Ayanna Pressley

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring and celebrating the life of Ms. Aubri Esters, an outspoken and beloved activist. Aubri was a voice for the unheard. She was unabashed in sharing her story and her lived experiences to advocate for the wellbeing of those most marginalized, including other transgender individuals, people with disabilities, people with substance use disorders, and trauma survivors. In addition to serving on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Harm Reduction Commission, Aubri co-founded the organization SIFMA Now!, a coalition dedicated to building public support for supervised consumption sites and other life-saving harm reduction efforts. Whether on the ground working directly with impacted communities or in the Massachusetts State House advocating for progressive health policies that center those most vulnerable, Aubri was committed to saving lives. On Thursday, June 11th, our community lost a true activist leader, table shaker and accomplice in the fight for health care justice. Aubri will be missed dearly, but her legacy lives on in the policy she helped to create, in the hearts of her fellow activists, and in the minds of policy makers who she engaged and enlightened. Madam Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the life of Aubri Esters and her contributions to the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District. We remember Aubri with tremendous gratitude for her life-saving advocacy. May she forever rest in power.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, families are in crisis, food pantry lines around the block, rent is due again in 8 days. The community health centers and hospital workers in my district are desperate. This is a crisis within a crisis, exacerbating every inequity that already existed. This Chamber will determine how many more lives we are robbed of. Now is not the time for a back-pass. Our Nation is crying out. The people are crying out, and we must answer their cries in the CARES package with a bill that puts the people first. Now is not the time to rest. We took an oath. People are counting on us. They deserve healthcare and economic housing justice. We cannot continue to leave out our immigrant neighbors and minority- owned small businesses.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and sister in service, Representative Tlaib, for cohosting this special session with me this evening to discuss the critical issue of reproductive justice in our country. As chair of the Abortion Rights and Access Task Force in this first- ever pro-choice majority Congress, I am proud to join my colleagues tonight as we stand up and push back against these unprecedented, coordinated attacks on our collective reproductive rights and liberties. You see, Mr. Speaker, the stakes could not be any higher. Since 2011, anti-choice politicians have pushed a wave of nearly 450 restrictive laws through State legislatures and now all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Over the last year alone, they have enacted 25 bans across dozens of States, pushing comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including abortion care, further and further out of reach. They are working overtime to peddle harmful misconceptions and to legislate abortion out of existence. As a result, reproductive health facilities have been forced to shut their doors, forcing individuals to travel across State lines, shoulder additional financial burdens, and jump through unnecessary and humiliating hoops just to access comprehensive care. Just this morning, I, along with several of my House colleagues, marched to the Supreme Court to stand in solidarity with the justice warriors who are on the front lines, fighting for our collective humanity because, today, the Supreme Court begins deliberations on the constitutionality of a Louisiana State law that, if upheld by the Court, would literally shut down every abortion clinic across the State except for one. To put this further into perspective, Mr. Speaker, this could leave just one doctor to provide abortion care for nearly 1 million individuals of reproductive age across the entire State. If Louisiana's clinic shutdown law takes effect, it will not only decimate abortion access in Louisiana, but it will further embolden State legislatures around the country to do the same. Additionally, this law is literally identical to the Texas law struck down by the Court just 3 years ago in the Whole Woman's Health case. Since the Texas case, the facts certainly haven't changed. The precedent certainly hasn't changed. The only thing that has changed is the makeup of the Supreme Court, a court that is now filled with judges who want to strip us of our bodily autonomy. Laws that restrict reproductive freedom undermine the very nature of equality and disproportionately harm the most vulnerable among us. Every person, every individual, regardless of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity, deserves equitable access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including queer, trans, and nonbinary individuals. As I often say, people don't live in checked boxes; we live in nuance and intersectionality. Abortion is healthcare. Reproductive justice is economic justice. Reproductive justice is racial justice. Mr. Speaker, the stakes are high. Our fundamental human rights and liberties are not and should not be up for debate. I am proud to stand here on the floor today to remind the courts that Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land and that the days of the Hyde amendment are numbered and that we stand with our partners in community, the organizers and resisters who are fighting day in and day out to ensure that every person has the right to self-determination over their reproductive health. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Again, I thank Representative Tlaib for cohosting the Special Order hour. This is a joint Special Order hour in partnership with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and also the Pro-Choice Caucus. It is exciting that we are the first pro-choice majority Congress in the history of Congress. As heartened as I am by those who come here to speak, support, to affirm our reproductive rights and freedoms, it is shameful that our reproductive rights are even up for debate. It is 2020. Support for abortion access is at an all-time high. In fact, nearly 80 percent of Americans do not want to see Roe v. Wade overturned. There is not a single State in the Nation where making abortion illegal is popular. But here we find ourselves having to fight back against these insidious efforts to undermine our reproductive rights and freedoms, and we just keep pushing. Just last month the House passed legislation to move us one step closer to ratifying the ERA. So we will just keep speaking out, organizing, and mobilizing when it comes to equality and justice on all fronts. I am glad to see so many of our colleagues here tonight pushing back against these draconian efforts that want to take us backwards. We won't stand for it--not now, not ever.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, the great poet and pioneer of righteous rage, Audre Lorde, once said: ``I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.'' The year is now 2020, and here we women are, still in so many ways not fully free, still shackled. Today, I rise to affirm the humanity and the dignity of all women. I rise in strong, unapologetic, righteous support of H.J. Res. 79, which will strike the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the equal rights amendment, an amendment that should already be the law of the land. Women are strong, hardworking, bright, and resilient. We are the backbones of our families, our communities, and our democracy. We do not live in checked boxes; we live in an intersectionality of lived experiences and identities. Our issues are everyone's issues, because our destinies are all tied. Tomorrow's vote on H.J. Res. 79 is a vote for the preservation of our collective humanity. Despite our commitment to hard work, both within our households and on the job, we are still paid less than our male counterparts. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, women are paid 83 cents for every dollar paid to a man; but nationally, women are paid only 80 cents for every dollar a man is paid. Even worse, the modern-day wage gap disproportionately impacts women of color, with Black women earning 61 cents, Native women earning 58 cents, Latinx women earning only 53 cents, and AAPI women making as little as 50 cents per dollar paid to a White man. In addition to pay discrimination, we face pregnancy discrimination, discrimination in the criminal legal system, sexual and domestic violence, and inadequate healthcare access. But this isn't an accident. The American Constitution is sexist by its very design. This country's laws have historically treated us like second-class citizens, depriving us of the right to vote, to enter most jobs, and to own property. While some of these injustices may cease to exist, we still face tremendous barriers to our full participation in society. With tomorrow's vote, we have an opportunity to right this country's wrong and to take a stand in the name of equality. I am honored to be serving and representing the Massachusetts Seventh Congressional District during these unprecedented times, where we have a record 127 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. These women are some of the fiercest table-shakers, justice-seekers, and truth-tellers that have ever served in this august body, and it is my privilege and joy to call them my sisters in service: My sister in service Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has faithfully served the people of Washington, D.C., for 29 years and continues to lead in the fight for D.C. statehood; My sister in service Congresswoman Katie Porter, who is fighting for economic justice for domestic violence survivors who are financially dependent on their partners; My sister in service Congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna Tribe, who continues to shine daylight on the silent crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women; My sister in service Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, whose unique experiences as a Palestinian American have given a voice to unheard Palestinians around the world fighting for their humanity; My sister in service Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, who remains clear-eyed in her fight for healthcare justice as both a nurse and someone living with a preexisting condition; and My sister in service Congresswoman Jackie Speier, for her leadership on this issue and for introducing this critical joint resolution. Tomorrow's vote is a vote for equality. It is a vote for fairness. It is a vote to actualize the movements built on the backs of women.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the thousands of our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters surviving the loss and trauma of ongoing natural disasters that have ravaged the island of Puerto Rico, the youth, the elderly, the ill, the unhoused, those in poverty, and those living with disabilities who find themselves disproportionately harmed by food and healthcare insecurity, frequent power outages, infrastructure collapse, and barriers to transparency. Just last month, 13-year-old Jaideliz Moreno Ventura died due to chronic medical supply shortages. The only medical center on her island, Vieques, has not reopened its doors since Hurricane Maria 3 years ago. To this day, 240,000 students and their educators must stay home because their schools are still too unsafe to open, and 5,000 families remain displaced from their homes. But the fear and anguish are not limited to those remaining on the island. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts proudly boasts the fifth largest Puerto Rican community in the country, and in the Massachusetts Seventh Congressional District, I represent 35,000 Puerto Ricans. I have borne witness to both the strength and the pain of those who were displaced after Hurricane Maria who now call Boston home and those Puerto Ricans who have called Boston home for decades who fear for their family members who are still on the island. They share with me their ongoing fear for their families in Puerto Rico facing ongoing threats to their homes and their lives. For too long, this administration has turned its back on the people of Puerto Rico. It is shameful, and we must not allow it to continue. I am grateful for the leadership of Chairwoman Lowey and Chairman Neal in working to organize this much-needed funding package that we will vote on later today. I also recognize my colleague from New York, Representative Velazquez, for her unwavering love, which has informed her unwavering fight for the island. In my own district, I thank IBA, Chelsea Collaborative, Somos de Sabana Grande, the Puerto Rican Veterans Association, and many more. I urge my colleagues to support this package, H.R. 5687.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, today I rise in solidarity with my union brothers and sisters in support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. Over the last few decades, we have seen the right to unionize, to ban together, and to fight for the collective rights and dignities of working people come under attack. Throughout our Nation's history, these rights and protections have led to better wages and benefits, safer working conditions, and protections from workplace harassment and discrimination. The hard-won battles of our Nation's unions have helped push back against the vast economic inequities that too often are fueled by the greed of big corporations and special interests. I have witnessed many of these victories firsthand, from my early days on the picket lines with my mother, Sandy--may she rest in power-- who taught me early on that our destinies are tied, that workers' rights are human rights, and that economic justice is workers' justice. This is still true today, and the fight continues, from the Stop & Shop workers, who walked out and fought back for better healthcare for workers and their families, to the Battery Wharf Hotel workers, who braved the elements for 79 days fighting for livable wages and protections for immigrant workers, pregnant workers, and workers of color. We cannot and must not take this power for granted. But for too many workers, ``right-to-work laws'' and other calculated efforts in States across the country have attempted to diminish the power of workers. This ends this week as the House considers the PRO Act, legislation that will protect critical rights to unionize and protect the rights of workers. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Bobby Scott for his leadership on this bill to honor and affirm a union's right to their collective voice. I also thank my colleague, my brother from Michigan, for organizing this effort. Madam Speaker, I look forward to supporting this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Chair, in this country, our credit reports are our reputations, determining where you can live, where you can work, and how much it will cost you to finance everything from a car to a college degree. But our credit reporting system is fundamentally flawed, rife with inequities and disparities that stifle the upward mobility of millions of hardworking Americans. I am proud to rise in support of my Comprehensive Credit Reporting Enhancement, Disclosure, Innovation, and Transparency, or Comprehensive CREDIT, Act, a critical package of reforms that will improve our fundamentally flawed credit reporting system. How and what information is shared with credit reporting agencies is especially important as Americans take on ever-increasing debt simply for trying to afford basic needs: housing, healthcare, and higher education. Trailing only mortgages, student loan debt is now the second highest form of consumer debt, impacting nearly one-fifth of U.S. households and totaling over $1.6 trillion. That is trillion with a T. In my home State of Massachusetts, alone, over 855,000 borrowers owe a total of $33.3 billion in student loan debt. That is why I am especially proud the Comprehensive CREDIT Act includes reforms originally introduced in my Student Borrower Credit Improvement Act, reforms that would establish a credit rehabilitation process for private student loan borrowers facing hardship, making students eligible to have all associated derogatory remarks removed from their credit reports, which can otherwise stay on for 7 years. Even if we wipe out all student debt tomorrow, the devastating impact on consumers' credit would remain for years to come. For that very reason, we must give folks a real chance at recovery and repair. It is estimated that one in five Americans has a potential error on their credit report; but, for too long, credit reporting agencies have kept consumers in the dark and made it difficult to correct errors that do come to light. The Comprehensive CREDIT Act will ensure that consumers can quickly and easily rectify those errors. At a time when wages are stagnant but the cost of housing, childcare, and education continue to rise, we should be working to provide our constituents pathways to financial stability and success. It is why this bill would restrict the use of credit scores for most hiring decisions, limit the amount of time that adverse information can remain on a person's credit profile, and ban the reporting of any debt as a result of medically necessary procedures. I urge my colleagues to support the Comprehensive CREDIT Act and ensure a more equitable and transparent credit reporting system for all.

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Chair, my bill, the Comprehensive CREDIT Act, will greatly improve a fundamentally flawed credit reporting system, providing much-needed relief for families across the country. It works to protect consumers from unfair and misleading credit reporting practices, affirming the rights of all Americans to an equitable and transparent credit reporting process. My bill takes the burden off consumers while holding credit reporting agencies accountable and restoring fairness to the system. I thank my colleague from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) for offering this amendment. CRAs are all too quick to add penalties and negative marks to credit reports, but the same urgency never seems to be applied to improving those reports. Once borrowers take the steps prescribed in this bill to improve their credit reports, they deserve to have the reports updated to reflect that in a reasonable timeframe. Credit scores are meant to be predictive, and the best predictor of future behavior is their most recent behavior. Our bill takes the burden off of consumers while holding debt reporting agencies accountable and restoring fairness to the system. This amendment would further strengthen our bill by ensuring that these changes happen in a timely manner. Mr. Chair, I am proud to support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Chair, I find very often we tend to stereotype and present a very shallow narrative as to who experiences homelessness or is on the precipice of experiencing it. The reality is that struggle is certainly not a character flaw, and hardship is transcendent. Many of us have disruptive life events: a layoff, a death, a natural disaster, displacement. I could go on. The point is that far too many Americans are living on the brink of financial collapse. So while this administration continues to undo basic protections for those experiencing homelessness, we must be working to support them and help them to regain stability. There is no hierarchy of hurt. As someone who faced multiple eviction notices growing up, I can tell you that losing one's home is every bit as traumatic as losing one's job or being diagnosed with a life- threatening illness. We should be working to help people find housing, not punishing and criminalizing those without it. This amendment would make it clear that Americans facing homelessness are able to get relief under our bill. I am proud to support it. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague from California for offering this amendment. And in that this is the final amendment, I want to thank Chairwoman Waters for her leadership; the dedicated Financial Services Committee staff; Representative Lawson; and my dedicated A Team, specifically Aya Ibrahim, who has been the lead on this bill.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the thousands of patriots who are taking to the streets of towns and cities throughout our Nation later today, taking to the streets to stand up, to speak out, and to say no to yet another war in the Middle East. Less than 48 hours ago, our Nation was gripped by fear as we watched missiles rain down on our servicemembers and other allied forces in Iraq, an attack that was a direct response to this administration's reckless and impulsive decisions to assassinate a high-ranking military leader in Iran. Like so many of my colleagues, I prayed. I prayed for all of the servicemembers and their families. I prayed for the innocent civilians in Iraq who once again find themselves in the crossfire in a battlefield of our own making. I prayed for peace. But I also know perfectly well that the people of the Massachusetts 7th did not send me to Washington, D.C., to just pray. As a woman of faith, I will continue to send prayers up and to work for peace. But what this moment demands and what this country deserves is a strategy. For more than 3 years now, this administration has been devoid of a coherent approach, instead implementing our Nation's foreign policy like a game of Battleship. They have actively incited further conflict in the region, abandoned diplomacy, and isolated our country from even our strongest allies. The administration tore up the international agreement keeping Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The administration then engaged in a maximum pressure campaign that has ravaged the Iranian economy and harmed innocent civilians. Yesterday, the White House had the opportunity to change course. Instead, we heard more of the same. Let me be clear: We cannot allow our country to be lied into another war. We have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of our past. For nearly two decades, endless wars have claimed the lives of hundreds and thousands of civilians and servicemembers alike. An entire generation has only known war. Millions of refugees have been permanently displaced. I remind my colleagues today that war is never inevitable. We reject the false choice between peace and security. The 116th Congress is a fundamentally different Congress, and it is time to advocate for a fundamentally different foreign policy: foreign policy centered in the dignity and humanity of all people. Prayers alone will not suffice. We need prayers and strategy. This is our chance. Let me be abundantly clear. The American people do not want war.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 697.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to protect our democracy. Today, we take a stand against corruption and abuses of power. What we are doing here today is not only patriotic, it is uniquely American. America is a story of ordinary people confronting abuses of power with a steadfast pursuit of justice. Throughout our history, the oppressed have been relegated to the margins by the powerful, and each time we have fought back, deliberate in our approach, clear-eyed. Each generation has fought for the preservation of our democracy, and that is what brings us to the House floor today. Efficient and effective in the pursuit of our truth. Congress has done its due diligence. Today we send a clear message. We will not tolerate abuses of power from the President of the United States of America. The future of this Nation rests in our hands. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart, but a resolved one, and because I believe our democracy is worth fighting for, I will vote to impeach Donald J. Trump, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, due to flight delay issues, I was unable to vote in support the following votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 683, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 684, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 685, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 686, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 687.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Tlaib for her leadership on this and so many social justice issues. I really appreciate her organizing this Special Order hour, and I hope that, in some ways, it assures the American people that we have not lost sight of them and that this Congress continues to lead and to legislate on those issues of care, concern, and consequence to the American people. I know this is the number one constituent call that my district office receives, and I am certainly not alone in that. Housing First is not just an approach to ending homelessness; it is a fundamental truth that should guide everything we do in these Chambers. When we speak of our priorities, when we speak of the important work we hope to do here, housing must come first. Housing is the foundation of everything, and, therefore, must be foundational to everything that we seek to accomplish here as a body. Housing is a critical determinant of health and wealth and must be the foundation of our fight for greater justice for all. I also would like to reiterate some of the points made earlier regarding our young people learning. Earlier today, we heard from some young people about many of the barriers and obstacles to their readiness to learn. Housing was chief amongst them. As we see our families destabilized by growing gentrification and displacement and more families experiencing homelessness, this is certainly a contributor and a barrier to their readiness to learn. It is traumatic to not have a home. I want to thank my sister in service, Representative Ilhan Omar, for providing us with a vision for the future of housing: housing as a right; housing as a guarantee; housing for all. In cities across the country, including those in my district, the housing supply lacks both in quantity and quality. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in my district, the Massachusetts Seventh, two-thirds of residents and renters and those at minimum wage must work at least 84 hours a week to afford a decent one- bedroom at-fair-market-rent apartment. When housing is in such short and perpetually deteriorating supply, we must ask ourselves: Where do we expect people to go? When housing prices continue to skyrocket and we are constantly redefining affordability to hide that reality, where can people go? For decades, this Nation's public and affordable housing supply has been chronically underfunded. Any serious solution must match the scale of this unprecedented crisis. States must act; cities must act; and the Federal Government must act. How we choose to spend our money is a direct reflection of our values. Representative Omar's Homes for All Act invests a total of $1 trillion into our Nation's affordable housing stock. I was proud to be an original cosponsor of Homes for All, just as I was proud to cosponsor Senator Warren's American Housing and Economic Mobility Act. However, it is the work of activists and agitators on the ground that has pushed this issue to the forefront. While there is still much to do, I am heartened by the efforts of my colleagues, and I associate myself with all of their thoughtful and impassioned comments and legislative proposals highlighted during this Special Order hour. We must continue to mobilize, to organize, and to legislate until Homes for All is no longer a promise, but a guarantee.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of the Special Order.

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman killed in the Massachusetts Seventh District, for whom Transgender Day of Remembrance was established in 1999. I rise today because, 20 years later, many more lives continue to be stolen. This year, we have been robbed of at least 22 transgender people because of hate, fear, and vitriol--22 souls, the majority of whom are Black transgender women; 22 people whose families, friends, and partners are forever marred by grief; 22 experiences of secondhand trauma for transgender people everywhere. Among them we remember: Dana Martin, Jazzaline Ware, Ashanti Carmon, Claire Legato, Muhlaysia Booker, Michelle ``Tamika'' Washington, Paris Cameron, Chynal Lindsey, Chanel Scurlock, Zoe Spears, Brooklyn Lindsey, Denali Berries Stuckey, Tracy Single, Bubba Walker, Kiki Fantroy, Jordan Cofer, Pebbles LaDime ``Dime'' Doe, Bailey Reeves, Bee Love Slater, Jamagio Jamar Berryman, Itali Marlowe, and Brianna ``BB'' Hill. May they rest in peace and power. Today, we remember still others not included on this list because their missing persons reports remain uninvestigated or because they are misgendered and deadnamed after their death because the people closest to them refused to recognize their truths. We remember those who die from preventable illnesses, poverty, and violence as a result of discrimination in healthcare, employment, education, and housing. We remember transgender women Johana Medina and Layleen Polanco, victims of an unjust and cruel immigration and criminal legal system. Mr. Speaker, colleagues, the transgender community deserves to be seen safe and celebrated. However, due to this administration's policies that continue to neglect, unfairly target, and commit violence against them, this is not the case. However, so as not to define the transgender community only by their trauma, today, I also rise to lift the talents and strengths of this community. I honor you, my transgender friends, for your bravery to honor your truths, for intentionally creating a beautiful and rich community, and for being role models as leaders of social change. I stand before you committed to listening to your needs, to recognizing and centering transgender lives, not just today but every day, and to being your partner in ending this devastating crisis. Last week, I introduced the People's Justice Guarantee, a resolution that reaffirms our collective right to live free from injustice. I rise today resolved in the fight to ensure our rights to dignity, liberation, and justice--justice for transgender people, justice for all in America. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from the great State of California (Mr. Takano).

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those powerful words. Like the gentleman, I agree that we cannot say those names enough. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from the great State of Missouri (Mr. Cleaver).

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those words and for telling us more about those we were prematurely robbed of all that they had to contribute to this world. It is important that we continue to bring their names into this well, into this august institution, so that we are compelled to continue to do this work, understanding that this is--behind every number--this is not about statistics. These are about people, people of flesh and bone who loved and were loved. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), my friend and sister in service.

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and for always fighting for those too often ignored, left out, and left behind. We are grateful for her. Now, just as I close, as we wrap this Special Order hour, Transgender Day of Remembrance is about remembering lives we have lost too soon, but it should also be about remembering the bravery of transgender people everywhere. I rise again to acknowledge the contributions, often overlooked, of transgender women of color who have been champions of social change. It was transgender advocates in my district who established the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in 1999 in honor of Rita Hester, a Black transgender woman described as vivacious, outgoing, and loved by many people. On this day, I rise to remember the transgender women of color who were catalysts for the LGBT rights movement in the United States and around the world. We remember the bravery of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy and the late Sylvia Rivera, and Marsha P. Johnson in the face of the police who violently raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City in 1969, detaining and arresting people simply for being themselves. When faced with compounded transphobia, racism, sexism, and homophobia, transgender people have marched and resisted. When confronted with structural barriers, transgender people have organized and advocated. I remain committed, along with the dedicated members of my team--and I want to issue a special thanks to Jenny Curt for her contributions to today's Special Order hour--committed not only to lifting the stories of those lives lost, but to working in partnership, legislating boldly. I see their power; I honor their activism. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, due to a health appointment, I was unable to be present on the floor for votes on Monday, November 18, 2019. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 625, YEA on Roll Call No. 626, and YEA on Roll Call No. 627.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, due to business that took me off the House floor on November 15, 2019, I was unable to vote in time to express my support of the McAdams amendment to the United States Export Finance Agency Act. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 619

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following op-ed article, authored by the current and former staff of our dear friend, and forever Chairman, Elijah Cummings of the Oversight and Reform Committee, who passed away last month. The op-ed ran in USA Today on October 25, paying tribute to the man who served his constituents and country so well in this House for more than twenty- three years. [From the USA Today, Oct. 25, 2019] How We Will Remember Our Boss, Chairman Elijah Cummings: Moral Clarity in All He Did (By Current and Former Staff of Rep. Elijah Cummings) As current and former congressional staff of the late Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, we had the great honor and privilege of working with him over the course of more than two decades. Many public figures have praised the chairman in recent days, extolling his unmatched integrity, courageous leadership and commitment to service and justice. To these well-deserved tributes, we would like to add our own eulogy, based on our experience working by his side. He was inspiring, both in public and even more so in private. He brought moral clarity to everything he did, and his purpose was pure--to help those among us who needed it most. He taught us that our aim should be to ``give a voice to the voiceless,'' including families whose drinking water had been poisoned, sick patients who could no longer afford their medicine and, most of all, vulnerable children and ``generations yet unborn.'' Whether in a hearing room full of members of Congress or in a quiet conversation with staff, his example motivated us to become our best selves in the service of others. He was genuine. He insisted on personally interviewing every staff member he hired so he could ``look into their eyes.'' Each of us has a personal memory of sitting down with him for the first time, and it was like nothing we had experienced before. He would ask why we were interested in public service, how we thought we could contribute and what motivated us. Then he would lean in and ask in his low baritone voice, ``But . . . what feeds your soul?'' More than a few of us left those interviews with tears in our eyes, perhaps feeling that we had learned more about ourselves than about him. He made that kind of personal connection with everyone he met, from the people of his district, to witnesses who testified at hearings, to whistleblowers who reported waste, fraud or abuse. Since his passing, we have been inundated with messages from many whose lives he touched. He was demanding. He would boast that he had the hardest working staff in Congress and that he sometimes would call or email us in the middle of the night, which was absolutely true. His directive to be ``effective and efficient in everything you do'' still rings in our ears. In exchange, he listened to us, respected us and trusted us. He made sure we knew he was truly proud of us--memories we each now cherish. The result of his unwavering support was fierce loyalty from every member of his staff. We committed to doing everything in our power to fulfill his vision. He was a unifying force, even in this era of partisanship. He would command order with a sharp rap of his gavel, elevate debate by noting that ``we are better than that'' and urge all of us to seek ``not just common ground, but higher ground.'' Guided by his faith and values, he would look for and bring out the good in others, forming bridges through human connection. He fully grasped the moment in which we are now living. He invoked history books that will be written hundreds of years from now as he called on us to ``fight for the soul of our democracy.'' As he said, this is bigger than one man, one president or even one generation. He was acutely aware of his own transience in this world, He reminded us repeatedly that we are here ``only for a minute'' and that all of us soon will be ``dancing with the angels.'' He would thunder against injustice, or on behalf of those who could not fight for themselves, and he would vow to keep battling until his ``dying breath.'' He did just that. His final act as chairman came from his hospital bed just hours before his death, as he continued to fight for critically ill children suddenly in danger of deportation. He had so much left to accomplish, but he has left it for us to complete. As he told us presciently, ``These things don't happen to us, they happen for us.'' It is difficult to describe the emptiness we now feel. His spirit was so strong, and his energy so boundless, that the void is devastating. But, of course, he left us with instructions: ``Pain, passion, purpose. Take your pain, turn it into your passion, and make it your purpose.'' He lived those words, and he inspired us to do the same. Sometimes, after a big event, he would take us aside for a quiet moment and say, ``I just want to thank you for everything you do and for being a part of my destiny.'' Today, we thank him for being part of ours. And we commit to carrying forward his legacy in the limited time allotted to each of us--to give voice to the voiceless, to defend our democracy, and to always reach for higher ground. The authors of this tribute are current and former staff of the late House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md whose funeral is Friday. Their names are below: Aaron D. Blacksberg, Abbie Kamin, Ajshay Charlene Barber, Alex Petros, Alexander M. Wolf, Alexandra S. Golden, Aliyah Nuri Horton, CAE, Amish A. Shah, Amy Stratton, Andy Eichar, Angela Gentile, Esq., Anthony McCarthy, Anthony N. Bush, Aryele N. Bradford, Ashley Abraham, Ashley Etienne, Asi Ofosu, Asua Ofosu, Ben Friedman, Bernadette ``Bunny'' Williams. Beverly Ann Fields, Esq., Beverly Britton Fraser, Brandon Jacobs, Brett Cozzolino, Brian B. Quinn, Britteny N. Jenkins, Candyce Phoenix, Carissa J. Smith, Carla Hultberg, Carlos Felipe Uriate, Cassie Fields, Cecelia Marie Thomas, Chanan Lewis, Chioma I. Chukwu, Chloe M. Brown, Christina J. Johnson, Christopher Knauer, Dr. Christy Gamble Hines, Claire E. Coleman, Claire Leavitt. Courtney Cochran, Courtney French, Courtney N. Miller, Crystal T. Washington, Daniel Rebnord, Daniel Roberts, Daniel C. Vergamini, Darlene R. Taylor, Dave Rapallo, Davida Walsh Farrar, Deborah S. Perry, Deidra N. Bishop, Delarious Stewart, Devika Koppikar, Devon K. Hill, Donald K. Sherman, Eddie Walker, Elisa A. LaNier, Ellen Zeng, Emma Dulaney. Erica Miles, Fabion Seaton, Ferras Vinh, Fran Allen, Francesca McCrary, Frank Amtmann, Georgia Jenkins, Dr. Georgia Jennings-Dorsey, Gerietta Clay, Gina H. Kim, Greta Gao, Harry T. Spikes II, Hope M. Williams, Ian Kapuza, Ilga Semeiks, Jamitress Bowden, Janet Kim, Jaron Bourke, Jason R. Powell. Jawauna Greene, Jean Waskow, Jedd Bellman, Jenn Hoffman, Jennifer Gaspar, Jenny Rosenberg, Jess Unger, Jesse K. Reisman, Jessica Heller, Jewel James Simmons, Jill L. Crissman, Jimmy Fremgen, Jolanda Williams, Jon Alexander, Jordan H. Blumenthal, Jorge D. Hutton, Joshua L. Miller, Joshua Zucker, Julia Krieger, Julie Saxenmeyer. Justin S. Kim, K. Alex Kiles, Kadeem Cooper, Kamau M. Marshall, Kapil Longani, Karen Kudelko, Karen White, Kathy Crosby, Katie Malone, Katie Teleky, Kayvan Farchadi, Kellie Larkin, Kelly Christl, Kenneth Crawford, Kenneth D. Crawford, Kenyatta T. Collins, Kevin Corbin, Jr., Kierstin Stradford, Kimberly Ross, Krista Boyd, Kymberly Truman Graves, Larry and Diana Gibson, Laura K. Waters, Leah Nicole Copeland Perry, LL.M.,Esq., Lena C. Chang, Lenora Briscoe-Carter, Lisa E. Cody, Lucinda Lessley, Madhur Bansal, Marc Broady, Marianna Patterson, Mark Stephenson, Martin Sanders, Meghan Delaney Berroya, Michael F Castagnola, Michael Gordon, Michell Morton, Dr. Michelle Edwards, Miles P. Lichtman, Mutale Matambo. Olivia Foster, Patricia A. Roy, Paul A. Brathwaite, Paul Kincaid, Peter J. Kenny, Philisha Kimberly Lane, Portia R. Bamiduro, Rachel L. Indek, Rebecca Maddox-Hyde, Regina Clay, Ricardo Brandon Rios, Rich Marquez, Richard L. Trumka Jr., Robin Butler, Rory Sheehan, Roxanne (Smith) Blackwell, Russell M. Anello, Safiya Jafari Simmons, Sanay B. Panchal, Scott P. Lindsay. Sean Perryman, Senam Okpattah, Sonsyrea Tate-Montgomery, Susanne Sachsman Grooms, Suzanne Owen, Tamara Alexander Lynch, Theresa Chalhoub, Timothy D. Lynch, Todd Phillips, Tony Haywood, Tori Anderson, Trinity M.E. Goss, Trudy E. Perkins, Una Lee, Valerie Shen, Vernon Simms, Wendy Ginsberg, William A. Cunningham, William H. Cole, Wm. T. Miles, Jr., Yvette Badu-Nimako, Yvette P. Cravins, Esq., Zeita Merchant.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands and the gentleman from Nevada and our chair, Karen Bass, for organizing this Special Order. What an honor and a privilege to spend my early months as a freshman Member of Congress in close proximity to a titan for justice and a force for good, someone who spent several decades as a truth-teller and a justice- seeker, who, in his role as chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, knew that the best disinfectant is sunlight, and he shone a light on every injustice. He was a patriot, tireless in his efforts to preserve our democracy, and a statesman of unwavering conviction. He challenged each of us to appeal to our better angels, to be decent, to be fair, to comport ourselves with the reverence and dignity this institution demands and our country deserves. He was consistent and did that even in the face of great physical fatigue and, some days, perhaps, even a weary spirit, in the face of injustice and indignities. He often reminded us that it was our charge on the Committee on Oversight and Reform to be an efficient and effective pursuit of the truth. His body has transitioned, but his instructive words ring resoundingly and true. He was a selfless servant and leader until the end. One of the final pursuits of justice we took on together was to maintain access to lifesaving healthcare for our immigrant neighbors in the medical deferred action program. His staffer, Anthony, drove through the night to Baltimore so the chairman could sign subpoenas, advancing our fight together. Truly, in life, all you have is your name and your word, and when it comes to Elijah Cummings, both were good. Until the very end, the chairman would stop my staff and me in the hallways, and he would say: Are you keeping up the fight? He knew the fight was greater than one man or one mission or one legislative act. The pursuit of justice is not a box you simply check. So we continue in that pursuit, following in the footsteps of a giant. No one can fill your shoes, but we will pick up the torch and press forward with your moral clarity as our roadmap and your vision as our charge. We will keep up the fight. To my forever chairman, Elijah Cummings, rest in power.

Ms. PRESSLEY

Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Waters for her vigilance and her steadfast leadership in continuing to bring people together across the aisle on issues of consequence to the American people and always putting consumer protection at the center of that. I also thank my colleague, Representative Huizenga, for his partnership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution, which highlights the important role that State securities regulators play in strengthening the financial services industry. The 2008 economic crisis devastated American families everywhere. But, as we watched the unemployment skyrocket, home values plummet, and credit disappear, it became clear that the impact of the crisis hit harder for some. Black families that had only just begun to build wealth through homeownership watched everything they had worked for disappear. And although the recovery has been similarly unequal, it is critical to recognize those on the front lines protecting the investments of working families and small businesses alike. The North American Securities Administrators Association, NASAA, comprised of securities administrators from all 50 States, are champions for stronger investor protections and diligent oversight. My home State of Massachusetts was the first to require the registration of some securities, helping to lay the groundwork for other State models that would serve as the foundation for future Federal securities law. As the world's oldest international investor protection organization, NASAA has remained vigilant in its policing of securities trading, securing over $486 million in restitution to victims of investment fraud in 2017 alone. NASAA's work with AARP helps protect seniors from the troubling upward trends in elder financial abuse. Additionally, they continue to work with medical professionals on ways to identify seniors at risk of financial abuse. NASAA's efforts to spread retirement best practices can help empower families with the knowledge to invest wisely for generations to come. My resolution recognizes 100 years of excellence in investor protection and encourages continued cooperation between local, State, and Federal regulators to ensure 100 more. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support my resolution.