his counterpart in china it was over the january 6 riot. that is not correct. it was during the transition of power and millie called his counterpart and said trump was unhinged and might push the button and that is what it was about. host: appreciate your input on that. with that we are wrapping up today's "washington journal." we act tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern. i want to thank everybody who called in and thanks for watching. have a great day. we will see you tomorrow. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2025] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ...

the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speaker's rooms. washington, d.c. may 7, 2025. i hereby appoint the honorable roger williams to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, mike johnson, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 3, 2025, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. the chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to five minutes. but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. the chair recognizes the

gentleman from tennessee, mr. kustoff, for five minutes. mr. kustoff: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today to honor a lifelong tennessean and a good friend of mine, jim heirs, who recently passed away on april 1. throughout his life, jim heirs wore many hats. a loving husband and father. a successful businessman and a generous philanthropist. originally from rural decatur county, which is just outside of my district, jim's father was a lumberman and a farmer. his mother ran a fabric shop and managed duplexes. they were a family of very modest means. from an early age, jim and his siblings learned the value of hard work and at the age of 8 jim decided that he was an entrepreneur. he shined shoes for 10 cents a pair and drove a tractor on the family farm.

in 1961, jim began college at memphis state university which is now the university of memphis. it was there that he got married and started a family. and in the years after graduation, jim started working in finance and accounting in a nursing home company in memphis called cares n. he quickly rose through the ranks and was eventually named as president. now, after selling the company, jim started a nursing home in parsons, tennessee. american health centers grew from 40 nursing homes across the volunteer state, but by the mid 1990's, jim decided to sell the nursing home business to focus on his new growing interest. community banking. jim partnered with his friend to buy the farmers state bank in scott hills, tennessee, and eventually would go on to acquire first national bank in lexington. it was there that first bank was

born. serving as chief executive officer and before becoming executive chairman of the board, he took the bank public on the new york stock exchange in 2016. to date, first bank is known across the state of tennessee as a good bank, a good employer and a good community partner. however, it's jim's work outside of the office for which he will truly be remembered. jim was a man of deep faith. he firmly believed that, to quote scripture, to whom much is give, much is expected. and it was in that spirit that jim started the heirs foundation with the mission of giving back to tennessee, especially to our children. for over 25 years, the heir scholarship program has supported more than 20,000 students in rural tennessee and to help children, the heirs

foundation is a foot -- has a footprint in 33 high schools across 21 of tennessee's rural counties. mr. speaker, jim spent much of his life making sure that every child, no matter his or her financial status, should have the opportunity to receive a good education and build a good life. in addition to the scholarship program, jim established the heirs institute at the vanderbilt ingraham cancer sent, the jim heirs medical tower at vanderbilt university medical center, the heirs children's hospital in jackson, and the heirs institute for teacher learning and innovation at a university, among other entities. i recently spoke with jim's good friend, former tennessee highway patrol lieutenant, joey hargrove, who traveled all across the state with jim for about 30 years. joey remembers the one thing that remained constant through the years.

jim never wanted any recognition or acknowledgment for any of his good deeds. joey told me that he learned a lot about being a good man from jim heirs. whether it be a scholarship or getting treatment at a medical center, jim never wanted you to know that it was he who made it happen. the last time i sat down with jim and his wife, janet, who he loved and adored, was several months ago. jim may have known that he was sick, but he didn't want that to be the topic of conversation. he wanted to focus on the future and what could be done for the community. it was never about jim. he did everything out of the goodness of his heart and the genuine love for others. in the years to come, jim's legacy and that of janet will live on in the children he gifted in education, the patient he is helped receive care, -- patients he helped receive care, and the families who will never

know his impact. to janet, son john and all the family, roberta and i continue to think about you and wish you the best during these challenging times. jim heirs will be remembered for a long time in tennessee, for all the good that he did for so many people. and with that, mr. speaker, i'll yield back. the speaker pro tempore: ok. the chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. garcia, for five minutes. mr. garcia: mr. speaker, during teacher appreciation week, i rise to honor jessica suarez nieto, a middle school teacher. recently named bilingual teacher of the year by the illinois state board of education. as a young immigrant child who

didn't speak english when i arrived in the u.s., i knew firsthand the impact that teachers like ms. suarez can have on their students. ms. suarez is a champion of dual-language education. she uses language as a bridge to connect with families, affirm cultural identities, and empower students. she helps them feel seen, heard and confident in classrooms where they are often told to shrink or stay silent. she teaches her students more than just math. she teaches them that they matter. she gives them a voice. ms. suarez, thank you for being an incredible teacher, for your work and deep commitment to your students. i yield back. mr. speaker, today i rise to

celebrate a century of excellence in public education. the 100-year anniversary of leyden high school district 212. proudly serving the western suburbs of chicago, what began as a two-year school in a portable building has grown into a thriving two-campus district, east leyden and west leyden, now serving more than 3,300 students with over 200 dedicated teachers. rooted in blue and gold and soaring under the banner of the eagle, leyden's commitment to academic and artistic excellence has inspired pride, unity and spirit across the district's communities. true to its mission to educate, enrich and empower, leyden does more than reach, it uplifts, it lives by one simple powerful motto. do what's best for the kids. congratulations to the students, teachers, alumni and school

leaders of this century of service. here's to the next 100. i yield back. mr. speaker, today i rise to sound the alarm on a crisis threatening our democracy. president trump has defied a unanimous supreme court order blocking the return of kilmar abrego garcia, and instead vanishing him to prison in el salvador without a trial, without a hearing, without a shred of justice. this isn't just cruelty. it's lawlessness. it's a direct assault on our values and the rule of law. he was abducted from his home and sent to a foreign prison, infamous for human rights violations. when the president defies the courts, he crosses the line into tyranny. and now he's even arresting

judges whom he sees as standing in his way. when tyranny takes root, no one is safe. today it's immigrants with tattoos, 2-year-olds and even children with cancer. tomorrow it could be anyone who falls out of favor. even republicans who don't clap long enough or make the pilgrimage to mar-a-lago to kiss the ring. we have to stand up for our rights and for the rule of law. not just for kilmar, but for the future of our republic. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from texas, ms. de la cruz, for five minutes. ms. de la cruz: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to honor border

patrol agent hector moreno jr. for his 27 years of service. born and raised in mcallen, texas, mr. hector pursued a career of selfless service to our community. he joined the border patrol in 1997, and for nearly three decades set a high standard for his fellow agents by upholding their core values, service to country. integrity, and vigilance. during his tenure, he successfully led a specialized operations in the rio grande valley to combat transit national crime and tackle illicit drug trafficking at our southern border. i had the opportunity to join mr. moreno in south texas to participate in a ride along,

hear from border patrol agents, and experience their day-to-day assignments to protect our communities. last summer, mr. moreno retired as the division chief for the rio grande valley sector. we are grateful to his honorable service and exemplary leadership. to his fellow agents and our community. his retirement -- in his retirement he continues to serve others as a criminal justice teacher at nicki roe high school, and leads the student criminal justice club in mca mcallen. once again thank you, mr. moreno, for yourselfless service. congratulations on your well defensive retirement. god bless you -- well deserved retirement. god bless you. mr. speaker, i rise today to

honor mott's building materials as texas' 15th district's small business of the month. in the wake of hurricane bulla in 1967, motts building materials, then known as valley cash and carry building materials, was founded to help the community rebuild from the severe damage the hurricane caused in the rio grande valley. several years later, ira took over the company and brought danny smith onboard to manage their various locations. at the time mott was the only lumber yard and building material store to cater to the hispanic community. challenges were brought on through our -- throughout the decades, but the team always stayed true to their values and

dedication to faith, family, and service. four generations of matts have operated the business, and today the business is run by danny's sons, jeremy alongside his brothers. their team goes above and beyond to help south texas across our communities build and rebuild homes by providing high quality service and building materials. the family owned small business has become an integral part of our south texas community. in 2022 disaster struck when their flagship location caught fire. their physical store was lost, but their commitment to community was strong. through unwavering faith and teamwork, their service to the community was able to resume as

a team rebuilt their location. today their commitment to community lives on. following this devastating flooding in south texas earlier this year, the team immediately launched a flood relief program to help those who are rebuilding from the flood damage. just like they did over 50 years ago. through faith and hard work no challenge is impossible to overcome, and we are so grateful to have businesses like theirs in south texas. to the team at matts thank you for all you do for our community, for south texas, and for our state. again, thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from michigan, ms. tlaib, for

five minutes. ms. tlaib: as the chair of the congressional mommas caucus and mother of two incredible boys, i rise today to celebrate mother's day. i want to recognize the strength and love that mothers bring to our families and neighborhoods, yet too often mothers are left behind in this chamber. in the richest conflit world no mother should warrior about feeding her children or basic care. ending child poverty is a policy choice. i introduced the end child poverty act to provide universal child benefit, paid leaf, affordable childcare, and universal school meals should be guaranteed not privileges. i also introduced and co-sponsored -- helped co-sponsor the black maternal act to ensure all mothers are are safe and respected and supported. black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes.

this week i'm proud that the congressional mamas' caucus for medicaid. we see the life line of medicaid being cut. $880 billion cut to medicaid would be devastating. this mother's day i'm asking all of you to not only thank our mothers but do it with action. as we recommit to fighting for the dignity and health of every mother in our nation. to the amazing mothers of the 12th congressional district, thank you. happy mother's day to all of our mamas, we see you, honor you, and we must again be able to celebrate you with action. using starvation as a weapon is a war crime. for over two months the israeli government has completely and deliberately blocked food, water, medical supplies, and fuel from entering gaza and targeting local aid convoys. at least over -- 57

palestinians, including children, have already starved to d over 9,000 children are already experiencing malnutrition. palestinians have been forced to eat grass. dirty flour, and animal feed to survive. while thousands of trucks carrying food and lifesaving aid have sat blocked at the border. because of the israeli government. palestinians deserve to live. instead of agreeing to the cease-fire, release of all hostages, war criminal netanyahu announced his plans to forcibly expel and ethically against --et nickly cleanse -- ethnically cleanse. i'm waiting for my colleagues to call it out. our country is an accomplice in this genocide anti-world is letting it happen. the only path to make it stop is an arms embargo. americans overwhelmingly support it. we should listen to our

residents and save lives now. silence here on starvation is supporting this war crime. from the university president to its board of regents, from the state attorney general, to the white house, the university of michigan students and faculty exercising their rights to speak out against genocide have been under attack from all sides. from selective prosecutions to the -- to eight faculty members being fired for attending protests. the university has damaged its reputation while putting its full weight into suppressing speech and first amendment rights. but their courageous solidarity movement has been undon't youd shall -- undaunted. this past week offered a ray of hope that the constitution still applies on campus, mr. speaker. it doesn't end when you enter a campus. first, the president responsible, the university president responsible for suppressing student rights gutting d.e.i., and rolling over

for the trump administration resigned and fled to another state. then the attorney general in michigan was forced to drop felony charges against campus protestors before a judge could rule on whether to remove her from the cases due to bias. this coordinated smear campaign is especially outrageous and egregious as michigan prides, our state prides itself on being an incubator for protest and social justice movements, where students are inspired to hold powerful -- the powerful accountable and make the world a better place. but there is an exception. for palestinians. all across campus historic divestment campaigns from apartheid in south africa to fossil fuels are celebrated. but yet there is an exception for palestine when it comes to free speech. it remains strong. whether intentionally or not, mr. speaker, its proponents are playing directly into the trump administration's hands as they seek to destroy universities as we know them.

these governmental outreach -- overreaches and power grabs are test cases. and their impacts won't be could be fined to college campuses. yet -- you don't have to agree with their speech to understand what is at stake when the rights are being threatened. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from guam, mr. moylan. mr. moylan: mr. speaker, i rise today to celebrate national teachers week and to express my deepest gratitude to the dedicated and hardworking educators who shape the minds and futures of our next generation. teachers are the heart of our schools and the soul of our communities. in guam like every other corner of america, we see that every day.

our educators in guam, department of education, wear many hats. they are not only teachers, but mentors, counselors, coaches, and role models. this past year our teachers have faced enormous challenges. such as recovering from the effects of typhoons and teaching an aging and damaged infrastructure. despite this, our teachers have remained committed to our students and the mission of education. and as a member of the education and workforce committee, i'm committed to ensuring our teachers get the support and resources to succeed. to every teacher in guam and across the country, thank you for going to work with dedication and love. thank you for investing in the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and change makers. mr. speaker, i rise today to

celebrate may as asian american pacific island heritage month. this month we honor the cultures, histories, and contributions of aapi. communities across the united states and especially in places like my district of guam. in guam we are surrounded by the heritage of asian and pacific islander cultures every day. from our chamorro traditions to our rich multicultural identity. many culture aspects are woven into every part of island life. from language and family to service and to resilience, guam's people have answered our nation's call in times of war and peace. contributed to our economy, enriched our culture, and stood as a strategic cornerstone in the pacific. as i stand here today

representing the island of guam, i'm committed to ensuring that our voice on the national stage is seen, heard, and respected. this aapi heritage month, let us celebrate the differences that strengthen us and reaffirm our commitment to creating communities that bring people together. here, across the pacific, and in guam. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. espaillat, for five minutes. mr. espaillat: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in opposition to the trump administration's illegal power grabs. through executive orders, the trump administration continues to circumvent congress and violate the checks and balances

of our three branches of government. he also continues to ignore court orders, including from the highest court in the land, the u.s. supreme court, inching every day closer and closer to a constitutional crisis. mr. speaker, in addition, senate and house republicans have made it clear time and time again that they have no interest in holding the president accountable to the american people and the constitution of the united states of america. leaving the judicial branches of government as our strongest t tool, leaving the courts as our only hope. .. within hours of taking office, president trump issued an executive order that would have unlawfully denied birth-right citizenship, which is guaranteed to everyone born in america by the 14th amendment.

he did this, although this principle has been affirmed by the courts on numerous occasions. currently the courts have halted this executive order, citing how unconstitutional it is. more than 200 democrats filed an amicus brief against this executive order when it was challenged in court. this attempt has been successfully halted. in february, over a dozen religious organizations filed a lawsuit. these organizations sued the homeland security administration, rescinded guidance that would prevent immigration enforcement in sensitive locations like schools, hospitals and houses of worship. let's get this. you could be praying at a church

or in a synagogue, in a temple, and immigration enforcement could bust in as you pray to your god, to arrest somebody. they tried to implement this aggressive practice and yet people have gone to the courts for relief. this echoes my own bill, h.r. 1061, protecting sensitive locations act, which would codify the biden-era guidance. more than 70 of our democratic colleagues have joined to support this legislation. democrats have been working hard to support ongoing legal cases by joining our amicus brief. when the trump administration tried to dismantle the consumer financial protection bureau, the agency that provides relief to consumers, 200 democrats filed an amicus brief when it went to

court. the amicus brief was cited by the judge in its decision, policy, dismantling of this important bureau. mr. speaker, after one of trump's latest crackdowns on scientific research at universities, harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration arguing that its freezing of research fund something unconstitutional and flatly -- funding is unconstitutional and flatly unlawful. through -- although undocumented families and small businesses were explicitly encouraged for decades by government and legal counsel to come forward out of the darkness and pay their taxes through the itin number, the trump administration is now trying to target this data to carry out his mass deportation plan. this is not just an immigration issue.

this is a privacy issue. taxpayer privacy is key to our democracy. that's why, as chair of the congressional hispanic caucus, i led the c.h.c. in an amicus brief on this legislation. more than 100 democrats have signed in. it is clear through his action and his words, that president trump has no interest in upholding the constitution and granting every american due process that they are owed. there has been a longstanding tradition of under-represented communities resorting to the judicial system when all else has failed, to hold larger, richer and more powerful entities accountable. we must continue the fight to uphold the right to due process. we must fight to continue to hold the trump administration

accountable. we must preserve our system of checks and balances. not to do so would damage the balance of power and permanently fracture our democracy. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from tennessee, mr. burchett, for five minutes. mr. burchett: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today to honor devon martin and his coach, tommy. both devon and tommy have left an incredible lasting mark not only on west high school basketball, but also on the entire community. devon is a heck of a ballplayer, mr. speaker, and this year he earned player of the year for the district 4-a, averaging a double-double while being a key leader in the locker room. as devon heads off to college to continue his career, mr. speaker, please join me in

wishing him good luck. coach tommy joined west high school's faculty as coaching staff in 2011 and has always been a role model and tremendous leader for students at west high school. i've seen it firsthand, mr. speaker. this past year he's promoted to be the head coach of the basketball team and in his first season, his first season, mr. speaker, he led his young men to a 21-4 record, finishing second in the district. devon and coach tommy, on behalf of all the members in this chamber, congratulations and i wish you all the best of luck in the future and i can't wait to see what each of you achieve. mr. speaker, i rise today to honor mary frances tucker for her service to the community, with the emerald youth foundation. emerald youth foundation is a christian ministry that has served young people in knoxville for over 30 years. offering ministry mentorship and fellowship, the organization under ms. tucker's board

leadership serves over 3,000 young people each year in urban knoxville. mary frances tucker has dedicated her life to christ and serving the least amongst us. her devotion to serving children in knoxville started with raising four amazing children, along with her late husband, guy tucker. i know her daughter very well, quite a lady. ms. tucker has spent countless days selflessly volunteering to make sure that inner city children and young adults have access to resources that are so vital to their success. prioritizing education, healthy habits and helping young people in their walk with christ has allowed ms. tucker to have a profound impact on countless generations of east tennesseans. i have no doubt that every person who has been and continues to be touched by mary frances tucker will go on to achieve great things. most importantly, good stewards of g jesus. i had the time of my life the other morning having breakfast with her when they were honoring her and it was quite a deal. and she's quite a lady. and i'm proud to know her.

going to change sides here real quick. mr. speaker, i want to honor a good friend of mine, an honor to honor him today. he's a great tennessean. my buddy, miles, who is finally retiring after five decades of hard work in east tennessee. but i'm sure he will continue to be a thorn in my side, mr. speaker. miles has worked his tail off for 54 years and started working for his father when he was only 9 years old for a tree service in knoxville, tennessee. miles eventually took over his father's block offed business, turning into one of the most successful tree services in east tennessee. if you know anything about miles, you know the impact that he has had on a room when he walks in. he's the most -- one of the most fun-loving, outgoing and he's just hilarious, mr. speaker. and he's also a little bit too loud for my taste. but that will go for some other time. and he's just an incredible person. i can always remember in junior

high school, a friend of mine who has since passed away, i was always the designated driver for obvious reasons and we were going to a place out a way and he was -- miles walked out disgusted and my friend remarked that we need to turn around because miles just got carded. so he's been quite a friend of mine since then and please join me in congratulating miles on 54 years of hard work and dedication to his community in east tennessee. i know, miles, you'll enjoy having more time to spend with your amazing children and grandchildren and i'm sure you will continue to be a thorn in my side. i'm proud to call you a friend, brother. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from rhode island, mr. mr. magaziner: mr. speaker, i rise for the sixth time to call for the trump administration to restore funding for life-saving food aid formal nourished children.

it's been -- for malnourished children. it's been two months since president trump signed a funding bill for fiscal year 2025. it included money that can be used to continue purchasing ready-to-use therapeutic food, a miracle peanut paste that saves the lives of starving children sand produced by -- and is produced, by among others, edesia nutrition, in my district, in rhode island. but here we are in may and since the trump administration came into office in january, not a single dollar of that money has gone to buying this promised life-saving food aid. instead, edesia has boxes stuck in warehouses, factory workers laid off, and with children suffering from severe malnutrition and famine. this is food that has already been paid for by the american taxpayers, that could be used to feed starving children who are victims of war and famine, but instead sits in a warehouse

benefiting no one. we need the funding that this congress provided to go through now because starving children can't wait. and to make matters worse, the administration's fiscal year 2026 so-called skinny budget completely eliminates funding for the food for peace program, a bipartisan program that is the main source of funding for food assistance to combat hunger and malnutrition while also supporting america's farmers and agriculture industry. we must reject that plan and continue to fund food for peace. in the meantime, though, this is urgent. for fiscal 2025, the funding has already been appropriated, it has been approved, it's been signed by the president. we need the administration to put in the new orders, to continue this flow of life-saving aid to children and i want to yield to someone who has been a real champion on the issue of hunger around the world, to hear her thoughts on the subject, the gentlewoman from california, ms. jacobs.

ms. jacobs: thank you, congressman magaziner, for championing this issue and fighting to address the malnutrition of millions of children around the world. every year about 45 million young children worldwide suffer from severe malnutrition. that's about one in every three children under 5 years old. and tragically, about one to two million of those children will die. nutrition during that time is incredibly important for long-term development. it's what powers kids to grow taller, get strong, develop their brains and have a stronger immune system and if kids don't get the nutrition they need during this time, it literally has generational consequences. but thankfully as congressman magaziner has highlighted, we have a proven treatment to save the lives of malnourished children. ready to use therapeutic food or rutf. rutf is the go-to treatment formal nutrition in hard -- for malnutrition in hard to reach areas and emergencies because it doesn't need any

rererefrigeration -- rerefrigeration. i worked at unicef. i have seen firsthand the power of these life-saving treatments. i've seen that they work. i've seen how fast kids can bounce back and recover. i've seen that u.s. funding and u.s. assistance makes a difference. but unfortunately president trump has eliminated countless assistance programs that have kept children alive. his administration hasn't placed new orders for rutf's at edesia nutrition in rhode island, causing production to almost stop. we already knew that the promises of waivers for emergency food assistance relies and now we have further proof. starving children shouldn't be political pawns. and their futures shouldn't be toyed with. so here's my message to the trump administration. do the right thing. restore funding for emergency food assistance. and help save the lives of children around the world. thank you. i yield back, mr. magaziner. mr. magaziner: thank you very much again to ms. jacobs for her

long body of work championing children around the world, particularly on the issue of malnutrition. and i will continue to stand in this chamber every day we are in session and speak on this topic until funding for rutf is restored. with that, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. a awken class, for five minutes. awch awch i rise today to -- mr. auchincloss: i rise today about the energy and commerce committee which has been tasked with cutting $880 billion of federal spending across the health care programs it oversees. a vast majority of which supports medicaid. cutting this program will be used in service of tax cuts for people who don't need tax cuts and will be devastating to children and families who do need the health care.

as we discuss cuts to this program, we must not forget the people behind these numbers. as such, i would like to highlight one massachusetts family today. i will be reading a poem entitled, the mathematics of mercy, written by betsy johnson. she's an autism educator with the arc of massachusetts and a mother of two young adult children with autism and other intellectual disabilities. they rely on medicaid. she shared this poem with me to highlight the importance of medicaid for her family and all families who care for loved ones with disabilities. it speaks more powerfully than any amount of budgetary debate. the mathematics of mercy. a direct care worker holds someone's universe for $16 an hour. lifts worlds, bathes dignity back into being. her hands trembling now as she reads the letter saying her client's hours are cut. knowing some bodies can't survive on spread sheet logic. they speak of voices that have

never whispered, your therapy isn't medically necessary, to a nonverbal child who just learned to make sounds like morning birds. in living rooms turned sacred spaces, therapists pack up their tools of possibility, weighted vest, sensory brushes, pieces of someone's future, now deemed too expensive by men who have never seen how a body learns to trust itself one careful touch at a time. listen to power chairs going still, to to support workers saying goodbye to people who stopped being clients. somewhere between the first smile anti-last hug. while offshore accounts grow fat on the math mathematics of suffering. this is how a nation bleeds not in battlefields but group homes. not enemy fire by funding gaps. where institution beds cost less than community care. in the halls of power they call this fiscal responsibility. as if responsibility means telling a mother her daughter can no longer see the therapist who taught her how to speak. as if america means pricing dignity like a luxury good.

every denial letter bears a signature of someone who's never watched a child take their first steps at 12. never seen the light in eyes when words finally come. never felt the weight of a family's hopes balanced against the coldness of cost. in these rooms where care persists, where love defies their calculations, we piece together what they tear apart like a quilt of borrowed time. with midnight shifts and morning prayers, hands that hold when budgets say let g here in the web of grace we we ever because what grows with us is stronger and our stubborn refusal to let spread sheets tell us what life is worth. this comes from betsy johnson, autism educator with the ark of massachusetts. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from connecticut, mr. larson, for five minutes. mr. larson: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to address the nation's number one anti-poverty

program for the elderly anti-nation's number one -- and the nation's number one anti-poverty program for children. as you know i'm talking about social security. more alarming, mr. speaker, is that it's been more than 50 years since congress has enh enhanced social security for the citizens of this great country. what does that mean? that means that more than 70 million social security recipients have not seen an enhancement to social security since richard nixon was president of the united states. i applaud leader hakeem jeffries for putting together a plan for having something to present to the american people that stands

in stark contrast to nothing being put forward. it doesn't bother me so much that republicans aren't putting any proposals forward, but they would deny a hearing on social security and a vote on a measure that congress hasn't addressed in more than 50 years. mr. speaker, as you know, there are more than 70 million plus social security recipients. 10 million baby boomers a day become eligible for social security and wonder why congress hasn't acted. mr. speaker, for more than five million of our fellow americans who have paid into a system all their lifes, they get below

poverty level checks from their government because congress hasn't acted. mr. speaker, there are more than 35 million people who, for them, this is the only pension that they will receive. and congress hasn't responded. again, i applaud mr. jeffries for saying, yes, what we need is an congressional record -- across-the-board increase for everyone in social security. we need to repeal the provision as mr. jeffries has laid out, to have people who continue to work after they retire not have their social security taxed. that is part of the democratic plan along with making sure that no one can retire into poverty and lifting the more than five million people who get below

poverty level checks out of poverty. mr. speaker, i know you know this, but in illinois' 12th congressional district there are more than 179,000 social security recipients. 131 of them are retirees. 21,000 are disabled. 9,000 plus widows. 4,000 plus spouses. 12,000 children who haven't seen an increase in more than 50 years. it is long overdue for congress to take action. i plead with you, mr. speaker, to join us and encourage republican leadership minimally to have a hearing on this.

if you got a better plan, by all means put it forward. but at least let the plan that hakeem jeffries has put forward have a vote. if you disagree with it, that's fine. it's america. it's a democracy. vote against it. but why shouldn't congress vote on making sure that illinois' 12th congressional district sees an increase they haven't seen in more than 50 years, as well as the first congressional district in the state of connecticut and for all 535 congressional districts. where individuals have not seen an increase. especially during these inflationary times.

for a party that used to pride itself on entrepreneurialism and capitalism, imagine this is the safety net for capitalism and entrepreneurialism. where's the money spent in illinois' 12th congressional district? right back in the local economy to the stores, the pharmacies, etc. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. costa, for five minutes. mr. costa: ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. costa: mr. speaker, at a time when americans are struggling to afford groceries, housing, and gas congress should be focused on lowering the cost of living that americans care most about. not renaming bodies of water. sergeant friday used to say on the show "dragnet" just the

facts, ma'am. the facts during the first 100 days of mr. trump's administration are the following. the economy histechia runge -- has shrunk. shock market has taken a hit. 401-k's critical for the majority of americans' retirement have declined. and there has been a launch of a trade war that could cost the average family in america over $4,900 a year, this year alone. with no trade agreements in sight. threatening a recession. rather than offering solutions, my republican friends are at this time wasting this valuable efforts on the floor by renaming the gulf of mexico. the gulf of america act, i think, is an absurd bill. it's political theater.

the gulf of mexico has held that name for over 500 years. spanish explorers from spain chartered these waters hundreds of years before the united states ever existed. let's call this bill for what it is, a vanity project. my constituents in california's san joaquin valley aren't asking me about the gulf of mexico. they are asking me about their health care, reducing inflation, and investing in our communities. that's what they care most about. congress must focus on what really matters. passing a budget, getting a farm bill done, and delivering on the priorities that american people sent us here to do. if this is the best my republican friends in the majority can do, it's no wonder that the american people are fed up with congress and our numbers are so low.

enough with political stunts. the american people deserve better. we must work together in a bipartisan effort. mr. speaker, on sunday we will celebrate mother's day. throughout our country families and friends will gather together to recognize and pay tribute to this important day. but the reality is i think for all of us every mother, every day should be mother's day. so on sunday let us say thank you in the most meaningful way we know how. with love and affection we should do what is appropriate and that is to thank those moms who throughout our lives have made a difference. and every day therefore should be mother's day. let us celebrate this day on

sunday and never forget those who brought us here today. thank you. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair now recognizes the gentleman from new jersey, for five minutes. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to sound the alarm that sensitive data for millions of americans is at risk. many of us have heard of the scams data breaches, and hacks that have plagued businesses and individuals for years. unfortunately, the newest threat to our personal data comes from within the federal government. over the past three months, elon musk doge employees embedded themselves in dozens of federal

departments and agencies without any guardrails or protections put in place by our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. we know this data is extremely valuable to bad actors and foreign adversaries. after doge infiltrated the national labor relations board, suspicious attempts were made to access the data from an i.p. address in russia. mr. means: congress should be working to -- mr. menendez: congress should be working to safeguard the data. instead my friends across the aisle have left the door opened for doge and anyone else to access and misuse their constituents' personal information. 's not just their recklessness that should concern everyone across the country. it's the fact that the data being held by the government is being weaponized by the trump administration. the i.r.s. recently entered into an agreement with i.c.e. to share information about immigrants, the same is true of data on affordable housing recipients. if we allow them to use this data now, what will stop them

from using information from other agencies in the future against other groups of americans? mr. speaker, at a recent energy and commerce committee hearing, we heard from experts in this field who were invited there by my republican colleagues that as we seek to harness the growth of a.i., we must put guardrails in place to protect all americans' sensitive information which we know is a target rich environment for foreign adversaries. our colleagues don't have to take my word for it. just listen to the testimony of the people that republicans invited here to test. malicious actors do not care what someone's political party is or where they live before they steal our data. our response to this threat should be bipartisan. i urge you all of my colleagues to stand alongside house democrats in calling upon the office of management and budget and doge to clarify what actions they are taking to safeguard the

most sensitive taxpayer data that exists on our federal systems. if they don't act, then we should here in congress. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair