Sydney Kamlager-Dove

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. This ties the administration's hands in how it can best support the people of Afghanistan living under Taliban rule. It prohibits the use of any funds authorized via this bill to be used, even tangentially, to aid in our support of the millions of Afghan women and girls suffering under Taliban rule or to those Afghans living in poverty and in need of humanitarian relief. The administration already jumps through many hoops to ensure that aid is not moving through Taliban hands. This amendment also removes the President's ability to issue waivers or licenses to allow for humanitarian need. This amendment counters our own interests to prevent humanitarian crises, to assist with detained Americans, and to continue our ongoing work to relocate all those Afghan allies who worked alongside the United States over the course of our 20-year war in Afghanistan. The amendment strives to be tough on the Taliban without any regard for the Afghan people, which will just embolden the Taliban and create further discord and distrust between the United States and Afghanistan. The amendment is a red herring. The bogeyman word in this amendment is the Taliban. What this amendment does is ties the hands of the administration by requiring sanction mitigation to go through Congress. That is the job for the administration. With the dysfunction of this Congress, you should not even ask us to put toilet paper in the bathroom. This amendment would make that humanitarian aid illegal and people would die. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, the text is not in the Constitution; it is in the bill. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, the last election proved that the majority of the people did trust the President. They voted for him. I just restate that we don't send money to the Taliban. We send money to USAID and charitable organizations. They use the money to help the people directly. This amendment would make that work, that very important critical, diplomatic, strategic work illegal, and then people would die. They would die with that red blood. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I want to say how important it is to read bills and to read amendments. Once again, this amendment removes the President's ability to issue waivers or licenses to allow for humanitarian need. This amendment counters our own interests to prevent humanitarian crises, to assist with detained Americans, and to continue our ongoing work to relocate all of those Afghan allies who worked alongside the United States over the course of our 20-year war in Afghanistan. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for hosting this important topic. I rise today to call out the corruption and the hypocrisy of this Supreme Court. The affirmative action ruling is a total sham. Justice Clarence Thomas is good at accepting gifts. One gift he received was the gift of going to Yale Law School, thanks to affirmative action. He said: ``God only knows where I would be today'' if it were not for affirmative action. Yet, in this last ruling, he opined that affirmative action was bad for African Americans because if they got into these institutions, they would be unable to thrive. Elite institutions remain the gateways into government, into big industry, into C-suites. Eight of the nine sitting Justices on this court either attended Yale or Harvard Law School. In fact, three of the Justices on this bench are beneficiaries of affirmative action and have stated it. Allowing themselves to get into college because of affirmative action, they got on to the bench because of affirmative action. Both Democrat and Republican Presidents considered race when selecting them as nominees for the Supreme Court, appropriately so. It is about representation. It is about diversity. It is about making sure that all voices are seen and heard. Affirmative action is more than just about admissions. It is also about economic progress. But this ruling has cut generations of students from this critical benefit. The Court is facing a legitimacy crisis. The Supreme Court is out of step with reality. In States that have actually banned affirmative action, schools in those States have seen a 20 percent reduction in Black applicants and in Black students. Talk to an admissions counselor. Heck, talk to a biologist, and they will tell you that homogenous environments do not thrive. They do not survive. In an orchestra, you need all kinds of musicians playing all kinds of instruments in order to make music. In movies, you need all kinds of characters to tell a story. On college campuses, you need a diverse campus, of all kinds of students, to stimulate growth, research, economic development, innovation and survival. This ruling goes beyond admissions. It is about the hiring of faculty. It is about how companies recruit, hire, and retain, and it is about procurement. This ruling is divisive. It is hypocritical, and it is out of step with the American people, just like the Supreme Court. You know what this ruling does? This ruling says to Black students, this ruling says to Black children like yours and like mine, that this Supreme Court doesn't see you and that this Supreme Court doesn't care about you. But to our students, to our children, to our students and our children who are Black, I am here to tell you on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus that we see you. We hear you. We are fighting for you, unlike this Supreme Court. We are not going to stop fighting, nor will we stop telling the truth about the history of this country, about this Supreme Court, about this ruling, and about what is ahead. Color blind is an aspirational state of mind, but it is not yet reality. So let's live in reality and talk about what our students are facing and the hypocrisy that is coming out of this Supreme Court.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today nearly 1 year after Roe v. Wade was overturned to condemn the continued sanctioned assault on women. In the year since this decision, more women have been prosecuted for their pregnancy outcomes and more laws have been introduced to further criminalize us than ever before. Is it okay to arrest a woman for having a stillbirth? Is it a crime to assist a pregnant child of rape or incest to get an abortion? Is it reasonable to classify abortion as a homicide? No, but that is where we are now. A woman can now be prosecuted for the death of her unborn child. It is almost a capital offense to be born a woman. Given the likelihood that your female child may be raped, have a complicated pregnancy, or just need an abortion, would you want her to be treated like a criminal? No. Mr. Speaker, women's bodies have suffered endless surveillance and control for long enough. It is time that we stand up and talk about this, and it must end now.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, when I first heard of the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, I thought it was a joke. It turns out the joke is on me because here I am on the floor debating this. Of course, I planned to speak on this bill last week, but Republicans imploded in their dysfunction and prevented Congress from working. American families want answers to the high prices they see in the grocery stores. They want answers to why their children are being shot and killed in their places of worship and at graduations. They want answers to why Republicans are targeting their LGBTQ family members and loved ones. Republicans are responding to these pressing issues by talking about what stove you can own. For a party that touts freedom, there seems to be some confusion about what that word actually means because some people might want the freedom to purchase an energy-efficient stove that actually helps the environment. Let's get into it. This legislation would prohibit the Department of Energy from moving forward with a congressionally mandated efficiency standard, a standard, by the way, that would help people with their energy bills, and a Department of Energy, by the way, that doesn't have the authority to ban your gas stoves. If this is the Republican messaging bill, then what is the message? That Republicans can't govern? That they are not in tune with the American people? That they don't care about the real issues? I would give them some credit if Republicans talked about the issues of the day, like the fact that the frontrunner for the Republican Party already found liable of sexual assault was arraigned today on 37 counts of Federal criminal charges, including violating the Espionage Act, which is reserved for enemies of the state. A stove is not an enemy of the state. Or if they talked about the fact that we had more mass shootings than days in the year, and we just passed a bill to make handguns more dangerous. Do you want to keep people safe? Then regulate guns, not stoves. Convict criminals, not cooktops, because stoves are not killing people. Stoves are not accelerating homelessness. Stoves are not exacerbating crime. We could be talking about any number of pressing issues of substantive things to legislate, but stoves? I actually told folks in my district that Republicans care more about how you cook your cupcakes than how to keep your children alive. If this is an example of Republican messaging, then we have a real problem. I will say it again: The American people want us to focus on issues like immigration, climate change, gun violence, the right to have an abortion, the questionable ethics of SCOTUS Justices, the need to regain competitive status with global allies, bringing home U.S. hostages, rebuilding our infrastructure, getting people out of poverty, feeding children, protecting caregivers who take care of our children and our elderly, protecting firefighters from toxic chemicals, and fighting against gender violence at home and abroad. These are real issues where America can lead, not how you cook with your stove.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I will say it again: I have seen it all, and I am here to tell you Republicans: The emperor has no clothes. We should be talking about the pressing issues of the day. China is not coming after us because of our stoves. Mr. Chair, I ask for a ``no'' vote on this legislation.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight June as Caribbean American Heritage Month. This month allows us to celebrate the diversity and influence of the Caribbean diaspora. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, we must ensure the prosperity of the Caribbean. Just recently, I co-led a bipartisan resolution with Representatives Lawler, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Salazar to redouble our diplomatic efforts with Haiti. This resolution also expresses support in achieving Haitian-centered solutions that restore the island's political infrastructure and address the basic needs of its people. We cannot ignore the plight of our neighbors who are just mere miles from our shore. Caribbean Americans have helped define the American story. Many of them serve here with me in Congress, and many more have had important roles throughout our country's history. As a Representative of Los Angeles, I am fortunate to live in a culturally vibrant city where Caribbean Angelenos influence the food, music, and art of the city. This month is about celebration of culture and community and reminds us to look beyond the European patriarchal lens that dominates our society. The U.S. is a country of immigrants, something the Governor of Florida could stand to remember. Gun Violence Prevention Month

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, June is Gun Violence Prevention Month. June is Gun Violence Prevention Month. June is Gun Violence Prevention Month. So why, in this full body, are we not talking about the gun violence epidemic that has taken hold of this country? Why is the Republican Party punting on this issue and continuing to blame gun violence solely on mental health and ignorantly say that the answer to gun violence is more guns? The parents of the children killed by mass shootings, the survivors of these mass shootings don't want or deserve to continue to hear that. They deserve acknowledgment, honesty and, most of all, they deserve action. They deserve a Republican Party that cares as much about this issue as they do stove tops which, when you think about it, is incredibly painful and disrespectful. Republicans seem to want to talk about everything except gun violence, everything except gun violence, everything except gun violence, and that silence, that silence on this issue is tantamount to blaming the victims. That failure to act is equivalent to disregarding these victims' lives and dismissing their deaths. Mr. Speaker, June is Gun Violence Prevention Month. June is Gun Violence Prevention Month, so let's act like it.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the queen of rock and roll, the incomparable Tina Turner. She passed away yesterday at 83 years of age after a career so bold and sparkling, we are unlikely to see another star so bright. What did love have to do with it? Everything. Tina Turner loved and owned her own story. She unveiled the trauma of domestic violence and turned it into a strength felt by women across the world. She was a true ambassador of the Buddhist practice, showed female artists how to take ownership of their brand, and she used music to speak and captivate us. She was a constituent of the 37th District, having lived in View Park, the heart of my district. Her passing is a true loss to the global community. In this moment, she would probably say to Republicans: Don't hide this weekend. Stay and do your job. The American people deserve more from you. They work hard and don't deserve to be blamed, lied to, and defaulted on by a dysfunctional Republican Party who can't get its act together. Lead, don't bleed the American people. No, wait, I said that.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn Republicans' attack on education. They want to ban teachers, books, and the opportunity to learn history, and now, they want to ban relief for students. This resolution would block President Biden's debt forgiveness plan, forcing everyone who took advantage of the pause in payments to pay interest on every payment missed. In addition, this plan would hit our valuable public servants the hardest--those who took advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, like nurses, firefighters, law enforcement, and childcare providers. If you want some real truth, Mr. Speaker, let's not get it twisted. PPP was not a grant, yet some of my Republican colleagues literally received millions in PPP loans. I don't see anyone rushing to pay those back. Talk about unfair; the American people are paying those bills that they didn't incur. No, Republicans don't want to forgive anyone or anything except themselves, and the American people deserve forgiveness. This legislation will harm low- and middle-income families, including 20.6 million of Republicans' own constituents, but they won't say that. American people, if you don't know, now you know. Let's enact legislation that encourages affordable education and economic mobility so that the American people can learn and earn. Republicans, please get out of your and my constituents' way. Mr. Speaker, I ask for a ``no'' vote on this.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Madam Chair, I rise today to strongly oppose the Republicans' HALT Fentanyl Act. Republicans want to ban American history so that they can repeat the bad parts. Did we learn nothing from the war on drugs? I guess not. Real talk was a huge failure. Back then we enacted ineffective and punitive laws that only worked to expand mass incarceration, mostly of Black and Brown folks. This legislation will enact ineffective and punitive drug laws that only work to expand mass incarceration. Who will suffer? Mostly Black and Brown folks. The data shows that all races are facing challenges with fentanyl. This legislation would put us on a dangerous path toward unjust and disproportionate mandatory minimums for the possession of all fentanyl- related substances. News flash: Research is still needed on possible and legal pharmacological use of these substances. Fentanyl is still being prescribed legally and used in controlled settings by medical doctors. That is right. Republicans don't like science. In its current form, this bill allows for no flexibility, and won't address the root issue. This bill is shortsighted because some of these substances could still be key to developing treatment for fentanyl overdoses. Instead of learning about how we can save people from fentanyl, we want to criminalize all of the fentanyl-related substances. Madam Chair, 97 percent of the illicit fentanyl seized at the border is seized at legal ports of entry. The majority of those convicted are U.S. citizens. The draconian mandatory minimums proposed under this plan don't address these issues. In fact, this bill doesn't do anything smart. It doesn't address the humanitarian crisis we are facing at our southern border. It doesn't address the epidemic of substance abuse, and it certainly won't improve our public safety. The majority of people who are dying from fentanyl are dying because they are taking it illegally. They are buying and searching for illicit drugs. It is not about prosecution. It is about drug use. The issue is substance abuse. That is what we should be addressing. If you are going to propose some legislation, make it make sense. Make it address root issues and focus on the causes rather than continuing to scapegoat the same people that you have scapegoated for years and years to no end. Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud how the Inflation Reduction Act is delivering for our country and California's 37th Congressional District. I am proud of the work that California has already done to be a leader in renewable energy. With key investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, our country can benefit from a clean energy market that puts our workers first and brings the United States into the 21st century. The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act has already created $242 billion in new investments with $5.45 billion announced in my State alone for clean energy and manufacturing projects. It has already created 142,000 new jobs across 41 States: red, blue, and purple. The IRA is projected to create 9 million new, good-paying jobs for Americans over the next decade, but that is not all it will do. It will help us achieve our climate goals, boost clean technology manufacturing, make EVs more accessible and affordable, ensure families breathe clean air and drink clean water, and make gains toward environmental justice for historically forgotten communities. What does this look like for my community? It is funding for air quality monitoring grants in historically disadvantaged communities, clean schoolbuses for our children, and low- emission public transportation in Los Angeles. After years of insufficient Federal action to address our climate crisis, Democrats came together to enact this historic law, and we cannot go back. Unfortunately, Republicans prefer to help their corporate polluter friends roll back environmental safeguards and are currently working to use our economy as a bargaining chip to erase major clean energy provisions in the IRA through debt limit discussions. If the Speaker and his ultra-MAGA colleagues got their way, they would inflict dire consequences on our efforts to stop the worst of climate change from happening. They would end renewable energy credits for wind and solar, limit rooftop solar growth in homes and businesses, stop the expansion of electric vehicle sales and EV charging stations, repeal funding for low-income communities that was intended to address pollution, and repeal the Methane Emissions Reduction Program. These are investments in clean energy that have largely benefited Republican districts, even though they won't admit it, and Republican actions today will take away the wealth and economic opportunity from everyday American households. This law is our strongest chance to create a safer, healthier Nation for our children and families and regain credibility with allies around the world. We cannot allow Republicans to take us back to a time where fossil fuels and toxic policy decisions hold hostage our health and economy. Congress must pass a clean debt limit increase now. Recognizing May as National Foster Care Month

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize May as National Foster Care Month. Nearly 500,000 children fall under the care of our foster system. As overseers of their welfare, Congress has a sacred duty to support these children and those who work tirelessly on their behalf to ensure that they have safe and loving homes. Our child welfare system is in desperate need of reform. We must have supportive policies that fairly compensate social workers and invest in the needs of our children. Supporting the growth and development of a child and giving them safe shelter are incredibly important tasks that have fallen by the wayside. Foster youth are feeling the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside the disparities they face in education, healthcare, and employment. This is why I joined my colleagues in the Caucus on Foster Youth to introduce a resolution to recognize the month of May as National Foster Care Month. I will continue to raise awareness around our foster care system and the work of selfless social workers and advocates. If we want to talk about adoption and providing for our children, we must take a real and lasting look at the problems we are facing and come together to work on solutions.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose this resolution, a deeply partisan, messaging tactic from House Republicans who are more focused on inflaming divisions in our country than on working for the American people. If Republicans cared about public safety, they would work to address the gun violence epidemic in our Nation, which even law enforcement says is out of control. If they really cared about law enforcement, they would not try to defund agencies like the ATF and FBI. This resolution is harmful and misleading. Violent leftist extremists and progressive politicians do not want to defund law enforcement. This characterization is a corrupt narrative that runs counter to the real conversations that Americans want to have about the issues their communities face. The true irony here is that in the same breath that they denounce these so-called violent leftist extremists, they stay silent on the extremists from their own party that stormed the Capitol and attacked the United States Capitol Police, men and women still working here today, disrespected every single day by my colleagues. Silence on this issue. Republicans are wasting time with empty bills and malignant rhetoric. Yes, absolutely, we should be investing in people's livelihoods. Why is that wrong? How come we cannot support good public safety and work to keep people alive, all people? A study just came out yesterday that said Black people are twice as likely to die than anyone else just because we are Black, and that includes interacting with law enforcement. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that we vote ``no'' on this resolution.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a vision for our Nation that values the well-being of the communities we serve. As a new Member of Congress, I have plans for what I want to accomplish for the people of California's 37th District which is to LEAD, to focus on land, economic justice, art, and democracy. Land means finding ways to mitigate the climate crisis to put us on a sustainable path for the future. Focusing on economic justice means ensuring that marginalized communities can access economic opportunities. The ``A'' refers to art and education. I will always be an advocate for the future of the arts and the unique stories artists tell. Lastly, I am laser focused on safeguarding our democracy. The past couple of years have taught us it is fragile, vital, and worth fighting for. My priorities are not the GOP's priorities. So far, the GOP has put forward bills attacking our education system, parents, and immigrants, as well as plans that would be catastrophic for our environment and economy. I am committed to my plan for Angelenos and to lead us to this moment fiercely hoping we can push toward progress together.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3091. We need to address police brutality and work on police accountability as our country continues to reckon with instances of brutality and distrust of law enforcement officers. Tyre Nichols, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd's legacies demand more of us. I am disappointed to see the exclusion of two key measures from similar legislation introduced by Val Demings last Congress. I offered an amendment that would disqualify an officer from purchasing their weapon after retirement if they have instances of misconduct or unethical behavior in their personnel file. The good- standing qualification in this bill is too subjective to accurately protect Americans, but my commonsense amendment was not accepted, and Republicans are not bringing it up for a vote. We need increased police accountability and community-based ideas around policing. We need to keep people alive, including law enforcement, and rebuild community trust.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I hope my GOP colleagues will join me in finding ways to create safer communities for everyday Americans because that is what all Americans want. They want to live and work and worship in communities that will keep them safe and build relationships, new relationships with law enforcement that understand and see them.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against attacks on parents across our Nation. Parents and adult guardians play a critical role in children's lives as nurturers, providers, and confidants. However, how can they protect or provide for their children when their elected officials choose time and time again to disregard the will of the people, ignore legislation that could save lives, slash funding to critical programs for our children and families, and then defame them for being who they are. Let me tell you who they are. In the United States, there are over 200,000 foster parents. Forty percent of married couples with children are stepcouples. Sixteen percent of children live in blended families. There are over 100,000 adoptions each year, and 4 million Americans are adopted. All of these statistics represent parents, and it is not up to any of us to define what a parent is. As a mother, I am appalled by the state of our country. MAGA Republican legislation confuses guidelines around abortion care, threatening the lives of mothers across the country. Our children aren't safe to go to the grocery store, school, houses of worship, or the mall. They can't turn around in a driveway or retrieve a basketball. Our children go hungry when the government decides to cruelly slash programs like SNAP and WIC that put food on our families' tables. This Sunday is Mother's Day, and I will be celebrating with my family, but the voice in the back of my head will ask me, what kind of world are they growing up in? This is not what our country is meant to look like. Every bio-parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, foster parent, or guardian who loves their child is a parent, and we are all scared about the world our children are set to inherit.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose H.R. 2, House Republicans' child deportation act. Yes, our immigration system is broken, but instead of productive, bipartisan legislation that would work to fix it, Republicans want to double down on immoral, cruel, and inhumane Trump-era policies that hurt children and families and stoke fear and greater division. With title 42 set to expire today, we should take this opportunity as a chance to address the humanitarian crisis at our border by focusing on solutions that alleviate pressures at our border and fundamentally change the dysfunction and chaos that is happening. Instead, this bill would make our immigration crisis that much worse. H.R. 2 would require expedited deportations and expanded detention for unaccompanied children; impose new restrictions on asylum while threatening to end the asylum system as we know it; detain even more migrant families in facilities with poor and unacceptable conditions; resume President Trump's failed policy of building a border wall; and so much more. Mr. Speaker, I hope the American people heard some of the statements made by my Republican colleagues when this bill was heard in committee. Republicans dog whistle, fearmonger, lie, and resort to conspiracy theories about our border to hide the fact that they have no real solutions to this growing crisis. Harmful policies meant to exacerbate confusion, waste more money, and hurt people fleeing dangerous situations are not the answer. Many are fleeing war zones; areas of conflict; countries that employ torture, violence, rape, and ethnic cleansing as tactics of control. What are we proposing to do with H.R. 2? Be a cruel neighbor and throw them back into harm's way while telling Mexico to shoulder much of this burden. America is supposed to be a nation of immigrants. We are supposed to have compassion for those seeking asylum. Republican policies like H.R. 2 run counter to those very fundamental values. Unlike some of my GOP colleagues, I do not for a second believe that immigrants from Mexico are a threat to us. If anything, the threats we face are homegrown. They take the form of xenophobic, transphobic, and hateful individuals who twist the meaning of the Constitution to fit their own political agendas.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Speaker, as for the drug myth, over 80 percent of drugs smuggled into our country are done by Americans, not immigrants. Let's get serious and talk about meaningful steps toward immigration reform that include what it means to be a global partner in this space, not this wildly inappropriate and ineffective bill.