Bonnie Watson Coleman

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate Pride Month. What makes America truly great is our diversity. It is the coalescence of our backgrounds, our values, and our ideas that makes this Nation stronger. So, when we celebrate Pride Month, we are celebrating America. However, as we approach America's 250th anniversary, the historic progress we have made together to make our country a better place for all is under threat. The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are focused more on weaponizing the federal government against America's diversity and the LGBTQ+ community than on addressing the pressing issues facing Americans. LGBTQ+ Americans who serve our country proudly in uniform and are a critical part of our military are being told they are not welcome and are being denied access to medical care. There have been more than 15 anti-LGBTQ+ votes on the floor of the House this Congress, but not one that would actually lower costs for American families. I am proud to stand up for the New Jersey LGBTQ+ community in Congress as a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus and fight back against the rising tide of homophobia, transphobia, and hatred in all its forms. While Republicans in Congress have attacked our neighbors, I reintroduced the Customer Non-Discrimination Act to ensure fail treatment for Americans in public spaces and commercial services open to the public. Too many LGBTQ+ Americans still risk being fired, refused housing, or even denied healthcare just because of who they are, and this bill would stamp out this legalized discrimination by adding sexual orientation, sex, and gender identity to the prohibitions on discrimination covered by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Celebrating Pride Month cannot be just about attending parades; it must also mean taking action and standing up for the rights to the freedoms we all deserve. America's promise of liberty and justice for all includes the LGBTQ+ community. As we approach our country's 250th anniversary, we must fight to ensure that freedom and equality are expanded, not rolled back, so that America can be a more inclusive and just Nation.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time. Our country was rightly shocked and horrified when over 150 schoolgirls were killed in the opening hours of our strikes on Iran. It will be remembered as one of our darkest hours. As I stand here, over 253 children have been killed in Lebanon. Are those lives no less a tragedy? Are we so callous as to believe that when we provide intelligence, provide coordination, and green strikes, that our responsibility for the results of that work ends there? We are not bystanders to the ongoing horror that is the war on Lebanon. We have seen this before. High-ranking members of the Israeli Government are threatening mass extermination of Lebanese civilians. They are broadcasting their intentions just as they did in Gaza. This Congress did nothing to stop the horror that befell Gaza. This Congress took bipartisan measures to let an ally commit genocide on the Palestinian people in Gaza with our bombs, with our intelligence, and with our tax dollars. We cannot feign ignorance here again. This resolution offers a very clear moral choice. It offers those who failed to act in Gaza a chance to do something right now. Mr. Speaker, I ask that we would all support this resolution.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and to honor East Brunswick, New Jersey's native son, Technical Sergeant Philip Streczyk, a distinguished World War II veteran. Tomorrow marks 82 years since Philip and the men of the 16th Infantry Company, 1st Infantry Division, led the charge up the Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach. Technical Sergeant Streczyk showed incredible courage and tactical skill to guide his men off the beaches despite incredible enemy fire. He also displayed resilience and innovation to find a pathway up the mine-laden bluffs safely. His company commander, Captain Ed Wozenski stated ``I think that he's the greatest unsung hero of World War II. To the best of my knowledge, he was the first one on the beach and it was the path that he took that I picked up. The rest of our battalion followed, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, and then later on I think almost the whole corps went up that same path.'' That pathway became a leading edge for our troops to storm Normandy, fight amongst the hedgerows deeper inland and ultimately, defeat the Germans. Philip's actions truly began the liberation of France from the grip of tyranny. Captain Wozenski went on to say: ``If [Streczyk] did not earn a Congressional Medal of Honor, no one did.'' Philip's bravery didn't stop at the beachhead. He proceeded to take out a deadly machine gun nest and capture several Polish prisoners of war. General Eisenhower and Field Marshal Montgomery would later present him personally with the Distinguished Service Cross and British Military Medal. All told, Streczyk served nearly 440 days straight in combat from North Africa to Sicily to Normandy through to the Hurtgen Forest. His combat valor is unmatched and was dubbed by The Central Jersey Home News a ``one-man invasion.'' He was the recipient of a Silver Star with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and several more decorations. Like many of the Greatest Generation, Philip lived a simple, humble life upon returning home to New Jersey. He raised his 4 kids with his wife, Sophie, and worked as a mason and builder and was active in Veterans organizations, but, sadly, the toll of warfare caught up with him. A gangrenous neck wound suffered during combat led to daily, intolerable pain. Streczyk took his own life in 1958 at just 39 years old. Technical Sergeant Streczyk is buried in a small, hidden family plot in a residential cul-de-sac in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Streczyk was never given true recognition by his hometown and state for his actions that preserved democracy. I rise today on behalf of New Jersey's 12th District to proudly honor this one-of-one military legend and American hero. We can never repay the debt we owe to Philip and his fellow Soldiers, but we can always honor and remember the sacrifices they made so that all of us may live freely today. We are eternally grateful to our Greatest Generation. Mr. Speaker, please join me today in honoring Technical Sergeant Philip Streczyk and his service to our country.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the sentiments of my constituents in the 12th Congressional District in New Jersey. They are furious. The President's war in Iran is one of the greatest foreign policy blunders in American history. It is a war of choice, and he took this action without consulting either Congress or the American people. The President's reasoning after the fact has been one lie after another. In briefings to Congress, the administration has admitted this isn't about regime change and that there was no imminent threat, that there was no nuclear threat. The administration has gone before the American people and provided zero clarification of the objectives, nor have they planned for the obvious consequences of this action. There is no clear off-ramp. The Strait of Hormuz has been closed, with several cargo ships already destroyed, choking the global supply chain. This has led to higher oil and gas prices, which President Trump has declared is a good thing. In addition, a third of the world's traded fertilizer has been blocked from the market, putting agricultural work at risk. The American people were already struggling to pay the bills, thanks to Trump's self-declared trade wars. Now, we are forced to deal with the economic fallout, the personal fallout, and the loss of lives of this self-declared war. The American people are paying for this war of choice with a price tag of $1 billion a day. The families of the 13 servicemembers who were lost are paying for this. Meanwhile, the President stands to profit from this war. Trump's sons are investing in drone companies with contracts with the Pentagon. This is a clear conflict of interest that calls into question the President's motives when sending our brave servicemembers into harm's way in the first place. The President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is gallivanting across the Middle East for his private firm while simultaneously serving as one of the United States' chief negotiators. We have come to expect corrupt self-dealing from this President, the most corrupt President in our history, his family, and their cronies. However, now American lives are at stake. Finally, this week, the President's Secretary of Defense said that we will ``keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy.'' The Secretary of Defense is committing war crimes at a press conference. Declaring that the United States will offer no quarter puts our own troops at greater risk. It represents an appalling lack of concern for the well-being of our troops, a direct violation of both U.S. and international law, and highlights his incompetence and his lack of soul. Mr. President, if you have the ability to feel shame, you will end this war now. If my colleagues in this Chamber have a shred of dignity left, they will immediately pass a War Powers Resolution and bring an end to this disaster before more lives are lost.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Waters from the great State of California for yielding. Let me just say, I enjoyed working on this endeavor with my colleague across the aisle, Mr. Aderholt. It has been a pleasure. Madam Speaker, in 1776, the Declaration of Independence put into writing a set of ideals that reshaped this Nation and influenced the world. Every major anniversary since has given Americans a chance to reflect on those principles and what they require of us. The $2.50 for America's 250th Act continues a long tradition of commemorating our Nation's milestones through coinage. This bill authorizes the Treasury to issue a circulating and collectible $2.50 coin, modeled on the design first issued for America's 150 anniversary. That earlier coin connected Americans to their shared history through something tangible and accessible to all. This legislation does the very same as we prepare for the semiquincentennial. As a cofounder and co-chair of the America 250 Caucus and a member of the America 250 Commission, I am so grateful for the partnership with Representative Aderholt and my House colleagues on a bipartisan basis as we prepare the Nation's celebration of America's 250 birthday, which I pray is bicameral, bipartisan, and able to be enjoyed by all the people in this country.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. Madam Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, marked a turning point not just in our Nation's history but in the global pursuit of democracy and self-governance. The work remains unfinished, and each generation has been tasked with carrying it forward. As we approach the 250th anniversary of that moment, Congress has a responsibility to reflect honestly on where we have been and what we will choose to pass on. This legislation authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule to be sealed and buried in the Capitol Visitor Center where it will be unsealed on our Nation's 500th anniversary on July 4th, 2276. While we won't be there to open it, we should be there to see what goes into it. The capsule will include items, as has been mentioned, that capture the institutional history of Congress, significant legislative milestones, and a message from the 119th Congress to those who will serve long after we are gone. As a cofounder and co-chair of the America250 Caucus, I am proud to see this legislation move forward as a part of our Nation's 250th anniversary. As I said, none of us will be here when this capsule is opened. That is the point. Our responsibility is to the generations who will inherit the consequences of our choices. What we do in this Chamber every day is history. What we choose to speak up for and speak out against defines us, and it will be the legacy that we leave for every governing body that holds this space for years to come.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I first thank both of our Members of Congress who are co-leading this very important Special Order hour. Five years ago, a violent mob attacked the United States Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Yet, on the first day of Donald Trump's second term, he pardoned more than 1,500 criminals involved in that insurrection carried out in his name. This is just one action amid a comprehensive campaign to erase the memory of what happened on that day. It is a slap in the face to law enforcement who selflessly put their lives at risk to defend all of us. Some of them lost their lives, like Officer Brian Sicknick, a New Jersey native, who tragically died following injuries he sustained that day. Many more are still dealing with trauma. In Brian's honor, I introduced a resolution condemning those blanket pardons. We must never forget their sacrifice. We cannot let Donald Trump and his allies rewrite the history of one of the darkest moments in the 250-year history of this Nation.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, as I expressed last week following Charlie Kirk's horrifying assassination, my heart goes out to Mr. Kirk's family and loved ones. The loss of anyone in such a violent manner is tragic and sadly all too common. It has raised important issues including the need to address gun violence, political violence, and the way all Americans relate to one another. Increasingly violent rhetoric in our politics and culture is manifesting itself in increasing political violence. I'm grateful that this resolution addresses some of these issues. I remember the series of assassinations and attempted assassinations that rocked the country in the 1960's and 1970's: Medgar Evers, John and Robert Kennedy, George Lincoln Rockwell, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, Richard Nixon, and George Wallace. Hate, discrimination, and distrust led to political violence that tore the country apart. We need a national conversation about how we learn the lessons of our past and build a better future for everyone. I encourage us all to reflect on the country we want to live in. And to ensure our words and actions point us in that direction. If we are to have a thriving democracy, we must be able to disagree and fight for what we believe in without denying each other's humanity. Much of the political rhetoric in recent years has failed this test. I pray we return to a place where, despite our differences, we can recognize the humanity in every one of us. Tackling these issues will require a thoughtful and honest national conversation. The resolution that we will vote on today called on Members to honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk. I could not honestly lend my name to his legacy. Charlie Kirk had a conviction and passion for expressing his opinions and for moving them forward in the national conversation. Unfortunately, much of that legacy involved hateful rhetoric about many fellow Americans, specifically the LGBTQ community, Muslims, and other minorities, particularly Black women. For that reason, I will not vote for this resolution. Mr. Kirk's assassination was a horrible crime against him, his family, and our Nation. I pray for all three.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time. Wherever community is interrupted by evil or hatred, by greed, or by the lust for power, it is the moral responsibility of people of good will to respond. John Lewis wrote those words over 27 years ago. He was echoing calls for resistance to oppression passed down from our Founding Fathers, but it could very well have been said about today. John was calling on all of us to fight for our communities. It was a call for solidarity. It was a call to reject the corporate influence that permeates our politics and puts profits over people. Today, we are seeing the GOP pass bills that cut nutrition assistance to pay for corporate tax cuts, bills that cut funding to nursing homes to pay for billionaire vacation homes, and Republican Senators with Ivy League degrees working to eliminate college loans for poor students who are trying to work their way into the middle class. It will take all of us to change this culture of greed and put people over politics. John Lewis was a hero of mine not just because he raised up working- class Americans with his soaring rhetoric but because he walked the walk. He put his body on the line because he knew that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss this big, disgusting billionaire bailout bill. This year, I have traveled the State of New Jersey, hearing from the constituents of my three GOP colleagues. I spoke to some of the 178,000 people in Representative Van Drew's district on NJ FamilyCare who will lose their coverage; some parents of the nearly 100,000 children in Representative Smith's district who are at risk of losing their NJ FamilyCare health coverage; and some of the 11,000 seniors in Representative Kean's district who are worried about their nursing homes having to shut down. What I heard from all of those constituents in those three districts was that they are very disappointed that they were not able to communicate with their Representatives because their Representatives were hiding from them because they could not justify their support of this big, disgusting billionaire bailout. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues from New Jersey to listen to their constituents and vote ``no.'' May God forgive those who do not do for the least among us.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Ramirez for convening this very important discussion. I will talk about something that is a little bit of an extension of this, but I do want to remind people that I visited Delaney Hall Detention Facility in the State of New Jersey with LaMonica McIver and Rob Menendez. It was difficult getting anyone to address us and give us the kind of inspection and respect that our offices deserved. The suggestion that Members now should have to make an appointment before inspecting one of these facilities defeats the notion of oversight. Oversight is to catch the operation going as it is. Oversight is to see if the conditions are humane, the food is delivered, and that people are treated well, et cetera. It is insane that this administration could think that they could put this condition upon us. I will talk about what I consider is a further extension that this administration is out of control. What we have seen in recent weeks in L.A. and over the past few months across the country is another illustration of an outrageous abuse of power by our President and his Cabinet. President Trump, Deputy Chief of Staff Miller, and Secretary of Homeland Security Noem have gone too far, letting their hatred of immigrants overwhelm them to the point of abusing innocent Americans. Their actions pose a threat to all of us. They have disregarded the rights of citizens and noncitizens alike. In just the last few months, DHS has accused a U.S. citizen of entering the country illegally and held that person for days, despite the person showing his birth certificate and Social Security card. A U.S. Army Purple Heart veteran who has lived in the U.S. for nearly 50 years was told to leave due to a 15-year-old minor drug conviction. In Newark in January, ICE detained a veteran without a warrant, disregarding his veteran ID card. A 10-year-old U.S. citizen with brain cancer was deported because his parents were undocumented. Trump's actions tell us that no one is safe from his storm troopers. How ICE agents are going about fulfilling Trump's arbitrary arrest quotas is also alarming. Masked, plainclothes officers have been entering communities and abducting people to process them for deportation. This is extremely dangerous for several reasons. The first is the risk of confusion for those being detained and arrested, as well as for bystanders. Think about what you might do if you witnessed three to four men in street clothes grabbing someone off the street and throwing them in the back of a black SUV. It doesn't take much imagination to see the danger involved if a Good Samaritan were to intervene. Additionally, the lack of clearly identifiable uniforms has made it easier for copycats and impersonators to purchase fake gear on Amazon, allowing them to go around neighborhoods harassing residents. We have already seen this happening. In response, I introduced a piece of legislation, the ICE Visibility Act, to eliminate this confusion and increase safety in our communities by requiring ICE officers to wear visible and distinct uniforms at all times. This administration is creating chaos and confusion on our streets and infringing on the freedoms and the liberties of Americans. This bill that I am introducing obviously won't solve the problem of a runaway ICE that puts arrest quotas over the rights of our communities, but it might just prevent a disaster that is waiting to happen. This illustration of governance abuse, about rogue ICE agents, about disrespect at detention facilities, and about the poor quality of those facilities means that our work is vitally important to the well-being and the safety and security of those who are in our country and those who are being detained here for whatever reason. I thank the gentlewoman for this opportunity to speak to this issue.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Maryland for anchoring this important Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, the bill that the House Republicans sent to the Senate would create the largest transfer of wealth from the working class to the well-off in our Nation's history. Folks who were already doing everything they can to make ends meet, working several jobs to put food on the table, and keep their kids healthy. The honest, hopeful, hardworking Americans who just want a fair shot at a better future, these are the people who stand to lose the most under the Republican bill. These are the folks who rely on basic needs programs like SNAP and Medicaid. These folks aren't lazy. They don't want something for nothing. They just want to feed their families and to take care of their kids. However, the Republican plan is to drown them in red tape, to kick them off of their health insurance, and force them to choose between feeding their families or paying their rent. They are waging a war of attrition on the working people and those who are most in need. As if this outcome wasn't bad enough, what may be worse is the reason that they are doing all of this: To pay for huge tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. In an attempt to cover the cost of tax write-offs for private jets and yachts and multiple houses, Republicans are cutting back on food assistance for hungry children. I don't know how else you would describe this, but for me I think it is cruel, ugly, and evil.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for co- anchoring this very important Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, every 7 hours, a child is killed by gunfire in the United States. Thus far in 2025, nearly 100 American children did not make it to their 12th birthday because they were killed by gunfire. Every single child lost is an unfathomable tragedy. Families are destroyed, and communities are left in anguish, but the cycle of death and grief is far more prolific in the Black community. Black Americans die by gun violence at a rate 2.7 times greater than their White peers, including a 50 percent increase in firearm suicides in 2023. Communities across our country face this daily reality, but too many powerful people here in Washington, D.C., feel too comfortably removed from it. They will call for a moment of silence and then move on, and nothing will happen. Rather than committing to fight this uniquely American terror, they will find any excuse to do nothing. It is video games. It is mental health. It is anything but guns. Congress has the power to act to keep our young people safe from their leading cause of death: gun violence. We also have a moral obligation to act to free our society from the fear that comes with dropping our children and grandchildren off at school or the mall or the movies or even a house party. Enough moments of silence. These moments of silence don't save a single, solitary life. Now is the moment in time that we must act to save our generations.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Takano for holding this Special Order. This is very important. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the Trump administration is carrying out a campaign of reckless cruelty with zero accountability. Last week, the home of a woman from Oklahoma was mistakenly targeted by ICE agents. They broke into her home, forced her and her children outside at gunpoint in their underwear, and proceeded to ransack their home. The people who ICE were looking for didn't even live there, but that didn't stop them from traumatizing the current residents, confiscating their life savings, and fleeing the scene without leaving any contact information or instructions for how this innocent family could get their belongings back, including their money. More recently, over the past weekend, we learned that Trump administration's police deported a 4-year-old American citizen who has stage IV cancer, and then they lied about it. On Monday, Trump's deportation czar claimed that the child's mother chose to bring her son with her when she was deported without any kind of due process. Let me be clear. That is another boldface lie. The truth is that this woman did what any mom would do when faced with such a terrifying situation. She tried desperately to protect her child. She pled with the Trump's deportation police to let her contact her family to arrange care for her son and make sure that he keeps receiving the medical treatment that he desperately needs. Yet, Trump's police said: No. They denied this basic right. They would not let her call her family, nor her lawyer. As a result, her son no longer has access to his lifesaving cancer treatment. It is a confounding degree of evil that we are dealing with in the Trump administration and this Republican-controlled Congress that fails to find its spine and do the right thing for the people of this country. I truly cannot comprehend the heartlessness that is required to do these things like this, and I am praying for all of the victims of this administration's campaign of terror in my country.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, this budget is a bad deal. It takes billions of dollars from programs that working families rely on and gives that money to the very wealthiest Americans in the form of $7 trillion in tax breaks. It slashes funding for programs like Medicaid. Nearly 2 million people in my State of New Jersey rely on Medicaid for healthcare. It raises the healthcare costs for folks who get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act. In my district, folks could see their premiums go up by $1,400 per year under this budget. Though I know my colleagues across the aisle are very concerned with the Federal debt, this budget adds more than $5 trillion to the deficit. This is a rip-off for working families, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to oppose this measure.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a man whom I have known for his entire life; longer, in fact. I knew him when he was a bump in his mommy's belly. Michael Reed is the proud son of Trenton and one of the most intelligent, dedicated, and capable public servants that I have ever had the privilege of knowing. When I was first elected, it was Michael's counsel that I relied on to get my office up and running. It was Michael who helped me navigate this new and peculiar space, and it was Michael whom I could call day or night, weekend or weekday, and I still do. I have the deepest love and respect for Michael. He has been a blessing in every sense of the word. I thank him for his public service. I know that he will continue to make a positive impact on people's lives in all that he does. I wish Michael and his beautiful bride, Keenan, nothing but the best as they begin their next chapter in life.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, ask any Member of Congress and they will tell you, none of us could adequately serve our constituents without staffers. They are a necessary component of our office. Today, I will take a moment to thank my chief of staff, Kari Osmond, who will be leaving our office at the conclusion of today's work. Kari has been working with me since I was first elected to represent the 12th Congressional District a decade ago, but I have known her since my time in the State assembly. In fact, we spent so much time together during my first campaign, driving around the 12th Congressional District listening to gospel music, I nearly turned her into a Black Baptist. We preferred Hezekiah Walker's ``Every Praise.'' Her dedication and her commitment to the people in the four counties that I represent has never wavered in all of the time that I have known her. Kari is not just a friend. Bill, my husband, and I consider her family. She has been a tremendous professional, a committed organizer, and a courageous leader who has always run toward the fight. In her time as chief of staff, she also helped me to assemble a talented team committed to representing the values of the 12th Congressional District and fighting for everyday New Jerseyans. A Congress Member is only as good as their staff, and she has led one of the best on the Hill for the last 4 years and the best in our district office in New Jersey. I will miss her greatly. I will miss her dearly. I am certain, though, that she will carry her talent and her commitment to service to her new role at the College of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I wish Kari Godspeed, best wishes, and know that she goes with my love.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Courtney Billington for his many years of service to our community. Courtney is retiring after thirty-three years with Johnson & Johnson where he's worked tirelessly to improve public health policy and support the thousands of innovators and medical professionals who are driving medical progress. Courtney has lived a life dedicated to serving others. After graduating from West Point, he served as a Quartermaster Officer in the U.S. Army, ensuring that our soldiers get the equipment they need. He has been a lifelong advocate for veterans, currently serving as a board member of the United Services Organization, the Cohen Veterans Network, and as Executive Sponsor of the Veterans Leadership Council. For five years Courtney has been the president of Janssen Neuroscience, where he's worked on innovative treatments for patients with serious mental illness and neurodegenerative diseases. He has strived towards bridging the racial disparities in healthcare; particularly increasing the mental health treatments available for Black men. While at Johnson & Johnson, Courtney led the Community Health Equity Alliance, which works at the community level to provide mental health care across twelve states. Through the Congressional Black Caucus, I have had the opportunity to work with Courtney, Johnson & Johnson, and partnering associations on those pressing issues, and I'd like to thank him for his thoughtful and fierce championing of the health of Black Americans. While Courtney's years of service have taken him around the globe, New Jersey is all the better for being the state he calls home. We are grateful to Courtney for his years of service and the work he has done to make our communities and our country healthier. I hope that he and his wife Lisa will have many wonderful years ahead of them enjoying a well-earned and much-deserved retirement.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank our chairman for his work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, was an essential milestone in the progress of all humanity toward a more fair, just, and democratic society. It is work that continues to this day. As we reflect upon the last 250 years of progress toward these ideals, we must impart the lessons that we have learned to future generations. As a cofounder and co-chair of the America 250 Caucus, along with my co-chairs, Mr. Evans, Mr. Aderholt, and Ms. Salazar, it is an honor to see this legislation come forward today as just one small part of our Nation's 250th anniversary celebration. This bill will authorize, as we have heard, the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule and have it buried on the West Lawn, to remain sealed until July 4, 2276, the Nation's 500th anniversary. The contents will include items that represent important legislation and institutional milestones of Congress, a message from the 119th Congress to the 244th Congress, and other items that reflect our history. No one here today will see it when it is opened, but an old Greek proverb states: ``A society grows great when the old plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.'' The body does its best work when we don't seek fame or followers, renown or retweets, but rather when we work so that distant generations of Americans for whom our names will be mere footnotes will enjoy the fruits of our work here today. This bill passed last Congress, and I certainly look forward to its passage again today. I am honored to be able to speak to this piece of legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of our colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chair, I am standing in opposition. During their campaigns, Donald Trump and my Republican colleagues promised to get to work to lowering prices for the American people. This budget is a betrayal of that promise. It is a betrayal of millions of our children, our parents, and our seniors. It is a betrayal of the one- third of New Jersey children who rely on Medicaid. It is a betrayal of the one-third of new mothers who count on Medicaid for their prenatal care. It is a betrayal of 6 in 10 New Jersey seniors living in nursing homes. It is a rip-off of New Jersey taxpayers as Republicans have prioritized tax cuts for their billionaire donors over the lives of everyday citizens who will suffer under this new budget. My neighbor, Tom Kean, has over 70,000 Medicaid recipients, including over 27,000 children. Does Congressman Van Drew from New Jersey know a vote for this budget means abandoning 177,000 of his residents for the billionaire class? Does Congressman Chris Smith know that there are 178,000 Medicaid recipients in his district, including nearly 100,000 children who will be cut and will lose their coverage simply to enrich Trump's billionaire friends? A few weeks ago, I offered an amendment in the Budget Committee to eliminate these disastrous cuts. Not a single Republican gave me a vote on this issue. Last night, I offered the same amendment to the Rules Committee, and we had the same outcome. There was not one Republican vote. I only hope that there are at least a few of my Republican colleagues today who have the courage and the humanity to stand up for their most vulnerable constituents and to vote ``no.'' I urge a ``no'' vote here.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, today is February 6. It is my 80th birthday, and I should be celebrating, but you know what? I am mourning. You know why? Because Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire donor, has mounted a hostile takeover of the Federal Government. It is an astonishing display of corruption: A billionaire CEO who is not confirmed, who is accountable to no one, and who donated millions to Donald Trump's election campaign is now in charge of the Treasury Department's payment system. He is doing what vulture capitalists have done to American businesses across the country. They come in, do a hostile takeover, strip a company of its parts, and layoff a third of the hardworking people who make the company run. But you know what the difference is? This company is the United States of America. The parts that he is stripping out are our private information. They are attempting to dismiss committed workers who make this country run, and they are ripping the American people off in the process. Donald Trump is cosigning all of it. The richest man in the world now has access to the personal information and financial information of millions of Americans, including Social Security numbers and bank account details. This unprecedented breach of public trust puts countless Americans at risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and political retaliation. Handing over such sensitive information to a reckless billionaire with a history of self-serving business dealings and foreign interests is not just irresponsible, it is dangerous. He is attempting to dismantle the systems within the Federal Government for several reasons. First, contrary to the image he has worked to cultivate, he is not a competent manager. He does not understand how many government organizations function or the important role they play in supporting the United States and its citizens. Rather than learn, he is choosing to break them like a frustrated and impatient child. Second, he sees an opportunity to make more money. His companies already receive billions in government contracts by taking control of key parts of the Federal system. He can steer more taxpayer money into his pockets. Last is ideological. He was born and raised in South Africa under the apartheid system, and he is a white supremacist. He elevates the opinions of neo-Nazis on his social media platform. He proudly gave a Nazi salute at a rally earlier this year. He does not want the government to work for or answer to anyone who is not a straight, rich, White man. Since the moment my office opened Monday morning and continuing, my constituents have been calling my office understandably furious at this naked display of corruption. I share in their outrage. This is an outrageous thing we are witnessing. My congressional colleagues and I have been in discussions over the past few days about what we can do to fight back. I am fully committed to using every tool at my disposal to resist this egregious, un-American, and unconstitutional overreach. To those listening, call your Representatives and tell them how you feel about this out-of-touch billionaire reaching his hands into your private information. To the civil servant employees who work every day to keep the government running, I ask you to stand your ground. Tell those minions of the unelected billionaire donor that you don't work for them; you work for the American people. When they demand access, tell them no. When they tell you that you are dismissed, tell them to speak to your union rep because you are not leaving until you hear from them. Stand up, American people. Stand up for your families and protect your rights. To my Republican colleagues, aren't there at least three who believe in America? THE SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks to the Chair and not to a perceived viewing audience.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick was born in New Brunswick and raised in South River, and he died in D.C. on January 7, 2021. He succumbed to two successive strokes just hours after being pepper- sprayed by violent criminals attempting to stop the peaceful transfer of power and undo our democracy. The men who attacked him just hours before his death, who were charged, tried, and convicted of assaulting a police officer, were just able to walk free. They were pardoned by Donald Trump. Officer Sicknick made the ultimate sacrifice. Pardoning his attackers is an assault to his memory, an affront to his family, and a disgrace to the Constitution that he swore to uphold and gave his life to defend. January 6 was a violent insurrection. We have proof. We have videos, and nothing will change that history.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Sara Cullinane on her exceptional accomplishments as Director and Founder of Make the Road New Jersey. As she embarks on her new chapter of her life and passes the reign to new leadership, I want to recognize the extraordinary and powerful work that she has accomplished for the immigrant, working-class, and Latinx communities in the State of New Jersey. It has been an honor to partner with her. Sara's leadership has been instrumental to the growth of such a powerful organization that truly serves those who need it the most. In acknowledging her time with Make the Road NJ, I want to applaud her unquestionable commitment to bettering New Jersey. Sara's work in providing immigrant and working-class communities with vital resources and education on the importance of knowing their rights in unprecedented times is admirable. Make the Road New Jersey's success in assisting the immigrant community with legal services, health outreach, and educational programming have reached thousands of low-income individuals from underresourced and marginalized communities with critical, life- sustaining services, and transformational education. Sara has provided extraordinary leadership and guidance, and I add my voice to the sea of many who commend her remarkable vision. I want to thank Sara for her hard work and dedication, which has inspired countless others to pursue their lives helping those who need it the most. I hope she takes immense pride in all the exceptional work that she has accomplished throughout this past decade. I wish her the best of luck in her next chapter.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, was an essential milestone in the progress of all humanity toward a more fair, just, and democratic society, work that continues to this day. As we reflect on the last 250 years of progress toward those ideals, we must impart the lessons that we have learned to future generations. As cofounder and co-chair of the Congressional America250 Caucus along with my co-chairs, Mr. Evans, Mr. Aderholt, and Ms. Salazar, it is an honor to see this legislation come forward today as just one small part of our Nation's 250th anniversary celebration. This bill, as you know, authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to create the time capsule and have it buried on the west lawn to remain sealed until July 2276, the Nation's 500th anniversary. The contents will include items that represent important legislation and institutional milestones of Congress, a message from the 119th Congress to the 244th Congress, and other items that reflect our history. No one here today will see it, as has been said, but to be redundant, an old Greek proverb goes: ``A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.'' This body does its best work when we don't seek fame or followers, renown or retweets, but rather when we work so that distant generations of Americans for whom our names will be mere footnotes will enjoy the fruits of our work here today.