challenges with the irs. we refer to ourselves as the safety net when all sales, our office is there to help taxpayers one on one. congress also gave us the authority to provide recommendations for the irs with respect to problems of service or administration or they focus on protecting taxpayer rights. we have the ability by the statute to provide administrative recommendations and also the ability to provide legislative recommendations. in our annual report to congress, we provide recommendations to improve administration, to make it easier to file your taxes. host: a line from that report to congress -- the year 2023 was one of extraordinary transition for the irs and taxpayers.

cautious optimism. why do you have cautious optimism? guest: i think a lot of us are trying to put the pandemic behind us, but during those years, the irs was also struggling. like everyone >> we're going to leave this. finish watching it on the c-span now video app, we take you live to the floor of the house. 5856 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: t he clerk will report the title before the bill. the clerk: h.r. 5856, a bill to re-authorize the trafficking victims protection act of 2000 and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: p ursuant to the rule, the gentleman from new jersey, mr. smith, and the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. manning, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new jersey. mr. smith: i ask unanimous consent all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include

extraneous material on this measure. the speaker pro tempore: w ithout objection. mr. smith: i ask unanimous consent to introduce into the record an exchange of letters with other committees of referral on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: w ithout objection. mr. smith: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. smith: mr. speaker, more than 20 years ago the u.s. congress approved and the president signed historic legislation that i authored known as the trafficking victims protection act of 2000, a comprehensive whole a comprehensive, whole of government approach to prevent sex and labor trafficking. they created a bold new anti-human trafficking strategy and established numerous programs to protect victims, prosecute traffickers and to the extent possible, prevent human trafficking in the first place. what we call the three p's. it's hard to believe now that tvpa was met with a wall of

septembercism and dismissed by many as a solution in search of a problem. to many, including some lawmaker, the term traffickers applied to drug and weapons, not human beings. reports of vulnerable people being reduced to commodities of sale were met with surprise, incredulity, or indifference. the bill was signed into law october 28, 2000. within a year no one was arguing anymore that the trafficking victims protection act' integrated three p strategy, prevention, protection for victims and -- was flawed, unnecessary or counterproductive. the tvpa included several sea change criminal code reforms including treating as a victim, not a perpetrator a crime,

anyone who had not attained the age of 18. the tvpa radically reformed the u.s. criminal code to recognize asset confiscation as well as jail sentences up to life in imprisonment. thousands of human traffickers have been prosecute and jailed pursuant to the trafficking victims protection act, though it never came to trial. up a charges against jeffrey epstein. the number of persons prosecuted for human trafficking more than doubled from 2011 to 2021. from 729 persons to 1,672 persons respectively. among its many provision, the act also create the president's interagency task force to monitor and combat trafficking persons. the u.s. state department's trafficking persons office. the annual tip report that i encourage my colleagues to look at it and read it.

at least when they're traveling especially or meeting with delegations from other countries. read the tip report and find out where the country you're going to visit or whose lawmakers or diplomats you're going to be meeting, where they stand in terms of what they're doing in regards to trafficking. it calls for a series of sustained efforts to eliminate human trafficking if they don't and if they're really having horrific record they get put on tier 3 for egregious violations and they're subject to sanctions. over the years i have dat house considers a

five year protection named after the great abolitionist frederick douglass. special thanks are in order to our original co-sponsors including chairman mccaul, our subcommittee ranking member susan wild as well as kathy manning managing over on the democratic side tonight and i thank her, henne wagner and dr. michael burgess, all original co-sponsors of the bill. i thank you and say again a special thank to you the extraordinarily talented staffers including mary who did an amazing job on this, janice, thank you for your work. and thank you to mary noonan, doug anderson and survivors bella and robert long who also provided tremendous insights. a heartfelt thanks to over 20 organizations that have provided insight and recommendations and

endorsed this legislation. terry fitzpatrick, director of the alliance slavery trafficking, a consortium of various groups and said on behalf of them, the u.s. has the world's most comprehensive effort to fight trafficking and this is the reason why. it's the blueprint at home and abroad for updating and re-authorizing the act is essential to maintaining america's leadership. the united states congress of catholic bishops strongly endorse the legislation and asks congress to approve the measure without further delay, quote-unquote, and we must continue to unite to address conditions that lead to human trafficking and promote efforts to prevent it. and a great big thank to you kenneth morris. this man is the great, great, great grandson of frederick douglass and great grandson, and he's been a great source of inspiration for this

legislation. he's said that this legislation, named after his ancestor, emphasizes education and resilience as effective means to prevent human trafficking among children and prevent retrafficking of survivors and provides support for survivors for their journey to self-empowerment and mr. morriso say in the words of my great, great grandfather, quote, enslavement is a scourge on humanity, that to expose it to kill it. slavery is one the monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death. expose slavery, he goes on to say, and it dice. he goes on to say, this is in the form of human trafficking which is modern day slavery. since 2008, they've helped and trained 60,000 adults and 500,000 children in the skills to keeping themselves safe from harm. this legislation has provisions in it to make

our young people situationally aware from elementary and secondary school so that everyone knows what the traffickers do, how horrible their schemes are, their nefarious organizations and what they do with drugs and other ways of enticing young people, and next thing you know they're trafficked and in modern day slavery. let me also point out that the bill seeks to promote situational awareness and authorizes survivors employment, housing, and education programs, authorizes a program for housing. one of the things we find is that a woman or man, but most are women, are liberated. where do they go? they need help. we do have programs in existence. this will redirect some of the funds to help them get a house, a home, so that they are less likely and less vulnerable to being retrafficked. it makes programs of training in collaboration with

internet crimes task force. it encourages the use of prevention efforts that will include accessible, age-appropriate and trauma-informed approaches for usaid, beneficiaries, and further incorporates countertrafficking efforts across our development portfolio. we know for a fact it is a problem in developing countries where sometimes even the peacekeepers engage. i had hearings and worked on and was just another one john james chaired about peacekeepers, the fact that sometimes they become the ones engaged in trafficking and abuse young people. it streamlines statutory language for tier 2 watch lists, re-authorizes the state office to monitor and combat trafficking. there's also language about organ harvesting. last march we passed legislation to provide -- to really combat this horrible organ harvesting debacle where especially china, are killing average aged 28-year-olds, whether it be weagers to steal

their livers and it's a big business for the chinese communist party. we put language in this that will be part of the tip report. it re-authorizes the international mega zone. back in 1994, a little girl that used to be in any district, hamilton township, new jersey, killed by a convicted pedophile, lived across the street and buried her after horribly abusing her. every one of our states has a megan's law and they work really, really well. we found many of the convicted pedophiles get a passport and travel. it took eight years to get passed, three times passed in the house and the senate wanted nothing to hear about it but finally got passed and that says a number of things, including that before they travel, these individuals have to register with the u.s. government, and we inform the country of destination that they soon will be coming. and if they want to say

no, you can't come in, that's exactly what happens. they don't get to go to that country. it's run by the agent watch center and they do a magnificent job. i want to thank them. the law is working. according to homeland security investigation, the u.s. government has notified foreign governments of the planned travel of 27,679 sex offenders, and it's not been in effect that long. as of late january, 9,489 individuals who were convicted of sex crimes of children were denied entry into those nations. so we've taken the seek recognition recent out of traveling to some extent, and these countries are empowered to say look who's coming. you're not getting in to abuse our children. we also put language in it, frankly, that allows for stamping the passport to make sure that if they do lie and get in, it's on the passport of a covered

sex offender. i have more to say but reserve our time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman reserves. the gentleman from north carolina is recognized. ms. manning: i rise in strong support of h.r. 5856 and i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady is recognized. ms. manning: i was proud to help introduce this bipartisan bill and alongside my good friend and one of the colleagues whom i've worked closely in congress, representative chris smith of new jersey, as well as my dear friend, representative susan wild, to re-authorize the traffic victims protection act of 2000. congress has re-authorized this important bill several times, in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2013, and most recently in 2019. this legislation serves as a reminder that congress has long played and will continue to

play a critical role in advancing u.s. interests and global efforts to combat and eliminate human trafficking. i want to thank representative smith for having authored the first modern u.s. anti-trafficking bill and its subsequent re-authorizations, and for his tireless work fighting to do the right thing to protect those who have been dehumanized by forced labor and sexual exploitation. we are deeply grateful for your leadership. we're also proud to partner with you, not only in elevating this issue but also in saving lives and protecting vulnerable people around the world which is what this legislation has done. today we build on the successes and lessons learned over the last decades.

this bill is a re-authorizations of programs and revitalizes protection and prosecution tools to eradicate that billion dollar criminal enterprise and save countless lives from this egregious violation of human rights. this bill saves lives and it's a bipartisan cause. it's not about politics. about e right thing. it's about our common humanity. it's about protecting those who have been subjected to unspeakable crimes. i am very proud to support it, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady from north carolina reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. smith: i'm ready to close. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman reserves.

mr. smith: i thank the gentlelady for her comments. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentlelady is recognized. ms. manning: the frederick douglas trafficking victims prevention and protection re-authorization act builds on on the decades of efforts to prevent human trafficking, modernizing prevention, protection and prosecution tools. this five-year re-authorization of countertrafficking programs will be critical for u.s. efforts around the globe to eliminate the human trafficking industry. i want to thank again my good friend representative chris smith for his lifetime of work on this issue. it has made a real difference. and this re-authorization will continue to make a difference for years to come by building on the lessons learned since he first introduced the first modern anti-trafficking bill in 2000. i urge my colleagues to

join me in supporting h.r. 5856, and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: t he gentleman from north carolina yields. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. smith: we've worked on many important human rights issues and trafficking. ms. manning was a star when we had our hearings on this, and i want to thank her for herrell went defense of the victims as well as trying to stop the perpetuators of these horrible crimes. you know, at a congressional hearing, and that's one of the ones i'm talking about just now with my good friend and colleague, that i chaired last may, a woman by the name of gina cavallo, an amazing, courageous woman from my state of new jersey, told us how she suffered unspeakable violence, including rapes, coercive drug abuse, beatings, as her traffickers sold her

like a commodity from one buyer to the other. she testified -- and this is only a part of her testimony, but it goes right to the heart of what we're talking about. she testified it's so critical that survivors are heard. and she said the frederick douglas act is a direct result of listening, and we listened to her and other human trafficking victims. and that's much of what we have here tonight has been informed by their insights. gina told us she was a survivor of domestic violence and childhood abuse. that experience as a child led me, this is her talking, where i felt unloved, rejected, and also led to me being trafficked. she goes on to say, we're all used by someone who pretended to be my friend but abducted me to being trafficked for nearly two years, from the age of 18, i was prostituted and sold to the highest bidder and raped over and over and over again.

she went on, my identity was taken and i was given a new name. sleep deprivation, threats of violence, pornography, drugs and food were all used as punishment and reward leading to my traffickers taking complete psychological control over me. does this sound like anything that a young person dreams of for their future? being stripped and robbed of your peace of mind and of your body, your humanity, dignity and respect? i became, she goes on to say, a commodity to be used for others' gain. i often blame myself for the situation because i believed it was my fault. and i've heard, and i know my good friend, karen, has heard this as well as other members of this chamber. so often the trafficking victims say oh, it's my fault. it's not. they have been coerced, deceived, and drugged often into this terrible, terrible trafficking situation. she goes on to say, as a

victim, i was taught to distrust my family and friends and especially law enforcement. the more they isolated me, the more fear i felt and the more control they gained, which is very intentional. it took decades for me to identify that i was a victim. i learned through counseling and by my continuous healing journey that what happened to me wasn't my fault. as a victim, i was left with a lifetime sentence, ruined relationships, addiction, hospitalization, suicide attempts, lack of jobs and education, and also left with shame and fear. in her testimony, gina said, but what you especially can do as lawmakers is to ensure that every aspect of your work to end human trafficking that you put forward mandates widespread survivor-informed and trauma-informed training. ..

does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? mr. smith: on that i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: t hose favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device.

pursuant to clause 9 of rule 20, this 15-minute vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 5856 as amended will be followed by five-minute votes on the motion to reconsider house resolution 863 in adoption of house resolution 863 if ordered. this will be a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

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the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 414, the nays are 11. 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed. and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the unfinished business is question on the motion to reconsider the vote on the question of adoption of h. res. 863 on which the yeas and nays are ordered the clerk will redesignate the motion. the clerk: motion to reconsider the vote on house resolution 863 offered by mr. moore of utah. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the motion.

members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 216 and the nays are 211. the motion is adopted. the question is on adoption of the resolution. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair -- for what purpose does the gentleman from utah seek recognition?

the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, yeas and nays are ordered members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

the speaker pro tempore: on this vote, the yeas are 214. the nays are 213. the resolution is adopted. the speaker: sur sunt to house resolution 996, house resolution 995 is hereby adopted.

the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. will members please move their

conversations outside. the house will be in order. the house will be in order. members will please move their conversations outside. thank you. the house will be in order. the chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition?

the house will be in order. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. the gentleman is recognized. mr. thompson: i rise today to remember the life of rich kelly of center county. rich was a tireless advocate for emergency service in the county and never wavered on helping others. he joined nittany health system and worked his way up. he was responsible for the significant growth of the department in the region. he served as coroner, executive

director of e.m.s., a flight paramedic for life flight. he was active in the fire service, having served for the undines, my home department of howards. i consider rich and his wife theresa dear friends and his passing is a tragic loss. his contagious personality and cheerful sense of humor will be missed across center county. scripture in first theses loanians instructs us with these words. we don't want you to be uninformed about those kilosleep in death so you do not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope. rich lived his wife in service and caring for others in a way that brought hope tomany. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman

from new jersey seek recognition? >> ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. payne: mr. speaker, i rise today to discuss how the house republicans make the border crisis worse to harm america. last week, they failed in their political stunt to impeach department of homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas. there was no reason at all to do this in the first place. then they failed to pass appropriations bill because they did not include border security funding. but let's be honest. republicans are not interested in border security.

their master, donald trump, told home to do nothing so he could use it as an election ploy. they are allowing more undocumented immigrants to enter this country and they're allowing dangerous fentanyl and other drugs to threaten the lives of americans. they do this -- they do it so this can be the kiss -- to kiss the feet of their boss and fearless leader and they are robbing resources and funding from others to do it. it is an example of cowardness that has no equal in america, with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? >> thank you, mr. speaker, i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker, i

rise to honor a true american hero who gave his life keeping my community safe. mr. burchett: on thursday, february 8, a violent criminal opened fire in a traffic stop, he killed deputy greg mccowan and injured another deputy. mcgowan was known for being a loving man. his family was the light of his life and he loved them dearly. his fellow deputies knew they could count on him. one described him as one of those guys you always want on your shiesmed received the sheriff's office award for rescuing a man from a burning vehicle. i want to give my sincere condolences and prayers to elizabeth, jeff, his fiancee, his children, his sister charity and everyone else who knew and loved him.

i thank blunt county sheriff for his leadership. he is a good friend of mine and working so hard to take care of his department. earlier today and caught the murderer and due to the law enforcement to bring him to justice. and can't forget how much our law enforcement keep us safe every day, mr. speaker. my prayers that this never happens to your communities. i yield. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from michigan seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentlewoman is recognized. >> today we mark the first anniversary of the shooting at michigan state university that took the lives of arielle and brian and alexandria and physically injured five others. i spent it on campus and i saw

how the pain and trauma continues to continue throughout the spartan community. so many people turned their emotion into action at the community center. as a member of congress, as the first member of congress that we can find who has faced two school shootings both at m.s.u. and oxford high school, i know how they rip a hole in the lives of the community and remains long beyond the headlines. the place i spent the night a year ago at the east lansing police department in the manhunt that went on and i went back to thank them, the fire department and first responders. we have responded in michigan. in response to the m.s.u. shooting, the michigan legislature passed the most robust gun safety legislation in our history. in our courts, we convicted the mother of the shooter in the

oxford high school shooting. we are responding when our kids are crying out for leadership. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition? mr. carter: i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. you are recognized for one minute. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i rise today in remembrance of paul hamm i will ton klooger. following graduation in 1960 he was commissioned as an he ensign in the united states navy and stationed in many different states. after serving in the navy, paul his wife carol and his children worked as an engineer and systems analyst. in 1975, paul moved back to dpea where he worked for the national

bank of georgia and until his retirement in 2005. paul was a devoted member of the coastal georgia historical society and kiwanis club. he also volunteered his time as a mentor for middle school students. paul will be missed by all. and i send my condolences to his family. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from ohio seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection the gentleman is recognized for one minute. ms. kaptur: why does our country have a budget deficit answer because america over the last three decades has been offshoring jobs and our productive wealth. the people in ohio overwhelmingly oppose foreign trade deals that have harmed millions of them. the harm began in 1993 when

nafta was enacted and 1994 when we joined w.t.o. and u.s. helped china get benefits. math tells the rest. our trade deficit racked up to $15 trillion since 1994 as our real wealth drained out. american manufacturing plunged from 370,000 facilities in 1992 to 250,000 in 2017. we lost 5.6 million manufacturing jobs. nafta hurt our neighbors as much. it stimulated massive undocumented immigration from mexico and pitted millions of unsubsidized white corn farmers against subsidized u.s. corn. what makes and grows grows america. we need to make investment right

here in the u.s.a. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection mr. lamalfa: every state in our country has been negatively impacted by the biden administration wide open border. i traveled to cochise, arizona to tour our southern border and discuss president biden's border policies and how it is affecting our lands and parks. tom tiffany and i decided to follow up that james o'keefe that casa hotel in tucson was housing illegal immigrants. congress has the right to exercise oversight as federal funds propose up these locations and nongovernment organizations that are secretly housing these illegals. congress has the right to see

how american tax dollars are being spent. we were denied access to the parking lot and called the sheriff's office on us. we will be back. congress must hold onsight hearings and get down to this. these n.g.o.'s who wrap themselves in charity are making money and undermining the security of our country. these n.g.o.'s must testify before congress and more importantly the emcan public how our tax dollars are being used and for what. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from michigan seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> thank you, mr. speaker. ms. stevens: i rise from this chamber here in the u.s. house of representatives to recognize 44 days of fitness that has

taken place in a humble and independent gym called burn fitness. for 44 days, incredible people from across oakland county have been participating in a fitness competition engaging in spirited activities, spirited training and i have been so pleased to be part of that competition and what we say all the time here in congress as your representative, that we are really representing the best of michigan. while i cannot be with you all tomorrow for the 45th day of this competition, please know that i am rooting for sweet carolines and rooting for a great time workout and know that you will make us proud. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from virginia seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my

remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to honor the lives of five united states marines lost in the h-53 helicopter crash in san diego, california. these young men embody what it means to be pilots and u.s. marines. as after eators, risks during training missions are part of the job. our nation will be indebted for their sacrifice. captain jack casey, 2019 graduate of the virginia military institute from dover, new hampshire. he was 26. captain miguel nava naval academy graduate. 28. captain tin benjamin moulton, he was 27. lance corporal donovan davis from kansas, he was 21. and act alec language done from

chandler, arizona. he was 23. they will be forever remembered. keep them in your prayers. we are grateful for your sacrifice to our great nation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. >> it is with great respect that i rise today to celebrate plaque history month and its 2024 theme african americans and the arts. this theme reflects on the important work of the african-american art activities who preserve art history and create performing arts. northwest indiana has been home to noteworthy and art-based organizations including the west side theater guild, marshall j. gardner center for the arts. the miller beach artists.

and gary theater ensemble. please join me in honoring the african-american artists in northwest indiana for their passion, creativity and perseverance to enrich our culture and quality of life. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition? >> unanimous consent address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. mr. speaker, here we go again. not even a week after my republican colleagues failed to advance their unconstitutional impeachment of secretary may orcas, house republicans put critical house business on hold while they wasted precious time on a meaningless impeachment

vote. this is long and getting longer. house republicans failed to pass the key bills to avoid a government shutdown in march. congress needs to re-authorize the f.a.a. bill. we need to re-authorize fisa to bolster our national security. and we need to provide money to allies and civilians in gaza and ukraine need humanitarian aid. house republicans can't pass or haven't passed any of these bills. i am calling on my house republican colleagues to get serious and get back to doing the work the american people need us to get done. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recog recognition? mr.garamendi: i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection. the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr.garamendi: i thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to honor the life and legacy of mayor irma anderson, a leader in contracosta county. mayor anderson who passed away at 93 leaves behind a nurse and community advocate. after working for contracosta health department for 20 years, her commitment to service led her to make history as the first plaque woman to serve as richmond city council member and first black woman to be elected mayor. mayor anderson's career was

characterized by her commitment to giving voice to the underrepresented and developed leadership with the contracosta school district. she will be remembered and her spirit of kindness and compassion. i would like to extend my deepest sympathies to mayor anderson's loved ones who are here in the room today. they and people of contracosta celebrate her life and legacy. with that, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas seek recognition? ms. jackson lee: i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. let me pay tribute to the congressional black caucus and managers tonight for honoring black history month which i look forward to participating in the month of february to honor the great excellence of african-americans. at this time, i want to call

upon speaker johnson to do his work. there is a $60 billion bill that will help us fund the desperate people in ukraine, gaza and taiwan and help the palestinian families and it was voted early hours this morning. let the house do its job, do its will. let us vote. 300 of us will vote to push this legislation forward. tonight we did a foolish thing and that is to pass an impeachment of a very qualified and very important secretary. do your job, do not be impacted by this false attempt to diminish you. help us as we work toward to making the border safe and that's the way we do it by doing our job and passing also the funding bill that has been put forward. i ask my colleagues, let's do

our job. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman seek recognition? >> ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, you're recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, eastern north carolina's resilience has drawn attention. recently, secretary haaland visited the wildlife refuge. we are grateful for her presence and the announcement of $1. million for the river boardwalk ren nation. mr. davis: this reflect ours collective efforts toward a vibrant future for eastern north carolina. let's continue working together to ensure the voices and needs of the area and the east are

heard and addressed nationally. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. under the speaker's announced policy on gaff -- of january 9, 2023, the gentlewoman from florida, mrs. cherfilus-mccormick is recognized for 60 minutes as the thesessic knee of the minority leader. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: i ask that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of the special order. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: it is with great honor i rise today with members of the c.b.c. for the next 60 minutes, members of the c.b.c. have an opportunity to speak to the evolution of black history

throughout community, directly to congress and the people the united states. as we celebration the evolution of black excellence, i rise to pay homage to the significant events and trailblazers who played a role in shaping florida's history. in fort lauderdale, you find the heart and soul of the city. since the beginning this vibrant and beloved neighborhood it's been the -- it's been the epicenter of blanl history. since its early days it can be traced back to those from the bahamas and other areas that came to the region. some were railroad workers who resided in shanties prior to the beginning of the 21st century. after railroad track were finalized, some became fort lauderdale residents once the city was incorporated in 1911. if you take a trip down the

neighborhood, you'll find yourself on sistrunk boulevard, named after after the trail blazer who made this area what it is. he graduated from medical college in nashville, tennessee. he served his nation in world war i, before relocating to dunham to practice medicine. he later moved to fort lauderdale. despite being a qualified surgeon, the color of his skin prevented him from working in white hospitals. in 1938, he joined dr. vaughn d.mizell to establish fort lauderdale's first medical facility to treat black people. it opened after a truck ove

overturned -- the black workers could only receive treatment outside. during his 44 years of practice, the doctor delivered over 5,000 babies. throughout broward he would attend to patients in their homes and assist those who were financially strained after the desegregation of public hospital he is game an active member of broward general hospital. i visited holy cross health center lilo kateed at the mizell community center, it sits on historic land where pro dense hospital once stood and is building on the access to health care. i'm honored to pay tribute to dr. sistrunk. it is now my honor to yield to my colleague, donald payne from new jersey.

mr. payne: mr. speaker, first, let me thank you the gentlewoman from florida for her leadership in this congress on these important special order hours. and that the c.b.c. have been involved in. she's done an exemplary job in making sure she's able to rally the cattle and keep them in order. and i just wanted to act knowledge that. mr. speaker, i rise today to discuss the evolution of black excellence during black history month. i have said on this floor that the african-american story is the greatest success story in our country's history. and we are here to highlight some of those many examples of that success. but first, i want to discuss why

it is important to have this discussion. black excellence is a term born out of difficulties black americans have faced since the very beginning. it is a term that helps change the historical perception of black america. and it focuses on the millions of black americans that have helped change that perspective. since the first africans set forth on american soil, we have fought for everything that we have in this country. first we had to fight for the right to be considered people. then we had to fight to make sure the promises of the constitution applied to us. and we are still fighting those fights every single day. in essence, black excellence is not a series of actions, it's a state of being that evolved from struggle. it is a response to critics.

and it is a mantra that reminds millions of black children and teens that they are -- that there are doors open to them that were closed to their ancestors. usually black history and black excellence focuses on the most famous black americans. like frederick douglass, dr. martin luther king, shirley chisholm, maya and gee lieu, michael jordan, oprah win free. however, history is filled with black americans who need to be recognized more often. americans like bear bruxton who organized the march on washington. bessie coleman, the world's first licensed black pilot. alice coachman, first black woman to win a olympic gold medal. benjamin davis sr., the first

black general in the u.s. army. dr. crumplier, the first black woman to earn a medical degree in the u.s. frederick mckinley jones, a blab inventor who made it possible to transport blood and donated organs across this country. his invention alone has saved thousands of lives. today we continue the history of excellence. dr. corbet helped create the covid vaccine. dr. glovers was the first to live on the space station for an extended peer of time. the president of msnbc and first black executive to run a major news network. brian stevens, executive director of the equal justicing

orny seys, helps millions get the justice they deserve. and today's congressional black caucus is filled with political leaders who have triumphed over adversity. their stories are exceptional examples of black excellence. yet these black americans are only a few of the millions who have worked to help our communities and our country every day. and their work inspires african-american schoolchildren everywhere to find their own means to achieve black excellence. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. mrs. cherfilus-mccormick: i i want to thank the honorable donald payne. i want to welcome our next speaker, the honorable lucy mcbath of georgia. mrs. mcbath: thank you, first

i'd like to say thank you so much to representative cherfilus-mccormick. thank you so much for diligently holding the congressional black caucus special order hour. and i don't know what we'd do without you. thank you. mr. speaker, i am proud to participate in this evening's special order hour celebrating the evolution of black excellence throughout history. the stories and triumphs of black americans deserve to be commemorated actually all year long. but es terribly during black history month. the legacies of the men and women who shaped this nation's history impact our daily lives in countless ways. and it's my honor to take just a few moments to share highlights from the communities that i am proud to represent. i grew up in the heart of the civil rights movement. i was the baby in the stroller

at the march on washington. and my father was the president of the illinois chapter of the naacp and my mother a nurse. my parents' teachings and examples made such a strong impression on me even as a little girl and sef my fondest memories were watching them direct meetings in our home and prepare for marges while caring for and lifting up each and every person that they interacted with. and as the daughter of civil rights leaders, i know how hard-fought our freedoms are. in georgia, we proudly claim two of this neigh's most prominent civil rights leaders, dr. martin luther king jr., and the great congressman, john lewis, whose presence and influence this

legislative body misses every single day. but georgia's legacy of black excellence extends far beyond atlanta. and reaches every corner of our state in a multitude of ways. in my district, georgia's seventh congressional district, i'm proud of the incredible transformation in black history that has taken place over the last 200 years. in gwinnett county, salem missionary baptist church was founded around 1834 when slaves constructed a meeting place to gather and worship. just three decades later, hopewell baptist church was founded by freed slaves. the original building was destroyed in a fire many 1920 but its congregation continued to grow and the current church building was dedicated in 1993.

in the early 19 20's, entrepreneur robert lipsey purchased the mcguire-lipsey house, a former plant nation house and dubbed it the promised land. as the decades passed this property became a thriving farm and black business hub in the region, bringing a sense of infence and empowerment for the local black community. in lawrenceville, the hooper renwick school was the only black public high school in gwinnett until the end of segregation. plans are currently under way to transition this building into a library and black history museum. and in johns creek, the macedonia cemetery is a historical site of deep local

significance. the resting place of dozens of enslaved individuals and their descendants. black americans continue to excel and reach new heights through the leadership of notable figures in our community whether it be in education, medicine, government, science, technology, sports, or fine arts. other other historymakers in my district such as beauty baldwin was one of the black teachers in central gwinnett high school and later served in the state's first female superintendent and the gwinnett voter registration and election building are named in her honor. tim blair made history becoming the youngest person and the first black and lbgtq+ person ever elected to the gwinnett

school board. he graduated from shiloh high school and harvard university and was a policy fellow in the obama administration. nicole love hendrickson is the first african-american and the third woman to serve as a gwinnett county chair. hendrickson issued proclamations celebrateing juneteenth and acknowledged the 1911 lynching of charles hail in lawrenceville, georgia. gwinnett county commissioner jasper watkins is the first african-american in the armed forces in the state of florida to achieve board certification with the american society of health systems pharmacist nuclear pharmacy residency program. this region's athletes and entertainers include alvin kamara, a norcross native and running back for the saints. george rogers, a deluth native

and heisman trophy winner. and ezra charles, a lawrenceville native who is widely regarded as the greatest light heavyweight boxer of all time. migos, an american hip-hop hardest with offset, quevo and takeoff were founded in lawrenceville in 2008 and i've been privileged to work with quevo to end gun violence following the tragic death of takeoff in 2023. mr. speaker, i hope it's clear just how rich and diverse the history of black americans in my district truly is. each and every day men and women are making tremendous impact in shaping the future of our growing community. and as their congresswoman, i am committed to doing my part to

protect the rights that have been brought -- that has brought us thus far. advancing the progress that black americans continue to make every single day in america. and i will march on until victory is won. and i yield back. ms. cherfilus-mccormick check: thank you so much for your remarks. i'd like to recognize congressman ivy from maryland. mr. ivey: i thank the representative for yielding and allowing me to celebrate black history month. mr. speaker, this week i'll be introducing the frederick douglass congressional gold medal act which will honor frederick douglass with the long

overdue expression of national appreciation and celebrate his legacy with a congressional gold medal. i'm proud to offer this bipartisan legislation with my colleague, congressman andy harris whose district includes the historic birthplace of mr. douglass. mr. speaker, nearly 130 years since his passing, frederick douglass' remarkable life remain as beacon of inspiration to all americans, born into slavery on maryland's eastern shore, mr. douglass overcame countless obstacles to become one of the most powerful and influential figures in 19th century america. douglass was enslaved the first two decades of his life. during this period, he taught himself to read and write, skills which would later play a critical role in his life as a abolitionist and civil rights leader. in his 20's, douglass escaped slavery, first to new york and eventually settling in massachusetts. douglass dedicated the remainder of his life to furthering the

cause of freedom for others in america. beginning in the 1840's, douglass became active in the abolitionist movement, often utilizing his profound orator and writing skills to captivate and inform his audiences. as a writer and publisher frederick douglass used the power of his written work to document the cruelty of slavery and push for abolition. he was the publisher of "the north star" a newspaper he authored and multiple biographies where he shared the brutality of enslavement in maryland. he spoke powerfully at abolition conventions and in meeting with civic leaders. in 1852, douglass delivered his famous fourth of july address in rochester, new york. in this speech, douglass asked the question, what to the slave is the fourth of july? while commending the ideals of the founding fathers, he also noted the hypocrisy of such

ideals in relation to the treatment of enslaved americans as he had been. perhaps some of douglass' most impactful achievements came as our nation was torn apart by the civil war. douglass was a key advocate in ensuring that the civil war brought about the end of slavery in the united states. as the war began, douglass recruited african-american men to join the union army, including his own sons. after the war he fought for equal pay and equal treatment. this advocacy included several meetings with president abraham lincoln to the white house with whom douglass became a trusted confidant. after the war he continued his work for equality and extension of the rights of the u.s. constitution to all americans. he was prominent and a powerful advocate for the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. one of his most powerful postwar moments came in 1876 at the dedication of the emancipation

memorial here in lincoln park in washington, d.c. where douglass delivered the keynote address. later in his life, douglas was also a public servant. he was appointed to several influential government posts, including u.s. marshal for the district of columbia, recorder of deeds, and minister to haiti. frederick douglass dedicated his life to equality in america. to this very day, his message and principles remain a guiding light for our country as we continue to seek fulfillment of our nation's promise and potential for justice and equality. and yet although the immeasurable impact of frederick douglass elevated him to the pantheon of some of the greatest americans, he never received official commendation from congress to our nation. if awarded, this medal would be displayed at the national museum

of african-american history and culture right here in washington, d.c. where americans can view the medal and learn more about douglass' legacy. it's long pastime for congress to bestow this honor upon a american whose indelible impact is still felt today and continues to be felt for generations to come. therefore, i urge michings on both sides of the aisle to support this bill. thank you, and i yield back. ms. cherfilus-mccormick: thank you so much to my colleague, glenn ivey. i'd like to yield this time to myself now. as we celebrate black history, i rise today to recognize the cornerstone of black achievement in america, historically black colleges and universities known as hbcus. as a proud wife of a howard law graduate and proud mother of a howard university student, i speak from personal experience when i say that hbcus have the

transformative power to shape the leaders of tomorrow. hbcus have a long and illustrious history of deeply intertwining with the struggle of civil rights and the fight for equality. from their inception during the era of segregation to the present day, these institutions have remained safe havens for where black scholars, in spite of their systemic barriers, can flourish intellectually, academically, and culturally. my own journey to congress firmly rooted in the halls of howard university. as a statement of hub education, it was at howard university i received not only a world class education but also absorbed the values of community, service, and social justice. it was at howard university that i witnessed how education can be a catalyst for change and help others realize the american dream. hbcus have generated half of the black lawyers, 40% of black

engineers, 80% of black judges, and 70% of black doctors nationwide. they graduated 27% of black americans with bachelor degrees in stem subjects, putting them at the forefront of innovation. these figures demonstrate the undeniable impact of hbcus in nurturing talent, fostering academic excellence, and empowering black students to realize their fullest potentials. however, hbcus are significant for reasons far beyond academics. they are a focal point for the preservation of culture where the rich legacy and history of the black community are honored. hbcus serve as a catalyst for economic empowerment, providing disenfranchised groups with upward mobility. as i reflect on the importance of hbcus, let us not forget the ongoing challenges they face despite their contributions.

hbcus grapple with inadequate funding and crumbling infrastructure. it is incumbent upon us all as advocates of stewards of education to make sure hbcus continue to receive the support they need to shape future leaders. i'm grateful the biden-harris administration invested over $7 billion in hbcus, unlocking opportunities for millions of americans. hbcus represent the very best of black excellence. we can all draw inspiration from unwavering resilience that underpins these institutions. their steadfast commitment to equality and greatness inspire us all to tear down barriers and build a future where everyone may openly follow their ambition regardless of the color of their skin. in closing, mr. speaker, you have heard from my distinguished colleagues about the evolution of black excellence throughout

history, as issues of great importance to the congressional black caucus and all americans tonight. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentlewoman have a motion? ms. cherfilus-mccormick: i motion to adjourn the house at this time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is to adjourn. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the motion is adopted. accordingly, the house stands adjourned

>> other managers include a manager from new york and maor taylor greene. if the senate holds an impeachment trial, you can follow it on c-span two. >> if you miss any of c-span's coverage, you can find it any online at c-span.org. videos of key hearings, debates and other events feature markers guiding utah highlights, points of interest markers that appear on your right hand side of your screen when you play unselect videos. this timeline makes it quickly easy to get an idea what was the aided and decided in washington. scroll through and spend a few minutes on c-span's once of interest.