Hakeem Jeffries

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding and for his leadership. The founding document of this country, the Declaration of Independence, reads: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equally, entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those words were eloquent in their articulation and complete in their application. As the great Barbara Jordan once pointed out, initially they didn't apply to enslaved Africans or women, Native Americans, poor people of every race, and certainly it didn't apply to the LGBTQ+ community. But through a process of constitutional amendment ratification, court decision, and legislation, those words have increasingly been brought to life as we journey toward a more perfect union. That is the work that is being done today with the Respect for Marriage Act, particularly because of a radical, right-wing, reckless, and regressive Supreme Court majority that threatens freedom and marriage equality. Madam Speaker, that is why I urge my colleagues to support the Respect for Marriage Act.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, again, we are going to follow the public health guidance. Out of courtesy, we are having this colloquy, but we can't have a colloquy if the gentleman is dissatisfied with my answers and such that he is consistently not permitting me to respond. I will be happy to respond to any questions if we are going to have a colloquy. I think what is clear, if the point is, are we leading, correct, we are leading. As I mentioned, we are leading on the American Rescue Plan. We are leading on infrastructure investment. We are leading on standing up for our veterans, leading on public safety, leading on passing gun safety legislation, leading on----

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I think he has yielded the time to me, so I can yield it back to him at the appropriate time.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I think, one, we have been operating under a public health emergency. But in the constraints of that, again, following the guidance of the public health professionals, that is how we have been operating.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Well, I think the gentleman raises a very important observation that the American people expect us to lead. I think during the 117th Congress, that is absolutely what has been done. We have led by passing the American Rescue Plan; saved the economy from perhaps collapsing into a recession, if not worse; put shots in arms, money in pockets, kids back in school. We have led by passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, creating millions of good- paying jobs, fixing our crumbling bridges, roads, and tunnels. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman asked the question. I am just responding.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Well, that is a decision that ultimately will be made by the Speaker, in consultation with other members of leadership, but being guided by the public health professionals. The Capitol Physician has guided the decision up until this point in terms of the public health emergency that we have been under and what the appropriate protocols are to make sure that we are being responsible.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Well, there are ongoing negotiations in good faith. There have been several exigencies that have arisen; but I don't have visibility into the actual, precise nature of the negotiations right now. As I mentioned, on our end, certainly they are being handled by Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro; but I know those negotiations are progressing. We expect that an agreement is going to be reached, hopefully, in the next few days. Then, of course, the gentleman will have an opportunity, as will all Members, to review the legislative text.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague for yielding. The schedule next week: On Wednesday, the House will meet at 12 p.m. for morning hour; 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, we will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and 12 p.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Next week, we will be considering a continuing resolution, very important, to fund the government. We know the fiscal year concludes on September 30. It is something that we have to get done. It is also our expectation that we may consider legislation to reform the STOCK Act. And then we will also consider bills under suspension of the rules. A complete list of suspension bills will be announced by the close of business tomorrow. Of course, additional legislative items are possible.

Mr. JEFFRIES. The Senate has apparently moved for cloture on Tuesday. So, one, it is our expectation that we are going to have an opportunity to vote to make sure that we fund the government beyond September 30. In terms of legislative text, the negotiations are ongoing. I think everyone is working in good faith. I am thankful for the leadership on our side of Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro. We have a responsibility to make sure that we keep the government open, and we intend to keep that responsibility.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Lofgren and Vice Chair Cheney for their distinguished leadership on this incredibly important issue. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Presidential Election Reform Act. Our democracy is fragile. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Democracy is not a self-executing proposition. Democracy does not simply run on autopilot. It requires all of us to remain engaged, particularly because we are confronting a diabolical adversary who is determined to undermine the principle of free and fair elections, undermine the rule of law, and undermine the peaceful transfer of power. Certainly, our democracy is not perfect, but it is worth saving. That is why it is so critically important that we act with the fierce urgency of now to defend the Republic against tyranny, protect the principle of free and fair elections, and continue America's long, necessary, and majestic march toward a more perfect Union.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chair for yielding, as well as his continued leadership of this all-important committee and in connection with this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of H.R. 6734, the Keep America's Refuges Operational Act. I thank my colleagues, Representatives Thompson and Sablan, and certainly Representative Wittman for his leadership on the other side of the aisle. This commonsense and bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the National Wildlife Refuge System volunteer, community partnership, and education program. Because of this program, refuges continue to benefit from volunteer support, which has successfully saved taxpayer dollars, generated millions for local economies, and promoted jobs in communities throughout America. The National Wildlife Refuge System is comprised of over 560 refuges located in every United States territory and State. They make up over 800 million acres of habitat dedicated to the conservation of fish and wildlife. Each year, National Wildlife Refuge System hosts more than 60 million visitors, generating over $3 billion in revenue for local economies and supporting more than 40,000 jobs. Visitors come from all over to explore, hunt, fish, and enjoy America's natural beauty. Refuges help to mold the next generation of conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts by providing learning experiences and cherished memories. But this wouldn't be possible without the dedicated refuge volunteers and community partners who donate their time and their energy to keep refuges open and operational. During fiscal year 2021, approximately 11,700 volunteers gave close to 649,000 hours of their time, which is the equivalent of nearly 318 full-time employees or a contribution of more than $18 million. Volunteers provide critical support to full-time staff in numerous ways. They operate visitor centers, conduct fish and wildlife population surveys, maintain visitor structures, roads and paths, fight invasive species, and protect native plants and animals. They also help refuges raise money for key infrastructure projects and visitor centers. Volunteers are of all ages, come from diverse walks of life, work in many different capacities, and truly represent the gorgeous mosaic of the American people. But one thing they all have in common is their commitment to preserving America's natural beauty so that we can all enjoy it for years to come. In the 115th Congress, the House passed an identical reauthorization bill, which was signed into law by President Trump in April of 2018. Since that time, the program has continued to leverage volunteer hours allowing wildlife refuges to remain accessible for millions of visitors each year. It is my hope that we can again work across the aisle to support, in different ways, our National Wildlife Refuge System. I will take a moment to acknowledge the cosponsors of this legislation, Chairman Grijalva and Representatives Graves, Thompson, and Sablan, with a particular special thanks to Representative Wittman for partnering with me, once again, to advance this legislation. I greatly appreciate their leadership and longstanding support for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Supporting this bill in this Chamber means supporting the economic benefits to be gained from being good stewards of the environment that God has given to this great country. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 6734.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chair for yielding and for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, we are once again getting big things done for everyday Americans. We passed the American Rescue Plan, saved the economy, put shots in arms, money in pockets, and kids back in school. We passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to fix our crumbling infrastructure and create millions of good-paying jobs. We passed gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years that will save lives. We passed the CHIPS and Science Act that will bring back domestic manufacturing jobs to the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Inflation Reduction Act, another transformative bill brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Democratic Party. The Inflation Reduction Act will lower energy costs; confront the climate crisis with the fierce urgency of now; set our planet forward on a sustainable trajectory; lower healthcare costs by strengthening the Affordable Healthcare Act, as well as reducing the deficit by $300 billion, and giving Medicare the ability to use its bulk-price purchasing power to drive down the high cost of lifesaving prescription drugs. It is a big F-ing deal. The Inflation Reduction Act is going to dramatically improve the lives of everyday Americans. We are putting people over politics. Fighting to lower costs for safer communities and better paying jobs. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Republicans, will oppose this groundbreaking legislation. They would rather defend Donald Trump than defend the American people. Vote ``yes'' on the Inflation Reduction Act so we can continue to put people over politics.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman, Chairman Pallone, for his leadership in this critically important area, as well as Representative Fletcher for leading the charge in an area that is significantly important and consistent with the values of this great country; a country that embraces life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, land of the free, and home of the brave, liberty and justice for all. But liberty, justice, and freedom are under assault right now because of a radical, rightwing, illegitimate Supreme Court majority and their extreme co-conspirators here in the House of Representatives attacking freedom. But this legislation and House Democrats are going to do everything in our power to defend a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions, a woman's freedom to make a deeply personal decision that should be between a woman and her doctor, not extremists trying to intervene, and her freedom to make the decision to travel to seek abortion care whenever and wherever is necessary. Those are the stakes. That is why this legislation is so important, and we will always defend these freedoms.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentlewoman from the great State of Texas, the Chair of the Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, Sheila Jackson Lee, for yielding and for her leadership in so many different areas, particularly as it relates to the effort to make sure that we explore to the greatest extent possible the legacy that still remains in terms of the damage that was done relative to the enslavement of people of African descent here in the United States of America. We have come a long way in this great country, but we still have a long way to go, racism is in the soil of America going all the way back to 1619. It is an honor to stand here with my distinguished colleagues, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Honorable Joyce Beatty, who has done such an amazing job leading us forward in this Congress and, of course, the distinguished gentlewoman from the great State of New Jersey, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. I thank you, Madam Speaker, for presiding over this particular discussion. Juneteenth as a Federal holiday is an amazing development. An effort was led by the Congressional Black Caucus and, of course, the legislation was signed into law by President Joe Biden. I thank the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas for leading the effort. I first came to know of Juneteenth when I was a student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs in the summer between my junior year and my senior year and had not heard--I am just a kid from Brooklyn--had not heard about Juneteenth. Folks down there said we are going to celebrate Juneteenth. I said June what? I was unsure of it, growing up proudly as an African American in New York City, something that had been in the heart and soul of the people of Texas and throughout the south but hadn't necessarily made it into my consciousness. I was thankful for that moment. I think about that journey to a point now where we have a Federal holiday to mark the journey of African Americans and the progress that has been made but the need to continue, of course, to do more. As Chairwoman Beatty talked about some of the things that the Congressional Black Caucus has worked on, I think this Juneteenth marker is an important point in time both to reflect upon what has been done, but also, of course, to mark what still needs to be done to continue America's march toward a more perfect Union. We weren't promised a perfect country. We know the Framers of this great Republic themselves were imperfect. We were never promised a perfect country. Slavery was in existence when the Republic was founded, but they did promise a march toward a more perfect Union that America could try to continue to be the best version of herself. And that is what the Congressional Black Caucus has really been all about. In our 51 years I can't stand here in the time that I have to catalogue all that has been done, but if you just look at what has occurred in the last 10 or 15 years; signature pieces of legislation year after year after year; Congressman Danny Davis leading the effort to pass the Second Chance Act to make sure that incarcerated individuals and others who need a second chance at life could successfully reintegrate into society in a way that helps them as individuals, their families, our communities, as well as taxpayers. That was a bill that was signed into law by a Republican President George Bush. Leadership from the Congressional Black Caucus. Certainly, in that criminal justice reform space we know that Chairman Bobby Scott in 2010 led the effort to pass the Fair Sentencing Act, which lowered the 100 to 1 egregious crack cocaine sentencing disparity--that disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine--and dropped it down to 18 to 1 in a way that allowed thousands of individuals, the overwhelming majority of whom were Black men, to be released back into society to live productive lives. There was still more work that needed to be done. We took up the effort in 2018, and collectively the Congressional Black Caucus passed the FIRST STEP Act. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee was very involved in that effort as a member of the Judiciary Committee, Cedric Richmond, Karen Bass, myself, others, Joyce Beatty, Bonnie Watson Coleman were supportive, and we were able to take that 18 to 1 and make it retroactive, which the Senate refused to do in 2010, and enact a wide variety of sentencing reforms that created a fairer more equitable criminal justice system resulting in thousands of individuals being able to successfully reintegrate back into society, save taxpayer dollars, but also repaired lives, repaired families, repaired communities. The overwhelming majority of folks, again, who were released, 90 percent, Black men. Why? Because it was Black men who bore the brunt of the failed war on drugs and the failure of so-called lock `em up and throw away the key sentencing schemes, all of which didn't make us safer, as people were banished, often for nonviolent drug offenses. That was the Congressional Black Caucus. It was the Congressional Black Caucus led by Frederica Wilson that passed into law the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and it was signed into law by a Republican President, passed through a Republican-controlled United States Senate. Because the Congressional Black Caucus stays on the case. And as was said during its founding, no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests, and the interests to make sure that these principles: equal protection under the law, liberty and justice for all, and fundamental fairness apply to all Americans regardless of race. And so that is a very important piece of legislation. That commission is a foundation that, under the leadership of Joyce Beatty, we can continue to make progress, particularly for those Black men and boys who have been isolated and under-resourced and targeted in our society. I am thankful that during that same Congress there was an effort to more fully and robustly fund historically Black colleges and universities. That effort was led by Representative Alma Adams. It was also legislation that made it through a Republican-controlled Senate, Republican-controlled House, signed into law by a Republican President. The CBC stays on the case. And that is certainly what occurred this particular Congress with passage of historic infrastructure legislation. That effort was, in part, when we were at a stalemate led by our chairwoman, Joyce Beatty, who worked to bring the caucus together to a place where we could enact groundbreaking legislation that will create millions of good-paying jobs, make sure that there is clean water in every single community, and we know that it is Black communities that often suffer from water that has been poisoned. And, of course, it was our great whip, Jim Clyburn, who led the effort to make sure that we put into place a process so that we can get high-speed internet access in every single community. This is the CBC staying on the case. So I am thankful for the leadership of my colleagues within the Congressional Black Caucus, thankful that our chair has continued to pull us together and lead us in such a phenomenal way, thankful for Bonnie Watson Coleman, who is one of the most principled public servants you will find anywhere in these United States, thankful for Sheila Jackson Lee and what she is doing to lead us forward to examine through H.R. 40 the legacy of slavery and the fact that perhaps the least that we can do is have a study to figure out the damage that was done through the systematic rape and kidnapping, lynching, and oppression decade after decade, century into century and then its progeny in the context of Jim Crow and the institutional discrimination that remains with us today. The least that perhaps we can do at some point is figure out how we can study the issue, building upon all of the work that the CBC has been able to do today. Juneteenth gives us an opportunity to mark the progress that we have made, and of course, think about a vision for the future as we continue our long, necessary, and majestic march toward a more perfect Union. I thank you, Madam Speaker, for presiding. I thank my classmate and good friend, Joyce Beatty, for her work, and I certainly approve any message that she articulates. I thank my colleagues Sheila Jackson Lee and Bonnie Watson Coleman who are helping to lead the charge with this Special Order.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, this week, House Democrats have led the effort to pass comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation to address this epidemic here in America. We will also ensure that the American people know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth with respect to the violent insurrection and attack on our Capitol to protect the integrity of our democracy. At the same time, we continue to fight for good-paying jobs, to lower costs and ensure an economy that works for everyday Americans. We believe in a country where if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family, educate your children, purchase a home, and retire with grace and dignity. That is the great American Dream that we are fighting to preserve for the people.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, America is in the midst of a shocking gun violence epidemic that should shock the conscience of everyone, and has devastated children, families, and communities. We must address it with the fierce urgency of now. But there are some in this Chamber who would rather bury their heads in the sand and act like everything is okay. It is not okay that Black folks were gunned down in Buffalo, New York, simply because of the color of their skin. It is not okay that members of the Jewish community were gunned down in the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh simply because of their religious beliefs. It is not okay that children were gunned down and shredded in Uvalde, Texas, by an 18-year old who should never have had access to a weapon of war. It is not okay that mass murder has become a way of life in the United States of America. That is why we must pass comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation, address this epidemic decisively, and allow America to be the best version of itself.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Framers, in their infinite wisdom, created a system of government with three separate and coequal branches: Article I, legislative branch; Article II, executive branch; and Article III, judicial branch, three separate but coequal branches of government. Justice Brandeis once said: In a democracy, sunlight is the best of disinfectants. There are standards of transparency and disclosure that already exist as relates to the Article I legislative branch and senior officials within the Article II executive branch. Those same standards of transparency and disclosure allowing for accountability should exist across the three branches of government. This legislation takes a meaningful step in that direction. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Ross for her leadership. I thank Congressman Issa for his leadership. I thank Chairman Johnson, as well as Senator Cornyn, and those who have worked on this important legislation in a bipartisan, bicameral way. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 3059, the Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act of 2021, embodies an important bipartisan effort to address an alarming lack of transparency in the personal financial holdings of Article III Federal judges and the conflicts, or appearance of conflicts, those holdings can create in the cases these judges are asked to preside over and decide. This legislation makes incremental but necessary progress toward accountability by building on Federal statutes that already prohibit judges from deciding cases in which they have a personal financial stake in the outcome. It has been the law in this country since the 1970s that judges must recuse themselves from any case in which they hold a legal or equitable interest of any size in any party or property under consideration. To help ensure that recusals occur as required, Federal law often mandates that judges file annual reports disclosing their personal financial interests so that the litigants, press, and the general public can monitor and check these responsibilities. Unfortunately, recent reporting by a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and a hearing by the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet have shown that the law is not working as intended. The infrequency of judges' financial disclosures and the inaccessibility of the reports have made actual transparency practically impossible. When the House first passed this version of the legislation last year, an investigation revealed that, between 2010 and 2018, over 130 Federal judges had decided cases in which they are part owners of the parties before them. Over 60 judges have actively traded shares in entities involved in their courthouse deliberations while their cases were still ongoing and, in some cases, profited from these trades. At the time, this investigation also discovered approximately 685 cases where judges should have, according to the law, recused themselves. That number has continued to climb and now stands north of a thousand cases. So far, judges in 836 cases have notified the parties that the case can be reopened because the judge unlawfully failed to recuse. While these numbers are incredibly alarming on their own, they may simply be the tip of the iceberg. I am sorry to say that we can expect these numbers may continue to grow as more data becomes available and investigations continue. The consequences of these actions are both acute and widespread. Failure to recuse can cause real harm to parties seeking fair and impartial justice and leave a cloud of doubt over any decision that is made once the conflicts are subsequently uncovered. S. 3059 addresses these problems by requiring Federal judges to abide by the same periodic transaction reporting laws already applicable to Members of Congress and senior executive branch officials. The bill also requires the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to create an online database of judicial financial disclosure reports and to timely update that database with searchable, sortable, and downloadable copies of disclosure reports as they become available so that litigants, the press, and the public can analyze and access this information in real time. The two versions of this legislation, including the original version passed by the House and the bill currently before us, S. 3059, make two notable changes. First, it makes it crystal clear that these reforms also cover bankruptcy and magistrate court judges. This is a welcome change. Second, in response to concerns raised by the courts, it allows the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts to take more than 180 days to develop the public website and database containing judicial financial disclosure reports so long as the Director provides the Congress with a date certain when the website will launch. We expect that the Administrative Office of the Courts will request no more time than a few more months and will not use this authority to delay disclosure. These simple solutions are long overdue and the product of bicameral and bipartisan collaboration. I thank Congresswoman Ross for her leadership in this area and Congressman Issa for championing this legislation. I also thank my friend from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), chairman of the Subcommittee on the Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, as well as Senator Cornyn and the other Senators who worked on this bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 3059.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3059) to amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to provide for a periodic transaction reporting requirement for Federal judicial officers and the online publication of financial disclosure reports of Federal judicial officers, and for other purposes.

Mr. JEFFRIES

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from California for his continued leadership in this area. Once again, Congress is coming together in a bipartisan way to uplift American innovation and innovators, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5796.