Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to thank all of our colleagues who joined us this evening laying out the pandemic upon pandemic upon pandemic in communities of color. In all past public health crises one recurring lesson stands out: That is, success depends on the willingness of people to trust the health information that they are getting. We learned this from the HIV and AIDS pandemic, Ebola, H1N1, and now we are learning it again during COVID. So this is especially true for communities of color. This year millions of Americans have taken to the streets to demand racial justice. This is because the system that exists today has failed them. We must acknowledge the centuries old racial and ethnic disparities, and intentionally build culturally and community-minded policies to move forward for a stronger and unified country. We must act swiftly. The longer communities suffer from COVID-19, the greater the long-term impact and disparities. States project that their shortfall for 2021-fiscal year will be much deeper than the shortfalls faced in any year of the Great Recession. Federal Reserve economists project that unemployment will be at 6.5 percent at the end of 2021. Of course, it is higher in communities of color. The Congressional Budget Office projects an even higher rate at 6.7 percent; again, for communities of color more than likely it is double that. Our Nation's workforce is disproportionately composed of communities of color and some of the most marginalized communities and groups. Many are essential workers. These workers and their families are being put at greater risk during the coronavirus pandemic due to the conditions of their jobs and their socioeconomic realities and, mind you, the lack of Federal response. We must pass a COVID relief bill. I am proud to stand before you joined by my colleagues because I know that this change is on the horizon. From the sidewalks to the ballot boxes, people are fully engaged and are courageously advocating to be heard. It is our job that every community is ensured coronavirus relief and that we negotiate what is needed, including funding to provide relief for every community and with community stakeholders. Our bill, H.R. 8192, the COVID Community Care Act, does just that. We cannot afford to leave anyone behind. Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank our Speaker; Chairwoman Bass, for sharing this CBC Special Order hour; and I thank our Tri-Caucus chairs, Congresswoman Chu and Representative Castro, Representatives Haaland, Davids, of course, Representative Garcia. And I thank all of our colleagues for being here tonight to really sound the alarm. This is an emergency in the entire country. It is a deep and broad emergency pandemic as it relates to COVID-19, and we need relief right away. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I want to thank my friends, the co-chairs of the Democratic Women's Caucus, Representatives Speier, Frankel, Lawrence, Haaland, and Escobar, for organizing and convening this fitting tribute to a trailblazing American heroine. As a lawyer with the ACLU and as the second woman on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg was a pioneer for reproductive rights, civil rights, and equal protection under the law. Without her leadership and conviction, the world would be a different place for women, people of color, the LGBTQI community, and others who have not been afforded equity and justice under the law. Her tenacious fight for gender equality in the face of powerful opposition, and her historic opinions and dissents on the bench, bent the arc of history towards justice. Her legal brilliance, bravery, and her commitment to a democracy that serves all, make her a model for the next Supreme Court Associate Justice and for all justices who follow. When Justice Ginsburg wrote decisions, she wrote with a clarity that helped the broader public understand the moral and legal issues at stake. She also had an empathy for the experiences of others. When I had the chance to meet and have dinner with her, I felt that she understood the particular challenges that Black women and women of color faced. And she was a powerful ally for justice movements whether they sought to dismantle unjust systems built along lines of race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation or gender identity. We mourn the loss of such a brilliant, bold and visionary woman whose legacy will continue to live. We have a responsibility to continue her fight for equality and justice. My thoughts are with her children, grandchildren and loved ones during this difficult time.

Mr. LEE of California

Mr. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me also say how important it is that we really understand and recognize that this is a global pandemic and it knows no borders. This bill will also ramp up testing, contact tracing, and outreach to ensure that those communities most impacted are supported. It strengthens outreach to medically underserved communities. Again, Black and Brown and indigenous people have suffered the most from COVID. This bill will ensure that the testing and tracing efforts treat people of color as partners in engaging their communities. This is a health and economic pandemic of enormous proportions that we have never experienced in our lifetime. We must make sure that people have safe places to work and attend school. Their health and economic needs are addressed in this bill. We cannot have one without the other. So let's pass this comprehensive relief. Let's begin to try to heal our country. Please support this bill, and I ask for an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chair for her tremendous leadership and that of her staff for getting us to this point on behalf of the American people and ensuring that we put forth a bill that will ensure that they know that we care about their health and economic security during this very serious moment. Also, I just want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Pallone for including language that will help reach communities disproportionately impacted by this deadly virus, as in the African-American, indigenous, Black and Brown community, the AAPI communities, and also treat them as partners to defeat COVID. Now, it has been 4\1/2\ months since the House passed the Heroes Act. Since January, over 200,000 people have died. People are terrified about keeping their families healthy and safe. They are terrified about keeping their jobs and their homes and their businesses. And, still, Republicans continue to block this critical relief from moving forward. Sadly, but not surprisingly, Black and Brown people are getting the worst of this. Forty thousand African Americans have died from COVID, one out of every five COVID deaths in America. Indigenous and Latinx people are each 50 percent more likely to die from COVID than White Americans. And 20 percent of all deaths in my district are from the AAPI community. It is clear that the President has no plan. That is why Democrats are taking action, to be sure that we have the robust national testing, tracing, and treatment efforts to reduce the transmission and the deaths that we are experiencing every day. All of us know people who have died from this horrific pandemic. Also, we were able to include funding for SNAP benefits, unemployment payments, childcare, and education, including funding for my own community in Alameda County. I am also pleased that the bill contains necessary contributions to the global efforts to fight COVID. This pandemic does not respect borders. We need to work with partners around the globe if we are going to get COVID under control.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. As we know from the devastating wildfires in my state, the reality of the climate crisis is here. The planet we are leaving to our children is different from the one we were born on, and we have to reverse course now before it is too late. I want to thank my colleagues who offered amendments to make this an even stronger green bill. In particular, I thank my friend Representative Barragan for offering an amendment I co-sponsored to invest in helping seaports to make their operations more efficient and less polluting. And I thank the environmental groups who gave critical input on this legislation and on the urgent need for our country and for the world to close the chapter on the era of fossil fuels. During this year's unprecedented wildfires, smoke has been at unhealthy and even hazardous levels for weeks on end in my district. Wildfire smoke is especially damaging to vulnerable populations, for example unsheltered people. H.R. 4447 includes the Smoke Planning and Research Act to help state and local governments protect their communities from wildfire smoke. I believe we have a critical need for this legislation to respond to a serious threat to public health--for example by creating shelters for at-risk populations or retrofitting schools with air filters so students can safely attend school. H.R. 4447 also includes the Climate Smart Ports Act, which will help us address health disparities and other issues in communities near ports, which have often suffered from generations of environmental injustice. The legislation includes a $1 billion per year zero emissions ports infrastructure program to assist ports and port users with replacing cargo handling equipment, port harbor craft, drayage trucks, and other equipment with zero emissions equipment and technology. In West Oakland, the neighborhood bordering the Port of Oakland, the asthma hospitalization rate for children under the age of 5 is almost twice the rate for Alameda County as a whole. We must take action to reduce the massive amounts of fossil fuels burned by ports-- both to address the climate crisis and to help our kids breathe. I have heard the concerns expressed about some key provisions of this bill, and those concerns are valid. I do not support funding for projects that could result in further use of dirty or dangerous energy sources. I hope that we can work to improve this bill as it moves through the legislative process. Nonetheless, much of the content of this bill would make necessary steps toward the clean energy revolution that we are all working for. It encourages the innovation that we need to address the fossil fuel- driven climate emergency while investing in renewable energy resources, electrification of transportation, reduction of carbon pollution from industrial and other sources, modernization of the grid and much more. For these reasons, I support H.R. 4447 as a significant step away from fossil fuels and towards innovation and cleaner energy.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday a Kentucky grand jury indicted one--just one--of the three officers involved in the tragic shooting of Breonna Taylor. Rather than being held accountable for this murder of an unarmed young Black woman, the indicted officer, instead, received a slap on the fist while the others responsible remain free. Mr. Speaker, this shows, again, how our broken, racist criminal justice system cares more about damaged property than Black lives. If this court were concerned about endangering others, how can they ignore the life that was taken in plain sight? 401 years of white supremacy and oppression have rotted our criminal justice system. If there is any doubt that systemic racism exists, look to this decision. The Senate must take up the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would finally put an end to no-knock warrants. Breonna Taylor deserves better than this. Her family deserves better than this. We cannot give up until there is true justice. We deserve a justice system that recognizes that Black lives matter. Say her name.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 1923, the Women's History and Nineteenth Amendment Centennial Quarter Dollar Coin Program Act. This bill will celebrate 100 years of women's suffrage by featuring women leaders from across the country on quarter dollar coins. We have been working to advance this bill for over 3 years, and I am so proud to have the endorsement of various stakeholders and the support of the United States Mint and Treasury on this legislation. Let me first thank my co-lead, Congressman Anthony Gonzalez, as well as our Senate counterparts, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Deb Fischer, for their efforts, and for all of our staff for working diligently on this legislation. And I thank my good friend Congresswoman Maxine Waters and the Financial Services Committee for their leadership and commitment to getting this bill to the floor. There is bipartisan and bicameral support for this legislation. My good friend, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman's legislation on semiquincentennial coins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States is included in this coin package, and I thank her for spearheading the efforts on that initiative. Finally, let me thank my dear friend, former U.S. Treasurer, Rosie Rios, who was really instrumental in shaping this legislation years ago, and for her incredible work to raise the visibility of women in every space and place to reinforce the critical role women have played and continue to play in history. I am deeply grateful for her leadership. Finally, let me just specifically acknowledge my staff, my former legislative director, Emma Mehrabi, for early on never missing a beat with diligence and strategic work in getting this bill to the floor, and also my current legislative director, Gregory Adams, who really has taken this bill to the finish line. H.R. 1923 will create a new series of circulating quarters, starting in 2022, featuring trailblazing women in American history. It is my hope that women of all backgrounds, diverse American women, will be chosen and depicted, celebrating the accomplishments of our Nation's historical leaders, thinkers, innovators, activists, freedom fighters, women who have contributed to achievements in many, many fields: civil rights, abolition, suffrage, science, and technology, the arts and humanities, education. Because of these women our country is better for them and their leadership. Much like the previous and celebrated 50 State Quarters program, the women featured on these coins and their images will be selected with broad public input. Each Governor will engage with members of the general public and local groups focused on increasing the inclusion of women or improving the quality of life for women to recommend a prominent, trailblazing woman to represent their State or territory to be featured on their State coin. It is my hope that through this process the broader American public can engage in a dialogue and celebration of the contributions of these women, ensuring that their legacy and contributions are more widely known, understood, and valued in each and every corner of our country. Mr. Speaker, driving to the Capitol this morning, traffic was stopped at the corner. I saw the hearse carrying the casket of our beloved Justice Ginsburg to the Supreme Court. I said a prayer as I witnessed the procession, and thought about her life and how she paved the way for racial and gender equality, and I thought about it in the context of this bill today, and the phenomenal women who this country will have a chance to get to know. I thank her for her life, her legacy, and for what she has done to ensure that women now have their rightful place in history.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, this pandemic has taken over 200,000 lives, bankrupted State and local governments, and destroyed our economy, not to mention nearly 20 million people have lost their jobs as a result of this devastating public health and economic crisis. Communities of color have been hit the hardest. My condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones. Over 4 months ago, House Democrats passed the HEROES Act, which reflects the needs of the American people and allocates the resources to save lives and to boost the economy. It has been over 130 days since we passed the HEROES Act. Since that time, the other body and the White House have done nothing to help the American people. Instead, this administration and Senate Republicans muzzled scientists and refused to compromise. Let me be clear: The White House intentionally downplayed the severity of the virus, and now the COVID pandemic has taken lives that could have been saved. Time is of the essence. I urge my colleagues across the aisle to work with Democrats to save lives and protect livelihoods now more than ever.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I am disappointed that we have to do this, pass a stop gap Continuing Resolution. But it must be done. The alternative is to shut down the government while our people are worried about their health, their jobs and their homes. Under Chairwoman Lowey's leadership, the House did its job. We passed ten appropriations bills this summer, doing our jobs to meet the needs of the American people. We did this even in the face of a pandemic which forced us to adopt novel ways of working. Meanwhile, the other body has not marked up even one bill. People across the country are waiting for their government to take action. Action to fight the pandemic. Action to take belated action to dismantle systemic racism in our society. Action to end endless wars. Action just to do our most fundamental job of keeping the government running. I urge my colleagues to support this continuing resolution.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to make the point how important this is to let our young children know that it is okay and that we honor them for being who they are by wearing their hair the way that they choose. They won't be penalized. They won't be kicked out of school. They won't be dehumanized or demeaned by just doing that. It is finally time, in this 21st century, to say enough is enough.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Jackson Lee for yielding and also for her tremendous work in advancing this bill to the floor, and also to Chairman Nadler and his support for this legislation. Also, I want to thank and acknowledge Representatives Richmond, Fudge, and Pressley for their tremendous leadership and vision for putting this bill together, and I am in strong support of it. Mr. Speaker, this morning I thought about our beloved John Lewis and how he made good trouble all of his life. He was an original cosponsor of this bill, and this bill is an example of how we make good trouble to end discrimination. This bill will prohibit, finally, discrimination based on an individual's style or texture of hair, commonly associated with the race or national origin in the definition of racial discrimination. It is really hard for me to believe that we have to introduce this bill in the 21st century, and so I just want to thank our advocates who have worked so hard to bring this bill to the floor. As one who has worn her hair as I chose, including natural, I have had many unpleasant encounters with people who told me I did not look like a Member of Congress because of my hair, over and over again. Discrimination against African Americans in schools and in the workplace is real, and it is a continued barrier to equality in our country. Black men and women continue to face workplace stereotypes and are pressured to adopt White standards of beauty and professionalism. Our daughters are penalized in school for natural hairstyles deemed as messy and unruly in juxtaposition to the treatment of their White counterparts. That is a fact. Students have been humiliated and suspended for having beautifully braided extensions or forced to cut their locks before a high school wrestling match because it was a violation of some dress code. And across the country people of African descent have been required to cut or change the natural style or texture of their hair just to get a job. Now, when I was in college, in the day, I was told that I looked too militant and should change my hairstyle if I wanted to be successful in the workplace. In 2014, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus urged the Army to rescind Army regulations--and Congresswoman Jackson Lee signed my letter--this was regulation 670-1, which prohibited many hairstyles worn by African-American women and other women of color. After months of building support, I led an amendment and it was included in the fiscal year 2015 Defense Appropriations Bill to ban funding for this discriminatory rule. A few years later, the United States Navy removed their discriminatory policy.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, with reference to the amendment that I got into the fiscal year 2015 Defense Appropriations Bill funding, to deny funding for this discriminatory rule. We moved forward, and later the U.S. Navy removed their discriminatory policy. They knew it was discriminatory, and finally permitted women, specifically women of color, to wear their hair in dreadlocks, large buns, braids, and ponytails. This laid the groundwork for my home State, California, to become the first State to ban discrimination against African Americans for wearing natural hairstyles at school or in the workplace with the passage of California's CROWN Act. And I am thankful and so proud of Senator Holly Mitchell for her bold leadership in getting this done. We owe it to our children to take action in Congress to break down these barriers and make sure that they know that, yes, Black is still beautiful. And, yes, Mr. Speaker, Ms. Jackson Lee's crown and braids are beautiful. Our young people see that with this bill we don't want them to be penalized. And they are being penalized if they wear their hair like I wear my hair or like Congresswoman Jackson Lee wears her hair, they are penalized.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and also for his tremendous leadership. And also, I acknowledge Representative Meng for spearheading this important resolution. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 908 to condemn all forms of anti-Asian hate speech related to COVID-19. Now, this pandemic is leading to an alarming rate of hateful speech directed at people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. And the truth is, as an African American, I know what hate and racism is and I know the violence that results. And the facts are: Since March, there have been over 2,500 reported cases of anti-Asian discrimination related to COVID-19, including over 1,100 cases in my home State of California. At the same time, by no accident or coincidence, the White House continues to refer to COVID-19 as the ``China virus'' and ``kung flu'' trying to shift attention and blame away from this administration's inadequate response and poor leadership. They would rather scapegoat Asian Americans, exacerbating anti-Asian hate and violence. Congress needs to send a clear message that we will stand with our AAPI community, especially during these challenging times, to fight bigotry and racism within our country. Hate speech does lead to violence and discrimination. That is the truth.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, let me thank Chairman Scott for his tremendous leadership in putting forth this legislation. But also, just for his staying very vigilant as it relates to the issues of Black and Brown students in our country, and the power that we need to push back against systemic racism and really what it is, is creeping school segregation. Madam Speaker, I rise in total support of H.R. 2574, the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act. Just a little bit of history of myself. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and schools were segregated when I started school. My family fought with the NAACP, and I believe El Paso was the first city in Texas to desegregate public schools. Fast forward, my mother, Mildred Parish Massey, she was one of the first 12 students to integrate into the University of Texas at El Paso. I know from personal experience the struggles and the fights that all of us mounted just so we could have access to public education. And now, fast forward to 2020, segregation in our Nation's schools is growing. We have turned the clock back immeasurably. It can no longer be ignored. Over the last three decades, African-American students have increasingly found themselves in intensely segregated schools, and we knew unraveling segregation in schools was going to be a long struggle. This segregation, though, is a product of a number of factors, including housing segregation, economic inequality, all tied to structural racism in our country. But while structural racism pervades so many elements of our society, it is really especially appalling in education, because we know that integrated schools help reduce racial prejudice and tension over the years. Public education is supposed to be the great leveler in our society. Schools are supposed to be the pathway where hard work and knowledge provide new pathways of opportunity. Instead, this growing segregation fuels the perpetual worsening systemic racial and ethnic wealth gap that exists in our Nation. It robs students of their future, and it makes a mockery, really, of the values of opportunity and the hard work that we hold dear. And what I think many of us weren't prepared for was the idea that we were going to have to fight tooth and nail now, which was a battle we fought in the 1950s and 1960s. We are fighting those battles again to make our own Federal Department of Education take this issue seriously. My God. Madam Speaker, for three-and-a-half years, from my seat on the Committee on Appropriations, I have asked Secretary DeVos over and over and over again to take this issue seriously. But after years of dissembling and delay from the Secretary, I have begun to question her commitment to ensuring the rights of equal education for kids in America--that includes Black and Brown kids. And I asked her, does she really care about the civil rights of these young people? And it is really the refusal by Secretary DeVos to acknowledge the clear evidence of increasing segregation. This is part of the reason why this bill is so important, and we need to act today. The Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act is one piece of the puzzle to start pushing back on segregation in schools. It allows parents of children most adversely affected by this growing racial and ethnic segregation to pursue legal action against a local jurisdiction to fix the problem. Without a private right of action, students of color face countless forms of irreparable damage without any remedy that they can use to seek justice. The bill would further provide that education programs that receive Federal financial assistance must designate at least one compliance coordinator to focus on reducing segregation and investigate complaints. And so if we truly want to turn the corner, turn the corner on the legacy of school segregation and unequal opportunity, we have a responsibility to put power back into the hands of parents and students to fight injustice and claim their right to a quality public education. Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will vote for H.R. 2574, and I thank the chairman for bringing forth this very important bill. I am so sorry that we have to do this once again.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first, let me just thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) for yielding and for her tremendous leadership on behalf of our children, but also for demonstrating what strength in diversity means throughout her life's work. I thank her for bringing this Strength in Diversity bill to the floor, H.R. 2639. Let me just say a couple of things. First of all, this bill takes action where Secretary DeVos and the administration have failed to act to make sure that all of our children, no matter what color they are, get the same opportunities to get an education and pursue their dreams. We have had this discussion over and over and over again in the Appropriations Committee with the Secretary. Sixty years ago, Ruby Bridges was the first African-American student to attend an integrated school in the South. Yes, as has been said by our chair and also the gentlewoman authoring this bill, this is 66 years after Brown v. Board of Education. We still have segregation in our school districts, and it is leading to measurably unjust outcomes for Black and Brown students, robbing them of their future. Now, when I started school, mind you, schools were segregated. My family in El Paso, Texas, fought to desegregate schools, especially my beloved mother, Mildred Parish Massey, who was one of the first students to integrate the University of Texas at El Paso. In addition to the GAO report, a 2019 report out of Stanford University also reviewed hundreds of millions of test scores from students across the Nation. Their findings show that racial segregation leaves Black and Brown students concentrated in high-poverty schools, leading to a huge opportunity deficit even for high-performing students. In fact, they found large achievement gaps in every single school district with just moderately high segregation. This fact remains. This data is the same. Also, these schools have fewer resources, and the students experience more disciplinary actions than in more diverse schools. The Strength in Diversity Act would help reverse this segregation by promoting diversity, increasing student achievement and readiness, and investing in our children. The bill would authorize Federal funding to provide grants to support new and existing local efforts to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity in our schools. It would further document segregation in our public schools, implement programs to recruit and hire diverse teachers, and work to ensure our students have equitable access to resources.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Fudge for yielding the additional time. Let me conclude by saying, in doing this, Congresswoman Fudge and Chairman Scott have documented this, that by having equitable access to resources, we actually found that racial prejudice is reduced by making sure that our children are in diverse schools and classrooms. All of our students should receive the best education regardless of their race and ethnicity. That is what this bill is about. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Fudge, the gentlewoman from Ohio, for putting forth this bill, because she more than most knows the importance of diversity.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, we see across the country the dismantling of the Postal Service, which has been a lifeline in American life. My constituents are terrified, and they are angry because they are not receiving their medications on time; delays are hurting our small businesses; and they are outraged that their constitutional right to vote could be taken away. This is not only an attack on our democracy but also on our workforce heroes, who, in spite of the pandemic, deliver our mail. Forty percent of these heroes are people of color. My grandfather retired as a letter carrier after 35 years of service. I urge an ``aye'' vote to support, rather than to destroy, our Postal Service.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the Republican motion to recommit turns a deaf ear to the vast majority of Americans who believe the time is now for police reform. This summer, we have found ourselves in a moment of national anguish over the lives that we have lost to police brutality and the injustice that we see each and every day because of systemic racism. To meet the challenges of this moment and to live up to our highest ideals, we must have the strength and the vision to act boldly. In the hot summers of the 1960s, this House acted on transformative legislation, which outlawed legal discrimination and expanded the right to vote. Today, we are called to take bold, transformative action to fundamentally change law enforcement in America by ending racial profiling, eliminating police brutality, and ensuring accountability and transparency and accuracy in our policing. That is why I was so proud to join my colleagues in passing the bipartisan George Floyd Justice in Policing Act just over a month ago. Unfortunately, that bill languishes in Senator McConnell's legislative graveyard. But we cannot wait for Republicans to heed the voices of the left out and the left behind. If we did, we might be stuck waiting until hell freezes over. That is why House Democrats are using the appropriations process to build safer and stronger communities for every American. That is every American. This bill provides strong Federal support for State and local law enforcement, but it conditions those funds on commonsense reforms such as banning choke holds and curbing racial profiling. Unfortunately, in this MTR, the Republicans who oppose those reforms, they are really turning to their favorite tactic, and that is scapegoating immigrants. Let me be clear. Turning away asylum seekers turns our backs on our Nation's highest ideals. This MTR cuts $15 million in the bill that would help ensure asylum seekers arriving at our borders receive legal assistance. This funding will protect the rights and the dignity of these vulnerable people, and it will help speed up the backlog of claims that has led to squalid conditions that no human being--and I mean no human being--should be forced to endure. This week, we buried our colleague and friend, the Honorable, the Honorable Congressman John Lewis. John often spoke of the vision he shared with Martin Luther King, Jr., of our human family living as a beloved community. And, yes, we have a long way to go to live up to that ideal, but the thoughtful use of Federal funds in this bill brings us closer to that goal. This MTR, mind you, yes, it takes us back, attacking civil rights reforms, which our beloved Congressman John Lewis fought all of his life for. It demeans those who are coming into our Nation in search of a better life. It is outrageous. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to support this legislation--long overdue. I want to say to Congressman Serrano how I have witnessed his persistence and his commitment, and I want to thank the gentleman so much for finally getting this bill to the floor and making it a bipartisan bill. I was born and raised, of course, in El Paso, Texas, and the wonderful history of our Latino community finally now, as a result of this bill, will be brought forth for the American public and really for the public and for the world to see and recognize and lift up. Madam Speaker, I just want to say to Congressman Serrano, and to all of those who are supporting this, that the beauty of diversity in this country is what makes America America. This is another step toward achieving that perfect Union. All of our young people, everyone throughout the world, need to understand the history and the heritage of the Latino community. To think that it is going to be now part of the Smithsonian on The Mall is just really exciting, and I hope we pass this today in a bipartisan way. I want to thank all of you and thank Congressman Serrano for giving us the privilege to support such a historic effort.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for sharing her story about her beautiful son, Jordan, and using her tragedy to ensure not only the survival, but the thriving, for African-American boys and men. Also, to Congresswoman Wilson, I have to thank Frederica for her extraordinary leadership and determination to ensure that the disparities affecting our Black men and boys are finally being heard and addressed within our Federal Government. While serving in the California Legislature, I initiated and chaired the California Commission on the Status of African-American Males. Those findings sparked a difficult but necessary discussion in our State, which is still relevant today, and were implemented as legislation and funding priorities. This commission at the national level is long overdue. All too often, Black men and boys face structural challenges that threaten their chance at a good education, harm their health, and limit their employment potential. Additionally, the low rate of high school retention among Black male students is directly related to the high rates of joblessness and incarceration in the African-American population. In this moment, the horrors of systemic racism are front and center, and the manifestations are before us each and every day. This commission brings hope. It will transform the lives of young Black men from infancy to adulthood and will begin to remove so many of the barriers that have led to shattered lives and hopelessness. It is about hope.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to support this rule. It provides for the consideration of appropriations bill and contains the emergency funds to respond to the impact of COVID around the world and also to ensure that our diplomacy and development programs can sustain their efforts in the face of this pandemic. I am pleased that we provide almost $6 billion for PEPFAR, including $1.5 billion for the Global Fund. We provide $55 million for UNFPA, and, yes, we repeal the global gag rule.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, let me just be very quick in terms of just laying out why I support this rule again. We provide $55 million for UNFPA and $68 billion for SNAP, which is extremely important now, with so many people needing food security falling through the cracks. We provide $90 billion for veterans' health and more than a half billion to get lead out of drinking water, which really, in this country, should be no more. It is a shame and a disgrace. And as we consider this rule, I urge my colleagues to examine the appropriations bill through the lens of racial justice. These bills contain important provisions that respond to this moment in American history when people are marching in the streets to demand that our country dismantle systemic racism. So I ask that we look at these bills and understand that equity has got to be so much a part of our funding priorities. Madam Speaker, I support this rule, and I hope we adopt the important funding in this package.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, Congresswoman Shalala, for her tremendous work and support. Her leadership certainly is warranted and necessary and needed right at this moment in our country's history. Let me first take a moment to thank Congresswoman Nita Lowey for her years of leadership both on the full Committee on Appropriations as well as the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. Over the years, the chairwoman has been a steadfast and effective advocate for a humane and generous American role in the world, especially through her work to expand education, especially for girls and women, focused on creating many opportunities for millions of girls around the world. I will miss Chairwoman Lowey, but I just want to say that her legacy as our chair is going to remain very close to all of us, and it will remind us of the work which we must continue for future generations. I serve as the vice chair of our State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs subcommittee and as a member of the Agriculture Committee. I rise to support this rule, which provides for the consideration----

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, first of all, let me just say, I rise today to support not only my colleague, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but I rise in strong support of this privileged resolution. As an African-American woman, first let me just say that I personally have experienced a lifetime of insults, racism, and sexism. And believe you me, Madam Speaker, this did not stop after being elected to public office. It is past time that this body understands that women of color are here to stay. Congresswoman AOC is here to stay. It is past time that this House recognizes that women will not tolerate these personal attacks and insist that we be treated with the respect due to anyone in this House representing over 700,000 people. The impact of using this language against any woman dehumanizes women and girls and sends the message to other men that women are valued less than a human being. Now, my mentor, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm from Brooklyn, New York, was the first Black woman elected to Congress. As a member of the late Congressman Ron Dellums' staff, I spent many years on Capitol Hill and witnessed the personal attacks and curse words against her as a Black female Member of Congress. But do you know what, Madam Speaker? Just like the gentlewoman, she would not tolerate such behavior, and she had to fight, oftentimes alone, against such despicable language and behavior. Well, we are here today with the Congresswoman. We are here supporting her right to speak out, to represent her constituents, and to be who she is: a brave and bold Member of Congress, which we know her to be. Now, the gentleman from Florida, yes, he must apologize to the Congresswoman. He must apologize, though, to all the little girls who aspire to be who they are without being called disgusting names and without barriers to keep their voices silent. Madam Speaker, I close with reading you just one verse of our beloved Dr. Maya Angelou's poem, ``Still I Rise.'' I am reminded of the gentlewoman today. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise. So, yes, the Congresswoman has risen once again.