Nikema Williams

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 60th birthday of Rev. Dr. Bernice King. A true representation of Atlanta Influences Everything, Dr. King was born in Atlanta the youngest child of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, then graduated from Spelman College (where she, like her mother, became a distinguished member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc), one of Atlanta's incredible HBCUs, and earned both a Master's in Divinity and a law degree from Atlanta's Emory University. As the second woman ever ordained at Ebenezer Baptist Church and the CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center For Nonviolent Social Change, Dr. Bernice King is a trailblazer and civil rights leader in her own right. Though there is perhaps no one in America now who carries such a heavy weight of history on their shoulders, she does so with unparalleled faith, integrity, and power. Dr. King's work to build our Beloved Community reminds us that we must move in the ``fierce urgency of now.'' Dr. Bernice King has been a church leader, organizing and developing several new ministries. Bernice has been a community leader, establishing the Be a King Scholarship in honor of her mother at Spelman College and leading the 2013 ``Let Freedom Ring'' event bringing together a global audience including Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter, and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. And Dr. Bernice King has been a political leader, playing a pivotal role in bringing the Atlanta business community to the table in supporting critical racial equity and social justice issues during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, leading to the passage of long-overdue anti-hate crimes legislation. As her father said, ``the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.'' But what we must remember, and Bernice demonstrates for us, is that the arc does not bend on its own. She reminds us that we cannot afford to operate as if we have the luxury of time; ``we must fight with a fierce determination to discover a win-win pathway to build the Beloved Community'' and we must ``forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.'' With that eternal spirit in mind, Bernice kept the Beloved Community together, engaged, and active, even during the pandemic. I was so honored when she included me with the illustrious LaTosha Brown and the amazing Al Vivian for an invaluable conversation in April 2021 about the rampant suppression of the Black vote around the country, and how important our continued advocacy for voting rights is. During that conversation, Dr. Bernice King reminded us of her father's important imploration ``Let us march on ballot boxes until we send to our city councils, state legislatures, and the United States Congress, men who will not fear to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.'' I remember that lesson every time I walk to the House Floor to vote. I make sure my Carter Cakes remembers that lesson when I take him to vote. And I make sure my colleagues remember the history that brought us here today, and what kind of people they expected us to be. And I thank Dr. Bernice King for keeping that lesson alive and bringing it to the people.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Mr. Tommy Dortch, one of our country's greatest contributors to closing the racial wealth gap. I could spend hours highlighting his contributions to the Black community, but I want to focus on his investment into our great HBCUs. A proud product of both Fort Valley State University and Clark Atlanta University, Mr. Dortch founded the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation in 1985. Mr. Dortch has led the Foundation to award over $1 million in grants and scholarships to students, and exposed more than 500,000 students to college opportunities. As a third-generation HBCU grad, I know firsthand their critical role in fostering Black excellence. Mr. Dortch's lifetime of giving back to the HBCU community has laid the groundwork for economic mobility for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, today, I proudly join with members of the Georgia delegation to introduce legislation to award Mr. Tommy Dortch the Congressional Gold Medal for his leadership and contributions to our country. I am eternally grateful for the work he continues to do to advance equity and opportunity for all.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as a legislator, I know to look at a bill's definitions. As House Republicans talk about rejecting socialism in all its forms, it is important to understand just exactly what my Republican colleagues are talking about. Surely, it is not Social Security and Medicare, public schools, public libraries, public safety, and roads and bridges? The bill doesn't say. There is not a single definition of ``socialism'' or all its forms. My colleague, Congressman Takano, gave my Republican colleagues an opportunity to clarify. He offered an amendment stating that programs like Social Security and Medicare are not socialism. Republicans refused that amendment. That makes me wonder if what Republicans are really doing here is trying to reject things like bedrock social programs that so many of our seniors and constituents rely on. I support our Nation's market-based economy, and if my Republican colleagues truly did the same, they would be using this time for legislation that creates jobs and lowers costs for all American families. This bill does neither. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to focus their time on the issues that will help all of our constituents achieve the promise of America.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in support of H.R. 8681, the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act of 2022. Following in the footsteps of Congressman John Lewis is no easy feat. He was a friend and a mentor to many of us. He was known as the conscience of this body. I often tell people that while I will never fill his shoes, I strive daily to carry out his legacy. It is my honor to ensure that my friend and my mentor and my predecessor's legacy lives on through the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship within the Fulbright program, which will give scholars an opportunity to study both the inspiration and the impacts of the civil rights movement internationally. The John and Lilian Miles Lewis Foundation has been working hard to launch this program as a tribute to Congressman Lewis' impact on social and political change around the world. Congressman Lewis himself was shaped by his study of nonviolent civil rights movements from around the world, most notably, the philosophy and tactics of Mahatma Gandhi, whose very words were ``it is either nonviolence or nonexistence.'' Of course, people across the globe have been inspired by the tactics of the United States' civil rights movement, many led by Congressman John Lewis himself. From the lunch counter sit-ins of the early 1960s, to the 1961 Freedom Rides, to the 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus bridge, Mr. Lewis taught the world that the most powerful way to bend the moral arc toward justice is rooted in the discipline of nonviolence. But for all of his experiences and impact at home, Congressman Lewis always wished that he would have had the opportunity to study abroad. Creating the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship is a full-circle tribute: sending scholars to study Congressman Lewis' inspirations and impacts around the world in his name. We hope this program will unlock a powerful opportunity for students who, like Congressman Lewis, would not otherwise have an opportunity to do research across the globe. The John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship will be a beacon for the importance of nonviolence, and I look forward to the incredible academic work and exchange this fellowship will support.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, my proxy incorrectly cast my vote for roll no. 316 for the 2nd Session of the 117th Congress. My intent was to vote no. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Barragan (Correa) Beatty (Carter (LA)) Bentz (Obernolte) Brown (MD) (Evans) Cardenas (Correa) Castro (TX) (Neguse) Cherfilus-McCormick (Evans) Cohen (Beyer) Crist (Schneider) DeFazio (Pallone) Doggett (Beyer) Fallon (Gonzales, Tony) Hartzler (Bacon) Issa (Garcia (CA)) Jayapal (Neguse) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kahele (Correa) Katko (Meijer) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) Lawrence (Stevens) Leger Fernandez (Kuster) Lieu (Beyer) Mooney (Miller (WV)) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (Stevens) Newman (Beyer) Panetta (Beyer) Pappas (Kuster) Pascrell (Pallone) Payne (Pallone) Peters (Correa) Pingree (Kuster) Porter (Neguse) Reschenthaler (Meuser) Rice (SC) (Mace) Ryan (Beyer) Salazar (Gimenez) Sires (Pallone) Soto (Neguse) Taylor (Babin) Timmons (Armstrong) Trahan (Stevens) Walorski (Baird) Williams (GA) (Carter (LA)) Wilson (SC) (Lamborn) Amendment No. 14 Offered by Ms. Lee of California

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Dr. Glenda Glover, Ph.D., JD, CPA, as International President and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, I could not have asked for a better person to lead our more than 320,000 Sorors spread over at least 1,046 chapters from all over the world through the last four years. Dr. Glover was born in Memphis, Tennessee the daughter of a civil rights activist and raised in the Civil Rights Movement. She graduated from Tennessee State University, an illustrious Historically Black College and University, before getting her MBA at another incomparable HBCU, Clark Atlanta University, proving that, truly, Atlanta Influences Everything. Not yet satisfied, she moved to Washington, D.C. and obtained a Ph.D. in Economics from George Washington University and a law degree from Georgetown University. Professionally, Dr. Glover is a star. She spearheaded the creation of the country's first HBCU-based Ph.D. program in business at Jackson State University, and chaired the Department of Accounting at Howard University's School of Business. She has been a leader in the private sector, and currently serves as the President of her beloved alma mater, Tennessee State University, since 2013. Dr. Glover is not just the President either: she was the Thurgood Marshall College Fund's HBCU President of the Year in 2018, and HBCU Digest's 2019 Female President of the Year. Dr. Glover did all of that while maintaining a leadership role in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Initiated into the Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated at Tennessee State University, where she served as President and Vice-President as an undergraduate. Dr. Glover has also served as President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of Beta Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in Jackson, Mississippi before moving up to International Vice-President, International Treasurer, and Treasurer to the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) of the entire Sorority. Since assuming the International Presidency and CEO role in 2018, Dr. Glover has led our Sorors powerfully to sustain us through the pandemic, and raised our voices on critical issues like Voting Rights and Black Maternal Health--ensuring that Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated are the VOICE of the movement, not the ECHO. Dr. Glover's Alpha Kappa Alpha Congressional Women's Roundtable continues to lead the charge toward solutions to create a better world for future generations by fighting for continued, meaningful investments in HBCUs, a comprehensive approach to ending the maternal health crisis in America, and protecting our democracy through safeguarding and expanding voting rights. Dr. Glover has convened meetings with our Soror, Vice-President Kamala Harris, to bring our community's needs to the highest level of our government, and is the Vice-Chair of President Joe Biden's HBCU Advisory Board. I and every Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Soror, am indebted to Dr. Glover for her service to our Sorority. She is a living pillar of Black Excellence, and her leadership has and continues to lift up successive generations of Black leaders. As we celebrate her enduring legacy, her enriching sisterhood, and her exemplary service, let's remember the purpose that has animated her to succeed and to bring her community up with her.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Dr. Glenda Glover, Ph.D., JD, CPA, as International President and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, I could not have asked for a better person to lead our more than 320,000 Sorors spread over at least 1,046 chapters from all over the world through the last four years. Dr. Glover was born in Memphis, Tennessee the daughter of a civil rights activist and raised in the Civil Rights Movement. She graduated from Tennessee State University, an illustrious Historically Black College and University, before getting her MBA at another incomparable HBCU, Clark Atlanta University, proving that, truly, Atlanta Influences Everything. Not yet satisfied, she moved to Washington, D.C. and obtained a Ph.D. in Economics from George Washington University and a law degree from Georgetown University. Professionally, Dr. Glover is a star. She spearheaded the creation of the country's first HBCU-based Ph.D. program in business at Jackson State University, and chaired the Department of Accounting at Howard University's School of Business. She has been a leader in the private sector, and currently serves as the President of her beloved alma mater, Tennessee State University, since 2013. Dr. Glover is not just the President either: she was the Thurgood Marshall College Fund's HBCU President of the Year in 2018, and HBCU Digest's 2019 Female President of the Year. Dr. Glover did all of that while maintaining a leadership role in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Initiated into the Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated at Tennessee State University, where she served as President and Vice-President as an undergraduate. Dr. Glover has also served as President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of Beta Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in Jackson, Mississippi before moving up to International Vice-President, International Treasurer, and Treasurer to the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) of the entire Sorority. Since assuming the International Presidency and CEO role in 2018, Dr. Glover has led our Sorors powerfully to sustain us through the pandemic, and raised our voices on critical issues like Voting Rights and Black Maternal Health--ensuring that Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated are the VOICE of the movement, not the ECHO. Dr. Glover's Alpha Kappa Alpha Congressional Women's Roundtable continues to lead the charge toward solutions to create a better world for future generations by fighting for continued, meaningful investments in HBCUs, a comprehensive approach to ending the maternal health crisis in America and protecting our democracy through safeguarding and expanding voting rights. Dr. Glover has convened meetings with our Soror, Vice-President Kamala Harris, to bring our community's needs to the highest level of our government and is the Vice-Chair of President Joe Biden's HBCU Advisory Board. I, and every Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Soror, am indebted to Dr. Glover for her service to our Sorority. She is a living pillar of Black Excellence, and her leadership has and continues to lift up successive generations of Black leaders. As we celebrate her enduring legacy, her enriching sisterhood, and her exemplary service, let's remember the purpose that has animated her to succeed and to bring her community up with her.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my Fifth Congressional District constituent, Olympian, four-time NBA Champion, NBA All-Star, and member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and FIBA Hall of Fame, Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, on winning an Oscar. ``The Queen of Basketball,'' produced by executive producers Shaquille O'Neal and Steph Curry, won the Academy Award for short subject documentary on March 27, 2022. The film shines a light on the incredible story of Lusia Harris, the first and only woman to be drafted by the NBA and the first to score a basket in women's Olympic history. In addition to shattering glass ceilings herself, Harris helped lead her teams to excellence, including winning three consecutive Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women National Championships and a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal. Harris, who recently passed away in January 2022, is a trailblazer in professional basketball and must be celebrated and commemorated for years to come. I thank you Shaquille O'Neal for doing just that. Congratulations to Shaq and the entire production team on the award- winning ``The Queen of Basketball.''

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5547) to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to require eligible recipients of certain grants to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy that directly or indirectly increases the accessibility of affordable, quality care-based services, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5547, as amended.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act. I would like to start by honoring my coauthor of this bill, who recently passed away unexpectedly, Congressman Don Young, the longest- serving Member of this body, the dean of the House. As my partner on this bill, I got to see his dedication to serving the people up close. Even though he is no longer with us in this Chamber, I know that Congressman Young would be proud that the full House is considering the bill we worked so hard on together to help our kids and our communities. We authored this legislation with a simple idea in mind: Investing in care will help get people back to work, create good-paying jobs, and create a stronger economy for everyone. I know this firsthand as the working mom of my 6-year-old son, my Carter Cakes. My ability to be standing before you today is dependent on making sure that my Carter Cakes is safe and cared for. Let me tell you all, it can even be difficult for families like mine. When I was pregnant with Carter, we struggled to find childcare that was affordable and accessible. Today, it is up to my husband, Leslie, and me to make sure that Carter continues to be cared for so I can serve the people. Just this month, my husband had to take a day off from his job so that I could make a last-minute trip to D.C. when school was closed for a teacher workday. Later that same week, it was my turn. It became ``Bring Carter to Work Day.'' So, in Atlanta, Leslie traveled to do his job, and I was home with Carter as he attended many Zoom sessions in Congress. We have made it work, but unfortunately, during this pandemic, not everyone has been as lucky as my family. Earlier this week, I visited Our House, a childcare center in my district that serves some of the most marginalized families, families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. One of the providers told me that, during the height of the pandemic, a parent told her that she had to reopen because: ``Corona may kill me, but poverty definitely will if I can't go to work and provide for my family.'' Care is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. Women, especially women of color, have been forced to drop out of the labor market at record rates during the COVID pandemic. This impacts the prosperity of our families and our economy at large. Care is an economic development strategy, and it is time that we treated it like one. My CEDS Act will ensure care accessibility is prioritized for all communities and all constituents. Currently, economic development districts must consider transportation access, workforce development, technology use, and environmental protection when creating their comprehensive economic development strategies. Right now, there is no mention of considering quality, affordable care-based services. The CEDS Act would simply add this as a consideration. This bill will treat childcare, early childhood education, disability, long-term care, and eldercare as essential to communities' economic development. When we do this, we can help folks return to work, provide for their families, and invigorate our economy while knowing that their loved ones are in good hands. I bring this bill before you today for every caregiver who has been forced to leave the workforce, for every working parent who has given up on finding a solution that works, for every person who feels forced to choose between their loved ones and their livelihoods. It doesn't have to be this way, y'all. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, for our children, our seniors, and our families nationwide. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, March 7, 2022. Hon. Peter DeFazio, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 5547, the ``Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act.'' In order to permit H.R. 5547 to proceed expeditiously to the House Floor, I agree to forgo formal consideration of the bill. The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to forego formal consideration of H.R. 5547 in light of our mutual understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration of H.R. 5547 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves forward with regard to any matters in the Committee's jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation that involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your support for any such request. Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 5547. Sincerely, Maxine Waters, Chairwoman.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5343. This bill addresses the high rate of turnover for disaster case management personnel at FEMA. FEMA's case management personnel are critical to the disaster recovery process. They help survivors access basic needs such as housing, childcare, and transportation assistance. This legislation requires FEMA to provide a report to Congress with data on case management personnel turnover and any Agency plans to reduce turnover. I urge my colleagues on both sides to join with me and support this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5343, as amended.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5343) to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to submit a report to Congress on case management personnel turnover, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2938) to designate the United States Courthouse and Federal Building located at 111 North Adams Street in Tallahassee, Florida, as the ``Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building'', and for other purposes.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation in the spirit of voting rights in this country, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 233, to designate the Rocksprings Station of the U.S. Border Patrol in Rocksprings, Texas, as the Donna M. Doss Border Patrol Station. Donna Doss was a U.S. Border Patrol agent who served for 16 years on the Del Rio Border Patrol. On February 2, 2019, while working, Agent Doss was struck and killed by a vehicle. Agent Doss was a wife, a daughter, a sister, a stepmother, and a colleague who was mourned by her community. S. 233 will recognize Agent Doss' tragic passing and sacrifice, and I ask for the bill's adoption. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 233.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5673) to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to make technical corrections to the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund program, and for other purposes.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5673.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5673. This bill will make technical corrections to the STORM Act, which was enacted in the 116th Congress. The STORM Act is bipartisan and bicameral legislation that created a hazard mitigation revolving loan fund that helped States and Tribal governments finance mitigation projects. This bill corrects clerical errors in the enacted language of the STORM Act. I urge my colleagues on both sides to join with me and support this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia

Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.