Raising A Question of the Privileges of the House

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, since 2019, I have been proud to call the gentleman from Illinois both a colleague and a trusted friend.

During the build back better negotiations, we stood shoulder to shoulder to defend immigrant communities when it mattered the most. That is who Chuy Garcia is. He leads with conviction, courage, and integrity, even when he stands alone.

Chuy Garcia came up during the era of the late and great Harold Washington in Chicago who took down the political machine. It was Chuy Garcia who stood next to our other colleague, Luis Gutierrez, when his home was firebombed by two young men. His home was firebombed, and Chuy Garcia was the person standing next to former Congressman Luis Gutierrez.

An immigrant from Mexico and the son of a bracero, Chuy Garcia has spent 45 years as an organizer, public servant, and a coalition builder who never loses sight of the people he serves. He has been a steadfast champion for dignity, equity, and justice across Chicago.

He stepped out of this race for one reason and one reason only: his family. We often hear in these hallowed Halls of Congress the words ``family values,'' and it is often used with hypocrisy. Here we have a person that is really standing up for his grandchild.

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Here we have someone who is standing up for his grandchild, for his ill wife, for his community. He is standing up for family values, and yet he has to stand here and defend himself. His decision to step down is very personal and his decades of service speak for themselves.

We are grateful for his unwavering commitment to public service. At a moment where some are working overtime to protect the wealthy and gut healthcare for working families, we should stand together united to defend affordable healthcare. That is the issue that we should be talking about here tonight.

We should be standing together to talk about how we are going to lift the least among us and make it easier for them. That is what we should be talking about here tonight.

Nearly 20 million people are at risk of losing coverage and that should be our priority. Chuy, myself, and Luis Correa, we call ourselves the three amigos because we have so much in common, although I am from New York, he is from Illinois, and Luis is from California.

The word ``amigo'' means friend. It has been lost in the journey. The meaning of that word has been lost, and I may add maybe mutilated, but I am here to call Chuy tonight ``my great friend''; ``mi gran amigo.''

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