[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 116 (Monday, July 15, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2025

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 2024

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 
8772--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2025.
  As with all the additional appropriation bills up for consideration 
on the House Floor, I strongly oppose the passage of this bill for a 
myriad of reasons--including the following.
  First, although this bill provides for a 3.5 percent increase over 
FY24 levels, sadly the underlying text contains many of the same 
harmful partisan policy riders as last year.
  In particular, this bill
  fails to confront the climate crisis by removing a longstanding 
provision to eliminate or reduce plastic waste across the Legislative 
Branch and the requirement for Members to lease low-emission vehicles;
  contains the repeated misguided and harmful clause prohibiting 
discrimination against any person with a ``sincerely held religious 
belief, or moral conviction, that marriage is, or should be recognized 
as, a union of one man and one woman,'' opening the door for 
discrimination against LGBTQI+ Members and staff; and
  bars funding for any diversity, equity, and inclusion training or 
implementation, a clear prohibition on the return of the Office of 
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODI) that was eliminated last year.
  Indeed, it is truly unfortunate that this bill, like several others 
that the House Appropriations Committee recently reported, continues 
the Republican's obsession with cutting federal funds and eliminating 
programs that help to grow and diversify our country.
  Yes, it is certainly a sad day in our nation's government that where 
we are at a place in time that backtracks and rolls back critical 
advances in diversity and inclusion.
  It is bad enough that last year's bill eliminated dedicated funding 
for the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion, an office put in place 
to diversify and expand access to the House of Representatives.
  To continue efforts to prohibit any funding for programs and training 
aimed at supporting diversity, equity and inclusion is simply an 
untenable legislative policy within our nation's government.
  This House should make every effort to be reflective of the ENTIRE 
Nation we serve, and the districts Members represent.
  Which is why I also put forth the following amendment that was 
shamefully excluded during the Appropriations Committee markup.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment No. 30 if adopted would have stricken from 
the bill Sec. 212, which seeks to prohibit funding to be used for 
purposes of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ``DEI''.
  The Legislative Branch bill should never be a place for divisive 
politics.
  Rather, it should be used to ensure Congress has the tools it needs 
to legislate and support the constituents we serve.
  In my home state of Texas, I proudly represent TX-18, a district that 
embodies the diverse melting pot of America.
  According to the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston is one of the 
most diverse cities in the nation, with no ethnic majority and where 
nearly one-in-four residents are foreign-born.
  Specifically, according to census data, Houston's population is 46.8 
percent White, 44.5 percent Hispanic or Latino, 22.6 percent Black, 
10.8 percent two or more races, and 6.8 percent Asian.
  Additionally, as one of the fastest growing cities in the nation with 
increasingly important industries, Houston has the opportunity to set 
the standard for DEI practices in the workforce and society.
  Despite dangerous attempts by the Governor of Texas to roll back and 
strip out DEI across educational and state-wide agencies, we must 
continue to push back and fight for what is right for our country and 
for the future generations of our Nation.
  I look forward to contributing to diversity efforts around the nation 
and in my community in Houston.
  Yes, it is important to embrace diversity--and it is good for the 
economy, too.
  Not only have waves of immigration changed the face of the nation, 
but they have also brought in fresh perspectives, skills, and 
technologies to help the U.S. develop a strong adaptability to change.
  It is no secret that economies generally fare better when they openly 
embrace and capitalize on new ideas.
  Cultural diversity is also a mighty economic engine that powers our 
city, state, and national economy.
  Diversity is important in all industries, as it allows businesses to 
work with a variety of perspectives, which can lead to best results for 
more communities.
  I am a strong proponent of diversity in all of its forms as a means 
of advancing opportunity, inclusiveness and quality of life for 
everyone.
  As a society, we have collectively directed a critical eye on the 
injustices that many Americans unfortunately face due to the color of 
their skin, gender, sexual orientation, migration status, socioeconomic 
standing.
  We cannot let words like diversity, equity and inclusion become 
tarnished by extremists talking points.
  No, DEI is not anathema to a free society, as it has been so 
disingenuously portrayed.
  This pernicious emergence of a counter-narrative to DEI has spread 
false and dangerous misnomers that diversity and cultural inclusion is 
the promotion of racism and discrimination and that acknowledging and 
aiming to redress disparate impact is somehow inherently racist.
  As we all know, ``equity'' literally means ``fairness and justice''.
  How this term has somehow become a dirty word is symbolic of the 
dangerous territory we are now entering and must remain vigilant in 
claiming and reclaiming not only the words, but the meanings and actual 
and true implementation and realization of what we all know (and should 
know) words like ``justice'' ``fairness'', ``equality'' and ``equity'' 
mean and look like.
  For these reasons, it is disappointing that this Jackson Lee 
Amendment No. 30 did not receive the full and fair consideration it 
deserves.
  I respectfully request that my colleagues vote in opposition to H.R. 
8772, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2025.

                          ____________________