I rise in honor of our outgoing Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Congressman Reverend Emanuel Cleaver. Chairman Cleaver has been a truly outstanding leader of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 112th Congress. We were fortunate…

Our hearts are grieving with the entire Newtown community and all the families who lost loved ones last Friday. We mourn the 26 innocent lives, including those 20 children who have been lost in this unimaginable tragedy. Let me also just…

I and others also encourage the conferees to include the Casey-Hutchison amendment as well as Senator Merkley's amendment, which calls for an expedited withdrawal from Afghanistan; but also we must support this motion to instruct conferees…

This month we lost a giant in the music industry. Dave Brubeck was a legendary jazz and classical pianist and composer who helped to define jazz. A fellow Mills College graduate in my district in Oakland, California, Dave served in a…

Let me first thank Congresswoman Susan Davis for her tremendous leadership on this issue. I agree with Congresswoman Jackson Lee, it has been consistent and it has been bold. I also thank my other colleagues who have joined us in this…

Let me thank all of the members, first of all, of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition for working so hard to protect vital funding for environmental programs, including renewable energy initiatives from the so-called fiscal…

Thank you very much. I, too, want to thank you, Congressman Miller, for yielding me time and for organizing this Special Order tonight. First to Congressman Pete Stark, who's our departing dean of the California delegation, Congressman…

December 1 is World AIDS Day, although every day is World AIDS Day for the millions battling this epidemic on the front lines. It's an important time, though, to reflect upon our loved ones lost, to celebrate the progress we are making…

As we gather here for the first time since the election, it's important that we continue to talk about and work to resolve the questions that cannot wait until the 113th Congress. President Obama will soon be meeting with his military…

Let me thank Mr. Israel, Mr. Connolly, and Mr. Tonko, as well as all of the members of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, for being such strong advocates for a responsible and sustainable energy future. Today I rise to speak…

As the founder of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today to continue talking about the ongoing crisis of poverty in our country. Yesterday, unfortunately, with the supplemental poverty report, we learned that poverty…

As cofounder of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today to call for an immediate response to the ongoing crisis of poverty in our Nation. The census numbers released yesterday underscore the urgent need to act boldly and to…