Peter H. Bell

tonight, I will begin by talking about what it meant to be Black in America before Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. The message this country sent to Black children, whether they grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, or in St. Louis was simple…

I rise today to talk about a woman who changed St. Louis and, in doing so, changed America. Her name is Frankie Muse Freeman. In 1954, segregation was still the law of the land. Despite that, Frankie Muse Freeman walked into a St. Louis…

each month I recognize a St. Louis all-star, someone who represents the very best of our city. During Black History Month, I have been highlighting Black leaders who helped shape St. Louis and expand opportunity for everyone. However, this…

we are debating this bill because Donald Trump is still trying to overturn an election that he lost 6 years ago. Some in this body are helping him do it. The SAVE America Act is built on the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. That lie…

I rise today because working people in St. Louis and across this country are getting squeezed from every direction. Groceries cost more. Rent costs more. Childcare costs more. Healthcare costs more. For too many families, every month feels…

as the holidays roll around, I want to say this to folks across the St. Louis region: This season isn't just about what is under the tree. It is about who we show up for. There is a lot happening in the world right now. Some of it is…

I rise to recognize the Washington University women's soccer team, who just secured their second-straight Division III national championship. These student-athletes reflect the best of St. Louis. What they achieved this season didn't…

winter is here, and families across the St. Louis region and the country are opening their utility bills with a knot in their stomachs. Right now, reckless tariff policies and economic uncertainty out of the White House are driving up…

I rise in support of H.R. 2550, the Protect America's Workforce Act. Mr. Speaker, we all count on a Federal workforce that shows up every day to serve, not to bend to political pressure or wonder if speaking up will cost them their jobs…

the State legislature may have forced through their partisan map, but in Missouri, the final word belongs to the people. Our constitution gives Missourians the right to check the politicians through the petition process. No one asked for…

I come from Missouri, and the people I represent have serious concerns. They are worried about paying for healthcare. They are worried about the cost of food and affordable housing or raising families with some measure of security. What…

I hold his son, my friend and predecessor, Lacy Clay; the entire Clay family; and the St. Louis community in my prayers. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself, the entire CBC, which he helped found, and the Missouri delegation, I ask for a…

today our country lost a true trailblazer. Congressman William Clay passed away after a lifetime of service that reshaped St. Louis and our Nation. Already a civil rights icon before he was elected, he didn't come to Washington to play…

let's be honest about what this is. The administration didn't try to cut PBS and NPR because of the budget. They went after them because public media doesn't play along with the never-ending lies. PBS and NPR tell the truth, and for some…

if anyone stood outside the St. Louis Job Corps Center last week, they saw what happens when cruelty becomes policy. They saw students being escorted off campus, bags in hand, dreams on hold; grandparents crying because their grandkids had…

this weekend, a catastrophic tornado struck the heart of St. Louis, killing five of our neighbors, injuring dozens more, and causing more than $1.6 billion in projected damage. Over 5,000 buildings were hit, power lines are down, critical…

Another child in the St. Louis region is gone too early. Marshaun Futrell, Jr., was 11 years old. He was a football star, a big brother, and a son. Monday night this 11-year-old was yet another victim of senseless gun violence. Across the…

Every day nearly half a million Americans sit in local jails without a conviction, overwhelmingly for nonviolent, low-level offenses. They are not there because they have been found guilty but because they can't afford bail or are stuck…

I was absent during the time of votes due to travel and weather delays. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 84, H.R. 517, Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act; and YEA on Roll Call No. 85, H.R. 997, National…

I rise as this week on March 14 in my hometown of St. Louis we are celebrating 314 Day. This day is much more than just our area code or an excuse to celebrate our hometown sports teams: the Cardinals, the Blues, St. Louis City Soccer…

First, I would like to say happy birthday to my father, John Bell; happy heavenly birthday to my stepfather, Larry Greer; and happy Founder's Day to the national AME Church and, at home in St. Louis, St. Paul AME Church led by Pastor…

as the Democratic leader pointed out earlier, this year marked the 50th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, and thinking about that decision in the context of today's debate, I think we have to ask ourselves…

are there no boundaries?- {time} 1645 Earlier today several Republicans came to the floor of this House of Representatives to attack the military record of Senator John Kerry, to attack the military record of an individual whose medals…

What this comes down to is a question of priorities. There can be no higher priority in the United States of America than our Nation's health. Everybody listening knows the diseases that are impacted by NIH funding. It is no secret. And…