repeal of this cap, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same. Anything less than eliminating the SALT cap and restoring the full deduction fails Long Island and fails our State.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Nassau County Police Department on 100 years of brave and honorable service to the communities across New York's Fourth Congressional District. As the proud Representative of this district, I am honored to represent the more than 2,000 dedicated officers who put their lives on the line every day for the 1.3 million residents of Nassau County. In 1925, the NCPD was established with just 55 patrolmen. In the century since, the department has grown into one of the most respected and well-trained law enforcement agencies in America. Today, Nassau County law enforcement officers stand as a symbol of strength, courage, and service to Long Island. I also recognize the brave NCPD officers who have given all in the line of duty. They will not be forgotten. As we look ahead to the next 100 years of the NCPD, I will continue to work with Commissioner Ryder and our local partners to ensure that officers have the resources they need and the training they need to keep Long Islanders safe. I am proud to stand alongside Nassau County Police Department and congratulate them on 100 years of serving our community.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am so proud to honor Isaac Samuelson, a young leader from Long Island and a member of Boy Scout Troop 613 based in West Hempstead. Isaac spearheaded a project to preserve over 20 years' worth of religious texts, prayer books, and educational materials that had just been stashed away somewhere in his synagogue. He, along with his family, friends, and Troop 613 members, spent hours organizing materials, ensuring that important religious materials could be preserved and used by future generations. Isaac exemplifies the values of Boy Scouts and civic responsibility. He is a role model not just for young people in our community but for all of us. Mr. Speaker, I thank Isaac for his leadership in our community. I am so proud to be his Representative.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, across our country, women of color continue to experience devastating maternal healthcare inequities. As a proud mother of four children, I know firsthand how critical access to quality healthcare is for expectant mothers. However, far too many women in this country still do not have access to the vital maternal resources they need to survive and lead to good outcomes for them and for their babies. Today, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than other women. They are also twice as likely to lose an infant to premature death. These disparities have not improved for more than 30 years, and that is unacceptable. That is why I am proud to join the Black Maternal Health Caucus to work toward reducing maternal mortality and building healthier communities for Black women and their infants.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of representing thousands of 9/11 first responders and survivors who live in New York's Fourth Congressional District. For years, they have fought to get access to the healthcare that they desperately need and unquestionably deserve. They have traveled to Washington countless times, even those that are sick and dying, to urge Congress to pass a permanent funding fix for the World Trade Center Health Program. These heroes who saw us through one of the darkest days in our Nation's history have spent two decades begging Congress to act. No one in the 9/11 community should ever have to worry about accessing the healthcare that they require. I was outraged to see this funding excluded from the yearlong spending bill that was just passed earlier this month. Our first responders and survivors can't wait for action. I am proud to help lead the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act, alongside a bipartisan group of my colleagues, to right this wrong. Mr. Speaker, our Nation promised to never forget, but every delay in funding tells the 9/11 community something different. It is time to act.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to congratulate the Baldwin High School girls' basketball team on winning the New York State AA State Championship. On behalf of New York's Fourth Congressional District, I take this opportunity to commend and celebrate these young athletes for their dedication, for their teamwork, for their perseverance, and, quite frankly, their dominance on the basketball court. This year's championship marks Baldwin's third State title in school history, a testament to the strong foundation built by the players, the coaches, and the administrators, both past and present. We congratulate the Lady Bruins on their remarkable victory. I know they will continue to make Nassau County proud.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, Hazel Dukes was a lifelong champion for families and children in New York and across the country. Through her decades of civil rights activism, including as president of the NAACP, Dr. Dukes fought tirelessly to build a more perfect Union. Dr. Dukes broke barriers as the first Black American to work for the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, where she stood up for Long Island communities that had been long ignored or underserved. As we mourn her tremendous loss, we take comfort in the fact that Dr. Dukes' legacy will continue to live on in those that she mentored and the countless Americans who have been impacted by her life's work. May she rest in peace.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 40.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, in the 2 years since the Dobbs decision, we have seen nothing short of an all-out assault on our reproductive rights and our reproductive freedoms, including a steady march to pass a national abortion ban coupled with efforts to roll back access to contraception and IVF. It is truly shocking that in 2025, we have to defend Americans' access to birth control and ability to decide when they start a family, but the attacks on reproductive freedom keep coming. Four out of five people in this country oppose these attempts to restrict our autonomy and our freedom, and we must fight back. That means making sure that the right to access to contraception is codified into law. I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 999, the Right to Contraception Act. I will continue to fight to defend women's and families' freedom to make their own personal healthcare decisions. This should not be partisan. Preserving our freedom is American.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of H.R. 27, the HALT Fentanyl Act. The epidemic of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances has ravaged countless communities across our country. Families throughout my district have experienced unimaginable pain and suffering from losing their loved ones to this deadly drug. Just 1 year ago, a family in my district dropped off their precious child to college and went back a week later to pick up their child's body because of fentanyl. We must get fentanyl off of our streets and away from our kids. The crisis has killed Americans of every age, every background, and every walk of life. A single ounce of fentanyl can have a devastating effect upon a community. It is time we take on the cartels and hold traffickers accountable. The DEA, the Fraternal Order of Police, and countless other law enforcement groups have said the HALT Fentanyl Act will save lives and improve public safety. It shouldn't take more overdose deaths, more grieving families, and more criminals skirting prosecution to take action. It is time. Mr. Speaker, enough is enough. I am proud to support this bipartisan bill today, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in that. I also urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to find ways that we can work together to make better bills.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of everyone on Long Island to welcome Romi, Emily, and Doron home after more than 470 days in Hamas captivity. We will not rest until every hostage comes home. I thank the previous administration and President Trump for working together to get this deal across the finish line. We will never forget October 7, the single deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Hamas terrorists brutally murdered 1,200 Israelis, including Omer Neutra of Long Island. The terrorist attacks of October 7 must never happen again. We must always stand with our ally, Israel.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. Since the disastrous Dobbs decision, we have seen nothing short of an all-out assault on women's reproductive rights and freedoms. Make no mistake: This bill has nothing to do with its fallacious title. Infanticide is already a crime. Instead, this bill is aimed at deterring physicians from providing reproductive healthcare that many times is lifesaving. I know this firsthand because when I was supposed to be thrilled by a 20-week sonogram, I got the devastating news that my daughter had no heartbeat. I needed to have an emergency abortion procedure to ensure that I could live to raise my two children already at home. It is unthinkable that this law and laws like it are trying to strip my daughters of the same access to this healthcare. Americans want Congress to lower costs, secure our border, and create jobs; not interfere with heartbreaking family medical decisions. America's women deserve better. Our daughters deserve better.

Ms. GILLEN

Ms. GILLEN. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to speak on the House floor today representing New York's Fourth Congressional District, and I am ready to get to work to deliver solutions for the issues that matter most to Long Island. We need to address the cost-of-living crisis, secure our border, and give hardworking Long Islanders a middle-class tax cut by reinstating the full SALT tax deduction. These issues aren't political. The American people are counting on all of us to put our differences aside and work together to put money back in people's pockets and get things done. Madam Speaker, my constituents have been clear. They want problems solved and not political extremism on either side. I am honored to be their Congresswoman, and I look forward to working with anyone from any party who is serious about working productively to address the pressing issues that our working families face.