Carolyn Maloney

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) for introducing this important legislation. I am pleased that we were able to bring this bill before the House during Pride Month to show that we care about everyone in our country. We think everyone should be counted, everyone should be surveyed, and everyone's needs should be listened to. I particularly thank the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus for their attention and work on this bill and the Committee on Oversight staff for all the work required to make this happen. I am also very grateful to the more than 124 cosponsors, my colleagues here in this body, and more than 200 civil rights, health, and scientific organizations that have supported this bill and affirm the need for comprehensive Federal data collection on members of the LGBTQI+ communities. This bill, H.R. 4176, moves this country one step closer to equality and gives us the tools to see and support all of our communities, all of our constituents. I again urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank the leadership of this body, our Speaker, our majority leader, and our Caucus chair, all of whom have played a role in supporting this legislation and moving it to a vote today. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney has an amendment at the desk, and I am his designee.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, I rise in support of this amendment that clarifies the Federal surveys governed by this bill can and should collect data on deceased LGBTQ individuals when applicable. As we know, due to mistreatment and being stigmatized, LGBTQ+ youth are over four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. In recent years, the number of violent fatal attacks against transgender people have hit record highs. But importantly, the actual number of fatal attacks is widely believed to be undercounted. Allowing a proxy of a deceased person to respond to a Federal survey can right this wrong. Federal surveys often do not collect key demographic information on those they study, such as the gender identity or sexual orientation of a deceased person. As a result, we as policymakers do not have the full picture and cannot accurately identify disparities or create policy solutions that serve each person we represent. For example, the Justice Department's National Crime Victimization Survey only asks questions about the victim's sexual orientation but not about their gender identity. This potentially severe undercount of targeted violence against the transgender community has left us making policies with one hand tied behind our backs. This amendment ensures that researchers and policymakers can understand the experiences of deceased LGBTQ individuals and make more informed decisions as we fight for equality and justice under the law. Madam Speaker, I urge support of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, this straightforward amendment requires the agencies collecting information through this bill to create standards and protocols for anonymizing and destroying personally identifiable information at the appropriate time. This amendment is a strong addition to the underlying bill, as it ensures that the necessary demographic information collected will be responsibly destroyed to fully protect an individual's privacy. Complete and accurate data collection is essential to informing policies, laws, and programs that address the needs of our communities. Individuals who identify as LGBTQI+ have been underrepresented in Federal data collection efforts for generations. This critical information has been missing from this community in all areas of data collection and has led to worsened outcomes compared to individuals who are fully counted in Federal data collection. I am proud to support this commonsense pro-privacy amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I urge support of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 279. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Allred (Takano) Bonamici (Manning) Bourdeaux (Correa) Bush (Takano) Carter (LA) (Williams (GA)) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Cohen (Beyer) Connolly (Beyer) Costa (Correa) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) Davis, Danny K. (Gomez) DeSaulnier (Beyer)

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Honoring our PACT Act, which will ensure comprehensive benefits and care for our troops who suffer from toxic exposure, especially from burn pits. I thank Chairman Takano once again for his leadership, and it is now time for us to finally send this bill to President Biden's desk. As a daughter, sister, and wife of a veteran, caring for our veterans is extremely important to me, as it should be to every American. The Honoring our PACT Act will help over 3 million suffering veterans and ensure that they can get the care that they need. I note especially the similarities between this bill and my 9/11 Health and Compensation Act which supports the 9/11 first responders who were exposed to dangerous toxins that made them sick, still to this day. Our veterans were there for us. We must be there for them. We should all support this important bill.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the executive summary of a report by the Department of Justice (DOJ) titled ``The Compelling Interest to Remedy the Effects of Discrimination in Federal Contracting: A Survey of Recent Evidence.'' The DOJ summary and associated report illustrate how systemic discrimination continues to create barriers for women- and minority-owned businesses to fairly compete for federal contracts and how federal contracting programs can respond to, address, and remedy the harmful effects of discrimination. [From the U.S. Department of Justice, May 16, 2022] The Compelling Interest To Remedy the Effects of Discrimination in Federal Contracting: A Survey of Recent Evidence--Executive Summary On January 27, 2022, the Department of Justice posted a notice in the Federal Register announcing the publication of a Department of Justice report surveying the evidence supporting the use of race- and sex-conscious contracting programs by the federal government in order to remedy the effects of discrimination. This report is third in a series created by the Department of Justice since the Supreme Court determined that federal race-conscious contracting programs must meet the strict scrutiny standard of review to survive a constitutional challenge based on the Equal Protection Clause in Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200, 227 (1995). Each report has compiled and summarized the evidence of discriminatory barriers that businesses owned by women and people of color face that impede participation in government contracting. Both previous reports have been cited in federal court as evidence that there is a compelling governmental interest in programs that support the ability of businesses owned by people of color to compete on an equal basis. Strict scrutiny is the most exacting standard of review, and it requires, among other things, evidence supporting the conclusion that such measures are necessary to further the compelling governmental interest in remedying the effects of past and present racial discrimination. If a program contains affirmative measures based on sex, those measures are subject to the somewhat lower standard of intermediate scrutiny. That standard demands that any gender-based preference be substantially related to an important governmental objective. In assessing whether race- and sex-conscious government contracting programs could continue to survive heightened levels of judicial review, the Department of Justice reviewed hundreds of state and local disparity studies, dozens of congressional hearings and related testimony, government reports on public contracting, academic and expert reports on public and federal contracting, academic and government reports on financial data related to small businesses, and recent case law related to Equal Protection challenges to government contracting and grant programs. The disparity studies, congressional hearings, and academic reports contain both quantitative and qualitative evidence of the persistence of discrimination and its lingering effects in the public and private sector. The Department of Justice report determines that there is a strong basis in evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, of the continued pervasiveness of discriminatory barriers that impede the full and fair participation of businesses owned by women or people of color in government contracting. The evidence discussed in this report supports the compelling interest in the continued use of federal programs that contain remedial measures to eliminate discriminatory barriers to contracting opportunities for businesses owned by minorities and an important state interest in the continued use of federal programs that contain remedial measures to eliminate discriminatory barriers to contracting opportunities for businesses owned for women. Both the qualitative and quantitative evidence shows the various ways discrimination hinders the ability of minority- and women-owned businesses to compete equitably for government contracts. While this discrimination can take many forms, primary obstacles include: (1) discrimination limiting access to capital; (2) discrimination by procurement agencies and prime contractors, (3) exclusion from business networks, and (4) discrimination in lending and by bonding companies and suppliers. In assessing the current public contracting environment faced by minority- and women-owned businesses, the Department of Justice reviewed over 200 disparity studies from state and local jurisdictions in 34 different states and the District of Columbia. Disparity studies are quantitative demographic analysis of public procurement contracting utilization as compared to local business availability categorized by the race or sex of the owner. The review of these studies shows that there continues to be substantial disparities between the availability of minority- and women-owned businesses and the utilization of such businesses in state and local government procurement in all areas of the country and at all levels of procurement. The overwhelming majority of these studies showed significant under-utilization of minority- and women-owned businesses in almost every sector of public procurement. The report cited to an overview of these disparity studies conducted by the Minority Business Development Agency in 2016, which found that the studies indicated significant contracting disparities for minority business enterprises that were pervasive across different ethnic and racial groups, industries, and geographies. Shockingly, the median value for the observed disparities was just 19%, indicating that minority businesses were being utilized at less than one-fifth of their availability in a given marketplace. The report also reviewed federal government small business contracting. In 2017, just 9.8% of federal spending on contracts went to minority-owned businesses. The same year, woman-owned businesses received only 5% of federal prime contract awards. Even when comparing businesses and controlling for the industry in which the firm did business, business age, business size (both in terms of average number of employees and annual receipts), business form, and security clearance, the likelihood of minority-owned businesses receiving a federal contract versus similar businesses is still lower than non-minority-owned businesses. Overwhelmingly, the disparity studies and reports also present evidence linking disparities in contracting to discriminatory factors. In the private financial sector, historic barriers and private discrimination has limited the ability of minority business owners to accumulate assets and wealth. Minority-owned businesses are two to three times more likely to be denied credit, more likely to avoid applying for loans based on the belief they will be turned down, and more likely to receive smaller loans and pay higher interest rates on the loans they do receive. Minority- and women-owned firms not only receive smaller loans at higher interest rates than firms owned by White males, but they also get smaller equity investments. In the bonding arena, both quantitative and qualitative evidence shows that bonding requirements disproportionately affect businesses owned by women or people of color. 83% of minority- and women-owned businesses identified bonding requirements as a specific barrier to the ability to obtain contracts. A number of recent studies show that minority- owned firms are significantly more likely to face difficulties in obtaining required bonds compared with majority-owned firms. The evidence presented in the report indicates that the barriers that have impeded the growth and success of minority- and women-owned businesses continue to exist and that government contracting preference programs ameliorate the effects of public and private discrimination. For example, a 2017 disparity study prepared for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority compared the participation of minority- and women-owned businesses on contracts that contained goals to encourage utilization of minority- and women-owned businesses as opposed to contracts that did not contain such goals. The results showed that on contracts without goals, minority- and women-owned firms earned only 53 cents on the dollar, but on contracts with goals, such firms earned 96 cents on the dollar--almost what would be expected given the availability of such firms in the marketplace. The federal government currently operates two main contracting programs with race and/or sex-conscious elements: the SBA Section 8(a) business development program and the Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. All federal departments and major independent agencies participate in the SSA's Section 8(a) business development program, which offers a variety of assistance, including set-aside federal government contracts to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. In Fiscal Year 2019, the federal government awarded $30.4 billion to 8(a) firms. Appendices of 219 state and local disparity studies, 45 relevant academic and government studies, and 28 Congressional hearings are included with the report. The Federal Register notice announcing the report may be found at 87 FR 4955, and the report itself is publicly available at the Department of Justice.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Protecting Our Kids Act. Today, the victims' families and community members from the mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde appeared before the Oversight Committee demanding action. These communities have faced unspeakable tragedy. It is our duty as lawmakers to listen to them and work to build a world where they will never have to see these horrific events repeated. This legislation will save countless lives from the violence these families have had to endure. We must support every title in this bill, especially title II, cracking down on interstate gun trafficking. I have spent over a decade fighting for gun trafficking and straw purchases to be made a Federal offense. The illegal interstate movement of firearms into New York, known as the ``Iron Pipeline'' has caused countless firearms to enter our State unlawfully. Preventing gun trafficking across State lines should be a bipartisan goal. As a mother and teacher, I am horrified by these attacks on our schools, grocery stores, and our communities. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Barry Schneider, on the occasion of his retirement as longtime board member and former Chair of Manhattan Community Board 8 (CB8) after 30 years of dedicated leadership and service. Mr. Schneider first began his history of community engagement after learning of plans to convert a vacant lot on 63rd Street to a parking facility. Mr. Schneider joined with fellow residents to oppose the plan and express the negative impacts it would have on the area especially on the congestion at what was already a busy intersection. This group became the East Sixties Neighborhood Association, Inc. (ESNA). ESNA was successful in its efforts, and the lot was instead converted into a community garden. Seeking to have a larger impact on more community issues after the success of ESNA, Mr. Schneider was appointed to CB8 in 1992. Throughout his time on CB8, Mr. Schneider was an advocate for community accessibility. Mr. Schneider instituted CB8's attendance at District Street Fairs in order to promote familiarity and open communication between CB8 and members of the public. Mr. Schneider carried his dedication into the work he performed on many of CB8's Committees and Task Forces. Mr. Schneider co-chaired both the Transportation Committee and the Parks and Waterfront Committee, as well as serving as co-chair of a joint committee between CB8 and Manhattan Community Board 6 to address issues affecting both communities. Mr. Schneider presided as chair of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Task Force, the Park Avenue Armory Task Force, and the Second Avenue Subway Task Force. During the construction of the Second Avenue Subway, Mr. Schneider acted as a voice for the community. After attending meetings with the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and seeing concerns go unaddressed, Mr. Schneider advocated for a new meeting format that would focus on communities being heard, listened to, and respected. The new format created meetings where the MTA would be present at individual tables for the proposed neighborhood sites, allowing for direct, local communication with those neighborhoods. The format was effective, with community members being able to express the unique needs of their neighborhood and the MTA responding accordingly directly aiding the successful completion of the Second Avenue Subway and its opening in 2017. Mr. Schneider served as Chair of CB8 from 1998 to 2000 and focused a lot of energy on ensuring that all interactions at the Board were respectful especially when issues heightened passions. He supported frequent interaction between members of CB8 and the public, while maintaining that discussion should be carried out with polite conduct and consideration of others. He is known for his Civility sign, which he frequently hung on lecterns to facilitate respectful and productive discussion. He sought to encourage individuals to speak who normally would not, increase engagement, and promote kindness. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of Barry Schneider. His dedication and leadership have helped shape a vibrant community for Roosevelt Island and Manhattan's Upper East Side. His presence on Community Board 8 will be missed, and he leaves a lasting impact with his devoted service to his community.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Katerina Nafplioti Panagopoulos for her outstanding career and accomplishments. Through her many endeavors and initiatives, Ms. Panagopoulos has shown unwavering dedication to the Greek community. Ms. Panagopoulos was born in Athens, Greece and studied at both the Evangelical School of Nea Smyrni and the Foreign Literature Department of the Paul Valery University, in Montpellier, France. She holds an honorary Doctor of Philosophy from Amity University. Ms. Panagopoulos founded the successful business Studio Alta Moda in Athens and has since made great accomplishments in the sectors of tourism and commerce. Outside of her work as an accomplished businesswoman, Ms. Panagopoulos has served the world of sports extensively. Since 1998, she has acted as the National Ambassador of Greece in the Council of Europe for Sports, Tolerance and Fair Play and has presided as president of the Panhellenic Women's Sports Association ``KALLIPATIRA'' since 2005. In 2013, Ms. Panagopoulos signed the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Association of Greek Olympians (SEO) and the Hellenic Paralympic Committee as the President of KALLIPATIRA. Since that time, her work has involved supporting Olympic and Paralympic Champions and Winners, the construction of more than 25 athletic venues throughout Greece, and providing athletic and medical equipment as well as financial support to athletic associations. The International Olympic Committee honored Ms. Panagopoulos in 2012, when she became the first Greek recipient of the Woman and Sports Award. Ms. Panagopoulos has served as Ambassador of the Greek State regarding matters of promotion of the international role of Greece globally, the creation of new investments and the Hellenic Diaspora since 2019. She is the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Greece for Hellenic Diaspora since 2018, and President of the International Center for Science and Hellenic Values. In collaboration with the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Panagopoulos founded an initiative to organize a series of lectures in the most important centers of the Greek Diaspora in the United States. She frequently participates in conferences and working groups, and lectures in schools and foundations nationwide. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Katerina Nafplioti Panagopoulos for her outstanding accomplishments and commitment to representing Hellenic culture in the United States and around the world.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Edith ``Edie'' Windsor for her invaluable contributions to the LGBTQ+ rights movement and in recognition of a new installation at the New York Historical Society--Edith Windsor: Champion of Marriage Equality. This past September, the New York Historical Society held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the American LGBTQ+ Museum, New York's first museum dedicated to LGBTQ+ history and culture, which is set to open in 2024. This new installation honoring Ms. Windsor was made possible through the contribution of artifacts from her archive by her widow, Judith Kasen-Windsor. Edie Windsor first became involved in the fight for equality after the 1969 Stonewall Riots and quickly emerged as a leader. Her historic challenge to the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) compelled the federal government to recognize valid marriages between same sex couples and paved the way for marriage equality in the United States. Ms. Windsor grew up during the Great Depression, the youngest of three children in a Russian Jewish immigrant family. She received her undergraduate degree from Temple University and a master's degree in mathematics from New York University. The following year she began to work at IBM and was steadily promoted to the top technical position during her 16 years at the company. In 1963, Edie Windsor met her first wife, Thea Spyer. Two years later the couple began dating. They became engaged in 1967 despite the lack of legal recognition of same sex couples anywhere in the United States. After the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, Ms. Windsor and Ms. Spyer became more involved in supporting and advocating for rights for the City's LGBTQ+ community. Ms. Windsor volunteered with the LGBTQ+ Community Center, the East End Gay Organization, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, and the 1994 Gay Games in New York. She also served on the board of Services & Advocacy for the LGBT GLBT Elders (SAGE) and help found Old Queers Acting Up, a social justice skit comedy and improvisation group. In 2009, Thea Spyer passed away, leaving the entirety of her estate to her wife, Edie. Due to DOMA, Edie Windsor was prohibited from claiming the estate tax exemption for surviving spouses and was faced with a nearly half million-dollar tax liability. In 2010, Ms. Windsor sued the federal government for a full tax refund in a series of court cases that made it all the way to the Supreme Court in 2013. In 2013, Edie Windsor's suit was upheld by the Supreme Court ruling finding DOMA unconstitutional. This validation of her decades long partnership with Ms. Spyer was not only a vindication for Ms. Windsor but for countless LGBTQ+ couples around the Nation. Two years later, the Supreme Court made marriage a constitutional right guaranteed to all Americans. In 2016, Ms. Windsor found love again, marrying Judith Kasen-Windsor. Ms. Windsor's passing in the fall of 2017 marked the end of a truly heroic life spent championing equality. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary gumption and the incomparable advocacy of Ms. Windsor on behalf of the entire LGBTQ+ community throughout her long and accomplished life.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership on this issue and so many other areas. I thank our Speaker for speaking out so beautifully for the children, for our support for their health, for baby formula, for their support in general, and Rosa DeLauro for her appropriations bill that will supply $28 million for the baby formula crisis. For the author of this very important bill before us, Representative Jahana Hayes, I thank her for her leadership, too. I rise in support of H.R. 7791, the Access to Baby Formula Act, vital legislation to improve access to infant formula for families with less income who use the WIC family benefit program. That is the Women, Infants, and Children program. The Abbott recall and formula shortages have devastated families across our country, particularly those who rely on the WIC program. I have been contacted by constituents who are traveling far and wide to find the formula. They are going on the internet to find it. They are printing their grandmothers' formulas. They are coming up with other ways to try to get formula to infants. This is absolutely unacceptable. We cannot sit by while families struggle to feed their babies. That is why I have sent letters to the CEOs of the four largest baby formula manufacturers, pressing them on their plans to boost supply. What happened? Why did this happen in the first place? How soon are they going to get formula back on the shelves of our stores for our families? How will they prevent future shortages? We must pass this bill to provide the additional WIC program with the flexibility that President Biden called for so that families across the country can access affordable formula. Under the WIC program now, they are only allowed to contract with Abbott, the company that had the recalls, so this would allow them to contract with other companies to provide this vital service.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her extraordinary leadership in responding to this crisis so comprehensively and quickly and also for her leadership as the chair of the Appropriations Committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the emergency spending that builds on the Biden administration's progress in addressing the nationwide infant formula shortage by providing the FDA with resources to increase supply and prevent future shortages. The national formula shortage threatens the health and economic security of America's infants and families, especially those who experience health inequities, including food insecurity. In recent weeks, parents across the country have been forced to ration food or travel for hours to obtain formula. For parents of infants with special health needs, the nationwide formula shortage has been especially dire. Some parents have considered going to the emergency room just so that they can feed their babies. This is unacceptable. We cannot sit by while families struggle to feed their babies. That is why the Committee on Oversight and Reform has started an investigation to support the work of the legislative committees--the Energy and Commerce and Appropriations Committees--that are putting forward legislation to address this. We sent letters to the CEOs of the four largest baby formula manufacturers, pressing them on their plans to boost supply. When are they going to have the formula back on the shelves in the stores? What caused this? What are they doing to prevent future shortages? I am proud to support, with my Democratic and, hopefully, Republican colleagues, today's bill, which will appropriate $28 million for FDA to safely increase our supply of infant formula and prevent future shortages so that this will never happen again. I thank Chair DeLauro for her leadership.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Biden administration for invoking the Defense Production Act to act on this. They are also moving to import safe products from other countries. I applaud the President's leadership, but I especially applaud the leadership in this Congress, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer, Chair DeLauro, Chair Pallone, all the people who have been involved in helping America's infants. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this important bill. We should be unified for our children in this country.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Jayapal for her leadership of the Progressive Caucus and for her strength in sharing her very personal and painful story. It has given me more strength to fight this battle, and I hope it will inspire many, many more as we fight for our basic rights. Madam Speaker, I yield now to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jones), a leader in the Progressive Caucus.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, it has been nearly 2 weeks since the world saw the Supreme Court's draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. We all had suspected it was coming. I rise today to oppose that decision and to oppose what has become the tyranny of the Republican minority, a minority that has worked for decades to restrict the rights of women and minorities. The extremist Republican minority has worked systematically over the years to politicize the Supreme Court by packing it with activist ideologues who hold views in line with the demands of these extremists. Now this Republican minority, after successfully packing the Court with ideologues, they now seek to use this decision to return women to a dark time, a time when a woman had no right to decide for herself, to a time when abortions were illegal. But let's be clear from the start. This whole argument is not really about whether or not there will be abortions in this country, for there have always been, and there will always be abortions in this country and around the world. The only question is: Will those abortions be safe and legal? In 1973, the year of the decision, I marched with many women and fought for Roe v. Wade. On the day in 1992 when the decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey was announced, I announced that I was running for Congress because I objected to the restrictions they were putting on women. I wanted equal rights for women and more pro-choice legislators fighting for women in Washington. So I ran for office and won. Yesterday, I marched with my Democratic colleagues to the Senate in support of maintaining Roe v. Wade. Madam Speaker, I join the majority of women in this country in strongly opposing this decision, the injustice, this march back to a darker time, and I will join them in marching, fighting, and legislating until our rights to control decisions about our lives and our bodies are secure because I believe there is no democracy if women cannot make their own choices about their healthcare and their bodies, including reproductive healthcare. If this draft Supreme Court decision takes effect, hundreds of millions of people in 26 States would be deprived of their right to choose, of their right to abortion. People of color, the LGBTQ-plus community, young people, people with disabilities, low-income Americans, those who are the most marginalized will suffer the most. If Roe falls, State so-called trigger laws, in quotes, already passed in 13 States, will immediately ban abortion in those States entirely. Also deeply troubling, this decision lays the groundwork for the Court to tear down other fundamental rights, like the right to use contraception, marriage equality, and so many other rights. All of this from the Republican Party that proclaims itself to be the party of smaller government except when it comes to making decisions over a woman's life. Yesterday I marched again. I marched to the Senate with my Democratic colleagues and urged my Senate colleagues to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, like we passed here in this House earlier. This bill would establish a statutory right to abortion care across our country. But as they did earlier this year, the Senate came up short because there are not enough pro-choice Senators to protect abortion rights for women. This is unacceptable, and every Senator who voted against the Women's Health Protection Act must be held accountable by the American people, by their constituents. Madam Speaker, yesterday's vote has made one thing clear. The Senate is so far out of step with what most Americans believe. Eighty percent of Americans agree that the decision to have an abortion should be left to a woman and her doctor compared to just nine percent who agree it should be left to politicians and the government. The Senate should reflect the will of the people and protect the right to control our own bodies, which is why we need to fight for a pro-choice Senate, to protect our rights. We can and we must do everything we can to ensure that reproductive rights are the law of our land. Our lives, the lives of our children, and future generations depend on it. Madam Speaker, I yield now to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal), the head of the Progressive Caucus.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Jones for sharing that story. It was very moving. To others that are watching, if you want to share your story, send them to us so we can read them into the Congressional Record and share with other Americans about the need to save a woman's right to choose. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), one of the leading voices in Congress for women's rights and consumer rights.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar).

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Newman).

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), and I thank her for her leadership on this issue.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) on the occasion of its annual gala, entitled ``A Love Letter to New York.'' For nearly 150 years, 92NY has promoted learning and culture while providing a broad range of services and opportunities to the New York City community and beyond. Founded in 1974 by a group of German Jewish professionals, 92NY has stood as a tremendous cultural institution in Manhattan's Upper East Side. As part of the Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association, 92NY is testament to the contributions of the Jewish community to our city and nation. Since its founding, 92NY has expanded beyond New York's borders and has patrons in all 50 states and 200 countries around the world. 92NY is committed to enriching the lives of its patrons with world- class programming and embraces people of all backgrounds and persuasions. 92NY serves the Upper East Side as a community center, while simultaneously acting as a massive learning institution for a broader community. 92NY offers programs under five main tenants: Arts, Community, Jewish Life, Children & Family, and Innovation & Social Impact. 92NY displayed its dedication to its patrons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Electing to stay open, 92NY was faced with the task of adjusting its programming while continuing to serve its community. 92NY decided to embrace new digital technologies and moved its programming online, enabling it to reach a wider audience. Over the course of two years, 92NY created 5,000 original programs and attracted six million views, not only across America but from a larger international community. As a result, 92NY has become a global institution. In order to successfully meet the needs of its new patrons, 92NY created Roundtable, a new online learning platform. Roundtable offers high-level courses in the Arts, Food, History, Literature, Current Events, Economy and Politics taught by world-renowned educators. 92NY hopes this new program will create access for their international audience and help to form partnerships with other major cultural institutions worldwide. Formerly referred to colloquially as 92Y, 92NY has made the decision to change its name in order to reintroduce themselves to its new global audience while cementing its unique relationship with New York City. 92NY endeavors to be ``Where New York Meets The World.'' Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating 92NY's annual gala, which marks the beginning of a new global era for this incredible institution. For nearly 150 years, 92NY has made a significant contribution to New York City's cultural landscape. I wish them the very best of luck in continuing to add to the City's vibrancy and diversity, while working to expand their programming to audiences across the Country and around the World.