Robin Kelly

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, in the 4 years that I have been privileged to represent the remarkable people and amazing communities of Illinois' Second Congressional District, I have come to this floor many times to urge action. I have called for a budget that invests in jobs, farmers, and rural communities. I have called for action to address the trillion-dollar student debt crisis. I have called for real solutions that make healthcare affordable for all American families. I have spoken on many issues facing this House, but nothing I have spoken on is more important than protecting American lives. I have begged for commonsense reforms that prevent children from being shot while playing at a playground. I have begged; I have pleaded; I have screamed; I have cried; and I have even ground the people's House to a halt with last year's historic sit-in. What answer was I given? Was I given answers to take home to grieving mothers and police widows? Was I able to tell them that their loved one's death wasn't in vain and that we were going to do something to save the next life? No. I was met with silence, and worse, an active effort to silence my voice and the voice of millions of Americans. So I ask myself: Why? What is the issue? Why can't I, an elected Representative of the American people who draws my authority directly from the United States Constitution, get something done to save lives? Why can't we get a vote on commonsense, lifesaving legislation that is supported by 90 percent of Americans and more than 70 percent of NRA members? Mr. Speaker, tragically, the answer is simple. It is greed. Mr. Speaker, what is the cost of your inaction? It seems that $5,950 you took from the NRA matters more to you than the 7,490 Americans we have already lost this year to gun violence. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve to know that just 79 cents for an American life is the cost of your silence and inaction. Well, Mr. Speaker, it might be easy for you to ignore the connection between those dollars and the lives lost, but I cannot--and I will not--ignore it. I will not let you ignore or forget it either. I am going to stand here and remind you, remind the people of Wisconsin's First District, and remind all Americans that money matters more to you than these American lives. One dollar--one name. One dollar--one grieving family. One dollar--one lost American: One dollar--Xavier Joy, 23, was a success story. He was playing football at Morehouse, was an AmeriCorps volunteer, and wanted to change Chicago for the better; Two dollars--Blair Holt, 16, was killed shielding his friend on a CTA bus; Three dollars--Hadiya Pendleton, 15, killed just weeks after performing at President Obama's inauguration. While Chicago might make headlines, gun violence is killing people in every community, in every city, and in every town, including Wisconsin's First District. Four dollars--Paramjit Kaur, 41, killed while trying to pray; Five dollars--Satwant Singh Kaleka, 65, killed at the temple he founded; Six dollars--Prakash Singh, 39, a reader at his temple; Seven dollars--Sita Singh, 41, killed by a White nationalist for wearing a turban; Eight dollars--Ranjit Singh, 49, murdered at his church; Nine dollars--Suveg Singh, 84, killed while expressing his love for his God; 10 dollars--Harry Canady, Jr., 20, killed sitting on a porch in Racine; 11 dollars--Sean Bialas, 23, of Kenosha, shot and killed while physically unable to defend himself; 12 dollars--David Bauspies, 36, of McHenry, accidently shot and killed in East Troy; 13 dollars--Jose Torres, 36, murdered on the 1600 block of Holmes Avenue in Racine; 14 dollars--Nicholas Chaulkin, 17, of Racine, killed by a domestic abuser, likely while defending his mother; 15 dollars--David Tilton, 37, of Janesville; 16 dollars--James Norris, 37, was killed at his job as a restaurant delivery driver in Racine; 17 dollars--Jeremy Trawitzki, 38, killed in Muskego; 18 dollars--Thomas Kruse, 41, killed in Muskego; 19 dollars--Joseph Hensel, 27, killed in Elkhorn; 20 dollars--Andrew Jones, Jr., 27, also killed by his friend in Racine; 21 dollars--Maurice Carter was shot and killed in a Racine County robbery; 22 dollars--Carl Nichols, 26, shot and killed by a friend in Kenosha.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a public servant taken from us too soon; an individual who, through his life and example, inspired others, especially children, to be respectful and kind; a man who lived his life in service to others, Philando Castile. In recent days, his name has been back in the headlines, but I want to talk about the person behind the stories. I want to talk about a man failed by our creed of liberty and justice for all. Philando Castile was the beloved nutrition services supervisor at J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet School, who was so invested in the young people he served, that he memorized the names and food allergies of more than 500 students. One of his coworkers said: Kids loved him. He was quiet, respectful, and kind. I knew him as warm and funny. Another said: He was as much a teacher as any teacher in that building. His life was an example of living honorably for your community, for your family, and for the more than 500 students who loved him. Even in his final moments, he showed respect and dignity in what must have been a terrifying experience. Mr. Castile's loss is our loss. He lived life as we all should: loving and respecting those around him. When he was told by an officer to get his ID, he complied and respectfully informed the officer that he was lawfully carrying a concealed firearm; that he had a valid permit. When he went to get his ID, as ordered, he was shot--not once, but seven times--not because of noncompliance, not because he was violent, not because he was a menacing threat. What killed him was his Blackness, or, more precisely, fear of his Blackness killed him. Tragically, his story is not unique. This happens every day to Black men and women in America. Philando's story only made headlines because it was live-streamed on Facebook and showed a 4-year-old girl sitting behind him as seven rounds were emptied into his chest. A 4-year-old girl, that even Philando's murderer said ``was in my line of fire.'' Mr. Speaker, this murder was so downright outrageous that it led The Federalist, a publication that previously published an article on how Black Lives Matter protests were destroying America, to call the not- guilty verdict an abomination. Indeed, this is an abomination and a complete miscarriage of justice. The Federalist and I see eye to eye on this one thing. Groups in the center, on the right, on the left, have publicly and vocally condemned his murder, except for one: the National Rifle Association. The NRA's silence is sickening, deafening, and very hypocritical in this tragic American hour. For decades, the NRA has used fearmongering to claim that they are the sole organization fighting to protect the rights of every American to carry a firearm. Where were they for Philando? Where is their outrage? Where is their stand for Philando's freedoms and rights? Where is their demand for better police training when dealing with citizens authorized to carry a firearm? Shame, they have no outrage at this verdict. Shame for their double standard in supporting people with valid concealed-carry permits. They offer nothing but a tepid Facebook statement expressing concern. Concern? The NRA has concern for Philando? Shame on the NRA. For them, it clearly isn't about rights for all. For NRA members who don't fit the right profile, they should give serious thought to even being members of the NRA.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the President's newly released budget request. When I began reading this budget request, only one word came to mind, at least that I can say here--awful: It is an awful budget for American families struggling to make ends meet who haven't had a raise in years. It is an awful budget for older Americans who paid into Social Security with the promise that it would be there for them. It is an awful budget for local businesses who can't get their products to consumers because of our crumbling roads and bridges. It is an awful budget for common sense, with unnecessary spending on a border wall that the American people will pay for. It is an awful budget because it sets the stage for even more waste, fraud, and abuse in government. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the only group that this budget isn't awful for is the President and his friends. The President calls this an America First budget, so why is it leaving so many American families behind? I urge my colleagues to completely reject this awful budget that doesn't create jobs, doesn't uplift families, and doesn't make any sense.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise yet again to challenge you to put country before political party. For too long, candidate and now President Trump has been playing a game of dangerous liaisons with Vladimir Putin and his Russian regime. He called on Russian spies--that is right, the KGB--to hack his opponent. He fired the Acting Attorney General who warned him. He fired the FBI Director investigating him. And he has shared highly classified intelligence with Russia, posing a direct threat to our brave assets on the ground. When is enough enough? Mr. Speaker, how much longer before you do your job and bring up the bipartisan Protecting Our Democracy Act that is cosponsored by 199 Members of this House? Show us that you have the courage to put country before political party. Show us that you meant it when you said ``against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'' Show us that you will do what is right by our country and stand up to this President.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this commonsense, bipartisan bill that updates our woefully outdated IT infrastructure. I want to say thank you to my good friend and partner on the IT subcommittee, Chairman Hurd, for his leadership on this very important measure and to my colleagues who worked so hard on this bill: Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings, our House leadership stewards-- Democratic Whip Hoyer from the majority, Mr. McCarthy--and Mr. Connolly of Virginia for his energy and work in dealing with this bill. I also want to give a special thanks to all of the staff and a special shout- out to my staff: Jay Cho and Zach Ostro. The Modernizing Government Technology Act has come a long way from the early days when it was called MOVE IT. It has been a tough and sometimes frustrating journey, but we have made it, and we have a good bill in front of us. Last year, the House passed this bill only to have it die in the Senate. Despite these roadblocks, we kept working because it is worth it. This bill will revolutionize and upgrade our outdated IT fractured while bringing cost-saving innovation and greater security to government agencies. In my years serving as the ranking member of the Oversight Committee's IT Subcommittee, I have learned one thing: We need to get back to basics, and this bill does just that. Our current use-it-or-lose-it approach to Federal IT just isn't working. It is no secret that Federal agencies are struggling to stay up to date, especially when compared to the private sector. Each year, we spend $80 billion in taxpayer dollars to maintain legacy IT systems that are vulnerable to cyber attacks; and each year that we don't upgrade these systems, they become even more difficult and expensive to secure. This is unacceptable and a waste of taxpayer dollars. For too long, we have kicked the can down the road and left our outdated IT systems vulnerable to costly attacks. The dangers of our system are clear. Every day we are reminded of the importance of having modern IT systems and robust cybersecurity practices in place. In 2015, hackers made off with the personal information of more than 20 million Americans, including congressional staffers, in the OPM data breach. Just this past week, as you have heard, a global ransomware attack, WannaCry or WannaCrypt, wreaked havoc worldwide, paralyzing businesses and governments alike. These attacks will only grow more frequent and more difficult to combat. The MGT Act is a major step in the right direction. It will cut costs and enhance our security. It builds on prior work like Clinger-Cohen and FITARA, and it gives agencies the flexibility needed to modernize vulnerable systems and develop cost savings for taxpayers. Under this bill, agencies can take the savings from upgrading their systems and reinvest them into their working capital fund for future IT modernization. We are going to go from an outdated method of purchasing IT to one that empowers CIOs to make smart, strategic investments in innovative technologies; and as an end result, our data will be more secure and our government more efficient. I am proud of this bill, and I am proud of the bipartisan work that made it possible, proud of what we accomplished by working together on the IT Subcommittee. The MGT Act is a necessary component to strengthening our cybersecurity that saves taxpayers money. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, how tragic it is that before House Republicans skip town, they will steal from Medicare, pass an age tax on older Americans, say that children with autism are a preexisting condition, and tell folks: If you have diabetes, you are paying $5,600 more. This morning, I heard from many hospitals, doctors, and nurses across Illinois. They know what families need to be taken care of and to be healthy. They do not believe that stripping 24 million Americans of their health insurance is in the best interests of our national health. To my eight Illinois colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle, if you vote ``yes'' on this bill, the eight of you own its aftermath in our State; you own the 47,000 jobs that you will kill; you own the health of the million-plus Illinoisans who will be stripped of their health insurance. Let's kill this horrific bill and work together to make health insurance affordable and accessible for all.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Saturday marks 100 days since President Trump took office. He is far from ``draining the swamp'' as promised. He stacked his administration with billionaires, family members, and people with dangerous ties to Russian interests. His national security policies have been a far cry from the steady- handed decisionmaking he promised. From Mar-a-Lago missile strikes to aggressive and impulsive national security rhetoric, the President has made our foreign policy as murky as swamp water--a dangerous practice in today's world. One hundred days in, the President is heavy on alternative facts and light on action. Where is his job bill? Where is his infrastructure and cybersecurity plan? Where is all of the ``winning'' we were supposed to be sick of by now? It has been 100 days, Mr. President. It is time to do something the American people can get behind. You can start by draining the swamp you created at the White House. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the life and legacy of Donna Lynn Johnson who, for 40 years, brought quality eye care to the South Side of Chicago. She will be greatly missed by her patients, family, and especially her niece, Donna Miller. Lastly, I am proud to have Baily Lynn Compton from Texas as my shadow today.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it pains me to come to this Chamber this morning to say that nothing was done as our democracy came under attack. We know Russia intervened in our Presidential election. This was not done in the interest of the people, by the people, or for the people of America. It was done to make America a vehicle for Russian interests. You know that, in 2016, President Trump said he hoped Russia would hack our former Secretary of State's emails. You know General Michael Flynn was forced to resign due to his unreported contact with Russian agents, who he also had business ties to. Yesterday, you learned that the President had a contractor meet with Russian officials on his behalf to have a back channel to the Kremlin. Where is the transparency from the White House? How is it that Meals on Wheels is the enemy, but you turn a blind eye to an attack on democracy by Vladimir Putin? Russian spies have long attacked American businesses. Now they are attacking our freedom. You must investigate the Russian grip on our government. We must investigate swiftly and seriously. Mr. Speaker, this is on your watch.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 214. personal explanation

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker: ``Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.'' Dr. King spoke these words because the health of our fellow Americans is a moral imperative. What we have before us today is a morally corrupt bill: morally corrupt because it claws away health insurance from 24 million Americans, morally corrupt because it leaves nearly 1 million of my fellow Illinoisans without health insurance, morally corrupt because 240,000 Illinois kids will no longer have the safety and security of their current coverage. When you cast your vote today, know that you own its aftermath here, forward. Will you cast your vote for party or will you cast your vote to do what is best in the lives of the people you represent? Think of the last senior whose hand you shook at a townhall. Think of the last child you hugged at a school visit. Does this bill do right by them? Will they be better off? If you have any doubt, vote ``no.'' Vote ``no,'' and kill this bad bill.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you to my distinguished colleague from the Virgin Islands. It is an honor to be with you this evening, and thank you for your hard work and helping us to keep families healthy. Thank you also to CBC Chairman Richmond for organizing this important Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out for more than 975,000 residents of Illinois, including nearly 240,000 children that my Republican colleagues are plotting to strip of their health insurance. This bill, the so-called American Health Care Act, ends the guarantee of quality, affordable, and accessible health care. This bill puts politics before people. But it isn't the politics that matters. Mrs. Johnson affording her cancer treatment matters. A 5-year-old dying because her parents can't afford a transplant matters. Keeping our neighbors healthy no matter what street they live on or what their ZIP Code is will keep us all healthy. So I must ask: What are my Republican colleagues thinking? This bill was introduced at night, but the cover of darkness cannot hide the fact that this bill will kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. The dark of night cannot hide the reality that, because of this bad bill, more Americans will die of cancer, nor can it conceal the fact that millions of older Americans will be punished by the Republican's new ``age tax.'' Conversely, the Affordable Care Act protects older Americans from insurance companies who want to use their age as a reason to charge thousands and thousands more. While this bill from my Republican colleagues was written to empower insurance executives, the Affordable Care Act protects everyone. It includes unprecedented healthcare access safeguards for America's elderly, people living with disabilities, children, and young adults. Meanwhile, the GOP's American Health Care Act reduces consumer protections. The American people will be left with more expensive healthcare coverage plans, and 24 million will lose their healthcare insurance completely, 14 million next year. A disproportionate number of those losing insurance will come from African-American, Latino, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander communities. They will be women and children or older Americans, especially those living on the edge. As chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, I am working to close the gap in healthcare disparities that is plaguing these communities. This bill will make these disparities even worse. And for the record, the ACA more than halved the uninsured rate in the African-American community and halved the national uninsured rate. But the recent Congressional Budget Office report makes it clear that this will not continue in a positive way. In less than 10 years, 52 million Americans will be uninsured under the GPO's plan. The majority of these will be our grandmothers, grandfathers, great-aunts, and great-uncles. Under the Speaker's plan, my State, Illinois, will have to cut Medicare eligibility. More than 53,000 constituents will lose their health care just because of this provision. The GOP also plans to defund Planned Parenthood, a decision that means 60,000 residents of Illinois will go without lifesaving cancer and STI screenings. The list of the not very good, very bad things from the Republican healthcare bill go on and on and on. It will make us sicker. It also raises the national debt, and it kills at least 1.2 million American jobs. And it stops us from reaching what should be our ultimate goal: the ability of every American to live a long, healthy life. Mr. Speaker, can we finally get serious and call this bill, your GOP healthcare bill, what it really is: the Trump don't care bill. Well, the Congressional Black Caucus cares. The House Democrats--and hopefully some House Republicans--care, and they will care enough to do the right thing and will oppose this bill.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Besides the District of Columbia, we have been to South Carolina. We have been to a couple of places in Los Angeles as well as Oakland to deal with the issue of AIDS. Also, of course, in my town of Chicago, we have had healthcare seminars; and, actually, we have had big health fairs so we can make sure that people get back-to- school checks, mental health checks, and AIDS checks. We gave food to people that might be in food deserts. So we really tried to be well-rounded and also tried to educate people. And going forward this week, we do plan to be on a call with ministers all across the United States so they know exactly what is going on and how they can help their constituents in this fight against this new healthcare bill.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, actually, of the top 10 diseases African Americans die from, African Americans die more from 8 out of the top 10. So this new bill is not going to send us in a better direction, and we don't want to keep those statistics. We want to do better, and we were doing better, especially around the area of cancer. We want to keep going in the positive direction, not the negative direction. So we don't want to see this bill passed, and we want to educate as many people as possible and encourage them to call their Congressperson and Senator.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today, we recognize World Kidney Day and the impact of Chronic Kidney Disease, or CKD, across the globe. In the U.S., 26 million adults have kidney disease and 1-in-3 is at risk. We have to reverse this trend. African Americans, in particular, suffer from kidney failure at more than three times the rate of Caucasians and constitute more than 32 percent of all patients receiving dialysis for kidney failure. A study says that Hispanics develop kidney failure at a rate of 2:1 compared to Whites. Improving care earlier to stop or slow progression of the disease, and improving access to kidney transplantation for those who do experience kidney failure, are successful tools in order to assist millions of Americans impacted by CKD. Over 675,000 Americans have irreversible kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease, and need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. CKD shortens life expectancy by 5-11 years and more than 95,000 people died of kidney disease last year. Those with diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure, aged 60 or older, or from minority populations are at the greatest risk. In order to avoid an irreversible stage, there are two simple, quick, and inexpensive tests for chronic kidney disease. If caught early, diet, exercise, and medications can help slow or even reverse some of the damage caused by kidney disease, allowing patients a better life. I had the opportunity to meet with kidney patients, including Leilah Sampson from Chicago, who is a volunteer with the National Kidney Foundation. When she was 19, Leilah was studying to be a nurse at the historic Tuskegee University when she discovered that she had kidney disease. It quickly progressed to kidney failure, and has since caused significant physical and mental health issues. How many lives can be improved or saved by a simple set of tests that costs $80 to $140? More needs to be done in order to promote testing by physicians and reward them for identifying and managing this chronic disease. In addition, empowering patients through education can help allow them to make informed decisions about all available treatments, further improving their lives. As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, I am committed to working with Congress and stakeholders in the public health and research communities to promote strategies to fight kidney disease.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, last week I hosted a dozen of constituent events in my district. At every turn, families asked the same question: When will Congress investigate the President's involvement with Russia? I have received many calls and e-mails about Russia for weeks. The American people are deeply and rightly concerned with this administration's involvement with the Putin regime. We know the President's hand-picked national security adviser was forced to resign over his communications with Russia. We know that if Moscow did indeed influence our free elections, we have a duty to stand up against those threats and not sweep them under the rug. We do not support Putin's human rights record, his treatment of journalists, or his invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, where my grandmother was born. So why is the people's House protecting Vladimir Putin? Why are we not standing up to President Trump and investigating his dealings with the Putin regime? What are we afraid of? To my colleagues on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, what are you afraid we will find out if we investigate? Mr. Speaker, when are we going to get answers for the American people? Lastly, I welcome Chicago WVON's Matt McGill and Planned Parenthood's Donna Miller to tonight's joint session.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of troubling events in the Trump White House, I have one simple question: Where is the hearing? In less than a month, we have watched the credibility and security of our democracy endangered by a descent into scandal, distrust, and an authoritative environment. What are we going to do about it? I serve as the top Democrat on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's IT subcommittee, yet I have heard nothing about a hearing to investigate Russia's cyber attacks on our elections. Where is the hearing? Officials are hawking the First Daughter's private clothing line from the White House. Where is the hearing? I sit on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and we have not had a discussion on Russia's potential blackmailing of our President or former NSA Director Flynn. Where is the hearing? The President's tweets show an utter lack of respect for our free press and independent judicial system, hallmarks of our democracy. Where are the hearings? Russia, election hacking, unconstitutional Muslim bans, gag orders on public servants, unfinished and unfiled ethics paperwork, politically motivated witch hunts against scientists and reporters, blackmail from a foreign government, and the list goes on and on. All of these deserve answers so, once again, I ask, where is the hearing? The people of Illinois and the American people deserve to know. They deserve a hearing.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a long-time staff member in my office, Dante Sawyer, who, after nearly 4 years of service to the families of the Second Congressional District, is moving on to new opportunities to work in the office of Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx. It will be a tall task replacing Dante in my office, but I am comforted and take pride in the fact that Dante will make a huge difference in a new capacity. When I first came to Congress and was deciding who I wanted to represent me in the field; who I wanted to serve the families I care so much about; and who had the compassion, presence, and leadership abilities to make a difference back in Chicago, I knew that Dante was the difference maker that I needed. Dante has a million dollar mind and an irreplaceable heart. He is the pulse of the people with a gift for public service. It is no secret that the Chicagoland area has been rocked by gun violence and economically distressing circumstances. And there is much that needs to be done for the families of Chicago. It is sad that January of 2017 has started off with just as many shootings as January of 2016--and 2016 was the most violent year for Chicago with nearly 700 gun deaths last year. But Dante holds the belief that I do, that nothing stops a bullet like an opportunity. And each year, he has been a lead staffer on my team in coordinating a youth job and resource expo in the Second Congressional District. Through this work, Dante has helped me leave a mark in offering economic opportunity, mentorship, and job readiness training to thousands of Chicagoland youth, helping to ensure the success of the next generation. He will be gone from my office, but his service continues. Congratulations, Dante, and continued success to his wonderful wife and his brilliant daughters, Jordan and Payton. I am honored to have the privilege to have worked with you. And on behalf of the families of the Second Congressional District, thank you so much for a job well done. Chicago Gun Violence

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, last month, as I mentioned, Chicago suffered just as many gun shootings as the year before, and 2016 was a record-setting month itself. I have come to the floor countless times to draw attention to this epidemic. Last week, President Trump threatened to send in the Feds in response to the carnage. It was very disheartening to hear and see on the news that my colleagues made jokes at their Republican retreat last week about this. This morning, he spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast. In that vein, I remind him of the Gospel of Matthew: violence begets violence; hate begets hate. The proper response is not threat of more force, increased demonization, or further withering of police-community relations. More cops on the beat alone is not the solution. It is mentorship, job training, and increased economic development. Nothing stops a bullet like an opportunity. I keep an open invitation to President Trump to visit my district so he can learn this himself and speak to those in the trenches, and those victimized by gun violence, instead of just demonizing in 140 characters from the safety of the White House residence. Reaffirm International Alliances

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Our international alliances are vital to U.S. security. Allies like Australia have never failed to answer the U.S.'s call for help. For decades, Australia and the U.S. have cooperated on everything from military and intelligence to diplomacy and trade. Yet, now, as we face increasing tensions in the Asia Pacific, President Trump seems determined to promote instability and uncertainty. To assist with the rebalance to Asia, the United States has 2,500 marines stationed in Darwin. This forward posture allows the U.S. greater operational flexibility and military integration with Australia. I encourage President Trump to coordinate more closely with the State Department so he can fully understand the delicate balance of international affairs. Historical tensions between countries like Taiwan and China, and India and Pakistan require particular attention to historical precedents and agreements. The U.S. will gain nothing by projecting uncertainty or hostility toward our allies. They have sent their sons and daughters off to war on our behalf and formed bonds on the battlefield that will never be forgotten. I urge my colleagues to reaffirm our international alliances and reject efforts by the administration to undermine decades of peace and security.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record this article concerning the repeal of ACA. [From the Washington Post] Repealing the Affordable Care Act Will Kill More Than 43,000 People Annually (By David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler) Now that President Trump is in the Oval Office, thousands of American lives that were previously protected by provisions of the Affordable Care Act are in danger. For more than 30 years, we have studied how death rates are affected by changes in health-care coverage, and we're convinced that an ACA repeal could cause tens of thousands of deaths annually. The story is in the data: The biggest and most definitive study of what happens to death rates when Medicaid coverage is expanded, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that for every 455 people who gained coverage across several states, one life was saved per year. Applying that figure to even a conservative estimate of 20 million losing coverage in the event of an ACA repeal yields an estimate of 43,956 deaths annually. With Republicans' efforts to destroy the ACA now underway, several commentators have expressed something akin to cautious optimism about the effect of a potential repeal. The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler awarded Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) four Pinocchios for claiming that 36,000 people a year will die if the ACA is repealed; Brookings Institution fellow Henry Aaron, meanwhile, predicted that Republicans probably will salvage much of the ACA's gains, and conservative writer Grover Norquist argued that the tax cuts associated with repeal would be a massive boon for the middle class. But such optimism is overblown. The first problem is that Republicans don't have a clear replacement plan. Kessler, for instance, chides Sanders for assuming that repeal would leave many millions uninsured, because Kessler presumes that the Republicans would replace the ACA with reforms that preserve coverage. But while repeal seems highly likely (indeed, it's already underway using a legislative vehicle that requires only 50 Senate votes), replacement (which would require 60 votes) is much less certain. Moreover, even if a Republican replacement plan comes together, it's likely to take a big backward step from the gains made by the ACA, covering fewer people with much skimpier plans. Although Aaron has a rosy view of a likely Republican plan, much of what they--notably House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R- Wis.) and Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who is Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, which will be in charge of dismantling the ACA--have advocated in place of the ACA would hollow out the coverage of many who were unaffected by the law, harming them and probably raising their death rates. Abolishing minimum coverage standards for insurance policies would leave insurers and employers free to cut coverage for preventive and reproduction-related care. Allowing interstate insurance sales probably would cause a race to the bottom, with skimpy plans that emanate from lightly regulated states becoming the norm. Block granting Medicaid would leave poor patients at the mercy of state officials, many of whom have shown little concern for the health of the poor. A Medicare voucher program (with the value of the voucher tied to overall inflation rather than more rapid medical inflation) would worsen the coverage of millions of seniors, a problem that would be exacerbated by the proposed ban on full coverage under Medicare supplement policies. In other words, even if Republicans replace the ACA, the plans they've put on the table would have devastating consequences. The frightening fact is that Sanders's estimate that about 36,000 people will die if the ACA is repealed is consistent with well-respected studies. The Urban Institute's estimate, for instance, predicts that 29.8 million (not just 20 million) will lose coverage if Republicans repeal the law using the budget reconciliation process. And that's exactly what they've already begun to do, with no replacement plan in sight. No one knows with any certainty what the Republicans will do, or how many will die as a result. But Sanders's suggestion that 36,000 would die is certainly well within the ballpark of scientific consensus on the likely impact of repeal of the ACA, and the notion of certain replacement--and the hope that a GOP replacement would be a serviceable remedy--are each far from certain, and looking worse every day.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to give voice to millions of Illinoisans who are outraged by President Trump and his disastrous first week in office. He has already managed to achieve a 50 percent disapproval rating. Here is a recap of his first week: He closed the White House telephone line, has attacked the health of millions of families and started the process to repeal the ACA-- something that experts estimate will kill 43,000 Americans a year, has put politicians and politics between women and their ability to make their own healthcare choices. His Cabinet is stocked with a foreclosure king, a billionaire lobbyist, and someone rejected from the Federal bench for racially charged rhetoric. He capped off last week with the unconstitutional and un-American Muslim ban that makes us less safe. It was so awful that it achieved bipartisan condemnation. Even our allies are starting to retreat from us. More than a million U.K. citizens signed a petition to keep President Trump from visiting. As we face new and emerging threats, can we afford to allow this administration to alienate us from long-held allies? Mr. Speaker, it is time to get serious about the Trump White House's policies.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank Congressman Veasey and Congresswoman Plaskett for holding tonight's CBC Special Order hour. With so much going on in our Nation right now, it is important that all Americans take seriously our responsibility to be guardians of our democracy. We owe it to those who came before us and those who will be here long after us to keep this democracy and its values moving forward, and reject the rhetoric and policies that take us backwards. I was reminded of this just a week ago when over 3 million Americans of all ages, races, and religions, marched for women's rights, justice, and equal rights. Three million, a powerful resistance to concerning policies that we are seeing come out of the White House. Just last night I was with scores of activists and families at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, protesting President Trump's executive action barring refugees from entering the United States. I wish that things hadn't come to this. It is a tragedy that these United States, the shining beacon of democracy around the world, the land that welcomes the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses has witnessed a President in his first week in office attempt to strip away our values as an inclusive democracy with an unconstitutional executive order and Muslim ban. Our Constitution, our laws, our democracy is what we must hold dear as Americans. We must be wholly intolerant of those who seek to pervert our Constitution. We must not tread on our democratic values. As part of tonight's conversation is protecting voter rights, I am reminded that the past Presidential election brought with it evidence of election hacking and cries of illegal voting. For the first time in the history of this Nation, we are seeing a President who is intolerably obsessed with his failure to receive the popular vote. Many of the families that I hear from find this obsession unbefitting of a student council president in Kankakee, where I represent, let alone the President of the United States. Without evidence, President Trump continues to claim that 3 million illegal votes in California and New York cost him the popular vote. Three million people, the number by which Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. I hardly find that to be a coincidence. Mr. Speaker, the election is over. The bunting and ribbons have been cleaned up. It is time to govern. A continued relitigation of the election based on unfounded and divisive claims of further fraud divides our Nation further.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. ``No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws: and the net produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any State on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and controul of the Congress.''

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken on this floor many times about gun violence. This summer, many of us took to the House floor and shut this Chamber down for 26 hours, demanding that Congress do something to stop gun deaths. We almost lost a colleague, Gabby Giffords, to this violence. We stand not too far from the Gabe Zimmerman Room memorializing the brave staffer who lost his life in that Tucson shooting. I often question if the loss of one of our own family members would be enough for us to act. Just 2 weeks ago, we learned that our esteemed colleague Danny Davis' grandson, Javon Wilson, was shot and killed in Chicago. He was only 15. Javon joins the list of over 700 Chicagoans killed by guns this year. To those Members that have offered their condolences to Congressman Davis, I say this: True concern and compassion requires some action. We can start with the bipartisan background check legislation. We have to start somewhere. Do something so no parent or grandparent has to feel this pain--Congressman Davis' pain--ever again.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank Congresswoman Beatty and Congressman Jeffries because they have held it down for a long time now and have made us proud to be members of the Congressional Black Caucus because of how they present themselves in the Special Order hours and how they have taken on the responsibility. I thank both of them so very much. When I think about unfinished business, one knows where I am going. I think about the gun violence that is still occurring in, what I represent, the Chicagoland area. We are up to 618 deaths and 3,273 shootings. Now, I don't know about today, because it is occurring every day. I know it is not just about the legislation, but we do need background checks; we do need a national straw purchasing bill and bills that pass; we need gun trafficking bills. We need to improve, as you have heard, police-community relations, but we also need to invest in people. We need to invest in underserved communities: we need to make sure that people have decent housing, decent educations, that they get the job skills they need so that they can have jobs. There are too many who are still unemployed, and that is why the violence occurs. We need more mentors. I have a bill like my past colleague just said, the Urban Progress bill. The bill was presented, but it never went anywhere, which was just like the background check bill. It is a bipartisan bill--190 cosponsors--but the bill never gets called to the floor. We have spent time--I believe 68 times--in trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but we have never sat down to see: What are the problems? Where do you think it should be improved? No. We just tried to repeal everything. There are great things about that bill. There are so many more people covered who would not have been covered. I am the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust. African Americans die from 8 of the top 10 diseases, and that is because of a lack of access to places. The Affordable Care Act has definitely helped in that arena, but we need to do more. We need to send funding to NIH, and we can do more. We are the wealthiest country in the world, yet we have the amount of homelessness we have and the amount of violence we have. We have a lack of affordable college education. Our students are suffering. They cannot live the American Dream because we are not doing the right thing in Congress--so much unfinished business. We talk about people pulling themselves up by the bootstraps, but they have to have the straps on the boots to be able to pull themselves up. It seems like we don't have the American heart, that we don't have the caring. Immigration--there was a bill we could have passed in the House, but we just don't call the bills to the floor. We are just, really, ignoring so many things, and I don't see how we could feel proud when we go back to our districts when there are so many things that we haven't done. I hope in this, as we call it, lameduck session it is not too late and we can call some of these bills to the floor. We can save lives by calling bills to the floor. In Flint, they can drink clean, quality water if we do what we are supposed to do. We cannot sit and rest on our laurels. When we go into 2017, if we want cooperation and if we want the spirit of unity, we need to see that cooperation and unity now, not just in 2017. I thank the gentlewoman for giving me the opportunity. Let's do our jobs.