Rashida Tlaib

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we must end the U.S. participation in the Israeli Government's violent assault on Lebanon. Over 3,400 people in Lebanon have been massacred since the start of the Israeli apartheid government's brutal invasion and indiscriminate bombing campaign. Children, Mr. Speaker, medics, journalists, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques have all been targeted by the Israeli Government. Critical civilian infrastructure and entire residential neighborhoods are systematically being destroyed. More than 1.2 million people have been forced to leave their homes or be killed with the Israeli military telling them they will not be allowed to return. Last week, Mr. Speaker, the Israeli Government issued a forced displacement order for all the areas south of the Zahrani River, declaring the entire vast region to a combat zone. Mr. Speaker, that is 14 percent of all of Lebanon, home to hundreds of thousands of people of all faiths as well as over 300 cities and towns, including Lebanon's fourth largest city, Tyre. That is 14 percent of the country told to either leave or die. This is not a national security, Mr. Speaker. This is an ethnic cleansing campaign. The Israeli leaders and the Cabinet members are open about this. Finance Minister Smotrich literally called for the annexing of at least 10 percent of Lebanon saying that the new Israeli border must be up to the Litani River. Defense Minister Katz of Israel has openly stated that the Government of Israel plans to pursue an indefinite military occupation of southern Lebanon up to the river, even after the war is over. The National Security Minister Ben-Gvir has proposed Israel to go even further to conquer and occupy Lebanese territory all the way north of the river. These are not fringe figures. They are the Israeli security cabinet. They are most powerful decisionmakers in the Israeli Government. Mr. Speaker, they have made it clear that their goal is to do to Lebanon what they did in Gaza. The Israeli military officials even stated that their aim is to implement ``the Gaza model'' in Lebanon. I can go on and on in explaining this, but I think what is important to understand is the act of the psychological terror, putting leaflets all throughout Beirut threatening Lebanon with repeat of the remarkable success in Gaza. I want my colleagues to know that over the last 3 months we have already seen these horrific threats become a reality. This Congress did nothing to save lives in Gaza. We must act now, though, to prevent the same fate in Lebanon. I want folks to know we are here because the United States is not a bystander to these war crimes. It is an active participant. The Trump administration has engaged in unlawful and unauthorized participation in hostilities as part of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in violation of the War Powers Act. The Trump administration is providing intelligence, coordinating strikes, and demonstrating overt command over Israeli military decisions, including green-lighting specific Israeli attacks and operations throughout Lebanon, including Beirut. The President of the United States has, in his own public statements, over a period of months, asserted authority to approve, prohibit, condition, and direct specific Israeli military operations. In one such example, the Israeli Government sought and was granted Trump's green light for its May 6 strike, the strike on Beirut, and coordinated with the U.S. in advance to coordinate with Israeli officials. Even Israel's State officials mentioned this and said it publicly. Even Israel's own public government state broadcasting station admitted it. Not only is the Trump administration illegally participating in this violent campaign, but it is openly ignoring congressional oversight, Mr. Speaker, of the U.S. Armed Forces' involvement in Lebanon. On May 7, Senator Welch and a number of Senators wrote to the administration requesting specific information about U.S. coordination with the Israeli strikes, about the Israeli strikes, and other actions that would violate the War Powers Act, including refueling, intelligence-sharing, targeting, and other assistance. We all know the Senators have not received any answers, and the executive branch has not even tried to argue that the U.S. role in the Israeli hostilities in Lebanon complies with U.S. law. Congress must reassert its constitutional authority, Mr. Speaker, and immediately vote to end the U.S. participation in the destruction of Lebanon. I want to make one thing clear, though, and it is super important for my colleagues to understand. Section 5(c) of the War Powers Act makes it clear that the Lebanon War Powers Resolution only applies to U.S. Armed Forces engaged in hostilities. The resolution will not affect U.S. training and support of Lebanese Armed Forces or the routine protection of U.S. diplomatic facilities, neither of which is involved in hostilities. The War Powers Resolution exclusively ends the U.S. participation and ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon. That is what this vote is about, nothing less. The American people are tired. They are exhausted, exhausted of these endless wars. They are tired of hearing that we don't have money for healthcare and childcare, yet, here we are, U.S. bombs destroying hospitals and stealing the future of children abroad. This vote on the Lebanon War Powers Resolution is a clear, moral choice. Do you stand with the Netanyahu government and Trump's endless war crimes, or do you stand with human life, peace, and justice? Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, families across the country are struggling to afford groceries. The costs of eggs, milk, bread, baby formula, and fresh produce keep rising while giant grocery chains and corporate executives rake in record profits. Some of the grocery stores are now using surveillance technology and digital labels to squeeze even more money out of working people. It is shameful that corporations would raise prices on products that they know families need to survive. For me, this is corporate greed, plain and simple. No parent, not one individual, should be able to walk into a grocery store wondering if they can afford to feed their families because an algorithm or private data that the grocery chains got decided they can charge them more. That is why I introduced the Stop Price Gouging and Grocery Stores Act to crack down on crooked pricing practices and protect consumers from corporate abuse. Not one person who goes into a grocery store should worry about their private information being used to jack up their prices. We all deserve fair prices, transparency, and dignity, not exploitation at the grocery store. Mr. Speaker, I am calling on all of my colleagues to please support me on the Stop Price Gouging and Grocery Stores Act.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, we have some of the highest rates of poverty among our children. As of 2024, more than 9.7 million children have lived in poverty in the United States. That is a 154-percent increase since 2021. Imagine if our government invested in the well-being of our children like they invest in wars? Congress has the power and the money to end child poverty today, feed every single one of our children today, and make sure that every opportunity that they need to succeed is available today. Instead, we are debating $1 billion to Trump for a ballroom that no one asked for, while defunding and destroying Federal programs that help our children get fed, clothed, housed, and educated. The hardship, food insecurity, health issues, and instability that poverty causes is impacting families throughout my district and throughout our country. Mr. Speaker, I am calling on my colleagues to support Representative Jacobs and my end poverty resolution and support the most vulnerable population.

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, over 3,000 people in Lebanon have been slaughtered since the start of the Israeli apartheid regime's brutal war on all of Lebanon. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced violently. That is over 20 percent of Lebanon's entire population. We cannot stay silent while innocent civilians are being exposed to white phosphorus bombs that melt flesh to the bone. Inaction is not an option, Mr. Speaker. That is why I will be forcing a vote on the War Powers Resolution to end U.S. support of Israel's indiscriminate bombings in Lebanon. We all know what doing nothing looks like, and we are witnessing right now a repeat playbook of the Israeli military's actions in Gaza. Entire families are being erased in Lebanon, villages and cities turned into rubble. Targeting of civilians has continued to be increasing, as well as the targeting of medics and journalists. The United States is not a bystander to these war crimes. It is an active participant. Our government is providing intelligence and coordinating strikes, and the American people are tired of watching their tax dollars fuel death, destruction, and endless war. They are tired of hearing that we don't have money for healthcare or childcare at home, while watching U.S. bombs destroy hospitals and steal the futures of children abroad. Mr. Speaker, this war powers vote is clear, and it is a moral choice. Do you stand for saving lives, or do you stand for endless wars? Ending Child Poverty

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, this week marks 61 years of Head Start, one of the most transformative antipoverty programs in our Nation's history. For more than six decades, Head Start has given millions of children a fair shot by providing early education, meals, healthcare, and support for working families. It showed that every child, no matter their ZIP Code or income, mattered. Today, Republicans have cut and chronically underfunded this program, threatening the lifeline for families across the country. Instead of investing in billionaires and endless wars, we should be investing in our children. I am calling on my colleagues to support and pass our Head Start for America's Children Act, as we mark 61 years of this successful program. This bill would expand access to 11 million more eligible young children nationwide. Eleven million children across our country are eligible, but there are not enough spots. We would also be raising wages for our educators and strengthening support services for our families. Mr. Speaker, we all know that Head Start works, so let's invest in this program. It is an anchor, not only for the child but for the whole family. Stand for Saving Lives

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, as we stand here, I know the community is trying to heal as we mark the over 4-year anniversary since 10 of our Black neighbors were targeted and murdered while grocery shopping at a supermarket in Buffalo. I think it is important to understand there was intentionality here and how the killer chose the location. We all know their lives were stolen due to racism, extremism, and the unchecked epidemic of gun violence plaguing our country. I always must ask this to my colleagues: How many more families need to mourn before Congress acts? How many more children need to lose their lives before we act? Every day, people are killed by guns in mass shootings, domestic violence incidents, suicides, and preventable accidents. Entire communities are traumatized again and again by this violence. Far too often, the victims are children. I stand in honor of a 9- year-old boy in Oakland County, Michigan, who accidentally shot himself in the face with an unsecured firearm. I stand in honor of a 6-year-old girl in Detroit, Michigan, who was accidentally shot and killed by an unsecured handgun in March. Even in that same weekend, another 6-year- old girl was hospitalized after she accidentally shot herself with an unsecured firearm. In Wayne County alone, 39 children have been killed or injured since 2020 after finding unsecured firearms. It is not just mass shootings. It is also a fact that we must take measures to protect and store these guns. Protecting our loved ones, especially our babies, should not be a partisan issue. I call on this Congress to act on gun safety legislation, including the Safe Storage Saves Lives Act. It would require firearm sellers to provide every purchaser with a gun lock. I always used to raise it and show people that it cost $10 to secure the gun. The Safe Storage Saves Lives Act would be commonsense gun safety legislation. It is sitting right here in Congress, waiting for a vote. While we wait for a vote, families are grieving loved ones. Mr. Speaker, I ask and demand that our Congress have the courage to act to end this madness.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, May 15, 2026, marks the 78th anniversary of Nakba. The Nakba, which means catastrophe in Arabic, refers to the mass expulsion and violent ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people from their homes and homeland during the creation of the State of Israel. But we know the Nakba did not end in 1948. We all have witnessed it live. It continues to this day as the Israeli Government commits genocide in Gaza, forcibly displacing Palestinians and kicking them out of their homeland. As we mark the 78th anniversary of Nakba, we honor all those killed since the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people began and all those who have been forced from their homes and violently displaced from their land. The immense trauma, Mr. Speaker, including the loss of their loved ones and connections to their communities they grew up in, needs to be repaired. Seventy percent of the population of Gaza right now are refugees from 1948, and they are being displaced again. Over 400 neighborhoods in 1948 were destroyed and erased. True peace must be built on justice and the right of the return of the Palestinian people.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, right now, on any given night, in the richest country on Earth, nearly 771,000 of our neighbors are unhoused. One million children experience homelessness every year. Think about that: 1 million children. This is not accidental. This is a policy choice. Every year, Congress passes another record-breaking military budget. We always find money for war and destruction, even though the Department of War hasn't passed eight audits in a row. Somehow, we are told, there is not enough money to house our people. This is unacceptable. We know the truth. Congress has the money, and Congress has the power to change that. What is missing is the political will to care deeply about those who maybe will have access to the same opportunities many of us had in this Chamber. Housing is a human right. Our government has a responsibility to treat it that way. There will be no more excuses. We must act because our neighbors deserve a home and dignity, and we refuse to accept anything else. Mr. Speaker, please join me in supporting the Unhoused Persons Bill of Rights resolution that lays out a real path forward, boosting affordable housing for so many of our communities, fully funding Federal housing programs, and expanding access to services for unhoused individuals. These are investments we need, and these are investments that the American people ask for.

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are trying to drag this country back to a Jim Crow South where Black political power is stripped and our voices are stripped, silenced, and dismissed. This time it is not with the hoods but with maps and court rulings that do the same old work. People might find this insulting, but it is very obvious why we need the Voting Rights Act. It is because they turned around and changed the map to dilute Black voices. With the help of the far right, extreme Supreme Court, they are dismantling voting rights across the South and targeting our Black neighbors who have bled, marched, and died for our civil rights. The administration promised to make life more affordable. Instead, they have gutted our healthcare for millions, invested in death and destruction abroad, and used their fascist ICE army to tear apart our communities. They know these policies are not popular among the American people. That is why they are redrawing the maps. It is because it is the only way they can win. I am from Detroit, the most beautiful, Blackest city in the country. Come there, Mr. Speaker. It is the most loving and most resilient community that you have ever met. That is where I learned to speak truth to power, even if my voice shakes. When Black political power is attacked anywhere, then our democracy itself is under attack everywhere. We have seen all this before, Mr. Speaker, but like those who came before us, we will not be intimidated, we will not be silenced, and we will not back down. Unhoused Persons

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, DTE Energy has a monopoly in my district. It is the primary source of utilities for gas and electricity for my residents. This is why it is critical and important for me to introduce the Make DTE Pay Act. It would substantially increase monetary penalties on utilities like DTE Energy when they seek customer rate increases within two preceding or following Clean Air Act violations. Mr. Speaker, you might ask: Why? It is because DTE was hit with more than $100 million in penalties for violating the Clean Air Act by a Federal judge. Within the same week, they got a $240 million increase in rates, and DTE Energy customers, our residents, already know we are paying some of the highest rates in the country for some of the least reliable services, all while DTE shareholders and executives get richer. Now we know DTE has, again, been hit by this violation. They turned around and put it on the consumers. Corporate polluters like DTE treat breaking environmental laws as just the cost of doing business. It is insulting to every single family in my district that is being poisoned by the air they breathe because of this company, and they turn around and jack up our utility bills year after year. That is why it is critical and important that we introduce the Make DTE Pay Act. I encourage my colleagues to understand the importance of this. This legislation forces utilities like DTE to make a choice: Follow the Clean Air Act or face real financial consequences when they try to raise rates on customers whom they have already harmed. We have to change the math. Polluting our communities must be as bad for business as it is for our health. Our families deserve clean air, reliable service, and accountability, not excuses and higher bills. Republican Redistricting

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: NO on Roll Call No. 155.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, our government is spying on us. That is right. The Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act, called FISA section 702, is a dangerous mass surveillance tool that is already being used by our Federal Government to conduct thousands of warrantless searches on the private communications of U.S. citizens without any due process, probable cause, or review from a judge. It is a clear and open violation of our Fourth Amendment and Americans' right to privacy. It makes us all less safe. This unconstitutional tool has been used to spy on Black Lives Matter protesters, Members of Congress, journalists, and more. No President--not any of them--should have the power to spy on our private communication or information, especially not the current occupant of the White House. My colleagues want to give the Trump administration the power to keep violating our rights. It is dangerous, and it must stop. Mr. Speaker, I will always defend our rights from illegal mass surveillance. I will be voting ``no'' on the FISA reauthorization.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his continued effort to protect and fight for working families. For the last 7 years that I have been here, I have been pushing for us to fund and acknowledge that safe, accessible, and affordable drinking water is a human right. Right now, in our United States, we have programs for electricity and gas shut-offs, but nothing for water. Water is life. It is sometimes literally a barrier to a public health crisis. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and I are changing that. In 2021, we established the first-ever low-income housing water assistance program, a financial assistance program to pay off bills and debts and keep people's water connected during the pandemic. It was a total of $1.1 billion. The program saved countless lives, but the money has run out. Millions of Americans right now are struggling to keep up with the affordability crisis and having their water shut off. It is not just an issue in Detroit, but also in communities like the city of Inkster, Redford Township, and other areas in the 12th Congressional District. This is a nationwide issue. Every Congressional district right now has a water crisis. That is why Congresswoman Dingell and I are introducing the Water Access and Affordability Act to establish a permanent low-income drinking water assistance program within the Environmental Protection Agency. Our bill would dedicate $20 billion every year to keep people's water flowing. This program would include direct financial assistance and bill payments, debt relief, reconnection assistance, and water efficiency upgrades. It will set up community advisory committees to help advise the EPA on how to implement these programs to make the biggest difference possible. This bill would ban water shutoffs as a punishment for not being able to afford their water bills. This is the richest country in the world. We say it all the time, but it is important. Many families see the money flowing but not to essentials. The President just requested a $1.5 trillion military budget, but they want to tell us they don't have money to make sure that every family in our country has access to clean drinking water. This bill is an important first step in our movement to recognize, again, that water is life. It is a human right. This has become an issue for me and something very important because there was an African-American couple in my community in their seventies. Their story was published in one of our local outlets. One of the homeowners had put snow in a bucket to melt so he had water to be able to flush the toilet. Their story talked about the fact that they worked all their lives. They paid for their home. They have to pay their taxes every year on their home. They have a little bit of bills here and there, but the water costs went so high that they just couldn't afford it. They literally, in their seventies, in their retirement, couldn't afford water. I say this lovingly to my colleagues: It is about time we find money for our families here at home. If our country has money for endless wars, we have money to make sure that people aren't melting snow to flush their toilets or living in fear of getting their children taken away because water has been shut off. We will literally take children away from homes that don't have access to water and spend money on putting them in foster care, but not make sure that, again, we have programs like this one to make sure that they are protected and have access to something that is lifesaving. Mr. Speaker, water is a human right, and I hope my colleagues will try to support, again, the funding of this program. Trust me, all across the country, you will find a family that is struggling to pay their water bill.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, this week marks 3 years of the war in Sudan, and our country has done little to nothing to actually stop it. Tens of thousands of Sudanese have been killed, and 14 million are displaced in what has become the world's largest displacement crisis. Mr. Speaker, the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, have engaged in a claim of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Darfur and armed with American weapons provided to them by the United Arab Emirates, and it is shameful. It is shameful that many of my colleagues continue to look away. We need to move the Stand Up For Sudan Act, the Stand Up For Sudan Act which would cease all U.S. weapons sales to the UAE. We must put pressure on all nations fueling this war and extend the international arms embargo on Darfur to all of Sudan. While the Sudanese people face famine, the Trump administration has slashed humanitarian aid that saves lives, and this must be reversed immediately. We need an immediate cease-fire; but beyond that, we need to support the Sudanese people and their call for freedom, peace, and justice.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply proud to serve not only as an unapologetic Arab-American woman in Congress but to represent one of the largest Arab-American communities in our country. That is why I am introducing a resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month. This month, we must recognize the rich history, culture, and achievements of Arab Americans all across our country. I know it has been an incredibly difficult time for many of our families, especially those with loved ones in Lebanon and Palestine. Even in the midst of pain and uncertainty, let us all continue to show up for each other, speak out against injustices, and care for each other with compassion and solidarity. Mr. Speaker, I am sure you will agree that this is the time and month to acknowledge Arab-American contributions, inventions, and support building businesses and showing up for communities and neighbors all across the country. To all the neighbors in southeastern Michigan and beyond, happy Arab American Heritage Month.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. No matter how Republicans try to spin it, the SAVE Act is voter suppression. This isn't about election security, Mr. Speaker. It is about election takeover. President Trump and Republicans know that their policies are deeply unpopular with the American people. So what are they doing? They are trying to rig the elections. They want to force Americans to produce a passport or birth certificate just to register to vote. They know full well that only about half of Americans have a passport. They know it costs money. They know it takes time. That is the point. They want to make it harder for many of our neighbors to be able to vote. Nearly 70 million married women do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name. This bill is a direct attack on our right to vote, and Republicans don't want people like us voting. It would also increase purges of registered voters who literally are getting kicked off of these lists who are legally allowed to vote, and we must stop it.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. This week marks the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which comes at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a time that strengthens our faith, deepens compassion, and brings people together in care for one another, but I also know that this Ramadan has been incredibly difficult for many of our families, especially those with loved ones in Lebanon and in Palestine. I am sending love to all of the families who have lost loved ones and those who are celebrating Eid on top of the rubble of their masjids and their homes. Even in the midst of pain and uncertainty, our Muslim neighbors have continued to show resilience. They continue to come together in community and supporting one another. As we gather to celebrate, let us keep showing up for each other and speaking out against injustices and caring for our communities with compassion and solidarity. To all of the millions of Muslim Americans in our country right now, I want you to know that not everybody in this Chamber sees you as less human. A majority of us in this Chamber know that you are worthy of life, liberty, and justice. May this Eid bring us closer to a future grounded in peace, justice, and dignity for all. ``Blessed Eid''; ``Eid mubarak'' to every Muslim here in the United States and around the world.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, in Detroit, we say that we don't have healthcare in our country. We have sick care in our country. Under the Trump administration, we know that this crisis is getting worse. Trump has already cut $1 trillion from programs like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, so I introduced a bill to be able to hone in on the pharmaceutical industry. It is called Medicines for the People Act, a plan to develop essential medicines and medications in the public sector and distribute them to all Americans at not-for- profit rates. The National Institute for Biomedical Research and Development would drive the development of these drugs and devices to lower costs and expand access to medicines, boost innovation, and address public health concerns. It creates the real competition that we need in our healthcare system: lower the prices and save lives. We all know that there are real consequences to these higher costs and fewer breakthroughs in the industry that prioritizes profits over public health, so I urge my colleagues to please support Medicines for the People Act. It is important because healthcare is a human right. Mr. Speaker, it is time to build a system that ensures that lifesaving prescription drugs are affordable and accessible to everyone. When my residents tell me that we have sick care instead of healthcare, that should be a signal that we need to do more and need to be able to combat profit and corporate greed within our healthcare system.

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the celebration of Eid al- Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan, thousands of our families in the 12th Congressional District who have strong ties to Lebanon are struggling right now. This year's Eid feels different for us. I know many have lost loved ones. Many mosques are full of memorials, and many, many, again, are watching their grandparents' homes be bombed and seeing relatives, uprooted from their neighbors, becoming homeless. This campaign of ethnic cleansing by the Israeli Government has already killed nearly 1,000 people, including over 100 children that we know of. Over 1 million people in Lebanon, one-fifth of Lebanon's entire population, has been forcibly displaced and told by the Israeli military that they will not be allowed to return to their homes and their villages. This has all been supported and enabled by our tax dollars. Mr. Speaker, entire families have been wiped out, and towns and city neighborhoods have been completely erased. Entire generations-- grandparents, parents, and children are gone. Medical centers and universities are being targeted. Look it up. They are just bombing medics, children, residential neighborhoods, set aflame with U.S.-produced white phosphorus, which is a war crime, Mr. Speaker, poisoning the land and poisoning the people. We are witnessing the same genocidal playbook used against Palestinians in Gaza, and now they are doing it in Lebanon. Mr. Speaker, I will be introducing a House Resolution standing with the people of Lebanon against these war crimes and calling for an end to this illegal invasion. It is time for us to be able to stop this illegal invasion, enact a total arms embargo, and put an immediate end to this destructive regional war. Public Sector Development of Essential Medications at Cost

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, alerting the public to government wrongdoing is not a crime. Yet, sadly, administrations of both parties are increasingly using the Espionage Act to target and prosecute whistleblowers and journalists for sharing critical information, important information, with the public. Such prosecutions undermine our government's transparency and are a clear violation of the First Amendment and fundamental right to due process. That is why I am introducing the Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act, which would prevent abuses against whistleblowers, journalists, and the American public for exposing government corruption. Ever since it became law in 1917, the Espionage Act has been used to criminalize political dissent, and that is dangerous. It has been used to target whistleblowers who alerted the American people about government lies about the Vietnam war, mass surveillance, torture, drone assassinations, and the U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. In recent years, the use of this repressive tool has prosecuted whistleblowers and journalists acting in the public interest and has expanded dramatically, producing a major chilling effect on the right to dissent in our country. In our country, war has always been used as an excuse by the powerful to take away the rights of our people. This legislation is named in honor of the late Daniel Ellsberg, the celebrated whistleblower who bravely exposed government lies about the Vietnam war with the publication of the Pentagon Papers. Today, our government is committing horrific war crimes against humanity, from Iran to Palestine to Cuba, while expanding mass surveillance and spying on Americans more than ever. If we allow Presidential administrations to continue to abuse this power and erode our rights, we will lose our freedom of speech and so much more. It is time to put an end to these abuses and stand up for our First Amendment rights and freedoms. Strife in Lebanon

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, DTE Energy is out of control. They are requesting another outrageous rate hike, just days after State regulators approved another $242 million increase, an increase of 4.6 percent per customer. These are our residents getting their utility costs increased. Our families can't afford higher rates with more power outages that wipe out groceries, spoil our medicines in our refrigerator, and leave our neighbors without critical medical services, all because DTE in Michigan would rather spend money on campaign contributions than invest in reliability. DTE doesn't even care about reliability because they care about record profits and pay for shareholders and executives. Mr. Speaker, the company made $1.5 billion in profits last year. This is unchecked corporate greed. DTE already charges some of the highest rates in the Nation but provides unreliable service and performs hundreds of thousands of utility shutoffs per year. Mr. Speaker, guess who subsidizes those shutoffs. It is the LIHEAP program, the taxpayers. Enough is enough. DTE Energy needs to be checked and held accountable.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, resistance comes in different forms. Sometimes just our mere existence is resisting. I want to take a moment to recognize my guest for the State of the Union Address. Her name is Dr. Fatou-Seydi Sarr, the founder and CEO of the African Bureau for Immigrant and Social Affairs in Detroit. I am bringing her into this Chamber this evening to uplift the work that she does in resisting the dehumanization of our beautiful immigrant neighbors. Originally from Senegal, she provides critical services to our Black immigrant families in the city of Detroit. She fights to secure basic needs like food, shelter, and stability for our immigrant families who are often viewed as disposable by our own government. As a Black immigrant Muslim woman, she confronts injustices and refuses to be silent. She has also mentored so many incredible young Black girls to see themselves as leaders and changemakers. Inspired by Detroit's Black women organizers, Seydi reminds us that in our community, we keep each other safe. In, Wolof, she says: We must hold on to one another if we want to build a humanity we believe in. Because it is not about me. It is about us, locked arm in arm.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, every time I tried to sit down and write this, I found myself tearing up. That is how much my chief of staff, Larissa Richardson, meant to me and continues to mean to me and so many of our team members. Larissa has served our families for over a decade. From my time as a State Representative to our years in Congress, Larissa has been a tremendous and deeply committed partner in this work. She built an exceptional district team to make sure our neighborhood service centers were responsive and rooted in community. She helped deliver close to $70 million back home through the appropriations process, resources that made a real difference in people's lives. She made sure every single meeting, policy decision, and late night was centered on the needs of the beautiful families that we represent. She always had my back. She believed in the vision I had for our work, even when the culture here in Washington, D.C. didn't make it easy. We faced very difficult moments together, and we always said we are going to outwork the hate. We stay grounded in our values, and Larissa Richardson was such a huge part of making that possible. She has now transitioned to continuing the fight for our families on our new mayor, Mayor Sheffield's team, and I couldn't be any prouder of her. Madam Speaker, Larissa will always be part of Team Tlaib. That doesn't change. We already miss her presence, leadership, and calm strength. This isn't goodbye. This is just a new chapter. Madam Speaker, I wish everyone will take a moment and join me in thanking her for her years of service for our community. I love you, Larissa.

Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, in the 12th Congressional District, every single day is Black History Month. I am so incredibly proud to have been born in the most beautiful, Blackest city in the country. I know Detroit has built movements from every corner, and our community is a reminder of the civil rights movement, the labor rights movement. I still remember, Madam Speaker, in ninth grade getting this bright orange book. It was the first time we ever got brand-new books. It was a beautiful book around history and teaching American history through Black history. To this day, I know that I am rooted in community and understanding movements because, again, I was able to be educated in a way that was full of justice seekers, full of movement makers. I know that it has always been a city of changemakers. We bore witness to Dr. King's first Walk to Freedom and the transformative work of trailblazers like Mother Rosa Parks and Malcolm X. From the iconic Motown sounds to generations of powerful activism, our Black neighbors have changed the course of our history. Yet right now, we are witnessing efforts to erase that history. The Trump administration has targeted diversity, equity, inclusion, and rolled back hard-won progress. Systemic racism has been codified into laws, Madam Speaker, and into our budgets. Black unemployment has skyrocketed. Black homeownership has significantly decreased. We know the Department of Justice has rolled back civil rights protections and disparate impact antidiscrimination regulations, weakening the ability to change policies that harm our Black communities in housing and unemployment. Trump has issued executive orders targeting museums and institutions like the National Museum of African American History and Culture trying to hide the truth about Black history. We will never stop fighting to protect and center the voices of our Black neighbors. No matter how much the Trump administration attempts to whitewash it and how hard they try, they cannot erase Black history. My Black neighbors ask me: Is it true that the President has not said anything about Black history? Not once did he acknowledge Black History Month. Again, we know our Black neighbors have shaped every chapter of our Nation's history. That will never change. This Black History Month, we renew our commitment to fighting for a more just, equitable future. Black history is American history. Thanking Larissa Richardson

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, we all know that right now the housing crisis is real for so many of our families across the country, and I know many of us in this Chamber, especially those on the left, have always said housing is a human right. To address this crisis, we know that we need action at every level of government, but many local communities need additional assistance and capacity. That is why I am so incredibly grateful that the House passed the Housing Our Communities Act, part of the Housing for the 21st Century Act legislative package. The Housing Our Communities Act directs the HUD Secretary to establish a competitive grant program to support a wide range of affordable housing planning and implementation activities. For example, grants can support officials in crafting their housing plans, updating their zoning codes, or increasing capacity to conduct housing inspections so that new developments are completed faster and much more efficiently. This bill provides civil servants and policymakers with the support they need to make affordable housing a reality for so many of our communities. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation immediately and begin to address the housing crisis that is devastating our country.