Summer Lee

I thank the Chair and the Ranking Member for this very important hearing and oversight assessment.

Thank you, Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko, for convening this hearing and affording us, the Homeland Security Committee, the opportunity to hear testimony on 'Worldwide Threats to the Homeland.'

Last check, water is wet. Other than that, there is no party affiliation.

We just voted for a $1 trillion package that we put in place.

Climate change is real, it is not just for conversation. We can see it happening in our communities every day.

I am glad the bipartisan infrastructure bill has equity provisions in there and we can insist that all communities... have equity in water infrastructure rebuild.

There has to be a prioritization at the Federal level in understanding an acknowledgment of how that has created even more issues for a place like Jackson, Mississippi.

There are other less-known incidences where there have been water crises in minority and poor communities.

Black and Brown communities are one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events.

Well, let me just say that hybrid is certainly helpful, but challenging sometimes.

Because this is crucial to help build the platforms of programs that colleges can begin to start with to help assist in the work force development going forward.

I think many of us would be very much interested in a summit of that form.

Are you working with historically Black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions to help them steer toward programs that would help build the work force?

I would like to ask the level of threat, the level or the rate of threats you think are to America's industrial infrastructure.

I want to go on record for opposing it.

We need to know how many and how many were dismissed.

I pose that as a serious concern that this Committee needs to have.

This idea of national security should be a bipartisan.

This is egregious, horrific, deadly.

There is no real desire among my friends on the other side of aisle to make real on their commitment and thought about our children.

The Supreme Court's recent ruling in Dobbs amplifies the urgency of these issues.

I, frankly, believe we should be doing a lot more with persons on the ground.

I am appalled at the State laws that have criminalized anyone trying to be a good Samaritan with a glass of water.

I was appalled at the threat of the elections officials in Atlanta, in Georgia, in the last election. Still unchecked to date.

The real issue is in the aftermath of the 2020 election, wrapped up in the Big Lie and the continuation of the Big Lie is really the question of threats of the physical security of elections with an increase in threats to election officers…