[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H1938-H1941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ISSUES OF THE DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include any extraneous material on the subject of 
this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I 
rise today to coanchor this CBC Special Order hour along with the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick), my distinguished 
colleague.
  For the next 60 minutes, members of the CBC have the opportunity to 
speak directly to the American people on the default on America act, 
Speaker McCarthy's draconian plan to default on our debt. The act 
proposes drastic cuts to vital government programs such as SNAP, Social 
Security, and housing programs, which serve as lifelines for our 
communities.
  There is a group within the Republican Party that are holding these 
programs hostage in exchange for paying the debt we have already 
incurred. However, the CBC is here tonight to declare that this 
approach is a nonstarter, and we will not negotiate over paying the 
Nation's bills that we have incurred. We advocate for a clean debt 
limit, a bill that will protect the well-being of our citizens and our 
Nation's financial stability.
  This issue holds great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, 
to our Congress, the constituents we represent, and all Americans.
  I now yield to my coanchor, the Honorable Congresswoman Sheila 
Cherfilus-McCormick.
  Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my deep 
concern with Speaker McCarthy's reckless plan to address the debt 
ceiling, which will impose a hardship on working Americans. Instead of 
solving problems, House Republicans are holding our Nation hostage and 
demanding that their ransom be met.
  Let us not beat around the bush: Caps equal cuts, and Speaker 
McCarthy's brinkmanship is dangerous. If extreme Republicans have their 
way, communities across the country will suffer.
  The 320-page proposal from the other side of the aisle pushes forward 
drastic cuts to government programs, programs that families in my 
district desperately need.
  The Republican Party seems to be more focused on padding the pockets 
of large corporations and billionaires instead of lending a hand to 
working Americans. The GOP framework is nothing short of a catastrophe.
  It includes sweeping cuts to SNAP and food assistance programs that 
low-income families depend on. It destroys President Biden's student 
loan debt agenda under the guise of fiscal responsibility. It imposes 
cruel Medicaid work requirements, ripping healthcare coverage directly 
from people's hands. It would rescind $80 billion allocated to the IRS 
through President Biden's historic Inflation Reduction Act. It would 
repeal clean energy tax credits, which have proven crucial in 
addressing the climate crisis.
  What Republicans are proposing is just not in the best interests of 
our working people. The American people need a government that works 
for them, not against them. There will certainly be an opportunity to 
debate the GOP's rightwing policy proposals down the road, but doing so 
at the expense of the American people through gamesmanship is reckless 
and irresponsible.
  We need to all work together to make life easier, not harder. Members 
of Congress have a responsibility to serve the American people. I urge 
Speaker McCarthy and the Republicans to stop playing political games 
with our economy and those we are elected to serve.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Waters).
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, in just a few months, the United States is 
on track to default on its debt for the first time in history. This is 
because Speaker McCarthy has unveiled a bill that he claims will 
fulfill our debt obligations, but in reality it will cut access to 
critical social programs supporting education, food assistance, 
healthcare, and housing. It would devastate our economy, and we all 
know it is a dead-on-arrival bill. It will crash our global financial 
markets.
  According to Moody's, under McCarthy's legislation, 780,000 Americans 
will lose their jobs, and our Nation's unemployment rate will surge. We 
all know that this pain will be borne disproportionately by people of 
color.
  Republicans must put an end to this needless political theater and 
raise the debt limit, as they did three times with no problem under the 
twice-impeached and newly indicted former President Donald Trump, who 
signed $4.7 trillion in new deficits into law. Not only that, but they 
must do so without any cuts or reductions to housing funds given the 
terrible state of affordability in America.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues who care about our 
economy--or who say they care about our economy--and the American Dream 
to get serious and work with Democrats to avert a catastrophic default 
by supporting a clean bill to raise the debt limit.
  Mr. Speaker, this should not be about politics. This should be about 
whether or not you love this country and whether or not you believe 
that we should pay our bills, whether or not you think it would be 
horrible if this government is to shut down.
  If we don't pay our bills and the government shuts down, employees 
will not be able to put food on their tables. They will not be able to 
pay their mortgage or their rent. They will not be able to support 
their children in the ways that they should be supported. This is 
serious business.
  Now, this business of Mr. McCarthy trying to negotiate with the 
President of the United States to say: Well, if you do what I want you 
to do, then I will support debt limits.
  Mr. Speaker, we cannot do what the majority wants us to do because, 
first of all, they don't know what they are doing. They are putting 
this country at great risk.

[[Page H1939]]

  


                              {time}  2015

  What you are saying is you don't care about the debt. You don't care 
about the fact that there are people waiting to be paid that we owe.
  You don't care whether or not there is a government shutdown. You 
don't care whether or not these jobs are lost.
  I am saying to you: We will not support that kind of so-called 
negotiation. We will not support your putting this country at risk in 
the way that you are doing.
  You need to come to grips with the fact that we have to raise the 
debt limit, and it has been done historically when it has needed to be 
done, and we expect you to do it.
  I leave this moment by saying to you: We are waiting on you, Mr. 
McCarthy, to do the responsible thing, get with our President, and 
let's support our country.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Waters) for her keen words and precise insight.
  Mr. Speaker, fellow Americans, I come before you today with a heavy 
heart and a deep sense of concern for the future of our beloved Nation.
  It appears we have reached a crucial juncture where our democracy's 
very essence is being challenged. The Republican proposed budget, also 
known as the default on America act, seeks to slash a minimum of 22 
percent from nondefense discretionary programs as a condition for 
raising the debt ceiling.
  Mr. Speaker, this money has already been spent. It has benefited the 
American public. This is a game of brinksmanship, but it has dire 
consequences even for us having the conversation.
  The plan contains severe cuts to essential programs like SNAP. SNAP, 
the acronym meaning Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. I 
shall repeat: Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. This is for 
people that simply do not have enough to eat in our great country.
  This plan also contains severe cuts for Social Security and housing 
assistance, which act as crucial lifelines for all of our communities.
  This minority group within the Republican Party is callously using 
these indispensable programs as bargaining chips, bargaining on the 
backs of the most vulnerable. This strategy not only endangers our 
economy but undermines the foundation of our society.
  For residents of my district in Illinois, the First Congressional 
District, the consequences of not raising the debt ceiling and 
defaulting on the debt would be dire.
  I am compelled to share some startling statistics with you today. Mr. 
Speaker, 7,000 jobs would be lost alone in the First Congressional 
District in Illinois. Over 103,000 people in the First District nearing 
retirement would lose on average $20,000 out of their 401K. Mr. 
Speaker, 95,300 households in the First District would have their 
Social Security checks at risk.
  These devastating impacts not only affect the families who are 
directly involved but would also disrupt the local economy.
  In the First District alone, $151 million a month would be removed 
from Social Security income from families.
  Moreover, the health benefits of over 305,000 residents in the First 
District on Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans coverage would be 
jeopardized.
  It is clear that we must demand a clean debt limit that addresses the 
needs of our communities without threatening the livelihoods of the 
most vulnerable.
  As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I am particularly upset and 
appalled about the suggested cuts to our food and nutrition assistance 
programs.
  We have been in committee for over 100 days now and have not had a 
single meeting on the largest portion of the ag bill, the SNAP food 
portion, which comprises 75 percent of our funding.
  The bill, proposed by the House Agriculture Committee with over 20 
Republicans, would dramatically expand the population of people subject 
to policies that take SNAP away from those not meeting onerous work and 
work reporting requirements.
  I want some of my fellow colleagues to understand. Some people are in 
transit deserts where they do not have easy access to mass transit or 
private transportation.
  Many people that are on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance 
Program are women and children. Eighty percent.
  Some people have to care for aging parents and have to care for 
disabled children. I think it is more complicated than what is being 
shared.
  This punitive and ineffective work will put SNAP's grocery benefits 
at risk for adults up to age 65 and many families with school-age 
children, in which parents or other adults are unable to work or cannot 
find jobs or cannot find enough hours.
  In the last 2 weeks, in my district again, Mr. Speaker, Walmart, the 
Nation's largest employer, has pulled out of two stores directly in the 
district. We are now having a work crisis where we don't have enough 
employment, and new employment has to be created.
  In Illinois' First Congressional District, over 54,000 households, 
about 20 percent of all of our residents, receive SNAP benefits. Of 
these recipients, a staggering 85 percent are African American.
  The median income of households on SNAP is a mere $20,289. Mr. 
Speaker, that is $390 a week where people are having to pay their rent, 
their transportation, and trying to get food.
  Not only is it $20,289 annually, $390 a week, which comes out to 
simply $55 of income a day. These statistics paint a clear picture of 
the most vulnerable populations in our society; those who are 
struggling to make ends meet, those who are disproportionately affected 
by systemic inequalities, and those who desperately need our support to 
ensure their basic human rights to healthy supplemental food.
  Our people need shelter and dignity, and they should not be used as 
bargaining chips to advance anyone's agenda.

  In the face of these proposed cuts, we must acknowledge the 
catastrophic impact that they would have on our Nation's housing, a 
fundamental human right that is critical to the health, safety, and 
dignity of all of our citizens.
  If these cuts were to be implemented, 640,000 families across the 
Nation would lose access to rental assistance if we go through with the 
draconian 22 percent proposed cut across the board.
  We are talking about more than 430,000 low-income families facing 
eviction from Section 8 housing.
  This would result in an unparalleled loss of affordable housing for 
older adults, families with disabilities, families with children, and 
our veterans--individuals who have already confronted adversity and who 
deserve our unwavering support and protection.
  Yet, these threats to housing are not the only concern we must 
address. Amid these proposed budget cuts, we must also be vigilant of 
the detrimental effects on the central services provided by the Social 
Security Administration.
  The cuts would necessitate the closure of field offices and limit 
access to persons having in-person visits, imposing undue burdens on 
those seeking assistance.
  Furthermore, people applying for disability benefits would experience 
an additional 2-month delay in the processing of their claims, 
prolonging the struggle to access crucial financial support.
  This is a moment that demands our outrage, our empathy, and our 
unwavering commitment to justice. It is a moment that calls upon each 
and every one of us to stand up and say, ``no more,'' not to negotiate 
with the debt ceiling.
  The bills are already due, and our Nation has the character and the 
capacity. Now we must furnish the will. I hope Wall Street is watching 
tonight because the chasm and the gap between the proposals is stark, 
and the time is limited.
  We will not allow policies that perpetuate inequality to widen the 
chasm between the haves and have nots.
  We will not be complicit in the erosion of the very foundation upon 
which this great Nation was built. The belief that all people are 
created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights; among them, 
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  It is our moral and ethical obligation to stand against these 
proposed budget cuts and call for a clean raising of the debt ceiling.
  It has happened three times before in the previous administration. 
Close to

[[Page H1940]]

$5 trillion was added. These are America's bills. We can be responsible 
and meet our obligation.
  The consequences of such actions would be dire and felt by those who 
are already struggling the most. Overall, a default on the U.S. debt 
obligation would trigger a loss of nearly 7 million jobs, push the 
unemployment rate north of 8 percent, eliminate $10 trillion in 
household wealth, and reduce real GDP by greater than 4 percent, 
according to the Congressional Budget Office.
  This is not a path we can afford to take. Our future and the very 
fabric of our society depend on us defending the rights of the most 
vulnerable among us and protecting the essential programs that have 
sustained our communities for generations.
  Together, let us stand strong against these cuts and fight for the 
betterment of all Americans. We must ensure that every person has a 
fair chance to thrive and that the promise of equality and justice 
remain at the heart of our great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, may God bless these United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cherfilus-
McCormick).
  Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much 
time is remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois has 40 minutes 
remaining.
  Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today again for the 
second time to express my concerns with Speaker McCarthy's proposal 
which cancelled President Biden's student loan debt forgiveness program 
and wreaks havoc on our educational system.
  President Biden is committed to providing economic relief for 
families and ensuring that all students can access quality education 
that sets them up on the best pathway to success.
  Altogether, more than 40 million borrowers would qualify for the 
Biden administration's debt relief program. It is also targeted at 
those who need the most help with nearly 90 percent of the benefits of 
the relief going to out-of-school borrowers who earn less than $75,000 
per year.
  Speaker McCarthy has other priorities. Both he and other extreme 
Republicans are willing to send our economy into a recession, using 
American students as a bargaining chip.
  If extreme MAGA Republicans had their way, they would not only 
eliminate Pell Grants for more than 6,000 students in Florida but would 
also reduce the maximum reward by nearly $1,000 for the remaining 
500,000 students who receive Pell Grants.
  This would be especially harmful to communities of color. Black and 
Brown college graduates owe an average of $25,000 more in student debt 
than White college graduates.
  Black women carry the highest student loan debt burden of any racial 
or ethnic group. This is unacceptable.
  Republicans aren't stopping at college either. Their proposal would 
mean 10,000 children in Florida would lose access to childcare and to 
slots in the Head Start programs.
  Nationwide, 100,000 children would lose access to childcare, making 
it difficult for parents to join the workforce.
  My Republican colleagues care more about special interest groups and 
massive corporations than our children.

  We need to be investing in our kids all across America and in their 
lives and give them the tools they need for success.
  Speaker McCarthy's proposal does the exact opposite. I call on the 
Republicans to quit playing games with our children's future.
  It is time for our parties to come together and make decisions that 
are best for our community and for all Americans.
  The party politics, the partisan politics, must end today. I ask 
Leader McCarthy to not go forward with this proposal and to have 
compassion for American people, for our students, for our children, and 
for Americans across this country.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman form 
Florida (Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick) for her remarks.


                        Honoring Harry Belafonte

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
a man whose life, legacy, and unwavering commitment to justice and 
equality has left an indelible mark on our Nation.
  I speak of none other than the incomparable Mr. Harry Belafonte who 
passed away today at the age of 96.
  At a time when segregation was still deeply entrenched and Black 
faces were scarce on screens, both large and small, Mr. Belafonte's 
historic rise to the pinnacle of show business broke barriers and paved 
the way for future generations.
  Mr. Belafonte's exceptional music career earned him numerous 
accolades and awards. A three-time Grammy Award winner, including the 
prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, he was recognized for 
his enduring contributions to the world of music.

                              {time}  2030

  His exceptional talent transcended mediums, earning him an Emmy Award 
for his work on television and a Tony Award for his brilliance on 
stage.
  In 1989, he received one of the highest honors bestowed upon artists 
in the United States: The Kennedy Center Honors. Our Nation continued 
to recognize his extraordinary contributions when, in 1994, he was 
awarded the National Medal of Arts for his significant impact on 
American culture.
  In 2014, Mr. Belafonte received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award 
at the Academy's Sixth Annual Governors Awards. In 2022, the world of 
music paid homage to his influence by inducting him into the Rock and 
Roll Hall of Fame in the early influence category.
  As we celebrate Mr. Harry Belafonte's life and memory, let us also 
remember that he was much more than an extraordinary entertainer. I 
have had the privilege and honor of meeting and knowing Mr. Belafonte, 
and what attracted me to him the most is that he was a tireless 
advocate for civil rights, using his fame and fortune to further the 
cause of equality and uplift the lives of countless African Americans. 
He used his celebrity, his wealth, his power, and his influence to 
transcend the racial divisions of our day and time.
  He contributed to Reverend Martin Luther King at the height of the 
civil rights challenges in America. That says something about where you 
stand in times of challenge.
  Belafonte's close friendship and support of Reverend Martin Luther 
King exemplified the duality of his life's work. He stood beside Mrs. 
Coretta Scott King and Duke Ellington at the ``Salute to Montgomery'' 
in 1956, raising funds for the civil rights movement when it was not 
popular, but it was the right thing to do.
  Part of the legacy he leaves behind is a call for our current 
generation to use their celebrity, their influence, and their access as 
they walk the corridors of power to give truth in high places.
  During the tumultuous 1960s, Belafonte continued to provide much-
needed financial assistance to the Southern Christian Leadership 
Conference, most notably during the Birmingham, Alabama, campaign.
  He opened his home and his heart, inviting prominent individuals for 
a meeting where Reverend King and Fred Shuttlesworth laid out their 
plans and appealed for support. Belafonte answered the call, not 
seeking a car, not wanting a bigger house, not wanting to boast about 
his earnings. He raised over $50,000 and donated it to the civil rights 
cause to keep Reverend Martin Luther King's movement and our movement 
alive to enable the campaign to proceed, even while Reverend Martin 
Luther King was in jail in Birmingham writing the ``Letter From a 
Birmingham Jail.'' Mr. Belafonte worked the outside, while Reverend 
Martin Luther King worked the inside.
  In the aftermath of Reverend Martin Luther King's tragic 
assassination, it was Mr. Harry Belafonte, not the entertainer but the 
activist, who continued to fight for his dream, who gave the King 
family financial support after their father was slain with four young 
children at home, serving as the executor of King's estate and chairing 
the Martin Luther King Memorial Fund. His commitment to civil rights 
and humanitarian issues never wavered, and his voice rang out in 
support of those who sought justice and equality both at home and 
abroad.
  My fellow Americans, as we honor the life and memory of Harry 
Belafonte, let us remember his unwavering dedication to the cause of 
justice,

[[Page H1941]]

and let us strive to carry on his legacy by standing tall in the face 
of challenge and controversy. Reverend Martin Luther King said it is 
not where you stand in moments of comfort and convenience but where you 
stand in moments of challenge and controversy.
  Let us, like Harry Belafonte, be champions of equality guided by the 
principles of compassion, empathy, and love. It is said: ``Each and 
every one of us has the capacity to be an oppressor. I want to 
encourage everyone to interrogate how we might be an oppressor and how 
we might be able to become liberators for ourselves and for each 
other.''
  In the spirit of these words, let us forge ahead harnessing the power 
of our collective talents and passions to drive change and create a 
more just and equitable world for all. Let us not only celebrate his 
achievements but also emulate his unwavering actions and dedication to 
the cause of justice. Let us strive to become liberators for ourselves 
and for each other, working tirelessly to ensure that the torch of 
equality and freedom continue to burn brightly for generations to come.
  May the life and legacy of Mr. Harry Belafonte serve as the guiding 
light as we navigate the challenges that lie ahead. Together, let us 
work toward a life and a world where justice, equality, and love will 
prevail.
  Mr. Speaker, God bless us all.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick).
  Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the third 
time in opposition to Speaker McCarthy's debt ceiling brinksmanship, 
which would deliver a crushing setback to the numerous successes of 
President Biden and House Democrats.
  Just look at how far we have come. Annual inflation has declined in 
the last 9 months. Gas prices are much lower than the record highs we 
saw in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. The price of 
many foods like chicken and fruits and vegetables have declined in 
March.
  Labor force participation is at record-high levels. Unemployment has 
reached a 50-year low of 3.5 percent. Within the Black community, 
unemployment has never been this low.
  Real income has risen both for low-income Americans and across the 
economy as a whole. All the while, our deficit has dropped more than 
$1.7 trillion in 2 years. We are not out of the woods yet. There is 
always more we can do and could be done to reduce the financial burdens 
faced by American families and making things even just a little bit 
easier.
  Let's give credit where credit is due. Since taking office, President 
Biden has passed legislation that has created a strong foundation for 
the economy to grow and he has invested in the middle class. The 
administration has worked tirelessly to reduce the cost of living and 
bringing down the cost of prices.

  President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has also been 
transformative, slashing kitchen table costs for working families, 
forcing pharmaceutical companies to negotiate lower drug prices, 
capping insulin at $35 per month for Medicare patients, and cutting 
healthcare insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
  President Biden's budget proposal stands in stark contrast to what 
Speaker McCarthy has floated. It is bold, compassionate, and puts 
working families over politics. Not only would President Biden's 
proposal reduce the deficit by $3 trillion over the next 10 years, but 
it does so while investing in our Nation. It lowers costs for working 
families by making childcare, healthcare, and housing more affordable. 
These are all things that are crucial to our economy and to the 
American people at this present time.
  Now is the time for my Republican colleagues to put aside partisan 
politics and work with us to pass a budget that reinforces America's 
promise to our constituents. House Republicans should not stand in the 
way of this progress.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, you have heard from our 
distinguished colleagues about the American debt cliff that we are 
facing. All of these issues are of great importance to the 
Congressional Black Caucus, our constituents, the Congress, and all 
Americans tonight.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________