Providing for Consideration of H.R. Gulf of America Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Dhs Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this complete waste of time, the Gulf of America Act.

While Americans are struggling with real problems, while Trump is trampling over the constitutional rights of the citizens he swore to protect, Republicans are wasting this Chamber's time with performative nonsense.

Here is the choice this comes down to:

We could focus on helping 40 million Americans saddled with medical debt, or we could rename the Gulf of Mexico.

We could ensure that the 10 million children going hungry every night have enough food to eat, or we could rename the Gulf of Mexico.

We could address our Nation's highest maternal mortality rate, where women are dying in this country every day while giving birth, or we could rename the Gulf of Mexico.

We could address our Nation's lack of affordable housing, where families are struggling to find safe shelter, or we could rename the Gulf of Mexico.

We could make sure our veterans, who are waiting for weeks for appointments at VA clinics, get the desperate care they need after making such extreme sacrifices in the honor of service to our country, or we could rename the Gulf of Mexico.

We could be protecting Social Security and Medicare, protecting Medicaid, finding affordable childcare for the millions of children in this country and reducing the high cost of living that so many families in all of our districts are struggling to afford basic necessities, or we could rename the Gulf of Mexico.

Republicans have made their choice. They want to focus on renaming a body of water that doesn't need renaming instead of the emergent needs of the people that we all represent. The bill's cosponsor, the woman from Georgia, in her district one in five residents live below the poverty line. Her district ranks near the bottom in Georgia for health outcomes, and opioid overdose rates continue to climb. Broadband access remains limited, and public schools are underresourced.

However, again, instead of working on bills to bring down the high cost of healthcare, making broadband accessible for Americans all over the country, or helping families struggling with addiction, we are renaming the Gulf of Mexico as if it is the most important, pressing issue facing this country.

This is not governing. It is a distraction. It is political theater, and it is an insult to the intelligence of every American who expects us in Congress to do the serious work of solving real problems and making their lives better.

This bill does not achieve any of those ends. The American people did not send us here to troll and suck up to a President. They sent us here to legislate, lead, and make their lives better.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this stupid bill and focus on what matters to the American people.

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