On the recordJuly 13, 2023
Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank Ranking Member Smith for his comments, and I will emphasize that transgender people are people. They are much more than statistics. They are people serving our country. They are people who care and are patriotic. They are more likely to harm themselves and suffer from mental health challenges due to the harmful rhetoric they hear from elected officials denying their right to exist. My youngest sibling, my brother, is trans, and he is one of the most responsible people I know. I would be thrilled if he wanted to serve our country, and you should be, too. Madam Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my colleague from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
