[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 15, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2899-H2902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO OFFER MOTION TO DISCHARGE COMMITTEE ON RULES
FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 965
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(c) of rule XV, I rise
to provide notice of my intent to offer a motion to discharge the
Committee on Rules from further consideration of House Resolution 965.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Did the gentlewoman sign the petition?
Ms. PRESSLEY. I did, Mr. Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair now recognizes the gentlewoman
from Massachusetts to offer the motion just noticed.
Does the gentlewoman offer the motion to discharge?
Ms. PRESSLEY. I do.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Massachusetts calls up
a motion to discharge the Committee on Rules from further consideration
of House Resolution 965.
The Clerk will report the title of the resolution.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the rule, the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley) will be recognized for 10 minutes and the
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) will be recognized for 10
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Massachusetts.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to make a motion to discharge H.R.
1689 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti
for temporary protected status.
This is a commonsense policy that will save lives and benefit the
American public. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this
bipartisan effort and vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this motion, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I support this motion, and I urge my
colleagues, including the 218 Members from both sides of the aisle who
signed this discharge petition, to vote ``yes.''
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts to discharge the Committee on Rules from the further
consideration of House Resolution 965.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 219,
nays 209, not voting 3, as follows:
[Roll No. 113]
YEAS--219
Adams
Aguilar
Amo
Ansari
Auchincloss
Bacon
Balint
Barragan
Beatty
Bell
Bera
Beyer
Bishop
Bonamici
Boyle (PA)
Brown
Brownley
Budzinski
Bynum
Carbajal
Carson
Carter (LA)
Casar
Case
Casten
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Cherfilus-McCormick
Chu
Cisneros
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
[[Page H2900]]
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Conaway
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Craig
Crockett
Crow
Cuellar
Davids (KS)
Davis (IL)
Davis (NC)
Dean (PA)
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Deluzio
DeSaulnier
Dexter
Dingell
Doggett
Elfreth
Escobar
Espaillat
Evans (PA)
Fields
Figures
Fitzpatrick
Fletcher
Foster
Foushee
Frankel, Lois
Friedman
Frost
Garamendi
Garcia (CA)
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Gillen
Gimenez
Golden (ME)
Goldman (NY)
Gomez
Gonzalez, V.
Goodlander
Gottheimer
Gray
Green, Al (TX)
Grijalva
Harder (CA)
Hayes
Himes
Horsford
Houlahan
Hoyer
Hoyle (OR)
Huffman
Ivey
Jackson (IL)
Jacobs
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (TX)
Kamlager-Dove
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy (NY)
Khanna
Kiley (CA)
Krishnamoorthi
Landsman
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latimer
Lawler
Lee (NV)
Lee (PA)
Leger Fernandez
Levin
Liccardo
Lieu
Lofgren
Lynch
Magaziner
Malliotakis
Mannion
Matsui
McBath
McBride
McClain Delaney
McClellan
McCollum
McDonald Rivet
McGarvey
McGovern
McIver
Meeks
Menefee
Menendez
Meng
Mfume
Min
Moore (WI)
Morelle
Morrison
Moskowitz
Moulton
Mrvan
Mullin
Nadler
Neal
Neguse
Norcross
Ocasio-Cortez
Olszewski
Omar
Pallone
Panetta
Pappas
Pelosi
Perez
Peters
Pettersen
Pingree
Pocan
Pou
Pressley
Quigley
Ramirez
Randall
Raskin
Riley (NY)
Rivas
Ross
Ruiz
Ryan
Salazar
Salinas
Sanchez
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schneider
Schrier
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Sewell
Sherman
Simon
Smith (WA)
Sorensen
Soto
Stansbury
Stanton
Stevens
Strickland
Subramanyam
Suozzi
Sykes
Takano
Thanedar
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tlaib
Tokuda
Tonko
Torres (CA)
Torres (NY)
Trahan
Tran
Underwood
Vargas
Vasquez
Veasey
Velazquez
Vindman
Walkinshaw
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Whitesides
Williams (GA)
Wilson (FL)
NAYS--209
Aderholt
Alford
Allen
Amodei (NV)
Arrington
Babin
Baird
Balderson
Barr
Barrett
Baumgartner
Bean (FL)
Begich
Bentz
Bergman
Bice
Biggs (AZ)
Biggs (SC)
Bilirakis
Boebert
Bost
Brecheen
Bresnahan
Buchanan
Burchett
Burlison
Calvert
Cammack
Carey
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Ciscomani
Cline
Cloud
Clyde
Cole
Collins
Comer
Crane
Crank
Crawford
Crenshaw
Davidson
De La Cruz
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Donalds
Downing
Dunn (FL)
Edwards
Ellzey
Emmer
Estes
Evans (CO)
Ezell
Fallon
Fedorchak
Feenstra
Fine
Finstad
Fischbach
Fitzgerald
Fleischmann
Flood
Fong
Foxx
Franklin, Scott
Fry
Fulcher
Fuller
Garbarino
Gill (TX)
Goldman (TX)
Gooden
Gosar
Graves
Griffith
Grothman
Guest
Guthrie
Hageman
Hamadeh (AZ)
Haridopolos
Harrigan
Harris (MD)
Harris (NC)
Harshbarger
Hern (OK)
Higgins (LA)
Hill (AR)
Hinson
Houchin
Hudson
Huizenga
Hunt
Hurd (CO)
Issa
Jack
Jackson (TX)
James
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (SD)
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Joyce (PA)
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
Kennedy (UT)
Kiggans (VA)
Kim
Knott
Kustoff
LaHood
LaLota
Langworthy
Latta
Lee (FL)
Letlow
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luna
Luttrell
Mackenzie
Maloy
Mann
Massie
Mast
McCaul
McClain
McClintock
McCormick
McDowell
McGuire
Messmer
Meuser
Miller (IL)
Miller (OH)
Miller (WV)
Miller-Meeks
Mills
Moolenaar
Moore (AL)
Moore (NC)
Moore (UT)
Moore (WV)
Moran
Murphy
Nehls
Newhouse
Norman
Nunn (IA)
Obernolte
Ogles
Onder
Owens
Palmer
Patronis
Perry
Pfluger
Reschenthaler
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rose
Rouzer
Roy
Rulli
Rutherford
Scalise
Schmidt
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Self
Sessions
Shreve
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smucker
Spartz
Stauber
Stefanik
Steil
Steube
Strong
Stutzman
Taylor
Tenney
Thompson (PA)
Tiffany
Timmons
Turner (OH)
Valadao
Van Drew
Van Duyne
Van Epps
Van Orden
Wagner
Walberg
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Westerman
Wied
Williams (TX)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Yakym
Zinke
NOT VOTING--3
Kean
Mace
Scholten
{time} 1350
So the motion to discharge was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
personal explanation
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes today, due to inclement
weather. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No.
111, No on Roll Call No. 112, and YEA on Roll Call No. 113.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stutzman). The Clerk will report the
resolution.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 965
Resolved, That immediately upon adoption of this
resolution, the House shall proceed to the consideration in
the House of the bill (H.R. 1689) to require the Secretary of
Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected
status. All points of order against consideration of the bill
are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute
specified in section 4 of this resolution shall be considered
as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as
read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as
amended, are waived. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any
further amendment thereto, to final passage without
intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally
divided and controlled by the majority leader and minority
leader or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to
recommit.
Sec. 2. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX and clause 8 of rule XX
shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 1689.
Sec. 3. The Clerk shall transmit to the Senate a message
that the House has passed H.R. 1689 no later than one week
after passage.
Sec. 4. The amendment in the nature of a substitute
referred to in the first section of this resolution is as
follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
``SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF HAITI FOR TEMPORARY PROTECTED
STATUS.
``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary
of Homeland Security shall designate Haiti for temporary
protected status until the date that is 3 months after
January 20, 2029.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Massachusetts is
recognized for 1 hour.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the
purpose of debate only.
General Leave
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in unequivocal support of this
vote. I am immensely grateful to the Members who supported my discharge
petition on both sides of the aisle and the broad, intergenerational
and multiracial coalition of justice seekers throughout the country who
power this movement, and my indefatigable staff, my A team, who power
this work.
I am grateful for labor unions like SEIU, business industry like
ABIC, faith leaders like the Conference of Catholic Bishops, civil
rights groups like Black Lives Matter Grassroots, IFC, and so many
more, who have joined the movement to extend TPS for Haiti.
Now, this issue, Mr. Speaker, is not the most glamorous, and I don't
fault anyone at home who perhaps has never heard of this, but for those
who know those three letters, TPS, they know it is life-changing.
Temporary protected status is a legal status for 1.3 million
immigrants in the United States. The application process is arduous,
requiring piles of paperwork, undergoing a background check, spending
hundreds of dollars, and coming from one of the few countries on the
list, like Haiti or Venezuela.
Technically, the deadline for maintaining Haiti TPS has already
passed. That is why this vote is so urgent. That is why I filed the
discharge petition, and that is why Democrats, Republicans, and an
Independent have come together to take action.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to extend temporary
protected status for Haitians who are living in the United States and
building a future that will help all of us.
Haitians like Rebecca in my district, the Massachusetts Seventh, who
shared her personal story with me. Rebecca moved to the United States
in 2010, not by choice, but out of necessity following the catastrophic
earthquake that killed more people than any other earthquake in the
history of the Western Hemisphere.
She witnessed the rise in gangs and saw her beautiful country
overtaken by
[[Page H2901]]
political violence and instability. After surviving multiple kidnapping
attempts, out of desperation Rebecca made the same decision that any of
us would make in her position. She immigrated to the United States. She
quickly enrolled in school to learn English. She obtained a job to
support herself and her family.
Now, in 2026, thanks to her legal status under TPS, Rebecca is a
certified nursing assistant. She told me that she cares for her
patients with great joy, pride, and dedication.
Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect that 20 percent of Haitians in
the United States, that is one in five, work in healthcare, bridging
the critical workforce gaps that define our caregiving crisis.
Rebecca is not our enemy, and she should not have to live with shame
nor fear of being deported solely because of where she was born. She
told me that she cannot return to Haiti, and she has no other place to
go.
Mr. Speaker, Rebecca's letter ended with two words that no person
wishes they would ever need to use: Please help.
Today, Congress has the ability to do just that for Rebecca in
Massachusetts, for the teacher in Ohio, for the entrepreneur in
Florida, and the more than 350,000 Haitian TPS holders whose lives hang
in the balance.
Congress can help. Congress can do the right thing. There is nothing
stopping us. Congress, right now and right here, can vote to save
lives.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms.
Gillen).
Ms. GILLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative
Pressley, for her leadership on this issue and her yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution to
advance H.R. 1689, the bipartisan bill extending TPS for Haitians.
I thank my colleague, Representative Pressley, the co-chair of the
Haiti Caucus, for her leadership on today's discharge petition. I am
grateful for her partnership to protect our Haitian neighbors and
friends.
Nassau County is home to one of the largest Haitian populations in
the country, and we are incredibly proud of that. Haitian Long
Islanders are part of the very fabric of our communities. Haitians work
in critical sectors like healthcare, education and caregiving,
supporting our elderly and working in local hospitals. Many have built
private businesses and enriched our faith community.
{time} 1400
Before I came to Congress, I made a promise to the Haitian
constituents in my district that I would use my voice and work with
anyone in any party to help protect this community and their existing
legal status here in the United States.
Removing our neighbors would not just be a humanitarian catastrophe,
it would hurt our economy, so as soon as I got to Congress, the very
first bill that I introduced was a bipartisan bill to extend TPS for
Haitians because protecting our friends and neighbors should be a
bipartisan concern.
I was so proud and honored to work with my Republican colleague, the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler). I am thankful for his leadership
on this issue, as well.
The U.S. State Department claims it is too dangerous for American
citizens to go to Haiti because of kidnapping, gang violence, and
widespread chaos, but yet the administration has said it is safe for
Haitians to return there. How can we say that when the State Department
has a ``Level 4: Do not travel'' advisory on its own website?
I have spoken to Haitian families who desperately want to see peace
return to their country and would like to return there when it is safe
to do so. However, the safety and economic security that they need to
rebuild their lives there is nonexistent. I urge my colleagues to vote
``yes.''
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick).
Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say a special
thank you to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley) for
uniting the Caucus and Congress and passing this and getting the
signatures.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of all the Haitian
Americans in the United States and not just on their behalf, but on
behalf of other Americans also who have businesses. I want us to look
at this not just from a humanitarian perspective but also the economic
damage which will happen to our country if we were, in fact, to expel
over 350,000 Haitian Americans on TPS.
Haitian TPS holders contribute nearly $6 billion annually to the U.S.
economy. Haitian TPS holders pay taxes. They pay $1.5 billion in
Federal taxes, supporting Social Security, Medicare, and public health
projects. They are active, compliant contributors to our economy.
Ending TPS would remove hundreds of thousands of workers from the
labor force and shrink local economies across the country. Deportation
is not fiscally responsible. It is economic sabotage.
There is another way. We can push legislation that would allow a
transition, maybe for them to have green cards while we educate
Americans to replace these jobs. However, rushing for expulsion or
rushing to push them out of the country without an economic plan would
only hurt our Nation, our businesses, and us.
Let's look at all the contributions that they have given. We have
already stated that Haitian people actually possess more than 20
percent of the jobs in healthcare throughout the Nation, but that is
not the end of the story.
Let's look at what they actually do when it comes to the economy in
engineering and construction. We all agree that there is a huge housing
problem right now. Who is building those homes? Those are our TPS
people, who are here and who are working adamantly.
Today, I ask for us to consider this bill and to actually not go
forward with expelling all the Haitian TPS recipients because it would
only do us harm.
In response, what we should do is be united in thinking of an
economic plan to not just create job skills training for Americans,
which Americans are asking for direly right now. They want to work.
They want to be a part of the economy, and we should give them
permanent residency.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentlewoman from
New York (Ms. Clarke).
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me add my voice to that of
those who have thanked both Representative Gillen and, of course,
Representative Pressley for their leadership and their stewardship in
bringing us to this day.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on this day as just one out of many voices
proclaiming that we will not stand idly by as 5,400 Haitian TPS holders
in New York City and approximately 345,000 others across America who we
have come to call our neighbors, friends, and loved ones are forced
back to the same gang violence, exploitation, chaos, and instability
that they once narrowly escaped with their lives.
As I stand here, I do so in diametric opposition to this
administration, which knows full well of our Haitian neighbors' plight
yet does not seek to alleviate their pain. Instead, they hope only to
become an active participant in it.
That is because in the twisted, dystopian, political sphere that has
been created by the Trump administration and its leadership, these are
not innocent families and children struggling for freedom and yearning
for any semblance of safety, but instead are nothing more than numbers
to fuel their ever-cruel, forever-hungry deportation machine.
Since the moment they arrived in America, Haitian TPS holders have
dedicated themselves to contributing to this Nation. They have built
businesses, built families, and built up their communities. Through
their undeniable strength of character and resilient spirit, they have
become an inseparable part of our city and country's social fabric. If
anyone would like an example of what it truly means to be a good and
decent American, let's look towards Haitian Americans and the families
up the street.
My colleagues and I have repeatedly urged the administration to
extend protections for our most vulnerable neighbors at this most
perilous time. Thus far, our call has gone unanswered.
[[Page H2902]]
If Donald Trump intends to continue this injustice by covering his ears
and pretending we are silent, let this bipartisan discharge petition
serve as a blaring beacon that even he cannot ignore.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to make the moral decision to pass
this necessary humanitarian legislation, protect our Haitian neighbors
from certain devastation, and vote ``yes'' on this resolution.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Frost).
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of extending
temporary protective status for Haitian nationals living in the United
States.
I am proud to represent Orlando, Florida, where one of the largest
populations of Haitians live in the country. They are facing a
humanitarian disaster and crisis, and we are facing a clear
humanitarian and policy problem.
Haiti remains in the midst of a severe crisis, unlike anything we can
find in the entire world. While hundreds of thousands of Haitian
nationals live in the United States, Haiti remains in severe crisis and
a horrible humanitarian situation. Hundreds of thousands of Haitian
nationals in the United States are living and working under temporary
protective status, and now that is at risk.
Conditions in Haiti are not safe to return. Armed groups control
parts of the country. Access to food, medical care, and basic security
remains deeply unstable. Deporting or forcing families to return under
these conditions would be dangerous and unjust.
At the same time, Haitian TPS holders are fully integrated into our
communities and societies. They are working, raising families, and
contributing to our economy and neighborhoods every day.
The question before us is whether we allow this uncertainty and
instability to continue or whether we will act. That is where this
discharge petition comes in. The normal legislative process has failed
to move this important issue forward, but this discharge petition has
succeeded in forcing the House to finally consider legislation to
extend TPS for more than 350,000 Haitian nationals. It is important we
keep that in mind.
If we fail to move this forward, we are talking about expelling
350,000 of our neighbors to a country that is deeply unstable and
dangerous.
By signing this petition, my colleagues have already recognized the
urgency of the issue. Now it is time to follow through with action. A
vote in favor of this measure provides stability for families,
communities, and for critical parts of our workforce.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Florida.
Mr. FROST. A vote in favor of this measure provides stability to
families for communities and critical parts of our workforce. A vote
against it sends people into conditions that we know are unsafe.
This work does not end here. We hope that in the future we can do the
same thing for Venezuelan nationals. I am proud to be a part of this
fight right now following the leadership of Representative Ayanna
Pressley.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close. A vote against this resolution is a vote against our country's
best interests, plain and simple, but don't just take my word for it,
Mr. Speaker. Republicans in the executive branch agree.
If you go to the State Department's website, you will see the Trump
administration has designated Haiti as a ``Level 4: Do not travel (Code
Red)'' because of the multilayered humanitarian crises of natural
disasters, gang violence, and political instability impacting the
island.
That is why TPS is warranted in this moment, and Secretary Rubio
knows that. In fact, when he was in the Senate, it was Rubio who
authored the very legislation we are voting on today.
{time} 1410
It is not just him who agrees. The U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations, Mike Waltz, has repeatedly discussed the dire conditions of
Haiti and its strategic importance to our national security.
Ambassador Waltz, who was recently a Republican in this very body,
believes we should be working to stabilize Haiti. He knows that the
international effort to restore order in Port-au-Prince would be
undermined if we deported hundreds of thousands of Haitians to the
island.
This isn't just about foreign policy. Secretary Kennedy of the
Department of Health and Human Services said something families across
the country already know too well: America is facing a caregiver
crisis. If we were to deport Haitians, we would lose even more nurses,
aides, and caregivers that we desperately need. Those jobs can't be
replaced by AI. The solution is clear.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to extend TPS
because it is the economic thing to do. It is the strategic thing to
do. It is the humane thing to do. But most of all, it is the right
thing to do.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the
previous question on the resolution.
The previous question is ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on adoption of the
resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
On April 15, 2026, page H2902, in the second column, the
following appeared: The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on
ordering the previous question. The question was taken; and the
Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.
The online version has been corrected to read: The previous
question is ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on
adoption of the resolution. The question was taken; and the
Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.
========================= END NOTE =========================
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
____________________