macarthur, in the new jersey race. that means that democrats now, according to w.s.b., winning 34 seats and, again, eight races still to be decided. the house coming in this afternoon in about 40 minutes. at 4:00 eastern or so, we think. and they will take up legislation this afternoon that would delist, that would remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list. >> u.s. house coming in at 4:00 or so as we mentioned. we'll have live coverage here on c-span. we'll take you back now to some of the comments and speeches from earlier today. day number two of the national action network gathering on capitol hill.

>> i was elected in 2006 initially. when i first came to congress, we were the biggest class of democrats taking back the house at that time. and they called us the majority makers. what i want to say to you in this room in 2018, you are the majority makers. you are the ones who went out and you made sure that the voters came out. you made sure that the phone calls were made, that the

dollars were supplied. you made sure that whatever was needed for us to take the moral high ground and to take the leadership to move this nation in the direction in which we would like to see it go, you did what had to be done and i am grateful and so are all of my colleagues. i have to tell you, you haven't made it. yes, we have a victory in the house of representatives, but hat is only temporary. i want you to have that in your head because you have to have the passion in your heart to sustain this movement until we get the break-through and the policies we know are going to advance our interests in this nation and i know that none other than the national action network is capable of doing that. for the first time in history, there are a record number of

women coming to the united states congress. that's we. that is we. there is a record number of women coming. because, you know, in all actuality, it ought to be 50-50 in a society like ours. if we want to talk about equality, we want to talk about equity, we want to make sure that our voices are reflected -- reflective of who we are as a nation, it ought to be 50-50. but we're going to take what we got right now and be grateful. we have two native american women who will join our ranks. the youngest woman ever elected to congress, to join the new york delegation, making the delegation one of the mightiest in congress. i have to admit, i'm a bit iased on that one. the congressional black congress gained nine new members. we are now 55 members strong,

representing nearly 80 million americans from new york to california. we are the most powerful voting block in the united states house of representatives and we will use our leverage to fight for the causes that have always mattered most to us. justice, fairness and equity. ustice, fairness and equity. the american people elected us to washington to finally hold onald trump accountable.

one of our top priorities as a conference must be immigration reform. we have helped divert attacks against the diversity visa lottery and we will continue to defend it whenever it is under threat. we're also fighting to preserve temporary protected status for haiti, he will affle doer, nicaragua, sudan and numerous other countries. normal to mmbing -- not to mention proudly fighting to protect the dreamers and to prevent children from ever being separated from heir families again. we of african descent understand and have lived with the legacy of family separation. you don't know if you are

sitting next to your cousin right now. you don't know whether you are sitting next to blood right now. we had to embrace each other as blood not knowing. and to see this administration do what it has done to those families on the border brings us the worst of who this nation s. so these have been rocky times but democrats will fight for immigration reform. for all in the congress and the congressional black caucus will continue to hold true to its legacy as a moral voice and the conscience of the congress. we will use our leverage to ensure that 21st century asylum and refugee policy is implemented.

we will ensure that dreamers, d.p.s. recipients and diversity lottery holders are protected. the only way this nation continues to thrive to strengthen itself, to e-invigorate itself is when we are open to making sure that as people seek refuge in our nation as people want to bring their talent, skill and expertise, that we have a 21st century ystem that enables that. anything beyond that, we are a dying nation. and we need to be clear that when you are taking away the lives of the natives of the nation and brought people to this nation wave after wave after wave, it is critical we be a part of strengthening and that is reflective of who we are as a people. you cannot ban people coming

from the continents of africa but welcome those who come from estern europe. you cannot ban the people who are fleeing, fleeing violence and then open up your doors to folks who may come from norway nd sweden. and russia. [applause] ms. clarke: let us be clear, we re all reflective of a system, some that were brought here as chattel slavery, but others who were welcomed here to strengthen our communities. and we will stand with them. anything less than that is simply unacceptable. and so to each and every one, it is my honor and privilege, and i

thank you so much. you could have been doing anything this week. next week is thanksgiving. you have could have been doing hopping, but you came to washington d.c. to remind us, don't get cocky, get to work and get the job done. thank you. [applause] reverend sharpton: give her a hand! senator brown mentioned, i hear about her often from our greater cleveland chairman and our

president, cleveland chapter of national action network. they brag about their congresswoman from the third district in ohio, serves on the committee of financial services, a member of the congressional black caucus, but a strong advocate for health care, let us hear from congresswoman joyce eatty. [applause] mrs. beatty: good afternoon my brothers and sisters. i want to myself with the words of my colleagues. let me say the two most important words i can say to you

this afternoon and to you reverend al, thank you, thank you to the national action etwork and thank you to a room full of advocacy, workers for champions of civil rights. thank you for being here today at a very unique time. you see when things are wrong, in my opinion, as the granddaughter of a baptist minister, someone above has a way of taking care of things. this election is the beginning of taking care of things. you see, when the members of the congressional black caucus leadership went to meet with 45, he said to them, to black people, what do you have to lose? well, we gave him an answer back and i want to echo it, one word, verything. we understood as people who have been in the movement and who have been in the fight, civil rights, and education was on the

ballot and we under stood that freedom is not free. here is a cost for it. and john lewis and reverend al sharpton and jesse jackson and many of you all fought so we could sit here in this senate building today. so i proudly say to you as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of my sheroes, shirley hisholm. much like we are in ohio. so let me just say to you, a change is on the horizon, my brothers and sister. when we come back for the 116th congress, reverend al sharpton, i make you a commitment, that we will stand stronger and taller with you and with the national action network. ou are our foundation.

we must stand together and the word we must remember is unity. so often when we start rising up, we forget from where we started. so i say to you today, a change is on the way. and in the words of martin luther king, when you think about his words and i'm going to paraphrase it, when he said, it is not where you stand during times of comfort and convenience, but it is action, national action network, that you have taken during times of controversy and challenge. we are not free from controversy. we are not free from challenge. yes, we will have the majority as the democratic party, but my friends, we still have 45 in the white house. we still have a senate that's just a little short. so let's not get comfortable. let's not think that our

challenges are over. know what we stand for. nd know that the congressional black caucus will stand with you on health care and education regardless of your zip code or the bottom line on your w-2 form and know we will stand with you on criminal justice reform. and we got my girlfriend, lucy cbeth coming up. we will have a great champion championing all the mothers that are out there. and we will not forget charleston nine. we will not forget what happened n florida, because it is all people that we stand for. let me just end by saying again, thank you. thank you for what you do. and just in case you didn't

remember, i am congresswoman joyce beatty. and i approve this message. god bless you. [applause] reverend sharpton: earlier this year, our washington bureau honored this next congresswoman. i told them how everywhere i went in the virgin islands, they talk about her, stacy laskett. and she said, probably because hey're my relatives. but she has distinguished erself as one that has stood

and represented and has been unafraid and unequivocal and honored that she will address us at this time. the congresswoman from the u.s. virgin islands, stacy plaskett. [applause] ms. plaskett: good afternoon, everyone. i want to thank the national action network members, the chapter leaders, the reverend al sharpton, founder and president, the washington bureau chief and policy advisers and all of the coordinateors and all of you for being here this afternoon. reverend sharpton going down to the virgin islands and hearing my name being called. it's true, i'm probably related to moist of the islands. but they sent me here to washington to be their voice. and i understand when my elders give me a task, that i must do

it. and that i have children who are looking to me to see what i do as well. and that's why all of us are up ere. for those who cannot sp for hemselves. when the hurricanes hit puerto rico and the virgin islands, i felt my duty to speak out because so often when those natural disasters, myself, like sheila jackson lee in houston, texas, it's the underserved communities that are impacted the most. the underserved and rural communities that have the greatest damage, because it is those communities that have not received the funding to begin with that were not to be able to be strong. in the u.s. virgin islands, health care system, we lost both of our hospitals and lost most f our schools. not until this last month, october, 13 months later, that our children were able to go ack to school full-time.

all of our public schools are impacted to such a degree that children were not in school on a full-time basis for over a year. i had children in august asking me when i go back to school? children, eager to learn, working parents trying to figure out what am i go go to do with my children while i have to work. this was the reality because congress had not done what it was supposed to do to begin with, to help build schools, ealth care, infrastructure throughout the understand in underserved areas. it's our job to make sure that happens. here was reporting on monday from c nmp n that the white house officials have told congressional leaders and appropriators that president 45 does not want any additional relief funding sent to puerto rico. hat he has said that there

should be talks to stop cutting funds that are going there. that he's not sure in fact that they are using the money appropriately. i think what he's concerned about is have they paid homage to him appropriately to ensure that that funding stays in place. the democrats will be controlling the congress come january. it's my hope that you all in this conference will take up that fight for those who cannot peak for themselves. we need schools built. we need hospitals built not just n puerto rico and the virgin islands but throughout this country. we need safe public housing. i'm going to tell you why public housing is so important. our h.u.d. secretary would like to cut funding. i am living proof of public housing. it is my parents living and

you'll like this one, in bushwick projects in brooklyn. the money they were able to save living in those public housing allowed to put their brothers and sisters through residency school, nursing school and allowed them to save money to buy a home and use that equity to put me and other cousins through college. that's what we do as a community. we're not there because we're lazy. we're there because we need support to live the american dream. know that in the upcoming january when we come back, that we are going to make it possible tore other kids from bushwick projects, from other kids from other parts of this country to be able to live the american dream because the support that they ask for is not a handout but a hand up. but i thank you all for being the support that have individuals to speak on your behalf.

keep holding us accountable. right, sister. i see you pointing at me. we appreciate it. we need to hear what the truth is so that we can be ready tore 2020. thank you. [applause] reverend sharpton: stacy plaskett. give her a hand. [applause] reverend sharpton: a man that embodies the coalition that we need, the bonding that we need. he represents the district at our national headquarters. he and i go way back to fighting police brutality with kiko garcia when mayor dinkins was mayor. and he has stood up in this congress around the issues we are about, voting rights, of

our immigration and about health care. and i'm proud he is our congressman of our home district. congressman espaillat. mr. espaillat: thank you. harlem is not just 125th street or the apollo or the national action network. it's an attitude, it's a personality. and i bet you there is a harlem in cleveland, ohio. i bet you there is a harlem in philadelphia, pennsylvania. and in baltimore, maryland. and in detroit, michigan. so now that i represent the entire nation, i want to say to you, i want to congratulate the

reverend for his steadfast work and this national action network. and it is so important that the word national is there. because it followsal tremendous tradition. the marcus garveys of the world that try to organize plaque people around america. the great late, powell, who passed national legislation and architect of the social service safety net that we often take for granted. the great martin luther king that led a national movement for civil rights. and voting rights.

so this organization plays a pivotal role right now, a national role in making sure that we respond to the assaults coming from the white house. and we know in a short period of time, less than two years, we may think this has been going on for six years, but in less than two years, the white house has attempted to erode the advancement that we have seen throughout decades. you seen it with the muslim ban. then he went to try to dismantle obamacare. and yes, i say obamacare, not the affordable care act, because they are both the same, right? sometimes you ask somebody in the street, which is better, the affordable care act or obamacare? they say i like obamacare. hey are both the same. 20, 30, 40 years from now, we will look back and say there were major health care provision programs implemented

nationally. medicaid, medicare and obamacare. i think that is the potential of that program. he tried to dismantle that. he went after immigrants. dreamers. daca recipients. he separated moms at the border from their six-month-old babies. he tried to take away temporary protective status from countries of color, because deep inside the immigration debate, reverend, there is a racial omponent to it that very often is left unsaid. because if you see the folks that the white house trying to keep out, they come from subsahara africa and haiti and nicaragua and el salvador. ven though there is an

immigration debate laced in there, there is a racial component that often is not talked about. and in addition to that, he pulls us out of the paris agreement real debating us to pollution, to an unhealthy planet that our children will inherit and our grandchildren. he tried to move forward and he started throwing paper towels at the folks that were really bad from hurricane maria and in the irgin islands, where help came too late. this is all in less than two years. he went after our athletes that took a knee and tried to

exercise their constitutional right to say what they felt. he went after our journalists, jim acosta, abby phillips, many women. all in less than two years. ow you, the american people, and i say you, because in many elections across the country, certain sectors of the electorate decided to continue to support people that were openly segregationists, people openly in support of guns, people that were openly xenophobes and women showed up and tyingly black women showed up at the polls. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its

caption cont