Providing for Consideration of H.R. Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act Drugs; Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Condemning the Horrific Shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Representative Sheila Jackson Lee for reminding us what a difference 100 years make. But, you know, 100 years or so ago, there was a race riot in Searcy, Arkansas. Thousands of African Americans were murdered.

A little more than 100 years ago, there was a riot in Chicago, Illinois, where hundreds of African Americans were injured. But then 100 years ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Black Wall Street, a community where people had labored, worked hard, seriously put everything into it that they could, was destroyed. Yet in my town, there is a John Rogers, who is a descendant. His great grandfather owned the hotel.

John Hope Franklin, the great historian, his relatives were part of that massacre and the events surrounding it. So Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, thank you for reminding us that we can never forget and never go back.

I wanted to mention that Senator Elizabeth Warren, a native of Oklahoma, carries the Senate version of H. Res. 398 recognizing the Tulsa centennial.

When I go home and meet with constituents, they want to know what we are doing here to make their lives better, not whether we have succeeded in obstructing the passage of necessary or popular legislation or in shutting down Congress. I suspect that is true for most Members, and I value those with whom I can work in good faith.

This Congress has already seen its fair share of parliamentary tricks to disrupt the legislative process, and I applaud the leadership's efforts to keep Members and staff safe, to advance legislation that will end the pandemic, and to serve the American people.

Let's be honest about why we are taking up floor time to debate and pass the orphan drug bill today, a bill with broad bipartisan support that passed without a single objection last term.

Last week's ``no'' vote by some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle was incredibly disrespectful to the Americans we are all here to represent. Those Members voting ``no'' effectively told their constituents that they care more about whose name goes on a bill than they care about actually passing legislation.

Like my colleagues, I am frustrated that this bill did not pass on suspension last week. The opioid epidemic is a serious issue. Families in my district and across the country know firsthand the hardships caused by opioid abuse and addiction, and this issue deserves to be taken seriously and addressed by Congress, which is why we are bringing this bill back to the floor a week after one of its former sponsors blocked its passage because his feelings were hurt when he wasn't asked to lead the bill this term.

Our colleagues extol, when convenient, the virtues of unity and bipartisanship, but it is important for them to realize that bipartisanship relies upon trust. And in the wake of January 6, despite having witnessed the carnage created by falsehoods about the election results, the majority of our Republican colleagues voted with no evidence to cancel the electoral votes of several States.

For those of us who represent Pennsylvania, which was ground zero for those falsehoods and the efforts to undermine and overturn our electoral process, it is particularly tough to trust Members who have shown more interest in silencing those who would challenge the lies than in defending the Constitution.

It is a shame that a bipartisan bill to combat opioid abuse needs to be reconsidered under a rule, and I hope this time around my colleagues do what is right and pass the bill to improve access to low-cost medications to combat opioid addiction.

We are here to pass legislation for the American people, not to put our names on things. Stunts like what we saw last week are disrespectful to the House, to its Members, and most of all to the people we are here to represent.

I thank all of our colleagues who helped craft the bills we are considering today. I look forward to supporting this rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

The material previously referred to by Mrs. Fischbach is as follows: Amendment to House Resolution 403

At the end of the resolution, add the following:

Sec. 6. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the bill (H.R. 261) to impose sanctions with respect to foreign support for Palestinian terrorism, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 7. Clause l(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 261.

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