Kathy Manning

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Scott for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation authored by my colleague Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada. As the co-lead of the House version of this bill with my colleague Congressman Buddy Carter, I am proud to support this legislation to continue vital resources for Holocaust education nationwide. We have witnessed an alarming rise in anti-Semitism across our country in recent years. Since Hamas' brutal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, this hatred has skyrocketed. According to the Anti- Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents have increased by more than 200 percent following Hamas' attack. We have seen the impact of the rise in anti-Semitism in our K-12 schools and on college campuses across the country. Unfortunately, too many young people know too little about the Holocaust and the long history of anti-Jewish hatred. According to a 2020 Claims Conference survey, among millennial and Gen Z Americans, 63 percent do not know that 6 million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, and 12 percent have never heard about or do not think they have ever heard the word ``Holocaust'' before. Additionally, in its very first report to Congress under the Never Again Education Act, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum highlighted a striking and troubling finding: a significant lack of student knowledge about the Holocaust. In the educator-centered surveys, both experienced and inexperienced secondary teachers reported that close to 40 percent of their students had no familiarity with the Holocaust. In the fight against bigotry, ignorance, and intolerance, education is one of the most powerful tools we have. Education about the Holocaust and the long history of anti-Semitism is vital because it can help teach students about how to be moral citizens. It allows them to learn valuable lessons about bearing witness, fostering tolerance and civic values, safeguarding democracy, and embracing the responsibility to confront hate wherever it appears, to speak out rather than remain silent bystanders. That is why Congress passed the Never Again Education Act in 2020 and why we must work together on a bipartisan basis to ensure this critical work continues. This bill will extend support for Holocaust education across the Nation. It will continue the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum's strong track record of providing resources. Mr. Speaker, I support the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act, and I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Madam Speaker, today, I rise with grave concerns about the disturbing rise of anti-Semitism, both here at home and around the world. Since Hamas' brutal attack on our democratic ally, Israel, on October 7, 2023, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, anti-Semitism has soared to dangerous new heights. We have witnessed it online, in our schools, at hospitals, at professional associations, at art exhibits, and in communities across the country where Jewish individuals and institutions have been targeted with hate and violence. This recent surge, while shocking, should not blind us to the fact that anti-Semitic sentiments have been festering and intensifying for years. We have seen this hatred manifest in alarming ways from the neo- Nazi chants on the streets of Charlottesville to the horrific attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 American Jews were murdered during Shabbat services. Just this morning, a synagogue in Minneapolis was defaced with swastikas. These incidents are a stark reminder that the Jewish community is facing a relentless wave of anti-Semitic vitriol. We know anti-Semitism is not new. It is an ancient, shape-shifting conspiracy theory that has endured throughout history, adapting and taking on new forms across the centuries and blaming the Jews for whatever ills a society experiences. It is a deep-seated prejudice that has caused unimaginable suffering, whether during the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of Jews from England and France, or the violent pogroms in Russia, which brought my family here. Of course, there is the Holocaust, a tragic and incomprehensible period in which 6 million Jews, including over 1 million children, were systematically murdered. Despite the unspeakable horrors committed during the Holocaust, this hatred has not disappeared. It has adapted, it has spread, and it continues to poison societies to this very day. History has shown us a painful truth. When we allow anti-Semitism and Jew hatred to spread unchecked, it becomes a profound threat, not only to the Jewish community, but to the very foundations of democracy itself. Anti-Semitism is a poison that corrodes societies from within. It is not merely a threat to the Jewish people; it is a threat to all minority groups, to the vulnerable, to the values of tolerance, equality, and justice that underpin our democratic institutions. However, unlike in the past when governments themselves promoted, sponsored, and weaponized anti-Semitism to fuel discrimination and violence against the Jews, that is not the case today. Today, our government is engaged in the fight against anti-Semitism. Indeed, in the United States, we understand that we have the power, the responsibility, and the moral obligation to take a stand against anti-Semitism. That is why in response to this rising tide of hatred, I have introduced the Countering Antisemitism Act, the most comprehensive anti-Semitism legislation in the history of our country. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation with more than 60 cosponsors would codify portions of President Biden's national strategy to counter anti-Semitism. It would establish the first-ever national coordinator to counter anti-Semitism. It would also require law enforcement to ensure robust threat assessment reporting, enhance education about the history of anti-Semitism, and appoint a senior official within the Department of Education to counter anti-Semitism on college campuses and in K-12 schools. Come January, we will have a new administration and a new Congress, yet this issue is not going away. That is why I am calling on my colleagues to join me in taking a firm stand against rising anti- Semitism. Each of us in this body has a responsibility to ensure that the horrors of the past are never repeated. This Congress must send a powerful message that there is no room in this country for anti-Semitism or any kind of hatred. I ask my colleagues to continue this work after my time in Congress comes to an end. While we may never eradicate anti-Semitism, we must make it clear that anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination are unacceptable and can never be normalized in this great country, the United States of America.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep gratitude for the people of North Carolina's Sixth Congressional District for trusting me to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives. I have been proud to stand with House Democrats to pass historic legislation to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, lower the cost of prescription drugs, strengthen domestic manufacturing, protect our future with the development of clean energy, address gun violence, and provide vital support for our veterans. Thanks to these efforts, 80,000 households in my district have gained access to affordable high-speed internet, 39,000 residents are saving hundreds of dollars annually on their prescription drugs, and more than 4,700 veterans exposed to toxins during their service have filed claims to access benefits they have earned. I have also been proud to secure nearly $60 million in Federal funding for community projects across the Sixth District. From improved transportation to new equipment for our police and firefighters, public safety initiatives, expanding education and job training, incentivizing economic development and public health, these projects are making a real difference. I have also been proud to fight against the terrible loss of women's rights. Two years ago, the Supreme Court overturned 50 years of judicial precedent with its decision to strike down Roe v. Wade. This terrible ruling stripped millions of women of their right to obtain an abortion, has placed devastating hurdles in obtaining care for miscarriages, and has unleashed a wave of rightwing attacks on the full range of women's reproductive healthcare, including birth control. That is why I introduced my Right to Contraception Act, to protect access to all FDA-approved birth control, which passed through the House in the last Congress. Sadly, my bill was blocked by Republicans, first in the Senate and again this term by Republicans in the House. It is shameful. As policy co-chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus, I have been proud to fight for all women to make decisions about their own bodies and to have the ability to succeed in the workplace while still caring for their children and their family members. In addition to fighting for North Carolinians' basic freedoms, I have worked to advance America's values and interests on the world stage. As the vice ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I have advocated for rebuilding and expanding strong relationships with our allies, including unwavering support for Ukraine and Israel in the face of unprecedented attacks. After Hamas' brutal October 7 invasion of Israel, I have stood up against the alarming rise in anti-Semitism here at home and around the globe as the co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. This includes introducing my Countering Antisemitism Act, the most comprehensive legislation aimed at addressing the disturbing increase in anti-Semitism in our country's history. This bill must be passed if we are serious about eradicating the scourge of the world's oldest hatred and protecting the fundamentals of our democracy. What begins with hatred against the Jews never ends there but spreads to other vulnerable groups. As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I have championed investments in our students and schools and worked to address the youth mental health crisis, introducing the Improving Mental Health and Wellness in Schools Act to expand resources for our students. As chair of the New Democrat Coalition Workforce Development Task Force, I have fought to address ongoing labor shortages and prepare workers for the jobs of the future. While I would love to continue this important work on behalf of my constituents, the blatantly gerrymandered congressional districts passed by the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly make it impossible for me to do so. These maps are a deliberate distortion of the will of the people, designed with surgical precision to split communities of interest and deny real representation to North Carolinians. These maps force me to depart Congress, but I recognize that I am doing so at a time of great division within our country. Now, more than ever, it is our duty in this Chamber to reaffirm the fundamental values that unite us as Americans: freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and the belief that all people are created equal. While I will not be here to witness the next chapters of history written in this Chamber, I will keep using my voice to defend these values and trust in their enduring power to make our Union more perfect. I will close by thanking my extraordinary staff members who work every day to get things done for the people we represent. I thank everyone who supported me in getting to Congress and all the colleagues with whom I have worked to develop friendships on both sides of the aisle.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend and a true pillar of the Greensboro community, Yvonne Johnson. Few individuals have so completely embodied the spirit of their city as Yvonne did for Greensboro. A proud native, she graduated from Dudley High School and received degrees from both Bennett College and North Carolina A&T State University. It was during her college years that she became deeply involved in the civil rights movement, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and participating in the historic Woolworth's sit-ins. Her relentless dedication to justice paved the way for nearly 30 years of service on the Greensboro City Council, where she made history as the first Black person elected to serve. Later, she shattered another barrier as the city's first Black mayor. Yvonne was a trailblazer, a role model, and a real leader. I will miss her, but I feel privileged to have known and worked with her. Surely her memory will be a blessing for all who knew her, for she made Greensboro a better place for all of us.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), my good friend and cousin.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, this amendment offered by my colleague, Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, ensures that the civic education curriculum in this bill covers how past and present communist and totalitarian regimes have committed grave human rights abuses and threatened democracies. Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that communist and totalitarian regimes view democracies as a threat. They have repeatedly sought to undermine democracies and threaten their stability at every turn. Nevertheless, these regimes often trample the rights of many of their own citizens, especially ethnic and religious minorities. As we know, the People's Republic of China has committed grave human rights abuses and, according to the State Department, continues to carry out genocide, crimes against humanity, forced labor, and other human rights violations against Uyghurs in China's western provinces. The PRC also poses an increasingly aggressive threat to Taiwan, a key democracy and a vital partner of the U.S. which shares our fundamental values. I firmly believe that it is worthwhile for students from all backgrounds to better understand these facts. This amendment broadens and expands the curriculum that would be made available to high school students to help them become more aware of history and how communist and totalitarian regimes threaten our security and values. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting Representative Gottheimer's commonsense amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, as the designee of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Corporal Matthew A. Wyatt. After graduating high school in June 2001, Corporal Wyatt made the courageous decision to serve his country. He joined the Marine Corps, where he was based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina before deploying to Iraq. On December 3, 2004, Corporal Wyatt gave his life to stop an enemy attack on his base. He was only 21 years old. Corporal Wyatt bravely acted without hesitation to save the lives of his fellow servicemembers. Today, his memory is carried forward by his father, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Alan Wyatt; his mother, Verlene; and the entire family, who proudly uphold the three-generation legacy of military service. Corporal Wyatt's stepmother, Lauren, also continues to honor his legacy through her work in my district office, where she serves veterans and military families, ensuring they receive the support they need. To pay tribute to Corporal Wyatt's sacrifice, I am proud to support legislation to rename the United States Post Office in his hometown of Millstadt, Illinois, in his honor. While no act of gratitude will ever be enough to fill the void left by Corporal Wyatt's absence, I hope this naming will comfort his loved ones and remind them that his sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, as I rise today, women's basic reproductive freedoms are under relentless attack by rightwing politicians and judges across the country. Over 2 years ago, Donald Trump's hand-picked MAGA Supreme Court Justices overturned Roe v. Wade, dismantling 50 years of judicial precedent. This catastrophic decision has left one in three women living under outright abortion bans and unleashed a coordinated effort to undermine the full range of reproductive healthcare, including access to birth control. In his concurring opinion in the Dobbs case, Justice Clarence Thomas explicitly called for revisiting the right to contraception. Despite the fact that over 90 percent of women rely on contraception at some point in their lives, extremist Republicans have seized on this as a rallying cry to target birth control. In Oklahoma, Republican lawmakers have proposed radical legislation to outlaw widely used forms of contraception, including IUDs and the morning-after pill. In States like Virginia, Arizona, Tennessee, and North Carolina, extremist Republicans have blocked efforts to protect access to contraception. Adding to this alarming trend, Trump's Project 2025 blueprint outlines a dangerous agenda to further dismantle reproductive healthcare, including targeting emergency contraception and insurance coverage for birth control. Despite his campaign claims of ignorance about Project 2025, Trump is now staffing his administration with the very architects of this extreme agenda. I refuse to stand by and let these MAGA extremists interfere with women's private healthcare decisions. That is why I am fighting to pass my Right to Contraception Act to ensure every American has the right to access the full range of FDA-approved birth control. This legislation is a safeguard against the growing threats to contraceptive rights. It ensures that every American can make crucial decisions about their health, their family planning, and their future. The Right to Contraception Act guarantees the right to access contraceptive services and protects healthcare providers' ability to deliver them. It also secures access to the full range of contraceptive methods, including birth control pills, IUDs, and emergency contraceptives like Plan B. In June, I was proud to announce a discharge petition to bring my bill to the House floor for a vote, and I invited my Republican colleagues who claim to support the right to contraception to join me in signing it. All these months later, not a single House Republican has signed that petition. This comes after 195 House Republicans voted against the right to obtain birth control in the last Congress, and the legislation was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. To quote award-winning poet and fellow North Carolinian Maya Angelou: ``When someone shows you who they are, believe them. . . . '' Time and time again, extremist Republicans have shown us exactly who they are. Their attacks on reproductive rights didn't stop with Roe. In fact, they are just getting started. In contrast, we Democrats believe that every American has the right to decide whether, when, and with whom to have children. No politician or judge should have the power to take that right away. Republicans purport to believe in small government. Let them start by staying out of our bedrooms and our doctors' offices. While I may soon be departing Congress because of the outrageous gerrymandering by the Republican-controlled legislature in North Carolina, let me be clear: I will never stop fighting for women to receive the basic reproductive healthcare they need and deserve.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), my friend, for yielding time to me. I also thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel), my good friend, for her efforts to recognize the hard work and dedication of Benjamin Ferencz by naming a post office in his honor. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of World War II and the Holocaust, Mr. Ferencz bravely prosecuted Nazis during the Nuremberg trials. Mr. Ferencz' family fled Jewish persecution in Romania and immigrated to the United States when he was just a baby. He later studied law and joined the U.S. Army. Through his military service and his tireless pursuit of justice at the Nuremberg trials, he proved himself to be a true American patriot. At a time of rising anti-Semitism, both globally and in this country, it is crucial to honor Mr. Ferencz. He fought to hold accountable those responsible for anti-Semitic actions that led to the unprecedented murder of 6 million innocent Jews. Today, as I mentioned, we are seeing a frightening rise of anti- Semitism all across our country and around the globe, and we are seeing the growth of Holocaust deniers, people who deny that the 6 million Jews were murdered in cold blood. These are people who blame these deaths on the victims themselves. We are seeing victim blaming in other instances of anti-Semitism--for example, what just happened in Amsterdam. Ben Ferencz knew the truth of what happened, and he was willing to hold people accountable. As the first Jewish Member of Congress elected from my home State of North Carolina, it is both a privilege and an honor to recognize a fellow Jew who served his country and his people with distinction and honor. Mr. Ferencz was the embodiment of the Biblical instruction: ``Justice, justice you shall pursue.'' Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Ms. Frankel, for her efforts to make sure this post office is named for such a deserving honoree.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from North Carolina, Representative Wiley Nickel, for holding this Special Order hour so that we can talk about such an important issue, an issue that strikes at the very heart of our democracy, and that is gerrymandering. Last year, in my State of North Carolina, the Republican-led general assembly passed blatantly gerrymandered congressional districts engineered with one clear purpose: to reduce the number of Democrats in Congress. These new maps deliberately distort the will of the people, systematically diluting the votes of Democratic-leaning areas, like my district. Communities of interest were split, districts were manipulated with surgical precision, leaving many voters voiceless in the very communities they call home. In my own Sixth District, the city of Greensboro, a city of 300,000 people, was split into three parts. Each piece combined with farflung, ruby-red, rural districts. The majority of Greensboro was drawn into a district stretching across 10 counties all the way to the Tennessee border. In doing so, the new maps also separate the heart of Greensboro from High Point and from Winston-Salem, effectively dismantling a triad district, a community of interest that deserves cohesive representation. Remarkably, and not coincidentally, the newly drawn Sixth District gives a 16-point advantage to a Republican candidate over a Democratic one. As someone who has lived in Greensboro for four decades, I am outraged by the brazen disregard Republicans in Raleigh have shown the citizens of my district. Let's be clear. This is not democracy at work. This is political manipulation at its worst, designed not to represent the people but for partisan gain. I want to give a little bit of history about how ridiculous this gerrymandering is and what has taken place, because the Republican-led legislature in North Carolina did the exact same thing in 2021. Despite their own statements that they would keep communities of interest together and avoid splitting counties, they drew a map back then that split my former triad district into three pieces and split two counties. My constituents brought a lawsuit. The North Carolina Supreme Court found that the partisan gerrymandering, which the court found, based on presentations by esteemed statisticians and computer experts and other experts, that extreme gerrymandering was done with surgical precision and that that violated the North Carolina State Constitution. The court ordered the maps to be redrawn, and eventually they had to appoint a three-judge panel to redraw fair maps. That panel, two Republicans and one Democrat, redrew the maps to keep communities of interest together and to avoid splitting counties. The result? In a truly purple State, where voters have just elected--well, I am going to come back to that. In a truly purple State, the voters elected seven Republicans and seven Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, that was in 2021. What happened to those same maps in 2023? That same North Carolina Supreme Court that found that gerrymandering was not allowed under the North Carolina State constitution was now dominated by Republicans, and they actually reversed their prior decision. They decided that extreme partisan gerrymandering is just fine in the State of North Carolina. There were no new facts, no new communities of interest, no new counties, no new law, no new North Carolina constitution, just new Republican Supreme Court judges. The result of those new maps drawn with no guardrails by our Republican-dominated general assembly, well, North Carolina, the State that just elected a Democratic Governor, a Democratic Lieutenant Governor, a Democratic attorney general, a Democratic secretary of state, and a Democratic superintendent of public instruction will, next term, have 10 Republicans and only 4 Democrats in the House of Representatives. Thanks to the hypocrisy of our supreme court, the elected officials of our State have decided whom they want to represent rather than allowing the voters to decide whom they want to represent them. In a democracy, the voters should choose who represents them, not the other way around. That is why I was so proud to join my fellow North Carolinian Democratic delegation colleagues, including Congressmen Wiley Nickel and Jeff Jackson, whose seats were also targeted by the partisan Republican gerrymander, to introduce the Redistricting Transparency and Accountability Act. I thank my colleague, Representative Wiley Nickel, for that legislation. The legislation goes after the partisan, secretive redistricting process, which, in North Carolina, Republicans used to overhaul the balanced, fair maps that I described earlier that were in place for the 2022 election by enhancing public input and increasing transparency in the map-drawing process. The maps this time around were drawn in secret with no legitimate public input. Additionally, I am proud to cosponsor the Freedom to Vote Act, which seeks to put an end to partisan gerrymandering once and for all. This critical legislation will ensure that all North Carolinians, Republicans and Democrats alike, have the right to fair representation. While these gerrymandered maps will prevent me from continuing to serve my constituents in Congress, the fight for fair districts is far from over. Madam Speaker, I want to take a moment to thank the hundreds of constituents who have called me, texted me, written letters, emailed me, and stopped me in the public streets to tell me how disgusted they are by the extreme partisan gerrymandering that will prevent me from continuing to represent them. I appreciate their support. I want them to know what a true privilege it has been for me to represent them and the communities I love so much in the Sixth District of North Carolina. I will continue to stand with all those who fight for a system where every voter's voice is heard and every vote truly counts.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this has been an unimaginable and agonizing time for the Ukrainian people, especially for the Ukrainian children who, sadly, have been pawns in this terrible war. It has been agonizing for adoptive parents like those we heard about today who have been waiting to give some of these children warm and loving homes. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is about doing what is right for Ukraine and for the children of Ukraine who have already endured such tragedy and hardship. By working with Ukraine to reopen pathways for intercountry adoption, we are extending a lifeline to children who have been caught in the crossfire of an unjust war. Let's make sure that, even in the darkest of times, we are creating pathways to brighten futures. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H. Res. 915, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Norcross), my friend and the lead Democrat on this important resolution.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 915, urging the Government of Ukraine to review and modify its decision to suspend adoption by foreign nationals with a view to resuming such adoptions, particularly in cases where the mutual concerns of the Governments of Ukraine and the United States can be substantially addressed. In the beginning of this Congress, my colleague from Texas and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman McCaul, held a number of hearings that underlined the evil actions and aims of Russia's war against Ukraine. We looked at oversight issues, questions regarding strategic goals, and other aspects of U.S. support for Ukraine. All of that committee work was designed to shore up support for the freedom of Ukrainians ahead of difficult decisions and difficult votes about the United States' support for Ukraine's sovereignty and its ability to defend itself against wanton, unjustified Russian assaults. One of the fundamental reasons to support Ukraine in this war boils down to truth and justice, whether we will decry the depravity of Putin's actions in Ukraine or whether we will look away. No other issue brings this better into focus than the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukraine's children to camps promoting indoctrination. These are brutal war crimes, plain and simple. We were able to meet some of these children who were able to escape Russia at a committee hearing, and it was heartbreaking. Due to Russia's renewed war of aggression, Ukraine limited intercountry adoptions, including Americans seeking to adopt Ukrainian children. On June 1, 2023, the Government of Ukraine amended its suspension of adoptions by allowing relatives of orphaned children to adopt. Ukraine is also processing intercountry adoptions for persons who have already received an official referral from its National Social Service to adopt. We must recognize the positive steps that Ukraine has taken to permit intercountry adoptions while promoting the welfare and safety of Ukrainian orphans. I commend the Ukrainian Government and the Department of State for working to address such concerns, including by allowing American families the opportunity to adopt Ukrainian children and provide them a second chance at a life free of the miseries of war. Furthermore, in March 2024, the United States, under President Biden's leadership, was proud to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. The goal is to ensure the safe return of all Ukrainian children who have been unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred by Russia to Russia and to promote accountability for those responsible. Unfortunately, this Russian war has left Ukraine wounded, its families destroyed, and its children orphaned. H. Res. 915 paves the way for a path forward, empowering the Department of State to continue its diplomatic engagements with the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy, the National Social Service of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington to help provide these children with families to help raise them. I encourage my colleagues to join in supporting this measure, in supporting freedom and democracy for Ukraine, its people and its children, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purposes of closing. Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank my dear friend and colleague, Representative Chris Smith, for not just his work, but his passion on this critically important issue and his work for many, many years to combat anti-Semitism. I greatly value our friendship. Mr. Speaker, throughout history, the persecution, expulsion, torture, and murder of Jews has not just destroyed Jews and their vibrant communities, it has brought decay and destruction to the countries that have committed those atrocities. Sadly, we are seeing that happen today, even as we see Jews being blamed for their own destruction by their evil perpetrators. We must learn from history. Mr. Speaker, this resolution condemns the frightening rise of anti- Semitism we are seeing today across the world in civilized communities. This resolution calls on countries around the globe to take specific actions to combat anti-Semitism by endorsing and embracing the landmark Global Guidelines for Countering Anti-Semitism. Throughout history, as Jews were persecuted and tormented and expelled and murdered, those acts were perpetrated, fermented, and allowed by governments. Today, we have a different scenario because here in the United States, our government is standing firm against anti-Semitism and joining in the fight to combat anti-Semitism. With these guidelines, we ask countries around the globe, we ask their governments, to join us in combating this horrific rise of anti- Semitism. Once again, I thank my Republican cosponsor, Chris Smith, for his leadership and for his bipartisan cooperation. I thank all of the leadership and my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as the leadership in Congress for bringing this resolution so swiftly to the House floor for a vote. Now, more than ever, the United States and countries around the world must stand strong and must stand together in the fight against anti- Semitism and all forms of hatred. I urge my colleagues to stand up and stand with me in supporting H. Res. 1449. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in strong support of H. Res. 1449, a bipartisan House resolution I introduced with my dear friend, Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, supporting global efforts to counter anti-Semitism. It has been an honor to serve alongside Representative Smith as a co- chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. I thank House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Greg Meeks for their leadership and support in advancing this important measure through committee and to the House floor. Mr. Speaker, we know that anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world. We know what a threat this is not just to the Jewish community but also to democracies around the world and to the very fabric of our own societies. Today, not even 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, anti- Semitism has grown, taken on new forms, and spread to more parts of the world. As we have seen since the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, anti- Semitism around the world has skyrocketed. That explosion of anti-Semitism started on October 8, long before the IDF went into Gaza. In fact, it started while Hamas terrorists were still in Israel, attacking innocent civilians. We saw shocking anti-Semitism rear its ugly head in Amsterdam earlier this month, where a violent mob planned a coordinated attack on Jews who attended a soccer match with an Israeli soccer team. It is deeply chilling that this attack happened around the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, and as the specter of violence against Jews in Europe rises again. It is equally chilling that the perpetrators of that violence live streamed their atrocities. Here in the United States, FBI data shows that anti-Jewish hate crimes increased in 2023 by nearly 63 percent from 2022, totaling the highest number recorded in almost three decades. We are talking about violence, destruction, and the murder of Jews in this country simply because they are Jews. Jewish Americans make up only 2 percent of the U.S. population, yet anti-Semitic hate crimes account for more than 15 percent of all hate crimes reported by the FBI and two-thirds of all religious-based hate crimes. Even though we face a significant global challenge, we must not despair. We must take action. We must continue to make progress in the fight against anti-Semitism through resolutions like this one. In 2004, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the OSCE, acknowledged that anti-Semitism assumed new forms and posed a new threat to security and stability in the region. In 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance built international consensus around a valuable working definition of anti- Semitism. In recent years, many countries around the world have appointed special envoys or coordinators or advanced national strategies to deal with the rise of hate against Jews. In 2021, Congress passed--and President Trump signed into law-- bipartisan, bicameral legislation to elevate the position of U.S. Special Envoy to the rank of ambassador. In 2023, the Biden administration issued the first-ever ``U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.'' This July, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt unveiled the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, a new landmark international framework for acting against anti-Semitism, which countries around the world can sign on to and embrace. I commend my good friend, Ambassador Lipstadt, and her team at the State Department for their excellent work on these guidelines. We now have a multilateral international framework that can provide guidance to other governments and to our own embassies about our shared obligation and responsibility to counter anti-Semitism. This includes clearly and unequivocally condemning anti-Semitism, providing physical protection and security for Jewish communities, enforcing hate crimes laws, and educating future generations about the Holocaust and the long history of conspiracy theories and hate targeting Jews. I am pleased that more than 40 countries and international bodies have already endorsed these guidelines, and we are working hard to make sure that more countries in different regions join them in the coming months. H. Res. 1449 condemns the rise of anti-Semitism in many countries around the world, expresses our support for the global guidelines and other international efforts to counter anti-Semitism, and it calls on more countries around the world to endorse and embrace these guidelines. I thank our colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support. What we are doing today is just the start, but we must do more. I deeply appreciate the leadership on both sides of the aisle and the commitment to this issue. Before coming to Congress, I was fortunate to be involved in efforts to protect Jewish communities around the world for decades. Working together to make real progress in this fight, and on an issue where we can find agreement, has been a real highlight in my career and my time in Congress. Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitism is wrong. It is dangerous. It deserves to be condemned, countered, and eradicated by all governments around the world. That is the purpose of our bipartisan resolution. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the U.S.-Philippines alliance is imperative to both our security and the security of the Indo-Pacific region. Today, the Philippines is on the front lines in Beijing's attempts to flout international law and upend the status quo in the South China Sea. As Philippine vessels face threat and intimidation from Beijing, we must work together to ensure that our friends are not alone and that they do not waver. By agreeing to H. Res. 837, we can send a clear message: The United States stands with the Philippines against Beijing's coercion and intimidation as we work to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H. Res. 837. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), a very strong supporter of our partners in the Pacific.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and a strong supporter of the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 837, which reaffirms the vital partnership between the United States and the Philippines. I thank Delegate Moylan and Representative Bobby Scott for bringing forward this important and timely resolution. The relationship between our two democracies is more than just a longstanding alliance; it is a cornerstone for stability in the Indo- Pacific region. Over the past year, Beijing has persistently and illegally bullied the Philippines in the South China Sea. The Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia have intensified their harassment of Philippine fishing vessels in contested waters as well as within the Philippines' own exclusive economic zone. Chinese security forces have used water cannons, wielded axes and machetes, engaged in ramming and blocking maneuvers, and interfered with humanitarian supply missions of the Philippine Coast Guard. These actions are dangerous and unacceptable. Beijing's military coercion and provocation threaten the Philippines' sovereignty as well as peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Philippine President Marcos has spoken passionately about the daily harassment faced by his nation's fishermen and coast guard at the hands of China's maritime militia, coast guard, and navy. His message has been clear: The Philippines need international support to uphold international law and safeguard its sovereignty. By passing this resolution today, we are offering that support. Amidst Beijing's flagrant and irresponsible actions, H. Res. 837 makes clear that the United States stands with the Philippines and reaffirms our commitment to defending the Philippines in the event of an armed attack against it. The resolution also upholds the importance of freedom of navigation and the rule of law on the seas, condemns the PRC's dangerous tactics, and rejects its unlawful maritime claims. Over the past 4 years, the Biden administration has strengthened our alliance with the Philippines. We have bolstered our interoperability with the Philippines Armed Forces through a vital expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement to four new sites. The United States has also promoted partner collaboration with the Philippines, principally by hosting President Marcos in D.C. for the inaugural U.S.-Philippines-Japan Trilateral Summit and strengthening security coordination with Australia, Japan, and the Philippines. Congress also did its part by passing the critical National Security Supplemental earlier this year with funds for our partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific. Passing this resolution advances those efforts by reaffirming the alliance, as well as our shared resolve to uphold peace, stability, and the rule of law in the region. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, this resolution shines a critical light on the lives, opportunities, and cultures lost in Iraq due to ISIS' campaign of terror. The State Department rightfully declared ISIS responsible for genocide in 2016, but Congress had been too late to respond. The Yezidis, Shabak, as well as Chaldean, Syriac, and Assyrian Christians deserve equitable representation in the recorded history of Iraqi society. I am proud to stand with my bipartisan colleagues in supporting Iraqi religious and ethnic minorities who, for too long, have gone unnoticed. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H. Res. 554, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin), my good friend and fellow Michigander, the author of this important resolution.

Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 554, affirming the nature and importance of the support of the United States for the religious and ethnic minority survivors of genocide in Iraq, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this resolution introduced by Representative Slotkin, which shines a much-needed spotlight on the significant contributions of Iraq's religious and ethnic minority communities, as well as the profound suffering they have endured. Iraq is home to a rich tapestry of communities, each contributing to the nation's cultural heritage. Among them are the Yazidis, Shabak, and Chaldean, Syriac, and Assyrian Christians. These groups are not just a part of Iraq's history, but they are integral to its identity. The persecution faced by these communities is well-documented, especially during the rise of ISIS. The brutal terrorist group committed unimaginable horrors against Iraq's minorities. The list of atrocities is long: kidnappings, torture, public executions, arbitrary detentions, and systematic rape. The scale of this cruelty led the State Department, under Secretary Kerry in 2016, to formally declare ISIS' actions as genocide and crimes against humanity. While the territorial defeat of ISIS was achieved through the courageous efforts of the Iraqi Security Forces with critical support from the United States and our international partners, efforts at recovery are far from over. Many of the communities that suffered most during ISIS' reign of terror continue to face challenges in rebuilding their homes, reclaiming their heritage, and securing representation in Iraq's national fabric. This bipartisan resolution is a testament to the resilience of these communities and a call to action. It acknowledges the immense suffering they have endured, recognizes their invaluable contributions to Iraqi society, and underscores the need for continued U.S. engagement. This resolution is not just about remembering the past, but it is about supporting a future where these communities can thrive once again. It emphasizes the importance of rebuilding, not just physically, but also restoring the cultural and historic sites that are central to their identity. I extend my gratitude to Representatives Slotkin and James for their leadership on this critical issue. Let us stand together in support of this resolution, which not only honors the legacy of Iraq's diverse communities, but also reaffirms our commitment to their future. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.