What Janelle S. Bynum said, and what was done

“Shh. Mr. Speaker, it has been really quiet in this Chamber about who is profiting from the Presidency. While Americans struggle to pay for gas and groceries, our President Trump is making billions.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I am here to talk about student loans. To be honest with you, I don't know why I am the only one. I can't remember the last time I heard this body talking about financing higher education.”

“Mr. Speaker, if you have kids, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's ``2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book'' should concern you. It showed that children across the country are falling behind.”

“Madam Chair, I can't say that I am surprised that my Republican colleagues want to cut yet another resource to help women and children get food. This bill reduces the fruit and vegetable benefit for mothers and young children under WIC, and this goes against actual science-based evidence that tells us what families need to stay healthy.”

“Mr. Speaker, we are one step closer to having more affordable housing for Oregonians and Americans across the country. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes three of my bills which will help build more houses, lower the cost of housing, and make sure homeless shelters have the support they need to offer emergency assistance.”

“Mr. Speaker, gas prices are out of control. The average price for a gallon of gas in Oregon is $5.30--$5.30. Before the start of this Iran war, it was under $4 a gallon, which was high enough already.”

“Americans can't afford the gas to drive to work, pick up their kids from daycare, or make it to doctor's appointments with these kinds of prices. Now, the President wants to suspend the Federal gas tax to fix it.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight one of the most important rights American citizens have, and that is voting. Tomorrow is the deadline in Oregon to register to vote in our upcoming primaries, and Oregonians should make sure they register so that they can make their voices heard.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor Anshu Mukherjee as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Oregon's 5th District, for the creation of Grub.io, an innovative app designed to combat food waste at large events.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the more than $36 million in funding I have requested for Oregon's Fifth Congressional District. This money will strengthen our communities by investing in clean drinking water, education, childcare, public safety, and workforce development.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for over a month, and my Republican colleagues refuse to fix it. Thousands of dedicated public servants like TSA agents keep us safe in the air and on the ground, and they are working without pay.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6618, my Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act. Mr. Speaker, wildfires are no longer seasonal. They are year-round threats that are growing more intense, destructive, and dangerous for the communities that we serve and the responders that we rely on.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a mentor and a true friend, Oregon State Senator Avel Gordly. Senator Gordly, the first Black woman to serve in the chamber, brought a presence that was regal and distinctive.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a mentor and true friend, Oregon State Senator Avel Gordly. Senator Gordly, the first Black woman to serve in the chamber, brought a presence that was regal and distinctive.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McClellan for hosting us this evening. Mr. Speaker, I stand here as the first, but not the last, Black Member of Congress in Oregon's history, and I rise today to celebrate Black History Month.”

“Mr. Speaker, I will offer my impression of a congressional Member owl who will not stand up to the unconstitutional acts of this administration. Who? Who me? Everything is okay.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes) for bringing us together to stand up for children with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, if I were to not pay something I owed for 50 years, the consequences would be tremendous.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am here today because this administration is playing games with costs, retirement accounts, and the entire financial system. He is attacking the Federal Reserve, which keeps our economy stable by threatening criminal investigations into Jerome Powell, the Fed's chair.”

“Mr. Speaker, early last year, the Flat fire burned over 23,000 acres of land in central Oregon, destroying homes and forcing thousands of people to evacuate. Our historic fire crews were eventually able to contain the fire, but they were unnecessarily delayed because someone was flying a drone in the area, and it punctured a hole in the plane.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am here today not just as the Representative for Oregon's Fifth Congressional District, but as a mom getting ready for the holidays. Let me tell you, Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, the beginning of this month marked the start of open enrollment for healthcare. As Oregonians have started to select their plans, constituents of mine have been writing in.”

“Mr. Speaker, I just wrapped up the Give 'Em Hell Tour, 10 townhalls over the last 3 months from every corner of my district. We welcomed all Oregonians, and we were thankful to have community leaders participating and local law enforcement keeping us safe.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the impressive efforts of Kyla Guerrero, a constituent of mine from Bend, Oregon. Kyla has used her Gold Award Girl Scout project to tackle the issue of food waste, taking leftover food and repurposing it to sustain a local farm.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I am here to stand up for Oregon. Just before the weekend, the President spouted off some nonsense about deploying the National Guard to Portland.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the impressive efforts of Clackamas Community College President Tim Cook, who ran more than 1,400 miles over 52 days to raise money and awareness for Oregon students.”

“Mr. Speaker, I only have 1 minute today, but I wish I had 6 or 7 minutes. Wildfire season is upon us. Over the weekend, we saw the Cram fire in central Oregon grow to more than 95,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire of the year so far in the United States.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding efforts made by one of my own constituents, Ms. Abby Lachman. Ms. Lachman, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 6, recently visited Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of herself and the millions of Americans living with Type 1.”

“Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks 3 years since the Supreme Court voted to strip women of their reproductive healthcare rights, overturning 50 years of legal precedent. I am talking about the Dobbs decision.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the President's trash bill is out here cutting funding for a program that supports low-income kids and families, supports our seniors, and supports those without housing.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I got this message from an Oregonian named Donna. She says: ``Please fight to protect Federal employee retirement benefits. They should not be slashed.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding efforts made by one of my own constituents, Mr. Bob Sanders. Mr. Sanders' feat of cycling across the continental United States at the age of 85 is a true accomplishment.”

“Mr. Speaker, today is the 122nd day of the 119th Congress. It has been 122 days since I began the fight in Congress for lower costs, more jobs, and a better quality of life for Oregonians.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand up for my constituents who rely on Social Security and Medicare. Nearly 1 million Oregonians collect Social Security, and almost 20 percent of the State's population receives Medicare.”

“Mr. Speaker, my constituents are struggling with high costs and inflation, and more and more families are living paycheck to paycheck, and still the supporters of this bill are trying to increase their fees?”

“Mr. Speaker, I am a woman of faith. I know I am joined in this Chamber by fellow believers of all kinds. Today, I am reminded of Ezekiel 34:3, a story about the selfishness and greed of shepherds who used their sheep for their own gain, while neglecting their primary duty which was to care for the flock.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today because Oregonians can't afford to buy a home. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the rent is too damned high. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the game is rigged.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask: When are prices going down? I was told that this would be priority number one for this administration and Speaker Mike Johnson, but I have yet to have a chance to vote on a single piece of legislation that actually lowers costs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the first, but not the last, Black Member of Congress in Oregon's history to celebrate Black History Month in these hallowed Halls of Congress.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today because Oregon's children don't have access to all the tools they need to succeed, and that is unacceptable. Now, Elon Musk is threatening to eliminate the Department of Education.”

“Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 35. Let's call this bill what it is: fear-mongering dressed up as officer safety. This bill echoes one of the darkest chapters in our Nation's history, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.”

“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. I am committed to protecting those who protect us, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill in honor of the life and service of a Texas hero, Agent Raul Gonzalez.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the richest man in the world is buying access to our government at the expense of the American people. Elon Musk, who wasn't elected by anyone, is accessing the private information of millions of Americans and eliminating Federal agencies.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the heroic firefighters from Oregon who are on the front lines fighting wildfires in California. Firefighters from Clackamas, Linn, and Multnomah Counties have traveled hundreds of miles to help save lives and homes.”

“We have to do more to prevent these fires from starting. Oregon's leaders in wildfire prevention tell me they need the resources to get an engine to every home that needs one, and they need to know that the water will flow when they need it.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell the people of Oregon that I am ready to deliver for them. As someone who has lived, operated businesses, and raised my four children in our community, I know that families are struggling and feel like their voice isn't heard.”