alan: with those beautiful words, joining me in thanking erin, elizabeth, and michele. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] >> tonight, a look at nato's future and the potential for further european expansion. watch the entire event for the council on foreign relations at 9:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. also available on the free c-span now video app or online at c-span.org. ♪ >> on thursday, tune in to the debate on c-span 2 and watch as the two presumptive nominees, former president donald trump and president biden face off to earn your vote in november. our coverage begins 8:00 p.m. eastern for a preview of what's to come. then at 9:00 p.m. eastern, our simulcast of the cnn presidential debate. following the debate, stay with c-span as we take your calls and

get your reaction to the first debate of the campaign season. the cnn presidential debate simulcast, live, thursday at 9:00 p.m. eastern on c-span 2, our c-span now, our free mobile video app or online at c-span.org. c-span, your unfiltered view of politics. >> we'll take you live to the house where members have been working on a number of noncontroversial bills this afternoon. a pair of those will get votes next. we'll take you to the house floor as soon as members gavel in here on c-span. the speaker pe house will be in order. proceedings will resume on questions previously postponed.

votes will be taken in the following order. motions to suspend the rules with respect to the following measures. house resolution 901, h.r. 7152, and h.r. 2789. the first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote. pursuant to clause 9 of rule 20, remaining electronic votes will be conducted as five-minute votes. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the gentleman from georgia, mr. mcclintock, to suspend the rules and agree to house resolution 901, amended on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title. the clerk: house resolution 901, resolution expressing support for democracy and human rights in pakistan. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to the resolution as amended.

members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] .

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 368, the nays are seven. 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the resolution is agreed to. and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of of the gentleman from georgia, mr. mccormick, to suspend the ruse and pass h.r. 7152, as amended, on which the yeas and nays are ordered.

the clerk will report the title. the clerk: h.r. 7152. a bill to direct the secretary of state to establish a national registry of korean american divided families and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. . [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 366 -- the

ways are 375, the nay respect 8, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. the chair lays the speaker: the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable, the speaker, house of representatives, sir, i have the honor to transmit here with a copy of a letter received from the honorable frank la rose,

ohio secretary of state, indicating that according to the unofficial results for the special election, general election held on june 11, 2024, the honorable michael a.rulli was elected to representative of congress for the sixth congressional district of ohio, signed sincerely kevin f. mccumber, acting clerk. the speaker: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition? ms. kaptur: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent the gentleman from ohio, the honorable michael a.rulli be permitted to take the oath of office today, his certificate of election has not arrived but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

the speaker: without objection. will representative elect rulli and members of the ohio delegation present themselves in the well? the speaker: all members will rise and the representative elect will please raise his right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that you will take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office which you are about to enter, so help you god. mr. rulli: i do. the speaker: congratulations, you're now a member of the 118th

congress. the speaker: without objection, the gentlewoman from ohio is recognized for one minute. ms. kaptur: thank you, speaker. i'm pleased to welcome a new chapter for ohio's sixth congressional district. and all of us from the delegation on both sides of the aisle gather to extend a warm welcome to congressman michael rulli who steps into the shoes of our former colleague, the esteemed bill johnson. for 13 years, bill served ohio's sixth district with dedication and commitment. congressman rulli prepares to continue this legacy of service to the people of belmont,

carroll, jefferson, mahoney, monroe, noble, stark, and washington counties. as the dean of ohio's delegation and a fellow ohioan who understands the profound responsibility that comes with representing the hard-working people of our state, i welcome congressman rulli to congress. his background as the director of operations for rulli brothers markets, a century old family owned grocery store in youngs town brings a refreshing perspective to our delegation. having grown up in a family business myself that also operated our family's grocery called supreme market in rosford, ohio, i already feel a special kinship with michael and hold high hoop with his business and security service will help us craft policies that promote

well-being for our buckeye state. michael, welcome. may you never lose sight of what brought you here. may you be guided by your faith to serve and make a difference in the lives of others. as members of the ohio delegation, we are middle america, and we know the importance of bipartisanship. as we work together across party lines to tackle the challenges that face our state and nation, the people of ohio and our nation deserve no less. i look forward to embracing a spirit of collaboration with you and all of our colleagues with a shared commitment to the common good. together let us commit to working side by side not as partisans but as partners in progress for ohio and america. and we welcome your new ideas and energy that you will bring to our discussions and legislative discourse. once again, congressman rulli, may your tenure in congress be marked by success, fulfillment, good health, and a legacy of service. thank you, mr. speaker, and i

now yield to our diligent friend, congressman mike turner of ohio, chair of the house intelligence committee. mr. turner: i want to thank ms. kaptur for yielding and congratulations to congressman mike rulli. in addition to his public as much as at the local, state, and now federal levels, congressman rulli brings to this chamber firsthand knowledge and practical experience as a successful family run small business owner. mike and his family know the challenges that come with running a small business. they realize that small businesses are the job creators and economic lifeblood of communities across ohio and the country. it's that real world experience that will greatly benefit this institution as we debate key policies that affect every american, household, and business. following in his predecessor's footsteps, mike's business acumen and heart for service will represent ohio's sixth district well. on behalf of the growing mike caucus, we welcome him to a part

of the entire ohio delegation and welcome mr. rulli and his wife kelly and his family to the 118th congress. i yield back. ms. kaptur: thank you, congressman turner. thank you, congressman turner. it's now my distinct honor to yield to the newest member of our body and delegation, the honorable michael rulli. will rulli: i'd like to thank the speaker and ms. kaptur for her kind words. and i want to say to my daughter who is too sick to come tonight

watching on c-span, i love you, sweetheart. so in the swing of 1983, i was in poland middle school and mr. meyers brought us for our trip and it was the fifth grade that came to washington and we sat right there in the corner and the chamber was quiet and it was moonlit, it was twilight and felt really magical. so the usher brought us in, and this is 1983, maybe a kinder time in america. so the usher said take your time, you have 10 or 15 minutes and we moved on with the tour and were going to the lincoln memorial, which is probably my favorite place in washington. so we're up there and there's 230 of us, and we're being out of control a little bit so the teacher is like shh, let's really soak this in so we're all quiet. out of nowhere this girl said to

ms. holibonich, what makes this chamber so special? and her response was so magical, it brings me here today to join your group. she said, in the history of man that the world has been ruled by kings and tyrants and dictators and just pure evil people, and only once in the history of man has anything good ever tried to govern the people, and that was in greece many, many moons ago. and we had the experiment of the united states of america. this chamber, a chamber where the people actually rule the land. and especially in this chamber where we have to go to our people, the working man of america and working women of america, and we have to explain ourself every two years whether it's a good job or a bad job. we apply for a job every two years. and we fulfill the obligations

of our founding fathers that made this the greatest country in the civilization of man. and if we don't succeed, mankind is done. there's no other option. if you read your history and i'm a lover of history, it's been horrific. the united states of america's history isn't perfect but we try to correct ourselves. i think the american civil war really showed that. and we're still working on it. we're not there yet, and i cannot believe my god creator gave me this opportunity to join all of you, all of you, the whole body that is present. i don't want to let go the souls that were up there when they were told this was the greatest experiment in the history of man. with that, i wish you and every one of your family members, god's blessings.

thank you. i love you. the speaker: the chair announcees to the house in light of the administration of the oath that the gentleman from ohio, the whole number of the house is now 432. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is vote on the motion of the the gentleman from georgia, mr. mccormick to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 2789 on which yeas and nays are ordered the clerk will report the title. the clerk: h.r. 2789 a bill to direct the secretary of state to develop a strategy on efforts to strengthen cooperation between the united states and mexico and

for other purposes. the speaker: the question is will the house suspend the bill and pass the bill as amended. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 368, the nays are 19, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed. and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition?

>> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that when the house adjourns today it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the house will be in order. the house will be in order. for what purpose does gentlelady

from new mexico seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask for unanimous consent to speak out of order. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> tonight, we pause in prayer for the people of riudoso, lincoln and oterro counties. our heartbreaks who lost their lives and 29 missing from the south forecast fires. they have displaced nearly 9,000 people, burned tens of thousands of acres and hundreds of homes. despite the devastation, new mexico as always has risen to the occasion, donated truck loads of supplies and bravely stood on the front lines to fight these fires because we are new mexico strong. so on behalf of the people of

new mexico, i say thank you to all who stepped up to help and to our first responders who are on the front lines fighting these fires. and to all who have lost a loved one, their home or their business, we are here with you in our hearts and in our prayers. and i yield to the gentleman from new mexico. >> thank you, congresswoman. thank you, mr. speaker. i have the privilege to represent the 2nd district of new mexico, home to the storied apache reservation, a place that has lost time and memorial, history, memories, culture, from the most devastating fire that we have seen in the lincoln national forest that is devastating not only for the economy but for who we are as

new mexicans. but we stand strong and will rebuild the not only of the reservation and lincoln and oterro counties and the jurisdictional between tribal governments, and forest service, the department of interior, bureau of land management that allowed us to have the quick response to limit damage and right now, to recover from one of the most devastating fires that we have seen in southwest number. the message i have to the place that i represent, we have your back. we will honor that sovereign relationship that we owe you and for the other members of congress that had to go through devastating wildfires like ourselves, that we will be seeking federal resources and

seeking the funds from the emergency declaration that president biden has granted us to rebuild these communities. we are thankful and grateful and we can say expect more of this across the west and other counties and states that will be impacted by a changing climate. we are new mexico strong. we will be new mexico strong and will rebuild together and we will honor the promise that we have made to indian country and make sure we rebuild from one of new mexico's worst wildfires we have ever seen. i would like to request a moment of silence for those who have passed.

thank you all, thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair will entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today and incredibly proud to recognize the achievement of a high school baseball team. on june 13, penn state's park, this team recaptured the piaa crown after defeating tri valley

11-3 and had a 25-2 record. it was ranked as the top high school baseball team regardless of classification. after a rough first inning. they led by star pitcher mclean. thaird base man was able to capital ides on the momentum with two hits, two runs and ripe. as a graduate, i would like to congratulate on their hard work. the team exceeded expectations while representing the 15th district of pennsylvania. congratulations on this outstanding season. go eagles. and i yield back. . . . . 123450 >> i ask to address the house

for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, during immigrant heritage month, i want to honor a constituent, chef ambrosio gonzalez. the chef and his family moved to chicago over 20 years ago when he was 16 years old. at a young age, he found cooking was his passion and enrolled in lake cordon blue culinary arts in chicago. after graduating, he worked on gaining more experience in the food and beverage industry, but he had a dream. chef ambrocio wanted to open his own restaurant. he worked hard and in 2011 opened up his cafe and restaurant in my neighborhood of little village which is so popular that there's always a

long line of people waiting to get in. mr. garcia: fast forward to 2024 and chef ambrocio now owns four restaurants throughout chicago land and has been named one of chicago's under 40 by local business magazine. the chef is the embodiment of what immigrants bring to this country, hard work, ambition. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. mr. burchett: thank you, madam speaker, i rise to honor and congratulate head coach tony vitello and the tennessee volunteers over texas a&m last night in the college world series, bringing home the hardware to knoxville, my hometown. the vols completed one of the most accomplished seasons in college baseball history which crowned them as s.e.c. regular

season champions, s.e.c. tournament champions and college world series champion with a remarkable 60-13 record. the coach and i spoke in the office a few weeks before the season started and told me when they punched their ticket, no if, when, he wanted them to take it all in and just enjoy it and that's exactly what they did, if you watch any of the video of the game, his father came down on the field and it truly was an emotional moment. i'd also like to congratulate dylan on an outstanding college world series performance. he was named the men's college world series most outstanding player after he homered in each of the final three games. you have made knoxville proud and the entire state of tennessee proud, and i wish to be back home and celebrate with you all instead of stuck here in washington, d.c. madam speaker, your 2024 national champions are clad in orange and white. thank you, madam speaker, and i yield the remainder of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields.

for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. >> i rise today to celebrate president biden's historic gun safety accomplishments. the biden administration recently closed a loophole that let unlicensed dealers sell guns without a background check. this action clarifies who qualifies as a gun dealer and it gives the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms and explosives the ability to hold gun sellers accountable to the american people. this is just one example of president biden's commitment to tackling gun violence. ms. porter: the white house created the first office of gun violence prevention to investigate how to reduce gun violence and create safer communities. each death from gun violence is one too many. congress needs to step up and to its part to stop preventible gun

violence. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from texas is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i'm honored today to recognize the well deserved retirement of one mr. jay kopack after 35 years in the financial industry, including 15 years at the associated credit union of texas. during his time at a.c.u. of texas he served as executive director of serve, an organization dedicated to bringing gulf coast area veterans groups together to combine resources and information. since its founding in august of 2015, serve has grown from six organizations to over 60, all focused on improving the lives of our great military personnel and their families. mr. weber: jay's committee to

our community and our veterans has been exemplary, creating a network of support that has made a real difference. as jay steps into a well-deserved retirement, we celebrate his profound impact and lasting legacy of service and compassion. jay, thank you. brenda and i hope you and your wife lori enjoy your retirement. madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from illinois seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam chair, i rise today to honor a champion, an organizer, and a public servant who has dedicated their life to advocating for marginalized communities and those impacted by trauma. born in mexico to migrant

farmworkers, dulce moved to chicago at the age of 9. in dedication to our city, has impacted young people, the unhoused and immigrant communities and beyond. mrs. ramirez: a lbgtq+ hall of fame inductee, dulce is a beacon of hope in the lbgtq+ community, especially young people. last year they made history in illinois as the very first nonbinary state public official serving on the illinois department of public services and she hopes we embrace the justice and on behalf of the third district, i commend them for their unwavering courage and public service. congratulations. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to

address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. mr. carter: i rise to congratulate one of the best in public service. on june 27, mr. john eunice will retire after 43 years of service in the department of the air force. mr. eunice served on active duty and in the career civil service. prior to taking his current position in 2008, on served in active duty for 27 years in the u.s. air force, achieving the rank of colonel. while on active duty, he served two command tours serving as commander of the 36th and the 347th civil engineer squadrons. he deployed three times over the course of his active duty career including twice in combat zones. he received numerous awards and commendations over the course of his career, including the prestigious newman medal awarded each year to the air force officer with the most

significant contributions to military engineering in the entire u.s. air force. john has dedicated his entire life to serving the united states and today i'm proud to thank him for his service. i wish him well on a much-deserved retirement. thank you, madam speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, juneteenth, also freedom day, is more than just a historical marker, it's a cause for celebration. eastern north carolinians of all ages came together from across the district to celebrate. mr. davis: we had a pretime watching talented local artists showcase their skills, events were filled with vibrant art and

music. there was food, vendors, and parades. we had a fantastic time honoring history and coming together as a community. the sight of so many young people engaging was truly inspiring. i was thrilled to join so many constituents to celebrate this historic and powerful day of freedom. thank you, madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from michigan is recognized for one minute. >> i honor to recognize george manus jr. who served in many cassitys in his long life. mr. bergman: born on the farm of

the peninsula he was familiar with the michigan way of life. a devout man of god he proved to have a humble servant's heart as well as a vibrant sense of humor and i'm sure it was those qualities that sustained his incredible 70-year marriage to his wife, clara. though george boasted many accolades in his lifetime, perhaps his most important achievements were his nine children, 23 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. in 1990, he george was elected to the michigan state senate where he served until 2002. george was a wealth of advice when it came to agriculture. he was an instrumental voice in the state of michigan and our entire state. he was an important fabric, a part of that fabric of his community and will be dearly missed. may god bless george's family and their loved ones in the time of grief. madam speaker, i yield.

for what reason does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition? ms. kaptur: to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. kaptur: the u.s. department of transportation raised grant program has awarded over $19 million for toledo, ohio's glass city river walk. this new support, coupled with $23 million received from the u.s. department build program in 2020 signifies a transformative invest. of over $42 million in the heart of the city of toledo. for infrastructure and restoration. the river walk spans five miles on both sides of the harmest river that flows into the great lakes by drainage area. it truly embodies our commitment to sustainable development,

equitable access to green spaces and enhancement of local quality of life. the river walk was conceived and built by our metro park system and has won national top awards for its design and innovation. as community redevelopment occurs, now is the moment to imagine new possibilities showcasing our fresh water bounty creating new energy conservation and production in the heart of toledo, growing and processing fresh vegetables and foods in the heart of our city on both sides of our magnificent river, our life source. madam speaker, i yield back. toledo, it's time to celebrate building forward. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from wisconsin seek recognition? mr. grothman: i'd like to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized for one minute. mr. grothman: i'd like to talk about the latest front on the biden war for the middle class. they're all for the welfare

class and superrich but the middle class, we're used to hearing about the massive increase of cost of cars and light trucks as we're forced into electric vehicles. at least as i understand it, talking to my dealers, the cost of a car will probably go up about 25%. we're used to also hearing about the massive increase in car insurance that we're going to have as we go to electric vehicles. but we don't hear about the huge hammer coming down on the backbone of the american middle class, the american truck driver. i found out today that the cost of a new semi, going from diesel to electric vehicle, will go from $130,000 to over $300,000 a semi. and as far as the amount you're able to drive from refueling, from 325 miles to -- from 1,200 miles back down to only 325 miles. please, congress, act. prevent president biden's latest war on the truck driver, the

backbone of the american middle class. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, to address the body for one minute without objection. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, today i rise to honor the career of my very good friend, retiring orange county superintendent, dr. hadas. he was appointed as superintendent of schools in 2012 and before that he was santa ana unified school district superintendent. al is a man that truly cares about our children and their well-being. he has a vision to assure that each one of our children is prepared to succeed in life. . doctor, thank you for your friendship and thank you for caring and thank you for life-long career of caring for

our children in our public school system. we as a community are praying for your recovery. we love you, sir. i yield. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection >> i rise today to recognize the members of the albany marching falcons for their performance marking the 80th anniversary of d-day invasion in france. the marching falcons made up of middle and high school students had the opportunity to perform where the battle of normandy took place. band members took part in a

personal ceremony on omaha, brian, the marching band director support is his students to secure the necessary resources for this beautiful trip. despite facing several challenges, the band continued to march on with pride and resilience and looking professional. these students represented our capital region to the albany marching falcons i extend my congratulations on incredible performance. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from rhode island seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. magaziner: i rise today to pay tribute to stanley

goldstein. born and raised in woonsocket, rhode island, he graduated from the university of university of pennsylvania and serving in the united states of army. stan and his brother opened the first cvs store in local, massachusetts. and he was right. by the time stan retired as c.e.o. of c vmp s the company was the largest drug store chain. today ccvs employs 300,000 people and stanley never forgot his roots and still headquartered in woonsocket and remained in rhode island. and his retirement, he was seen digging for clams or listening to red sox. he leerves behind a legacy of

hard work and dedication and created jobs for thousands and improved the health outcomes for millions and will be deeply missed and his legacy endures. the speaker pro tempore: the chair lays before the house the following personal request. the clerk: leaves of rewithses mr. danny davis for i will today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the request is granted. under the speaker's announced policy of january 9, 2023, the gentleman from north carolina, mr. edwards, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. mr. edwards: today i rise on behalf of my constituents in western north carolina to demand accountability for the biden administration's continued inaction at our southern

border. after more than 7.9 million illegal immigrant encounters in 3.5 years the american people are wondering when will enough be enough to stand up and stop this disaster at our border, a disaster that joe biden's policies have directly caused. tuesday, june 3, joe biden issued an executive order that claimed to finally restrict migrants' ability to seek asylum if they crossed into the country illegally. if you look at that executive order closely, you realize that is smoke and mirrors. and this is a stunt to stabilize his election numbers and does nothing to restore order or secure our border.

the executive order continues to allow at least 2500 illegal crossings per day given the green light to nearly one million knew illegal crossings every year. while one million crossings may not be joe biden's personal best, it is a record high number of illegal best. worst of all, the executive order exempts unaccompanied children. they are going to continue to smuggle minors across the bo border. the last three years, biden insisted there is no border crisis. but suddenly five months before the general election, joe biden admits there is a crisis and suddenly has a solution. i encourage the american people

to take a look at this solution because it is a sham. it's time biden take accountability for what he has caused at our southern border and take meaningful action to fix this mess because despite making no real progress on securing our border, if this executive order made anything clear, it's that his hands are not tied. madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: under the speaker's announced policy of january 9, 2023, the gentleman from illinois, mr. jackson is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. jackson: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this special order. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection mr. jackson: it is with great honor that i rise today to co-anchor this congressional black caucus special order hour along with representative terri sewell of the great state of alabama. members of the congressional plaque caucus will have an opportunity to speak to the american people on the subject of the shelby versus holder and the american voting rights act, the john lewis voting rights act. an issue of great importance to the congressional black caucus, constituents, we represent all americans and now my privilege to yield to the honorable congresswoman terri sewell from the great state of alabama. i thank you, congresswoman sewell.

ms. sewell: today, we in the congressional black caucus gather to observe the 11th anniversary of the supreme court shelby county versus holder decision and to reflect on the state of voting rights in america. it was exactly 11 years ago today when the supreme court's conservative majority gutted the heart of the voting rights act of 1965, eliminating voter protection and removing federal oversight from states with a proven record of voter discrimination. we have seen in those 11 years 31 states institute at least 103 new laws to restrict voting laws. and it is no surprise that those laws disproportionately target african-american and minority voters. the consequences of the shelby

decision have been clear and devastating. long lines, strict i.d. requirements that require time and money to obtain, closed polling stations in communities of color, bans on early voting and absentee voting, the purging of voting roles and the list goes on and on. in my home state of alabama, lawmakers have recently made a felony to assist someone with he their absentee ballot. we know they are borrowed from the same playbook that has been used for generation to silence the he voices. while black voters may not need to count the number of jelly beans in a jar, modern barriers are no less pernicious than the poll tax and literacy test of

the past. the supreme court was clear that the onus that congress had to come up with a formula to determine which states are subject to federal oversight. i am proud to say we have done just that. working together with our nation's premiere several rights' organizations we have come up with a formula of voter discrimination are prohibited from restricting voting access. we named it after our late great colleague and hero congressman john lewis. the john r. lewis voting rights advancement act which we introduced for the fifth time in september will protect the rights of every american to vote. but despite our efforts, our colleagues across the aisle have

continued to block these efforts from being considered. the fact that voting rights has been a partisan issue is frankly baffleling to me. after all the voting rights act of 1965 was re-authorized not once, not twice, but three times with broad, bipartisan support, most recently by president george w. bush. all of a sudden, our colleagues across the aisle have abandoned and have spread disinformation and misinformation and to sow doubt about voters and integrity of our elections. it is sad, mr. speaker. and it is shameful. as elected officials, we should be working to ensure all americans are able to vote instead of picking and choosing who can have access to the ballot box and who cannot.

mr. speaker, this fight is extremely personal for me. it was in my hometown of selma, alabama, nearly 60 years ago, where foot soldiers like john lewis, risked their lives on the edmund pettus bridge. they prayed. they protested, they bled and some even died for that right. it was their sacrifice that gave us the voting rights act of 1965, the crown jewel of the civil rights and voting rights movement. those foot sold years were ordinary americans who made this nation live up to its highest ideals of equality and just disfor all. they leave behind a strong legacy of courage and sacrifice and we must ensure it was not in

vein. it was john lewis who told us that the right to vote is precious, it is almost sacred. it is the most fundamental nonviolent tool in our democracy. mr. speaker, our vote is our voice and our democracy is strongest when every american is able to make their voices heard at the ballot box. so as we gather to observe the 11th anniversary of shelby county versus holder decision let us draw courage of our foremothers and forefathers. we are not asking anyone to put their lives on the line. we are asking our republican colleagues to have the political courage to do what is right. we in the congressional black caucus are demanding that congress pick up and pass the john r. lewis voting rights ant

and do it without delay. we are united in this fight and ready to get into some good trouble. i thank the gentleman from illinois for yielding me this time and i look forward to a rigorous occasion and talk about the importance today being the 11th anniversary and our need to pass immediate the john robert lewis advancement act. we are ready to get into some good trouble and i know we will make sure that this good trouble is put to good use. and i yield back. . . . mr. jackson: i thank the gentlewoman from alabama and a i want to be associated with all of her great remarks and

scholarship. mr. speaker, i rise today because 11 years ago the supreme court of the united states proved that it lacked the judicial imagination befitting an institution clothed with immense power. as 11 years ago the supreme court gutted the voting rights act of 1965. and frighteningly 11 years ago the highest court in the land decided that racism had magically evaporated in america. and that rate head are somehow -- hatred had somehow receded quietly into the history of the republic, never to be seen or heard from again. 11 years ago nine judges on the supreme court decided that they were social scientists with a particular expertise in racism and the politics of voting. and instead of being judges who were hired by the american people to decide the constitutionality of a law, they

rather took the position that the court knew more about voter suppression than the people who have dedicated their entire lives to the subject. nine judges on the supreme court, mr. speaker, thought they had a better working knowledge of the state of racism in america than people living with it every day. but i rise tonight to declare emphatically that nothing could be further from the truth. this supreme court does not know more about racism in america than do the people who are the survivors of it. the members of the supreme court are not experts on everything. they are not omniscient. they're not infallible. they are not beyond all moral and political reproach. in fact, based upon what we have recently heard about certain members of the supreme court, it would seem that the complete opposite in fact is true. when it comes to the supreme

court, as it is currently configured, fallibility abounds. and i rise tonight, mr. speaker, because the elected representatives of the american people cannot allow six unelected and seemingly uninformed individuals to undo the moral and democratic gains won by the civil rights movement over 50 years without doing something about it. all over this country we have seen the disspairt impact -- depends par at impact that the -- desparate impact. it has now become nationalized. since the shelby decision, every region of this country is struggling to overcome novel attempts at voter suppression and the like. and regrettably, 11 years ago those of us in the civil rights

community told the leaders of this nation what was going to happen. what we told america that gutting the voting rights act would cause voter suppression to spread like a virus in a second grade classroom and that's exactly what has happened. that's exactly what we find ourselves today -- where we find ourselves today. and those of us who believe that the only threat to democracy are events like unto those on january 6, are painfully naive. the greatest threat to democracy isn't the outright violence that takes place when citizens who are motivated by lies engage in hand to hand combat with one another. but rather by the legalized and systemic unraveling of the cherished democratic norms. but those of us who love america cannot sit idly by and allow the darkness of bigotry to once again embed itself into the electoral systems of this country as it once was. those of us who have a constitutional mandate to

establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility and secure blessings of liberty cannot allow what african-americans did to expand the general welfare of the country's commitment to opportunity be erased. nothing is more indelible and inherently fundamental to the success of a thriving democracy than is the equality of a citizen's right to vote. because in america voting is the manifestation of citizenship. in this country if you cannot vote, you are not a citizen. and what most people miss about the civil rights movement is that at its core it was an attempt to empower african-americans with the rights afforded to us by virtue of our citizenship. the right to vote is our birth right. and yet hundreds of years this country deneed african-americans -- country denied

african-americans born in this nation what was legitimately due to them. and it is only through blood, sweat and tears that african-americans were able to fight in every war, to once again try to regain full citizenship. it was only because people who were willing to give their lives that black people in this nation can cast a ballot for the candidate of their choice and we are not going to let anyone take those rights away. reflecting upon shelby vs. holder 11 years later, i'd lake to quote the assistant state's attorney general kristen clark. she said, this anniversary provides an important opportunity to reflect upon the profound consequences of that opinion in shelby county vmplet holder -- v. holder, which struck down the key provisions of the voting rights act of 1965 and left millions of voters of color without the mechanisms that had stopped voting discrimination before it could

be implemented. when president lyndon b. johnson signed the voting rights act into law, he described it as one of the most fundamental laws in the entire history of the american freedom. the voting rights act was a product of bold actions by congress. it forcibly addressed the problem that nearly a century after the reconstruction amendment, millions of americans were still denied the ability to cast their vote and participate in our democracy because of their race. one of the most important pieces of the voting rights act that was taken away was section 5. its preclearance requirement enacted in 1965 and re-authorized by congress in 1970, 1975, 1982, 2006. section 5 required jurisdictions that had a history of voting discrimination to obtain approval from the attorney

general or a federal court before implementing changes in election procedures and practices. covered jurisdictions could not implement their proposed voting changes until they had received preclearance. thanks to section 5, jurisdictions that tried to make changes that had a discriminatory impact were adopted with a discriminatory purpose, were blocked from doing so. more than 800 proposed changes were altered or withdrawn in the period after 1982 alone. a repository of the department objection letters which provided a record on each objection, as well as the basis of the decisions can be found. the shelby county ruling marked a significant turning point for voting rights in the united states. in its decision, the supreme court invalidated on constitutional grounds section

4-b of the voting rights act, which provided the formula for determining which jurisdictions were covered under section 5. without that formula, all jurisdictions were released from coverage overnight. section 5 was rendered effectively inoperative, freeing states and localities to enact voting laws without federal oversight. states waste nod time -- wasted no time implementing election changes that had not or might not have been survived the preclearance requirement. on june 30, 2025, the very day the supreme court issued the shelby county opinion, texas officials announced that they would implement a discriminatory and burdensome photo identification statute. and on june 26, the day after the shelby county decision, senator, chairman of the north carolina rules committee, publicly stated that north

carolina legislature would be moving forward with an omnibus law imposing multiple voting restrictions. why weren't they trying to expand voting? they said, we will use this decision to restrict voting. in the absence of preclearance, the statutes went into effect and the departments along with private parties had to file suits and you different part of the voting rights act to enjoin them. mr. speaker, states have adopted photo identification requirements, limited those who can provide assistance at polling places, reduced options for early voting, closed polling places and unfortunately justice ruth bader ginsburg proved prophetic when she observed in hershel by dissent that -- in her shelby dissent, that ending preclearance was like throwing away an umbrella in a rain storm because you were not getting

wet, closed quote. without section 5, new laws can be challenged only through long, protracted, resource-intensive case by case legislation and fights. the john lewis voting rights act is the most fundamental piece of legislation pending before the united states congress and it must be enacted with all deliberate speed. this is something, mr. speaker, we must do. securing the right to vote is the moral obligation we have to the principles of america and to whatever we believe is a future worthy of our children. and let me remind my colleagues that the progeneraller toes of suppression do not stop with their initial targettings. today the votes of after -- targets. today the votes of african-americans are being suppressed all over the nation, but tomorrow it might well be yours. do not forget the lessons of history. the people who are coming for our rights will never be satisfied with what they have

attempted to do to us. soon they will look for new targets. that is to say, new objects of their resentment, their ridicule and their scorn. but what the supreme court in the shelby decision has reinforced in no uncertain terms is the fact that elections have consequences. the inability to elect a democratic president in 2016 led to this horrible decision and those of us who stand on the precipice of a national election must remember this invaluable lesson. let us not forget in 2016 the woman with the most votes did not win the presidency. whatever policy differences we may have with the president of the united states, we cannot allow the protection of our civil rights to be left in the hands of judges who so ideologically are motivated that they are unapologetically flying insurrectionist flags upside

down at their homes. and the only way to protect america from the conservative judicial fanaticism of the supreme court is to re-elect president joe biden and vice president kamala harris. there's simply no other way for us to go. so let us do what we must do so that justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. mr. speaker, you've heard from my distinguished colleague, the honorable terri sewell from the great state of alabama, and on this topic for the john lewis voting rights advancement act. mr. speaker, all issues of great importance to the congressional black caucus. our constituents, congress and all americans tonight. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields.

mr. jackson: mr. chair, i motion to adjourn the house -- no. i yield back to my colleague, the honorable terri sewell from the great state of alabama. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from alabama is recognized. ms. sewell: so, mr. speaker, as we conclude our special order hour on this very important day, the 11th anniversary of the shelby county v. holder decision, we issue a call to action. we in the congressional black caucus understand that the vote is the most fundamental, the most fundamental tool of our democracy and i cannot believe that 60 years after john lewis was bludgeoned on a bridge, 60

years after he was bludgeoned on a bridge, that my colleague and i stand here today to talk about restoring the full protections of the voting rights act of 1965. it tells us that progress is illusive and every generation has to fight and fight again in order to hold on to the progress that we've made and to extend it. john lewis reminded us that ours is not a cause of one day, one week, one month. no, our struggle is a struggle of a lifetime. and everyone must do their part. well, we here in we here in the congressional black caucus are doing our part. we are signing off and making sure that everyone understands that the alarms are going off. the alarms are going off because every american does not have

equal access to the ballot box. we see states all across this country that are imposing more restrictive laws. voter suppression laws has become the cause of the day and we husband do our part and our part is to pass the john i reserve thebalance of my time. earth lewis advancement act and restore the full protections of the voting rights act. we know that the supreme court told congress we must come up with a modern-day formula. that is what this bill does. it has a look-back of 25 years. we are not trying to make alabama and mississippi the -- held accountable in the 19 of 0's. we are talking about 1997 and moving forward. we are talking about recent acts of voter discrimination.

and we know if we look back to just 25 years, we have to look back 15 years, there will be jurisdiction after jurisdiction that still has oppressive voting laws. and as long as states are suppressing the right to vote, i believe that we have a moral obligation in the federal government to provide oversight. we know that that oversight is critically important, and that's what the john robert lewis voting advancement act will do. and as i take my seat, i want it to be heard around this nation that we in the congressional black caucus will not rest, we will not rest until we pass the john robert lewis voting rights advance nt -- advancement act.

it has been a flesh talking. i welcomed you and your father toll selma, alabama, to cross that bridge one more time. we know that a very frail john lewis with a body riddled of cancer, took to that bridge one more time in 2021. and he told us to never give up, never give in, that ours is a just cause. and because of that, we stand tall, the congressional black caucus in our commitment to never go back to those days. we need to pass the john robert lewis advancement voting rights act and with the gentleman from illinois, we will do just that. i yield back. mr. jackson: i thank the

honorable terri sewell. mr. speaker, i yield the controlling balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the speaker pro tempore: under the speaker's announced policy of january 9, 2023, the chair recognizes the gentleman from georgia, mrs. mcbath, for 30 minutes. mrs. mcbath: thank you, mr. speaker, and i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this special order. the speaker pro tempore: without objection mrs. mcbath: thank you. and i am honored to host tonight's special order 30

minutes with the gun violence task force and assistant leader neguse. we are entering the final week of gun violence awareness month. and on the 25th day of june, it estimated over 2500 americans have lost their lives due to gun violence in this month alone. over 100 people are dying in this country every single day. and back home in my home state of georgia, i have seen the compounding impact of gun violence in our communities. earlier this month, there was a shooting at the peachtree center mall where a gunman shot and injured three people. just hours later, a man who was interviewed by local news as a witness to the first shooting,

went on to commit an act of gun violence himself, hijacking a gwinnett county and fatally shooting a passengers that very same day. i don't know what anybody else thinks, but this epidemic is truly real. i know firsthand the pain of losing a loved one to senseless gun violence. nearly 12 years now that i lost my son jordan when he was just 17 years old. on black fly in 2012, jordan and his friends were going out shopping at the mall and stopped at a convenience gas station for 3 1/2 minutes and my son said guys, pick up girls at the mall, you have to have fresh breath. and those 3 1/2 minutes, a man

pulled up to to the boys in the car and started complaining about the loud music they were playing, he racially profiled them and called them gang bangers and called them thugs and fired 10 shots into the car, killing my only son and simply drove away and acted as if nothing happened. he went back to his hotel with his girlfriend. they walked their puppy charlie. they ordered a pizza and they made themselves a couple of stiff rum and coax and simply went to bed. it was only the next morning they saw on television a that young black male had been killed by 10 bullets at a convenience store gas station and this man

and his girlfriend, they simply got in their car and drove 170 miles back to satellite beach, florida. during the trial of my son's killer, i made a promise that i would spend the rest of my life fighting to make sure no one else had to experience the pain and the trauma that not only my family has experienced, but the ever growing club of people in this country that are succumbing every single day. parents who are burying their children who have been taken from this earth far too early. i became an advocate, an advocate for gun safety. i became a spokes person for every child for gun safety in

america. and in a district that was once held by newt gingrich, i ran for congress strictly on a platform of gun safety and to save as many lives in this country as i possibly could and against all those odds, i won. and in the five years since i have come to congress, the house democratic caucus has truly become the gun safety caucus. and that truly gives me hope, because i never ever thought i would be here. i never ever thought i would be standing on this floor. i never ever thought i would be here in congress living out my son's legacy to stop more familieser feeling the same pain i felt to losing a child to unnecessary and horrific gun

violence? america. it's a testament to leaders like our gun violence chairman mike thompson and celebrate these monumental accomplishments and the remarkable change that has happened within the last few years. today marks two years of major gun safety reform for gun safety communities law led by house democratic caucus and president biden. with parts of my red flag bill with community intervention funding and mental health resources for all 50 states, solutions that the american people have been crying out for and support. and we are building on that monumental progress every single

day with the assault weapons ban and my my act to keep weapons of war off of the american streets and out of our schools. with the introduction of new legislation and movement forward on discharge petition to force votes on these very, very important bills, we, the gun democratic are working to protect even if the majority don't want to stand up for their constituents and their families. we are committed. we will do that because the american people deserve to live in this country faithfully and freely. tonight we will hear from the legislators, many of these

legislators and some of the most dedicated members on this hill who are making this progress every single day. they do this work day in and day out. leaders who have elevated the profile of gun violence prevention in the halls of this congress and many who championed this issue long before they were even considered an elected official. this work takes all of us and i'm grateful for the speakers who are here with us tonight who will focus on our energy and the work we've done during gun violence prevention month and hope we can continue to rededicate ourselves to the work of saving lives. i have never been more optimistic about the future of this movement. and that is because of the work

that am blessed and privileged to do with my colleagues in this chamber. together, truly, we are definitely making a difference. and at this time, mr. chair, i would like to yield the balance of my time to these amazing colleagues, if i may. i would like to yield five minutes to our assistant democratic leader from colorado, joe neguse. mr. neguse: mr. speaker, first, let me thank my friends and gun violence prevention task force leaders, congresswoman mcbath and congresswoman mike thompson for convening us this evening. they both have been unwavering in their dedication to ending

the scourge of gun violence in this country and i want to take a moment in particular to salute and applaud representative mcbath, who as you heard, mr. speaker, has shown a remarkable amount of courage, of bravery, of tenacity, in converting her anguish, unspeakable, unthinkable anguish, into action to save lives. we couldn't be more proud of her and the work she has done since she first graced the halls of this august body in making ending gun violence a priority of not just hers, but of this house. mr. speaker, in a country where

gun violence is the leading cause of death among children. i'll repeat that to let it sink in. that gun violence is the leading cause of death among children in the united states. it comes as no surprise that today, the surgeon general declared that gun violence in america now constitutes a public health crisis. my district, mr. speaker, has been acutely impacted by that crisis, by the pain of the gun violence epidemic. a gunman walked into a local grocery store in boulder, colorado, he killed and murdered, 10 of our beloved community members including a police officer who made the sacrifice who died in the line

of duty. this tragedy and the shock waves that this tragedy and the shock waves across my state serve as a reminder why we as a congress cannot abandon our mission to end this epidemic. and my community, mr. speaker, is not alone. from uvalde to buffalo, from parkland to sandy hook, to every corner of our country there are communities just like ours, families devastated by the pain and anguish caused by gun violence, members, as you've heard, of this very chamber who have experienced devastating loss as a result of this epidemic. but it is with those we've lost in our hearts and at the forefront of our minds that we remain committed to ensuring that we turn such anguish into action. two years ago today, as you heard, mr. speaker, many of us

joined president biden at the white house. i remember going to the white house with my colleague, representative mcbath, to celebrate the enactment of the bipartisan safer communities act. which representative mcbath, representative robin kelly, representative horsford, so many of the leaders who you'll hear from tonight, representative stevens and others, had worked to get across the finish line. the most significant and consequential gun violence prevention legislation that we've seen in decades. through this bill we were able to enact improved and enhanced background checks. protect domestic violence survivors. expand community violence intervention programs. and support improved mental health services across the country. mr. speaker, we know that legislating works. so, i'm here today with leaders like representative kennedy of buffalo and representative manning from north carolina and

representative stevens and representative mcbath and so many others to repeat the call that house democrats have made time and time again. to say that we are ready to work in good faith with anyone to address what is clearly a pervasive problem across our country. to advance commonsense reforms that we know will save lives. it is time for our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, for house republicans to do the same. to work with us. because inaction is no longer an option. again, i thank representative mcbath, i thank representative thompson and the gun violence prevention task force for their work in addressing our most basic charge as members of this body. which is to keep americans safe. with that, i yield back.

mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: i'd like to thank assistant democratic leader joe neguse. thank you for your wonderful words. at this time i'd like to yield five minutes of our time to representative stevens of michigan. ms. stevens: thank you, mr. speaker, and thank you to this chamber that affords the time for this special hour. it is a profound and deep honor to stand here with my friend who i'm also privileged to call one of my heroes, congresswoman lucy mcbath, who i came in to this very chamber with as new freshmen, the class of 2018. most of us never ever had run for office and we took on a newhouse majority -- new house

majority in a very challenging time for this country and i have seen her work day in and day out. it doesn't matter if it is gun violence prevention month. and while i never got to meet her son, jordan, and his fate is certainly why i know his mother, i know his soul and i know his spirit because his mother has channeled it into good and into change and into togetherness for this nation of ours. now, i also stand here as a representative of michigan and we are coming out of a very tough week in oakland county. about 10 days ago we had a shooting incident at a splash park on a saturday, the day before father's day. nine injured parenting shielding

their infant children, a grandfather, an 8-year-old shot in the head, still in the hospital. and another horrific scene followed by the next saturday in oakland -- an oakland county deputy sheriff shot while investigating a crime in detroit. and timend time again we see these incidents. we see these horrific mass shootings. i have, as a lawmaker and as a policymaker and someone who has stood by president biden, who has stood by my colleagues on getting so much done, remain absolutely baffled by these statistics. by these events. that just seemingly and uniquely happen in a country where we

refuse to change our laws. where we continue on this path of insanity. there is too much pain. there are too many mass shootings. i have, and i invite you all to 2411, my office in rayburn. outside of my office door, the orange ribbon for every mass shooting that has happened this term in congress. we are over 800. i remember calling joe neguse, congressman neguse, when the mass shooting happened in his grocery store in his district. i remember the mass shooting in buffalo and how personal that has felt, again, another grocery store. we are arming hate in the united states of america and we are arming insanity. and so, yes, those of us on this side of the aisle are talking about common sense and we all

have a responsibility to the next generation. you know, our first gen-z member of congress, maxwell frost, who has been carrying the torch of gun violence prevention through his activism work before he entered this very chamber. so when are we going to double down on passing commonsense gun safety legislation? when are we going to say that the right to bear arms is a privilege in the united states of america? our house -- excuse me, our u.s. surgeon general, dr. murphy, just proclaimed gun violence as a public health crisis. and that is what it is. at parties and in grocery stores and in houses of worship. we're in a grand competition on the global stage. i've been so honored this term to work on the u.s. house

selection committee on competition with the chinese communist party. we need to look ourselves in the face and we need to show that democracy works and it works when we pass laws. it works when we regulate. it works when we institute training programs. and check-ins and red flag laws. and when our prosecutors prosecute like our oakland county prosecutor did in oakland county, michigan, the parents who don't do safe storage. your right is a privilege. and our right to living freely, safely and peacefully deeply matters. whether it is the month of june where we say we're orange and stand for gun safety and gun violence prevention, and this is something we can all rally around and do, just as we did

two years ago almost on this very day when we passed a bipartisan gun safety law that was a good start, but there is more to do because these mass shootings and these shooting deaths of innocent children and people continue to happen in the united states of america. so anyone who walks through the door to my office will see those orange ribbons and is invited into the conversation and the solution making that we need. thank you and i reserve. mrs. mcbath: i'd like to thank my friend and colleague from michigan, representative stevens. i'd like to yield at this time five minutes of time to kathy manning of north carolina. ms. manning: i want to thank my good friend, representative lucy

mcbath, for her courage and her persistence in taking a mother's unbearable pain following the loss of her son, jordan, and turning that pain into a relentless effort to do everything possible to pass bills that will chip away at this terrible problem. thankfully two years ago under president biden's leadership we helped pass the bipartisan safer communities act. it was historic legislation to address gun violence and keep weapons out of dangerous hands. it was a strong step forward, but we can and we must do much, much more. right now guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the united states.

our surgeon general just declared the gun violence in this country a public health crisis and we all know he's right. because every day more than 100 americans lose their lives to gun violence. as an active member of the gun violence prevention task force, i have talked with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, i have presented them with a list of 10 things we could consider doing together and ask them which of these things would they be willing to work with us on? one of my colleagues from north carolina said to me, we don't have a gun problem. we have a mental health problem. well, there are mental health problems in chris all -- countries all over the world, but they do not have the same level of gun violence that we

have because guns are not as widely available. in my own community, when i meet with local police officers, community leaders, parents, mental health professionals and educators, they alltel me the same thing -- they all tell me the same thing. we have got to do more to stop this devastating scourge of gun violence. this is killing our children. our parents. it's robbing people of their loved ones and leaving families of victims devastated with a grief and a gaping loss that can never be repaired. in my district, north carolina's sixth congressional district, we lost one of our best, most dedicated law enforcement officers to gun violence in the past year. sergeant dale nix, a real hero who devoted his life to helping

victims of domestic violence. our whole community continues to mourn his loss. as an active member of the gun violence prevention task force, i urge my colleagues to work with us on things that the vast majority of americans agree on. universal background checks, safe storage laws, community violence intervention programs. we are ready to work with you. please work with us to do the right thing for our children and our future. thank you. mrs. mcbath: i'd like to thank the gentlewoman from north carolina. i'd like to yield four minutes to our newest -- one of our newest members that the democratic caucus -- of the democratic caucus, mr. tim kennedy of new york. mr. kennedy: thank you to representatives mike thompson and lucy mcbath and assistant

leader joe neguse, along with the rest of the gun violence prevention task force, for organizing this important special order. i especially want to thank representative mcbath, not only for her leadership but for sharing her extremely personal and heartbreaking story. it is inspiring to see representative mcbath turn her grief into action, to help save lives in this country, and i'm hoppered so -- honored to stand by her side. mr. speaker, gun violence is an epidemic in our country. one that requires a national response. in may, 2022, a racist domestic terrorist opened fire in the top supermarket on jefferson avenue in buffalo. in the heart of in the hart of our community stealing the lives of innocent souls and wounding three others. and just last friday, a

beautiful three-year-old boy, ramone carter was riding his bicycle and struck and killed by a bullet. his older sister was grazed and hospitalized. our community has come around but no amount of support can undo the pain and anguish that they feel. that same die in alabama, a gunman opened fire with a shotgun claiming the lives of four people and wounding nine, including two law enforcement officers. grocery store employees are being slaughtered, children, toddlers being murdered, police being shot, it cannot continue. this week, the u.s. surgeon

general declared a public health crisis and leading cause of children and adolescents. the common thread here is clear. gun and the ease of which they can be object taped, we can stop this. we can choose another path. in new york, following the sandy hook and tops supermarket shootings, we put in strong red flag and banned assault rifles and made it possible to sue gun manufacturers for the damage caused by the weapons they produce that flood our streets. we created new grant programs for law enforcement to implement problem-oriented policing using tactics thrice street outreach and crime prevention through environmental design added up to

an effective approach to preventing gun violence and to address this, we made a billion dollar investment in mental health services. these actions work. police departments participating in gun violence initiative saw a 28% decrease in shooting incidents resulting in injuries in the first five months of the year. but those laws won't save lives across our country. they won't stop guns from coming into new york. we need congress to act. at a time when we have a supreme court that a gun with a bump stock is a machine gun that was used in las vegas to shoot 90 rounds. you send a loved one to the

grocery store and which need congress to act. that means universal background checks, reinstating the assault weapons ban, banning bump stocks, military-grade body armor. repealing the protection of lawful commerce and arms act which gives near blanket civil suit immunity to gun manufacturers and funding mental health resources. nobody is coming after the second amendment. we are trying to save our kids' lives. as a parent and community member who has been to too many funerals, i implore our colleagues to pass these policies and make this country safer. i yield back.

the speakepro teore: the time of the gentlelady has expired. mrs. mcbath: i thank my colleagues to their commitment. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman have a -- gentlelady have a motion? mrs. mcbath: i make a motion to adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it the motion is adopted. accordingly the house stand

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