Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss how House Republicans make the border crisis worse to harm America. Last week, they failed in their political stunt to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. There was no reason at all to do this in the first place. Then they failed to pass an appropriations bill because they did not include border security funding. Let's be honest. Republicans are not interested in border security. Their master, Donald Trump, told them to do nothing so he could use it as an election ploy. Consequently, they are allowing more undocumented immigrants to enter this country, and they are allowing dangerous fentanyl and other drugs to threaten the lives of Americans. They do it so they can kiss the feet of their boss and fearless leader. They are robbing resources and funding from hardworking Americans to do it. It is an example of cowardice that has no equal in American history.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her leadership in this Congress on these important Special Order hours that the CBC has been involved in. She has done an exemplary job in making sure she is able to rally the cattle and keep them in order, and I just wanted to acknowledge that. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the evolution of Black excellence during Black History Month. I have said on this floor that the African American story is the greatest success story in our country's history, and we are here to highlight some of those many examples of that success. First, I want to discuss why it is important to have this discussion. Black excellence is a term born out of the difficulties Black Americans have faced since the very beginning. It is a term that helps change the historical perception of Blacks in America, and it focuses on the millions of Black Americans that have helped change that perspective. Since the first Africans set foot on American soil, we have fought for everything that we have in this country. First, we had to fight for the right to be considered people. Then we had to fight to make sure the promises of the Constitution applied to us. We are still fighting those fights every single day. In essence, Black excellence is not a series of actions, it is a state of being that evolved from struggle. It is a response to critics, and it is a mantra that reminds millions of Black children and teens that there are doors open to them that were closed to their ancestors. Usually Black history and Black excellence focuses on the most famous Black Americans, like Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King, Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Owens, Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey. However, history is filled with Black Americans who need to be recognized more often. Americans like Bayard Rustin, who organized the March on Washington. Bessie Coleman, the world's first licensed Black pilot. Alice Coachman, the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Benjamin Davis, Sr., the first Black General in the U.S. Army. Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S. Frederick McKinley Jones, a Black inventor who made it possible to transport blood and donated organs across this country. His invention alone saved tens of thousands of lives. Today, Black Americans carry on their tradition of excellence in a variety of fields and professions. Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett helped create a COVID-19 vaccine. Victor Glover was the first Black astronaut to live and work at the International Space Station for an extended period of time. Rashida Jones is the president of MSNBC and is the first Black executive to run a major news network. Brian Stephenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has helped hundreds of wrongfully-convicted Americans get the justice and freedom they deserve. Tristan Walker cofounded an organization to help minority students get jobs with the country's leading technology firms. Today's Congressional Black Caucus is filled with political leaders who have triumphed over adversity. Their stories are exceptional examples of Black excellence. Yet, these Black Americans are only a few of the millions who have worked to help our communities and our country every day. Their work inspires African-American school children everywhere to find their own means to achieve Black excellence.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote for rollcall votes 34 and 35. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 34 and ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 35.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey, Sheila Y. Oliver. Ms. Oliver was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. She was the first Black woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor in the State's history. She was the first Black woman to be elected to statewide office in New Jersey. She was the first Black woman to serve as speaker of the general assembly. She was only the second Black woman to lead a legislative chamber in American history. I knew her before she made history. I knew her as my neighbor on Bock Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. She became my mentor, my friend, and someone I respected. Her oratory skills were second to none. You felt honored when she spoke on your behalf. It was her endorsement that helped propel me to my seat in the United States Congress. The Positive Community magazine will publish a tribute to Sheila Oliver this month, and it is well-deserved.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month. This month, we celebrate the tremendous contributions of African Americans to the growth of our Nation. Black History Month started as Negro History Week in February of 1926. That week was chosen because it included the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass. In 1976, they expanded it to create Black History Month. Today, Africans Americans make a difference in every aspect of American life. Black History Month is a time to remember that and highlight the fact that the African-American story is one that is rich and woven into the history of our great Nation.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. House Republicans failed to discuss the facts about the border security. Since May, the administration has removed or returned or expelled more than 500,000 individuals who entered the country illegally nationwide. This is the highest total of expulsions in the last decade: It has arrested 14,000 smugglers. It has seized more than 43,000 pounds of fentanyl. It has confiscated thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, and meth. It could do so much more with the proper support and resources from Congress, but Republicans don't want to give that support. They don't want to discuss effective border policy. Under the previous Republican administration, Border Patrol was an absolute joke. Instead of righting the wrong, Republicans want to blame others for their mistakes. It is failed leadership, and I know voters are watching. They are at the behest of the twice-impeached former President of the United States, who has asked them to keep this subject alive so he can win.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the political attacks on the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. House Republicans have put forth House Resolution 863 to blame Mayorkas for our border crisis, yet Republicans are responsible for the crisis. The Trump administration presided over the largest immigration flow in this century. Under Republican leadership, or lack of, America had 11.4 million undocumented immigrants. It was the largest number in U.S. history. Republicans took more than 3 years to resolve asylum and other migration cases. Democratic administrations took less than 1 year. Republicans allowed millions of illegal immigrants to stay in this country and sent a message to millions more that Republicans do not enforce immigration rules. However, Republicans do not want to talk about these facts. Instead, they want to target political enemies and do nothing to solve the border crisis. They are working at the behest of the former President who has told them to do nothing.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and declare this Congress a Republican do-nothing Congress of epic proportions. House Republicans continue to focus on chaos, dysfunction, and extremism. They continue to put politics and personal profit over the needs of the American people. Democrats help Americans. Thanks to President Biden's leadership, wages and the stock market are up; inflation and gas prices are down. Also, in the last 4 years, the Biden administration has created 14 million new jobs and supported a record-setting number of American businesses. House Democrats want to work with Republicans to solve issues, such as protecting our border and Social Security. We are ready to get to work with our colleagues across the aisle. Hopefully we can build something together.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Republican war on women and their continued efforts to lie about it in Congress. Their bill, H.R. 6918, is named the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, but it does not do that at all. It takes food money away from lower income families, and it gives it to the most extreme antiwomen and antifamily groups in America. Also, it would force women to give birth before they are ready to have families, and numerous studies show such births create more poor children who will need government assistance or go hungry. A bill that helped families would include provisions for childcare and paid family leave, but Republicans only want to force women to give birth. After they do that, they don't care about the child or the mother. In fact, they seem to want to control who can get pregnant in the first place. We must do everything we can to stop this extreme and unpopular Republican agenda.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the greatest Americans, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King spent his life making sure all Americans were given the same rights regardless of color or creed. He had a dream. He had a dream the country would find a peaceful path to racial equality, and his dream attracted more than 250,000 people to Washington and the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. His work helped pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. These Acts restored rights to African Americans that had been denied them for decades. For his work, Dr. King received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. For his work, he received assassination from a bullet. If he had resorted to violence himself, none of these events would have happened, and we would not have the movement for equality we have today. So let us take this week to honor the legacy of Dr. King and remember his legacy as we continue to fight for all rights of all Americans.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to question the Republican commitment to the American people. They prefer to waste taxpayer dollars attacking hardworking, patriotic American civil servants and fail to address the issues facing our country. In 7 days, government funding will run out. Republicans should be working with Democrats to continue funding vital programs to help working Americans. They should be discussing how to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, how to support our allies of Ukraine and Israel, how to help the Palestinian families caught in the crossfire of the deadly conflict in Gaza, and how to provide the cleanest air and water possible for the American people. Instead, they are too busy pandering for social media clicks with political stunts and continue to do absolutely nothing to help the American people. I hope they know the voters are watching, and they will remember their inaction in November.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss blatant Republican hypocrisy. Yesterday, the House Oversight Committee discussed whether to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress because he rejected a congressional subpoena. It is insulting and ironic, given that elected Republicans Jim Jordan, Mo Brooks, Scott Perry, Andy Biggs, and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy did the same thing. They took an oath of allegiance to America, but the issue is not congressional subpoenas. The issue is the truth. Hunter Biden wants to tell the truth in a public hearing, but Republicans do not want the truth. They want a story based on lies and deceit. They want Americans to think Hunter Biden is the problem with our country, but it is failed and incompetent Republican leadership that is the problem. It is the unpopular and dangerous Republican agenda. That is the problem. Their blatant hypocrisy to cover up the truth is a national tragedy.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for giving me the opportunity to speak on my mentor, my hero, EBJ, who, you see, when I arrived in Congress 11 years ago after the death of my father, the late Donald Payne, Sr., EBJ put her arm around me and said, everything is going to be all right, and whatever you need, I will be there for you. So I rise today to honor a mentor, a trailblazer, and an esteemed former Member of Congress, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson. Representative Johnson served the 30th Congressional District in Texas with distinction for 30 years, and she was the first registered nurse ever elected to Congress. We hear of all the firsts, that our honored colleague was able to break through those ceilings. In the 1960s, Representative Johnson fought for minority women's rights, and her work inspired her to start a long and distinguished career in politics. As we have heard, she was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1972. I have a picture that hangs in my office of my father on the rostrum, as freshman Members are allowed to take their picture there when they arrive here in Congress. My father is standing there at the podium, and right next to him is EBJ. So I am fortunate that I will have a memory of her every time I enter my office in New Jersey. She really, on the personal side, looked out for us, gave us guidance, very quiet, but when she told you something, you understood that she was not playing around--that is for sure--and it was always to your benefit. You may not have appreciated it at the time or felt it was a little terse, but, in the long run, it was always right. So I am here just to pay honor and homage to a great woman--a great woman, a woman that defied odds that were surmountable and was able to accomplish so much with everything stacked against her. She still was able to accomplish incredible things, and so I am grateful for my colleague--and I am not surprised--the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Johnson, for keeping it real. We need to understand what did happen to her, because it is a crime and a tragedy. After serving this country all these years and, in her retirement, having to suffer like that is wrong. We will remember the good things. We will remember the parts about her that we loved.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise President Biden and my Democratic colleagues for our work to support the American people this year. We are building bridges and paving new roads across this country. We broke ground on the new Hudson River tunnel to boost travel and the economy. We are lowering prices on insulin and other lifesaving medications. We are improving education. We are protecting voting rights. We are fighting for reproductive rights for all women. We are creating jobs and investing in new semiconductor chip technology to protect American innovations. The American people told us that this is what they want done. We are doing them. Republicans threw out the House Speaker for the first time in U.S. history and worked for their reckless political agenda instead of the American people. Democrats work for America. Republicans work for themselves.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act. This bill would take important steps towards ending the epidemic of gun violence in our country. It would create a license gun owners would need to get before the purchase of a firearm. It would require universal background checks and close loopholes to avoid them. It would ban individuals who present a safety risk from owning a gun. It would raise the minimum age for buying a gun and establish a 7-day waiting period before a gun purchase could be made. It would ban military-style assault weapons and ghost guns. It would hold the gun industry accountable for the harm their products cause to society, and it would provide funding for Federal research into gun violence. We must do something to stop this country's epidemic of gun violence. The longer we wait, the more lives we lose.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote for rollcall vote Nos. 710 through 717. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 710, ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 711, ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 712, ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 713, ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 714, ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 715, ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 716, and ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 717.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Republican Presidential frontrunner's criminal connections after the latest Republican Presidential debate. At least 11 key figures in Donald Trump's past administration were indicted or convicted of serious crimes during and after his administration. Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign manager, was convicted of tax and bank fraud. Michael Flynn, Trump's National Security Advisor, was charged with working with Russia. Tom Barrack, a Trump fundraiser, was charged with spying for the United Arab Emirates. Steve Bannon, Trump's political adviser, was charged with stealing millions of dollars from border wall investors. In addition, more than 1,100 people have been charged after Trump encouraged them to overthrow the U.S. Government on January 6, 2021. An appeals court ruled that Trump could be sued for inciting that insurrection. These are not the associations of someone fit to be a Presidential candidate.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss President Biden's successful actions to battle climate change. In the last 3 years, the Biden administration has protected more than 21 million acres of public lands and water. It launched the American Climate Corps to mobilize the next generation of clean energy and conservation workers. It has helped the country cut fossil fuel emissions in half by 2030. The President's climate actions have generated more than $350 billion in clean energy private investment and created more than 210,000 clean energy jobs in the last 15 months. Now, the administration continues its climate improvements with a $3 billion pledge to the Green Climate Fund and new standards to reduce methane emissions and other pollutants from oil and gas operations. These actions show the President's commitment to reducing climate change and supporting America.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the bipartisan efforts to make our Nation's pipeline network safer. Recently, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure introduced the Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety Act, or PIPES Act, of 2023. This bill would help secure 2.6 million miles of pipelines that carry natural gas and petroleum to communities nationwide. It would allow the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to hire more workers to monitor pipeline safety and create proper protections to regulate carbon dioxide pipelines more efficiently. Also, it would promote more methods to contain greenhouse gases. In addition, the bill would make it easier for historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions to educate and develop the next generation of pipeline safety professionals. As the ranking member of the Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, I applaud my colleagues from both parties for creating a bill that works for the American people.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the groundbreaking of the country's most important infrastructure project, the Hudson River Tunnel. Officials are about to start construction of a new Tonnelle Avenue Bridge. It will help connect New Jersey to a new Hudson River Tunnel. The benefits of the Hudson River Tunnel project are numerous. It will create more than 72,000 jobs, generate more than $87 million per month for local communities, and utilize American suppliers and manufacturers through the Buy America requirement. It will increase opportunities for minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses on the project. In addition, it will create a faster, more effective means of transportation for 200,000 daily commuters. I fought to include $66 billion for projects such as this one in the bipartisan infrastructure law, and I am proud that my work will finally result in a new Hudson River Tunnel.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great trailblazer from my district, Wynona Lipman. Mrs. Lipman was the first African-American woman to be elected to the New Jersey State Senate in 1971, and she was the longest serving senator in New Jersey's history when she passed in 1999. During her 27 years in the New Jersey State Senate, she fought for the rights of children, minorities, and the LGBT+ community. She was a crucial member of the Governor's Advisory Council on AIDS and Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. Her work earned her the induction into New Jersey's Women's Hall of Fame in 1998. Her legacy lives on throughout my district. There is the Wynona Lipman Ethnic Studies Center at Kean University. There is the Wynona Lipman Child Advocacy Center for abused children; and there is also the future Wynona Lipman Courthouse in Essex County. Mrs. Wynona Lipman was an exceptional leader, and I am proud to recognize her on the House floor today.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a great trailblazer from my district, Wynona Lipman, on what would have been her 100th birthday. Born in 1923, Mrs. Lipman was the first African- American woman to be elected to the New Jersey State Senate when she won her seat in 1971. She served the 29th Legislative District for 27 years, the Senate's longest-serving member at the time of her death in 1999. Before she was a political trailblazer, Mrs. Lipman was a teacher. She taught French at Morehouse College and tutored a famous civil rights advocate, Martin Luther King, Jr. She left that position to pursue a Ph.D. degree at Columbia University. During her time at Columbia, Mrs. Lipman earned a Fulbright fellowship to study at the Sorbonne in Paris for two years. When she returned, Mrs. Lipman finished her Ph.D. degree and eventually moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where she became an associate professor at Essex County College. In Montclair, Mrs. Lipman became active in local politics. In 1968, she won her first election to become an Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholder, where she became President of the Board in 1971. Then Mrs. Lipman ran for the New Jersey State Senate and defeated Republican Senator Milton Waldor by less than 1,000 votes out of 170,000 cast. During her 27 years in the State Senate, Mrs. Lipman was often the only woman serving there and worked diligently to protect the LGBTQ+ community and children on the Governor's Advisory Council on AIDS and Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. Mrs. Lipman's tireless efforts to serve her district earned her induction into the New Jersey's ``Women's Hall of Fame'' in 1998. Today, her legacy is supported throughout the area. There is the Wynona Lipman Ethnic Studies Center at Kean University, the Wynona Lipman Chairholder at the Center for American Women in Politics and Rutgers University, the Wynona Lipman Child Advocacy Center (known as Wynona's House) for abused children in Newark, and the future Wynona Lipman Courthouse in Essex County. Next week, there will be an exhibit titled ``Stronger than Steel: The Wynona Lipman Story'' at the New Jersey Historical Society. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating her life of public service and her legacy in New Jersey politics.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Republican lack of support for their leaders. Two months ago, House Democrats saved the country from a devastating government shutdown, and I thank current Speaker Johnson for working with us to avoid another one. I would not feel very confident if I were the current Speaker. Republicans have a history of rejecting their leadership. They did it to Newt Gingrich. They did it to Speaker John Boehner. They did it to Speaker Paul Ryan. They did it to Speaker Kevin McCarthy. They could do it to Speaker Mike Johnson. Democrats support our leadership. We work to increase jobs, support families and veterans, protect women's rights, and fight for all Americans. We work together to avoid government shutdowns. Mr. Speaker, everyone in Congress should have that same commitment to the American people.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the dangers of diabetes for Black Americans. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Today, more than 37 million Americans suffer from diabetes, and that number includes almost 5 million Black Americans. Right now, one of every five Black Americans over 20 years of age has diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. Black Americans are far more likely to develop diabetes than White Americans. Diabetes is the most expensive chronic health condition in our country. The $35 cap on insulin for Medicare beneficiaries in the Inflation Reduction Act helps our seniors afford this lifesaving medication. However, we need to pass the bill to make the $35 cap on insulin available to all Americans. If we can cap insulin payments, we can help millions of Black Americans afford this critical medication. No diabetic in this country should have to choose between food or insulin every month.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Illinois and the gentlewoman from Florida for the opportunity to speak. I absolutely thank my colleague from the great State of Ohio for bringing this issue to the forefront and having a press conference this afternoon to discuss this dreaded disease. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the problem of diabetes in Black communities nationwide. It is an honor to do it during National Diabetes Awareness Month. As a diabetic, daily life is a constant challenge. I will have to get up at 4 clock tomorrow morning to go to dialysis, a treatment that I need three times a week to survive. That means I risk exposure to the coronavirus or any other ailment when I receive treatments in rooms full of other patients. It is a problem that many of America's 37 million diabetics face every day, and that figure includes 5 million Black Americans with diabetes. In addition, almost 80 million Americans could develop diabetes due to poor diet and health or family history of diabetes. That is one reason that diabetes is the most expensive chronic health condition in our Nation. These health issues are even worse for Black Americans. We are 60 percent more likely to develop diabetes than our White counterparts, and we are twice as likely to die from it than our White counterparts. Right now, one in every five Black Americans over the age of 20 has diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes, and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes for Black and Hispanic youth has doubled since 2001. The risks are so high that Black Americans are less likely to donate a kidney because they fear future health issues. That is why Black Americans are twice as likely to receive a kidney transplant from a deceased donor than a live one. This can lead to health issues that do not happen to patients who receive a kidney from a living donor. The more prominent issue is the price of insulin in America. The monthly average cost of insulin is almost $650 per month. That is 10 times higher than the price in other countries. Nevertheless, there is hope. There is a $35 cap on insulin in the Inflation Reduction Act for Medicare beneficiaries. It helps our seniors save money on this lifesaving medication, and they do not have to make the choice between food or insulin every month. Nonetheless, we need to do more. We need to pass bills like the Affordable Insulin Now Act. This bill would cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin to the same $35 for all Americans. President Biden is working to make that $35 insulin price cap permanent for all Americans in other legislation, as well. If we can cap insulin payments, then we can help millions of Black Americans afford this critical medication. That is why this Special Order hour is so important. It brings awareness to the fact that minorities are more likely to face diabetes and other kidney-related issues. In addition, public talks like today's event remind people that diabetes is still a serious medical issue. When we increase awareness, we increase funding for new treatments and cures. Eventually, we will find the new treatments that will make it safer for diabetics. Mr. Speaker, I cannot wait for those new treatments to happen. That will be the day when I can walk out of the dialysis treatment clinic for the last time.