[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 16, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H3986-H3987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MOTHER'S DAY, GRADUATIONS, DREAMERS, AND PUBLIC HOUSING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to begin 
discussion on the floor for issues that, I think, against the backdrop 
of Mother's Day, the desire to be family friendly in this Nation, and 
really to answer the question of Americans: Can our government do well 
by them?
  So I raise to the body how we can be more constructive, and I do it 
on the basis, as we all do, when we go home and interact with our 
constituents, and so I did as I went home this past weekend a couple of 
days in the midst of the exciting graduations that we all had a chance 
to go to and to make remarks, and I want to congratulate those students 
that I had the privilege of being and speaking at their graduations, 
the

[[Page H3987]]

Historically Black College Texas Southern University, the Lone Star 
Community College, what an amazing group of graduates. There were large 
numbers of people who are adults and veterans, and students who were 
what we call early college graduating. And then, of course, to the 
system, the Houston Community College, I spoke there.
  It looks like I was going to graduations and celebrating with their 
families. That was good.
  Mr. Speaker, they were diverse, all backgrounds, religions. That is 
what Houston is all about.
  At the same time, I visited with and had a press conference with a 
collective body of humanitarians, Sister Rogers, a Catholic Sister, and 
many others, about the unfortunate circumstances of where we are with 
the Dreamers and why we haven't addressed that question and why would 
Dreamers, who need to be statused, who are lawyers and doctors, and 
some are serving in public service--we had a paramedic standing with 
us--why we can't get them statused. Why can't the Nation do what is 
right? Why can't the President stand up and work with us and sign the 
bill?
  And then I indicated that I am going to introduce the restatusing of 
TPS statused persons, some who have been here for 20 years with 
mortgages and people in college, young people in college, and to status 
them for 2 years to allow the Congress to fix it and that their status 
be tied to the laws and requirements that they be in sync with those 
who would get citizenship so they would not be, if you will, awry of 
the law, that they would be in step with the law, as most of these 
families are from El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti, and beyond.
  And then I went to stand with mothers at public housing and indicated 
to them that it is long overdue in all of our communities that we 
introduce an infrastructure bill of $150 billion to fix our public 
housing. Because as I was standing with these mothers at Cuney Homes, 
their air conditioning was out.
  But we stood there the day before Mother's Day to salute them and say 
they deserve to live in quality housing. They are raising their 
children. Some of their children go off to the United States military.
  Finally, I think it is important to acknowledge, Mr. Speaker, maybe 
this is a confused statement by the administration, but I have to speak 
against, and these are my friends, we want to work internationally--I 
was here for the permanent trade agreement that was done with China--
but it is important to know that our economy is based on innovation. 
Why would the administration support the Chinese firm of ZTE that our 
intelligence community has taken note that they have interfered with 
our innovation and our technology and suggest that he wants the Chinese 
workers to have their jobs again?
  I certainly want the best for any country, but I do know it is 
important to restore the jobs of the American people, and there are 
many call center American companies that would make a great infusion of 
energy and dollars in various communities across the Nation.

  It is important to note that the House Intelligence Committee report 
of 2012 indicated and concluded that ZTE cannot be trusted to be free 
of foreign state influence and thus poses a security threat to the 
United States and our systems.
  Well, it is odd that this President, who has put extensive sanctions 
on Iran and North Korea, is now willing to overlook a House 
Intelligence report indicating, of course, that ZTE cannot be trusted.
  So I started, Mr. Speaker, by congratulating my graduates, but I 
indicated throughout that I am baffled by these policies of the 
administration, but I do say that I have a faith in this institution, 
and I ask my colleagues: Stand with me on the restoration of a 2-year 
status for TPS so we can get it right. Let us not separate mothers from 
their children in the immigration structure, and let's pass a Dreamers 
bill, and let's work to introduce funding for our public housing that 
exists and that mothers are living in across America.
  Mr. Speaker, your kindness is appreciated.

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