[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT

  (Ms. TLAIB asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, we all know that right now the housing crisis 
is real for so many of our families across the country, and I know many 
of us in this Chamber, especially those on the left, have always said 
housing is a human right.
  To address this crisis, we know that we need action at every level of 
government, but many local communities need additional assistance and 
capacity. That is why I am so incredibly grateful that the House passed 
the Housing Our Communities Act, part of the Housing for the 21st 
Century Act legislative package.
  The Housing Our Communities Act directs the HUD Secretary to 
establish a competitive grant program to support a wide range of 
affordable housing planning and implementation activities.
  For example, grants can support officials in crafting their housing 
plans, updating their zoning codes, or increasing capacity to conduct 
housing inspections so that new developments are completed faster and 
much more efficiently.
  This bill provides civil servants and policymakers with the support 
they need to make affordable housing a reality for so many of our 
communities.
  I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation 
immediately and begin to address the housing crisis that is devastating 
our country.

                              {time}  1910

  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the 40th anniversary of the 
Saka Nakodar massacre where four unarmed Sikh students, Ravinder Singh, 
Jhilman Singh, Harminder Singh, and Baldhir Singh Multani, were shot 
and killed while peacefully protesting the desecration of the sacred 
Scripture of Sikhs.
  The killing, which took place in the Punjab region of India on 
February 4, 1986, was absolutely abhorrent, but the investigation was 
definitely deplorable.
  The victims' bodies were disposed of in secret. No perpetrator was 
ever brought to justice, and reports, commissions, and other inquiries 
on the massacre received absolutely no action.
  The Saka Nakodar massacre continues to be a dark day for Sikhs in 
Punjab but also for Sikhs right here in America.
  That is why I recognize the Saka Nakodar massacre and the justice 
that awaits not just for the four students and their families but for 
the Sikh communities at home and abroad.

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