What Shontel M. Brown said, and what was done

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Council of International Programs on seven decades of service and excellence. Founded in Cleveland in 1956 and still headquartered in Ohio's 11th Congressional District today, the Council of International Programs has spent 70 years building bridges abroad through professional exchanges and cultural connections.”

“Mr. Speaker, as often the case with the current occupant of the White House, it all started with a lie. Nearly 2 years ago, JD Vance got up off his couch and tweeted a racist smear that Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs.”

“Mr. Speaker, while families are struggling to keep up with rising prices for food, housing, gas, and utilities, this President is focused on something else entirely different--himself. He is spending taxpayer dollars on a lavish White House ballroom.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise to recognize Juneteenth, a defining moment in our Nation's history. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, carrying news of liberation.”

“Black Americans, unfortunately, freedom has never simply been granted. No, our freedom has been fought for in courtrooms and classrooms, in churches and on picket lines. It has been demanded, defended, marched for, and sacrificed for generation after generation.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the pride of northeast Ohio, Olympic gold medalist Laila Edwards of Cleveland Heights. Earlier this year, Laila helped lead Team USA to their first gold medal win in women's hockey, playing in all seven games and contributing two goals and six assists.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McClellan for leading tonight's Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand with my CBC colleagues in this fight as we stand up for the people we represent.”

“Mr. Chair, the farm bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress works on. It touches every corner of this country every day. Let me be direct about what this bill does and does not do.”

“Republican and Democratic Governors alike are warning they cannot pick up the new cost share coming down the pike. That means more cuts, more hunger, and more harm.”

“Mr. Chair, as I expressed in my earlier remarks, I continue to oppose this amendment, and I urge all Members to oppose this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Chair, wildfires are a significant threat to rural communities, and I support efforts to bring down the cost of forest treatments that would help protect these communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, the convicted felon in the White House is not an honest man, but when he rebranded the Department of Defense as the Department of War, for once, for once, he told the truth because war is what we have.”

“Madam Speaker, I am very proud to see this legislation on the floor today, and I appreciate the support of both the ranking member and chair of the Oversight Committee.”

“Mr. Speaker, more and more I am troubled by a simple question: Will Donald Trump be the last President ever elected by a free and fair election? That certainly seems to be the plan.”

“Mr. Speaker, we have seen this movie before. In 2003, it was tax cuts for the wealthy and a war we were told would be quick and necessary.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise during Black History Month to honor an extraordinary constituent, Mr. James R. Willis, a marine, an attorney, and a true Cleveland legend. In 1944, Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I wish everyone a happy Black History Month. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McClellan for the recognition and the Congressional Black Caucus for organizing this Special Order hour to recognize Black History Month.”

“Mr. Speaker, in Springfield, Ohio, families are preparing for the worst kind of ICE storm, a storm fueled by hate and racism, years in the making. In 2024, Donald Trump and J.D.”

“Tomorrow, they plan to revoke TPS, despite Haiti's collapse. Legal status today, illegal status tomorrow. This is the Project 2025 playbook for a morally corrupt mass deportation machine.”

“Mr. Speaker, we have a President who is corrupt, criminal, and craven to the core, a President who has declared war on American cities and flooded the streets with untrained, unqualified, and unidentified agents.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5457, the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act. The SAMOSA Act is a straightforward, good-government bill that has strong bipartisan support from members of the Oversight Committee.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Cuyahoga County's Myesha Watkins on her latest and well-earned recognition for serving the people of northeast Ohio. Last month, Myesha received the Capstone Achievement Award from the University of Chicago's Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy.”

“Mr. Speaker, there is a saying: When America catches a cold, Black America gets pneumonia. Since January 20, make no mistake, this country has been running a fever, a moral sickness, one that begins at the very top, a twisted agenda that pardons the powerful, protects the predators, and punishes the people.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for leading tonight's Special Order hour. I thank my colleagues in the CBC for standing up for this fight. The fight to protect healthcare is another reminder of why I am so proud to be part of the Congressional Black Caucus.”

“Mr. Speaker, how do we know if this President is working for us? He is working for us if we make over $4 million and are about to pocket a new tax cut of $300,000.”

“Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the Honorable Jane L. Campbell for her distinguished career in public office and public service. As a Clevelander, a Member of Congress, and a representative of communities across Northeast Ohio, I truly appreciate the varied ways in which she served the people throughout her many years of service.”

“Madam Speaker, I have just come back from our district work period in northeast Ohio, and let me tell you, Madam Speaker, there is nothing better than being home being in our churches, in our union halls, and our community centers listening to the people I serve.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. For the first time in history, this bill would force States to pay for part of SNAP benefits, and it would require States to increase their share of administrative costs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. Let's be clear, Republicans are paying for massive tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires by cutting $300 billion from SNAP.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with Leader Jeffries and my Democratic Women's Caucus colleagues to oppose harmful cuts to food and health assistance. Today, I rise to share the story of Cheryl from Cleveland Heights, a constituent whose life could be upended by cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.”

“President Trump and his allies have blamed diversity, which is just code for Black people, for the January plane crash at Ronald Reagan Airport; for the South Carolina wildfires; for the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge collapse in Baltimore; and even the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment; and on and on and on.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), a place with rich culture. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinguished privilege to yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms.”

“Not all of them shared that history because it was painful and it was uncomfortable. They didn't like talking about it and many of them did, but their stories are fading.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her personal and powerful story about the benefits of history, as well as healing. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland, the Honorable Glenn Ivey.”

“In northeast Ohio, our Black history legacy stacks up against anyone's. In fact, one of the first places to celebrate Black History Month for a whole month was Kent State University.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California, (Ms. Kamlager-Dove), my dear friend and colleague for leading our CBC Special Order hour this evening. Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate Ms.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Dorian Pace, a Cleveland Heights School Bus Driver, whose heroism, service, and character saved the lives of fifteen students.”

“Cleveland Heights School District kicked in to save the lives of students as the bus began to be engulfed in flames. From the moment the school bus doors open in the early morning to dropping out children off at the bus stop in the afternoon, school bus drivers are vital to ensuring that the most precious among our community have a safe passage to and from school.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Black History Month. Black History Month means a lot to me, and it means a lot to my constituents in northeast Ohio.”

“Two, more than 20 employees resigned from DOGE, refusing to ``jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services.'' Three, one of Musk's companies secured a lucrative FAA contract, laying bare his blatant conflicts of interest.”

“I thank Congressman Ivey for organizing this Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of more than 9,000 Federal workers in my district and their dedicated colleagues across the country.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Congressman Louis Stokes as we approach what would have been his 100th birthday. Born on February 23, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, Louis Stokes rose from humble beginnings to become a giant in the fight for civil rights and a champion for the underserved.”

“Mr. Speaker, during Black History Month and throughout the year, it is important that we honor the legacies of those that came before us. Today, I rise to reflect on a remarkable story that hits close to home.”