One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) for yielding and for his tremendous leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to Donald Trump's one, big ugly bill, this disgusting abomination, the GOP tax scam.

It guts Medicaid. It rips food from the mouths of children, seniors, and veterans. It rewards billionaires with massive tax breaks. Every single Democrat stands in strong opposition to this bill because we are standing up for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot from my Republican colleagues who have expressed pride in this accomplishment. I ask the question: If Republicans were so proud of this one big, ugly bill, why did debate begin at 3:28 a.m. in the morning?

Republicans are once again, Mr. Speaker, as has been the case through every step of this journey, trying to jam this bill through the House of Representatives under cover of darkness.

Mr. Speaker, I am here today to make it clear that I am going to take my time and ensure that the American people fully understand how damaging this bill will be to their quality of life.

Republicans and Donald Trump promised that costs would go down on day one. Costs haven't gone down under Donald Trump and House Republicans here in the United States of America. In fact, costs have gone up.

We believe that America is too expensive, that the cost of living is too high, and that that is a priority that should be worked on in a bipartisan way.

From the very beginning of this Congress, our Republican colleagues have shown no interest in addressing the high cost of living in the United States of America.

Not a single executive order has been issued by this administration, Mr. Speaker, to address the high cost of living. Not a single bill has been passed, Mr. Speaker, to address the high cost of living in the United States of America.

This one big, ugly bill, this reckless Republican budget, this disgusting abomination is not about improving the quality of life of the American people. It will hurt everyday Americans in several different ways.

This bill represents the largest cut to healthcare in American history. It is an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people.

It is an assault on Medicaid. It is an assault on Medicare. It is an assault on the Children's Health Insurance Program. It is an assault on the Affordable Care Act. It is an assault on Planned Parenthood and the healthcare of women all across the United States of America.

It is an unprecedented assault on the American people and their healthcare. We have almost $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid. This runs directly contrary to what President Trump indicated in January, which was that he was going to love and cherish Medicaid.

Nothing about this bill loves and cherishes Medicaid. It guts Medicaid. It guts Medicaid in a way that is going to hurt children. It will hurt families. It will hurt seniors. It will hurt people with disabilities. It will hurt women. It will hurt everyday Americans.

Hospitals will close, including all throughout rural America, Mr. Speaker. Nursing homes will shut down. By some estimates, one in four nursing homes will close as a result of this one big, ugly bill.

Community-based health clinics, which are the lifelines in neighborhood after neighborhood and all across this country--in urban America, in rural America, in suburban America, in small town America, in the heartland of America--will not be able to operate.

As a result of the lack of healthcare that will result directly from this one big, ugly bill, people in America will die unnecessary deaths.

That is outrageous. It is disgusting. That is not what we should be doing here in the United States House of Representatives. It is not what we should be doing.

In addition to the cuts to Medicaid, this bill will result in the largest cut to Medicare in American history--by some estimates, more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicare as a result of the Republicans' one big, ugly bill.

This bill will also result in a devastating blow to the Affordable Care Act. That is no surprise because, since 2010, Republicans, Mr. Speaker, have been trying to gut and destroy the Affordable Care Act.

As a result of the damage that is done to the Affordable Care Act in this legislation, millions of Americans will lose their healthcare. The assault on healthcare in this one big, ugly bill will result in more than 17 million Americans losing healthcare in the United States of America.

Shame on the people who have decided to launch that kind of all-out assault on the health and well-being of everyday Americans. That is not what we should be doing here in the United States House of Representatives.

Because of the drastic cuts that are made to healthcare in this one big, ugly bill, people with private insurance all across America are going to experience increases in their premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. Millions of Americans in every corner of this country will experience an all-out assault on healthcare.

That is a very different vision, Mr. Speaker, that Republicans have, working hard to take healthcare away from the American people, than our vision. That is because we believe, as Democrats, that in the United States of America, healthcare should not simply be a privilege. Healthcare is a right that should be available to every single person in the United States of America.

This bill is an all-out assault on the healthcare of the people of the United States of America, hardworking American taxpayers. These are the people we should be standing up to work hard to lift up, but instead, they are victims of this legislation.

Hospitals will close. That impacts everybody in the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, if your hospital closes, whether you are on Medicaid or not, you will be unable to get the treatment that you or your family need. That is why we are fighting so hard to stop this bill. One in four nursing homes, by some estimates, will close as a result of the Republicans' assault on Medicaid in this one big, ugly bill.

This bill also represents an assault on nutritional assistance here in the United States of America. We have made great progress over the last 50-plus years as it relates to hunger in this country, great progress, but we are still dealing with the reality that tens of millions of people in this country go to bed every night wondering whether they are going to be able to get a nutritious meal the next day--tens of millions of people in this country, millions of children.

Instead of trying to address that issue, Mr. Speaker, the one big, ugly bill will rip nutritional benefits away from millions of Americans, including children. It will rip food from the mouths of hungry children, hungry veterans, and hungry seniors.

That is unacceptable. It is one of the reasons why we stand in strong opposition, Mr. Speaker, to this one big, ugly bill.

Republicans promised to address the high cost of living in the United States of America. We believe that the cost of living is too high. Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high. Utility costs are too high. Insurance costs are too high. And childcare costs are too high.

America is too expensive. There are far too many people in this country struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. That should not be the case in the United States of America.

Instead of addressing the high cost of living in this one big, ugly bill, Mr. Speaker, Republicans are actually going to increase costs, particularly as it relates to the energy bills that everyday Americans pay. It is estimated that energy bills will increase by hundreds of dollars a year. That has nothing to do with lowering the high cost of living and making this country a more affordable place. It does the exact opposite.

It is an all-out and unnecessary assault on the clean energy tax credits, the clean energy tax credits that many of my Republican colleagues promised in letter after letter after letter that they would stand behind, but all chose to fold and abandon, fighting instead for special interests and opposing the ability for this country to stand up a cleaner energy economy, which means cheaper energy.

Because of the attack on clean energy jobs, on the clean energy economy, and on the economic development that had already been set in motion, often in districts represented by our Republican colleagues and in Republican-led States, red States, by some estimates, millions of jobs are going to be lost.

They are ripping healthcare away from millions of Americans, Mr. Speaker, and ripping food away from children, veterans, and seniors. They are raising the cost of utilities, raising their energy bills by hundreds of dollars, and stripping away millions of jobs all across America.

What is all of this being done for? It is to provide massive tax breaks to billionaires all across this country.

We are better than that in the United States of America. When we take an oath, convene here, and come to the United States Capitol, our job is to make life better for everyday Americans. The genesis of this bill, the focus of this bill, and the justification for all the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans in this bill is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires.

It is extraordinary. Never in my time here in Congress have I experienced legislation that benefits so few people who fall into the category of the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected, while at the same time hurting everyday Americans, whom we should be fighting hard to help.

Now, all of this apparently is being rushed because the decision was made by President Trump that he would like to get a bill done by the Fourth of July. What does the Fourth of July have to do with this one big, ugly bill? What does celebrating American independence, the birth of this exceptional country, the journey that we have been on for 249 years, any of that, have to do with this one big, ugly bill?

I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, that if you actually look at the Declaration of Independence, what we find is that everything about this one big, ugly bill runs in direct contrast with what was set in motion by the Framers and the Founders of our great country.

Of course, the Declaration of Independence, authored by Thomas Jefferson, makes the famous statement: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.''

Mr. Speaker, I want to lock in for just a moment on that aspirational objective, the pursuit of happiness. When it comes to everyday Americans, this one big, ugly bill will hurt the quality of life of hardworking American taxpayers, and it is all designed to put a happy smile on the face of billionaires. That is inconsistent with the Declaration of Independence and what we should be celebrating on July Fourth.

Thomas Jefferson and the Framers of this country set us on a course of action, a journey, a march toward a more perfect Union in part anchored in the pursuit of happiness, which decade after decade, century after century, those leaders who sat at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, leaders in this Congress on both sides of the aisle, tried to bring about for the greatest number of Americans. That is not what this one big, ugly bill is all about.

America is too expensive. There are far too many people who are living paycheck to paycheck here in this great country--that should not be the case--people who are struggling to survive, to make ends meet.

Mr. Speaker, imagine a country where everyone can afford to live the good life, work hard, play by the rules, and live the good life. We haven't reached that place in the United States of America. Imagine a country where everyone can work hard, play by the rules, and live the good life, with a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and a good retirement--which means keep your hands off Social Security and Medicare now and forever.

We want a country where every single American can afford to live the good life, have a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and then a good retirement.

We know that in the United States of America, to unlock that quintessential American Dream, living the good life, you have to work hard and play by the rules. But the challenge that so many Americans have right now in this country is that they are doing those two things. They are working hard and they are playing by the rules, but they are unable to experience the great American Dream. They are unable to get to that third leg. They are unable to live the good life. That is what we should be focusing on here in the United States Congress, not gutting Medicaid, not ripping food out of the mouths of hungry children, and not rewarding billionaires with massive tax breaks.

How can you prepare to celebrate legislation that will undermine the quality of life of everyday Americans? It is not just a hypothetical. It is not just hyperbole. It is not just hype. It will happen. Everyday Americans will be hurt by the one big, ugly bill.

We are here on the floor of the House of Representatives debating legislation in the middle of the night with millions of Americans having gone to sleep anxious about what would happen here on the floor of the House of Representatives, understandably concerned that their voices have not been heard in this debate, that their pleas for compassion have been overlooked.

Many of my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, on the other side of the aisle have chosen not to hold townhall meetings, not to hear from the voices of the people that they are privileged to represent.

We have embraced the American people. We haven't run from the American people. House Democrats will continue to run toward the American people and lift their voices up.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to take a little time to share some of the stories of the American people, voices that might otherwise be excluded from this debate. We are not going to let those voices be excluded. We will ensure that these voices are heard. We will continue to do everything we can to bring those voices to life here on the House floor and beyond, to stand up for the best interests of everyday Americans.

We heard from many of them throughout this process. I will share just a handful.

``With Medicaid expansion, I now qualify for Medicaid. Without insurance, my monthly bill for my three injectable drugs would be $3,000, $36,000 a year, and that doesn't include any of my other meds or my medical appointments. Who has that kind of money?''

That is Charles who lives in Alaska, the district represented by Congressman Nick Begich.

``Medicare and Social Security keep me alive. I am surviving on about $13,000 a year, most of it from my Social Security checks. That is just enough to afford my rent, utilities, and food. Without Social Security, I would be homeless, and if Medicare did not pay for my medications and I had to pay full price, I wouldn't be able to survive. There are so many other seniors who are in the same boat. Without these programs, seniors like me would die on the street.''

That is Paula, who lives in Arkansas' Second Congressional District, represented by my colleague, Congressman French Hill.

``My son is a 25-year-old young adult with profound nonverbal autism who needs 24/7 support. Our family has relied on Medicaid from the time he was 2 years old, when he began early intervention services. At 3, when he was diagnosed with autism, private health insurance denied him coverage for his preexisting condition. Medicaid stepped in to provide healthcare. From that point until today, home and community-based services through Medicaid have been vital to our son's health and well- being. Medicaid also helped his school district pay for medically necessary therapies at school. Our son is thriving and healthy, and our family can support him at home because of Medicaid.''

That is Robin. She lives in Arizona's First Congressional District, represented by David Schweikert.

These are stories from everyday Americans who have written to us to say to this Congress: Stand up for our healthcare, Mr. Speaker. Don't stand up for billionaires. Stand up for everyday Americans, for our health, for our safety, and for our well-being.

Gwendolyn from Arizona also writes. She says: ``Medicaid is the difference between my son being healthy, happy, cared for, and social versus being at home with aging parents who struggle to physically provide the care that is required daily. Medicaid funding means my son receives the incontinence supplies he needs, the internal feeding supplies he needs to live, and medications that his primary insurance won't cover. Medicaid matters because, without it, my son and millions of others like him may not survive.''

Let me speak directly to Gwendolyn from Arizona: Her Representative may not be fighting on your behalf. As House Democrats, we are here to say to you: We agree. Medicaid matters, and it must be preserved. It must be preserved because Medicaid matters to millions of people all across this great country--to children, to seniors, to people with disabilities, to women, to families, and to people in every corner of the United States of America. Yes, Gwendolyn, Medicaid matters, and if your Representative won't fight for it, we will.

Brenda says to us: ``My youngest child is a nonverbal 43-year-old female with autism who has been on Medicaid since she was 12. She has had three major surgeries and six or more outpatient surgeries, all made possible because of Medicaid. We would not have been able to get our daughter what she needed if it wasn't for Medicaid.

``She also has a seizure disorder and is on several medications. Some of them are way too expensive for us to afford on a blue-collar income. Finding doctors that are good and accept Medicaid are few and far between, but some doctors are better than none and the only way our daughter will get any medical care at all. She is one of the many vulnerable people in society, and caring for her is a full-time job for myself and her father, who are both retired and are full-time care providers for her.

``I am not sure why anyone would want to take this help and service from people whose very life depends on the help it provides.''

That is a powerful and profound question: Why would anyone in this House vote to take away Medicaid from the American people amongst the most vulnerable here in the United States of America?

Brenda, from Arizona, lives in Arizona's Sixth Congressional District, represented by my colleague, Congressman Juan Ciscomani.

Garrett, also from Arizona--I am still in the A section right now, so strap in as we make sure we lift up the voices of everyday Americans all across this country. It is important that we take note. This isn't abstract, taking away healthcare from the American people. It is concrete. It is real. It has devastating implications.

Garrett says: ``I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Thanks to Medicaid, I was able to undergo multiple surgeries that significantly improved my ability to walk, transforming both my mobility and daily life. Relying on Medicaid, SNAP in the past, and SSI, I worry about what would happen to me and my friends if these programs were taken away. Without them, I wouldn't be able to keep up with doctors' appointments, medications, and transportation.''

Earlier today, my distinguished colleague from the great Commonwealth of Virginia read a passage of Scripture. It was one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Matthew 25 and 35 through 40. Later on this morning, as I continue my remarks, perhaps I will have the opportunity to go a little deeper into the meaning of Matthew 25 and 35. What I can say is that all of us should be trying to lift up the least, the lost, the left behind, the poor, the sick, and the afflicted.

Garrett tells us: ``I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth.''

The first thing that jumped out to me when I read this was that we are all God's children, and we should be looking after all God's children to the best of our ability, not running away from them and undermining their quality of life.

Garrett, we are going to continue to stand up and work hard on your behalf.

Nancy from California--that is a great name. Nancy from California, writes: ``My two special health needs former foster children depend on Medicaid for a dizzying array of health services, ranging from over 20 pediatric medical specialists and palliative care to behavioral health and occupational therapies. They both have rare, incurable, disabling diseases that require IEPs to navigate school.''

She continues but I want to pause right there. I think that is an important point, talking about her children and the IEPs to navigate school. We should be looking out for children like Nancy's two beautiful, former foster care children, her two special health needs children, as she calls them. It is one of the reasons why the Department of Education is important. Public schools are important. Nothing in this bill supports public education.

In fact, this one, big, ugly bill represents an attack on public education, and that is not consistent with what we should be doing as we prepare to celebrate our 249th birthday and lifting up this pursuit of happiness.

Nancy continues: ``The ACA protections for preexisting conditions and the removal of lifetime caps are also essential. My youngest child required medical care that I simply cannot afford, costing between $750,000 and $1 million per year, depending on how stable her health is. I work part time, but the caregiver burden is too demanding for me to maintain a full-time job. As a single, widowed mother, Medicaid has become a lifeline for keeping my kids as well as possible.''

Nancy lives in California's First Congressional District represented by my colleague, Congressman Doug LaMalfa.

Laura lives in the Central Valley of California, an area of the country with the highest concentration of Medicaid recipients, the highest concentration of Medicaid recipients.

``I have been raising my six grandchildren for 15 years and they are coming of age, but not many jobs are available. Also, my 16-year-old grandson depends on Medicaid and EBT to survive. He takes many medications a day.''

If you are not going to respect my ability to speak, respect the story that I am telling on behalf of Laura. Respect her story because her story matters. Her story matters and the American people matter.

``He takes many medications a day. I am too old to do anything but take care of him. I can't imagine choosing what medicines he gets or who gets to eat. Please reconsider for the people who need medication that is necessary for survival. Universal access to food and meds would lighten the worry that we carry. Not having to worry about food and medicines gives me more time to care for my 26-year old grandson who was quadriplegic due to a head-on collision last year. Please don't make him suffer any more. He needs food supplements and many medications every day to survive.''

Laura lives in California's 22nd Congressional District, a district that is represented by my colleague, Congressman David Valadao. This happens to be the district that has the highest concentration of Medicaid recipients in this country.

Laura, I don't know what your Congress Member is going to do. Every single House Democrat is fighting hard to protect your Medicaid. We value you, and we are working hard to defend it.

Jacki is from the Orange County area of California.

``My son is 34 years old. He has Down syndrome and autism and lives at home with his aging parents--dad, 82, and mom, 71. His biggest joys in life for him are his day program and eating out. How small are his desires, and you want to take that away from him.

``He requires much care: bathing, shaving, washing hair, brushing teeth, dressing, et cetera. His aging parents can do the job required for this 100 percent of the time. He has great caregivers right now, and they have been with him for many years.

``Now you want to take that away from us. Please know that Medicaid, Medi-Cal is what allows us to keep him in a safe and happy environment that he will not get anywhere else and for a whole lot less money. Why should that change for him? Please be respectful of families who have high-need family members who need these services. Thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of my son and everyone who loves him.''

Jacki lives in California's 40th Congressional District, a district represented by my colleague, Congresswoman Young Kim.

Kayla writes to us from Colorado: ``At 26, I was diagnosed with brain cancer, a discovery I was only able to make because of Medicaid. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to get the treatment I need to survive. That diagnosis changed my life, and while I am grateful to be here, I can no longer work. Now, I rely on disability benefits, food stamps just to get by. These programs are the only reason I am able to live. Without this support, I don't know how I would manage.''

Kayla lives in Colorado's Second Congressional District, a district represented by the assistant Democratic leader, Joe Neguse.

Kayla, I can say to you that your Congress Member is fighting hard to protect you, just like every single member of the House Democratic Caucus.

Ashley writes to us from Colorado and says: ``My life was saved by the Affordable Care Act. Because of this act, I was able to stay on my parents' health insurance when I couldn't get any coverage. At the time, I was dealing with a myriad of health issues and would eventually be diagnosed with multiple chronic illnesses.

``Because of the ACA, when my husband and I were married, I was able to be added to his insurance without being denied due to preexisting conditions. Prior to the act being passed, I was denied coverage and care many times. If I was even approved for coverage, it cost me thousands per month in premiums. I was being penalized, Mr. Speaker, for being sick. There were many times when I could not get coverage that I had to choose between which prescriptions I would get to have or whether I would get all of my meds or the groceries we needed.

``You know, there are far too many people in the United States of America right now, before experiencing the devastating consequences of this one big, ugly bill, who have to choose between putting food on the table, clothing on their backs, access to medication, or paying the rent. The United States of America is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Not a single hardworking American taxpayer should ever have to choose between food or medicine or rent or putting clothing on their back. Not a single hardworking American taxpayer should ever have to make that choice.

``If people did not have to worry about healthcare being accessible, they would be able to be seen when necessary, and when people are able to see doctors when they are unwell, they can stay healthy for longer periods of time. When people can stay healthy, they don't miss work. When people don't miss work, they don't risk losing their jobs.

``The way things work now only encourages the constant classist act of keeping the sick and poor sick and poor. This should never ever be the situation in a country that claims to have the best functioning economy in the world, the best doctors, the best universities.''

Ashley lives in Colorado's Third Congressional District, represented by my colleague, Congressman Jeff Hurd.

Ann also writes from Colorado: ``Through the Medicaid waiver, Scott Anson was placed in a group living situation that worked out for a while but was eventually kicked out. After that, he moved back in with me but ended up homeless once more before finally being placed back on a Medicaid waiver program.

``Now he is doing really well. His job, which he loves, also receives funding through Medicaid so that people with disabilities can be employed and be productive members of the community. Without Medicaid, he probably wouldn't be alive today. Without this assistance, we likely wouldn't be where we are now, and I doubt that there would be a happy ending to this story.''

Anne lives in Colorado's Sixth Congressional District, a district represented by our colleague, Congressman Jason Crow, who is also fighting hard to protect your interests, as every single one of us in the House Democratic Caucus will continue to do.

We believe, in America, healthcare is not simply a privilege that should be afforded to the wealthy, the well-off, and the well- connected. It is a right that should be available to everyone, a right that is still imperfect at this moment that we are working hard to perfect. This one big, ugly bill, the largest attack on healthcare, Mr. Speaker, in the United States of America, moves us in the opposite direction.

Daniella is also from Colorado. She writes to us: ``Medicaid has been a lifeline for our family, especially for my 5-year-old daughter who has autism.''

That is the thing, Mr. Speaker, Medicaid is important for so many Americans all across this country, including people with disabilities. It is a necessary lifeline so that parents can help their children live a better life with dignity and respect.

Why would any legislation that this House passes attack healthcare available to families that are pouring in everything they have to help their child under difficult circumstances live the best possible life? It perplexes me, Mr. Speaker, that this bill would go after the healthcare of people like Daniella and her 5-year-old daughter.

Daniella says: ``As parents we have faced many struggles trying to balance full-time work, starting a real estate business, and still being there for our three other children. It has been overwhelming at times, and finding the right support for her hasn't always been easy, but Medicaid has provided therapy and services that have made a world of difference in her life.

``These therapies have helped her make progress, feel seen, and connect with her peers, which means everything to us. It has allowed her to be a part of the world, to feel included, and to overcome obstacles that seemed insurmountable at times.

``Medicaid has helped us give her the opportunities she deserves and millions of other children in the United States.''

Mr. Speaker, Daniella lives in Colorado's Eighth Congressional District, a district currently represented by Congressman Gabe Evans; currently represented.

Mr. Speaker, we heard from Martha, who writes from Florida: ``I have an adult daughter with developmental and intellectual disabilities who needs Medicaid for her medical care. As a mom, I worry a lot about what the future will hold for her. Will she have access to quality medical care when my husband is no longer able to provide for her? Please, support individuals like my daughter who are vulnerable and need our help. Thank you from my heart.''

Martha lives in Florida's Seventh Congressional District, a district represented by our colleague, Mr. Speaker, Congressman Cory Mills.

We have heard from people from the heartland of this country. In Indiana, Kim writes to us: ``SNAP and Medicaid were lifelines when my children were younger, at least when I was able to get them. As a single mom, working my way up from low-paying jobs, we often had too little food. My dinner was the combined uneaten food from my four kids' plates. Even then, keeping benefits was difficult due to missing or late paperwork, and faxes lost to the ether.

``I sometimes worked three jobs and cried too often when the letter came saying benefits were suspended. When that happens, you end up hungry for weeks until it is straightened out.''

Kim lives in the Ninth Congressional District of Indiana, Mr. Speaker. She says: ``SNAP and Medicaid were lifelines when my children were younger, at least when I was able to get them.''

Let me pause right there for a moment because one of the arguments that I have consistently heard made, Mr. Speaker, by our Republican colleagues on the other side of the aisle is that they weren't going after Medicaid recipients, that no benefits would be taken away as a result of these so-called work requirements.

Let's fact-check that statement. Every independent entity that has looked at this question, including the Congressional Budget Office, has made clear that as a result of the one big, ugly bill, millions of Americans will lose their Medicaid benefits. These so-called work requirements are just a smokescreen because more than 90 percent of the people who receive Medicaid benefits who can work do work right now in the United States of America. Right now, more than 90 percent of recipients work.

What these impositions are are really paperwork requirements that are designed to make it harder for everyday Americans like Kim to access their benefits. As a result, millions of Americans who are eligible, who are hardworking, who are deserving will lose their healthcare.

Kim says: ``I sometimes worked three jobs and cried too often when the letter came saying benefits were suspended.''

As House Democrats, Mr. Speaker, we are here fighting for people like Kim and millions of others like her all across the United States of America who will lose urgently necessary, life-changing, and life- sustaining Medicaid benefits as a result of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill.

We hear from Maria from Iowa in the great heartland of this country. Maria writes to us: ``In 2021, I got seriously sick with COVID. I ended up in a coma for 12 days, spent 3\1/2\ weeks in the ICU, and then another 3 weeks on the recovery floor.''

Mr. Speaker: ``If it wasn't for Medicaid, I wouldn't have received any of the care I needed. I honestly don't know where I would be today. I don't know what my family would have done. Without Medicaid, I wouldn't have made it. If I lost Medicaid, it would completely change my life. I wouldn't be able to afford my insulin, diabetes medication, blood pressure medication, or see my endocrinologist, all of which are life-sustaining treatments. I also need to see my pulmonary specialist regularly. Without Medicaid, my health would deteriorate rapidly.''

That is a statement that applies to millions of Americans all across this great country who are at risk of losing their healthcare because this one big, ugly Republican bill has put a target on their back.

``Without Medicaid, my health would deteriorate.''

I am taking the time to share these stories because this is a question for so many Americans of life and death. It is extraordinary that on the House floor and in the middle of the night, the American people are forced to confront a bill that targets their healthcare and will result in their well-being deteriorating.

More than 17 million Americans are at risk of losing healthcare coverage. Then tens of millions more are experiencing increased premiums, copays, and deductibles as a result of the attack on healthcare in this bill. Many of them will also lose coverage and lose their healthcare.

These are Americans on private insurance or insurance provided by employers. But because of the healthcare attacks in this bill, their premiums, their copays, and their deductibles will go up. Some will not be able to afford it, and they will lose their healthcare.

That is what this bill represents. That is why I am taking the time to share these stories, experiences, concerns, fears, and anxieties of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I wish we had a lot more time to debate this bill. This is the type of bill that under normal circumstances we would have hours and hours of debate. Hundreds of Members could participate on both sides of the aisle and share their thoughts, their perspectives, their ideas, and their passionate support or passionate opposition.

This bill, which by some estimates is larger than the CARES Act, the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act combined in terms of its possible impact on the debt in this country--increasing the debt by more than $3 trillion and saddling our children and grandchildren with that level of extraordinary debt by people who claim to be fiscally responsible--the implications of this bill are enormous.

Yet, each side of the House Committee on Ways and Means was given 15 minutes to discuss the implications of this bill. Each side of the House Budget Committee was given 15 minutes to discuss the implications of this bill that will have devastating consequences for everyday Americans, while rewarding billionaires with massive tax breaks.

Mr. Speaker, it had been my hope that we would be able to have a robust debate, passionate support or passionate opposition, in connection with this bill. My hope was that hundreds of Members on both sides of the aisle could participate in it.

Instead, we have a limited debate where the relevant committees of jurisdiction have been given 15 minutes each on a bill of such significant magnitude as it relates to the health, the safety, and the well-being of the American people.

Because that debate was so limited, I feel the obligation, Mr. Speaker, to stand on this House floor and take my sweet time to tell the stories of the American people. That is exactly what I intend to do.

I will take my sweet time on behalf of the American people, on behalf of their healthcare, on behalf of their Medicaid, on behalf their nutritional assistance, on behalf of veterans, on behalf of farmers, on behalf of children, on behalf of seniors, on behalf of people with disabilities, and on behalf of small businesses.

On behalf of every single American, I am on this House floor after 6 a.m., and I plan to take my sweet time.

``Without Medicaid, I wouldn't have made it. If I lost Medicaid, it would completely change my life. It would also severely affect my husband with epilepsy. Without Medicaid, he wouldn't be able to afford his seizure medications, which means he would have seizures every week like he did before. This would leave him unable to function or work. Before he had Medicaid, he would have a seizure. It would take him days to recover. His health is inconsistent, which makes it hard for him to hold down a job.

``I still have my house, my car, my husband, and my health. Thank God for that. Why should we have to struggle so hard just to live in a country with so much wealth? I am considered one of the lucky ones, and yet I still struggle to make ends meet for the basics.''

That is Maria, pouring her heart out to us, as Members of Congress, about her struggles. She lives in Iowa's First Congressional District, represented by our colleague, Mr. Speaker, Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

``In a country with so much wealth, I am considered one of the lucky ones, and yet I still struggle to make ends meet for the basics.''

Maria makes this important point as we stand on the threshold of the Fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson wrote those immortal words in the Declaration of Independence: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.''

Mr. Speaker, if I am not going to get any love from the other side the aisle, I would expect that at least Thomas Jefferson would. He wrote, in the Declaration of Independence, ``that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.''

What is the pursuit of happiness in the United States of America here in the year of our Lord 2025?

Imagine a country where every single American can afford to live the good life--work hard and play by the rules in order to live the good life. That is the American Dream.

Our concern as Democrats is that, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, there are far too many people like Maria from Iowa who are unable to achieve that American Dream. They are unable, despite working hard and playing by the rules, to live the good life-- good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and a good retirement. That should not be too much to ask for here in the United States of America.

Instead of working to bring that American Dream to life for the greatest number of people all across the country, this one big, ugly bill, Mr. Speaker, that our Republican colleagues are trying to jam down the throats of the American people will undermine their quality of life.

I also heard from Patrick, who lives in the heartland of this country. He is one of the good people of Iowa who says: ``I am a registered nurse in the ICU at the VA hospital in Iowa City. I have worked as a nurse for 30 years, and I am a native Iowan. I have two disabled children who are on Medicaid. My son had a severe brain injury as a child and requires extensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. My daughter is autistic and lives independently in housing provided by Medicaid. Before we had Medicaid, we were bankrupt paying for their treatment. We would go bankrupt again if Medicaid is cut.''

These are complicated systems for people with very complicated needs. These ``commonsense solutions'' they are coming up with are not based in reality. People have tried these work requirements in the past, but even disabled or able-bodied people--we all have barriers, from childcare, transportation, and monetary limitations. It is a foolish idea to think that this won't have a negative impact.

They are just trying to remove people from the program, and it is cruel.

Patrick is correct. I am grateful for his service as a registered nurse at the VA hospital. I am grateful for all that he is doing to love and cherish his two disabled children, who are on Medicaid.

He is exactly right. What is contemplated in this one big, ugly bill is wrong. It is dangerous, and it is cruel. Cruelty should not be either the objective or the outcome of legislation that we consider here in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, cruelty should never be the objective or the outcome of legislation that we consider here in the House of Representatives, but it is cruel to take away Medicaid from the American people. That is why, as House Democrats, we will continue to show up, speak up, and stand up in defense of the healthcare of the American people.

I am thankful for all of my colleagues who are here and who, throughout this process, a difficult process, have stood up over and over and over again on behalf of the healthcare of the American people.

I am thankful for my colleagues in leadership, Whip Katherine Clark, Chair Pete Aguilar, and all the members of House Democratic leadership. I am thankful for the leaders of every single committee who have been battling hard to push back against the cruelty that is in this one big, ugly bill.

I am thankful for the leadership of Richard Neal. I am thankful for the leadership of Frank Pallone. I am thankful for the leadership of Brendan Boyle. I am thankful for the leadership of Angie Craig. I am thankful for the leadership, the principled leadership, of every single member of the House Democratic Caucus.

Above all else, I am just thankful for the spirit and the heart and soul of the American people who have risen up throughout this country to make it clear to all of us in this institution: Keep your hands off our Medicaid. Keep your hands off our healthcare, our Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. Keep your hands off our Medicaid.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to lift up stories on behalf of the American people who don't have the great privilege and honor to stand on this House floor as all of us do, Democrats and Republicans alike, on behalf of the American people in this great institution, the House of Representatives.

To me, what we are doing with this one big, ugly bill is an assault on healthcare, on veterans, and on nutritional assistance. It is an assault on good-paying, clean energy jobs. It is an assault on the high cost of living in the United States of America. All of it is inconsistent with the best of what this House of Representatives should be doing for such a time as this.

I stand here on behalf of everyday Americans like Elizabeth, who is also from Iowa. Elizabeth suffered from sepsis caused by untreated strep throat. After waiting to receive care, while uninsured and without paid sick leave, after receiving the care she needed, she was able to apply for Medicaid and have her medical bills retroactively covered.

Now, Medicaid has allowed her to get access to essential and preventive healthcare. Mr. Speaker, Elizabeth lives in the congressional district represented by our colleague Zach Nunn, Iowa's Third Congressional District.

I thank Elizabeth for highlighting one of the concerns that all of us should have with this bill.

When you launch an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people, when you effectively end Medicaid as we know it, when you gut parts of the Affordable Care Act, what you essentially are doing, by stripping healthcare away from the American people, is putting people like Elizabeth back in the position that she had previously been in, where she has an untreated medical condition that won't get better on its own, will likely get worse, and lead to further medical complications.

Why would we do that to the American people? That is wrong. We should be lifting people up in this country, not tearing them down. We should be lifting up everyday Americans, not tearing them down and putting them at risk of their life, their quality of life, their health, their well-being, getting worse.

We hear from Becky from the great State of Louisiana. By the way, Louisiana is a State with some of the highest percentages of Medicaid recipients of any State in the Union. Louisiana is a State at risk of suffering greatly as a result of the all-out assault on Medicaid that is part of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill.

Becky tells us: ``I have had Medicaid for years, and without it I wouldn't be able to afford to see my doctors or cover what Medicaid doesn't pay. As a senior citizen, I now have to go back to work just to keep a roof over my head, afford rising food and utility costs, and maintain my car. Meanwhile, the government keeps taking more and more out of my Social Security benefits, money I already paid taxes on while working. It feels like the middle class no longer exists. You are either rich or poor. Politicians today have no real understanding of what it is like to struggle every single day. If they had to live like regular people, maybe things would improve for seniors like me.''

Mr. Speaker, Becky lives in Louisiana's Third Congressional District, a district represented by our colleague Representative Clay Higgins.

Louisiana is a State, of course, also represented by my good friend and colleague Congressman Troy Carter, who is with us here in the Chamber, and also Cleo Fields, another good friend and colleague.

Louisiana is a State that stands to suffer mightily as a result of this all-out assault on Medicaid.

Mr. Speaker, I heard my distinguished colleague, the House majority leader, someone who I personally respect for his resilience, his perseverance, and his journey. I think he comes by his views in good faith. It is his perspective. It is the Speaker's perspective.

Yet, many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made the representation that, as House Democrats, we are not telling the truth to the American people about the devastating impact that Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, a bill being rushed through this Chamber, will have on the health and the well-being of people in Louisiana and all across the country.

They have accused us of fear-mongering and making misrepresentations, and so I was surprised to learn, Mr. Speaker, that the Louisiana State Legislature--the Louisiana State Legislature that has a Republican supermajority--the Louisiana State Legislature recently voted to condemn the one big, ugly bill because of the extraordinary attack on Medicaid that will adversely impact their constituents.

We are telling the truth. This one big, ugly bill will hurt everyday Americans in Louisiana and all across the country. Don't take our word for it. Take the word of the Louisiana State Legislature supermajority.

Mr. Speaker, we are here on the House floor taking our sweet time to tell the stories of the American people and the adverse impacts of Trump's one big, ugly bill that my House Republican colleagues, Mr. Speaker, are trying to jam down the throats of the American people, causing great harm to those who we should be working hard to protect, love, and cherish, not adversely impact their ability to live and live life more abundantly.

Tamra, who lives in Louisiana's Fourth Congressional District, represented by the Speaker of this great House: ``I have depression and PTSD. I am unable to work and rely on Medicaid to get my monthly medications to keep me essentially alive.''

Tamra, we are going to continue to fight hard on your behalf.

We heard from Emily, who lives in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Emily tells us: ``I had moved to Massachusetts in 2020 and was working a retail job for minimum wage. I was unable to afford much, but the State, thankfully, approved me for SNAP assistance and Medicaid. Without that jump start, I am not sure where I would be today. There shouldn't be shame or stigma surrounding these programs. You never know when life will get pulled out from underneath you. The relief when these programs can come to your aid is indescribable.''

Emily lives in the Fifth Congressional District of Massachusetts, a district that is represented by House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, who is a strong champion on your behalf, Emily, powerfully, ethically, and principally fighting hard on your behalf.

Kasey lives in the Second Congressional District of Maine, a district represented by Congressman Jared Golden. I am thankful for Congressman Golden's service. He served his Nation with distinction overseas and has come back home to serve this Nation in the United States Congress.

Kasey writes as a single mom of two young children and nonprofit professional in rural Maine, Kasey and her children rely on Medicaid and SNAP to live their lives. The resources and stability provided by Medicaid and SNAP allowed Kasey to leave her emotionally abusive husband and support her children.

Kasey's 7-year-old son has ADHD and is on the autism spectrum and relies heavily on individualized support through Medicaid. If Medicaid goes away, Kasey doesn't know how their family will stay afloat.

The American people are pouring in to us, Democrats and Republicans, in the United States House of Representatives, the people's House, pouring in to us with all of their heart, all of their soul, all of their authenticity, and pleading that this Congress would find it in our hearts to stand up for them and not stand up for billionaires, which is what this one big, ugly bill is designed to accomplish.

Sarah writes to us from Michigan's Fourth Congressional District: ``My daughter has a heart condition, and the fact that she is on Medicaid is the only way that we can pay for her doctor's visits and medications. I am a widow, and money is very tight, so the fact that I am on Medicaid, too, is the only way that I can pay for my own visits and meds. The loss of Medicaid for us would be absolutely devastating.''

Mr. Speaker, Sarah lives in Michigan's Fourth Congressional District, a district currently represented by our colleague, Congressman Bill Huizenga.

``The loss of Medicaid for us would be absolutely devastating.''

That is the consequence of the GOP tax scam. This disgusting abomination, this reckless Republican budget, Mr. Speaker, that Republicans were trying to jam down the throats of the American people during the dead of night, it is extraordinary.

No legislation that we consider in the House of Representatives should be devastating for everyday Americans, either in its objective or in its outcome, but as Democrats, we stand here in strong opposition to this one big, ugly bill because of the devastating consequences that will result to everyday Americans all across this great country.

Lucy writes to us from the heartland, from the great State of Michigan, as well. ``My brother is a developmentally disabled senior who lives in a group home. Until the age of 59, he was cared for by our mother. He cannot live on his own and has numerous health issues. He depends on Medicaid. Without Medicaid, his brothers and sisters could not support his medical care.''

We are hearing from families all across the country: mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives pleading with this Congress, pleading with House Republicans to stand up for their loved ones who are on Medicaid, who are at risk of having their healthcare run over and their lives ruined by the consequences of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill.

Lucy lives in Michigan's Seventh Congressional District, a district currently represented, Mr. Speaker, by our colleague, Representative Tom Barrett.

We have also heard from Sharon who lives in Michigan. ``My daughter is a young woman who was born with cerebral palsy, mild cognitive impairments, and autism. She depends on Medicaid services for her health, safety, and well-being. She is unable to work or take care of herself. She is unable to work or care for herself without help. Without Medicaid, she is totally at risk. Cutting Medicaid to give tax cuts to wealthy billionaires is not only cruel and unethical,'' Sharon writes, ``but it puts vulnerable people, including children, at risk of severe mental and physical health problems. Do the right thing and rescind the drastic cuts to Medicaid for vulnerable people with serious physical disabilities and people with serious and persistent mental health problems.''

Mr. Speaker, Sharon lives in the 10th Congressional District represented by our colleague, Congressman John James. I don't know how the Congressman from the great State of Michigan will vote at the end of the day as it relates to defending people like Sharon, but as Sharon writes--I know what I can say--she says: ``Do the right thing and rescind the drastic cuts to Medicaid for vulnerable people with serious physical disabilities and people with serious and persistent mental health problems.''

Sharon, House Democrats will always do the right thing when it comes to your health, your safety, and your well-being, your Medicaid, and the love and care that you are working hard to provide to your daughter. We will always do the right thing. We are not perfect. No one is, but we will always strive to do the right thing on your behalf.

As I work through these stories in the Midwest, it appears, Mr. Speaker, that I am about halfway through the stories as it relates to Medicaid, Medicaid, Medicaid. It appears that I am halfway through the stories as it relates to Medicaid, but the extraordinary thing about this bill is that it represents such an unprecedented assault on the American people that there are stories that need to be told as it relates to the attack on nutritional assistance for the American people, and I will tell those stories. The stories need to be told as it relates to the attack that has taken place on farmers in this country, and I will tell those stories. The stories need to be told as it relates to the attack on small businesses in this country, and I will tell those stories. The stories need to be told as it relates to the unprecedented assault on veterans in this country. How dare this administration attack veterans who have served this country?

Instead of attacking veterans, we should make sure that every single veteran in this country can live with the dignity and respect that they have earned.

There are stories that need to be told as it relates to the veterans in this country, and there are stories that need to be told as it relates to law-abiding immigrant families.

We have to secure our border. We believe that we have a broken immigration system that should be fixed in a comprehensive and bipartisan way, but we must also stand up for Dreamers and farmworkers and law-abiding immigrant families in this country. We will not abandon our Nation's heritage as a country of immigrants, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. As part of what American exceptionalism has been all about, these are stories that need to be told.

William writes to us from the great State of Minnesota.

I am so thankful for our colleagues from the Minnesota delegation, fighting hard on behalf of that great State.

``I am a 57-year-old man living in central Minnesota. I am a type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic, legally blind, and I suffer from severe nerve damage in my back and legs due to diabetes. I rely on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits to support myself. Any reduction in these programs would severely impact my life and my ability to afford food, pay for my small apartment, and access medical care. Without these benefits, I would be destitute.''

William lives in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District, Mr. Speaker, a district represented by our colleague, Congressman Tom Emmer.

I would say to William that I don't know what the majority whip will ultimately decide to do as it relates to this one big, ugly bill, but we are going to stand up for the things that clearly matter to you. We are going to stand up for Social Security, stand up for your Medicare, stand up for Medicaid, stand up for your SNAP benefits, and stand up for you.

I would also note, parenthetically, it is not rhetorical that we are claiming to stand up for people like William, a 57-year-old man living in central Minnesota. He notes two things that are of interest to me. He says that ``I am a type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic,'' and then also says, ``I rely on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits to support myself,'' which suggests to me that William actually may have been a beneficiary of some of the hard work that has taken place on this side of the aisle.

His life is not perfect. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but as a type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic who is also on Medicare, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, his insulin at this point always and forever will be no more than $35 per month.

That is a downpayment, William, on the type of work we believe needs to be done because we are committed to lowering your costs, despite all the talk that comes from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Mr. Speaker, on day one promising to lower the high costs of living, that costs would go down on day one.

Costs haven't gone down, Mr. Speaker. In the United States of America, costs are going up. Life remains far too expensive, and as a result of some of the reckless policies coming out of the Trump administration, including the Trump tariffs, on-again, off-again, creating so much uncertainty, but certainly will result in thousands of dollars per year in additional costs on everyday Americans.

We are committed to lowering the high costs of living. We are committed to making sure that every single person in this country can afford to live the good life--good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for their children, and a good retirement. We are committed to working hard to make sure that every single American, like William, can afford to live the good life.

This one big, ugly bill does the exact opposite. It doesn't make life more affordable, Mr. Speaker. It makes life more expensive.

Heather from the great State of Minnesota writes: ``Without Medicaid, my three kids and I would have no insurance. I couldn't afford my epilepsy and schizophrenia medications. My kids wouldn't have access to healthcare, including ER visits, physicals, vaccines, and dental cleanings.''

Heather lives in Minnesota's Eighth Congressional District, represented by our colleague, Mr. Speaker, Congressman Peter Stauber.

Lynn writes to us from Missouri, the Show Me State, a State ably represented by Representative Emanuel Cleaver and Representative Wesley Bell. Lynn writes to us and says: ``I am a widow, near 70, with very little family left and have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I have an adult son severely disabled. He already has lost transportation services due to low Medicaid funding. If Medicaid is cut, it will be disastrous for my situation.'' Lynn knows that this one big, ugly bill puts a target on the back of Medicaid.

One of the Senators from the great State of Missouri, Senator Josh Hawley, spent months warning about the damage that Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill would do to the people of Missouri as a result of the all-out assault on Medicaid and then turned around and voted to cut Medicaid from his constituents.

It is so shocking, so disappointing, so heartbreaking for many Americans that a lot of people in the House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, and a lot of people in the Senate have talked a good game about Medicaid but then turned around and done nothing to protect it. That is shameful. It disgusts me because I want to believe in the good faith of every Member to look out for the people that they are privileged to serve.

Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill is an all-out assault on healthcare, an all-out assault on Medicaid, with the largest cut to Medicaid in American history.

This legislation will end Medicaid as we know it. Millions of people will lose their healthcare. Hospitals will close, including in rural America. People will lose their nursing homes. One in four nursing homes may close as a result of this dangerous and extreme Republican budget.

Community-based health clinics, relied upon by many people all across this country, will shutter. As a result of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, people in this country will die unnecessary deaths. That is unacceptable. That is unconscionable. That is un-American.

That is why, as House Democrats, we stand on this floor aggressively pushing back for the everyday Americans, on their behalf, pushing back on their behalf because they will be so absolutely devastated if this bill were to pass in the House of Representatives.

Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill hurts everyday Americans and rewards billionaires with massive tax breaks.

Why is it that every time, Mr. Speaker, Republicans have the opportunity to govern in a partisan way, Republicans immediately race to legislation that provides massive tax breaks for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected in this country. We have seen this happen all over time.

During the Presidency of Ronald Reagan, massive tax cuts for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected added to our Nation's debt and deficit.

During the Presidency of George W. Bush, in 2001 and 2003 yet again, there were massive tax cuts for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected.

In fact, the Republican President at that time in 2001 inherited a budget surplus from President Bill Clinton and immediately turned around and took that budget surplus and turned it into a deficit. He exploded the debt.

Don't ever lecture us about fiscal responsibility--not now, not ever. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are not the party of fiscal responsibility. They are the party of fiscal irresponsibility over and over and over again.

Now, with this bill, they have taken it to a whole other level because in addition to exploding the debt by more than $3 trillion--and by some estimates even more than that--they are saddling our children and our grandchildren with trillions of dollars in additional debt.

Why? It appears to subsidize the lifestyles of the rich and shameless. That is extraordinary to me. It shouldn't be surprising because it is exactly what we saw during the first 4 years of the Trump administration where the signature legislative accomplishment was the 2017 GOP tax scam where, by some estimates, 83 percent of the benefits would go to the wealthiest 1 percent in this country, saddling, at the time, our children and grandchildren with more than $2 trillion in additional debt.

Yet, Mr. Speaker, many of our Republican colleagues want to lecture America about fiscal responsibility and then have the nerve to come to the House floor and try to jam a bill down the throats of the American people with a debate that began at 3:28 a.m. that would saddle them with more than $3 trillion in additional debt to provide massive tax breaks to billionaires in this country, and then pay for some of it by going after working-class Americans, everyday Americans, hardworking American taxpayers, middle-class Americans, children, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, Trump's one big, ugly bill is obscene in that regard.

It seems to me that all of us have a responsibility as leaders to try to make life better for the American people. That is what leaders have done, particularly those who have served in the White House, when it comes to actually lifting up the people who we are entrusted to represent. That is what great leaders do, leaders like FDR, President Johnson, President Obama, and so many others. That is what the track record says.

The American people in this country deserve real leadership. What we have seen from complete Republican rule in Washington, D.C., Mr. Speaker, is not leadership that lifts up the American people. It is leadership that is tearing them down and tearing us apart. The first 6 months of this administration have been characterized by chaos, cruelty, and corruption. That is not real leadership.

We know what real leadership looks like in the United States of America. Real leadership shows courage. Real leadership shows compassion. Real leadership shows commitment, working with Congress as a separate and coequal branch of government, not to bend the knee to some extreme agenda, which is what, Mr. Speaker, my House Republican colleagues are doing by supporting this one big, ugly bill. Real leadership requires working with Congress as a separate and coequal branch of government to actually lift people up.

Mr. Speaker, when President Lincoln addressed the House of Representatives--I believe it was his second annual message to Congress on December 1, 1862, in the middle of the Civil War, an existential crisis that we were facing in the United States of America--he showed real leadership when he summoned this Congress to rise to the occasion.

In that second annual message to Congress on December 1, 1862, President Lincoln said:

``Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.

``We say we are for the Union. The world will not forget that we say this. We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it.

``We--even we here--hold the power and bear the responsibility. In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free--honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of Earth.''

That is America: Even to this day, the last best hope of Earth.

It is extraordinary that Abraham Lincoln, in America's infancy, understood the importance of this country, not just for its citizens but for the world. He urges Congress:

``We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of Earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just--a way which, if followed, the world will ever applaud, and God must forever bless.''

That is Presidential leadership. That kind of leadership is missing in the United States of America right now.

Exhibit A is the fact that, at President Trump's urging, Mr. Speaker, our House Republican colleagues are here and ready to recklessly rubberstamp legislation that will rip healthcare away from more than 17 million Americans.

That is not leadership. That is not the leadership that this country deserves, but that is what the American people are experiencing because of Republican rule here in Washington, D.C. Yet, we know, Mr. Speaker, that things can be different.

At the very beginning of the preamble of the United States Constitution, those words are written:

``We, the people, in order to form a more perfect Union.''

I like that.

``We, the people, in order to form a more perfect Union.''

That is a recognition of the aspirational objective that all of us should have. It is part of our sacred charge to make life better for the American people while also acknowledging that at its birth and even to this day, America is not a perfect country. The gift that we have been given is that sacred charge to strive for a more perfect Union and to look out for every single American as best we can.

We have seen that kind of leadership across the years, across the decades, and across the centuries, particularly as it relates to the social safety net that is under extreme assault right now. Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill represents an unprecedented assault on America's social safety net and an unprecedented assault on hardworking taxpayers.

It is the exact opposite of the type of leadership we have seen in this country that is designed to march us toward a more perfect Union. It is one of the reasons why we can't forget American history. We need to learn from and lift up American history, as well as all types of history.

I will address that issue later, but let me also parenthetically make it clear. Black history is American history. We will never let anyone erase it. We need to learn from it and not erase it. We will never let that happen.

Our history teaches us that what leadership actually does is set us on a course toward a more perfect Union. Leaders have recognized that part of doing that is to make sure we are there for everyday Americans who would otherwise find themselves in an incredibly vulnerable situation.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, reflecting upon Social Security, which he championed, uttered these words:

``Long before the economic blight of the Depression descended on the Nation, millions of our people were living in wastelands of want and fear. Men and women too old and infirm to work either depended on those who had but little to share or spent their remaining years within the walls of a poorhouse. Fatherless children early learned the meaning of being a burden to relatives or to the community. Men and women, still strong, still young, but discarded as gainful workers, were drained of self-confidence and self-respect.

``The millions of today want, and have a right to, the same security their forefathers sought: the assurance that with health and the willingness to work they will find a place for themselves in the social and economic system of the time.

``Because it has become increasingly difficult for individuals to build their own security single-handed, government must now step in and help them lay the foundation stones, just as government in the past has helped lay the foundation of business and industry. We must face the fact that in this country we have a rich man's security and a poor man's security and that the government owes equal obligations to both. National security is not a half-and-half manner. It is all or none.''

President Roosevelt further went on to say: ``The Social Security Act offers to all our citizens a workable and working method of meeting urgent present needs and of forestalling future need. It utilizes the familiar machinery of our Federal-State Government to promote the common welfare and the economic stability of the Nation. The act does not offer anyone, either individually or collectively, an easy life, nor was it ever intended so to do. None of the sums of money paid out to individuals in assistance or in insurance will spell anything approaching abundance. But they will furnish that minimum necessity to keep a foothold, and that is the kind of protection Americans want.''

Truer words could never have been spoken. That is the type of protection that we should be building upon here in the United States Congress, not undermining.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt went on to say: ``What we are doing is good, but it is not good enough. To be truly national, a social security program must include all those who need its protection. Today, many of our citizens are still excluded from old-age insurance and unemployment compensation because of the nature of their employment. This must be set aright, and it will be.''

He continues to say to the American people: ``I am hopeful that on the basis of studies and investigations now underway, the Congress will improve and extend the law. I am also confident that each year will bring further development in Federal and State Social Security legislation, and that is as it should be. One word of warning, however. In our efforts to provide security for all of the American people, let us not allow ourselves to be misled by those who advocate shortcuts to Utopia of fantastic financial schemes.

``We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. There is still today a frontier that remains unconquered, an America unclaimed. This is the great, the nationwide frontier of insecurity, of human want and fear. This is the frontier--the America--we have set ourselves to reclaim.''

President Franklin D. Roosevelt pioneered Social Security but recognized that the work was unfinished, even as it related to making sure every single American, regardless of race or position in life, would have Social Security to be able to live out their golden years with grace and dignity.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt talked about this frontier that America must continue to pursue, conquering the ``frontier of insecurity, of human want and fear.''

That is leadership. That is what we should be doing here in the United States of America, Mr. Speaker, not enacting devastating cuts to healthcare that will hurt millions of everyday Americans.

All of this is also unfolding in an environment where Social Security is now under attack. That is extraordinary to me. Social Security is a sacred promise. It is a sacred trust between the American people and its stewards, her stewards, in government.

That is why I am so thankful for leadership as it relates to Social Security, for people like Congressman John Larson, who recognizes that leadership is not attacking Social Security. We, as House Democrats, led by John Larson, are determined to protect and strengthen Social Security for the American people, keeping FDR's promise of conquering that frontier of financial insecurity.

That is what we should be doing in the United States Congress, not attacking the social safety net, Mr. Speaker. Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle constantly call things like Social Security and Medicare entitlement programs. They label Social Security and Medicare entitlement programs.

By the way, as a result of this one big, ugly bill, Medicare will be cut potentially by more than $500 billion. The largest cut to Medicare in American history will be set in motion by Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, and now cosigned, it appears, by House Republicans.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have also cosigned this extraordinary assault on Social Security, closing offices, cutting off access to phone service, making it harder for seniors to access their hard-earned benefits.

Social Security is not an entitlement program. Medicare is not an entitlement program, Mr. Speaker. I learned this very early on in life. When I was 15 years old, I secured my first job. I was a messenger traveling from office to office in Midtown Manhattan delivering mail and delivering packages. I was just a sophomore at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, when I got my first job, earning minimum wage, $3.35 an hour. I was thankful for that money, having been raised by my mom and dad in a working-class neighborhood in central Brooklyn. It was $3.35 an hour. I was coming of age in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic in central Brooklyn.

I couldn't wait to get my first check. I was told because I was working part-time and I was a high school student that the money that I made would not be taxed. So as I was anticipating that first check, I multiplied the amount that I was making, $3.35 per hour, by the number of hours that I expected to work during that pay period. I calculated the total, and, Mr. Speaker, that money was already spent.

I couldn't wait to go to Albee Square Mall in Brooklyn and get some new sneakers so I could look fresh like Run-DMC. The money was already spent, Mr. Speaker, because I was told that as a high school student working part-time, my first job, the money that I would make would not be taxed.

Then I got my first check, and I had two questions, Mr. Speaker: Who is FICA, and why is he taking my money?

Mr. Speaker, what I learned is that every single American, from your first job to every single job that you hold until your last job, pays into Social Security and Medicare through FICA.

Social Security and Medicare aren't entitlement programs. They are earned benefits, earned benefits that people work hard for, and earn throughout their entire life. They are benefits that they deserve.

So keep your hands off Social Security and Medicare, the earned benefits of the American people. Hands off these earned benefits.

It is extraordinary that as a result of this one big, ugly bill, Medicare could be cut by more than $500 billion and these earned benefits of the American people could be jeopardized.

Others have noted that because of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, the insolvency of Social Security and Medicare could be accelerated. This is the exact opposite of that sacred charge that President Franklin D. Roosevelt articulated to the Nation as he reflected upon the important first step that was taken with the establishment of Social Security.

He is not the only one. This is a great country, an exceptional country. There are so many examples of what leadership actually looks like, leadership that we are not seeing right now from the majority in the House of Representatives, leadership that we did not see on the Republican side of the aisle in the United States Senate in passing this disgusting abomination, and certainly we are not seeing this level of leadership coming out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

I am thankful that we have examples of leadership echoing throughout our history that we can reflect upon and be inspired by as we navigate our way through these challenging times.

President Truman was from the great State of Missouri, Emmanuel Cleaver's State, the good Reverend Dr. Emanuel Cleaver, my friend and my mentor. Mr. Truman, shortly after ending World War II--we are so thankful for the sacrifice, the bravery, and the courage of the Greatest Generation. A few months after, he unexpectedly became President, he replaced the great FDR. On November 19, 1945, he delivered a special message to Congress recommending a comprehensive health program.

I want to read just a few of those words because it shows us what leadership actually looks like, what it sounds like, what it feels like to have Presidential leadership that we in Congress should aspire to working with, as opposed to bending the knee to an extreme agenda reflected in this one big, ugly bill.

President Truman said to this Congress in a statement recommending a comprehensive health program: ``Millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and to enjoy good health. Millions do not now have protection or security against the economic effects of sickness. And the time has now arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and help them get that protection.''

President Truman goes on to say: ``Our new Economic Bill of Rights should mean health security for all, regardless of residence, station, or race--everywhere in the United States.''

He says: ``regardless of residence, station, or race.'' That is Presidential leadership that brings people together. It doesn't seek to divide us, which is what, unfortunately, is happening in the United States of America right now.

President Truman goes on to say to Congress: ``We should resolve now that the health of this Nation is a national concern; that financial barriers in the way of attaining health shall be removed; that the health of all its citizens deserves the help of all the Nation.''

Truman goes on to articulate the challenges that exist in America as it relates to illnesses. He articulates several of them. He talks about the deficiencies in healthcare that existed across America and the fact that in the aftermath of World War II, it was clear that so many people without coverage were medically infirm. He made clear that is unacceptable in the United States of America.

He articulated a forward-looking vision for universal healthcare; an aspirational vision. It was a vision designed to lift the American people up, not rip healthcare away from them, which is what this one big, ugly bill will do, ripping healthcare away from more than 17 million Americans.

That is shameful. It disgusts me that we are on the floor of the House of Representatives right now having to push back so aggressively against an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people when we should be trying to lift them up in a manner consistent, Mr. Speaker, with what President Truman once charged this Congress with doing.

Of course, he wasn't the only one. We are thankful for other leaders who worked with this Congress in prior years to actually advance the health, safety, and well-being of the American people.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson, in connection with the Great Society, was inspired, in part, by his own experiences growing up in the hill country of Texas and seeing rural poverty and the devastating impacts of it. It was something that he was inspired to address, as opposed to this one big, ugly Republican bill that will result in rural hospitals closing in the United States of America. That is not the type of leadership that this country needs or that rural America needs. I am thankful that we have examples of the type of leadership that hopefully, Mr. Speaker, we can aspire to achieve in this country.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson, in connection with the signing of Medicare and Medicaid, spoke to the American people.

He said: ``Because the need for this action is plain; and it is so clear indeed that we marvel not simply at the passage of this bill, but what we marvel at is that it took so many years to pass it. And I am so glad that Amy Forand is here to see it finally passed and signed--one of the first authors.

``There are more than 18 million Americans over the age of 65. Most of them have low incomes. Most of them are threatened by illness and medical expenses that they cannot afford.

``And through this new law, Mr. President, every citizen will be able, in his productive years when he is earning, to insure himself against the ravages of illness in his old age.''

President Johnson was referring to President Harry Truman, who was there at the signing ceremony, having recognized President Truman's vision.

He says: ``And through this new law, Mr. President, every citizen will be able, in his productive years when he is earning, to insure himself against the ravages of illness in his old age.''

That was the beauty of Medicare. You pay into it. It is an earned benefit, and you can reap the benefits in your golden years.

President Johnson went on to say: ``This insurance will help pay for care in hospitals, in skilled nursing homes, or in the home.''

It is ironic. That is what Presidential leadership looks like.

LBJ says: ``This insurance will help pay for care in hospitals, in skilled nursing homes, or in the home.''

Yet, Mr. Speaker, we are here 60 years later, and Republicans are trying to jam a budget down the throats of the American people that will close hospitals, close nursing homes, and detonate the ability of millions of people to access home care.

That is shameful. It is not the type of leadership that this country needs right now, but that is what we are getting: chaos, cruelty, and corruption.

President Johnson went on to talk about Medicaid, which is the subject of an all-out assault now by this reckless Republican budget, the GOP tax scam, this one big, ugly bill.

I will make sure that the Record reflects what enlightened leadership had to say about Medicaid: ``The benefits under the law are as varied and broad as the marvelous modern medicine itself. If it has a few defects--such as the method of payment of certain specialists--then I am confident those can be quickly remedied, and I hope they will be.

``No longer will older Americans be denied the healing miracle of modern medicine. No longer will illness crush and destroy the savings that they have so carefully put away over a lifetime so that they may enjoy dignity in their later years. No longer will young families see their own incomes, and their own hopes, eaten way . . .

``No longer will this Nation refuse the hand of justice to those who have given a lifetime of service and wisdom and labor to the progress of this progressive country.''

Medicare and Medicaid benefit older Americans right now, people who have given a lifetime of service and wisdom and labor to the progress of this progressive country, as LBJ spoke to.

In this bill, Mr. President--again, a nod to President Harry Truman-- is even broader than that. It will increase Social Security benefits for all of our older Americans. It will improve a wide range of health and medical services for Americans of all ages.

Then President Lyndon Baines Johnson leans in on the importance of Medicaid with a greater degree of precision. He says: ``But there is another tradition that we share today. It calls upon us never to be indifferent toward despair. It commands us never to turn away from helplessness. It directs us never to ignore or to spurn those who suffer untended in a land that is bursting with abundance.''

This is not just our tradition or even the tradition of the Nation. It is as old as the day it was first commanded: ``Thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, unto thy poor, and to thy needy in thy land.''

Is that what we are doing here today in the United States Congress, opening our hands of grace and compassion and responsibility to our fellow Americans, our fellow citizens?

No. That is not what Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill is all about. It is an assault on everyday Americans to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks. That is extraordinary.

President Clinton in the 1990s talked about the Children's Health Insurance Program, a program designed to make sure that children in this country would have access to the medical care they needed to live a life of dignity and respect. It is extraordinary to me, Mr. Speaker, that in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, the eligibility for the Children's Health Insurance Program will also be diminished as part of an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people.

I thought it not robbery in the time that I have that we lift up the original spirit of the Children's Health Insurance Program. President Clinton said to the Nation: ``Because we have acted, millions of children across this country will be able to get medicine, and have their sight and hearing tested, and see dentists and doctors for the first time. Millions of young Americans will be able to go on to college. Millions of Americans not so young will be able to go back to school to get the education and training they need to succeed in life. Millions of families will have more to spend on their own children's needs and upbringing. This budget is an investment in their future and in America's.''

Budgets are moral documents. In our view, Mr. Speaker, budgets should be designed to lift people up. This reckless Republican budget that we are debating right now on the floor of the House of Representatives tears people down. This reckless Republican budget is an immoral document, and everybody should vote ``no'' against it because of how it attacks children and seniors and everyday Americans and people with disabilities.

This reckless Republican budget is an immoral document, and that is why I stand here on the floor of the House of Representatives with my colleagues and the House Democratic Caucus to stand up and push back against it with everything we have on behalf of the American people.

In the spirit of John Lewis: ``Show up, stand up, and speak up for what we know is right.'' It is an immoral document that we are debating right now in the House of Representatives.

This budget also represents an attack on the Affordable Care Act. For some reason, Republicans have been obsessed, Mr. Speaker, with attacking the Affordable Care Act, gave it the nickname ObamaCare, but the great Jim Clyburn flipped the script and said, yes, it is ObamaCare because President Barack Obama cares about the American people just like we do as House Democrats.

That is not what is being reflected right now on the other side of the aisle. We care about the American people. We care about their health. We care about their safety. We care about their well-being. I am proud to stand here on the floor saying, yeah, we are going to continue to defend ObamaCare until the very end no matter what it takes.

President Obama spoke to this Congress, as well, talked about Presidential leadership. We have seen it year after year, decade after decade, century after century. President Lincoln, President Roosevelt, President Truman, President Johnson, President Clinton, and President Obama lifted up the American people on the healthcare issue. I think it is important that these words, as well, continue to echo out throughout America.

President Obama said: ``There is still tremendous hardship all across the country, but there is a sense that we are making progress because of you. But even before this crisis''--he, of course, speaks about the Great Recession. ``But even before this crisis, each and every one of us knew there were millions of people across America who were living their own quiet crises. Maybe because they had a child who had a preexisting condition and no matter how desperate they were, no matter what insurance company they called, they couldn't get coverage for that child. Maybe it was somebody who had been forced into early retirement, in their fifties, not yet eligible for Medicare, and they couldn't find a job, and they couldn't find health insurance despite the fact that they had some sort of chronic condition that had to be tended to. . . . And now, we are on the threshold of doing something about it,'' he said to the United States Congress, to Speaker Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi and others, who were great partners in this effort.

He said: ``And now, we are on the threshold of doing something about it. We are a day away.'' This is aspirational leadership. ``After a year of debate, after every argument has been made by just about everybody, we are 24 hours away.''

Referring to his critics that existed at the time, who sat on the other side of the aisle, he said: ``But it may also be possible that they realize after health reform passes and I sign that legislation into law that it is going to be a little harder to mischaracterize what this effort has been all about because, this year, small businesses will start getting tax credits so that they can offer health insurance to employees who currently don't have it; because, this year, those same parents who are worried about getting coverage for their children with preexisting conditions now are assured that insurance companies have to give them coverage this year; because, this year, insurance companies won't suddenly be able to drop your coverage when you get sick or impose lifetime limits or restrictive limits on the coverage that you have.''

President Obama went on to say: ``Maybe they know that this year, for the first time, young people will be able to stay on their parents' health insurance until they are 26 years old.''

The Affordable Care Act was a tremendous step in the right direction. It is aspirational leadership. Tens of millions of Americans now have health insurance coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

This reckless Republican budget, this one big, ugly bill that President Donald Trump has directed my Republican colleagues to sign off on, to recklessly rubberstamp and to bend the knee to even though this bill and its assault on healthcare, on Medicaid, on the Children's Health Insurance Program, on Medicare, and on ObamaCare will rip away healthcare coverage from the people my Republican colleague are here in Washington to represent.

It is extraordinary to me that, as a result of this one big, ugly bill, this all-out assault on healthcare in this country, millions of people are going to lose coverage, thrown off of healthcare, set in motion a chain of events where hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down, people unable to get the care that they need to live a life of dignity and respect.

As a result of the all-out Republican assault on healthcare in the United States of America, people will die, tens of thousands, perhaps year after year after year, as a result of the Republican assault on the healthcare of the American people.

I am sad. I never thought that I would be on the House floor saying that this is a crime scene, and House Democrats want no part of it, no part of it. It is a crime scene going after the health, the safety, and the well-being of the American people. Mr. Speaker, we want no part of it, which is why we are fighting so hard to stop it.

Serving in the United States Congress on this glorious floor, having to be part of a crime scene, it is shameful, an all-out assault on the American people.

President Biden worked hard with many of the people in this Congress who still serve to try and build upon this great legacy, this journey that we have been on, set in motion in modern American Presidential history by FDR; inspired by the great vision of President Truman; enhanced in years that were cut short, far too early, by President Kennedy; and empowered in such an extraordinary way by President Lyndon Baines Johnson; built upon aspirationally by President Jimmy Carter. Then, it advanced to the Children's Health Insurance Program by President Bill Clinton, furthered in such an extraordinary way by President Barack Obama, and then built upon and enhanced by President Biden.

None of us are perfect, but that is part of our march toward a more perfect Union. That is part of the charge that we have as public servants, given that sacred charge in the preamble of the United States Constitution, ``We the people . . . in order to form a more perfect Union,'' leadership that tries to perfect the American journey.

President Biden spoke to this in August 2022. He talked about the challenges, pushing back against special interests that are often the forces trying to stop progress on behalf of the American people. This one big, ugly bill is filled with giveaways to special interests here in Washington, D.C. I am disgusted by that. It is not what lawmaking should be about.

President Biden, reflecting upon the challenges of making progress on behalf of the American people, said, in August 2022: ``And, yet, we have not wavered. We have not flinched. We have not given in. Instead, we are delivering results for the American people.''

``We didn't tear down; we built up. We didn't look back; we looked forward. . . . This law that I am about to sign finally delivers on a promise that Washington has made for decades to the American people. . . . Guess what. We are giving Medicare the power to negotiate those prices,'' lower prices on behalf of the American people.

President Biden goes on to say: ``This means seniors are going to pay less for their prescription drugs, while we're changing circumstances for people on Medicare by putting a cap--a cap of a maximum of $2,000 per year on their prescription drug costs, no matter what the reason for those prescriptions are.

``That means if you're on Medicare, you'll never have to pay more than $2,000 a year, no matter how many prescriptions you have, whether it's for cancer or any other disease. No more than $2,000 a year.''

I don't care who in this town is trying to take credit for something accomplished by others, President Joseph Robinette Biden did that. He did that. He did that as part of our effort to lower costs on behalf of the American people.

None of us are perfect. There is still work to do, but the 46th President of the United States of America did that.

He went on to say: ``The Inflation Reduction Act locks in place lower healthcare premiums for millions of families who get their coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

``Last year, a family of four saved on average $2,400 through the American Rescue Plan that I signed into law that Congress voted in place.''

President Biden is talking about the continuation of our march toward a more perfect Union, the work that we in this Congress, many of us who had the privilege to serve over the last few years did to try to expand and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, ObamaCare, by enhancing the premium tax credits available so that millions of additional Americans would actually have the ability to get access to healthcare.

In this one big, ugly bill, Republicans are setting in motion the explosion of those tax credits that are designed to provide affordable healthcare coverage to the American people.

Leadership requires courage, conviction, and compassion. Yet, what we have seen from this administration and its co-conspirators on the Republican side of the aisle, Mr. Speaker, is cruelty, chaos, and corruption. It has all been morphed into a toxic mix now contained in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, an extraordinary assault on the healthcare of the American people.

I mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker, that I would be taking to the House floor to share stories from the American people, stories that are too numerous to articulate in the time available to us in connection with debating this bill, but I am going to do my best to make sure that we have a representative sample of why so many Americans all across this country went to bed in fear and are now waking up in horror because Republicans are trying to jam this one big, ugly bill down the throats of the American people.

It is an assault on healthcare, an assault on nutritional assistance, an assault on children, an assault on veterans, an assault on farmers, an assault on everyday Americans.

Christal, who is also from the great State of Alaska, said: ``After my husband passed away suddenly, I was unprepared to pay all the bills as a part-time, stay-at-home mom. Working part time while my young girls were in school, I applied for SNAP benefits and was so thankful I received them, for it helped me so much. I was so thankful it put food on our table. I didn't have to worry about how I was going to buy groceries while paying the other bills I had to take care of.

``The SNAP program has helped me many times, and through those times I was struggling financially, and so I am so thankful it was there when I needed it most. I am no longer on the program, but it was one of the biggest blessings in my life during those hard years after my loss. Thank you to the government for helping me. We all need help at times in life, and I think this program should remain available to those who really need it, who are struggling.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Christal for sharing her story with us.

Mr. Speaker, Talese, who wrote to us, lives in Alabama's Fifth Congressional District, a district currently represented by Dale Strong.

I am so thankful for the representation of my good friends, Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures, in the great State of Alabama.

Talese writes to us: ``I am a single mom, doing everything with my one income. My ex-husband refuses to pay child support or split the cost of anything related to my daughter. If it wasn't for SNAP, we would probably have very little in terms of food because I am always running on E. I am so beyond grateful for the assistance.''

Mr. Speaker, Curtis writes to us from the great State of Arizona: ``In my disabled senior status, I would be in a dire nutritional status if not mostly for the SNAP nutritional assistance, a godsend. For so many Americans, that is what SNAP has been, a godsend in a time of need.''

Mr. Speaker, now the nutritional assistance benefits will be ripped away from millions of Americans in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, a bill that Republicans are prepared to recklessly rubber stamp.

We also heard from Diana from the great State of California. Diana writes: ``SNAP has helped my family tremendously during this difficult time. We really appreciate all the help. My husband was diagnosed with cancer, and we have a little one at home. It has been difficult taking care of everything. Please keep this benefit to help people get on their feet.''

Diana lives in the Inland Empire, California's 33rd Congressional District. It is represented by the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Pete Aguilar.

Diana, Pete Aguilar is fighting hard for you, just like every single House Democrat is fighting hard for the American people. We want to protect you as best we can from this cruel assault on nutritional assistance. We are going to continue to fight hard for you.

In Ohio, Julie writes to us: ``I am so thankful for Emilia Sykes and Marcy Kaptur. Marcy Kaptur is the original gangster of the Ohio delegation. She is the longest serving woman in the history of the United States Congress. She is fighting hard on behalf of the people she incredibly represents, along with Emilia Sykes, Shontel Brown, and Greg Landsman.

Of course, all of us know I couldn't leave out my big sister Joyce Beatty. I wanted to mention Joyce because this is part of the resilience of what we have seen from House Democrats.

We saw it from Brittany Pettersen, the distinguished gentlewoman from the great State of Colorado, who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Sam, at the beginning of this year.

Because House Republicans, Mr. Speaker, have refused to allow proxy voting, virtual voting, for expectant mothers and new mothers, throughout this year, shortly after giving birth, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen each and every week, often with her baby boy, Sam, has come to the United States Congress to stand with House Democrats in defense of the American people.

She did it in connection with that first vote that set this whole disgusting abomination into motion in February, that same day.

Kevin Mullin showed up to vote on behalf of the American people. Just like all of us continue to do, Kevin Mullin showed up to vote, despite the fact that he had been experiencing multiple surgeries. He was dealing with some complications. He understood, just like all House Democrats, the need to stand up in this moment and fight hard for the American people. He understood the need to be here throughout this entire toxic journey that Republicans have set us on in connection with this one big, ugly bill.

Kevin Mullin, coming off of multiple surgeries, rolled out of his hospital bed. He got on a plane from northern California and took his wife with him so that she could change his IV on the plane, across the country, to be here and stand with his sisters and brothers and the House Democratic Caucus family to push back against this one, big ugly bill.

I am so thankful and so appreciative to see the great Joyce Beatty who has been battling some issues. She worked her way through them and put off surgeries for as long as she could.

Yet, perhaps against some of the advice that she may have received, she understood, as she said in her own words, the importance of being here on behalf of the American people and to stand up and push back against Trump's one big, ugly bill because it will have devastating consequences for everyday Americans.

I thank Joyce Beatty for her courage, her strength, and her resilience on behalf of the people that she represents in the great State of Ohio and people all across the country. That is what we do as House Democrats, and she is leading by example.

I could tell stories about every single one of us who in this moment recognizes that we have to keep rising to the occasion because of the extraordinary assault that has been launched against the American people by Donald Trump and complete Republican control here in Washington.

Mr. Speaker, let's understand who is doing you in. It is the people on the other side of the aisle. It is not too late. All we need are four Republicans to join us and to show John McCain levels of courage, not on the battlefield as he did in such an extraordinary way. Yes, John McCain was an American hero and patriot.

He was an American hero and patriot. I may have disagreed with him on a whole host of issues, but we cannot disagree with the fact that he was an American patriot and a war hero who served this country overseas.

He came back home after being a POW year after year after year and got elected to the United States House of Representatives.

Did I get that right, Mr. Speaker?

He got elected to the United States House of Representatives. I am just making sure you are paying attention, Mr. Speaker. All good things start in the United States House of Representatives, as far as we are concerned.

Then, he went over to the Senate. In one of his final acts of courage, he pushed back against the efforts to rip away healthcare from millions of Americans.

All we need are four Republicans to show John McCain's levels of courage when it comes to protecting the health, the safety, and the well-being of the American people and protecting the nutritional assistance of the American people.

I think, earlier today, I may have neglected to mention the leadership of Jim McGovern, who has done an extraordinary job leading the charge on the Rules Committee as we pushed back against this all- out assault on the American people.

Hour after hour after hour after hour, Jim McGovern, the members of the Rules Committee, and so many members of the House Democratic Caucus were pushing amendment after amendment, debating hard against this one big, ugly bill on behalf of the American people. Jim McGovern, of course, is a longtime champion for combating hunger in the United States of America. Thankfully, Jim continues to battle hard on behalf of the American people with resilience and strength even in the face of great tragedy.

Julie writes: ``SNAP has been an amazing help to my family. I am very grateful to receive it. I am a single mom of twin 13-year-old girls. I have been on my own with my girls since they were 1 and have never received child support. I do work.''

People who receive Medicaid work. People who receive SNAP work. Some people in this town need to stop lying to the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I said some people in this town need to stop lying to the American people.

Julie said: ``I do work but don't make enough money to cover all of my expenses. It is a big misunderstanding that people on SNAP don't have jobs. My children would eat very poorly if I didn't have SNAP. I would have to rely on church food pantries, and they can only offer the bare minimum. Food banks don't give basics like milk and bread.''

That is Julie's experience. Mr. Speaker, she lives in Ohio's 14th Congressional District, represented by our colleague, Congressman David Joyce.

We heard from Mark from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mark says: ``I have collected Medicaid and SNAP benefits for over a decade now. I may well have found myself in a worse place if not for these programs. Giving freely and charitably is the way of Jesus.''

Mr. Speaker, some people in this Chamber need to hear those words again: ``Giving freely and charitably is the way of Jesus.'' That is someone who is talking like a Matthew 25 and 35 Christian.

He says: ``SNAP and Social Security benefits have been lifesaving for me. They literally keep me alive. I suffer from severe depression, anxiety, and OCD, and I have Asperger's. This is why I am on Social Security and SNAP. I believe everyone should have access to these benefits, and in an ideal world, our communities would be centered around love, harmony, and the protection of each other.''

That is real love, not fake love like promising to love and cherish Medicaid and then turning around and presiding over the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, which is what Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill represents.

Mark says: ``I believe that everyone should have access to these benefits, and in an ideal world, our communities would be centered around love, harmony, and the protection of each other.''

That is the kind of leadership that this country needs and deserves right now, but that is the kind of leadership it is not getting from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Mr. Speaker, Mark lives in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District. I believe that district is represented by our colleague, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.

I want to ask the question: What happened earlier today? How was it that, a few hours ago, several of my Republican colleagues had principled opposition to Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill?

Several hours ago, how is it that so many of our Republican colleagues, Mr. Speaker, had principled opposition to Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill either because of the devastating assault on Medicaid, healthcare, supplemental nutritional assistance; the assault on veterans; the assault on clean energy jobs; the assault on the cost- of-living, which is represented in this bill; or the assault of the fiscal irresponsibility of a bill that will explode the deficit, increase the debt by trillions of dollars, and send us on a death spiral potentially as it relates to our economy?

How is it, Mr. Speaker, that so many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle had principled opposition just a few hours ago and now seem prepared to fold on the floor of the House of Representatives?

Don't you have some responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to say to the American people what happened, what deals were cut, what occurred in the back room?

It will all come out one way or the other, Mr. Speaker.

It is incredible to me that this Congress is on the verge of ripping food out of the mouths of children, veterans, and seniors as a result of this one big, ugly bill in order to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks and exploding the debt in the process.

I mentioned earlier in my remarks that as House Democrats, we envision a different country than the one that is being ravaged by such extremism right now. We imagine a country where every single American can afford to live the good life, have a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and a good retirement. You work hard, play by the rules, and live the good life. That is the America that we should be working hard right now to bring about for every single American.

We know there are far too many Americans in this country struggling to live paycheck to paycheck.

Mr. Speaker, that should not be the case in this country, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, a country that has become far too expensive for far too many people.

Donald Trump promised to lower the high cost of living on day one. He made that promise to the American people. He made that promise. It didn't happen on day one. It hasn't happened on month one, month two, month three, month four, month five, or month six. It is not happening, Mr. Speaker. Costs aren't going down. Costs are going up in the United States of America.

Life is becoming more expensive. It seems to me that in this great country, this Congress should be working hard to build an affordable economy for hardworking American taxpayers. That is our plan. That is our vision. That is our goal as House Democrats, an affordable economy for hardworking American taxpayers. Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill will make life more expensive for the American people.

Lynette wrote to us. She is also a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She said: ``I am a single mom of three girls. Although my two older girls are out of the home, they and I struggle. I work full- time, but it is not enough to get by.

``Without the help of SNAP and Section 8, I would not be able to afford anything. I sacrifice every day so my daughters can have food and a place to come home and call home. I get $124 a month in food stamps''--$124 a month in food stamps--``which isn't enough as food prices keep going up. With the little help I do get from the government, I am grateful and blessed.

``Last year, I passed out after a church service and was rushed to the hospital. I didn't have any insurance at this time, but I was treated. However, I could not pay back the services I received, and I still need treatments.

``I have been choosing to pay for rent and food, but I have these bills and other appointments that I need to go to, but I don't have the extra money. And I don't qualify for Medicare, and I don't make enough to get insurance on the marketplace for insurance.''

Lynette says: ``Without the help of SNAP and Section 8, I would not be able to afford anything.''

Mr. Speaker, Lynette resides in Pennsylvania's Seventh Congressional District, a district represented by our colleague Congressman Ryan Mackenzie.

Wendy writes to us from the Commonwealth of Virginia. She says: ``I am a single mother of two children, and due to bone cancer, I now live with a disability and am unable to work.

``I have not only survived cancer but my children and I also survived domestic abuse. I have been making ends meet while not working or receiving any child support for almost 2 years. To my family, SNAP is literally life or death. While I hope that one day my circumstances will improve to the point that I will not need the assistance, for now,'' Wendy tells us, ``it is a lifesaver.''

That is what these safety net programs represent: lifesavers for Americans in need. Instead of protecting these lifesaving programs, these life-sustaining programs, what we see from this one big, ugly bill is that nutritional assistance for the American people will be decimated. As a result, millions of Americans, our fellow Americans, are at risk of going hungry. That is not right in the United States of America. It is not right, and that is why we are fighting hard. It is for people like Wendy who, Mr. Speaker, lives in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, a district represented by Congressman John McGuire.

Jamie is from the great State of Wisconsin, part of the heartland of the United States of America, the magical Midwest, the hardworking people of the great State of Wisconsin. I was privileged to just be there this past weekend.

Jamie said: ``I work. I am a single mom. I need help to feed my kids. All the bills have skyrocketed. I am doing this on my own. Please don't take away SNAP.''

That is a plea that I think is being heard all across this land: Please don't take away SNAP. It is a lifesaver that is being ripped away from the American people as part of this Republican effort, Mr. Speaker, to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires.

Jamie lives in the Third Congressional District of Wisconsin, currently represented, Mr. Speaker, by Congressman Derrick Van Orden.

Healthcare is under assault. Nutritional assistance is under assault. Farmers in this country have also been under assault.

One of the reasons why so many Americans are cynical about our politics of the moment is that there are people who run for office and say one thing and then they do the exact opposite. Many of the policies that we have seen come out of the Trump administration are inconsistent with the rhetorical promises that were made on the campaign trail, Donald Trump and House Republicans promising to look out for people in farm country and then supporting policies that do the exact opposite.

April is from Iowa, a fourth-generation farmer on land her family has worked for almost 125 years in north central Iowa. Then, it says: ``If there is all this uncertainty out there, how can we plan? We need a path forward. It is like changing a tire while we are still driving down the road.''

That is what our farmers are being asked to do: change a tire while they are still driving down the road because of the uncertainty that has been unleashed by an administration far too focused on chaos, cruelty, and corruption. Those are my words.

April goes on to say: ``We are kind of holding our breath for this fall. That is when it will hurt the most farmers. We need trade with Mexico and Canada, too. That is why I think the reciprocal tariffs are going to hurt us more. We get fertilizer from Canada. We get parts and products made in Mexico.''

As House Democrats, we are focused on creating more good-paying jobs and on economic strategies that make sense and are designed to lift up the American people. Yet, I can't find anything in this 900-plus page bill that is actually designed to permanently sustain a positive trajectory for farmers in this country and for everyday Americans.

In fact, the chaotic uncertainty of the economic policies that have been unleashed by the Trump administration and complete Republican rule in Washington, D.C., will have devastating consequences for the American people and for farmers like April.

John writes to us from the great State of North Carolina. He says to us: ``Not many families can say this, Black families, that is, but we've been here for over a hundred years. My great-grandfather, my grandfathers on both sides, and my father were all farmers. Honestly, I cannot understand it. I have not heard anybody from that administration that can tell me anything that makes any sense of what he is causing.''

John further writes: ``You cannot take a chain saw and do surgery. I am going to plant about 50 percent less than I would normally because I don't know what the price is going to be. I don't want to take the risk of putting even more out there.''

What we have seen from the Trump administration, from the so-called DOGE effort, and from our Republican colleagues, Mr. Speaker, is deeply troubling. Republicans are trying to take a chain saw to Social Security, a chain saw to Medicare, a chain saw to Medicaid, a chain saw to the healthcare of the American people, a chain saw to nutritional assistance for hungry children, a chain saw to farm country, and a chain saw to vulnerable Americans.

Yet, as House Democrats, we are here to make clear, Mr. Speaker, that we are determined to take a chain saw to Project 2025--a chain saw--a chain saw to Project 2025 on behalf of the American people. We don't want this country to go backward. We want this country to go forward, and so, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes, we are going to take a chain saw to the Republicans' Project 2025. That is what we are prepared to do.

I thank John from North Carolina.

There is one last farmer whose voice I want to elevate at this moment, and then I would like to have a discussion anchored around some of the things that our Republican colleagues, Mr. Speaker, have said during this entire process, correspondence that has been written by Republicans as it relates to this one big, ugly bill, correspondence that I am struggling to understand now because it appears that almost every single House Republican is prepared to recklessly rubberstamp Donald Trump's extreme agenda and sign off on this one big, ugly bill.

I am going to go through some of the correspondence momentarily that maybe, at some point, our Republican colleagues can help us figure out.

I will enter into the Record one last story from a farmer. Can we respect the farmers in the United States of America? Can we respect them? We began this country as an agrarian economy. We should respect the farmers in this country as I am telling their stories on the eve of our 249th birthday. Can we respect the farmers in this country who we are working hard to defend?

Suzie is from Missouri in a district, Mr. Speaker, represented by Ways and Means chairman, our colleague, Jason Smith. She writes to us, and she says that Suzie and her husband moved back to her family farm over two decades ago where they raised their children, including a son with complex medical needs who relies on Medicaid for essential therapies and care.

Over the years, Suzie has seen firsthand how Medicaid has been a lifeline for families like hers, especially in rural communities. The proud mother and daughter of hardworking Missourians, Suzie apparently has voted for both Democrats and Republicans, and her husband is a registered Republican; but as farmers, they both believe that access to healthcare should never be a partisan issue.

We agree. Thank you, Suzie. Access to healthcare in the United States of America should never be a partisan issue. It should never be considered a privilege just for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected. It is a right that should be available to every single American, and that is what we are fighting hard right now to defend here in the United States of America and to push back against this one big, ugly bill.

As I mentioned earlier, in the time that I have remaining, I certainly want to share the story of some of our veterans; share a few stories of some of our small business owners who would also be under assault as part of this one big, ugly bill. I want to also share the stories of hardworking and law-abiding immigrant families who also will be targeted by this one big, ugly bill.

However, I did want to take a little time at this moment to enter into the Record some of the statements that have been made, Mr. Speaker, by our Republican colleagues that I just don't understand. I mean, I am flummoxed by some of these statements. I have always wanted to use that word, y'all.

I was hoping to seek some clarification at some point after I am able to yield the floor, but I am still here to take my sweet time on behalf of the American people because it was totally unacceptable that you would try to jam this bill, Mr. Speaker, down the throats of the American people with 15 minutes allocated for a debate that would hurt everyday Americans--allocated to the committees of jurisdiction, 15 minutes.

Now, I am here with my House Democratic colleagues 4 hours in, taking our sweet time on behalf of the American people, and I am flummoxed. Maybe it is flummoxed.

As I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, I always wanted to use that word. I can't spell it, but I know what it means. I am confused by many of these statements, so I am trying to enter them into the Record and then perhaps, at some point, get some clarification.

Talking about Medicaid cuts, the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, the Vice President said these cuts are immaterial.

Are you kidding me? Immaterial? I am perplexed. I am astonished. I am confused that someone who sits in the second highest office in the land would say that Medicaid cuts, a trillion dollars or so of Medicaid cuts that are in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, are ``immaterial.''

I am confused, Mr. Speaker, by the statement that was made by the former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who, when talking about the Medicaid cuts that millions of Americans have been reaching out to us, pouring into us their heartfelt concerns at the devastating impact that these Medicaid cuts will have on their health, their safety, and their well-being, I am confused, Mr. Speaker, by the statement that Mitch McConnell made. He said: ``People will get over it.''

No, Mitch. The American people will not get over it, but they will get even next November. That is what is going to happen because of these cuts being unleashed on the American people.

I am confused, perplexed, astonished, and flummoxed by some of these statements.

This one is a beauty from the great State of Iowa. In the great State of Iowa, Senator Joni Ernst showed up at a townhall meeting in Iowa. First of all, I will give her credit for showing up at a townhall meeting because House Republicans were instructed not to show up at townhall meetings. She shows up, Mr. Speaker, at a townhall meeting and is questioned about the fact that healthcare in America--that Medicaid is a question of life or death.

When asked by one of her constituents about the concern that was had, the fact that people will die as a result of the devastating cuts to Medicaid and healthcare that are in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, Senator Ernst said: ``We are all going to die.''

Yes, Joni, the American people understand that, at some point, all of us will transition, but the American people do not deserve to die as a result of the Republican cruelty that is in this legislation, do not deserve to die as a result of the cruelty that is embedded, Mr. Speaker, in this legislation, ending Medicaid as we know it, the largest cut to Medicaid in American history as a result of this all-out assault on healthcare in America.

Mr. Speaker, there are 220 Republicans who I serve with in this Congress, and I wish I had time to go through the impact in all 220 districts. Actually, since I have unlimited time, maybe I do, but, Mr. Speaker, I figure that I will start in my home State of New York.

Mr. Speaker, in New York's First Congressional District, represented by our colleague Congressman Nick LaLota, approximately 50,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare.

In New York's 24th Congressional District, Mr. Speaker, represented by our colleague Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, over 30,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare.

In parts of western New York, an upstate district, New York-23, currently represented by Congressman Nick Langworthy, approximately 35,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare as a result of Trump's one big, ugly bill.

In New York-17, currently represented by Congressman Mike Lawler, more than 30,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare.

In New York-21, the north country, represented by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik--welcome back to Congress. I am sorry it did not work out for you. That is a lesson that should be learned by all those who pledge fealty to the wannabe king, but I digress.

In New York's 2lst Congressional District, currently represented by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, approximately 44,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare.

In Long Island, Suffolk County, part of Long Island, currently represented in Nassau County by two amazing colleagues, Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, but in Suffolk County, New York's Second Congressional District, currently represented by Congressman Andrew Garbarino, 48,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare in Suffolk County, in New York's Second Congressional District, as a result of Trump's one big, ugly bill.

In the 11th Congressional District, a district that includes all of Staten Island, a district, Mr. Speaker, currently represented by Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, more than 50,000 New Yorkers will lose their healthcare as a result of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill. On Staten Island and in New York's 11th Congressional District--I don't think that the Wu-Tang Clan would approve of that.

It is incredible to me. In district after district after district, Mr. Speaker, represented by my Republican colleagues, so many Americans will stand to lose their healthcare as a result of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill.

Now, this is not just a Democratic perspective. We stand by that perspective. We will continue to articulate that view and forcefully defend the healthcare of the American people, but it is not just a Democratic perspective.

I thought that it was important that we enter into the Record some of the words, Mr. Speaker, of Members of the House Republican Conference who wrote directly to you, Mr. Speaker, in their own words, talking about the challenges of this one big, ugly bill.

February 19 of this year, in a letter written to the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the subject line was: ``Protecting American Communities in the Budget Reconciliation Process.''

For all the American people who may be watching the floor of the House of Representatives right now, that is the process that we are in with this one big, ugly bill.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans chose to go down this road because Republicans are uninterested in actually trying to find bipartisan solutions to solving problems on behalf of the American people, so we are in this budget reconciliation process that can avoid the filibuster in the United States Senate. Republicans, Mr. Speaker, are not interested in trying to actually find bipartisan common ground.

We are the party of common sense. Let's be clear about it. I am going to be spending some time on the road talking about what common sense really is all about. Common sense certainly is not taking healthcare away from the American people.

I have a lot of statements that have been entered into the Record, but I figured we would start with this one from February 19: ``Dear Speaker Johnson, as members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference-- ''

That is different than the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus right now is fighting hard on behalf of the healthcare of the American people on the Democratic side. We call that the real CHC. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is fighting hard on behalf of the American people.

However, this is the letter: ``As members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference--''

Mr. Speaker, as you know, these are Republicans here in the House of Representatives.

``--and those who represent sizable Hispanic populations, we are writing to express our concerns regarding possible funding decisions stemming from the House Budget Resolution's committee instructions advanced on February 13, 2025.''

Those budget instructions, by the way, were what set this whole toxic process in motion that has resulted in this moment that we find ourselves in right now on the floor of the House of Representatives, connected to this one big, ugly bill.

In this letter, it says that: ``While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on President Trump's agenda--''

Let me park it right there parenthetically for a moment. Nothing in this bill is about waste, fraud, and abuse. Nothing is doing anything meaningful about waste, fraud, and abuse.

The letter continues: ``--it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our Nation. . . . ''

It then goes on to say: ``The House Budget Resolution proposed $880 billion in cuts to programs under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, with Medicaid expected to bear the brunt of these reductions.''

Those are their words, not our words.

``Nearly 30 percent of Medicaid enrollees are Hispanic Americans, and for many families across the country, Medicaid is their only access to healthcare. Slashing Medicaid would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open.''

Mr. Speaker, these are members of the House Republican Conference warning about the devastating impacts of this one big, ugly bill.

It goes on to say: ``The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has been tasked with cutting $330 billion, where Federal aid for higher education--such as Pell grants--may be a target for reductions.''

Once again, let me park it right there parenthetically to make the observation that this bill also assaults higher education in the United States of America. That is a disgrace.

Mr. Speaker, members of the House Republican Conference predicted that that would occur. Those are their words, not our words.

``The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has been tasked with cutting $330 billion, where Federal aid for higher education--such as Pell grants--may be a target for reductions. Hispanic students make up a significant share of Pell grant recipients, many of whom are first-generation college students striving for a better future for themselves, their families, and our Nation . . . If we are serious about empowering the next generation and strengthening our workforce, we must facilitate, and not undermine, opportunities that help students succeed.

``Finally, the House Committee on Agriculture has been directed to cut $230 billion.'' Then, Mr. Speaker, our Republican colleagues go on to write: ``While we fully support efforts to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse--``

By the way, that is all fake. We support a Federal Government that is effective, efficient, and equitable, and that eliminates waste, fraud, and abuse. That is not what this bill is all about.

But it goes on to say: ``While we fully support efforts to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse, we must ensure that assistance programs--such as SNAP--``

I mean, I am just confused.

``--remain protected as nearly 22 percent of Hispanic families rely on this critical program as a temporary safety net during difficult times.''

Then this letter, written to you, Mr. Speaker, by the Congressional Hispanic Conference concludes: ``Hispanic Americans are the future of the Republican Party.''

I will reserve judgment on that statement. As House Democrats, we are going to fight for every single community in the United States of America, including the Hispanic community, every single community. We want every single community to experience the good life, to be able to afford to live the good life. That is what we want for every single community: Good-paying jobs, good housing, good healthcare, good education for the children, and a good retirement. That is what we want for every community.

However, the Congressional Hispanic Conference writes, in closing, to you, Mr. Speaker, that these Hispanic Americans ``are closely watching to see if we will govern in a way that honors their values and delivers results.''

Just to make sure that appropriate authorship is conferred, I am going to enter the names of the signatories to this extraordinary letter, Mr. Speaker: Tony Gonzales, Nicole Malliotakis, Monica De La Cruz, David Valadao--who represents more Medicaid recipients than any other Member of Congress--Juan Ciscomani, Rob Bresnahan--what a beauty-- James Moylan, Kimberlyn King-Hinds. They all signed this letter.

The question that many Americans have to ask right now is that, after signing a letter indicating your commitment, Mr. Speaker, to protecting Medicaid and SNAP and access to affordable higher education through Pell grants, how is it possible that, Mr. Speaker, some of our Republican colleagues will turn around and devastate Medicaid, devastate supplemental nutritional assistance, and devastate the ability of Hispanic communities to achieve the type of upward mobility, in part through higher education, that is talked about in this letter?

Mr. Speaker, that letter was written in February.

Then we go to March. Can I talk about it? I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, I am here to take my sweet time on behalf of the American people.

On March 9, there is a letter that is written to House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, Mr. Speaker. By my count, 21 Republicans signed this letter. It is about the importance of the clean energy economy in the United States of America.

I would assume, based on this letter, that all of the signatories to this particular piece of correspondence are now horrified by the attack on clean energy, on clean energy jobs, and the clean energy economy in this one big, ugly bill. We will see shortly because everyone is going to have to go on record.

In this particular letter, written on March 9, Mr. Speaker, 21 Members of the House Republican Conference write to Chairman Jason Smith: ``Countless American companies are utilizing sector-wide energy tax credits--many of which have enjoyed broad support in Congress--to make major investments in domestic energy production and infrastructure for traditional and renewable energy sources alike. Both our constituencies and the energy industry alike remain concerned about disruptive changes to our Nation's energy tax structure.''

The letter continues toward the end: ``With all this in mind, we request that any proposed changes to the tax code be conducted in a targeted and pragmatic fashion that promotes conference priorities without undoing current and future private-sector investments which will continue to increase domestic manufacturing, promote energy innovation, and keep utility costs down.''

The language that was chosen there is pretty interesting, but the translation is protect the clean energy economy. That is what this letter was all about. It was written, by my count, 21 House Republicans.

Mr. Speaker, Andrew R. Garbarino, Jennifer Kiggans, Juan Ciscomani, Gabe Evans, David Valadao--what a prolific writer--Mark Amodei, Michael Lawler, Young Kim, Don Bacon, Vince Fong, Jeff Hurd, Thomas H. Kean, Jr., Nick LaLota, John James, Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan, Mariannette J. Miller-Meeks, Earl L. ``Buddy'' Carter, Dan Newhouse, Erin Houchin, and David P. Joyce all write in support of a clean energy economy.

As House Democrats, we support--we know that there is an all-of-the- above approach that is underway right now--wind and solar energy and renewable energy because renewable energy is cheaper energy. Cheaper energy means reducing the high cost of living for everyday Americans. That is what we as House Democrats support.

Yet, I am perplexed because this letter was written, but the one big, ugly bill represents an extraordinary and unprecedented assault on clean energy and cheaper energy in the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the question: What are those 21 Republicans going to do when it comes to voting for this one big, ugly bill?

Then we have got another letter in April. We have got a February letter, a March letter, and an April letter. They are quite elegant with these letters.

April 14, 2025, is correspondence written by 13 House Republicans, Mr. Speaker. It is written to you and Steve Scalise, the majority leader. It is written to Tom Emmer, majority whip. It is written to Brett Guthrie, the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. It says: ``As Members of Congress who helped to deliver a Republican majority, many of us representing districts with high rates of constituents who depend on Medicaid, we would like to reiterate our strong support for this program . . . ''

By the way, it is a program that the one big, ugly bill now will cut and devastate, gut, Mr. Speaker, by almost $1 trillion.

In this letter, 13 Republicans say:

`` . . . we would like to reiterate our strong support for this program that ensures our constituents have reliable healthcare. Balancing the Federal budget must not come at the expense of those who depend on these benefits for their health and economic security.''

Mr. Speaker, that is their words, not our words. Then this bill makes an extraordinary declaration. I think it is important for us to understand who led this bill. It is David Valadao.

These are just facts, Mr. Speaker. These are publicly issued letters.

David Valadao, Don Bacon, Jeff Van Drew, Rob Bresnahan, Juan Ciscomani, Jen Kiggans, Young Kim--the usual suspects--Robert J. Wittman, Nicole Malliotakis, Nick LaLota, Andrew R. Garbarino, Jeff Hurd, and Michael V. Lawler, which by my count is 13 Members.

In some of the relevant portions of this letter, it says: ``To strengthen Medicaid, we urge you to prioritize care for our Nation's most vulnerable populations. Our constituents are asking for changes to the healthcare system that will strengthen the healthcare workforce, offer low-income, working-class families expanded opportunities to save for medical expenses, support rural and underserved communities, and help new mothers.''

In the second paragraph of this letter, a letter dated April 14, 2025, Mr. Speaker, these 13 Members of the House Republican Conference make this extraordinary representation. It says: ``However, we cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.'' This bill represents the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. It will devastate vulnerable populations all across America.

The reality is that all 212 House Democrats are going to stand up and protect the healthcare of the American people. We are going to protect the Medicaid of the American people against this assault on vulnerable communities.

I am looking forward to all 13 of these Republicans joining us to protect the healthcare of the American people whom they represent. That is the promise, Mr. Speaker, that your Republican colleagues made in this April letter.

We are looking forward to all 13 Republicans in the letter joining us to protect the Medicaid of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, this SALT issue is also an interesting one. A statement was issued on May 8 from my colleagues in the New York delegation, Elise Stefanik, Andrew Garbarino, Nick LaLota, and Mike Lawler. These are just facts right now. It was big talk about standing up to protect the State and local tax deduction.

Let's make sure we set the record straight here as to what happened to the State and local tax deduction, which impacts millions of hardworking American taxpayers all across the country, including the districts represented by the individuals whom I just named.

The State and local tax deduction was decimated, Mr. Speaker, by Donald Trump, House Republicans, and Senate Republicans in 2017 in connection with the GOP tax scam that callously and unnecessarily imposed a $10,000 cap, wiping away thousands of dollars a year for hardworking American taxpayers. Republicans did that.

Mr. Speaker, let's set the record straight. Mr. Speaker, there are people in this Chamber claiming to be saviors. Saving what? Saving from the devastation that Republicans have wrought by decimating the State and local tax deduction?

What is interesting about this is that people who are against this claim that the State and local tax deduction is subsidizing States in certain places to the detriment of others, but every single State that suffered from the Republican effort, Mr. Speaker, under Donald Trump's Presidency in 2017 to decimate the State and local tax deduction, every single State is a donor State that sends more money to the Federal Government than we ever get back in return, a donor State.

Some people in this town are running around misrepresenting the facts. We are okay to be a donor State, but don't lie to the American people about the reality of the State and local tax deduction.

Then, Mr. Speaker, you have this extraordinary statement on May 8. It is big talk, no action. I guess, in Texas, they say all hat and no cattle. They are prolific writers.

That brings us to this letter that was written in the House Republican Conference on June 6. I am really confused by this combination of this particular letter followed by an interesting statement that was made after the Senate passed Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill by Lisa Murkowski.

Maybe somebody, Mr. Speaker, can help me reconcile these statements, because all of us in the House and Senate were independently elected to stand up on behalf of our constituents in the Chambers that we serve in. I am going to get back to that point momentarily.

In the House, we passed this one big, ugly bill, initially in late May, devastating Medicaid, devastating nutritional assistance, and devastating the clean energy economy. Actually, it is benefiting red State after red State after red State in the United States of America.

Members of the House Republican Conference wrote to Majority Leader Thune and Chairman Crapo. This is after passing a bill in the House of Representatives that devastated the clean energy tax cuts that they are talking about in this letter on June 6.

It says: ``As members of the House Republican Conference, we write to express our continued support for commonsense energy policy and to urge the Senate to substantively and strategically improve clean energy tax credit provisions included in the House-passed reconciliation bill.''

I mean, what is happening right now? This may be beyond the legislative process.

In this letter, it goes on to say, in relationship to a bill that every signatory signed and voted for: ``Our position has always been that the energy tax code should be modernized in a way that promotes fiscal responsibility and business certainty. Fully realizing that balance requires improvements to the House-passed version of H.R. 1. . . . We believe the Senate now has a critical opportunity to restore common sense and deliver a truly pro-energy growth final bill that protects taxpayers while also unleashing the potential of U.S. energy producers, manufacturers, and workers.''

In other words, every single one of these signatories--Jen Kiggans, Brian Fitzpatrick, Juan Ciscomani, Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Andrew Garbarino, Don Bacon, Mark Amodei, Gabe Evans, Young Kim, David Valadao, Rob Bresnahan, and Thomas H. Kean, Jr.--every single one of these signatories voted for a House bill that undermined the clean energy economy, noted that it would hurt their own constituents, voted for the bill anyway, and then begged the Senate to make a difference.

That is not how we should be legislating in the United States House of Representatives. That is not how you legislate, particularly when every single House Democrat voted against the bill.

It left the House, limped out of the House by a single vote. So every single signatory on this letter could have stopped the bill that you, yourself, Mr. Speaker, indicated the signatories of this letter damaged the very thing they claim to be fighting for.

I am confused, perplexed, flummoxed at what the heck is going on. It is extraordinary.

I am just overwhelmed by the amount of correspondence. I had to just pick out the ones that were the most extraordinary to make sure they were entered in the Record.

The most recent one on the subject of Medicaid was written on June 24. It was directed to the Honorable John Thune, the majority leader of the United States Senate, and the Honorable Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

I think it had, by my count, 16 Members. No surprise, y'all, that it was authored by David Valadao.

I mean, these letters can make up a book, Mr. Speaker. David Valadao, Juan Ciscomani, Rob Bresnahan--Mr. Speaker, these are just facts--Chuck Edwards, Young Kim, Andrew Garbarino, Mike Lawler, Jen Kiggans--the gang is all here again--Jeff Van Drew, Don Bacon, Dan Newhouse, Zach Nunn, Robert J. Wittman, Nicole Malliotakis, Mariannette J. Miller- Meeks, and Jeff Hurd. That is 16 members, Mr. Speaker, of the House Republican Conference in a letter written to you, Mr. Speaker, and the Honorable John Thune, majority leader of the United States Senate, on June 24. Here is the most extraordinary statement written in this letter, in the second to last paragraph--I think we call that the penultimate paragraph.

In the second to last paragraph, it says: ``Protecting Medicaid is essential for the vulnerable constituents we were elected to represent. Therefore, we cannot support a final bill that threatens access to coverage or jeopardizes the stability of our hospitals and providers.''

Mr. Speaker, these are 16 members of the House Republican Conference who just a few days ago made clear on the record that they will not support devastating cuts to Medicaid. All we need, Mr. Speaker, are four Republicans from this group to join us, and we can stop these devastating cuts to Medicaid.

Join us. We welcome you with open arms into the warm embrace of Members of Congress who are here to protect the healthcare of the American people. Just four of y'all, we welcome you with open arms into the warm embrace of Members of Congress determined to protect the healthcare of the American people. All we need are four, and so many of y'all are on record.

As I conclude this section of this particular presentation--and we still have some ground to cover--we are going to continue as House Democrats to take our sweet time on behalf of the American people because the issues are too significant to ever walk away from.

I just want to turn to a statement that was issued by Senator Lisa Murkowski. I want to give some love to the other side of the Capitol.

Again, Mr. Speaker, these are just the words that were issued. I am not even trying to characterize the words, but the American people need to hear these words from the people who were sent to Congress to protect their interests.

Senator Lisa Murkowski says: ``This was one of the hardest votes I have taken during my time in the Senate.''

Let me just editorialize there briefly. This should not be a hard vote, Senator Murkowski. This should be a ``hell no'' vote on behalf of the people you were sent to Washington to represent. It is a ``hell no'' vote for us because we are standing up on behalf of the American people. It should be a ``hell no'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, these are the words of Senator Murkowski. She says: ``This was one of the hardest votes I have taken during my time in the Senate.'' And then she keeps it real. As far as I can tell, she says: ``But, let's not kid ourselves. This has been an awful process. . . .''

Mr. Speaker, those are the words of a Republican Senator, not us. ``This has been an awful process--a frantic rush to meet an artificial deadline that has tested every limit of this institution. While we have worked to improve the present bill for Alaska, it is not good enough for the rest of our Nation, and we all know it.''

Yes, Senator Murkowski, we all know this one big, ugly bill will devastate everyday Americans across this country.

Yet, in the concluding paragraph--this comes after Senator Murkowski voted for this bill, the deciding vote in the United States Senate. It says: ``My sincere hope is that this is not the final product. This bill needs more work across Chambers and is not ready for the President's desk. We need to work together to get this right.''

Let me get this straight. I think the number was 16 House Republicans, Mr. Speaker, vote for a bill that they know will hurt their communities, Mr. Speaker, that they represent. They vote for the bill anyway when any one of them could have stopped this bill from ever leaving the House of Representatives, and then they write a letter to the Senators on the other side of the Capitol saying, fix this bill, when any single one of them could have stopped the bill dead in its tracks.

Then, Senator Murkowski, in her Chamber, turns out to be the deciding vote for a bill that she says, Mr. Speaker, is not good enough for the rest of the Nation and we all know it, votes for it anyway, and then begs the House to fix the bill.

That is not how the people's business should be done in the United States Congress. We have a responsibility to stand up for what is right and stand up for what is right in the Chamber that we serve in.

That is what we should all be doing, and so our House Republican colleagues, Mr. Speaker, have one last opportunity to join us as Democrats, every single Democrat, who is going to stand up and protect the healthcare of the American people, stand up and protect the nutritional assistance of the American people, stand up and protect our farmers, stand up and protect our veterans, stand up and protect the clean energy economy, stand up and protect our public schools.

Every single one of my House Republican colleagues have the opportunity now, in this Chamber--not the other Chamber, in this Chamber--to join us as Democrats and stand up for what is right.

The eyes of America are watching.

We started this process, Mr. Speaker, 3:28 in the morning, this debate. I took to the House floor maybe 1\1/2\ hours after that, and we still have a lot to say on behalf of the American people for such a time as this.

Every single one of us have an opportunity to stand up for what is right here in the United States of America.

I will speak for just a few moments about some of the people who have been targeted in a callous way by this administration, some of the stories that need to be told on behalf of the American people.

I mentioned, of course, Mr. Speaker, throughout this process, we have been thankful for the stories shared by everyday Americans who went to bed last night fearing the worst and have woken up this morning horrified by Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill that will hurt everyday Americans and rewards billionaires with massive tax breaks that will serve to devastate the social safety net and explode our Nation's debt.

I will tell a few stories on behalf of our Nation's veterans who have also written to us to share their concerns with this one big, ugly bill.

Victoria from Arizona wrote to us, Mr. Speaker, and said: ``My husband and I are patriots. We are both Army veterans who were disabled as a result of our service. We have five children and run a small electrical contracting business. We live on a fixed income and, like most families, have struggled with rising costs. One of our sons is adopted. He is a wonderful, loving 7-year-old who has autism and ADHD. He qualifies for Medicaid because he was adopted, and it has been the saving grace for his health and well-being.

``Medicaid is the reason we were able to get his formal diagnosis of his autism and ADHD. It also covers his regular doctors' visits and dental care. We used Medicaid to access in-home therapy for him, and it was a huge help. Slashing Medicaid will have especially dire consequences for rural communities like ours, forcing hospitals to close. Health resources are already slim in our area.''

This Army veteran writes: ``President Trump is causing enormous stress and hardship for families like mine. He and his billionaire friends don't need more tax breaks. It is outrageous. The last thing we should even be considering is cutting Medicaid. These programs are lifelines.''

We agree with you, Victoria. She lives in Arizona's Sixth Congressional District, Mr. Speaker, currently represented by Congressman Juan Ciscomani.

Troy, another veteran, lives in California, Mr. Speaker, in a district currently represented by Jay Obernolte. That is California's 23rd Congressional District, I believe. He writes to us and says: ``I was in the U.S. Army and went to Kosovo in 2001, and Iraq in 2003 and 2005. I depend on the VA as I am too disabled to work. I depend on VA healthcare. My children are now on Medicaid. I have worked from when I was 14 years old to 42. I am suffering from long COVID, and until I can return to work, I need help from the American people. I have had your backs. Time for you to cover my back,'' writes Troy.

Mr. Speaker, ``I need NIH's help. Now is the time to stand up for all Americans. Stop the assault on the VA, NIH, Medicaid, and the rest of Americans.''

We agree with you, Troy. It is time to stop the assault on the American people. Stop the assault that is represented in this one big, ugly bill.

Christy, another veteran, wrote to us and says: ``I was drafted in 1970. My choice was incarceration or militarization, so I enlisted in the Navy and became a Navy corpsman, serving on the USS Long Beach (CGN-9), and her marine detachment, where I was assigned to the Third Marines 1st Medical Battalion. I was blessed. I lived through two tours, giving medical care to my shipmates.

``Every other day I was assigned to flight ops to transfer or pick up the wounded and dead Marines from shore to ships waiting offshore about eight miles. I hated the smells of war,'' this veteran writes.

``Death and misery were my constant companions. The war left me unsettled mentally and morally corrupt. For 50 years, I have suffered with my PTSD, which went undiagnosed for years. After 12 years of VA therapy and working hard for my soul to be repaired, I find myself living alone and isolating from others, and I am one of the lucky ones thanks to the care I have received from the VA.''

Veterans pouring out their heart and their soul, sharing their anxiety with all of us, urging this Congress to do something, to stand up on behalf of the veterans who are going to be hurt by this one big, ugly bill, devastated by this one big, ugly bill.

We also heard, Mr. Speaker, from Timothy, who I believe may have written to us from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He says: ``My name is Timothy, and for the past 5 years, I have worked at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in field policy and management.''

The Department of Housing and Urban Development that was once led so ably by our former colleague, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, and now has been taken in a very different direction.

Timothy writes: ``In this role, I have educated the community about HUD's program such as FHA loans and housing counseling that allow people to purchase homes, affordable rental housing that help people pay their rent, and homeless services that help people find shelter and leave the streets. I have worked with internal data that focused on improving our programs. Most recently, I worked with a team that hired people from housing authorities and Job Corps with the goal of providing people a career and a way off government assistance. Those incredible people, along with myself, have been fired by Elon Musk's DOGE.

``My entire professional career, I have taken jobs that I considered bigger than me. I served in the military both enlisted and as an officer. I deployed, and I am now a disabled vet with a rating of 90 percent.

``After the military, I focused on giving back and challenging myself in a way, while continuing a job that was bigger than myself, so I joined the Peace Corps. I served in Ukraine for years, working as a youth development volunteer.

``Now, as a HUD employee, I am being fired by an unelected official and being called lazy by my President. I want to know why Elon Musk has this power and authority and why our elected officials are not doing more to stop it. I have served this country and the government my entire life because I love my country. Why is this happening?'' Tim writes to us.

That is such an important question, Mr. Speaker. Why is this happening in the United States of America? Why are we living in a country where this administration has launched an all-out assault on veterans in the United States of America, firing veterans like Tim in the United States of America, jeopardizing services from the VA, earned benefits that these veterans are entitled to because of their extraordinary service, men and women in uniform who served this country, Mr. Speaker, benefits that they have earned and now find themselves in the legislative line of fire from their own government, their own country, and stand to be hurt in such an extraordinary way by this extreme Republican budget, this one big, ugly bill?

We are here on the House floor, Mr. Speaker, to say to Tim and every single veteran who put on the uniform, every single man and woman who served this country, we will not abandon you in your hour of need. We are going to stand up for every single veteran in this great country and make sure that the veterans of the United States of America are treated with the dignity and respect that you deserve.

That is our promise to each and every veteran in the United States of America, and that is why, Mr. Speaker, we stand in strong opposition to Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill, an all-out assault here in the United States of America, an extraordinary assault, an assault on the economy, an assault on our veterans, an assault on farm country, an assault on healthcare, and an assault on nutritional assistance.

Of course, this one big, ugly bill and the Trump administration--I wish it was not so because at the beginning of this Congress, Mr. Speaker, I stood right where you stand right now and said in my first remarks to this Congress and the American people that, as Democrats, we were prepared to find common ground on any issue to make a difference in the lives of the American people we all represent.

Then, Mr. Speaker, beginning on January 20, a flood of extremism, the likes of which have never before been seen in the United States of America, has been unleashed on the American people, an all-out assault on the American way of life.

An assault on small businesses is underway here in the United States of America. We should all recognize that small businesses represent the heart and soul of the American economy. If we are going to stand up for any group of people here in the United States of America, in addition to our veterans, our men and women in uniform--and I am proud that I stand here as the son of someone who once wore the uniform, my father. He is in Heaven right now.

Marland Jeffries grew up in Newark. His nickname was Pudding. One of my regrets is I never got to ask him how he got the nickname Pudding. He left Newark as a high school graduate and put the uniform on, enlisted in the Air Force, and served in Germany during the Cold War.

We have to stand up for our veterans, stand up for small businesses. We have heard a lot about this process, about concerns from small business entrepreneurs here in the United States of America.

We heard from Mercedes, who lives in the great State of Colorado. Mercedes writes: ``My husband and I are the owners of a small business. Without the ACA, my family would not be able to afford health insurance. My daughter also receives free dental coverage as a result of the ACA. I still have major issues with our healthcare system, but at least we have health insurance. My mother, who is retired, also receives benefits from Medicaid, in addition to her Medicare. She would not be able to afford health insurance or dental insurance due to the fact that she lives on a fixed income. Any cuts to these programs would be detrimental to our health and welfare as a family.''

I thank Mercedes for reaching out and sharing her story because it helps to put to bed the lie that has been told, Mr. Speaker, by some people in this town that the people, the everyday Americans, who are participating in and have access to programs like the Affordable Care Act are unworthy, aren't hardworking American taxpayers.

They are hardworking American taxpayers, a group of people that real leaders in this country, beginning in modern American history, as I illustrated earlier, from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt all the way through our most recent President who we served with in the last Congress, have recognized that we have a sacred obligation to stand up for everyday Americans who are struggling right now, including our small business entrepreneurs, the heart and soul of the American economy, who right now are dealing with such economic uncertainty because of the erratic, reckless, and dangerous Trump tariffs that have unleashed so much chaos and uncertainty, raising costs for small business owners all across the country and undermining their ability to fully achieve their entrepreneurial dreams. This is not who we should be in the United States of America.

Small business owners are under assault by this administration, and there is a target on the back of many of these small business owners as a result of this one big ugly bill.

Janice wrote to us. She is from the great State of Michigan, the heartland of our country. I am so thankful to all the Members of the Michigan delegation and what they represent. Janice, however, resides, Mr. Speaker, in the Seventh Congressional District, represented by Congressman Tom Barrett. She says that she is a small business owner, a mother, and an ACA recipient in Michigan, who recently spoke about how Trump's tariffs would potentially force her to close her business, which has given her family a livelihood for a decade and helped put two children through college. She writes: ``I just don't understand why Trump thinks putting tariffs will help American businesses. It is not. It is going to decimate us. People like us will be hit the hardest.''

However, then, Janice shows the great resolve of the American people, the great spirit of resilience of the American people, the refusal to run away from difficult circumstances.

Janice writes: ``People like us will be hit the hardest, but,'' Janice then writes, ``I refuse to call it quits. I won't give in to him.''

Janice, neither will House Democrats. Not now, not ever. We will never give in to this type of extremism that is being unleashed on the American people. We will continue to stand up for you.

There is one last small business owner that I would like to mention. There are so many who have written to us whose stories I want to be able to share, but let me perhaps go back to the Big Apple, the great State of New York.

Let me also say to the American people, one of the ways in which we have received all of these stories--and we urge you to continue to share these stories from all across the land. You can share your story with us at democraticleader.house.gov share your story, democraticleader.house.gov share your story.

We want to hear from the American people on how we can best represent their interests on this day and all days moving forward because their stories are powerful. Their stories will continue to give us the resolve to fight for an America that is fair and just, an America where every single person can afford to live the good life: a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good retirement, and of course, a good education for your children.

That is not too much to ask in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Work hard, play by the rules, and every single American should be able to afford to live the good life. But we know that in this country far too many people are living paycheck to paycheck, far too many small business entrepreneurs are living paycheck to paycheck, and they justifiably expect better from this government.

We should be working hard in a bipartisan way to make their life better, not unleashing shock, awe, and pain on the American people. That is what this one big, ugly bill will do, devastate everyday Americans.

Linda writes to us, a small business owner. I believe she is from the North Country. She lives in New York's 21st Congressional District, Mr. Speaker. Linda is a flower farmer and flower importer in upstate New York. Her small business has been impacted by Trump's tariffs on products being imported from Western Europe, the Netherlands, I believe.

The economic strain and uncertainty imposed by the tariffs on small business owners operating on slim margins has caused Linda and her customers to incur additional expenses.

Linda tells us, Mr. Speaker, everything was going really well until the tariffs. Now she worries the business will go bankrupt and be forced to close if the tariffs stay in place.

Mr. Speaker, how is it that we are living in America where President Trump and House Republicans promised to address the high cost of living in the United States, promised to lower costs on day one, but costs aren't going down? They are going up.

As a result of these Trump tariffs, we are now at risk of experiencing thousands of dollars per year in additional costs, and there is nothing in this one big, ugly bill that is going to meaningfully make the lives of everyday Americans, of hardworking American taxpayers, of working-class folks, of middle-class folks, of all those Americans who aspire to be part of the middle class, of the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, nothing in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill that will meaningfully make their lives more affordable.

Mr. Speaker, we are dealing with an all-out assault on the economy. We are dealing with an all-out assault on healthcare, on Medicaid, on the Affordable Care Act, on the Children's Health Insurance Program.

We are dealing with an all-out assault on the medical care, Mr. Speaker, provided by Planned Parenthood that is jeopardized in this very bill.

There is an all-out assault on hungry children, on hungry veterans, and on hungry seniors. Millions of people will lose their nutritional assistance. They will go hungry. Food is being ripped out of their mouths by this one big, ugly bill, Mr. Speaker, that so many of my Republican colleagues seem prepared to support, notwithstanding their prior statements on the Record to the contrary.

There is an all-out assault on veterans. There is an all-out assault represented in this bill on small business owners and entrepreneurs who are the heart and soul of our economy.

This bill also represents an all-out assault on law-abiding immigrant families. Mr. Speaker, we are going to tell their stories, as well. We are going to tell their stories because what is happening in this country is an all-out assault on law-abiding immigrant families. It is unconscionable, unacceptable, and it is un-American.

This is a country that should continue to pride itself as a nation anchored in the rule of law and at the same time a nation anchored in our journey as one of immigrants from all over the world. We should never abandon that journey.

We are approaching the 249th birthday of this great country, this exceptional country. We can go directly, if necessary, Mr. Speaker, to the words that were initially issued by Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence. He went through a whole series of indictments against the King that America, Thirteen Colonies, which became the 13 States, were working hard to break free from.

I mentioned earlier the Declaration of Independence. Of course, with some of the aspirational aspects of it, there are really two parts as I can tell. I am not a constitutional scholar. I am thankful for the constitutional scholars that serve in this Congress.

No one is more constitutional and more scholarly than my friend and colleague, the top Democrat on the House Committee on the Judiciary, Jamie Raskin, who continues to lead the charge and stand up for the Constitution here in the United States of America.

As I read the Declaration of Independence, there seems to be two parts to it. There is the aspirational part, Mr. Speaker, of the Declaration of Independence: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.''

We understand that now in a more enlightened way. All men, all women, all children, all of God's children are created equally, they are entitled to ``certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.''

We spent a little time talking about what that could look like. It is our commitment to bringing about the American Dream, the good life for every single person in this country, everybody. If we work hard and play by the rules, we should be able to afford the good life in the United States of America. That is what we are going to continue to work on. Bring the American Dream to life, consistent with that aspirational part of the Declaration of Independence, the life, the liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Then as far as I can tell, there was also a second interesting part of the Declaration of Independence. It was the indictment against the King. I commend everyone in this Chamber, all of the American people, who may be observing the proceedings in the House of Representatives, particularly as we approach July 4, to read that Declaration of Independence.

Perhaps I may even enter it into the Record later on today because we are here, Mr. Speaker, to take our sweet time on behalf of the American people. We are here to make sure, as best I can and as best we can, to cover all of the things that, as Democrats, we are fighting hard to defend during this extraordinary moment of assault directed at the American people as a result of this one big, ugly bill that will hurt everyday Americans in order to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks. It will then explode the deficit and the debt in ways that will jeopardize the future of our children and our grandchildren.

The aspirational part of the Declaration of Independence, of course, is often famously quoted. Then if we read other parts of the Declaration of Independence, which is an extraordinarily written document, it reads like an indictment against the extremism of the King.

It reads like an indictment against the King. I think it was King George. It reads like an indictment against King George's flooding his own strategy. It reads like an indictment against King George's shock and awe strategy. It reads like an indictment against what I think may have been called Project 1775, which is what brought us to Project 1776.

If you look at this indictment, Mr. Speaker, one of the things that it alludes to, that it talks about, is the notion of the king's effort to stop the assimilation of people from other parts of the world into the United States of America. We understand that, from the very beginning of this great country, there was a recognition, of course, of the importance of immigration to the success and vitality of the United States of America.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker, so there is no misrepresentation. House Democrats understand the importance and urgency of securing the border. We believe that our immigration system is broken and that it should be fixed in a comprehensive and bipartisan way. So many leaders in that effort with so many big ideas were willing to partner in a bipartisan way: Pramila Jayapal, Linda Sanchez, Adriano Espaillat, Tom Suozzi, Veronica Escobar, and so many others. We want to partner to fix our broken immigration system and secure our border in a bipartisan and comprehensive way.

We are also going to make sure we stand up for our Nation's heritage, a nation of immigrants, which continues to this very day. It is an important part of American exceptionalism.

As far as I can tell in my reading of the original document, the writings of the Founders of this great country, the Framers of the Constitution, recognized it from the very beginning. They weren't perfect. They didn't have a perfect start, but, of course, as the preamble to the United States Constitution set forth: We the people, in order to form a more perfect Union.

Mr. Speaker, we have been set on this magical course, our march toward a more perfect Union. An immigration journey has always been an important part of the American journey.

That is why it is heartbreaking to see so many things that are happening in the country right now, such as the targeting, in such an extraordinary way, of law-abiding immigrant families, including American citizens. How can this be in the United States of America?

Some people might suggest that we should stay away from these stories. No. I am going to lean into this part of the American journey because we support our heritage and the mission of immigrants. We are going to stand up for Dreamers, stand up for farmworkers, and stand up for law-abiding immigrant families all across the country.

U.S. citizen children have been deported, Mr. Speaker. Is this who we have become in the United States of America? How can this be?

This is extraordinary. A 2-year-old American named Manu Borges Santos was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in September 2022. In February, she was taken into custody in Florida alongside her mother and father, both of whom were undocumented. As a result of this situation, 2-year- old Manu was deported to Brazil.

Because of the Trump administration, Manu, a U.S. citizen, only 2 years old, is now effectively stateless. Manu was not a citizen or resident of Brazil. She is a 2-year-old girl, an American citizen, removed from her homeland, but she can't get legal status in her parents' ancestral home.

As a result of her inability to get citizenship down in South America because she is an American citizen, she has no right to routine pediatric checkups, even though Brazil has a public health system. She cannot easily enroll in daycare and finds herself in an untenable situation.

I think we are better than this. We have to find a better way because I thought this administration promised, Mr. Speaker, to target violent felons, not 2-year-old American citizens. That is unacceptable, as far as I can tell, in the United States of America.

Target violent felons all you want, Mr. Speaker. We support that. They should be deported, but why are resources being spent targeting 2- year-old American children?

That is not American, and I don't believe the American people support that, Mr. Speaker. That is not what this country should be all about.

Manu wasn't the only American citizen who has been targeted by the deportation machine, a deportation machine that will be unleashed on steroids by this one big, ugly bill. We know that, in fact, is the case. That is not hyperbole. It is not a hypothetical. It is not hype.

JD Vance told us the other day: Don't worry about the cuts to Medicaid. Don't worry about the fact that this is the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Don't worry about the fact that more than 17 million Americans will lose their healthcare, and many more will experience higher premiums, copays, and deductibles, and whose lives will measurably get worse as a result of this one big, ugly bill. Vice President JD Vance said don't worry about that because it is all about the deportation machine.

That is not targeting violent felons. Apparently, much of what has been unleashed on the American people is targeting American citizens like a 2-year-old American girl with the initials V.M.L., who was deported alongside her mother and sister to Honduras without any meaningful due process.

V.M.L. was taken into custody by ICE on April 22.

April 22 happens to be the birthday of my mom. I love you, Ms. Laneda Jeffries. If you are watching right now, I love you. My younger brother and I thank you for what you did, for your sacrifice in raising us to try to be the best citizens that we can be.

V.M.L. was taken into custody by ICE on April 22, while attending a routine check-in at a New Orleans immigration office with her mother. V.M.L.'s undocumented mother had no criminal history. Had she been allowed due process, they could have contested the removal. Instead, this 2-year-old American citizen was never given a chance to exercise her rights by the Trump administration.

That is not who we are. We are better than this in the United States of America.

Cary Lopez Alvarado, a U.S. citizen, was arrested while she was 9 months pregnant. Masked men wearing Border Patrol uniforms followed a white truck into a building's private parking in the city of Hawthorne. In that truck was Cary's partner, Brian. When she tried asking questions about who the agents were and what authority they had to arrest her partner, she was arrested.

Cary, an American citizen, recounted that: ``They started grabbing me from both sides, and I ducked down to sort of shield my stomach because I was afraid''--an American citizen afraid--``they were going to hurt me.''

She told them her due date. She was 9 months pregnant. Apparently the CBP officers responded: ``Okay. Your baby is going to be born here, but you're from Mexico, right?'' They were wrong. They were detaining an American citizen. This is what has been unleashed on the American people.

One last story that I feel compelled to share on this issue, Mr. Speaker. I have still got some ground to cover on a few other issues of importance to the American people.

One last story that I think needs to be shared, Mr. Speaker, in connection with this issue. This achieved some attention, some notoriety. Americans were horrified, should be horrified--all of us should be horrified.

I will never forget the journey that we were originally on, set forth, spoken to by the Founders of this country: e pluribus unum; out of many, one. How can we forget that at this moment in time?

One last story in this area that I feel compelled to share, Mr. Speaker, is the story of Narciso Barranco, a 48-year-old undocumented landscaper who has been in the United States since the 1990s and has no criminal record.

Here is the thing that got me about this story and caused me to ask the question about this particular moment, the type of deportation machine that has been unleashed on the American people.

Narciso, this landscaper, raised three American sons, all of whom became U.S. Marines, two of whom are currently, Mr. Speaker, Active- Duty U.S. Marines.

His sons, juggling their military assignments, had been trying to deal with the cost and the paperwork required to adjust their father's immigration status through parole in place, a program which allows undocumented members of military families to apply for a green card, but these men in uniform, juggling their military assignments, had not gotten there yet.

After three decades of living, working, and raising a family of patriots in the United States, Narciso was violently arrested while he was mowing the grass at an IHOP restaurant.

We don't have to speculate as to whether this was true or not. In a video captured of the incident, you see he was sprayed with pepper gas. He was detained on the ground. He was not resisting. He was hit repeatedly in the head by masked Federal agents while he was on the ground.

Let me park it right there parenthetically for a moment. It seems to me that every other law enforcement professional in the United States of America has to disclose their identity in a way that is identifiable. These masks need to come down. These agents should just be held to the same set of standards as every other law enforcement officer in the United States of America.

If you don't understand the righteousness of that position, just study the case of Narciso. His oldest son, a U.S. Marine veteran, said in an interview: What we weren't prepared for and didn't prep him for was these guys attacking him. We never expected anything like that. We expected these guys to act professionally and up to the standards of the United States Government.

Are masked, armed Federal agents who beat people on the ground really the standards that the United States Government should be standing by? Are these the types of actions, Mr. Speaker, that House Republicans endorse and support?

This is not the way that anyone in the United States of America should be treated, particularly the father of three patriotic marines. No one should be treated this way, but certainly not the father of three patriotic marines in the United States of America. It is outrageous. It is out of control, and it is completely and totally unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable here in the United States of America. We are better than this. Better than this.

Mr. Speaker, I have talked about the aspirational vision that we have for a country where everybody can afford to live the good life and work hard, play by the rules, experience the American Dream, live the good life, good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for their children, and good retirement. That is not too much to ask in the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, a great country, an exceptional country.

As Abraham Lincoln once observed in a speech in the Chamber of the House of Representatives: America, ``the last best hope of Earth.''

I spent a little time talking about the type of things and the type of America that we should be working hard in a bipartisan way to bring about and spent some time critiquing this one big, ugly bill. It is not like Republicans, Mr. Speaker, weren't given every opportunity to try to address the concerns that we have raised.

I am thankful for my colleagues in all of the committees of jurisdiction who worked hard, pulled all-nighters, and offered amendments to try to improve this one big, ugly bill.

We have actually introduced throughout this process, Mr. Speaker, hundreds of amendments. Just yesterday, before the Committee on Rules, we introduced hundreds of amendments.

Before that, in late May, when the initial bill was being debated in a marathon session before the Committee on Rules, more than 125 or so Democrats offered more than 500 different amendments to improve this bill, to stand up for the American people, doing so over and over and over again throughout this process.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for the American people to understand what exactly House Republicans have rejected. What changes have House Republicans rejected to this one big, ugly bill?

We repeatedly tried to offer an amendment, both in the Committee on Rules and on the House floor on behalf of the American people to strike every single provision that would cause the largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance in history, which will result in 17 million people or more losing health coverage and jeopardizing nutritional benefits for about 42 million Americans who might otherwise go hungry.

Republicans voted down that amendment.

I believe it was Representative Emilia Sykes who had an amendment to strike the Medicaid cuts in the bill to prevent millions of people from losing their health insurance and to stop hospitals and nursing homes from shutting their doors.

Republicans voted down that amendment.

Representative Judy Chu had an amendment striking cuts to the Affordable Care Act, cuts that are in this one big, ugly bill that will cause millions of everyday Americans to lose their health insurance or experience having their costs go up.

Mr. Speaker, you know that Republicans voted down that amendment.

Representative Lauren Underwood from the great State of Illinois had an amendment, and I wish I could go through all of the amendments that have been introduced, but I am going to highlight as many as I can.

Representative Lauren Underwood had an amendment to ensure that people who get their insurance through the ACA, ObamaCare, will not see their premiums increase. I mentioned earlier that, as a result of this one big, ugly bill, Mr. Speaker, premiums, copays, and deductibles are going to go up for millions of Americans. Many will lose coverage, and so this amendment was introduced to ensure that people who get their insurance through the ACA will not see their premiums increase this year, which is expected to cause 5 million people to lose coverage.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans voted down that amendment.

Representative Kelly Morrison had an amendment that strikes the defunding of Planned Parenthood, which provides access to lifesaving cancer screenings and reproductive healthcare.

Last year, Republicans, Mr. Speaker, promised that reproductive healthcare and reproductive freedom was a State issue. President Trump promised that reproductive healthcare and reproductive freedom was a State issue. Yet, in this bill, there is a backdoor attack on reproductive freedom by targeting preventative healthcare that Planned Parenthood provides to millions of people all across this country.

Representative Kelly Morrison had an amendment that strikes the defunding of Planned Parenthood, which provides access to lifesaving cancer screenings along with reproductive healthcare.

Republicans voted that down.

Let me pause there parenthetically just to make one observation on this issue of reproductive freedom. What we are seeing right now in the House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, is Republicans unleashing a march toward a nationwide abortion ban. That is what is going on right now. What does this provision have to do with making life more affordable for everyday Americans? Nothing.

This is all part of a rightwing ideological, extreme effort to undermine reproductive freedom in the United States of America.

Let me make something clear, Mr. Speaker: House Democrats believe in a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions, a decision that should be between a woman, her family, her faith, and her doctors. That is it. Period. Full stop.

We will continue to fight for reproductive freedom in the United States of America. We will not rest, Mr. Speaker, until the Women's Health Protection Act becomes the law of the land here in the United States of America. Big difference between us and them. Big difference.

Mr. Speaker, Representative Jahana Hayes introduced an amendment to strike all provisions that would cut food assistance for children, seniors, and veterans. Republicans voted that down. How cruel. How cruel.

Representative Shontel Brown had an amendment to strike burdensome red tape requirements that threaten nutritional assistance for millions of Americans and their families. Republicans voted that down.

I mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker, this notion that Republicans are trying to spin to the American people that the attack on nutritional assistance, imposing those paperwork requirements, or as Frank Pallone would say, red tape requirements, that that is all about waste, fraud, and abuse. I think common sense suggests to us that it has nothing to do with waste, fraud, and abuse.

Mr. Speaker, I made clear earlier that as House Democrats, we believe that as custodians of taxpayer dollars, we need to make sure that we are spending that money efficiently, effectively, and equitably, and that we are committed to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse wherever it may be found.

One of the things that is interesting about this bill, it appears to be part of the deal that was negotiated by the Senator from Alaska, is that the States apparently that have the highest error rates with respect to supplemental nutritional assistance are shielded from the initial impact of the nutritional assistance cuts.

Let's think about that for a moment.

How can it be that Republicans, Mr. Speaker, are claiming that this bill has anything to do with waste, fraud, and abuse? Yet, the States with the highest error rate, as Republicans during the Rules Committee acknowledged under questioning from Jim McGovern and Mary Gay Scanlon and Joe Neguse and Teresa Leger Fernandez, acknowledged that the States with the highest error rates were actually shielded from initial impact of the cuts to supplemental nutritional assistance.

Angie Craig pointed this out. It exposes, in my view, the lie being told, Mr. Speaker, by some in this town that this effort, this one big, ugly bill is somehow about combating waste, fraud, and abuse.

One of the reasons why we know common sense dictates that this one big, ugly bill has nothing to do with meaningfully going after waste, fraud, and abuse, is that, on average, SNAP beneficiaries receive $6 per day to try to help them not go hungry, to try to make sure that veterans and children and seniors don't go hungry.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for the American people to process that is what SNAP, on average, provides, $6 per day. At the same time, Elon Musk, his Federal contracts, as we understand it, amount to $8 million per day.

Mr. Speaker, if Republicans were really serious about targeting waste, fraud, and abuse in the United States of America, start there, $8 million per day. Start right there.

Don't take it. Don't rip it from the mouths of children, seniors, or veterans.

If Republicans were really serious about targeting waste, fraud, and abuse, start right there with Elon Musk, and we will join you. We will welcome you into the warm embrace of the House Democratic Caucus to target waste, fraud, and abuse. Start right there. You can start right there, Mr. Speaker. Start right there.

Ranking Members Jim McGovern and Bobby Scott had an amendment, Mr. Speaker, to prohibit the bill from going into effect unless cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would not result in fewer families being eligible for free school meals.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, Republicans voted down that amendment. We can't find a way to stand up for school meals, for school breakfast, for school lunch. That is just cruel. It is callous. It is a corrupt perversion of this process targeting as this one big, ugly bill does, schoolchildren, hungry schoolchildren in the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, Representative Mike Thompson had an amendment that would have ensured Americans would not see their energy costs go up and to protect the millions of good-paying jobs that this bill will eliminate because this one big, ugly bill puts a target on the backs of the clean energy economy, on clean energy jobs, which result in cheaper energy and lower costs for the American people.

We were told by President Donald Trump when he was on the campaign trail, costs would go down on day one. He was going to focus, we were told, on lowering the high cost of living in the United States of America. That is not what this bill does, and we know it because 21 House Republicans made that clear in a letter that I cited earlier that is now part of this public record.

Representative Mike Thompson, supported by others, had an amendment. All of these amendments, cosponsored by Members all across the gorgeous mosaic of the House Democratic Caucus--we are proud of the fact that we look like we represent in the most intimate way possible, consistent with John Adams' original vision of the House of Representatives, that the House should be a portrait of the American people. That is what we represent. We are proud of that fact, the gorgeous mosaic of the American people.

That is what we are all about, in the most intimate way possible. That is why we love the House and what the House is supposed to represent, the best of the House, not what we are seeing on the floor right now.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans voted down the amendment introduced by Representative Mike Thompson that was designed to ensure that Americans would not see their energy costs go up. It was also designed to protect the good-paying American jobs that were part of both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as the Inflation Reduction Act.

This amendment was designed to lift up the principle of actually trying to create good-paying union jobs that allow people to provide a comfortable living in the United States of America.

Amongst this all-out assault that we are witnessing in the United States is an all-out assault on organized labor, an assault on collective bargaining, and an assault on the freedom to negotiate.

What is the difference, Mr. Speaker, between us and our colleagues on the other side of the aisle? I think one of the things that is a clear difference, Mr. Speaker, is that we believe, we recognize, that in connection with this journey, work hard, play by the rules, imagine and dare to dream the ability to live the good life, to experience the American Dream, an American Dream that when you work hard and play by the rules, it should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family, educate your children, purchase a home, have access to high-quality healthcare, go on vacation every now and then, and then, one day, retire with grace and dignity. That is the American Dream. That is the ability to afford and access the good life.

We believe, as House Democrats, that no single force in the United States of America has done more to bring the American Dream to life than organized labor. We will continue to stand up for organized labor today, tomorrow, and always, not undermine good-paying union jobs. That is what this bill, this one big, ugly bill, does in the United States of America. We are going to stand up, stand up, stand up for organized labor.

This is personal to me. My parents, Marland Jeffries and Laneda Jeffries, raised us, my younger brother, Hasan, and me. They raised us in a working-class, union household. I am thankful for that. We were raised in central Brooklyn.

My mom grew up in Connecticut, and I mentioned--that must be Jahana Hayes. I don't see Rosa DeLauro in my sight line, but I am so thankful for all the members of the Connecticut delegation. I am an unofficial sixth member of the Connecticut delegation.

My mom was raised in Bristol, Connecticut. She went to Bristol High School. I am thankful for my mom.

My dad, as I mentioned earlier, grew up in Newark.

That must be LaMonica McIver.

He grew up in Brick City. I mentioned earlier he had a nickname, Pudding. I failed to ask him, but I am going to see if my mom can unlock the key to that nickname for me. My mom grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, and my father grew up in Newark.

I mentioned earlier that he then went off to serve this country in uniform as an Air Force member and served in Germany during the Cold War. I think about that a lot. I didn't get to talk too much about it. I wish I would have had the opportunity to talk a little bit more with my dad about that. It is an extraordinary thing in the United States of America that someone could grow up in inner city Newark and then have the ability, in part thanks to President Harry Truman, to serve with people of all races to defend this great country.

I wish I would have had the opportunity to talk to my dad a little bit more about his experience in Germany because the one thing that I have been able to take away from that experience was that he came back having fallen in love with Heinekens and Becks. He came back after serving this country, Mr. Speaker, in uniform, as so many men and women in uniform do right now.

Let me make clear that we are so thankful. We are so appreciative of the courage of the men and women in uniform who serve in the United States military. We will always stand behind you. We thank you for your service, your patriotism, your courage, your heroism, your sacrifice, and for lifting up the freedom that is America.

They are not suckers. They are heroes. They are not suckers. They are heroes. We are thankful for their service. The men and women have no better hype person than Frederica Wilson.

My dad, as I mentioned, grew up in Newark. My mom grew up in Bristol, Connecticut. They met at Central State University. I am proud to note that it is a historically Black college and university.

Mr. Speaker, historically Black colleges and universities have given so much to the United States of America, and we will always stand behind them. We will always stand behind them. We will always stand behind them. I wouldn't be here right now without a historically Black college and university. I will never run away from that. I will never run away from that.

We can check the record, but we are proud of the fact that over the last few years prior to this administration, there has been historic investment in Hispanic-Serving Institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and higher education.

That is part of who I am right now. I don't know if I will have time to tell the story of my grandmother. Maybe I will. I have got so many stories. I feel like I am in a hip-hop studio right now. They all relate to what makes every single one of us. Every single Democrat has a story to tell, a story to tell.

Brooklyn will get that. Every single one of us has a story to tell. That leads us to this moment. It is the reason why we are fighting hard against this incredible and unprecedented assault on the American way of life and an assault on organized labor.

My parents met at Central State University. Dad would tell my younger brother and I that it was love at first sight, but apparently my mom said: Not so fast. They worked it out, and I am thankful for that.

They met at Central State University, and, of course, I mentioned that mom was from Connecticut, my father was from New Jersey. Why was it that we grew up in New York City? Apparently, they compromised and moved to Brooklyn.

I was raised in Brooklyn, New York, in a working-class neighborhood in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic. They were dangerous times in New York City in a union household. I am proud that I grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church. I am still a member of the Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Mr. Speaker, I grew up in this union household. I land on that moment, and every single one of us as House Democrats have a similar story to tell about why in our heart, in our soul, in our essence, in our experience we are so horrified by the attacks on organized labor because we understand the importance of what organized labor has meant to the American journey.

My mom and dad were both public servants throughout their entire lives. My mom worked for 45 years at DC 37, for the city of New York. My dad worked for 30 years. He was a member of the Public Employees Federation. He was a substance abuse social worker dealing with addiction during the heroin explosion of the 1970s, and the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s.

They got married in 1967, and they were newlyweds. Many people familiar with the history of the labor movement, particularly in New York City, know that in 1967, the Social Service Employees Union, which they both belonged to at the time, famously went on strike for better pay, better healthcare, better working conditions, and most importantly, better service to the clients that they served.

I thought about that fact. They were newlyweds, a few months in, and they had to make a decision, when the Social Service Employees Union went out on strike, whether they would cross the picket line, because it was unclear perhaps how they would pay for food and rent and clothing as newlyweds in a new city. Mr. Speaker, were they going to stand in solidarity with their union brothers and sisters?

I am so thankful, Mr. Speaker, when I learned that my parents made that decision to stand on that picket line for as long as it took in solidarity with their union brothers and sisters. That is part of our DNA. That is part of why we fight so hard. We can all trace a similar story, an inheritance from our parents and grandparents, all of us have that kind of story to tell.

Why am I so thankful that my parents made what I believe was a tough personal decision, but, of course, the right decision? It is because of what that union membership actually meant to my journey and my younger brother's journey.

In 1973, my younger brother was born with a serious heart condition. He is okay right now. He is doing well. Right now he continues to say on social media that he is our mother's favorite son. Let me say from the House floor: No, you are not. I think she favors both of us.

In 1973, my younger brother was born with a serious heart condition. He is okay right now. He was born with a serious heart condition. I am thankful that it was that union-negotiated healthcare that got our family through that difficult moment. That is why we do what we do. It is our own personal experience.

In the early eighties, my parents made a modest living. Neither of them, even at the tail end of decades-long careers, ever made more than $50,000. They made a modest living.

In the early eighties in Crown Heights, a rough neighborhood in central Brooklyn, they bought their first and only home. They were able to buy that home that my younger brother, Hasan, and I were raised in because of that union-negotiated salary. They paid off the mortgage down to zero because of that union-negotiated salary. This is personal to us. This is our own journey.

Lastly, as it relates to this part of my journey, this is why we all fight for what we fight for and why we stood behind Representative Mike Thompson's amendment to protect good-paying union jobs. I went to college. I went to Binghamton University.

When I first got here, I was surprised to learn actually that I was the first graduate of Binghamton University ever elected to the United States Congress. I was shocked to learn that. I was not the last because Eugene Vindman and John Mannion have now joined us. We tripled the size of the Binghamton University delegation. That is part of the reason we stand up for higher education and public education. That is our own experience.

I graduated from Binghamton University. My younger brother graduated from Morehouse College. Somehow, we managed to graduate from college without owing anything. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how. As I mentioned, my mom and my dad just earned a modest living all throughout their careers. One day, I had a conversation with my mom. I was trying to figure it out. How did they pull that off?

She said: Well, I wanted to make sure my two sons could have a clean start to life. I borrowed against my union-negotiated pension to make sure my two sons could get free and clear of loans and get a higher education as part of our effort to experience the American Dream.

We all say to our brothers and sisters in organized labor: You don't ever have to worry about whether House Democrats are going to stand up for you because you have always been there for us.

That is our personal story. Every single one of us does this work because we have lived a life of opportunity that this great country has provided to us.

We are deeply troubled, saddened, and disgusted that this great institution, this House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, and the Republicans are trying to jam this one big, ugly bill down the throats of the American people. This is a bill that hurts everyday Americans in order to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks. Shame on this institution if that bill ever passes.

We say to the American people we have been working hard to try to get this bill into a better situation, introducing amendment after amendment.

Representative Judy Chu is the chair emerita of CAPAC. One of our extraordinary leaders, my good friend, Grace Meng, now chairs CAPAC. Representative Judy Chu had an amendment that no one earning more than $10 million per year receives a tax cut to prevent this reverse Robinhood and the ballooning of the debt by $4 trillion. Mr. Speaker, Republicans voted down that amendment.

We support, as Democrats, providing tax relief to everyday Americans. We are willing to work in a bipartisan way to deal with that issue under the leadership of Richard Neal. Republicans decided, Mr. Speaker, as you know, to go down this partisan road, play partisan games, and try to jam this extreme budget down the throats of the American people.

Amendment after amendment after amendment was introduced by House Democrats in good faith and exercising common sense to try to improve this bill.

Representative Jimmy Gomez, the chair of the Congressional Dads Caucus here in the United States House of Representatives, had an amendment to ensure that people who make $1 billion a year don't get a tax break paid for by cutting Americans' healthcare and food assistance. Mr. Speaker, Republicans voted that down.

My good friend and classmate, Representative Suzan DelBene, had an amendment that would have made the child tax credit fully refundable. Suzan DelBene is a great champion of the child tax credit.

Let me also shout out a person who I believe is the mother of the enhanced and expanded child tax credit as well, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, Rosa DeLauro. We are thankful for Rosa's leadership. She is fighting hard on behalf of the American people.

Suzan DelBene is a great champion of the child tax credit. She had an amendment, Mr. Speaker, to make the child tax credit fully refundable, covering the 17 million children who are being left behind by the big, ugly bill, and to increase the child tax credit for families.

What Republicans are doing, Mr. Speaker, as you know, in this particular bill is not enhancing and expanding the child tax credit. They are undermining the child tax credit.

Representative Suzan DelBene, my classmate, along with Katherine Clark and others in the class of 2012, used to be the new kids on the block. Now, we are just the old G's.

Suzan DelBene introduced this amendment. Mr. Speaker, as you know, Republicans voted it down.

Representative Laura Gillen had an amendment. We dealt with this issue a little bit earlier, the new and permanent cap on State and local tax deduction. Representative Laura Gillen had an amendment to strike the new and permanent cap on SALT, which is something that Members of the House Republican Conference, Mr. Speaker, as you know, claim was a line in the sand for them. Specifically, Representatives from New York said that they support it, but Republicans voted down an amendment from Representative Laura Gillen.

Representative Mary Gay Scanlon from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one of the great Members of the class of 2018, a great class, had an amendment that would protect infants and babies, American citizens born in this country, from the unconstitutional, un-American Trump executive order to end birthright citizenship. Republicans voted that down.

Let me make something clear: No matter what it takes, we are going to make sure, as House Democrats, that we stand up for the principle that every single child born in the United States of America, pursuant to the 14th Amendment, is an American citizen. We will never let anyone take that away, not now, not ever.

I thank Mary Gay Scanlon.

I am appreciative of Congressman Greg Meeks, my big brother in the United States Congress. We are family as House Democrats, committed to working hard and standing up on behalf of the American people. It is the honor of a lifetime to be part of this family and stand on the shoulders of Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Jim Clyburn. It is an honor to be part of this family to fight hard on behalf of the American people.

Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, I have to repeat this, had an amendment, Mr. Speaker, to protect infants and children, babies, against the unconstitutional and un-American Trump executive order to end birthright citizenship. Republicans voted that down.

Representative Pramila Jayapal had an amendment to prevent ICE from deporting United States citizens, Mr. Speaker, who are being deported by the Trump administration. I documented some of that earlier today. We are happy to provide more examples.

In fact, I am happy to debate my colleague, Speaker Mike Johnson, on any of these issues anytime right here on the floor of the House of Representatives. I sent him the invitation. I sent him that invitation. I sent him that invitation months ago. I am still waiting to get a response.

We are not running from the American people. We are ready to debate any of these issues anytime and anyplace, particularly right here on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Representative Pramila Jayapal had an amendment, Mr. Speaker, to prevent ICE from deporting U.S. citizens. Republicans voted that down.

I mentioned earlier that we do this work because we are informed by our own personal experiences. It is not about glory, and it is not about profit. It is about improving the lives of the American people, whom we are privileged to represent. Jim McGovern and his wife, Lisa, are dealing with immense pain and immense personal tragedy, but they are fighting so hard on behalf of the American people. He had an amendment to restore the critical NIH research funding withheld by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to cure diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer, including pediatric cancer, childhood cancer, Mr. Speaker. Republicans voted that down.

Hundreds of amendments were introduced by Democrats to try to deal with the cruelty and callousness of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill. Many amendments were offered by Democrats, and Republicans chose not to make these amendments in order. In other words, they just ignored them and dismissed their importance.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Representative Josh Gottheimer offered an amendment, as a new requirement, that the Secretary of HHS certify in writing that the reductions and rescissions made by this act will not affect cancer survivors currently on Medicaid or Medicare. Mr. Speaker, as you know, Republicans dismissed that amendment.

Representative Houlahan and Representative Ramirez offered an amendment, Mr. Speaker, which exempts individuals with disabilities from having to prove eligibility for Medicaid every 6 months. That is a burdensome red-tape requirement designed to throw people off of Medicaid who are eligible. That amendment was dismissed.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, by House Republicans, Representative Sarah McBride, the distinguished gentlewoman from the great State of Delaware, the distinguished gentlewoman from the great State of Delaware, she offered an amendment that requires the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, to certify provisions in this bill to make sure that those provisions will not reduce access to care or increase the cost of care for seniors who are duly eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Mr. Speaker, as you know, Republicans dismissed that amendment.

Representative Rob Menendez offered an amendment that the health provisions will not take effect if it would lead to an increase in mortality rates due to reduced access to hospital services. Mr. Speaker, as you know, House Republicans dismissed that amendment.

Representative Val Hoyle introduced an amendment that strikes changes to provider taxes and preserves States' ability to use or increase provider taxes to fund Medicaid and protect hospital funding. Mr. Speaker, you know that, despite Representative Hoyle offering this amendment, Republicans dismissed it.

Rural hospitals will close as a result of Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill. They will close. Susan Collins acknowledged that fact, but House Republicans are here jamming a bill down the throats of the American people that will close hospitals in rural America, in urban America, in small-town America, in the heartland of America, and apparently, Mr. Speaker, they couldn't care less.

Let me be clear. We are going to stand up for those communities that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have abandoned. We are going to stand up for rural America, urban America, small-town America, the heartland of America, Appalachia. We are going to stand up for all of America, whether we represent you or not.

Representative Nanette Barragan, one of our co-chairs of Steering and Policy, along with Robin Kelly and DWS, offered an amendment increasing the hospital stabilization fund that they had to include in this one big, ugly bill. This amendment was designed to protect hospitals from closing and expand eligibility for safety net hospitals that we know exist all across America, in every corner in this country.

Safety net hospitals serve a large number of low-income patients, including those with Medicaid. Yet, Mr. Speaker, as you know, House Republicans dismissed this amendment.

Amendment after amendment after amendment the Democrats have introduced to try to relieve the pain that is being visited upon the American people by this one big, ugly bill was voted down by Republicans or dismissed out of hand.

Representative Costa introduced an amendment to protect those on the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program, who are also targeted by this one big, ugly bill, as part of an effort to ensure that all households on SNAP can continue to qualify. Mr. Speaker, as you know, Republicans dismissed that amendment out of hand, ignored it, did not see fit to take it up.

Representative Jill Tokuda from the great State of Hawaii introduced an amendment trying to prevent the nutrition title of this bill from taking effect, again, so the USDA can determine that the provisions of this one big, ugly bill would not result in material economic harm to farmers, ranchers, and producers. Mr. Speaker, as you know, Republicans dismissed that amendment out of hand.

Representative Lloyd Doggett had an amendment to extend tax cuts for the 98 percent of the American people who make $400,000 or less per year. Had that amendment been taken up and passed, it would have cut the cost of this one big, ugly bill by approximately 50 percent, and we would have been standing up for those everyday Americans who are now going to be hurt by other provisions in this GOP tax scam, this disgusting abomination. Mr. Speaker, as you know, that amendment was dismissed out of hand by the House Republican majority.

Representative Seth Magaziner from the great State of Rhode Island, only in his second term, somehow, he is the dean of the delegation. Along with my good friend Gabe Amo, Seth Magaziner had an amendment to provide a tax cut for the middle-class, paid for by increasing taxes on the wealthiest here in this country, taxes and a tax rate that had previously been at 39 percent, lowered by the original GOP tax scam in 2017.

You had this amendment to provide a tax cut for middle-class Americans. Instead, Republicans are spending a trillion dollars on massive tax breaks for the wealthiest amongst us. That amendment was dismissed out of hand.

Representative Steven Horsford, who also came in during the class of 2012, had an amendment to make no tax on tips, which we support--but we support no tax on tips becoming a permanent part of the law, and that is not what this one big, ugly bill does.

Tax breaks for billionaires, permanent; tax breaks for everybody else expire. That is not the way to stand up for everyday Americans. That is extraordinary.

Representative Steven Horsford's amendments to make no tax on tips permanent and to close loopholes that are in this one big, ugly bill were dismissed out of hand.

Amendments introduced by Ranking Member Huffman, Andrea Salinas, Dave Min, Emily Randall, and others protecting public lands were dismissed out of hand.

Amendments on energy introduced by Members like Luz Rivas were dismissed out of hand.

I think I will end this portion of my presentation--Mr. Speaker, I said, ``this portion of my presentation.'' I still have a little more time.

Donald Trump's deadline may be Independence Day. That ain't my deadline. Do you know why, Mr. Speaker? We don't work for Donald Trump. We work for the American people.

That is why we are right here now on the floor of the House of Representatives, standing up for the American people, for everyday Americans, for hardworking American taxpayers, fighting hard to make sure that we can live in a country where every American can afford to live the good life.

As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker, part of being able to afford to live the good life, part of those five things that I talked about, which shouldn't be hard to agree upon--work hard, play by the rules, and then being able to be part of a country. Imagine a country where, when you work hard and play by the rules, you can afford to obtain the American Dream, to experience the good life: a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, a good education for your children, and, then, a good retirement.

We had a series of amendments, Mr. Speaker, introduced on the subject of education. I will say something about the Department of Education. Every agency and every department can, of course, be improved in terms of its efficiency, but the Department of Education does important work, particularly as it relates to the most vulnerable children amongst us.

As part of this unprecedented assault on the American way of life, President Donald Trump issued this executive order, effectively trying to abolish the Department of Education.

I know there are people all across the country, as I traveled throughout America, who are concerned about this. Let me make something clear: The Department of Education was established by an act of the United States Congress. It cannot be abolished by anyone pretending to be a wannabe king, not anyone. It is us, the United States Congress. We introduced, Mr. Speaker, a series of amendments related to this commitment, this recognition of the importance of education as part of accessing the American Dream.

Ranking Member Bobby Scott is also battling some issues. Life hits us all, but he made sure to make his way here to the House of Representatives as part of his commitment to stand up for the education of our children and others.

He had an amendment, Mr. Speaker, that strikes all the extreme parts of the Committee on Education and Workforce elements of this bill that make it harder for students to access high-quality education, jeopardizes child nutrition programs, and threatens financial student aid, all of which is being done recklessly, Mr. Speaker, by this one big, ugly bill. As you know, Republicans chose to ignore this amendment, to dismiss it out of hand.

Representative Sarah Elfreth introduced an amendment to try to increase the amount that hardworking teachers and educators are able to deduct on qualified out-of-pocket classroom expenses. That amendment was dismissed out of hand.

Tax breaks for billionaires, Mr. Speaker, but Republicans have decided that hardworking educators can't get an enhanced tax benefit for their out-of-pocket expenses. That is wrong, and as House Democrats, we will continue to stand behind the educators of the United States of America, the teachers in the United States of America, and those to whom we entrust our most precious asset: our children.

House Republicans, Mr. Speaker, aren't standing up for educators, for the teachers of America. This is extraordinary. We are going to continue to stand with our teachers and stand with our public schools all across the United States of America. That is what House Democrats are going to continue to do.

Representative Val Hoyle had an amendment to increase Pell grant funding for Pell grant awards that are severely undermined in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill.

Mr. Speaker, it is extraordinary to me that this reckless Republican budget manages to go after blue-collar jobs, organized labor, hardworking American taxpayers who don't shower before going to work but shower after work, and that Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill goes after blue-collar, good-paying, prevailing-wage jobs here in the United States of America, and then also goes after access to higher education.

Representative Val Hoyle had an amendment, Mr. Speaker, increasing Pell grant awards that are severely undermined in this bill.

House Republicans chose to ignore this amendment and dismiss it out of hand. This is another one of those areas where our commitment is to experience the American Dream, whatever path you choose. This may be through career and technical education, as has been the case by many Members in their experience or their family experience, such as Don Norcross, who is one of our leaders in this regard, Debbie Dingell, and others.

Mark Pocan is part of the Labor Caucus leaders in this regard. Mark Pocan is part of the trades movement. Don Norcross is part of the trades movement. Debbie Dingell is so close to the UAW and the trades.

It is one of those areas where we also are informed by our personal experiences, why we find what is taking place, Mr. Speaker, in this one big, ugly bill so disgusting, these attacks by Republicans on the ability of all Americans to achieve the American Dream, to be part of imagining an America where everyone who works hard and plays by the rules can live the good life.

Higher education is not the entire solution, but it certainly is part of it. This was taught to me by my grandma Nana. She never had a formal 4-year education, but perhaps, she was the wisest woman I have ever known. She was determined to make sure that her two grandsons had the opportunity, as best she could, to obtain an education. Ultimately, we were coming out of this working-class neighborhood, Crown Heights in central Brooklyn, and we spent a lot of time in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She lived on the corner of Putnam and Lewis, right down the block from the Cornerstone Baptist Church.

She was determined to make sure that her two grandsons had the best opportunity, in her view, in grandma Nana's view to access education. When we were young, she said to my younger brother and I--I will never forget this conversation. We were in her home in Bed-Stuy. She said that the two of you are going to go to elementary school and then you will graduate, go to middle school and graduate, go to high school and graduate, and then go to college and graduate. Then she dreamed about us going to graduate school, get a law degree, a Ph.D., a medical degree, an MBA, some form of advanced education. We were, like: Grandma, we are going to be in school our entire lives.

She was so committed to that journey that every single time we graduated--this is a woman of modest means--she gave my younger brother and I, whoever was the graduate, $500 in cash. I still don't know where Nana got that money from. I know it came by her honestly. She saved for it, but it was designed to help incentivize her grandchildren to keep going through all of the obstacles.

Mr. Speaker, I made the mistake one day of telling that story, this $500 incentive, in front of my two sons, and they said: Dad, you have been shortchanging us our entire lives. Access to education is a part of the journey for many of us. It is shocking to me that this one aspect, not the only aspect, this one aspect that Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence once articulated, the father of the University of Virginia, Ben Franklin, the father of the University of Pennsylvania, and others saw an important role for enlightened education as just one path that we as House Democrats are trying to protect while also making sure that every single hardworking American can get the type of career in technical education, if they choose that path, to experience the American Dream.

Mr. Speaker, as I perhaps approach the end of this particular journey, let me just reiterate that as House Democrats, we maintained from the very beginning of this Congress, we acknowledged the election of President Donald Trump, offered to work with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle whenever and wherever possible in order to make life better for the American people, to stand up for the things that matter not as Democrats, Independents, or Republicans but as Americans, but the route, Mr. Speaker, that has been taken by House Republicans is to go it alone and to try to jam this one big, ugly bill, filled with extreme rightwing policy priorities, down the throats of the American people.

That is why, in good conscience, we can't stand here, Mr. Speaker, and support this effort, this one big, ugly bill that hurts everyday Americans and rewards billionaires with massive tax breaks.

Mr. Speaker, America is too expensive. Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high. Childcare costs are too high. Energy costs are too high. Insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive.

President Trump and House Republicans promised to lower costs on day one, Mr. Speaker, but costs aren't going down. They are going up.

The policies unleashed by the Trump administration have been so chaotic, so all over the place. So much uncertainty has been created that the economy is being run off track, and nothing has been done to lower the high cost of living.

In fact, not a single thing in Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill will meaningfully make life more affordable for everyday Americans. That is just one of several reasons why House Democrats are ``hell no'' on this legislation. We were a hell no last week, a hell no this week, a hell no yesterday, a hell no today, and we will continue to be a hell no on this effort to hurt the American people.

And I know, for the record, Mom, ``hell'' is in the Bible.

The American people are understandably frustrated by the high cost of living. Yes, they are frustrated by the unprecedented assault on the American way of life, on our democracy, on the rule of law and due process, on healthcare, on Social Security, on nutritional assistance, but it is my sincere hope that we can find a path forward to actually address for the American people some of the underlying sources of their frustration.

The fact that far too many people--you have heard the stories, Mr. Speaker, and that is just a fraction of the stories that have been shared with us, Members of the United States House of Representatives, just a fraction of the stories that I have been able, on behalf of House Democrats, to enter into the Record.

They are frustrated by a lot of the things that have gone on in this country since January 20. I am frustrated by a lot of what has gone on, disgusted by a lot of what has gone on, Mr. Speaker, in this country since January 20. We are better than this.

It is also important--one of the things that I hope, Mr. Speaker, we will be able to address at some point is the source of the underlying frustration. It is a frustration in the comments, in the eloquent words, of all of those Presidential leaders that I mentioned earlier today.

This frustration is economic frustration. FDR talked about it. Truman talked about it. President Kennedy talked about it. Johnson talked about it. Carter talked about it. Clinton talked about it. President Obama talked about it. President Biden talked about it. It is a consistent strand.

While progress has been made in the United States of America--we have come a long way on behalf of working-class Americans--there is still a way to go to ensure that, in this great country, hardworking American taxpayers don't simply work hard and play by the rules just to survive barely paycheck to paycheck but are able to actually thrive.

That is the America that we should all commit to work hard toward bringing about: good-paying jobs, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and a good retirement, a fair shot at achieving the American Dream.

A good retirement, let me reiterate it for the record, means, Mr. Speaker, that people in this town need to keep their hands off the Social Security and the Medicare of the American people.

Keep your hands off Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, all of those things. Hands off.

One of the many reasons why we strongly oppose Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill is because it will result in the largest cut to Medicare, sets in motion the largest cut to Medicare, more than $500 billion by some estimations, in American history.

The American people are understandably frustrated, not for years but for decades, and far too many have dealt with the situation where the system is not building an economy that works for hardworking American taxpayers, for everyday Americans, for working-class Americans, for everyone who aspires to be part of the middle class.

It is our sincere hope that we can get to a place one day, perhaps in a bipartisan way, not connected to this extreme, reckless, and dangerous partisan bill, this one big, ugly bill that will hurt everyday Americans in order to reward billionaires, that we actually can get to the work of lifting up everyday Americans because the deck has been stacked against you for far too long. That is not the America that the American people deserve.

Part of the challenge, part of the problem, part of the issue as to why we find ourselves, everyday Americans, in this situation is because of the dominance of special interests in this town. This one big, ugly bill represents a massive giveaway to special interests in this country.

Mr. Speaker, we reject special interests because our job here in the United States of America is to protect the public interest at all times: today, tomorrow, always, and forever.

It is extraordinary to me, Mr. Speaker, that you have folks in this town talking about draining the swamp. Guess what? You are the swamp. You are the swamp. You are the swamp.

We have never seen anything like this, the type of corruption that has been unleashed on the American people and has poisoned, Mr. Speaker, this bill.

I see you are consulting the Parliamentarian, I think. I said, ``people in this town.''

I am thankful that my grandmother saw fit to have her grandson educated.

We have never seen the level, Mr. Speaker, of this type of corruption unleashed on the American people that has made its way into this one big, ugly bill. There are extraordinary levels of corruption in this town that has been unleashed on the American people. Corruption on steroids would be an understatement, in terms of what the American people are now being subjected to.

One of the things we look forward to changing in this town--I am going to make this commitment--House Democrats are committed to making sure that we end corruption once and for all in the United States of America: end corruption in Congress, end corruption at the Supreme Court, and end corruption with the administration. That is part of our agenda, an anticorruption agenda. That is what the American people deserve. That is what we as House Democrats are committed to bringing about; the exact opposite, Mr. Speaker, of what we see in this bill.

We are going to present to the American people an anticorruption agenda the likes of which have never been seen because it is too much. Fundamentally, it undermines the ability of government to deliver for everyday Americans. You see that politics at the end of the day is about the management of public money. That is why we need everyday Americans to participate in your democracy because politics, at the end of the day, is about the management of public money. It is about how taxpayer dollars are going to be managed.

What is extraordinary about this one big, ugly bill is that what we see, Mr. Speaker, is the management of public money, all of it being done in this highly partisan way. It is not designed to serve the best interests of the American people.

It is being managed, Mr. Speaker, in this GOP tax scam, this disgusting abomination, this one big, ugly bill. The management of taxpayer money is being misused and abused to hurt everyday Americans in order to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks.

That is a dereliction of duty, the mismanagement of public money. It is an abuse of the privilege that all of us as Members of the United States Congress have.

One of our promises to the American people: As we look toward the future, we will always be stewards of their money to make sure that we are allocating taxpayer dollars in a way designed to lift up the American people, not tear the American people down. That is the type of Congress that the American people deserve: The public interest over special interests; the public interest over special interests; the public interest over special interests. That is one of our promises to the American people, and we are going to work hard to earn their trust as we move forward and look toward the future.

I mentioned earlier in my remarks that I wanted to talk a little bit about faith. I grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We walk by faith, not by sight. If you just have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. We have come this far by faith.

I can't leave this floor, Mr. Speaker, without talking a little bit about faith. I use ``faith'' in the broadest sense of the word. I am proud of what we are in this country: Jewish faith, Muslim faith, Hindu faith, Buddhist faith, Christian faith, all faiths.

That is the interesting thing. This rush to jam this reckless bill down the throats of the American people, all of it somehow connected to our 249th birthday that we are going to celebrate tomorrow, July Fourth, a journey launched by the Declaration of Independence and ultimately this principle embedded in the First Amendment around the importance of faith but also at the same time the importance of separating church and state.

It is all in the First Amendment, as interpreted by the Supreme Court. I don't have time, I think, to really deeply go into it. You have got the Establishment Clause and you have got the Free Exercise Clause. The Framers of this country recognized the importance of faith, our journey of religion. I am proud of my Christian faith, but I also recognize the importance of the plurality of all of us, men and women of faith, different religions, and also of the fact that here in America we embrace the religious and the secular.

Mr. Speaker, I alluded to this question of faith a little earlier. It seems to me that the Gospels, the New Testament--there are some interesting parts of the Old Testament. I am tempted to tell the story of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of parallels to what is going on right now. I am going to focus at this moment on New Testament Scripture, the Gospels.

I think it was mentioned earlier by one of my colleagues. I think Don Beyer mentioned earlier Matthew 25:35-40 earlier. I think it is important that at this time in this moment and in this debate, before I leave the floor of the House of Representatives, this Scripture be entered into the Congressional Record.

``For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in.''

``I was a stranger and you invited me in.''

``E pluribus unum''; ``out of many, one.''

``I needed clothes and you clothed me.''

I was sick. I had medical problems. Maybe I needed Medicare or Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act or the Children's Health Insurance Program or Planned Parenthood. Mr. Speaker, I was sick, and you looked after me.

Mr. Speaker, I was in prison and you came to visit me. We have a right, as Members of Congress, to visit people who are detained. It is not just in law. It is right here in Matthew.

``Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?''

Of course, the reply from Jesus: ``Truly, I tell you whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.''

That is what we should do here in the United States House of Representatives. Our job is to stand up for the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, the least, the lost, and the left behind, everyday Americans.

That is what Matthew teaches us, and that is not what is happening in this one big, ugly bill. That is not consistent with what my faith teaches me. I am not down with this situation.

There are some folks in this town who go to church. Mr. Speaker, I said some people in this town go to church. I am not questioning anybody's faith. I am just making an observation. Some folks in this town go to church, and they pray, p-r-a-y, on Sunday. Then they come to Congress and prey, p-r-e-y, on the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I am not down with that kind of faith. That ain't my faith. That is not our faith. That is not faith that comes out of the Gospel. I can't find that kind of faith in Matthew 25:35. I can't find that kind of faith.

I do see something else. Can I talk about it for a moment? I do see something else. It is kind of what I am seeing connected to this one big, ugly bill. I don't know if this was an inspiration to this extraordinary assault on the American people, this corrupt piece of legislation.

I looked over my Bible, and this is going to come from John. It is not going to come from Second Corinthians, although the Apostle Paul has a lot to say about that.

Mr. Speaker, I said Second Corinthians and not 2 Corinthians. I don't know who I am talking about but, Mr. Speaker, if you are going to sell the Bible, you should know the Bible.

I am trying to figure it out because it is not in Matthew 25:35-40. I did see something in John 10:10. This frightens me in this moment that we are living in. It says: ``The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.''

It is incredible to me that we are here, dealing with a piece of legislation literally that steals money from everyday Americans, from hardworking American taxpayers. It steals money from Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It steals money from Pell grants, from the education of our children, and from energy assistance programs. The thief comes only to steal and kill.

I don't say this lightly, Mr. Speaker, but we stand behind this point. When you try to take healthcare away, what this bill does by taking healthcare away from everyday Americans, 1 in 17 million--this unprecedented assault on Medicaid, on the Affordable Care Act, on Medicare, and on children's health insurance--what you effectively are doing is hurting everyday Americans, hurting children, hurting women, hurting older Americans, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Nursing homes will close. Hospitals will shut down. Community-based health clinics will be unable to operate. We are actually here debating legislation, Mr. Speaker, that will result in tens of thousands of everyday Americans losing their lives because of the inability to get healthcare that they now have and is being ripped away from them.

John 10:10 says: ``The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.''

It is an all-out assault on the American people. It is an all-out assault on healthcare, the economy, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and nutritional assistance for veterans, farmers, law-abiding immigrant families, and small business owners. All the things that we have spent some time on this House floor talking about, this bill is trying to destroy, to destroy the American way of life.

I can't find anything in the Bible in the New Testament, certainly not in Mathew 25:35 and all the way through the 40th verse, but somehow, I happened upon John 10:10 in thinking about this one big, ugly bill. The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but America is a resilient nation. We are an exceptional nation. We are a strong nation. We have been through turbulence, trials, and tribulations, and we always somehow have found a way to make it through. It is because of the resilience, Mr. Speaker, of the American people.

Despite whatever happens today as it relates to this one big, ugly bill, if my Republican colleagues decide that, once again, Mr. Speaker, they are simply going to make the decision to serve as a reckless rubberstamp for President Trump's extreme agenda, I still have faith in the United States of America. I still have faith in the United States of America. I still have faith in the United States of America.

We will not let anyone in this town destroy what America represents, not ever. It is not going to be easy. We recognize that, but we have faith in the resilience of the American people.

As I get ready to close shortly, let me say it one more time. Our Republican colleagues tried to jam this reckless, extreme bill, Mr. Speaker, down the throats of the American people. They had the nerve to start this debate at 3:28 a.m., in the middle of the night, but we made clear that we were going to expose all the things that are being done to harm the American people, not in the dark of night but in the light of day.

This little light of mine, we are going to let it shine, but on behalf of the American people.

It is incredible to me that Republicans will try to jam this big, ugly bill down the throats of the American people in the dead of night, and then, to add insult to injury, Mr. Speaker, allocate 15 minutes to each side on the committees of jurisdiction, 15 minutes to the Ways and Means on each side and 15 minutes to the Budget Committee. That is extraordinary, but I am thankful and appreciative of all of my colleagues who stand behind me.

I thank all of my colleagues for their commitment, their courage, and their conviction, for standing up on behalf of the American people to deliver hopefully what is a message of concern but also a message of hope.

We have to fight a lot of battles on behalf of the American people. It is not over. We are fighting a lot of battles on behalf of the American people. This is just one of them. We wanted to make sure that the American people had an opportunity to fully and more completely understand in the light of day just how damaging this one big, ugly bill will be to the American people.

I plead with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Mr. Speaker, I really plead with my colleagues to be inspired by some of the Framers of the Constitution, the great scholars and great thinkers who conceived of this incredible journey that we have been on in the United States of America, creating separate and coequal branches of government. They recognized that in this country, part of the gift that we were given by the Framers of the United States is the Constitution.

No king, no monarch, separate and coequal branches of government. This is the Article I branch of government.

Mr. Speaker, James Madison once made the observation in his view in one of the Federalist Papers that at its best, Congress should function as a rival to the executive branch. That was James Madison. Article I branch of government, the House and the Senate.

We are not here to bend the knee to any wannabe king. Mr. Speaker, we are not here to bend the knee to any wannabe king. We are here to be a rival to the executive branch in the best spirit of the House of Representatives, to push back against an out-of-control executive branch. That was the Framers' vision. I said that was the Framers' vision, the Framers' vision.

So as we prepare to take this consequential vote, Mr. Speaker, I just urge many of my colleagues in government, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--Mr. Speaker, we don't work for President Trump. We don't work for JD Vance. We don't work for Elon Musk.

Mr. Speaker, as all of us prepare to cast this vote, I hope my Republican colleagues will come to the conclusion that we work for the American people. We work for the American people. We don't work for any President. We work with American Presidents. We work for the American people. So it is my hope that, as you evaluate this bill, all of the harm that is being unleashed on the American people, ripping healthcare away from more than 17 million Americans, effectively ending Medicaid as we know it, shutting down hospitals, including in rural America, in districts, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle represent. Nursing homes closing, one in four nursing homes, Mr. Speaker, will close as a result of the attack on Medicaid and Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is extraordinary, this assault on everyday Americans, this assault on children, veterans, seniors, people with disabilities. It is incredible to me. All of this is in this one big, ugly bill. Ripping food away from children, literally ripping food out of the mouths of hungry children, hungry veterans, and hungry seniors.

Mr. Speaker, that is not America. We are better than that. Mr. Speaker, we are better than that. Ripping food out of the mouths of vulnerable Americans, that is extraordinary that that is what we are doing, extraordinary.

All of this is being done, this unprecedented assault on everyday Americans is being unleashed on the American people, Mr. Speaker, on the most vulnerable amongst us. All of this is being done to provide massive tax breaks to billionaire donors.

Shame on this institution if this bill passes. That is not America. We are better than this. We are better. We are better. We are better than this. I think that, as we prepare to vote on this one big, ugly bill, it is a tough time for the people in the United States of America. It is extraordinary, extraordinary extremism unleashed on the American people.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle promise to address the high cost of living. Nothing in this bill will meaningfully lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. Nothing. It is incredible to me.

All of the promises that were made by some people in this town that their top priority was going to be to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America, and then all of last year ran away from Project 2025, and acted like it didn't exist.

Then, Mr. Speaker, people come to town in the majority now and every single part of the extremism that we have seen unleashed on the American people is connected to Project 2025, every single part.

Here is why I have still got hope and optimism. I referenced this earlier today. As we prepare to experience the 249th birthday of the United States of America, let's take it back to that original document, the Declaration of Independence, 1776. Mr. Speaker, it had the aspirational part: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.''

That is the aspirational part of the Declaration of Independence.

As House Democrats, we are committed, no matter what it takes, to bring that about. Imagine an America where everyone who works hard and plays by the rules can live the good life and afford to live the good life: a good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children, and a good retirement.

That is what House Democrats are fighting for. That is the aspirational part of the Declaration of Independence, to bring that to life. The pursuit of happiness, that is the aspirational part.

Yet, then, when you look at that Declaration of Independence, the second part of it reads like an indictment against an out-of-control king. It reads like an indictment against an out-of-control king. I commend all Americans--perhaps sometime tomorrow, I am going to do this myself--to read that document in its entirety.

Why was that indictment issued? I think it was because the Framers of this great country were fed up with project 1775, and so they implemented project 1776. I know that there are people concerned with what is happening in America, but understand that what our journey teaches us is that, after Project 2025 comes Project 2026, and you will have an opportunity to end this national nightmare as part of Project 2026. I love the Framers. They gave us a blueprint for what should give us hope in this moment.

Mr. Speaker, I will close by referencing someone who we all served with. I will stand on the shoulders, if it is okay, on some of our civil rights heroes and foot soldiers, those whose character, whose conviction, whose courage should give the American people hope at a moment of great despair.

Many of us had the great honor of serving with Congressman John Lewis. It was a great honor, Mr. Speaker, to serve with Congressman John Lewis.

I came across something that John Lewis said in June of 2018, and, hopefully, no matter what the outcome of this vote, it will give people some hope.

The great John Lewis said: ``Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year. It is the struggle of a lifetime.''

That is our struggle. No matter, Mr. Speaker, what you decide to do today, that is our struggle. Standing on the shoulders of John Lewis, that is our struggle.

``Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble-- '' good trouble, good trouble--``necessary trouble.''

Standing on the shoulders of giants, John Lewis would often talk to us about his admiration for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King would refer to John Lewis as the boy from Troy.

Now, what is interesting to me, that civil rights movement--we can learn a lot from it--started December of 1955, and Rosa Parks sat down on that bus so that all of us could have the courage to stand up. It wasn't an easy struggle. All the odds were stacked against these civil rights heroes and foot soldiers.

During the early days of the movement, a difficult part of the movement, Dr. King--after they had been targeted, arrested, beaten, harassed by the authorities--traveled to Brooklyn, New York, and spoke at the Concord Baptist Church. I think it was in March 1956.

Dr. King said to a group of people of every race, every religion, every life experience at Concord Baptist Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, he said to them: No matter what the odds, we have got to press on.

Dr. King said: If you can't fly, run. If you can't run, walk. If you can't walk, crawl. But at all times, press on, and keep pressing.

As I take my seat, I just say to the American people that, no matter what the outcome is on this singular day, we are going to press on. We are going to press on. We are going to press on.

We are going to press on for our children, press on for our seniors, press on for our veterans, press on for our unions, press on for our farmers, press on for our Dreamers, press on for working-class Americans, press on for the middle class, press on for all who aspire to be part of the middle class, press on for the poor, press on for the sick, press on for the afflicted, press on for the least of us, press on for the lost, press on for the left behind, press on for the rule of law, press on for the American way of life, and press on for democracy.

We are going to press on until victory is won.

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