Notice of Intention to Offer Motion to Discharge Committee on Rules From Further Consideration of House Resolution 965
Floor Speech
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Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Pressley, for her leadership on this issue and her yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution to advance H.R. 1689, the bipartisan bill extending TPS for Haitians.
I thank my colleague, Representative Pressley, the co-chair of the Haiti Caucus, for her leadership on today's discharge petition. I am grateful for her partnership to protect our Haitian neighbors and friends.
Nassau County is home to one of the largest Haitian populations in the country, and we are incredibly proud of that. Haitian Long Islanders are part of the very fabric of our communities. Haitians work in critical sectors like healthcare, education and caregiving, supporting our elderly and working in local hospitals. Many have built private businesses and enriched our faith community.
Before I came to Congress, I made a promise to the Haitian constituents in my district that I would use my voice and work with anyone in any party to help protect this community and their existing legal status here in the United States.
Removing our neighbors would not just be a humanitarian catastrophe, it would hurt our economy, so as soon as I got to Congress, the very first bill that I introduced was a bipartisan bill to extend TPS for Haitians because protecting our friends and neighbors should be a bipartisan concern.
I was so proud and honored to work with my Republican colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler). I am thankful for his leadership on this issue, as well.
The U.S. State Department claims it is too dangerous for American citizens to go to Haiti because of kidnapping, gang violence, and widespread chaos, but yet the administration has said it is safe for Haitians to return there. How can we say that when the State Department has a ``Level 4: Do not travel'' advisory on its own website?
I have spoken to Haitian families who desperately want to see peace return to their country and would like to return there when it is safe to do so. However, the safety and economic security that they need to rebuild their lives there is nonexistent. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
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