[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H2236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SOLAR ECLIPSE

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, what a great amount of excitement 
yesterday when I left downtown Houston and went to one of our community 
schools to engage with young Hispanic and African-American students on 
the eclipse that had not been seen for years and years and years.
  What an enthusiastic message we were giving them that they, too, can 
stand for science and the solar system.
  Yet, my Republican friends want to make light of some interpretation 
that I gave to one of the elements of this eclipse. Rather than being 
excited about the idea of those seeing the eclipse, Republicans again 
wanted to make fun. They didn't want to talk about prenatal care. They 
didn't want to talk about the idea of women's rights. They didn't want 
to talk about school student loan reduction. They wanted to talk about 
a Democratic Member.
  Well, I am glad I was standing with these children right here--here I 
am--to be able to celebrate the eclipse that will not be seen until 
2044. It is unfortunate that we didn't have this picture, at least, to 
show that someone is looking at the Sun in 2017. That is something to 
laugh about.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today because it seems that I have caused a dust-
up on outrage island.
  Ah yes, Republicans in search of their day-to-day quest to find 
something to be mad at, are obsessing with the fact that I misspoke 
yesterday when talking about the sun.
  Well, since tomorrow we know they will be looking for something else, 
allow me to suggest some ideas.
  Let us hear the selective outrage of their dear leader staring 
aimlessly with his own unshielded eyes at the last eclipse.
  Or maybe, let's hear the screams of disapproval over the time he told 
us all we should inject ourselves with bleach during the Pandemic.
  Hmmm one more for good measure, the time just a few weeks ago he 
thought Nikki Haley who has never served in Congress, was in control of 
security at the Capitol on, I believe January 6, 2021.
  While you all focus on the misuse of words, I'm focused on helping 
kids get exposed to science and expanding the rights of women that all 
of you are so desperate to take away.
  Want a story to write? Write about that. And write about the goodness 
of so many Americans.

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