Steven Horsford

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and I am casting my vote for people, not for corporations. Across the United States and in my home State of Nevada, the dream of homeownership has been slipping further out of reach for working families. In fact, Las Vegas is ranked second in the Nation for corporate homeownership. Thirty percent of the residents in Nevada have been impacted by institutional investors. Last year, I listened when my constituents throughout southern Nevada told me that the issue of housing was their greatest concern. That is why, working with the ranking member, we were able to build a housing platform that could really address the problems that people are facing. Today, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will finally address these problems and make the dream of homeownership attainable. This bill creates greater accountability in the housing market, increases housing supply, and places new restrictions on large, institutional investors from buying up single-family homes. It ensures veterans are not penalized for receiving disability benefits when qualifying for housing vouchers, a commonsense change that I am sure that we can all support. I am proud that we are putting homeowners over hedge funds, Mr. Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a son of the labor movement and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus in strong support of the Faster Labor Contracts Act. When workers come together to form a union, they are not asking for a handout. They are asking and fighting for what they have already earned: better wages, safer working conditions, stronger benefits, and the dignity of having a voice on the job. Collective bargaining is a fundamental right, guaranteed under Federal law, and it is one of the most powerful tools working people have. Mr. Speaker, winning the union election is supposed to be the end of the fight. Instead, for far too many workers, it is just the beginning. It is just the beginning because current law provides no meaningful timeline for reaching a first contract. Employers who want to stall can stall for months, even years, all while workers wait. Here is the number that should outrage every Member of this body: 458 days. On average, it takes 458 days to reach a first contract after workers have already voted. Think about that. More than 1 year after workers have spoken clearly with their vote, they are still waiting. They are still waiting for the wages that they organized to win. They are still waiting for the benefits that their families need. They are still waiting for basic dignity on the job. Too often, that delay is not an accident. It is a strategy to wear workers down and to preserve the status quo. The Faster Labor Contracts Act, introduced by my friend and fellow co-chair of the Labor Caucus, Representative Norcross, closes that loophole. It does not guarantee any particular outcome at the bargaining table. It simply ensures that both parties show up and negotiate in good faith on a reasonable timeline. A right delayed is a right denied. Workers cannot wait. Families cannot wait. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Faster Labor Contracts Act and to bring this PRO Act to the floor for its full approval.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor those who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. Today, I bring one name to this Chamber: Officer Jason Roscow of the North Las Vegas Police Department, who gave his life in the line of duty on February 4, 2025. This week, we honor his legacy as his name is added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, D.C. Officer Roscow was the very definition of service, a proud Air Force veteran, a former volunteer firefighter, and a dedicated officer who spent 17 years protecting the people of North Las Vegas. He was a father, a son, a brother, and a friend to all. When danger called, he answered. In his final moments, he gave everything in service of protecting others. My prayers are with his family, his fellow officers, and the entire North Las Vegas community. Nevada will never forget Officer Jason Roscow, his courage, his commitment, and his legacy of service. May God bless him.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and legacy of Ms. Ruby Duncan who sadly passed away yesterday surrounded by her loving family in Las Vegas. In 1972, she founded Operation Life, the first federally funded community development corporation led by low-income women. But even before that, in 1981, she helped organize a powerful march on the Las Vegas Strip, bringing more than 6,000 people together to protest cuts to welfare support for women and children. When the march ended, the movement did not. She and other Black mothers continued their fight by staging eat-ins at casino restaurants, demanding dignity and justice. She led the charge to make sure no child in Nevada went hungry, helping bring WIC to our State, expand food assistance, and deliver thousands of meals to students every day. Her impact reached all the way to the White House where President Jimmy Carter invited her to help shape national programs. Her work was always rooted in community and rooted in Las Vegas. She showed us what it means to turn struggle into action and action into lasting change. Today, we honor her life, her legacy, and the generation she lifted up. May God bless her soul. Rest in peace, Ms. Ruby Duncan.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leader for yielding me time. Republicans first called this the big, beautiful bill. Now they are calling it tax cuts for working families. Let's be clear, there is nothing beautiful about promising relief and failing to deliver it. That is the betrayal. They told tipped workers that help was coming, but they refused to make it permanent and left the subminimum wage stuck at $2.13 an hour. They said they were fighting for overtime pay, but millions of workers who rely on overtime still see no relief. In Nevada, this bill does something even worse. It harms our gaming economy. Instead of protecting workers and supporting one of our State's key industries, they changed the wagering loss deduction, creating uncertainty and penalizing the legitimate gaming industry. That is not helping working people. That is hurting Nevada. So let's call this what it is. This is not permanent where it should be, it is not fair where it must be, and it does not deliver what was promised. Now, I didn't just come here to point out the problem. I came with solutions. My TIP Improvement Act makes tax relief for tipped workers permanent and fair. My No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act ensures every worker who earns overtime qualifies, not just a select few. My FULL HOUSE Act fixes the gaming deduction once and for all, protecting Nevada jobs and businesses. Instead of voting on a self-glorifying resolution, let's bring forward real solutions, bills that actually deliver for working families and fix what this bill gets wrong. Let's fix what is broken. Let's deliver what is promised, and let's turn around this betrayal of a bill that is hurting the American family, not making it successful.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a remarkable community leader, devoted public servant, and proud son of Nevada, Pastor William O'Neill McCurdy, Sr. Raised in the Historic Westside of Las Vegas, Pastor McCurdy was a proud product of the city he would dedicate his life to serving. He graduated from Valley High School and later attended Western Nevada College in Carson City. Pastor McCurdy's commitment to service began early and was rooted deeply in his faith. In 1978, he began serving as a pastor, guiding congregations with compassion, wisdom, and a steadfast commitment to uplifting those in need. Through his ministry, he counseled families, mentored young people, and helped countless members of the community find hope. Beyond the pulpit, Pastor McCurdy was deeply engaged in civic life. Over the years, he served on numerous boards and advisory bodies that helped shape Southern Nevada's growth and development. His leadership included service on the Citizens' Advisory Committee for the Regional Transportation Commission, the board of Habitat for Humanity, the Mineral County Economic Advisory Committee, the City of Las Vegas Community Block Grant Advisory Board, and the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority Commission. Through these roles, he helped advance policies that expanded opportunity, strengthened neighborhoods, and supported working families throughout the region. Moreover, Pastor McCurdy was a respected strategist and communications professional. Through his work with McCurdy & McCurdy Media Group, he helped countless public servants share their vision and encouraged community members to engage in the democratic process. His work empowered new voices and helped build a more representative political system throughout the Silver State. Yet those who knew him best remember not only his professional accomplishments, but his generosity of spirit. Pastor McCurdy was devoted to his wife, Ms. Billy McCurdy, and was a proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He also dedicated numerous years of service to the Church of God in Christ, Inc., as the First Administrative Assistant for Nevada's First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. He was a mentor, a teacher, and a steady voice of wisdom for many who sought his guidance. Pastor McCurdy believed that leadership meant showing up for your community through listening, advocating, and working every day to make life better for others. Mr. Speaker, Pastor McCurdy leaves behind a lasting imprint on the City of Las Vegas and the State of Nevada. His life reminds us that meaningful change often begins in community--with individuals who care deeply about their neighbors and are willing to dedicate themselves to public service. May we continue to honor his life and celebrate his legacy. I extend sincerest condolences for a life well lived.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, the President has disregard and disrespect for the American people when the Supreme Court told him that his actions were illegal, they were unconstitutional, and it is time to give the American people their money back, to give them relief--not disrespect, not disregard, but their money back. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question and to support my bill, the RELIEF Act. If they vote ``yes'' and deny me the ability to bring forward the RELIEF Act, they are keeping your life more unaffordable.

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, if Republicans block this vote, they are voting to keep your money. They are telling Main Street America: Take us to court. They are choosing delay over relief and politics over people. Tonight, the President will stand in this very Chamber and try to sell the American people on his economy. Working families don't need a sales pitch; they need relief. They need honesty. They need their money back--no more excuses, no more delays, and no more courtroom battles. Let us return what was taken. Let us stand with small businesses. Let us stand with the working families. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question and to support the RELIEF Act. They vote to keep life unaffordable. This is a rigged system.

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, for more than a year now, working Members and families have been forced to pay the price for Donald Trump's illegal tariffs. Let's call them what they are. Blanket tariffs are blanket taxes. They are taxes that the American people have paid. What did Donald Trump tax when he imposed these sweeping, unlawful tariffs? He taxed your groceries. He taxed your baby formula and your strollers. He taxed the inventory sitting on the shelves of small businesses that are just trying to survive. In my home State of Nevada, families have paid nearly $1,800 more in the last year because of these unlawful taxes. That is a rent payment, childcare, a car repair, and it is groceries for families that are already struggling to get by. My district has seen the real-world consequences. A neighborhood cupcake shop, a local brewery, coffee roasters who built their dream from the ground up were all forced to shutter their doors this past year directly because their costs have skyrocketed and their customers can no longer afford these high prices. Now the Supreme Court has spoken. The emergency authority used to justify these tariffs--taxes that Americans have paid--did not authorize this mess. In simple terms: This administration did not have the power to do it, and yet, they did. Billions of dollars were illegally taken--in my view, stolen--from the American people. Now what are my Republican colleagues proposing? They are proposing a bill on appliances. They want you, the small business owner, the working parent, they want you to have to hire a lawyer or to sue the Federal Government to get your own money back. Donald Trump himself said that you may have to litigate this for 5 years. Mr. Speaker, 5 years? That is not relief. That is a bureaucratic maze. It is a rigged system designed to exhaust you, to outlast you, and to ensure that the little guy never sees a dime. Well, we have a solution. My bill, the RELIEF Act, does something radical in Washington. It makes the government fix its own mistake. It requires automatic refunds of all tariff payments from the last year within 90 days--no application, no protest process, no lawyer required. If the government took it illegally, the government must give it back, period. To the businesses that received those refunds, it is time to bring prices down for working people and families who have stood by you and who kept you afloat.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, President Trump loves tariffs. He calls them beautiful. He says they protect American workers, but here is the cold, hard truth: The American people are paying them. Just today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed what families already feel--American consumers are paying 95 percent of these tariffs. They pay at the grocery store. They pay in higher energy bills. They pay when small businesses shut their doors. These blanket tariffs on Canada are a slap in the face to one of our closest trading allies. Canada is Nevada's top international visitor. Tourism in Las Vegas is already down 7.5 percent. Nationwide, Canadian travel is down 23 percent, a $4 billion hit to our economy. Today, though, thanks to Congressman Meeks, House Democrats, and Republicans who are willing to stand up, Congress can take back its power. We can give the American people real relief today. The families sitting around their kitchen tables tonight deserve a government that will lower their costs and that will end these Trump tariff taxes. Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to vote ``yes'' on this resolution.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Commonwealth of Virginia for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the beginning of Black History Month and to honor more than 100 years of Black history in America. I speak today with urgency about American history; specifically, to highlight the fact that American history is Black history. From the march from Selma to Montgomery, where Americans demanded the right to vote; to the student sit-ins at lunch counters, where young people risked their safety to challenge segregation; and to the courtrooms and classrooms, where Black Americans pushed this Nation closer to its promise of equality, every major expansion of democracy in this country has been shaped by Black courage, Black leadership, and Black sacrifice. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we must ask ourselves a simple but urgent question: Why are there forces trying to erase this past? Erasing history does not solve the problems that we face today. It does not create equality. It does not put us on a level playing field, and it does not move this country forward. Black History Month exists for a reason. In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week to ensure that Black history was taught seriously in our schools and fully recognized as American history. His goal was never limitation. It was expansion, to broaden the Nation's consciousness, and to deepen our understanding of who we are. What began as 1 week grew into Black History Month--not to isolate Black history, but to correct centuries of exclusion. Black history is not a sidenote. It is a foundation. It belongs in our schools, in our books, and our public institutions, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture right here in D.C. In my home State of Nevada, Black communities have helped to build our labor movement, our neighborhoods, and our culture from the historic west side of Las Vegas, where I grew up, to communities all across our State. History is not something to erase. It is something to face so that we do not repeat the same mistakes again and again, and, instead, we continue to work toward a better future that includes all of us. That is why we celebrate Black History Month. That is why I am honored to join my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus, who, as the conscience of the Congress, will always hold this institution accountable to living out the full promise of our Nation.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the Commonwealth of Virginia for yielding and to the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Clarke, and all of our colleagues for the work that we do every single day to live out the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of my dear fraternity brother and trailblazing leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, I speak with urgency about the American Dream; specifically, that dream being under attack. More than 60 years ago, Dr. King warned this Nation that America had given Black Americans ``a bad check, a check which has come back marked `insufficient funds,' '' a promise made but not kept, opportunity delayed and justice deferred. Mr. Speaker, that warning still rings true today. Dr. King reminded us that public policy is a moral act. What we choose to fund and what we choose to cut reveals who we value and who we leave behind. Right now, working families in my home State of Nevada and all across this country are feeling the consequences of those choices: Prices are rising. Wages are stretched thin. Too many people are working full-time but still falling behind. While families are struggling to make ends meet, this administration is attempting to rewrite history. Just recently, the current occupant of the White House claimed that civil rights-era protections left White Americans ``very badly treated.'' These false and dangerous claims tarnish Dr. King's legacy and the history in which he lived, which is at risk of repeating itself today. Dr. King called for a revolution of values, and I rise today with my colleagues to reinforce that cause. Today, that revolution means choosing people over profits, workers over Wall Street, and families over special interests. The American Dream is not dead, but it is under attack. If we lead with courage, invest with purpose, and govern with our values, we can revive it for Nevada and for our entire Nation. That is how we honor Dr. King's legacy: by building an America of equal opportunity, shared prosperity, and dignity for all. I encourage all of my colleagues, regardless of party lines, to do their part in honoring Dr. King through their actions. That is how we carry on his legacy, and that is how we revive the dream.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, this debate comes down to one simple question: What is fair for tipped workers? All across America, and especially in my home State of Nevada, tipped workers show up every day, serving food and cleaning rooms. They keep our restaurants, hotels, and casinos running. They work hard. They deserve to be paid fairly for every hour that they work. Under current law, there is a commonsense protection in place. A worker can only be paid a tipped wage if their job actually depends on tips. That is why the law says workers must regularly earn tips before an employer can pay a subminimum wage. That rule exists to prevent abuse. H.R. 2312, the so-called Tipped Employee Protection Act, tears down that protection. Under this bill, an employer could say that you earned a tip once this week, so every hour you work now counts as tipped work. A worker could wait tables one night, earn a few tips, and then spend the rest of the week cooking, cleaning, or washing dishes and still be paid as little as $2.13 an hour for that work. That is not tip work. That is a pay cut. That is why we need to pass my TIPS Act, which would raise the wages for tipped workers--which has not been raised since 1991, the year I graduated from high school--not cut them. This GOP bill lets employers average tips however they want over whatever time period they choose and use that as an excuse to lower wages for hours when workers are not earning tips at all. Mr. Speaker, let's be honest: Tips aren't guaranteed. They depend on the customer, the shift, the economy, and pure luck. That is why tips are gifts, not a guarantee and not wages. No worker should have to gamble with their paycheck just to make rent or to put food on the table. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with working people, stand with tipped workers, and vote ``no'' on H.R. 2312.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about being on the right side of history. I have taken the time to listen directly to the people of Nevada's Fourth District and all across my great State. They have shared their stories, their concerns, and their fears about their healthcare. I am talking about people like Richard and his wife who have worked to do everything right. They budgeted. They made sacrifices. Yet, today, they are paying $1,200 a month for health insurance, up from $280 a month just a month ago because vital healthcare lifelines were allowed to expire. Richard told me that they can identify places to make cuts in their lives, but what worries him is what they will be forced to give up. That includes fewer groceries, fewer essentials, and fewer visits with family. Mr. Speaker, I get it. Some in this Chamber want to make this about politics. The reality is this is life and death. It is life and death for the 15 million Americans who are at risk of losing healthcare, while Republicans found the time and the money to give tax cuts to billionaires but no time to give relief to middle-class families. Mr. Speaker, I thank Leader Jeffries and Democrats. I call on my Republican colleagues to join us, and let's be on the right side of history.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, after 15 years of talk, House Republicans have finally brought their healthcare bill to the floor, yet it fails working families. Despite its name, it does nothing to lower costs. Republicans found time to lock in tax breaks for big corporations and billionaires but not the urgency or respect to help Americans afford their healthcare. House Democrats are 100 percent united, and now four Republicans, after months of delay, have finally chosen to join us to extend the advanced premium tax credits. That is why it is time for the Speaker to bring the House Democrats' bipartisan discharge petition to the floor immediately. Every Member must make a choice. Stand with the working men and women of this country and small businesses or Donald Trump. Vote ``no'' on this sham of a bill. Vote ``yes'' on the Jeffries discharge petition.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, despite repeatedly claiming to be the most pro-worker President and administration in history, since taking office, President Trump took action earlier this year that stripped collective bargaining rights from nearly 1 million Federal employees. These workers are the backbone of our Nation, from nurses caring for veterans, law enforcement officers keeping our communities safe, teachers educating the next generation, and countless others who ensure America runs every day. That is why I was proud to cosponsor the Protect America's Workforce Act alongside my Congressional Labor Caucus co-chairs and our over 120 members to counter what is arguably the largest act of union busting in American history. I urge every Member of this Chamber to join the Congressional Labor Caucus in supporting this crucial legislation. Let's stand with Federal workers in restoring their union rights against these unprecedented attacks on their livelihoods. I urge adoption.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Commonwealth of Virginia for yielding. ``What is right? . . . If we act on the answer with courage and commitment, we will overcome all that stands between us and the glory of a truly beloved community.'' Those are the words of our dear friend and colleague, Representative John Lewis. He didn't just preach these words. He lived them. Progress only lasts when protected by vigilance. Today, our democracy faces threats so similar to what Representative John Lewis endured-- voter suppression, book bans, and economic injustice. The solution isn't to step back. It is to lean in. That is why I am proud to cosponsor the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and reintroduce the Break the Cycle of Violence Act to carry his work and legacy forward. Let's do more to remember this giant among men. Let's legislate. Let's lead. Above all, let's get in what he called ``good trouble, necessary trouble.'' I commend our chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, all of our members, and the Members of this House to carry on the legacy of Representative John Lewis.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. 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.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 183. Stated against:

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, this is no way to govern. In the dead of the night, congressional Republicans are passing this partisan, big, ugly bill for billionaires. Who are they here to serve? Are they here to serve billionaires or the constituents who elected them to bring down costs and to make life more affordable? Their constituents, like mine, rely on Medicaid and public education, veterans' programs, SNAP, childcare, Head Start, and Medicare. Republicans claim to be for the working people, and yet the meager tax relief of about $1 a day that middle-class workers and families receive under their plan is temporary. The tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations are permanent. That is a choice. I am for permanent tax cuts for moms and dads and for small business owners. Who are they here to serve? The GOP budget cuts from the masses to give to the few, to billionaires who barely pay taxes to begin with. I know who I am here to serve. I serve the 750,000 people from Nevada who elected me. I will continue to fight for them to make their lives better and not worse. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with their constituents and against the billionaires.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 618. I thank Ms. Hoyle, the floor manager for the committee as well as the chairman, for the courtesy. In 1989, Congress enacted the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act, directing the sale of 21,000 acres of Federal land to Clark County for the establishment of the Apex Industrial Area. This law permits only the Bureau of Land Management and Clark County to issue utility and transportation rights-of-way. Originally, Clark County had this authorization in order to make the permitting process shorter. In recent years, however, the city of North Las Vegas and the Apex Industrial Owners Association primarily manage the site, not Clark County. The result is that this law has had the opposite effect and leads to a longer permitting process for businesses that need to construct sewer, gas, and power, as well as broadband infrastructure. Amending the Apex Project, Nevada Land Transfer and Authorization Act to include the city of North Las Vegas and the Apex Area Industrial Owners Association as permittees would allow the original congressional intent of expediting the permitting process to be fulfilled. H.R. 618 is an extremely simple fix to a complex problem that plagues Apex and causes major slowdowns at the Southern Nevada Bureau of Land Management and stifles economic growth in the county. I thank Chairman Westerman, Ranking Member Jared Huffman as well as Representative Hoyle and the rest of the Natural Resources Committee for allowing this measure to pass through committee and to come to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members support this legislation on economic development, expediting the permitting process, and ensuring that the lands in our community are decided by the residents who use them.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Chair, I rise today not in favor or opposition. I rise in defense, defense of 811,000 Nevadans and countless people across the country whose lives are in danger. I rise in defense of my constituents who will be impacted if Republicans are able to slash their healthcare services to fund $4.5 trillion to the ultrawealthy and big corporations. Madam Chair, Nevada Democrats and Republicans worked together to implement the Affordable Care Act, including the expansion of Medicaid. We reduced the uninsured rate by a third, and 563,000 children were able to receive coverage as a result. The fact that Nevada did the right thing then means we have more to lose as Republicans do the wrong thing now. Our State would be the third hardest hit, including in rural communities. This isn't a budget. It is the Republican screw America bill. That is why I am calling on every Member of this body to vote ``no.'' I will, in defense of my constituents.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to honor my history--our history--American history . . . I'm here to honor Black history during Black History Month. This is a time to honor our elders, and the struggles they endured bringing us to this moment. My home of Las Vegas is rich with contributions, milestones and heroes that advanced equity in our society. People like Hattie Canty--who led the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 to fight for better wages and job security, including the longest strike in American history against unfair labor conditions--six and a half years. Places like West Las Vegas, which became the heart of the city's Black community during segregation. Black-owned businesses and venues along the Black Strip on Jackson Avenue allowed culture to thrive . . . . . . while entrepreneurship and homeownership helped local community members begin to accumulate wealth. And breakthroughs, like the Sands Hotel allowing Nat King Cole to stay and perform there in 1955, challenging racial segregation to its core at the time. Las Vegas is one of so many, pillars of progress--progress made over generations--and progress that is under threat right now by forces who want to take our country backwards. . . . Denigrating civil rights . . . . . . Undermining racial diversity . . . . . . Eroding opportunities to grow wealth and better oneself with an education. What the forces against progress don't seem to realize, is the spirit of progress is alive and well today--every bit as much as it was for my parents' generation, and the generations before them. I mentioned Hattie Canty--I stand on her shoulders to this day. I spent a decade leading the Culinary Training Academy of Las Vegas that she helped found in 1993. It trains thousands of people every year with vocational skills that help local youths, adults, and displaced workers find work in the hospitality industry. The spirit of Black History Month is the spirit of progress--it's a flame that cannot be blown out. I am grateful for all of the leaders who came before me. And my commitment is to stand steadfast for future generations in this time of need, just as past generations did for me.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an amazing activist, educator, organizer, trailblazer, family man, and friend. Mayor Theron Goynes was a pillar of the North Las Vegas community, and Nevadans said good-bye to him last week. Mayor Goynes began his service in the Air Force and carried on as an educator in the Clark County School District first as a teacher, then counselor, adult education coordinator, assistant principal, and then principal. He spent 20 years on the North Las Vegas City Council, 12 of them as mayor pro tempore. Before his passing, he witnessed his daughter become the first Black mayor of any city in Nevada, for the same city where he served. Mayor Goynes' life was dedicated to making things better for others, and a grateful community honors his contributions to this day. I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and the Theron H. and Naomi D. Goynes Elementary School located in my congressional district where we celebrate his years of diligent service and commitment to community. A graduate of Prairie View A&M University and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, Mayor Goynes lived a life that inspires so many who knew him and set an example for all to aspire to. The North Las Vegas community will miss his leadership, his commitment to others, and his charming smile. We are thankful for all Mayor Goynes has given us. Rest in peace. Rest in power.

Mr. HORSFORD

Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I want to first give honor and to acknowledge a dear friend, a colleague, and a mentor as we take this Special Order hour to thank Congresswoman Barbara Lee. She truly is a gift. She is a treasure, and her service is an example for all to follow. For 26 years, Representative Barbara Lee has been an advocate for justice, equality, and peace, both at home and abroad. Her commitment to these principles has set a standard for all of us in this Chamber. I have had the privilege of collaborating with her on many initiatives, from expanding healthcare access to advancing racial and economic justice. Her leadership within the Congressional Black Caucus as a former chair herself has amplified the voices of marginalized communities and ensured that their concerns are addressed at the highest levels. Representative Lee's dedication to peace is shown by her consistent stance in foreign policy matters, and it was her lone vote against the authorization for the use of military force in 2001 that showed how she will always stick to her convictions. Representative Lee's impact on Congress, on our communities, on our country, and really on all of us will be felt for generations to come. Her legacy continues to inspire us as we work to uphold the values that she has championed. I say on behalf of the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, we thank her for her service, for her leadership, and for her commitment to justice. She is a dear friend. She is a true colleague, and she has been a mentor. I wish her all the very best in her future endeavors, and I know that her influence will remain with us for years to come. God bless her. Barbara Lee speaks for me.