Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time, and I rise in opposition to this resolution. For decades, MAGA Republicans have systematically chipped away at the impartiality of our third branch. They have already delegitimized our judiciary, yet they now stand before the American people pretending to be guardians of judicial integrity. Today's blatant attempt to rewrite history would be laughable if the consequences were not so dangerous for our democracy, but history matters. The American people deserve to understand how we got to this moment. To understand how we get here, we must follow both the money and the machinery behind the modern conservative legal movement. The Roberts Court is the culmination of a decades-long crusade by Republicans to concentrate power in the hands of the few at the expense of the many by packing the United States Supreme Court and the lower Federal courts as well. Wealthy donors and corporate interests led by The Federalist Society spent billions of dollars to pack the judiciary with rightwing, conservative, corporate, polluting-serving judges and justices, and nowhere is the success of this decades-long Court-packing effort more visible than at the Supreme Court where a carefully curated, appointed, and conservative supermajority now delivers the conservative outcomes this movement spent billions of dollars to achieve, and achieve they did. In the last several years, the Roberts Court opened the floodgates to unlimited dark money in our political system, empowering billionaires and oligarchs and other powerful special interests to accomplish through the Supreme Court what they can't accomplish through the legislative branch, and that is to drown out the voices of ordinary Americans. Abraham Lincoln once said that: ``This government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.'' Yet that seems to be the vision for America that Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Alito, and the other MAGA majority members on the Court believe. Where some enjoy easy access to the ballot box while others are forced to overcome legal barriers, this is not America. They want to make it such that the voices of those who look like Justice Thomas are quieter. Our Nation is now in Jim Crow 2.0. We are a nation where the right to vote can, once again, be diluted, restricted, or simply ignored and where the voices of rich and powerful people carry more weight than the voice of ordinary Americans; but, particularly, Americans who look like Clarence Thomas, who no longer have the equal opportunity to elect the Representatives of their choice. The American people deserve a judiciary that serves our democracy, not a narrow ideological agenda that only benefits the rich and powerful. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this resolution.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sound the alarm on skyrocketing healthcare costs in this country. Americans all across the country, including Georgia's Fourth Congressional District, are having a hard time and making very difficult decisions. They have to decide whether it is more important to pay for their groceries--and don't get me started on the cost of gas to go to work--or to provide their family with healthcare. It is estimated that healthcare will cost more than $26 trillion through the year 2036, making healthcare the largest category of Federal spending. This Republican rubber-stamped Congress has failed to advance extensions to the enhanced premium tax credits, causing more families to have to make these difficult decisions--decisions we should not have to make in a country like this, but don't take my word for it. For example, my constituent, Julia has a 34-year-old son that has a brain condition that makes it difficult for him to work. He needs brain specialists and prescriptions to prevent him from having seizures, debilitating headaches, and memory loss, but without healthcare subsidies, his health insurance costs rose 400 percent this year. Because of the high cost of healthcare for her son, Julia, who is responsible for paying all of the bills, has no savings. Extending the subsidies would have helped her put food on the table and make ends meet. Another example is my constituent, Vivian from Tucker, who lives with chronic psoriatic arthritis and suffers from vision problems. Her medication costs $4,000 a month. Without extensions of the subsidies, she and her husband's healthcare premiums skyrocketed from $50 to $1,300 a month, a 2,400 percent increase. That is a cost they simply cannot afford. Vivian said ObamaCare saved their lives. Lastly, I would like to recognize a student at Georgia State University named Melani, whose parents' monthly premiums went from $250 to $850 a month, a 250 percent increase. As a student, she receives health insurance through her school, but her family's premiums tripled, making their coverage financially impossible. Her parents, who are in their late fifties and early sixties, had to cancel their insurance because the costs are simply too high. The current tax credits are no longer sufficient to meaningfully offset rising insurance prices she told me. Without adequate support, Melani's parents are forced to go uninsured and face the tax penalty, despite desperately wanting to keep their coverage. Mr. Speaker, with Trump's war of choice in the Middle East and rising prices at home, Republicans have turned their backs on the very people who sent them to the Halls of Congress. I believe that healthcare is a fundamental human right. When a loved one is in the hospital, the only question that should be asked is: ``How do we get them better?'' not, ``How much is it going to cost?'' I will continue to speak up and speak out about these issues and fight for the people of Georgia's Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for yielding, and I thank her for anchoring this CBC Special Order hour. I also shout out to the leadership of CBC's chair, Yvette Clarke, for the work that she is doing. Mr. Speaker, I can't breathe. I am not saying those words to talk about what George Floyd said about 6 years ago before he was choked to death. Those words are not from him. Those are the words that democracy is uttering, is crying: I can't breathe. I can't breathe because MAGA controls the Presidency. MAGA controls the House, the Senate, and MAGA controls the United States Supreme Court. MAGA has a trifecta. I can't breathe. Democracy can't breathe. For years, there has been a steady effort by the United States Supreme Court to overrule and get rid of the Voting Rights Act. They started with Shelby County, where they paralyzed the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act. Then they went to Brnovich several years later and made it more difficult to sue for relief under the Voting Rights Act. Then April 29, I think it was, of this year, they nailed the final nail in the coffin of the Voting Rights Act by gutting section 2. They did it and said that it was a denial of equal protection to White folks for racist legislators and legislatures to have to draw districts that offered or enabled Black people and communities of interest to have an opportunity to elect a Representative of their choice. They said that that was the denial of equal protection to White folks. In other words, political gerrymandering trumps the ability of Black people to be able to elect the Representative of their choice. And they did that premised on the conclusion--the false conclusion that we are now living in a post-racial society, so there is no longer a need for the Voting Rights Act. So it was a fit of judicial activism, a predictable fit of judicial activism. We have got to do something about this United States Supreme Court. We have got to do something about this MAGA legislature. We have got to do something about the head MAGA at the White House. We do that through exercising our right to vote. We shall do so in November. We shall do so in 2026, and we will be prepared for 2030 redistricting. We will be prepared for what happens. We are going to take your foot off of the neck of democracy, and it is not going to be just us. It is going to be right-thinking people around this country who are going to join us. That is why I appreciate us leading the way, and I look forward to better days ahead. We shall not stop. We won't slow down. You are not going to drive us off. You are not going to kick us out. We are going to be here. This is our country. And we are going to live in it together, like it or not.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Chair, during today's morning vote series on Luna of Florida Part B Amendment No. 28, I unintentionally voted NO. Had I been able to correct my vote, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 148. Stated against:

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary of American Liver Foundation. For half a century, American Liver Foundation has been at the forefront of liver health. Established in 1976, American Liver Foundation is the largest patient advocacy organization for people with all types of liver disease. They remain dedicated to helping people improve their liver health. American Liver Foundation provides guidance and life-saving resources, they are a beacon for the 100 million Americans affected by liver disease. They prioritize educating patients, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, advocating for patient rights, funding medical research, and promoting public awareness campaigns about liver health. Mr. Speaker, today we honor American Liver Foundation for their unwavering commitment to those living with liver disease. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating American Liver Foundation on 50 years of supporting patients with liver disease. I look forward to seeing all that American Liver Foundation achieves in the next 50 years.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Fields for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour dedicated to extolling the virtues of the late Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. Today, I rise to honor a giant of American history, Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. He was a man whose life was a testament to courage, conviction, and an unshakable faith in justice. Reverend Jackson did not merely witness history. He made history. He shaped history. He stood in the trenches of the civil rights movement, marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and devoted his life to expanding opportunity for those too often pushed to the margins of this Nation. For so many of us, Reverend Jackson was more than that leader. He was a trailblazer. He showed generations of Black elected officials, activists, clergy, and public servants that our voices, our communities, and our fight for justice matter. Yes, I am somebody. His life and work helped make the very spaces we now occupy possible. Because of his leadership, sacrifice, and moral clarity, many of us found the courage to step forward in service to mankind. His impact was not only national and international; his impact was deeply personal. He was a handsome man, the embodiment of youth with a great big, full afro and mutton-chop sideburns, wearing a dashiki proudly, and courageously proclaiming: ``I am somebody.'' He challenged us to believe that we are somebody, that our people are worthy, and that progress requires both faith and action. He challenged us to keep hope alive. That message has shaped lives, careers, and callings across this country, including my own. Reverend Jesse Jackson leaves behind more than a legacy. He leaves behind a charge to keep marching, keep speaking, keep organizing, and keep believing in the promise of America, even when America falls short. Mr. Speaker, may we honor him not only with our words, but with our work. Our hearts remain with his loved ones, including our colleague Congressman Jonathan Jackson. May he rest in peace, and may his legacy live on forever in every person he inspired. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Thank you, Jesse.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill because it would make us less safe. Police already have access to less-than-lethal weapons like tasers. They don't need a change in the law. That is not an excuse for changing the law. This bill expands access to dangerous, prohibited individuals by stripping away Federal safeguards. Tasers may not shoot bullets, but they are still dangerous in the wrong hands. This bill would mean that anyone can buy them without a background check including people convicted of serious violent crimes and domestic abusers with restraining orders against them. This bill would also eliminate serialization, making these dangerous devices untraceable. H.R. 2189 is a reckless expansion of the gun industry. Mr. Speaker, because we all care about public safety, I urge my colleagues to stand with me and my colleagues in opposition to this dangerous piece of legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank Madam McClellan from the great State of Virginia. In 1619, the first settlers came to America in the same place where, in that same year, the first slave ship arrived on this continent. I was privileged to be among those in Congress who traveled to Ghana in 2019 to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the slave trade. It was a great visit. History is so important, and Carter G. Woodson knew the importance of history. He knew that if a culture does not tell its own story, then that story won't get told. If you don't have a story, if you don't know what your parents did, your grandparents, and your foreparents did, if you don't know the accomplishments--of course, there are many accomplishments of Black people. If you don't know them, then you suffer a psychological disability, a collective psychological disability as a people. So, it is very important that we know our history because when we do, we understand the great accomplishments of our forefathers and our foremothers. We can be proud that despite the conditions under which they lived for 250 years in this country, slavery, and then another 90 years of Jim Crow, when we consider all of our accomplishments during that time, we can be proud. Now, many people don't know what our accomplishments are or have been, and that is their ignorance. You should read up on it. That is what Black History Week was originally proposed to do. That is why it was instituted, to take a week for people to understand what our history was. Our history was not just slavery. Our history, as I said before, was accomplishments and struggle and overcoming and achievements. When Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week back on February 7th, 1926, he established that week to also commemorate the births of two important individuals in Black history, Frederick Douglass, who was born on February the 14th, 1818; and Abraham Lincoln, who was born on February 12th, 1809. During those times, Black people were held as slaves, but we have made so much progress since then. That is why we are so proud of Barack Obama, who was elected not once but twice to be President of this United States of America. It wasn't easy for him, and it was not easy for Carter G. Woodson, who was the second Black man to attain a doctorate degree from Harvard University; the first being W.E.B. Du Bois. Mr. Du Bois was a man of great accomplishment, a historian, an author, and a journalist. It was in 1970 when folks at Kent State University in Ohio declared that, instead of celebrating Negro history for one week in February, we would do it for the entire month of February. It was President Gerald Ford who, during the Nation's centennial in 1976, issued a White House proclamation acknowledging the month of February as Black History Month, and we have been celebrating during this month. It is ironic that at Kent State University there was a lady protesting the Vietnam war who was killed by National Guardsmen. Let's go to today where, instead of having Ku Klux Klansmen riding around the cities, towns, and countryside wearing hoods, we now have people wearing masks, shooting people in our streets. They are known as ICE. We have to get rid of them because we have a guy in office who is trying to turn the clock back on history. If you don't know history, you are bound to repeat it. We know history. That is why we are not going back. Mr. Speaker, with those words, I will take my seat and I thank Representative McClellan for anchoring this hour for the Congressional Black Caucus under the leadership of the great Congresswoman from New York, Yvette Clarke.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call Vote No. 28 on H.R. 7006, I mistakenly recorded my vote as YES when I should have voted NO.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McClellan for running point on this Special Order hour for the CBC. She is a legislative champion both in the State house and in the Federal House. It is good to be with her tonight, and I thank her for recognizing me. I also give a shout-out to our beloved leader of the CBC, Representative Yvette Clarke, who is doing a fine job leading us through these difficult times. These are difficult times for us. We here in Congress are having a difficult time. You see it. But the difficulties we face are nothing to what you face out there. You are the ones who are struggling to put food on the table. You are the ones who are struggling to keep a roof over your head as the head of your family. You are the ones struggling to work 8 hours a day for an honest day's wage only to come up short and having to work second and third jobs in order to make ends meet while you see others living lavishly surrounded by gold ornaments on everything that they can touch, building ballrooms for the rich and wealthy after knocking down the historic east wing of the White House, and doing it without anybody's consent, just waking up and deciding I am going to do this. We live in a democracy, not someplace where a king is in charge, and that king is playing politics with the people. The other day, he floated the idea that he wanted to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, or ObamaCare tax credits. He floated that idea but got some pushback from a few Representatives on the Republican side of the aisle, and so he snatched it back. He doesn't realize that real people are depending on those tax credits in order to make insurance affordable for them. People like Vivian in my district, who I had a phone conversation with recently about the rising cost of her healthcare premiums due to the Republicans' cruel refusal to extend ObamaCare tax subsidies, are depending on those tax credits. She told me: That is just an amount I simply cannot afford. Mr. Speaker, her premiums are going from $50 a month all the way up to $1,260 a month. From $50 a month to $1,260 a month. There is no way that she can afford that. Vivian has suffered from psoriatic arthritis since she was 27, and she now has vision problems in one eye. She relies on specialty medications to deal with her conditions. While Vivian faces skyrocketing healthcare costs, her husband is dealing with cancer. Luckily, he is on Medicare and is receiving the care that he needs, but if Vivian is cut off from her access to care, there is no way that she can keep going and take care of him at the same time. She said: Without the ObamaCare subsidies, my quality of life will be nonexistent. Vivian told me that without healthcare and access to her medications, she would lose vision in one eye, and because the medications help keep her arthritis at bay, it allows her to do seemingly simple things, such as to tie her shoes or walk without pain. She said: ObamaCare subsidies have saved my life. I don't know what I will do without it. People are people. Access to quality, affordable care shouldn't be a partisan issue. I agree. Americans like Vivian who are out there, those are the people who Democrats are fighting for. In the wealthiest country in the world, no one should have to worry about affording medical care. That is why I will work with anybody in Congress, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, who believes that access to quality healthcare is a human right and not a privilege reserved only for those who can afford it. Mr. Speaker, I have a number of other testimonials from people in my district, the Fourth District of Georgia, who have written and emailed what their situations are all about. They are many, and they are excruciatingly painful to listen to. Over 1.5 million Georgians are in the health exchange, in the marketplace, and 340,000 of those, or about one-quarter will lose their coverage if we don't do something about these expiring tax credits. A family of four earning $82,000 a year will see their annual premiums double to around $7,000 per year. It is just unsustainable for people to have to go through this month after month, and so we need to do something. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate our caucus for hosting this Special Order hour.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join the Sidney family in celebrating the life of Corey Lee Sidney, who was born on June 10, 1977, and died all too soon on October 11, 2025. He was a quiet man with a gentle spirit, and was cherished by his family, loved ones, and friends. Corey Lee Sidney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Melanie Sidney and Norman Gladden. After spending his early childhood in Philadelphia, he returned to Pittsburgh around age eight, where he lived until moving to Buffalo, New York, where he made his home for the past decade. Corey was a devoted man of faith, a lifelong member of Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he faithfully served as a Trustee. His love for God and church was a guiding force throughout his life. Family was at the heart of Corey's world. He cherished his grandmother, the late Margaret Lucinda Sidney, his aunt Sylvia Sidney, and his cousin Arthur Dennis Sidney, both of whom now reside in Washington, D.C. Corey was proud of his close-knit family and maintained affectionate relationships across the country. Though he might have claimed to be shy, Corey was truly a social butterfly, effortlessly making friends wherever he went, thanks to his gift of gab and genuine warmth. He loved good food and embraced new experiences, dedicating himself recently to a passion for international travel. Among many things, he will be remembered for his care, compassion, loving kindness, sense of humor, his unique laugh, and his face full of freckles. Corey's circle of love extended to his beloved partner, Laurence Jones; many aunts--including Carole (and husband Clayton), Clarice, Yvonne, and Sylvia; cousins Juan, Jose, Thomas, and countless others; and a wide community of close friends who will dearly miss him. Corey touched countless lives with his kindness, faith, and joyful spirit. He leaves behind a legacy of love that will be remembered by all who knew him.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the remarkable life of my longtime friend, my wife's lifelong best friend, and also my district director, Kathy Register, who passed away unexpectedly last month. When I first took office in 2007, I promised the people that I would take care of home first, as Kathy did as district director, and that is exactly what we did. She is largely responsible for the citizens of the Fourth District returning me to Congress since 2007. Kathy has been deeply appreciated by all who she served and all who she worked with. We are going to miss her so very much, but her life had been a life of service, not just to the citizens of the Fourth District but to her family. Her mother, Jennie; and her two sons, Anthony and Tito, survive her, along with her friends and colleagues in my office, both in D.C. and in Decatur, Georgia. I thank Kathy for her friendship and tireless service. May she rest in peace.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for yielding time, and I thank the Congressional Black Caucus and the leadership of Yvette Clarke for hosting this Special Order hour to honor John Lewis, who was a one-of-a-kind public servant. He served humanity as a youth and as an adult, and he served we, the people, before and during his many years in elected office on the local and Federal levels of government. I had the honor and pleasure of serving closely with John Lewis during 14 of my 19 years here in Congress. During those years, I learned so much from John Lewis. We all did. I continue to learn from the writings he left for posterity. The lessons Congressman Lewis imparts in his book, ``Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement'' today inspires us and provides us with direction on the way forward during these unprecedented and deeply disturbing times in which we are living. John tells the story about 15 children outside playing in his Aunt Seneva's dirt yard. The sky began clouding over, the wind started picking up, lightning flashed, and suddenly the 15 children felt terrorized. John's Aunt Seneva was the only adult around. As the sky blackened and the wind grew stronger, she herded those 15 children inside her small, clapboard house. With 16 people squeezed into that house, it was surprisingly quiet as the wind howled, and the house built on cinder blocks began to shake. They were scared. Even Aunt Seneva was scared. Then it got worse. Now the house was beginning to sway. The wood plank flooring beneath them began to bend. Then a corner of the room started lifting up. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. None of them could. This storm was actually pulling the house toward the sky with them inside. That was when Aunt Seneva told them to clasp hands, line up and hold hands, she said, and they did as they were told. Then she had them walk as a group toward the corner of the room that was rising. From the kitchen to the front of the house they walked, the wind screaming inside, sheets of rain beating on the tin roof. Then they walked back in the other direction as another end of the house began to lift. So it went, back and forth, 15 children walking with the wind, holding that trembling house down with the weight of their small bodies. The 15 children, Mr. Speaker, in that small house, with a fierce storm upon it, is the America that we see today. Those 15 children represent Black, White, Latino, and Asian people. Among them are our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. They are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. We are diverse. We are all equal, and we find ourselves included in the same house, America. That house, or our country, is under assault. More than half a century has passed since that day that John just spoke about. It has struck me, he said, more than once over those many years, that our society is not unlike the children in that house rocked again and again by winds of one storm or another, the walls around us seeming at times as if they might fly apart. But, Mr. Speaker, a storm always passes, and the Sun always comes out. As Aunt Seneva said, clasp hands, walk to the corner of the house that is moving, and then move to the next corner, and the next, and don't stop until the storm blows over.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. 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. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I commend Congresswoman Ramirez for conducting this Special Order hour, and I thank her for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my Congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues to express my utter horror at the way in which the Trump administration is catapulting us towards an authoritarian state. We in Congress are one of the three branches of government, yet the President has been acting like a king since day one. Since assuming office, Donald Trump has dismantled Federal agencies and unlawfully halted billions of dollars in congressionally appropriated Federal funding. He has undermined the delicate system of checks and balances by flagrantly ignoring court orders. He has arrested a judge and a mayor. He has threatened to arrest a sitting Governor. He has taken to the floor and handcuffed and detained a United States Senator. He has accused and caused to be indicted a United States Congresswoman for having the temerity to do her job by being at an ICE facility to conduct oversight. He has also violated the right to due process by dispatching armed, masked, unidentifiable people, wearing plain clothes and tactical gear, onto the streets of select American cities. They pull up on people, jump out with assault weapons, force them into unmarked cars, and disappear them. Their families learn days later that their loved one has been shipped off to a foreign gulag without presenting evidence to a judge that they should be removed. Trump has done this to legal permanent residents and talked openly about doing it to American citizens. While unleashing terror on our streets, Trump's brazenly corrupt decision to accept a $400 million Boeing 747 jet from Qatar for his personal use is a direct violation of the Emoluments Clause of our Constitution, and it has caused a firestorm of controversy. Yet, MAGA Republicans in control of Congress turn a blind eye to it. My Republican colleagues are afraid to hold Donald Trump accountable. The majority is afraid to investigate the serious national security, public integrity, and foreign policy implications of the President accepting an emolument from a foreign government and flying around in a Qatari jumbo jet, taking it with him as a door prize when he leaves office in January 2029--if he leaves office. This is blatant, in-your-face corruption to see how far he can go in his attempt to replace democracy with dictatorship. Congress has the authority to introduce Articles of Impeachment against the President, but I don't expect that it is going to happen because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are too afraid to do so. It is the ultimate exercise of congressional oversight, and it requires a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives and a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate in order to impeach and convict. I am prepared to take any necessary action to stop Trump's reckless assault on the Federal Government and our democracy. While I believe many of Donald Trump's actions merit impeachment, I believe that the critical first step needs to be taken by this body as soon as possible. As I said before, I don't expect it to happen because MAGA Republicans have completely abdicated their constitutional responsibility to exercise any shred of oversight on this out-of- control executive. In fact, this Congress has acted as a rubberstamp as Trump consolidates power in and unto himself. Time and time again, Republicans continue to capitulate on their core principles in complete sycophancy of Trump's disastrous, antidemocratic agenda. Despite being in the minority, House Democrats are working tirelessly to push back against Trump's hostile government takeover by litigating his illegal actions, introducing legislation to curb his powers, and mobilizing the public against his destructive agenda. I have joined thousands of Georgians and millions of Americans against the Trump administration's attacks on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other public services, including SNAP benefits for children, infants, and seniors. Though it is unlikely that a Republican-led House will do anything to hold this executive accountable, we are going to continue to do everything we can to demonstrate to the American people that we are not going to take this lying down. We are going to be with them. We are going to be out on the streets in peaceful protest. We are going to make sure that we preserve and protect this democracy that our forefathers and foremothers have fought so hard to guarantee to us. I will not stop doing the job that my constituents sent me to Washington to do because a megalomaniac is trying to override the Constitution, and I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will do the same.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, a judiciary cannot stand as a pillar of trust and independence unless it is also anchored in accountability. Yet, as it stands, Federal judges facing serious misconduct allegations can stop an investigation in its tracks by simply stepping down from the bench. This loophole not only undermines public trust but leaves serious questions unanswered about conduct unexamined. My legislation, the TRUST Act, would fix this by requiring an investigation to continue even if the judge resigns or retires to avoid accountability. This cannot and should not be a partisan issue. Congress must act to ensure that credible allegations follow judges beyond the robe, and that retirement or resignation is not mistaken for resolution. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, during the May 7, 2025 evening vote series on H.R. 881, DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, I unintentionally voted YEA on final passage. Had I been able to correct my vote, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 120.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her passion, for her courage, and for her tenacity in representing the interests of those who have been adversely impacted by crime and who need the justice system to hold accountable those who would violate our laws. She stands for justice for all. I appreciate her comments. It is not just big law firms and judges who are being targeted but also Department of Justice officials, FBI officials, government employees, and whistleblowers. The Department of Justice is now going after none other than ActBlue. What is ActBlue? Trump has asked the Department of Justice to cut off funding to anyone who opposes him, and recently, he directed the Department of Justice, the DOJ, to target ActBlue. What is ActBlue? It is a Democratic fundraising site that collects small-dollar donations from people across the country who fuel the Democratic Party's fundraising. ActBlue is a vehicle for everyday Americans to make small-dollar donations to the campaigns of people who are standing up to Donald Trump and fighting back against this administration. As a result of that, Donald Trump and his department of so-called justice are trying to shut them down. There is zero evidence of any wrongdoing by ActBlue, unlike this President's own shady crypto businesses and his taking of unconstitutional emoluments during his first term, but because ActBlue provides a way or mechanism for small donors to fund those who oppose Trump, Trump is using his power over the Department of Justice to shut down ActBlue like the authoritarian dictator that he is trying to be. Under rulings by the Supreme Court, it is big dark money donors who now dominate elections, and they donate heavily in favor of Republicans. Instead of putting some restrictions on those dark money donors, he wants to make them the only ones who are in place to be able to fund elections of Representatives. In other words, he is persecuting and prosecuting, trying to prosecute a small-dollar donor network for the Democrats so that only the big dark money donors who participate in electing him and his MAGA cronies are the ones who are playing the game. We cannot allow that to stand. Trump is actually going full MAGA out here with this, and his purpose is to Make America Great Again again. He wants to turn the country back to a time when the only people who had the right to vote were the White male property owners. In line with that, he is trying to destroy the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. Under Trump, Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice are degrading the ability of civil rights lawyers to do their jobs on behalf of the American people. The Department of Justice has a storied Civil Rights Division, which was established by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, which focused on fighting racial discrimination. The division has since been tasked with upholding the rights of all persons in the United States, particularly the most vulnerable. When Trump took office, there were almost 400 attorneys in the division. Based on unofficial estimates, approximately 70 percent of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division is expected to accept the second resignation offer, leaving fewer than 150 attorneys, as Trump has twisted the division into something unrecognizable, a unit that is bent on dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, reversing policies on transgender rights, rooting out so- called woke ideology, and other such nefarious goals. Vanita Gupta, a former associate attorney general under President Biden, has said that the division has been turned on its head and that now it is being used as a weapon against the very communities it was established to protect. Cases have been halted, and top managers from the voting rights section have been reassigned. As devastating as this is now, it also means that that knowledge is being lost. If we have an election in 2028, which is not guaranteed with this President who is already selling merchandise proclaiming Trump 2028, but if we do have an election in 2028 and get a new President, we cannot snap our fingers instantly and rebuild an entire division that was demolished by this administration. Major damage is being done to our institutions, and all my brothers and sisters can do on the other side of the aisle is cower in favor of what they know is wrong and unjust. This is abuse of authority, and we cannot let it go unchecked. As much as Trump and his Department of Justice try to silence us, we must all speak up and speak out. Democracy is a fragile and precious thing. It lasts as long as we fight for it. That is because each time we let ourselves be cowed and each time we yield to fear, our rights narrow. I have before me the Preamble of the Constitution. It says, ``We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice''--it is right up there at the top. This is why we wanted to ``form a more perfect Union.'' It was to ``establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare.'' It was to establish justice. That premised everything else. Justice and the system of justice in this country are worth protecting, and we shall do so. We shall continue to do so. I promise that I will be in the trenches fighting with you, We the People. As John Lewis used to say, let's go make some good trouble. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his very prescient comments. He spoke of a reign of terror that has been inflicted upon our institutions and the people of this country. As a lawyer, I never thought that I would ever live to see the Department of Justice being perverted to the point of turning its attention on prosecuting a State court judge for interfering with a deportation in her courtroom and in her courthouse. Even judges and courthouses in this Nation are not safe from the reign of terror of this President. In Milwaukee, Judge Dugan, a State court judge, was arrested by the FBI for obstructing justice by allegedly directing a migrant out of her courtroom through a side door, as Federal agents waited to arrest him in the hallway. He was there for a hearing on charges unrelated to his immigration status. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, did not even have a judicial warrant to arrest him. A judicial warrant is based on probable cause, is signed by a judge, and has the force of law. What the ICE agent had was only an administrative warrant. This type of warrant is just simply a piece of paper that somebody types up, saying that this person should be arrested. There is no probable cause, no nothing. It is just an administrative warrant. The judge told the ICE agents that if they wanted to arrest someone in her courtroom, they needed a judicial warrant signed by a judge. They needed to speak with the chief judge of Milwaukee County. The chief judge told the agents that they could not make arrests inside courtrooms or other private locations in the courthouse. That makes a lot of sense. If people know they will be picked up by ICE if they report to the courthouse, they will never show up for their State court proceedings. Mr. Speaker, it is impugning the ability of the courts of the States to administer justice according to State law. Judge Dugan allegedly ushered the migrant out a side door. A week later, FBI agents show up at her courthouse. When she pulls up to the parking lot, they take her out of the car and put her in handcuffs. They perp walked her in a public manner that was meant to send a message to any other judge who stood up for the rule of law. This was clearly designed to make not just State court judges but all judges, including Federal judges, afraid of taking a position out of step with the Trump administration. It is meant to stop judges from doing their jobs and standing up for the communities they are empowered by and against the illegal abuses of the Trump administration. This is even before the talk Trump has stirred up about impeaching Federal judges who have the temerity to rule against his administration when it violates the laws and the Constitution. Once again, Trump and his cronies are trying to bully and remove people who have the backbone to do their jobs and stand up for our democracy. Mr. Speaker, I am now joined by my colleague from the great State of Georgia, Representative Lucy McBath. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for those very thoughtful comments. The terror that inflicts my colleagues on the other side of the aisle so that they find it impossible to muster the courage to speak out when they see something wrong and hear something wrong and, you know, everything going against their morals-- they know it is wrong, but yet they can't speak out--they are victims of this reign of terror, although I don't absolve them of responsibility for having no courage. They should have courage, just like the law firms that have been targeted by the Trump administration. Some of those law firms have protested, but others have yielded to the terror. He is threatening these very powerful and wealthy, corporate-representing law firms with investigations, with revocation of security clearances, with termination of government contracts or funding, with bans from accessing government buildings, and hiring bans. Some of these law firms are standing up and suing the Trump administration for this unlawful behavior, law firms like Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale; but a raft of other law firms, like Paul, Weiss, Skadden, and Latham, bent the knee and laid down because they were too afraid of this administration destroying their businesses. I mean, here are a number of big, bad, powerful, wealthy law firms that can't even use the law to protect themselves, afraid to use the law to protect themselves. What makes their clients think that those law firms that bent a knee to Trump will represent their interests? I don't know. Only time will tell what happens to those firms that capitulated. In the first Trump administration, law firms were part of the huge effort by the legal community to challenge unconstitutional policies of the Trump administration, like the Muslim ban, but this time around the Trump administration is going to make sure that that doesn't happen. That is why they are threatening these law firms and making them heel and forcing them to come to the table and capitulate and roll over and let him rub their soft bellies. They won't be involved in protecting the people against Trump's excesses this time around. Not only that, but as part of their deal with Trump, these law firms promised nearly a billion dollars in pro bono work, but only for the causes that Trump cares about. Now, pro bono means ``for the public good,'' but apparently Trump and the law firms that he has punked out think it just means free legal work for Trump. Trump has punked these big, powerful, and wealthy law firms into providing free labor to help him negotiate trade deals, to help him revive the coal industry, and to help his friend Elon Musk, the billionaire, as he wields a chainsaw through his position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. White House officials have said the pro bono work could be used toward representing Trump himself or his allies. Just last night, one of Trump's executive orders directed the Attorney General to use this private sector pro bono work that he has extracted to represent him so that they would defend law enforcement officers who are charged with offenses in the performance of their official duties. Let me translate that. That means--okay, you remember George Floyd, who was murdered by an officer who wouldn't take his knee off of George Floyd's neck until he suffocated. You all remember that. You all remember Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed in her bed after a botched, no-knock drug raid; or Tyre Nichols, who was beaten to death after a traffic stop. Under the new Trump regime, the DOJ would conscript private law firms to, for free, represent those police officers against the families of the victims of police brutality. That is not the way the Department of Justice should work, and that is not the way that big, powerful law firms should work. They should choose the clients that they want to represent, not Donald Trump choosing their clients and causes for them. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman), my good friend, a former prosecutor. He has some things that he wants to tell you.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, after Donald Trump and his co- president Elon Musk took office on January 20, Democrats in Congress realized that we were engaged in a multifaceted struggle to protect and defend everyday Americans from the harm being inflicted by this reckless and cruel administration. It was an all-hands-on-deck moment with roles for Congress, the courts, and for we the people. On February 10, House Democratic Party Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries formally established the Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group, chaired by assistant leader Joe Neguse and co-chaired by Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Gerry Connolly, and Jamie Raskin. The task force itself is also a multifaceted defense of our democracy with its 45 Members participating in various working groups. I participate in the Litigation Working Group that brainstorms ideas for amicus briefs where Congress' perspective would be especially important and useful to the courts such as when the Trump administration tramples upon Congress' constitutional powers by ignoring the will of Congress as expressed by legislation that directs that a certain thing be done. When Congress passes legislation and that legislation is signed into law, then whoever is President is charged with the responsibility of taking care that that law is faithfully executed. The President does not have the power to nullify a law passed by Congress, but this President is willfully acting like a dictator and the Litigation Working Group is working to stop this President from acting unlawfully and unconstitutionally. We are seeing great success in the courts, which is why this President is now attacking the judiciary and attacking judges, and we will talk about that later during this Special Order hour, which I have been asked to lead. I also participate in a hearings working group that sets up hearings across the Nation to highlight how this administration's unlawful and unconstitutional actions are affecting everyday people. Importantly for tonight, I participate in the Special Order hour working group, where my fellow Representatives and I organize time to speak on topics of urgent importance so that the American public can be informed about the harm this administration is causing, our thoughts about it, and what we can do about it, both here in the Halls of Congress and in the courts as well as in the streets. Tonight, the topic I feel most urgency around is illuminating the ways that the Trump administration is destroying democracy through its attack on the rule of law. As a young man, I decided to become a lawyer. Actually, as a child, I was 4 years old when my hero, my mentor, my cousin--we called him Tokey, but his name was Archibald Hill--I was 4 years old when he graduated from law school and became a lawyer. When that happened, I decided at that tender age of 4 years old that I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be an attorney also. Archibald went out to Oklahoma and set up his homebase there in Oklahoma City, and he hung out his shingle as a solo practitioner and began to practice criminal defense law, and me, being his acolyte, his fan, wanted to be just like him. I decided I was going to open up my law firm and practice criminal defense law just like him. I believed in due process. I believed that if government accused you of a crime, you had a right to a trial by a jury of your peers and the prosecutor had the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt before the jury was authorized to convict. The government could not just accuse you of something without evidence, lock you up, and throw away the key without due process. I believe in the rule of law and I believe in the Constitution, which undergirds the rule of law. I believe in equal protection under the law. As a lawyer, I fought for my clients in court, ensuring they received due process and equal protection under the law that they were entitled to. I administered our system of justice as a magistrate court judge, upholding the law without fear or favor. That is the America that I love, one where everyone in this country feels secure enough in our rights to speak their mind and to live freely. I am deeply disturbed about the devolution that I am seeing taking place right now in terms of the rule of law and justice in this country. Unfortunately, this is what we are seeing under this Trump reign of terror. In only 100 days, there has been an onslaught of attacks on the judiciary and the rule of law. Trump is using the Department of Justice to carry out a campaign of terror, retribution, and vengeance. Trump is perverting his Justice Department away from administering justice into an outfit that is only there to prosecute his personal vendettas, punish his enemies, and award his friends. He has installed to do his bidding banana republic cronies like Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, who are more than willing to carry out Trump's abuse of the justice system. Under their reign, dozens of prosecutors were targeted, identified, and fired simply because they had worked on the January 6 insurrection cases. The FBI turned over a list of 4,000 current and former FBI personnel who worked on the January 6 cases so that they too could be targeted for firing. When the pardon attorney refused to recommend restoring the gun rights of one of President Trump's supporters, who was also a convicted domestic violence perpetrator, guess what? She was fired too. When she was called to testify as a whistleblower about her termination, she was called by Democrats to Congress. Then the Friday night before the Monday she was to show up in Congress, armed law enforcement agents were directed to show up at her house on a Friday night, late, knocking on her door, and they tried to intimidate her out of testifying. It didn't work, I am happy to report. The DOJ is also opening investigations to intimidate other whistleblowers from speaking up and to punish those who already have. The Department of Justice has opened investigations into a lawyer who previously prosecuted Trump's friends. They are investigating a Governor who opposed Trump. They are investigating the New York attorney general, the New Jersey attorney general, and also United States Representatives and Senators who have spoken out against the Trump administration. Trump has directed the Department of Justice to investigate Chris Krebs because Chris Krebs told the truth that the 2020 election was safe and secure. Just within the last week, the Attorney General issued legal guidelines that allowed the Justice Department to subpoena reporters' personal communications without notice and to criminally prosecute any government employees who are seen as undermining the administration's views. The message is clear: If you say anything negative about the king, then you are not safe. This reign of terror is what we are talking about tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Stansbury), who I am glad has joined me this evening.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to submit extraneous material into the Record.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, a link to the entire document can be found here: https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2025/04/Final-Letter-Regarding-Protecting-the-Legal-Profession__- 4.2.25-Upd-1.pdf.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the judicial branch ensures that people, corporations, and even other branches of government follow the law, and if a President does something illegal, which this President is famous for, the only way for the courts to prevent thousands of people from being harmed is to order a nationwide injunction that stops him from doing that illegal thing. It is essential to our democracy that the courts can serve as a check on a President who is trampling people's rights. While proponents of the bill say that each aggrieved person should bring their own case, that just does not make sense. There is no way that each of the thousands of people harmed could pay for their own lawyer, get into a courtroom, and try their own case. Aside from the difficulty and cost to everyone, our courts could never handle that volume of cases. With dockets already bursting at the seams, justice would be delayed. It would be so delayed that it would be denied. It would be inefficient, cost prohibitive, and unfair. That is what Republicans want because Federal courts keep ruling against Trump's unlawful and unconstitutional executive actions. Therefore, they are trying to hamstring the courts so that Trump can't be stopped. We need our courts to continue to serve as a bulwark of democracy against the Trump administration's flood of illegal actions. That is why I rise today in opposition to this bill. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an April 2, 2025, letter addressed to Pam Bondi from 500 law firms and lawyers across the Nation. April 2, 2025. Hon. Pamela Bondi, Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Dear Attorney General Bondi: We are members of the legal profession and entities that provide legal representation and work in law. We do not agree on all matters and, in fact, at times have been or are adverse to each other in court or other professional settings. Despite our differences, we all share a commitment to the United States Constitution, the rule of law, and the role of the legal system in protecting the rights of all people and ensuring all of us can have our day in court. This commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law requires that lawyers be able to operate with independence, without fear of retaliation for bringing lawsuits in good faith, and without attempts to deter recourse to the legal system. We write to you, as the nation's highest ranking legal official, out of deep concern regarding a number of actions that the President of the United States and his administration have taken and a number of statements targeting lawyers and the legal profession. The following are illustrative examples of the concerning actions and statements: On February 25, 2025, the President issued a memo titled ``Suspension of Security Clearances and Evaluation of Government Contracts'' targeting Covington & Burling LLP. On March 6, 2025, the President issued a memo titled ``Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP.'' On March 11, 2025, the President issued a memo titled ``Ensuring the Enforcement of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c),'' aiming to make it harder for organizations, communities, and individuals to enforce their rights. On March 14, 2025, at the Department of Justice, the President called his courtroom opponents ``scum,'' judges ``corrupt,'' and prosecutors ``deranged.'' On March 14, 2025, the President issued a memo titled ``Addressing Risks from Paul Weiss.'' On March 22, 2025, the President issued a memo titled ``Rescinding Security Clearances and Access to Classified Information from Specified Individuals.'' On March 22, 2025, the President sent a memo to Attorney General Pam Bondi titled ``Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court.'' It is your responsibility, as the lawyer ultimately entrusted with the representation of the United States in legal matters, to oppose attacks on the legal profession, on judges, and on the rule of law and to ensure that the Department of Justice uses its full power to protect the legal profession and equal justice under law for all people. Attacking legal advocates based on the positions they take in good faith litigation or based on who their clients are or have been is inconsistent with our nation's values and with the Constitution's contemplation of the functioning of the judicial branch. Indeed before the founding of the United States, John Adams, an ardent supporter of American independence and someone who opposed King George III, famously represented the British crown's own soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre--driven by an unwavering commitment to fair process and equal justice. During your confirmation hearings earlier this year before the United States Senate, you pledged to ensure that there was ``confidence and integrity'' in the United States Department of Justice and stated that you opposed the ``partisan weaponization'' of the Department. It is incumbent on you to use all of the tools available to you to preserve and protect the independence and integrity of the legal profession, including opposing the use of the federal government to attack lawyers, law firms, and legal organizations for engaging in good faith representation of their clients. Respectfully yours,