I thank Mrs. Demings so much for that heartfelt appeal to the better senses of us, to the better angels within us as Americans, but, also, just speaking practicably about what this policy does not only for Haiti, but for us as Americans…

In that letter, which is signed by all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who are members in both the Democratic as well as Republican caucus, Members in the House as well as the Senate, we urge Secretary Duke that the…

I thank the gentleman for the information that he has shared with us, and, more particularly, for causing us to reflect on who we are as Americans and what we stand for, and for reminding this Congress and this House how we have a…

I thank the gentlewoman so very much for her moving words. I know that this is an issue that is very close to her heart, being of Haitian-American descent, and we are grateful for her leadership on this, being supportive of the letters to…

I will remain hopeful yet vigilant in my work to see that Congress delivers on the promises to support the Virgin Islands and the Territories.

What I cannot agree on is the need for a hearing on shark finning today instead of a hearing on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The President and leaders in Congress have committed to Americans in the Territories that they will receive the support they need.

American citizens in the U.S. Virgin Islands are suffering and questioning if their government is concerned about them.

It is long past the time for the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to conduct oversight hearings on the slow and ineffective response to the devastation.

We can all agree that sharks play an invaluable role in our ecosystem.

I want to echo the sentiments of my colleague, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, in that much of the issues that we are facing have much to do with the disparity in funding that the Territories have received before the hurricane occurred.

I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Lowey for bringing more disaster relief legislation to the floor today. I am pleased to see much-needed support for ongoing disaster response efforts in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and…

And will your budget reflect the magnitude of these hurricanes?

I believe regulating through no action relief letters is poor governance although necessary at times for expedient flexibility.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria have wreaked havoc on the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and numerous Caribbean nations. Although the full extent of the two hurricanes' impact has yet to be assessed, it is clear that the damage from these…

I know that that is why I am here because I need to be their voice, because they are voiceless right now. If you look on national media, you hear about what is happening in Puerto Rico, and, Lord knows, I feel for our fellow islanders, our…

I thank Mr. Payne, my colleague, for those sentiments and that support to the people of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and to all the people of the Caribbean region. I am grateful for his empathy, for his support, the support of his…

It is my great honor to rise today to anchor this CBC Special Order hour. Today, Monday, October 2, members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be speaking on the floor about the devastating impact of natural disasters, particularly…

I am asking that we include my provision for raising funds for the Department of the Interior's assistance to territories in this en bloc amendment. This is a very modest uptick of the $1 million in Federal support for the United States…

I thank the gentlewoman for the time. Mr. Speaker, at the end of this summer the people in the Virgin Islands, in every place of worship, say the hurricane prayer at the end of their service. And part of that prayer says at the end: But…

It is with great pride that I speak on behalf of the centennial anniversary of the birth of the Honorable Melvin Herbert Evans. This celebration of Governor Evans' 100th birthday is both timely and symbolic. Evans was born in 1917, months…

The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, or HIDTA, was created to provide assistance to Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies.

As you talked about success, HIDTA initiatives identified over 8,800 drug trafficking organizations.

I believe that a lot of that money, those billions of dollars that are being spent on that wall... could be better used to wall ourself from the drug trafficking.

They are really making a difference in our communities.