Jill Tokuda

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I don't get this whole woke reference, but I am definitely awake after what I have heard on this floor today. During our markup, we heard repeatedly that the PRC and Russia--even today we heard it--they aren't spending their troops' time on DEI. I absolutely agree with you. They aren't. The strongest military possible, the one we aim to be, the one we are, is a diverse, equitable, and inclusive one. When you compare our military with those of our competitors, what is immediately striking is the diversity of our servicemembers. Studies have long shown and demonstrated that diversity helps organizations out-innovate, outperform, out-strategize, outmaneuver others. Our diversity is our strength. Our commitment to equality, to exclusiveness, that is what makes us Americans. It is why we have the very best military in the world. Some House Republicans insist on peddling a false choice between DEI and readiness. Why are they so keen on emulating and becoming more like the PRC, more like Russia? Eliminating DEI won't help our military compete more effectively with the PRC. It will, however, undermine the innovative thinking, the cultural competency, the inclusive institutional cultures, the qualitative edge, our ability to win if we need to be agile and ready and lethal. This amendment to terminate DEI offices and personnel and all of the insidious DEI-related amendments we have had to hear and will hear tonight by my Republican colleagues aren't just harmful to our national security--they are a major threat. It is time we set aside the political games that we are seeing and get serious about our national security and stand by our servicemen and -women of all backgrounds who have given up so much in defense of our country and to keep all of us safe. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Washington.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. McClellan).

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, in closing, I just have one question to ask: What about us scares you? My grandfather, my father-in-law, and my brother all fought and risked their lives for this country. Yet, the sacrifices made by so many who feel marginalized, our communities of color, simply pale in comparison to the hate and fear that drives this obsession with DEI. First and foremost, we just heard that under a strong administration like the Trump administration, you would not have this. However, DEI is not new. In 2020, the Trump administration established a Defense Board and a Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion to increase diversity and ensure equitable opportunity across all ranks. If you want to be more like China, if you want to be more like Russia, keep this up. I don't want to be like them. DEI is necessary. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, you know, it has been said once already on this floor, but I don't think it can be said enough. If we ever, ever needed a reason to support DEI training, you need look no further than the debates, the antics that we have seen on this floor today, the childish, yes, actions that we have heard from the other side. In fact, from the backwards, racially insensitive comments spoken on this floor, it seems DEI training would be good right here in the Halls of Congress. Mr. Chair, we have spent hours in markup already debating DEI, but apparently it wasn't enough. So here we are again forced to debate yet another bad amendment. Never mind that 40 percent of our servicemembers identify as members of minority groups, or that 42 percent of servicemembers of color turn down assignments because of concerns about racism and discrimination that they have experienced. Never mind that almost half of all servicemembers in a recent survey said they have been the subject of racial slurs or jokes in their communities. To say that we do not need DEI is to say racism and discrimination does not exist in our military and in our society. For the sponsor of this amendment to be proud of taking a meat cleaver to DEI flies in the face of all Americans and the diversity that we represent. What this reckless amendment and this obsession over DEI really exposes is a callous disregard for these servicemembers and their experiences. They deserve better. America is better than this, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Speaker, 17-year-old Richianna Deguzman was supposed to start her first job this week. Instead, she is on life support fighting for her life because of a senseless and tragic act of gun violence. While Hawaii has some of the strongest gun safety laws, Richianna's family and friends know it is not enough. Right now they are praying for a miracle and pleading for an end to gun violence. The sad reality is that there are thousands of Richiannas every day across this country--kids who deserve better than a Congress more beholden to the gun lobby than to protecting them. For too long, Congress has ignored the majority of Americans who want the killing to stop. We cannot sit idly by as Americans continue to live in fear. Last week, I joined my colleagues in signing discharge petitions to demand House votes on several gun safety measures. At the same time, House Republicans pushed through a measure to weaken regulations on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory used in several mass shootings across our country over the last decade. Enough is enough. We demand an end to gun violence and a safer future for our ``keiki,'' ``kids.''

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Speaker, in 7 days, our country will face one of the greatest self-inflicted threats to national security in our lifetime. In 7 days, our country faces default while House Republicans continue to play partisan political games with the debt limit. In these Chambers, we talk a lot about keeping Americans safe, strategic competition, and national security. We point a finger at foreign threats and international bad actors but let us be clear: The biggest threat to American lives and livelihoods is House Republicans holding everyday Americans hostage for partisan political gains. If we as a Congress are serious about ensuring national security, then we must stand up against this House Republican manufactured crisis. We must do the right thing, invest in our country, and recognize that: Financial security is national security. Health security is national security. Food security is national security. Housing security is national security. People's security is national security. I will not support lifting the debt ceiling on the backs of working families, our veterans, or our seniors. Know this: As Democrats, we will continue to do the right thing and put people over politics.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Keep Kupuna Fed Act. According to the most current data from the USDA, 1 in 10 kupuna, or senior citizens, are experiencing hunger and food insecurity. SNAP has played a critical role in preventing millions of Americans, including our kupuna, from going hungry in the face of a public health crisis, supply chain disruptions, and rising inflation. While the historic 8.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment was welcome news to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries, for many kupuna, this has resulted in a net loss. Seniors in every one of our districts across the country have lost or will lose access to SNAP entirely, while others will see a significant decrease in benefits because of this bump in Social Security. That is why I introduced the Keep Kupuna Fed Act, which would exempt title II Social Security benefits from the SNAP program's income eligibility requirements. This ensures more kupuna stay on SNAP and don't go hungry. I invite my colleagues to join me in helping end senior hunger and keep our kupuna fed by supporting this important measure.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Iam Tongi, a proud son of Kahuku, on winning season 21 of ``American Idol.'' A fellow child of the Windward side, a ``keiki,'' ``child'' of Ko'olauloa, Iam is the first Hawaii-born and Pacific Islander contestant to ever win ``American Idol.'' Throughout his ``American Idol'' journey, Iam captured the hearts of viewers across the country with his incredible voice and soulful tributes to his late father, Rodney. While on the show, Iam not only showcased Hawaii's local music and sound, but also the challenges with getting priced out of paradise. Like many ``kama aina,'' ``residents,'' Iam and his family were forced to move to the Mainland because of Hawaii's high cost of living. I have shared this with many of my colleagues here: Our children like Iam have become our greatest exports. That is not ``pono''; that is not ``right.'' We must make Hawaii more affordable so that families like Iam's don't have to leave their home. Iam's music, his story, and his spirit have inspired millions of Americans across this country. Hawaii is so proud of him. Wherever he goes, I hope he knows Hawaii will always be his home and his ``ohana'' ``family.''

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As a ``fourth generation,'' ``yonsei,'' Okinawan American, I believe this month is not only a chance to recognize our communities and their contributions, but it is also deeply personal to me as I think about the future we want to build for the next generation for our ``children,'' ``keiki.'' AANHPIs are the fastest-growing population in the United States. We are a diverse diaspora. We are in every State across the country. While we have made great progress, we have also seen an unprecedented rise in xenophobia, discrimination, and violence nationwide, but we will not let these forces of hate hold us down. The stories of AANHPI people in our country are of grit, perseverance, and courage. They are stories that continue today through the tireless advocacy of those fighting to defend our civil rights and our democracy and through hardworking men and women keeping the American Dream alive. I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I proudly cast my vote against the Default on America Act. This reckless debt limit proposal would force Americans to suffer pandemic-level pain once again due to brutal cuts put forth by House Republicans. If we thought the COVlD-19 pandemic was bad--impacts on life, learning, health, and economic security--the ``virus'' being unleashed on our country by this Act has potentially more dire and devastating consequences. But there is a way forward on this issue. Pass a clean debt limit increase. To blatantly ignore Treasury Secretary Yellen's stark warnings of default back in January and three months later celebrate the passage of a bill that seeks to buy us less than a year's reprieve on the backs of hardworking American families, children, kupuna, and veterans is offensive and unacceptable. I gave my inaugural floor speech on January 25th on the debt limit and urged House Republicans to join us in making good on our commitments to millions of Americans who've worked hard, sacrificed, and defended this country by passing a clean debt limit increase. People, families, and entire communities that rely on social security, Medicare, and other critical federal programs--they were looking to us to do the right thing. Like my constituent from Hilo, who called every day during my first weeks in office, scared that after a lifetime of work, he'd lose the social security check he relied upon each month. It is now April 27th, and more than 100 days after the warnings from the Treasury, the Republican Majority is only now looking to come to the table on this looming default crisis, which could come as soon as June. Instead of cleanly raising the debt ceiling as Congressional Republicans did without preconditions on three separate occasions under President Trump, Speaker McCarthy is doubling down on holding the full faith and credit of the United States hostage and risking economic chaos and catastrophe to force draconian cuts that will endanger public safety and worsen public health, raise costs for families and students, and harm seniors and veterans. Instead of seriously coming to negotiate, House Republicans are willing to level pandemic-level pain and suffering on everyday Americans in every community in this country. The legislation introduced by the Speaker would lead to across-the- board cuts of at least $142 billion for critical programs. This could lead to the Veterans Health Administration providing 13 million fewer visits and veterans would have to wait longer to receive benefits. 200,000 children could lose access to Head Start slots and 100,000 children could lose access to childcare. Services such as Meals on Wheels could be cut for more than 1 million seniors, while over 1 million participants could drop from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. In Hawaii, these devastating cuts would be felt immediately by some of our most vulnerable residents. 43,000 Hawaii residents would lose food assistance. In a State where 1 in 10 people are veterans who have served and sacrificed, there would be 38,000 fewer veteran outpatient visits. College would be more expensive and out of reach for 15,000 Hawaii students. Over 3,000 families in Hawaii would lose rental assistance and be at severe risk for or resulting in homelessness. We'd lose 1,000 Preschool and Child Care Slots in Hawaii, where we are already short tens of thousands of seats. At least four air traffic control towers in Hawaii would be shut down, which would prevent my constituents from getting to work or accessing basic services like healthcare, leaving our islands less connected. And if Republicans don't get their way, they're threatening to default on our Nation's bills, unleashing an economic catastrophe and putting vital government services at risk. Nationwide, a default could kill more than seven million jobs, jeopardize Social Security payments for 94,000 families in my district, and put health benefits at risk for 297,000 veterans, kupuna, and keiki in Hawaii's Second Congressional District. It's important to remember that the debt limit reflects the spending and revenue decisions debated and enacted in prior years by prior Congresses. It's about paying our nation's credit card bill, not making additional purchases on it. The full extent of negative repercussions is unknown because the United States has never defaulted on its obligations. Economists expect the fallout to be widespread and catastrophic for the U.S. and global economy. Congressional Republicans need to stop playing political games with our debt limit for a partisan political wish list and cleanly raise the debt limit. Congress should focus on investing in our Nation and its people. We should be focused on decreasing child poverty and hunger, helping our kupuna on Social Security and Medicare, and increasing veteran access to services. This bill does the opposite. My Republican colleagues may claim this proposal was the first step towards negotiating with President Biden. But the chips they were willing to gamble in this mockery of a proposal should be a warning to us all about where their priorities lie. It's not with everyday Americans or neighborhoods and communities throughout our country. With their Default on America Act, House Republicans have shown us the moral bankruptcy of their MAGA ideology and their willingness to abandon the very people they were elected to represent. Democrat or Republican, Blue, red, purple, and everything in between--we have the opportunity to put people above politics and not gamble with their lives and livelihood. We have less than 60 days until default. America is waiting for us to do the right thing and pass a clean debt limit increase now.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, this week, I voted against the default on America act, a reckless debt limit proposal that would force Americans to suffer through pandemic-level economic pain once again because of brutal spending cuts put forth by House Republicans. The default on America act would buy us less than a year's reprieve from default on the backs of hardworking American families, ``keiki, kupuna,'' ``children, seniors,'' and veterans. The 22 percent across- the-board cuts for critical safety net programs would mean 13 million fewer health visits for our veterans; 300,000 children would lose Head Start slots and families' access to childcare; and 1 million seniors would get kicked off Meals on Wheels. The list goes on. We need to put people over politics. We cannot afford to gamble with the lives and livelihoods of everyday Americans. Instead of these ``pilau,'' ``rotten,'' cuts, we should be focused on ending child hunger, keeping people housed, taking care of kupuna, and improving access to veteran services. The Treasury says we have less than 60 days until our Nation is expected to default on our loans. America is waiting for us to do the right thing and pass a clean debt limit increase now.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hawaii-born Sasha Kekauoha, more famously known as Sasha Colby, on being crowned the winner of ``RuPaul's Drag Race'' Season 15. I am so proud that a fellow Windward girl, hailing from the homesteads of Waimanalo, has earned the title of America's Next Drag Superstar. With her historic win, Sasha became the first person of Native Hawaiian ancestry to compete and win the competition, the fourth trans contestant to ever win Drag Race U.S., and the first American Drag Race winner to have also won the annual Miss Continental drag pageant. RuPaul herself even referred to Sasha as, ``the kind of talent that comes around once in a generation.'' Born and raised in Waimanalo, Hawaii, Sasha is the youngest of seven children and attended Kailua High School. Her drag journey began when she started taking dance classes at a local studio. Having grown up in a very religious household, Sasha spent much of her youth as a closeted trans person, living in constant fear of being found out. However, dance gave her the opportunity to be herself and meet and be with others that identified as LGBTQ+. Through that dance studio, Sasha met her drag mom and made friends who would become her second family. Together, they showed her what life could be like living as a trans woman and helped introduce Sasha to the drag performance scene. Sasha, a seasoned drag legend with 20 years of experience, had one of the most accomplished runs on RuPaul's Drag Race. She showed an undeniable confidence in her approach to nearly every challenge. Sasha came into the finale with the strongest track record of any of her competitors--along with never landing in the bottom in any of the show's challenges, she also racked up four challenge wins over the course of the season, more than any other queen on the show. From the very start of the 15-week-long competition, Sasha put her vulnerabilities front and center for the world to see, often drawing upon her Native Hawaiian and Irish heritage and childhood trauma as sources of inspiration for her performances. Throughout Drag Race, she authentically represented her Hawaiian culture both in her looks and interviews, talking about the legacy she's building for her home state and about being mahu. Mahu are ``third gender'' individuals who fulfill spiritual and social roles in traditional Hawaiian culture. Centuries ago, four large stones were placed on Waikiki Beach to honor four mahu, ``extraordinary individuals of both male and female spirit,'' who brought their healing powers to O`ahu from Tahiti. Today, trans people are still among the most revered members in the Hawaiian community. Sasha also used her platform to share with the nation and the rest of the world the stories of Hawaii, Polynesian culture, and the trans experience in America. For example, on the show, she introduced audiences to the history of Honolulu nightclubs like The Glades Nightclub in the 1950s and 1960s. The Glades would get raided weekly by police and for ``misrepresenting'' themselves as female drag queens and trans women would have to wear a button that read, ``I'm a Boy,'' or face the possibility of being arrested and paying a hefty fine. Seventy years later, we are seeing increasing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights that particularly target trans people and drag queens including state laws banning drag queen performances and gender affirming care. In her own words, Sasha says, ``I am literally the living embodiment of what they [state legislators] want to eradicate.'' But these anti-trans attacks have not deterred Sasha at all. She said it best during the Drag Race finale: ``This goes to every trans person, past, present and future,'' she said. ``Because we are not going anywhere.'' Sasha's win is not only well deserved; it gives us hope. I look forward to all that Sasha will accomplish as a leader, a proud mahu, and an activist, and I know that she will continue to serve as a beacon of light and hope to so many people across the country and around the world who are afraid or unable to be fully themselves. Congratulations to Sasha Colby. She is truly every drag queen's favorite drag queen.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hawaiian-born Sasha Kekauoha, more famously known as Sasha Colby, on being crowned the winner of ``RuPaul's Drag Race'' Season 15. I am so proud that a fellow Windward girl, hailing from the homesteads of Waimanalo, has earned the title of ``America's Next Drag Superstar.'' From the very beginning of the competition, Sasha, a seasoned drag legend, drew upon her ethnic heritage and childhood trauma as sources of inspiration for her performances. Throughout ``Drag Race,'' she authentically represented her Hawaiian culture, talking about the legacy she is building for our home State and about being mahu. In ancient Hawaiian days, mahu were considered extraordinary individuals of male and female spirit who brought their healing powers to Oahu from Tahiti. Today, trans people are among the most revered members in the Hawaiian community. Amidst ongoing attacks on our LGBTQ+ rights that particularly target trans people and drag queens, her win is not only well deserved, it gives us all hope. Congratulations to Sasha Colby. She is a leader. She is a proud mahu, and she is every drag queen's favorite drag queen.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I rise today to oppose H.R. 1, which puts corporations over people. Instead of focusing on the needs of the American people and combating the climate crisis, this bill is a shameful giveaway to polluters through loopholes and industry handouts. In Hawaii, we view the environment as more than just a resource. It is a sacred responsibility, our kuleana, to ourselves and to future generations. From ancient times, Native Hawaiians have sought balance from mauka to makai, the mountains to the sea, understanding the intimate connections we have to our precious, life-giving resources. This is the kind of future we should be striving for, one that promotes community and fosters responsible use of natural resources. Everyone deserves to have a seat at the table when it comes to proposed projects that could pollute their water and air, especially underserved communities and communities of color, which have historically borne the brunt of industrialization, resulting in disproportionate impacts to their health and safety. This bill does the opposite. In addition to shortening public comment periods, this bill would block lawsuits from anyone who did not participate in the comment period. Communities likely do not even know what projects are permitted, let alone the consequences of those permits, until well after the new proposed comment periods. The responsibility should be on developers and projects to win support from communities based on their merits and through meaningful public engagement. Instead, this bill puts the burden on ordinary, hardworking Americans to fight for their basic right to clean air and water. I urge my colleagues to do what is pono, what is right, and put our families, our keiki and our kupuna, above corporate profits and vote ``no'' on the polluters over people act.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Dr. Noa Emmett Auwae Aluli, a pillar in the Native Hawaiian community who sadly passed away on November 30, 2022, at the age of 78. Dr. Aluli was a Native Hawaiian physician, activist, and mentor to so many on Molokai and across Hawaii. He spent his life working to improve the health and well-being of Native Hawaiians and advocating for the protection of their lands, rights, and resources. Born on the island of Oahu in 1944, Dr. Aluli grew up in Kailua and graduated from St. Louis High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette University in Wisconsin in 1966 and was one of 5 Native Hawaiians who were part of the first graduating class from the University of Hawaii's School of Medicine in 1975. Following a one-year family health residency on Molokai, he began a 46-year career in private practice at the Molokai Family Health Center and Clinic. Dr. Aluli dedicated his life to serving his patients on Molokai, even in the final days before his passing. As part of his legacy, Dr. Aluli is best known for pioneering a Native Hawaiian approach to health care in rural Hawaiian communities. Dr. Aluli championed food as medicine and elevating traditional practices. To address many of the chronic health conditions prevalent in Native Hawaiian communities, Dr. Aluli worked with kupuna to conduct the first Native Hawaiian heart study to learn more about the impact of a traditional Hawaiian foods diet in effectively reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The study, which engaged more than 300 Molokai Hawaiian homesteaders, found significant improvements in participants' health and laid the groundwork for indigenous health data sovereignty in Hawaii--community-based participatory research directed by and for Native Hawaiians. Following the study, Dr. Aluli co-founded Na Pu`uwai, the Native Hawaiian Health Care System that serves Molokai and Lanai. He also created the Native Hawaiian Physicians Association to create a professional support network of Native Hawaiian healthcare providers. Dr. Aluli's passion for health care also led him to help draft federal legislation: the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act, which established the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems and Papa Ola Lokahi to promote health and disease interventions to improve the health status of Native Hawaiians. His actions continue to influence federal legislative priorities and policies to advance Native Hawaiian health care. Dr. Aluli also worked to protect the lands, rights, and resources of Native Hawaiians. Most notably, Dr. Aluli was part of the ``Kahoolawe Nine,'' the first group of people who stood up against the U.S. Navy's bombing of Kahoolawe in 1976, occupying the island for 2 days in protest. During that time, Dr. Aluli surveyed the damage caused by the military explosives including bomb craters and unexploded devices. It was not until 1990 after court action and a series of other occupations that the U.S. ceased bombing on Kahoolawe and in 2003, the island was returned to the State of Hawaii. Dr. Aluli played a pivotal role in getting the Navy to stop bombing the island and supported key efforts to rehabilitate Kahoolawe. According to the Aluli `Ohana, Dr. Aluli once said, ``We commit for generations, not just for careers. We set things up now so that they'll be carried on. We look ahead together so that many of us share the same vision and dream. To our next generations we say, Go with the spirit. Take the challenge. Learn something. Give back.'' Dr. Aluli's impact goes well beyond his service as a Native Hawaiian physician. He inspired generations of Native Hawaiian medical professionals, practitioners, activists, and leaders. Dr. Aluli's passing leaves behind a significant a in accessing health care on Molokai and in Native Hawaiian health care more broadly. As the U.S. Representative for Hawaii's, Second Congressional District, which encompasses Hawaii's 8 major islands including Molokai, I am committed to continuing his legacy to improve health care access for rural communities, address health disparities, and strengthen pathways to health professions. Today, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the life and honoring the legacy of a visionary, Dr. Noa Emmett Auwae Aluli.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Dr. Noa Emmett Auwae Aluli, a pillar in the Native Hawaiian community who passed away on November 30, 2022, at the age of 78. Born and raised in Kailua on the island of Oahu, Dr. Aluli was one of five Native Hawaiians in the first graduating class of the University of Hawaii's School of Medicine. Even in the final days before his passing, Dr. Aluli mentored aspiring doctors, made house calls, and provided care to all generations, from keiki to kupuna. Dr. Aluli was also a leader of the Protect Kaho`olawe `Ohana, forcing an end to the bombing practices on the island of Kaho`olawe and its return to the State of Hawaii. I will work to continue his legacy to ensure access to healthcare in rural communities and strengthen pathways to health professions. This weekend, I will fly to Molokai to celebrate his life with his extended `ohana. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the legacy of a visionary, Dr. Emmett Aluli.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Speaker, I know I am going to be the third Democratic speaker to talk about the debt limit, but I think it is a point that needs to be made. Madam Speaker, every single day Americans across our country are forced to take extraordinary measures just to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. Now, because of the extremist agenda of some of our Republican colleagues, the Department of the Treasury has begun to do the same to avoid a default. The consequences of such a default could be catastrophic. The first real default in U.S. history could lead to a sudden jump in interest rates and raise mortgage, car, and credit card payments for our working families. As the Federal Government struggles to maintain its financial commitments, payments for Social Security, benefits for veterans, and paychecks for military servicemembers could be delayed and suspended. By one estimate, a default could add $130,000 to the cost of an average 30-year mortgage, eliminate over 3 million jobs, and increase the national debt by an additional $850 billion. As much as $15 trillion in household wealth could be wiped out in the ensuing recession. Our competitors across the world, like China and Russia, would surely see this U.S. default as an indication of American decline and be further emboldened. As the Representative of Hawaii's Second Congressional District, I speak on behalf of the diverse communities I represent, spanning all eight Hawaiian islands. I am here to fight for working families struggling with the high cost of living, small businesses providing jobs and opportunities for our residents, senior citizens seeking security in retirement in old age, and above all, our children and their futures. In my first month alone on this job, we find our country inching toward a debt crisis at the national level that could devastate my constituents and their ability to care for their families--all caused by the extreme politics of my Republican colleagues. This is not a short-term, one-off issue. The implications for our economy, on our foreign policy, and on our communities are severe and long term. When I sit down at my kitchen table every night and look across at my sons, I worry. Will they have their own kitchen table filled with family in Hawaii? If Republicans force our country into a default, their future will be even more challenging to afford a home of their own or to be able to even rent one, to own a car to get to work or to save for their children's future. Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, with residents paying on average 42 percent of their income on rent, the highest of any State. I know that workers and families of every single one of our districts are struggling every day to make ends meet. The American people need to see solutions, not just grandstanding. They need to see progress so that they can hope for a better future. That means we have to build and act on the progress delivered by the first 2 years of the Biden administration and one of the most productive Congresses in modern history. In these 2 years, Democrats have lowered healthcare costs, created nearly 11 million jobs, supported over 10 million new small business applications, put shovels in the ground on 7,000 new infrastructure projects, and invested in a revival of American manufacturing. This Congress should be building on the progress of the last 2 years, not tearing it down by flirting with default and make unacceptable demands to cut Social Security, Medicare, and other critical programs that working families across the country depend on. Why would House Republicans hold our economy hostage and the American people in anxious suspense for months when they can pass a clean debt limit increase right now? When House Republicans tried to do this in 2011, they forced an unnecessary economic shock to our country that resulted in the first time our credit has ever been downgraded in our history. We cannot do that again. We can have a reasoned debate, discussion, and negotiations over the right level of government spending, as every Congress does every year through the budget and appropriations process. But whether the United States pays its bill on time must not be a pawn in a Republican political game. Our families work hard to pay their bills on time; their government should too. I have heard from so many people how much they love Hawaii; so do I. If you have the chance to visit our home stop and take a look. One in five residents depend on their Social Security benefits every single month. Madam Speaker, 1 in 10 people who call Hawaii home are veterans or Active-Duty servicemembers. These are the faces of the people held hostage and hurt by Republicans. We have an opportunity to rise above our differences and give them a Congress that has their best interests squarely in sight, one that gives them hope. Madam Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to work with us to quickly pass a clean debt limit raise as soon as possible. The American people and our constituents deserve no less.