[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H150-H151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                A CALL FOR HUMANE TREATMENT OF MIGRANTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud daughter of 
Guatemalan immigrants, the wife of a Dreamer, and the Representative of 
Illinois 3, a district proud of the contributions of the migrants who 
call it home, and a member of the Humboldt Park United Methodist 
Church, a church that is formed by immigrants, a church that has been 
serving the community for decades, and a church that built me and 
taught me to put my faith into action and to advocate for our shared 
humanity.
  As a Methodist, I would like to share a call for prayer and action 
from ``Metodistas Asociados Representando la Causa Hispano Americana,'' 
``Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic/Latinx 
American,'' the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry of the 
United Methodist Church, and the General Board of Church and Society of 
the United Methodist Church.
  As we just celebrated the season of Epiphany, we are reminded again 
of the story of those three wise travelers who journeyed through many 
lands and over borders in search of a newborn king.
  We are reminded that after they found the infant Jesus, his mother, 
and Joseph, the true peril of their mission began.

  Herod's anxiety and paranoia led to one of the worst infant massacres 
recorded in the Gospel text, and their earnest pilgrims' story 
transformed the Holy Family's existence into a family like so many 
today seeking asylum in other lands and, in particular, at our southern 
border.
  Therefore, we join in a call for the humane and sacred treatment of 
migrants, refugees, and those who seek asylum at our borders as a 
recognition that the same Jesus who traveled with his family on that 
fateful night, can still be found in the faces of all of the families 
we see on our TV screens and our social media spaces.
  Along with this, we stand in opposition to the State of Texas SB 4 
law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott, which allows police officials to 
arrest and charge migrants with misdemeanors or more serious offenses 
if they do not agree to leave by order of a State judge.
  This law incentivizes racial profiling and further limits the rights 
of due process for migrants fleeing unthinkable violence, poverty, and 
death.
  Furthermore, we oppose the inhumane treatment of migrants, refugees, 
and asylum-seekers by Governor Abbott in transporting migrants to other 
States without their knowledge or consent, only to abandon them on cold 
streets without concern about the extreme cold weather and safety 
issues they would face.
  We call on this administration to honor the principles of so many of 
the world religions that call us to mercy, to compassion, and to 
welcome and hold sacred lives of immigrants, refugees, and asylum-
seekers when engaging in budget negotiations and stricter border 
security measures.
  We urge the administration to consider prayerfully those measures 
that will lead to a safe and just resolution with a path toward 
effective immigration solutions, funding to be able to process asylum 
and refugee claims faster and more effectively, and intentional steps 
to work with countries of origin to understand and combat the reasons 
for this mass migration.
  We call on our colleagues, Members of the House and Senate, to 
negotiate in good faith with this administration, not in the hopes of 
gaining political points, as we have seen, but in the spirit of their 
shared citizenship in the world and with a deep conviction of what it 
means to be a beloved community.
  The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Herod tempted the wise men to 
carry out his evil intentions toward the Christ child and his family. 
However, in a dream, an angel warns them not to return to Herod. 
Instead, they chose to return by another route.
  Their courage and conviction should inspire all of us to choose 
another route, one filled with compassion, with justice, with mercy, 
and the belief that we are all made in the image of our creator and 
endowed with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, 
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  We call on all Methodists and all humans everywhere to join us in the 
call of action for prayer.
  May we lead differently. May we recognize our shared humanity. May 
our faith lead us to action. May we be reminded that we, in fact, have 
a shared humanity and a responsibility to act justly and mercifully.

[[Page H151]]

  


                              {time}  1015


                      Mayor Josh Moenning Retiring

  Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my sincere gratitude 
to my hometown mayor, Josh Moenning, of Norfolk, Nebraska. After almost 
12 years as mayor, he has decided to retire at the end of his term.
  During his tenure, Mayor Moenning saw Norfolk through dozens of 
projects that made our city a more desirable place for families and 
young people. Mayor Moenning said his time as mayor centered around 
three things: enhanced quality of life, improved infrastructure and 
city services, and economic growth.
  He accomplished those three objectives and more by renovating Johnson 
Park, revitalizing a wide variety of businesses and housing 
developments, and expanding infrastructure. Mayor Moenning took the 
city's ideas and needs, and he put them into action.
  Because of his service to our community, Norfolk is an even better 
place to live, work, and raise a family than it was 12 years ago.
  On behalf of the city of Norfolk in the First Congressional District, 
I extend our appreciation to Mayor Moenning for his leadership over the 
past 12 years.


                      In Honor of Angie Muhleisen

  Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Angie Muhleisen.
  For the better part of three decades, Angie has led Union Bank & 
Trust of Lincoln. She has recently announced she is stepping down as 
CEO.
  When Angie started at Union Bank, it was a $50 million financial 
institution. Through the years, she has helped grow it into an $8 
billion organization with over 1,000 teammates.
  From Lincoln's Inspire Woman of the Year to the Chamber's Burnham 
Yates Citizenship Award, Angie's leadership has earned significant 
recognition from community organizations.
  Even as she steps away from her role as CEO, her heart for service 
isn't slowing down. She recently became the board chair for the 
University of Nebraska Foundation. She also serves on the board of 
Assurity and is involved in numerous other organizations.
  Angie's greatest legacy is her family. Her son Jason is stepping into 
the role as CEO and will do an outstanding job building on her work.
  Best wishes to Angie on this next chapter.


                           School Choice Week

  Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight National School 
Choice Week.
  School choice allows parents and children to choose the school that 
best fits their needs. Whether it is a public school, a private school, 
a home school, or a hybrid of these options, parents have a right to 
direct the upbringing and education of their kids.
  Last year, Nebraska passed its first school choice law, helping more 
families and kids to pick a school that best fits their needs, but 
there is still more we can do.
  Here at the Federal level, I am a proud cosponsor of Congressman 
Adrian Smith's Educational Choice for Children Act, which would bolster 
school choice across the Nation. This legislation would help more kids 
from low-income households access the education of their choice. I urge 
my colleagues to pass this.
  Back home in Nebraska, our legislature has been working to fund 
students, not systems. I am excited to see how they build on their 
school choice success. Keep up the great work.


                              Housing Week

  Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight housing week, as 
declared by me, in Nebraska.
  A recent survey by Lending Tree found that 94 percent of Americans 
identified owning a house as part of the American Dream, but just over 
half of those `` . . . who don't own a home say they're worried they 
never will.''
  Next week, I will address a Workforce Housing Summit hosted by the 
Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. If we want to keep the American 
Dream alive, we must address the high cost of housing, help more 
Americans save for a downpayment, and break through other barriers. We 
must also take care of the housing stock in our communities.
  Later next week, I will be hosting a housing improvement meeting in 
Clarkson. This meeting will help brief community members about programs 
that can help weatherize and improve existing homes. Next week will be 
full of small, but important, steps toward addressing this shortage. 
While there is no silver bullet, through the work of local, State, and 
Federal partners, we can help more Americans find the home of their 
dreams.


                   100-Plus Days of Israel-Hamas War

  Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, it has been more than 100 days since Hamas 
launched a vicious war against Israel, committing inhumane acts of 
violence.
  Since October 7, Israel has worked to eliminate Hamas in response to 
their horrific killing and torture of over 1,000 innocent people. Right 
now, there are still more than 100 hostages being held by Hamas, 
including as many as six Americans.
  Over the last few months, we have witnessed numerous protests across 
the country sympathizing with Hamas, which is nothing short of 
shocking. The messages of these protesters is often at odds with 
supporting the only democracy in the Middle East, and they do not 
reflect our Nation's values.
  Let me be clear. America does not negotiate with terrorists, and we 
support the right of Israel to exist. America will continue to stand 
with Israel as they work to end Hamas and free every single hostage. We 
will not back down.
  May God bless the continued friendship between Israel and America.

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