Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentlewoman for her kindness, and I only have a minute to talk about kindness. I vigorously oppose the…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for her kindness, and I only have a minute to talk about kindness. I vigorously oppose the underlying legislation dealing with our beautiful children. Mr. Speaker, that is what it is, and I join with the Utah Governor who indicates that this minute problem does not deserve a sledgehammer. This bill deals with girls and women in sports, and the Olympics and the NCAA have spoken on transgender. I speak from the heart as a fellow human being. I speak from loving children as the chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus. I cannot stand here and tolerate 53 percent of trans kids considering suicide last year. They want to belong. They want to have friends. They want to play sports. If you are 5 years old, 12 years old, this Congress has no right in interfering with a beautiful community. It is, in fact, a blessing to have a world and a Nation that has people who are different. I affirm their difference. I stand for their difference. I will fight for their difference because they should be loved like anyone else. The rules and regulations are already in place. Why are we here doing that when guns are killing our children?”