Lucy McBath

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank so much, once again, our esteemed colleague Representative Jennifer McClellan from Virginia who consistently, over and over again, has always been steadfast in holding Special Order hours for the Congressional Black Caucus. She understands the relevance and the importance of our history and all that this means to communities of color that we make sure that we have our say here on the House floor and all these words are kept in the record for perpetuity. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues and the CBC for hosting tonight's CBC Special Order hour to honor what we all know is a really, really great man. I think everyone, whether you are Republican or Democrat, has always understood the importance of having John Lewis as our esteemed colleague. It is hard to believe that it has been 6 years since the passing of our dear friend and colleague Congressman John Lewis, or as he would always say, ``I am the boy from Troy.'' Despite years lacking his presence, his spirit and his soul still fill this Chamber every single day. There are so many of my colleagues that continue to use his words and his phrases and his thoughts every single day as they want to be able to emulate the work that he has done for democracy, the work that he has done for the United States of America on behalf of every community in America. Renowned as the conscience of Congress--and I don't think there will be anyone else ever to come along in this esteemed body, for years to come, long after we are all gone, that can ever be revered as the conscience of Congress--John leaves behind a legacy that serves as a guiding light toward what is right and what is just in America. In a world where Federal protections for communities indeed are under constant attack every single day, where the Voting Rights Act is being systematically dismantled, and where some children born today have fewer protections than their parents had, it has never been more important to let his words guide our actions. As John would often say, and it has been quoted a million times over, we have a moral obligation, a mission, and a mandate to do what we can to make our country and our world a better place, and to help usher in a loving community where no one is left out or left behind. John was probably one of the only politicians that I truly believe lived by those words and was absolutely unafraid to do what was necessary to realize them, no matter if he was marching for freedom in Selma or sitting in on the House floor in support of safer gun laws. I remember that night so distinctly because at that time, I was the national spokesperson for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. While all of my now colleagues were sitting on the House floor asking for background checks for all gun sales, asking for safer communities, legislation that would keep our families safe, I was on the outside leading the rally, leading the charge for the very same thing. John reminded each of us of the importance of getting into good, necessary trouble. You will hear that said by my colleagues again and again because the trouble is absolutely necessary. John's story is one of faith. It is one of resilience and perpetual belief that it is our responsibility--especially those of us who serve in this body--to fight for the change that we wish to see, that our constituents and our communities are crying out for. From the son of Alabama sharecroppers to a renowned civil rights activist to a Member of Congress, John's life was a true testament to the American Dream. He embraced a country that did not always embrace him because he believed in the promise of a better tomorrow and was willing to fight for it. He was willing to even die for it. He fought for it on the streets of Montgomery. He fought for it while bruised and bloodied on a bridge in Selma. He fought for it for 33 years representing his community in the Halls of Congress. He was a mentor to me when I first came to this Chamber ready to make life better for families in Georgia. In fact, I remember the very first day I was here, after I was sworn in. The Democratic Caucus always welcomes the brand-new Members. It was John, who was the leader of our delegation, who introduced me to the entire Democratic Caucus. That moment was so monumental for me, so monumental for me that I had the John Lewis, our civil rights icon, introduce me to the Democratic Caucus as one of his very own. It takes my breath away even to this day. I will never forget the day that he accompanied me and other survivors of gun violence and those who have lost loved ones as we marched our way over to Senator Mitch McConnell's office. We were demanding that he pay heed to our stories, that he pay attention to the hundreds of thousands of people in this country that are dying unnecessarily to gun violence every single day. I remember dancing with John Lewis. He loved to dance. Despite everything that happened to him in his life, he believed in the good of man. He believed in the best of man. That joy came through whenever he was with organizations and people that had come to celebrate all the work that he had done. He would celebrate and give them love through dance. I remember even before I came to Congress, I asked John, when I was national spokesperson for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America in Atlanta, I was holding a rally and asked him if he would be my keynote speaker, never imagining he would say yes. Never in a million years did I believe that John Lewis would listen to me, just an average mom who had lost her own son to gun violence, but just asking for a little bit of his time. He came and spoke at my rally. One thing I know about John is he always showed up for people, the people. They were his cause. Democracy was his cause. Freedom was his cause. At this moment in our Nation's history, we draw upon the wisdom of his words and look to his legacy for strength and guidance as we carry the torch that he lit for civil and human rights, for not only people of color but for everyone in America. Because even today, we painfully have to be reminded that our work is still unfinished and not everybody in this country has been set free. Before we mourn the death of John Lewis, we grieve the loss of the Federal protections the Voting Rights Act once afforded every American in this country, rights that John nearly gave his life for long before he ever had the chance to even serve in Congress. Since his passing, those protections have eroded further, and the struggle to protect voting rights continues in his name here with legislation, back home in my home State of Georgia, and in State legislatures all across this country. Progress is rarely linear. Despite this tumultuous time in our Nation's history, John's story reminds us that the fight to make our country a better place is never-ending. It is generation after generation. There is no end. It was one of the greatest honors of my life to be his colleague and a fellow member of Georgia's congressional delegation. Let's not forget the impact that he had on our country because his legacy is what guides us towards the future. It was a pure legacy for everyone in this country. John cared so deeply about what he used to say all the time was the Beloved Community. The members of the CBC that I am so blessed to be able to serve with, we are always going to carry that mantle. That is our charge: to carry that mantle, uplifting the community that he loved so much. We will continue to speak up, and we are going to continue to speak out against bigotry, against hatred, inequity, and injustice because that is what we know best. As people of color, that is what we know best. So we will continue to speak up against all of these forms of inequity. In all of its forms, we will continue to fight against it. This will always be our charge, as we are tasked to be the protectors and the armor-bearers of democracy.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia so very much for holding this Special Order hour on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, but more so, because this is National Gun Violence Awareness Month, and I am very, very aware of this month. I make time and effort every single year during this month to continue to highlight the scourge of gun violence in America as a public health crisis. I thank the gentlewoman very much for hosting this Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Gun Violence Awareness Month to address a crisis that continues to devastate our families and communities all across our Nation. For far too many Americans, especially Black Americans and other marginalized groups, gun violence is not an abstract policy debate. Gun violence is a daily threat, a lived reality, and, too often, a source of unimaginable pain and loss. For me, this mission is deeply, deeply personal. Nearly 14 years ago, my son, Jordan, was taken from me by senseless gun violence. I know that I have told the story a thousand times on this floor to this body, and I will continue to do so because his life and his story do matter. My son was simply going shopping with his friends, from one mall to the next. They stopped at a convenience store gas station to get chewing gum because my son Jordan said: If we are going to pick up girls at the next mall, we have to have fresh breath. They stopped at a convenience store gas station in Jacksonville, Florida. Within 3\1/2\ minutes, a man drives up next to them and parks next to them, on the passenger's side. He labels the boys gangbangers and thugs, and racially profiles them because of the music that they were playing. He started a verbal altercation with the boys, in particular, my son, Jordan. My son, as I had trained him to do, defended himself. He basically said: We are not bothering you. We are not doing anything wrong. We are just playing music. Can you just roll up your window? This man proceeds to tell him: You can't talk to me that way. He took his gun out of his glove box, got out of his car, and took a shooter's stance. As the boys were trying to move out of the line of fire and backing out of the parking lot, he took a shooter's stance and shot 10 bullets into their car. Three of those bullets hit my son, and he lay dying in the back seat of the car, in his friend's arms. Thank God, the other boys were not hurt. I recount this story over and over and over and over again because there is no measure of time that can dull this open wound and this pain. My son Jordan's memory inspires me to ensure that there is no other parent in this country who will ever have to endure what I have endured and what so many families in the United States continue to endure. We often talk about the lives of people who are lost. We rarely acknowledge the lives saved and people who are still with us because someone intervened or because a program worked. As my colleague has expressed, all the work that we did with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has saved lives. That is because the community stepped in before a trigger was actually pulled. We can't quantify those victories, but we know that they matter. We know that they worked. They remind us that prevention is possible, but more so that prevention is absolutely necessary. The pandemic revealed just how quickly gun violence can escalate. In 2020, the United States experienced the largest single-year increase in homicides in modern history. That spike was not inevitable. It was a warning about what happens when communities' safeguards and resources are strained, taken away, or diminished. In 2021, we passed the American Rescue Plan Act. We delivered $350 billion to State and local governments, including $15 billion specifically for public safety and violence prevention. These dollars helped cities hire crisis responders and people who were doing work for gun violence intervention on the ground. They were targeting those elements in our communities that precipitated a lot of the gun violence. They were expanding community violence intervention programs in America. In 2022, we passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It is the most significant, comprehensive gun violence legislation we have ever enacted in this country. It strengthened our background checks, cracked down on gun trafficking, and invested in mental health and community safety initiatives. These were meaningful steps forward. They were making a difference. Yet, instead of building on these protections, the Trump administration has used the last 18 months to dismantle these safeguards and make it easier for dangerous individuals to have access to firearms. These choices have put American lives at risk, and they undermine the progress the communities fought so hard to achieve. Our work is far from finished. Gun violence remains one of the most urgent public health crises of our day. It is a public health crisis. We cannot allow the voices of our survivors, our families, and frontline communities to be drowned out or to be dismissed. I remain committed to advancing legislation that protects our children, strengthens our neighborhoods, and prevents the next tragedy from happening. I am so proud to continue to fight alongside my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and gun sense champions here in Congress who have long led the charge for justice and equity. Shortly after my son was murdered, I, along with other mothers of the movement, as we were called--it was the mother of Trayvon Martin, the mother of Hadiya Pendleton, the mother of Eric Garner, the mother of Michael Brown, the mother of Dontre Hamilton, and, of course, my son, Jordan. We had the very rare opportunity to travel around the country with Secretary Clinton, who was then running in the 2016 campaign for President. We were allowed to campaign alongside her as the face of gun violence in America. That is the first time in the history of any campaign that gun violence survivors and victims were allowed to tell their stories, were allowed to remind Americans of the scourge of gun violence, and that no one in this country, at any point in time, is immune from being hurt by unnecessary gun violence. In this country, the industrialized United States of America, you are 25 times more likely to die by gun violence. In this country, our children are dying by gun violence, because it is the leading cause for them to die by unsecured firearms in households. We are the most violent industrialized nation in the world. Our children suffer from the trauma of lockdown drills, not drills for tornadoes or hurricanes. They are traumatized by those alone, even if there is not an incident in their schools. There is violence in every corner of the United States, in every district. Every Member in this body has constituents who have been hurt, maimed, affected, or influenced by gun violence. We have domestic violence by gun, suicide by gun, child deaths by gun, and homicide by gun. Gun violence in America is a public health crisis, and it should be dealt with as such. Gun violence prevention is not about infringing upon people's Second Amendment rights. It is about sensible gun ownership, about law-abiding citizens having access to firearms to hunt and to be gun enthusiasts, but also having a balance to make sure we are preventing people from being hurt, maimed, and suffering from gun violence. We owe it, I owe it, to every family member touched by gun violence and to every family that we can still protect to meet this moment with courage and conviction. People are crying out, and how dare we, this body, be deaf to it? If we say we are going to be pro-life, pro-life isn't just about what happens in the womb. Pro-life is about existing life and people having the ability to live in their communities and their homes and our children to go to their schools and live in their neighborhoods without being afraid of being gunned down. That is pro-life. So as a survivor of gun violence, I have vowed to my deceased son and to every survivor that I have met over the years to never ever let this body forget and to never let anyone forget our responsibility to keeping them safe. Mr. Speaker, I will do my part, and I pray that this body has the courage to do theirs.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia, our esteemed colleague and our good friend, Representative McClellan, for her historical context, for telling the truth, and for always, always standing up to defend the democracy and the rights of African Americans. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Juneteenth and reflect on this enduring significance for Black Americans and, in particular, for this Nation. On June 19, 1865, more than 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that they were free. Juneteenth stands as a powerful reminder that freedom, justice, and equality have never ever been guaranteed in the United States. They have been hard-fought and hard-won. As we prepare to celebrate our Nation's 250th anniversary, Juneteenth calls on us not only to honor the resilience and sacrifices of those who came before us, but also to confront the work that remains unfinished. While we celebrate progress, we cannot ignore the challenges facing Black communities today. Recent developments, including the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais and the rollback of programs and resources that have helped expand opportunity and representation, remind us that progress is not inevitable. It requires vigilance. We cannot ignore the urgency of this moment. Many programs that expanded educational access, strengthened healthcare, and supported affordability for working families are being rolled back under this administration's policies. These setbacks deepen inequities and threaten hard-won gains. That is why we must continue pouring into the programs and community- led efforts that uplift Black families. By uplifting Black families, we are uplifting all families in America. At every step, we have a responsibility to speak out against policies that undermine opportunity. The pursuit of equal justice demands our continued commitment. Yet, Juneteenth is ultimately a story of hope. It is a testament to the strength, perseverance, and determination of generations who refused to give up on the promise of America. As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to continue to do this work, whether you want to do it or not. I remain committed to working alongside my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus and across this Nation to advance policies that promote equity, expand opportunity, and strengthen our democracy for future generations. I hope that everyone in Congress would be willing to honor the legacy of Juneteenth, not only through remembrance but through action. I grew up in the civil rights movement. At the tender age of 3, I was in the stroller at the March on Washington, so fighting for civil rights is not just talk because I understand that faith without works is dead. What I do understand is that, in this body, we profess to be Christians. We profess to be people of faith. Yet, at the same time, on one hand we profess to be Christian, and on the other hand, we want to break down the barriers, break down all the hard-earned work, break down the legislation, and break down the policies, the safety nets, and all the work that has been done through the civil rights movement. We want to break it down. Individuals who have worked and toiled in this country to be free yet again, in 2026, are fighting for their freedom. In this country, we are under a great assault on our ability to be able to vote. Democracy stands right now in a place where I never ever thought that I would ever see again in my lifetime. All the civil rights leaders and people who gave their lives, volunteers and foot soldiers, for the ability for African Americans and all people of color in this country to be able to exercise their right to vote is completely under assault. I truly believe that our civil rights leaders would roll over in their graves if they knew the assault on democracy and what we are dealing with in today's Congress. It is unconscionable what is happening here. It is despicable what is happening here. It is deplorable what is happening here. The Constitution affords every man and woman the ability to be able to exercise their right to vote, to exercise what is important to them. It gives them the ability to be able to live the American Dream and work for the American Dream to be educated, to be given affordable, quality healthcare, and to live in affordable housing. This Congress and the United States continue to strip away the voting rights of African Americans. That is truly at stake. Where is the promise? What promise is being kept by this Constitution and by the Declaration of Independence? The words of the Congressional Black Caucus continue to fall on deaf ears here in these Chambers. Shame on America. Shame on the body. I pray every single day. I pray over every Member in this body. I pray for wisdom for our colleagues. I pray for the strength to stand and defend democracy and do the right thing. That is because democracy is for everyone in the United States, and we don't get to pick and choose who has access and who doesn't. They don't get to pick and choose who gets to have a vote and who doesn't. We don't get to pick and choose who has healthcare and who doesn't. We don't get to pick and choose who has access to a good public education and who doesn't. I, along with the Congressional Black Caucus, will stand and defend our ability to be able to hold dear and hold fast to what was promised to us by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. As the great woman from Virginia just mentioned, we are not backing down.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH.--or even do something as basic as telling the truth. This bill makes it easier for this administration to make unilateral decisions at a time when Americans want accountability. I encourage my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Education and Workforce Committee for yielding. Stealing from those who need it most is especially egregious, and I can agree with my colleagues on that. But I can't agree with allowing them to punish those that have been defrauded for a second time because that is what this bill really does. It has the same impact on people as fraud. At the end of the day, the families who these dollars are really meant for, they are not going to get them. They are not going to get the dollars that they need. Instead, the money will have gone to thieves or to nobody at all. The outcome is just the same. The people who have the least are always the ones who pay the price. In Psalms, since so many profess to be Christians here, the Lord says that because the poor are plundered, that because the greedy groan, He will rise. But God cannot take action on his own. He has given us free will. It is through our hands that his vision for a just world becomes truth. Instead of rising to help the plundered, to help the poor, this only plunders them for a second time. This is clearly more about giving the Trump administration more power to punish their political enemies than it is about preventing fraud. Instead of following the law, allowing the process to play out, this bill gives the Secretary personal discretion to investigate and punish fraud. This President and his allies stop at nothing to punish people who disagree with them. This administration has not hesitated to not only kill people for speaking out and protesting against the government but to slander their memory after they are gone. They will tell lies about you and your family to the entire country to justify the unjustifiable, just like they did about Renee Good and Alex Pretti. When my son Jordan was killed in a shooting, the same man who pulled the trigger tried to justify it by lying about who my son really was. He said that there was a gun in the car when there wasn't; that Jordan was a thug, and he wasn't; that my son and his friends were doing things that they really weren't doing. I thank God every single day that those lies never caught on, but I remember how insulting that was. I remember thinking: You took my child from me, and now you are going to lie about who he really was just to try to get away with it? The Trump administration has proven that they cannot be trusted to do the right thing on their own--

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I will vote ``no'' on this egregious bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, if you really care about veterans, then do what is right for them. Do what is right for their safety and their protection.

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for allowing me to share some insight today. Mr. Speaker, as an American and someone coming from a military family--my father was a dentist in the Army Dental Corps, and I still have three members of my family today who are currently serving in the military forces--I can tell you that our veterans have given so much of themselves to this country. We owe them our protection. The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act fails that duty. It does not protect them, and it puts them in danger. The facts are clear. Veterans are far more likely to die by firearm suicide than the average American. That risk is even higher for veterans assigned a fiduciary when they can no longer manage their own affairs. That is the group that this bill targets. Nearly 100,000 of them would be removed from the background check system with no thought for their safety or the families who love and care for them. Without red flag laws in most States, and with loosened gun rules and regulations that are flooding our communities, veterans and their families are the ones who are paying the price. Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what this price looks like. Ben Miller served his country, coming home not only as a combat vet but as a different man. He was 30 pounds lighter, unable to eat and unable to cope with what he had experienced and seen in war. He was getting help at the VA, but his family could see that he was in crisis. His sister and his father drove from gun store to gun store, showing his photo, begging strangers not to sell him a gun. However, that wasn't enough. Ben died by suicide. He used a gun that he bought himself at a local store. There are thousands more stories like Ben's and ones that don't even get talked about in the news. We owe our veterans more than this. It is not about taking away their Second Amendment rights if they are law- abiding gun owners: hunters, gun enthusiasts, and sportsmen. It is not about taking their guns away. It is about making sure that they are protected against harm against themselves or others in their families and their communities.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1252, memorializing law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. This week--National Police Week--is an opportunity for Congress to show our appreciation to the men and women in law enforcement, and express our gratitude for their integrity, sacrifice, and service. Every day, these brave individuals put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. They protect us and devote themselves to the pursuit of justice. To each of them, we say, ``thank you.'' We especially honor those who lost their lives while striving to make our neighborhoods safer and more secure. At the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, the names of many Georgians are inscribed among the more than 20,000 men and women who have died while serving their communities. Sadly, 363 more names will be added to the memorial this year. These have been particularly hard times for Georgia's law enforcement community. We have lost several officers in the last 18 months and I include in the Record their names: Spalding County Sheriff's Office Deputy and U.S. Army veteran, Joe Crumpton; Officer David Rose of the Dekalb County Police Department; Columbia County Sheriffs Office Deputy and Army veteran, Brandon Sikes; South Fulton Police Department Lieutenant and former United States Marine, Helio Garcia III; Officer Jeremy Labonte [Lah-BON-tee] of the Roswell Police Department; Hahira Police Officer Caleb Abney: and Gwinnett County Police Officer Pradeep Tamang. We remember them and their families and offer our sincerest condolences. Mr. Speaker, I hope we all take this week to pause and truly contemplate the sacrifices made by these courageous men and women, who go to work every day, regardless of the risk. God bless them and their families.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8352, the Criminal History Access Act of 2026. This legislation would improve the vetting of state and local law enforcement officers, and I thank Congressman Schmidt and Congresswoman Ross for working together to craft a straightforward. bipartisan bill. The public counts on our law enforcement agencies to set a high standard for who may become a law enforcement officer. Each state uses a peace officer standards and training agency, or POST agency, to help set the standards and training requirements that a person must meet in order to be eligible to be hired and determine whether candidates actually meet those requirements. Under current law, law enforcement agencies can access the criminal history records of those who apply to be law enforcement officers, but POST agencies cannot. This means that POST agencies must rely on the hiring agency to pass along information about a person's criminal history which might disqualify them from service. This creates an opportunity for mistakes. Those who work on this issue regularly have told us that candidates with disqualifying criminal histories have been hired as law enforcement officers when they should not have. This bill would provide another check against this problem by allowing POST agencies to access criminal history records, which they can use as they assist in vetting and certifying state and local law enforcement officers. This bill is supported by several law enforcement focused organizations, including the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, the Major County Sheriffs Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies. I support this targeted bill to improve the vetting of law enforcement officers which will in turn promote trust and improve public safety.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5625, the Cashless Bail Reporting Act. This bill directs the Attorney General to put together a public list of every State and local court that allows cashless bail. While I think that this bill doesn't actually do very much, I hope that its passage will help to at least cut through some of the red tape, the partisan rhetoric, and the fear-mongering that we keep hearing about cashless bail, the system of bail that is used in our Federal courts and that this body actually has the jurisdiction over. I want to reiterate over and over again that public safety is not a red or a blue issue. We need to stop making it that way. It is an American issue that affects everyone here. We have to remember that the United States Constitution leaves it directly to the States. We talk all the time about States' rights. My colleagues across the aisle, Republican colleagues, talk about giving more responsibility to the States to make the decisions for their constituents. If we are talking about States' rights, the Constitution does leave it to the States to decide issues of public safety, including how the courts should operate. States are grappling with these issues every single day. In my home State of Georgia, Republican politicians just reversed course on a whole slate of reforms that they ushered in by Republicans in the State legislature just a few years ago. They didn't need Congress here. They didn't need our flip-flopping on that. They very well did it on their own. Since this bill does nothing more than just tell the Attorney General to publish a list of information that already has been publicly made and available, I will support it. I just hope that the final product will be put to good use.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 6260, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act, which is, I think, just another example again of unnecessary Federal meddling into policies that should be left to the States. There again, we keep talking about States' rights, but we keep putting forth legislation that meddles in those States' rights. This bill actually weaponizes the Federal Government against bail funds and strengthens the for-profit bail bond industry. It has the potential to destroy bail funds, including any organization that posts monetary bail, criminal bonds, or Federal immigration bail bonds, which would be subject to the Federal insurance fraud statute. That means churches, faith groups, nonprofits, and other community organizations that pool their financial resources--we just heard an example of that--to protect people from a system that punishes poverty and destabilizes families and oftentimes coerces guilty pleas that are subject to criminal liability. Proponents of this bill have previously claimed that bail funds operate in the shadows and that their donations come with little to no scrutiny, and that is simply not the truth. For example, The Bail Project, a 501(c)(3) organization, is subject to regular monitoring and oversight by the IRS. Adding nonsensical layers of bureaucracy is most likely going to make more communities unsafe, but it will also make it harder for organizations to help those people in need. We just heard examples of organizations that are doing really good work to help people get out because they don't have money for their bonds. There are nearly half-a-million people across the country in pretrial detention, meaning they are sitting in jail right now, and they have not been convicted of a crime. They are simply there because they can't afford to pay for their freedom. We should all think that is pretty tragic. Without the help of organizations willing to provide free bail assistance, people that can't afford bail could just continue to languish in jail for years while they are waiting for their trials. I have talked to constituents in my own district that are doing that very thing. While they sit in jail, they are actually losing their jobs. They lose their homes, their medical coverage, or even custody of their children. I want to be perfectly clear too. I want to make sure that we keep violent offenders off the street. Yes, my own situation, having lost my son, the violent offender who murdered my son, he is in jail. He is in prison. He is off the street. I want that for every violent offender. I believe that everyone in this Chamber also wants all of our violent offenders off the street.

Mrs. McBATH. But this bill doesn't do it. I need to reiterate that a charge is not a conviction, and H.R. 6260 will keep charged Americans jobless. It is going to keep them homeless, and it is going to keep them in poverty. It has the potential to leave the children of charged, not convicted, Americans parentless. I urge my colleagues to vigorously oppose this legislation.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I do rise today in opposition to H.R. 8365, the Monitor Accountability Act. This bill addresses the work of Federal monitors who are appointed by a court to oversee the progress a State or a unit of local government is making after violating Federal law. Often monitors are put in place after there is a finding of serious misconduct, including violations of constitutional rights or actions that jeopardize people's public health, safety, and well-being. For example, last January, the Department of Justice and Fulton County, Georgia, which I represent, they entered into an agreement that included the appointment of a monitor to oversee changes to address what we have found to be very dangerous, unhealthy, and unconstitutional conditions at our Fulton County jail. So this bill proposes restrictions on monitors which ultimately could result in consequences that really actually don't serve the public interest. By requiring unnecessary turnover of both the Federal monitors and the judges overseeing these cases, this bill would waste our time and hard-earned taxpayer dollars instead of actually focusing monitors and the local officials to actually kind of come together and truly work to solve the problem and find some solutions. The stakes are incredibly high in these kinds of cases. A delay could leave more people incarcerated in unconstitutionally dangerous conditions. A delay could also force employees like the prison guards to continue to work in very, very dangerous conditions that make it impossible for them to actually do their jobs effectively and safely. I have had the chance to work with the newly appointed director of the Board of Prisons hearing about what is happening all over the Nation, and so I, too, am very concerned about making sure that our employees are working in safer environments within these institutions. Ultimately, this legislation could result in more waste and more time and more delays while worsening the public services that are meant to be improved under the watchful eye of our Federal monitors. I stand to say that as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, I oppose H.R. 8365, and I will be urging all my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to do the same.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, since the passing of our colleague and friend David Scott last month, we continue to miss his presence and honor the impact that he had on this body. Whether it was the memory of his famous job fairs or a remembrance of how his office solved Federal problems for his constituents, I have deeply enjoyed hearing the stories from those David impacted, both colleagues here in D.C., and during his memorial service in Atlanta. Back home in Georgia and in Congress, his legacy defines him as a fiercely devoted champion for farmers, for young Black scholars, and for all those who needed a voice in Congress. We love and we miss you, David. Thank you for your devotion to this Congress and to this country.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Kennedy for gathering us here this evening on this very somber anniversary. He truly is honoring his community in Buffalo very well. I actually have family members in his district. He is their Member of Congress. Four years ago, 10 innocent people lost their lives in an act of hate at a place that we all know very well. We frequent our grocery stores all the time. A man decided that a group of people just simply didn't deserve to live because of the color of their skin. The shooter in Buffalo used an assault weapon so that he could kill as many people as possible in as little time as possible. We should all think that this is absolutely horrifying. Thankfully, though, he was brought to justice because our justice system took action and sentenced him to life in prison, where he is now. The families of these grandmothers, fathers, sons, and sisters were actually able to take solace in knowing that something was done to ensure this man would never harm their communities again. My heart remains with all the families as they remember their loved ones. I still pray for every single family of every tragedy because I know exactly how they feel. That is what continues to drive me to action. These families deserve better. Every family that we lose across this Nation deserves better. No one should be subjected to violence while they go about their daily lives, running errands, going to church, going to the movie theater, going to school, or going to festivities. Weapons of war simply do not belong on our streets. They don't belong in our churches and definitely not in our grocery stores. The assault weapons ban, which I have held since 2023, has proven to prevent death by firearms. I have also introduced the GOSAFE Act, a lifesaving bill that focuses on the internal operations of semiautomatic guns, not the cosmetic components that gun sellers tend to modify to find loopholes. It is so far past time that we pass both of these bills and so many other pieces of good, comprehensive gun safety legislation to save lives and to ensure that no more families experience the excruciating pain of losing their loved ones in a senseless act of gun violence. This country deserves better. Our kids deserve better. The victims of this senseless shooting, they deserve better, every one of them. These pictures, these human beings deserved better, and they should be with us right now enjoying their lives today. These men and these women, they deserve to see their grandchildren and children growing up, to make their own marks in the world. The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and Democrats have made progress towards a safer country with helping to pass historic legislation, but we have got to continue to stand for gun safety in this country. We are not going to forget those that were lost in Buffalo, and I assure you I will not forget my son who was killed from unnecessary gun violence. I will not forget all the children at Sandy Hook, and I will not forget all the children at Parkland, and I will most certainly not forget the everyday gun violence and people that are dying in our communities every day. Nobody even knows their names. They don't get the big headlines in the newspaper. No one talks about them nationally, but their families suffer in silence. We are not going to forget those that were lost in Buffalo, and we are going to continue to fight to end gun violence because hate absolutely has no place in this country.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee for giving me time to speak on the floor today. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 96, which does a disservice to our law enforcement officers by using them simply in a political ploy. This resolution takes cheap shots and spreads misinformation while not doing a single thing to help law enforcement or improve public safety, which should be our goal this and every National Police Week. I will not repeat the misleading statements and half-truths in this resolution, but I will actually present some facts today. It is a fact that it was the first Trump administration when our country experienced the largest increase in homicides ever recorded in a single year. It is a fact that violent crimes, especially homicides, have been declining for nearly 4 years, beginning under the Biden administration, long before this administration took office. It is a fact that this historic, yearslong effort to decrease crime began under a Democratic President and Democratic control of Congress, which allowed us to pass unprecedented investments in law enforcement and public safety through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It is a fact that cities and States across the country, many of them led by Democratic mayors and Democratic Governors, used that funding to strengthen their approach to public safety by investing in their local law enforcement, but also in education, community centers, community violence intervention, social workers, mental health and substance abuse services, and more. It is a fact that these efforts to improve public safety have allowed many cities to achieve the fewest murders since the 1960s or even earlier. It is a fact that the Trump administration has repeatedly eliminated funding for public safety programs that we know work, including clawing back $500 million in public safety grants that were already awarded. On top of that, the Trump administration has diverted more than 25,000 law enforcement officers to immigration enforcement and away from their jobs of investigating gun violence, drug trafficking, sex crimes, and other major offenses, leading criminal prosecutions to fall to their lowest points in decades. This resolution does not invest a single dollar in effective policing. It does not equip police with modern technology to help them simply solve a crime. It does not invest in innovative, collaborative approaches to public safety. It does not provide assistance to help law enforcement agencies address the continuing crisis that they are facing in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers. It does not do anything to make our police officers safer on the job and more likely to return home to their families safe and sound at the end of their shifts. That is what we should be doing here in the House during National Police Week. When Democrats controlled the House, that is exactly what we did. We passed bipartisan bills that were signed into law and are still improving law enforcement officer safety and wellness, and strengthening public safety. These bills include the Protecting America's First Responders Act, the Public Safety Officer Support Act, the COPS Counseling Act, and the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act. Make no mistake, my opposition to this resolution is not opposition to the statements in this resolution that we can all agree on, such as that our law enforcement officers work tirelessly to protect our communities. Indeed, I was proud to vote in favor of the bipartisan resolution that we actually passed today in support of law enforcement and honoring those who died while serving their communities, including my own. Yet, I must oppose this legislation that seeks to score political points instead of investing in law enforcement and in our communities. Madam Speaker, as the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, I urge my colleagues to stand with me in opposing this resolution and to instead work with me on bills that will actually support law enforcement and improve public safety.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais and what this moment means for the future of our democracy. For generations, Americans have fought to make this Nation live up to its promise. Our democracy did not become more inclusive by accident. It became stronger because people of color organized, marched, sacrificed, and demanded equal access to the ballot box. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was one of the greatest achievements of that struggle, opening doors that had been locked to so many people of color for far too long. This decision weakens protections that helped ensure Black voters and communities of color could fully participate in our democracy and have fair representation in Congress. Let me be clear, this decision does not end our fight, and it does not weaken our determination. The Congressional Black Caucus has always understood their progress in this country is never permanent unless we continue to defend it. We have prepared for moments like this by rallying and building coalitions all across this Nation, and we will continue doing exactly that, because even in difficult moments, I still believe in the power of the people and the power of my people. I still believe in the strength of our communities, and I still believe that when Americans come together to protect our democracy, we will prevail. That is why we will keep pushing forward. We will continue expanding access to the ballot box, protecting fair representation and ensuring that every single voice in this country is heard. When we reclaim the majority--and, yes, that is coming, too--we will work to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and continue the work of building a democracy that truly reflects all of America. This is not the moment to retreat. It is the moment to organize, to vote, and to remind the American people that democracy is strongest when everyone has a seat at the table. The fight for voting rights did not begin with this court, and it will not end with this decision. We have overcome far too much, sacrificed far too much, and achieved far too much progress to turn back now. I look forward to working alongside my CBC colleagues as we move forward together. We will move forward together, united, and committed to building a democracy that is more just and Representative for all of our future generations.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, during Women's History Month, we recognize women who have written their own chapter and blazed a trail for women around the world. On Saturday, March 21, my constituents in Douglasville and Douglas County will welcome home our Olympic hero, Elana Meyers Taylor. Going into the 2026 Winter Games, Elana was already the most decorated Black Winter Olympian in history, having previously won three silver and two bronze Olympic medals. At her fifth Olympic appearance at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games, Elana's brilliant performance in the women's monobob event earned her very first Olympic gold medal, further cementing her status as a Team USA legend. I am thrilled that the only 2026 Winter Olympian from Georgia was able to achieve such a remarkable feat. In the moments following her historic win, millions across the world were moved watching Elana embrace her two sons and sign ``Mommy won'' to each of them. Elana has said that she would not have been able to win gold without her children, and that she fought for this highest achievement because of them. On and off the track, she is an outstanding role model for parents of children with disabilities. It is fitting that she was recently given her own name sign by ASL instructor Nicole Mitchell--a tremendous honor which can only be bestowed by a deaf person. The community is so proud of Elana's historic accomplishments, and we thank her for boldly leading the way for women everywhere. On behalf of Georgia's 6th Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I congratulate her on her well-deserved Olympic gold medal.

Mrs. McBATH

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2189, the so-called Law- Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act. Law enforcement officers serve a critical role in promoting public safety. That is why we must give them the tools to do their job effectively and safely. However, contrary to what so many of my colleagues have been told, H.R. 2189 does nothing to help law enforcement officers. In fact, it would put our law enforcement officers and so many others in great danger by giving dangerous people easy access to serious weapons. By changing the definition of ``firearm,'' H.R. 2189 would create dangerous new loopholes in the Gun Control Act and National Firearms Act, exempting so-called less-than-lethal weapons from our gun laws, including those that require firearms to be traceable, detectable by security equipment, and not available to prohibited purchasers, like felons, fugitives, and domestic abusers. These exemptions would allow these weapons, which can be deadly, to be sold to anyone, including dangerous people, without having to undergo a background check. Law enforcement has no need for this exemption. They are already exempt from many gun laws and already use all kinds of weapons, including those covered by this bill without any legal obstacles. In fact, police departments in all 50 States already use these tasers. We also know that State and local corrections officers are armed with tasers within prisons and jails across the country. Let's be clear: This bill is designed to increase civilian purchases of these weapons, and we know this because it includes an exemption from the NFA excise tax, which law enforcement already does not pay. More than 3 years ago, prosecutors and legal experts at the Department of Justice sounded the alarm when they reviewed a prior version of this bill. These experts all agree that: This bill would endanger our officers and communities by weakening their efforts to keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous persons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives warned that: These weapons could be used against law enforcement, security personnel, or the public, creating an increased risk of harm to public safety. They also would not be traceable if used in a crime. If this bill were truly about helping law enforcement, Republicans would have taken this feedback from the DOJ and the ATF and revised this bill, but they didn't. The bill before us today poses the same risk to public safety. Many of my colleagues share my commitment to making sure law enforcement has all the tools that they need to keep themselves and our communities safe. Some of them cosponsored this legislation because they initially believed this bill was a genuine effort to do that. They have since learned the truth. Some joined Congressman Thompson's amendment, which would ensure that less-than-lethal weapons are not considered firearms only when they are used by law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity, addressing the alleged purpose of this legislation without creating a dangerous loophole. Republicans rejected that amendment. Now that these Members, who once cosponsored this bill, see that this bill does not help law enforcement and will, in fact, endanger police and many others, they are now opposing this bill. We must continue providing the resources and support that strengthen officer and community safety, not undermine them by removing the safeguards that keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous and violent criminals. We need to be preventing violence. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in opposing this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Frost).

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson).

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Frost).

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Kamlager-Dove).

Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.