Raúl Grijalva: “While we celebrate this moment, today our American promise is under serious threat. Basic freedoms are under attack.…”

“While we celebrate this moment, today our American promise is under serious threat. Basic freedoms are under attack. Healthcare premiums are skyrocketing. Babies are being ripped away from their parents by masked agents. We can and must do better. What is most concerning is not what this administration has done, but what the majority in this body has failed to do: Hold Trump accountable as the coequal branch of government that we are. It has been 50 days since the people of Arizona's Seventh Congressional District elected me to represent them; 50 days that over 800,000 Arizonans have been left without access to the basic services that every constituent deserves. This is an abuse of power. One individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct the swearing in of a duly elected Member of Congress for political reasons. Our democracy only works when everyone has a voice. This includes the millions of people across the country who have experienced violence and exploitation, including Liz Stein and Jessica Michaels, both survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse. They are here in the gallery with us this evening. I thank them for being here. Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that Trump knew more about Epstein's abuses than he previously acknowledged. It is past time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration and fight for we, the American people. We need to fight for our immigrant communities and veterans.”