Rashida Tlaib

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am getting tired of coming to the House floor to call out DTE Energy's corporate greed in my district. My residents cannot afford DTE's ridiculous rate hikes and terrible, unreliable service. Check this out: They increase rates between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. when the majority of our families are home, literally in the middle of a deadly heat wave with temperatures of nearly 100 degrees. Despite DTE making more than a billion dollars in rate hikes in the last decade and $313 million in the second quarter of this year, DTE is never satisfied. DTE is one of the worst utilities in the Nation for power outages and restoring power. Yet we pay 16 percent more than the national average for this failing service. As long as a for-profit company controls our electrical power, it will be unaffordable and unreliable. We need public power. DTE and other for-profit utilities should be turned into publicly-owned and operated services so our families can live safely and have livable conditions in our country.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Chair, I thank my good colleague from California for yielding me time. I want to say how absolutely unconscionable it is that my colleagues are offering an amendment to prevent our U.S. Government from even citing the Palestinian death toll. Since 1948, Mr. Chair, there has been a coordinated effort, especially in this Chamber, to dehumanize Palestinians and erase Palestinians from existence. The ethnic cleansing of Palestinians did not end in 1948. Today, Mr. Chair, we are recognizing the Israeli apartheid government carry out a genocide in Gaza in real time. This amendment is an attempt to hide it. Let me remind you all of the words of the Israeli Defense Minister who said: ``We are imposing a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. Everything is closed. We are fighting human animals.'' They don't even see Palestinians as human beings, Mr. Chair. Here we are, my colleagues wanting to prohibit our own U.S. officials from even citing the Palestinian death toll. Let me read into the Record the latest casualties of Palestinians killed: 37,718 Palestinians, including more than 15,000 Palestinian children. More than 86,377 Palestinians have been injured. Six children, Mr. Chair, are killed in Gaza every single hour. Palestinians are not just numbers. Behind these numbers are real people--mothers, fathers, sons, daughters--who have had their lives stolen from them and their families torn apart, and we should not be trying to hide it. These are innocent children and babies who have been bombed in their tents, burned alive, dismembered, and deliberately starved to death. Where is our shared humanity in this Chamber? There is so much anti-Palestinian racism in this Chamber that my colleagues don't even want to acknowledge that Palestinians exist at all, not when they are alive and now not even when they are dead. It is absolutely disgusting. This is genocide denial. Mr. Chair, I know the majority of this Chamber doesn't believe Palestinians should live or exist, but I won't remain silent as the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, while folks attempt to even erase those who were killed with our own weapons. If I may later, at the appropriate time, I will submit for inclusion into the Congressional Record the list of Palestinians killed in Gaza. Mr. Chair, it is important to note this for everyone here. The list is so long that I can't even submit it because of the text limit. That is how many have been killed in Gaza, and now we are going to try to hide it. I include in the Record a link to the list of those killed in Gaza. Https://www.scribd.com/document/681084315/List-of-Martyrs-in-Gaza-as- October-26-2023-as-reported-by-the-Gaza-Ministry-of-Health Mr. Chair, I rise asking all of us, please, don't erase them. They have a right to be acknowledged as being killed. They are dead. What more do you want from the people in Palestine?

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the late Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson, a World War II Tuskegee Airman and one of Michigan's most decorated pilots as we prepare to dedicate a community gathering space in his honor. Born in Detroit, he was the descendant of formerly enslaved people and would go on to become a Black trailblazer. One of the original Tuskegee Airmen, the U.S. Army's first Black Air Corps, Jefferson served as a P-51 fighter pilot with the Red Tail, 332nd Fighter Group 301st Fighter Squadron in Ramitelli, Italy. His unit bravely escorted bombers into action, providing critical protection from enemy aircraft and without losing a single plane. Jefferson was captured as a prisoner of war on August 12, 1944, three days before the invasion of Southern France, after he was shot down while firing at German radar stations on the coast. Presumed dead, he was held for more than nine months. He was liberated by U.S. Forces on April 29, 1945. Following the war, Jefferson dedicated himself to education as an instrument instructor in advanced flight training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, continuing the storied Air Corps' legacy of excellence in flight. He was discharged from active duty in 1947 and retired from the reserves in 1969. In his civilian life, Jefferson worked as an elementary school science teacher in Detroit, where he would retire as an assistant principal in 1979. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his bravery and his selfless service for our country, including the Purple Heart Award. He represented the best of Detroit. As we celebrate the dedication of the plaza in his honor, we offer our thanks for the service and legacy of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Fire Captain Jon Drennon for his twenty-five years of service with the Dearborn Fire Department in Michigan's 12th District Strong. Fire Captain Drennon got his start in public service in 1999 as a Firefighter. After only one year of service, he received the first of many Meritorious Company Commendations. In addition, he has been recognized numerous times for valor and lifesaving. Over the course of his public service career, Fire Captain Drennon has committed himself to continuous professional development, completing numerous certification and educational programs in various rescue operations techniques and other technical programming. Fire Captain Drennon has been an outstanding public servant to the communities served by the Dearborn Fire Department. Please join me in recognizing his twenty-five years of commitment to protecting our families' safety across Michigan's 12th District Strong as we wish him well in his retirement.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize the 12th Congressional District's Fire Engineer Robin Buchholz for her twenty- five years of service with the Dearborn Fire Department. Fire Engineer Buchholz began her career as a firefighter with the Dearborn Fire Department in 1999. Over the past twenty-five years, she has been twice promoted and has remained steadfast in her commitment to service and keeping our communities safe. Fire Engineer Buchholz has been recognized over twenty-five times in her career for her exemplary record, including lifesaving and safe driving. She has also been awarded the esteemed Fire Chief Life Saving Award for life saving service and the Meritorious Company Commendation on multiple occasions. As Fire Engineer for the department, Ms. Buchholz has also obtained certifications in life support and rescue techniques. Please join me and our community in recognizing Fire Engineer Robin Buchholz for her twenty-five years of outstanding service to the people of Dearborn in Michigan's 12th District Strong as we wish her well in her retirement.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, Juneteenth is a day of joy, a celebration of freedom, and a reminder of the work that lies before us as we continue to fight for true equity and justice for our Black neighbors. On Juneteenth and every day in our community, we honor the trauma and acknowledge the pain and hurt of our Black Americans who fought tirelessly for their freedom, and we still aren't done. We celebrate this independence day with activists, organizers, and community leaders who uplift Black history and carry on the enduring struggle for justice for all. In our country right now, which our own Black neighbors literally built, including this very building I am standing in, the Capitol, systemic racism and discrimination continue to plague our institutions and communities. We see it in disparities in healthcare, education, housing, access to basic necessities, racism in our legal system and economic opportunities, and so much more. By providing reparations, the debt owed to our Black neighbors upon emancipation from centuries of enslavement and oppression, we can begin, Mr. Speaker, to address the injustices. I know the 12th Congressional District knows that reparations are a debt that our Nation owes, a true acknowledgement of the pain and harm inflicted on generations of our Black families. Juneteenth is a reminder of how far we have come, but also how far we still need to go. This Juneteenth, please join me in honoring our Black neighbors as we commit to fighting for reparations, voting rights, ending police brutality, investing in Black maternal health, HBCUs, and so much more. The U.S. Supreme Court is Facing a Corruption Crisis

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court is not facing an ethics crisis; it is a corruption crisis. It seems like every single day there are new headlines about more corruption coming out of our U.S. Supreme Court. I know we need urgent action to hold these unhinged, corrupt extremists accountable. It is extremely disturbing that the United States Supreme Court, the highest Court of our land, is the only Court that does not have an enforceable code of conduct. Mr. Speaker, Justice Thomas, which my residents call ``Corruption Clarence,'' has received over $4 million and 193 gifts, including multiple vacations, flights on private jets, helicopter rides, and yacht trips from Republican billionaire mega-donors like Harlan Crow, who actually have cases before the Court. We are supposed to expect this Court to hold itself accountable? Give me a break. One of these luxury trips actually cost $500,000. It is not just corrupt Clarence. Justice Alito has also been hit with numerous scandals recently, including accepting luxury trips and flying insurrectionists around, hanging stop the steal flags outside of his home after the attack on our U.S. Capitol. Yet, the American people are supposed to trust him to decide the cases around January 6th. These unelected Justices, serving lifetime appointments, Mr. Speaker, continue to strip us of our rights, shred our voting rights, gut our environmental protections, our right to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and sell our democracy to the highest bidder. It is time to expand the Supreme Court. It is time for reforms. I know our residents in the 12th Congressional District are demanding that I move with urgency on this issue. We need to enact term limits for Supreme Court Justices, enforce binding a code of conduct, real reforms, and expedite impeachment proceedings. These reforms are long overdue. I know Justice Thomas should have never been confirmed in the first place. We should have listened to Anita Hill. Let me be clear: Thomas and Alito need to be impeached and removed from the bench now. Our country deserves a Supreme Court that is acting in the best interests of the American people, not a Court that is accepting bribes and doing the bidding of rightwing extremists. Recognizing Caribbean American Heritage Month

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I recognize Caribbean American Heritage Month as we celebrate the contributions of our Caribbean Americans in Michigan's 12th Congressional District and across our Nation. I know Caribbean American Heritage Month was first recognized in 2005, and this was a combination of tireless efforts of organizers that highlight the amazing contributions of our Caribbean Americans. I also uplift in our backyard the Caribbean Community Service Center, an organization based right in our district that is proudly uplifting the history and continuing to celebrate that culture and our neighbors in southeastern Michigan beyond this month. Please join me in recognizing Caribbean American Heritage Month and the contributions of our Caribbean Americans across our Nation and in the 12th Congressional District.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Chair, I thank my good colleague for yielding. Mr. Chair, my colleagues are about to ram through yet another record- breaking military budget, nearly a trillion dollars, packed with bullets, bombs, and giveaways to defense contractors. They also had time to sprinkle in some antiwomen policies. Mr. Chair, 2023 marks the sixth year in a row that the Pentagon has failed its audit. My colleagues continue to approve record-breaking military budgets, but the Pentagon literally cannot pass an audit. It is absurd. The Navy's LCS ships, with a lifetime cost of $100 billion, Mr. Chair, are literally broken down and rusting in the harbor. Meanwhile, my residents are worried. They are worried that there is lead in the water they are drinking and toxic chemicals in the air they breathe, all issues that my colleagues claim there isn't enough funding to solve. On top of that, it is incredibly disturbing that many of my colleagues in this Chamber are actively profiting financially, directly, personally when they vote to pass more funding for weapons in war because they personally own stock in war manufacturing. Enough is enough. I am proud to oppose this wasteful bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Kurek for his 22 years of service with the Dearborn Fire Department in Michigan's 12th District Strong. Assistant Fire Chief Kurek began his career as a firefighter with the Dearborn Fire Department in 2002. He has been steadfast in his commitment to the people of Dearborn and upholding public safety, serving in multiple roles including Engineer, Lieutenant, and Captain before being promoted to Assistant Fire Chief. Assistant Chief Kurek has been recognized for his outstanding service many times, earning the John D. Dingell Medal of Freedom Memorial Commendation and Firefighter of the Year Award in 2019. These are the highlights of a long and outstanding career, with extensive recognition to public service. Please join me in recognizing Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Kurek for more than 20 years of service to the people of Michigan's 12th District as we wish him well in his retirement.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Brightmoor Connection, a community food bank and so much more, as they officially open the doors of their new location in Detroit and announce their newest programming and partnerships within this community space. Brightmoor Connection grew out of a consortium of 9 local churches who came together in 2008 in order to address growing food scarcity concerns for local families. More than that, their unique client-choice approach affords residents dignity while they receive the help they need. In their new space, Brightmoor Connection will grow its network of partners to serve even more communities and families in need. They will also launch their newest youth programming for young entrepreneurs. Please join me and the 12th Congressional District in celebrating the opening of Brightmoor Connection's new location and announcement of its new programs and services to our community.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I was not present during votes on Tuesday, June 4th or Wednesday, June 5th. Had I been present, I would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 242, and NAY on Roll Call No. 247.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize the South Redford School District as they celebrate the grand opening of their Innovation Center. The Innovation Center proudly offers new programming for building trades, culinary paths, welding, health professions, and hospitality. This new programming will open innumerable doors to so many students within the district, ensuring that they find what fits their passions. The Center is also equipped to ensure that its students have the needed career preparatory skills to succeed after graduation. These skills include the creation of an Educational Development Plan, apprenticeship programs, and paid or non-paid internships. Additionally, the Center works to guide its students into any path they choose to embark on. This means that they put an important focus on aiding their employability or assisting them with navigating post- secondary institutions. Please join me and the 12th Congressional District in celebrating the opening of Redford School District's Innovation Center and the subsequent launch of their newest programming.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Caribbean American Heritage Month to celebrate the contributions of Caribbean-Americans to Michigan's 12th Congressional District and all across our Nation. National Caribbean American Heritage Month was first recognized in 2005. This was the culmination of many years of efforts by organizations around the world to spotlight the numerous contributions to our Nation. Caribbean Community Services, a nonprofit organization based in Detroit, Michigan, has proudly uplifted that history. They routinely host numerous events that celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Caribbean and its impact on our communities in southeastern Michigan. I am incredibly proud of the important work Caribbean Social Services undertakes to foster diverse and welcoming communities. I especially want to highlight their leadership in ensuring these contributions are recognized and valued as we celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. Please join me in recognizing National Caribbean American Heritage Month and the contributions of Caribbean Americans across our Nation and the 12th Congressional District.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Marine Corps Lance Corporal George Cassar, Purple Heart recipient, for his service to our Nation, as he serves as Grand Marshall of the City of Dearborn's ninety-eighth Memorial Day festivities. Lance Corporal Cassar joined the Marine Corps in October 1966 and served until 1969. During his service, Cassar displayed remarkable bravery and perseverance, earning two Purple Hearts. The first was awarded after his tank was hit by a rocket, and the second was given when he was wounded by shrapnel. Since his retirement from military service, Lance Corporal Cassar continues to serve his community, coaching basketball for an impressive forty-seven years. Please join me in recognizing Lance Corporal George Cassar for his service to our Nation.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize United States Navy Seaman Edward Gorczyk for his service to our Nation, as he serves as Grand Marshal of the City of Dearborn's ninety-eighth Memorial Day festivities. Mr. Gorczyk enlisted in the Navy in 1966. While serving, his ship was hit directly by rockets. Drawing on resilience and teamwork, Gorczyk and his crew were able to escape danger and reach safety. For their bravery and injuries sustained, Gorczyk and his fellow crew members were awarded Purple Hearts. In 1968, after an honorable discharge, Gorczyk left the Navy as a seaman. He returned home to Michigan to study photography at Macomb County Community College after his service. He remains an active member of the Vietnam Veterans of America--James Huard Chapter 267 and The American Legion Post 364. Please join me in recognizing Seaman Edward Gorczyk, for his commendable service to our Nation.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Sergent Christopher Killion, resident of Dearborn in Michigan's 12th District Strong, for his service in the United States Army. This year, Sergeant Killion, a three-time Purple Heart recipient, being honored by the City of Dearborn as a Grand Marshal in their annual Memorial Day events. Sergeant Chris Killion was born in Detroit and raised in Dearborn Heights. He joined the Army in 2001 and was deployed to Iraq in 2003, where he was wounded multiple times. Sergeant Killion left the Army with the rank of E-5. He currently lives in Dearborn and is a member of several veteran organizations, including the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Dearborn Allied Veterans Council, the Polish Legion of American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Please join me in recognizing Sergeant Christopher Killion, for his outstanding service, and as Grand Marshal of the City of Dearborn's ninety-eighth Memorial Day festivities.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Grace E. Miller for her service serving in the Secretary of the Air Force House Liaison Office since January 2022. Lieutenant Colonel Miller received her commission through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of St. Thomas in 2006. She began her active-duty career as Assistant Officer in Charge, Blue Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at McChord Air Force Base, Washington. During this assignment, she deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Deep Freeze. In 2009, she received an AFIT Civilian Institution Program sponsorship to attend the English Literature Master of Arts program at the Pennsylvania State University. She completed her degree in 2010 and then taught at the United States Academy until 2014, achieving the academic rank of assistant professor and serving as Executive Officer to the Dean of the Faculty. She joined the Air Force Reserve in 2014, serving as Maintenance Operations Officer of the 934th Maintenance Squadron. In 2016, she deployed as Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Operations Officer at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. On her return, she took command of the 934th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, where she led 110 personnel maintaining eight C- 130H aircraft to provide combat airlift worldwide. During her time at the 934th, she pursued her doctoral degree at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2018. In 2020, she was selected for the Air Force Legislative Fellows program and served in the State Department and then in the office of Senator Moran. Please join me in recognizing Lieutenant Colonel Miller for her tireless dedication and service to our Nation.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, after the 2008 financial crisis, Congress tasked our financial regulatory agencies with implementing a rule that bans pay packages for bank executives that incentivize excessive risk- taking. More than 13 years later, we are still waiting for this rule to be finalized. As the banking failures last year proved, these incentives continue to pose a serious threat to our financial system. That is why I introduced the FAIR Fund Act, which requires large financial institutions to defer a portion of the executive compensation that would get paid out, unless there was misconduct or some sort of firm failure, after a period of between 2 and 8 years, depending on the size of the institution. In the case of misconduct or failure, deferred funds would be used to cover the costs of any fines levied on the bank and make depositors whole. I urge my colleagues to help us hold these bank executives accountable. This is a huge financial risk that we continue to have not only on small businesses but retirees and so many others that are directly connected to the risk-taking and very negligent actions by bank executives.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize Bernie Ricke, former president of UAW Local 600, based in Dearborn, Michigan, for his hard work on behalf of workers across Southeast Michigan. Mr. Ricke joined UAW Local 600 as a member in 1973 when he was hired at Ford Motor Company's Detroit Parts Distribution Center. He rose through the ranks of the union's leadership, serving in many roles including Financial Secretary, Bargaining Committee-person, and Vice President before holding the role of President from 2009 until 2023. Mr. Ricke played a key role in negotiating national labor contracts for Ford laborers over the past twenty years, amassing gains for workers and keeping jobs from being eliminated. He drew experience from his start as an hourly worker while keeping an eye towards the future to lead with compassion and advocate for the workers' best interests. Please join me in recognizing the numerous and remarkable contributions of Mr. Bernie Ricke to Southeast Michigan, and Michigan's 12th Congressional District.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I thank my wonderful, amazing, dedicated, committed colleague from Connecticut, who is today, as we say in Detroit, speaking truth to power when it comes to our most vulnerable in the United States. We have heard over and over again that we are the richest country in the world. Even though we live in the richest country, millions of children live in poverty, lacking access to necessities like food, housing, and healthcare. It is shameful. More than 44 million people in our country face hunger, including over 15 percent in one of the largest counties in my district, Wayne County. SNAP is an essential food assistance program that has been a key tool in combating hunger in our most vulnerable communities. Now, my Republican colleagues want to cut this essential program that so many of our families rely on to feed their children. It is shameful. The GOP farm bill would make the largest cut to SNAP in nearly 30 years. The bill threatens $27 billion in SNAP benefits for low-income families. It is utterly shameful. We must stand together strongly in support of expanding the social safety net and increasing funding programs for SNAP and other child nutrition programs. They are essential in creating healthy, thriving communities. It is time to protect programs to combat hunger, not make extremist cuts. Working families in our country should not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. In this body, we see over and over again that we seem to find money for endless wars like this, but we can't seem to find the same resources to end child hunger in our country. The first African-American woman ever to serve in our Congress was Shirley Chisholm. She used to say children can't learn if they are hungry. Children should and must have access to SNAP benefits to experience long-term positive outcomes like better health, improved learning, and higher success as adults. I don't think people realize the trauma of what the most vulnerable people among us go through in going to sleep hungry. Access to nutritious meals is essential for every child's health and development. We know this. Why make these extremist cuts? We must continue to invest in universal school meals and so much more. I am proud to cosponsor the Universal School Meals Program Act and proud to say to all my folks in the 12th Congressional District that I am not going to back down. I am not going to back down until we fully fund SNAP benefits. Mr. Speaker, it is the least we can do in this Congress. It is not just our children. It is our disabled neighbors, our seasoned residents, our veterans, and working-class folks who are working hours and hours a day but still can't put food on the table. We must do better. Mr. Speaker, I again thank my colleague from Connecticut for bringing us together today to discuss the importance of protecting SNAP.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my wonderful colleague from Illinois, who continues to speak truth to power, especially around police violence. Mr. Speaker, George Floyd's life mattered. We all know and keep chanting, Black lives matter, but we have to show it in action. Today, I am thinking of George Floyd's daughter, Gianna, who will grow up without him. I can still hear George Floyd crying out for his mama, yelling: ``I can't breathe,'' more than 20 times while he was murdered by police, pleading for his life for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. His murder and the countless others in the hands of police sparked outrage, mobilization, and movements for change. I saw with my own eyes, right here on this House floor, watching Republicans and Democrats come together and passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act while it went to the Senate to die. His murder and the countless others in the hands of police require us all to understand the truth about what is going on in our neighborhoods and our communities. We demand that this body take immediate action to dismantle systemic racism in our country and systems designed to oppress Black and Brown lives in every corner of our country. It is not enough, Mr. Speaker, to honor George Floyd's life with words. We must honor his life with action. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act has still not been signed into law 4 years later. Last year was the deadliest year of police violence on record. That should shock us all. Just this month, Mr. Speaker, Roger Fortson, a Black senior airman, was shot six times by police and killed at his home in Florida. This is his family. Just watching his mother kneel down at his open casket, that should be enough for us to act. How many more mothers have to experience the loss of their child? When will Congress finally act? We must ensure true accountability, justice, and reparations for the generations of harm that policing in our Nation has inflicted on our Black neighbors. This is the justice they deserve: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Roger Fortson, and so many others who have lost their lives to police violence. That is the least they deserve. This is justice for our communities, and they deserve to be fully seen, heard, and protected. I will continue, along with my good colleague from Illinois, to continue to push for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I know, in Detroit, where I grew up, the most beautiful, Blackest city in the country, for all those who continue to demand justice in our communities, know this: The President of the United States didn't wake up one day and say the Civil Rights Act was a good thing. People marched, did sit-ins, and did boycotts until they moved this institution and the White House. We will continue to march. We will continue to demand that Black lives matter in our country. Again, with my good colleague, we will continue to demand that the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act pass this Chamber, through the Senate, and to the President's desk. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good colleague from Illinois for yielding to me.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize the Radcliff Center, Garden City's recreation hub, as they celebrate the grand opening of their newly renovated space and newest facilities, the Teen Tech Room and the E-Sports Arena. The Radcliff Center is a place where a community can thrive with no bounds The extensive resources the Center offers, along with the events it hosts, cater to all ages and numerous interests, making for an incredible place where residents can come together socially. Additionally, the center houses community support resources such as the Food Pantry, Tax Assistance, and Veteran Services. These services are the backbone of the community. But, most importantly, they ensure that our residents feel comfortable and cared for. The Radcliff Center is proud to debut these new spaces to the public to increase community engagement and social reach. The Teen Tech Room serves as a gateway for teens to come together and establish peer-to- peer connections. Likewise, the E-Sports Arena strives to accomplish the same goals within the bounds of electronic sports. Please join me and the 12th Congressional District in celebrating the opening of Garden City's revamped Radcliff Center and its two newest resources.

Ms. TLAIB

Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the City Manager of Garden City Dale ``Doc'' Dougherty for his diligent service to the people of Garden City community since 2018. Born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Mr. Doughtery has extensive experience in public administration. He carries a bachelor's degree in health care management from King's College, a master's degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame. Furthermore, Mr. Doughtery has obtained the highest certification in city management and the highest credential in the parks and recreation industry. He began his career as the Director of Community Affairs with the Town of Lake Park, Florida and has since led four different organizations during times of great change. Mr. Doughtery has demonstrated his skillful leadership by creating, producing, and managing hundreds of major events, including a major national sporting event. In Garden City, Mr. Doughtery personally managed the reconstruction and renovation of the 60-year-old city hall, the fire station, and a 78,000-square-foot community center. He has demonstrated his dedication to promoting the best quality of life for Garden City residents by implementing countless new and improved policies and City Ordinances. Doc Doughtery has worked tirelessly to uplift the people of Garden City. We are grateful for his many years of service to our community and our district. His leadership and partnership in securing critical funding for our families will never be forgotten. Please join me and the 12th Congressional District in recognizing Doc Dougherty and his service to the people of Garden City, as we wish him well in all his future endeavors.