Representative yoho put his finger in my face, he called me disgusting, he called me crazy, he called me out of my mind. He called me dangerous. And then, he took a few more steps. Recognized his comments as rude, he walked away and said, i am rude. You are calling me rude . I took a few steps ahead and i walked inside and cast my vote because my constituents send me here each and every day to fight for them and make sure that they are able to keep a yoof over their head, that the are able to feed their families and carry their lives with dignity. And there were reporters in the front of the capitol, and in front of reporters representative yoho called me, and i quote, a bitch. Pitch fucking, these are the words representative yoho levied convenience against a congresswoman. A congresswoman that not only represents new yorks 14th district but every congresswoman in this country because all of us have had to deal with this in some form, some way, some shape at some point in our lives. And i want to be clear that representative yohos comments were not deeply hurtful or piercing to me. Because i have worked, a working class job. I have waited tables in restaurants. I have ridden the subway. I have walked the streets in new york city. And this kind of language is not new. I have encountered words uttered by mr. Yoho and men uttering the same words as mr. Yoho while i was being harassed in restaurants. I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like mr. Yohos, and i have encountered this type of harassment riding the subway in new york city. This is not new. And that is the problem. Mr. Yoho was not alone. He was walking shoulder to shoulder with representative roger williams. And thats when we start to see that this issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting of violence and havent language against women, an entire structure of power that supports that. Because not only have i been spoken to disrespectfully, particularly by members of the Republican Party, and elected officials in the Republican Party, not just here, but the president of the United States last year told me to go home. To another country with the implication that i dont even belong in america. The governor of florida, governor desantis, before i was me a whatever d that is. Is not zing language new. And what we are seeing is that are ents like these happening in a pattern. Pattern of an attitude towards women and dehumanization of others. So while i was not deeply hurt offended by little comments hat are made, when i was reflecting on this, i honestly to pack it s going up and go home. Right . St another day, but then yesterday, decided to ve yoho come to the floor of the house and make ntatives excuses for his behavior. That i could not let go. Not allow my nieces, i could not allow the little girls i could not e to, abuse ictims of verbal and, worse, to see that to to see our use and congress accepted as legitimate as an apology and form of silence as a acceptance, i could not allow stand. Which is why im rising today to aise this point of personal privilege. And i do not need representative apologize to me. To. Rly he does not want clearly when given the opportunity he will not. And i will not stay up late at waiting for an apology from a man who has no remorse calling women and using abusive language towards women. I do have issue with is using women, wives and daughters excuses for poor behavior. Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a two daughters. I am two years younger than mr. Youngest daughter. Daughter too. Is not r, thankfully, live to see how mr. Yoho treated his daughter. See mr. Yohos disrespect on the floor of this on television, and i am here because i have to parents that i am their daughter and that they did not accept abuse from men. What i am here to say is yoho his harm that mr. Againstit tried to levy me, was not just an incident irected at me, but when you do that to any woman, what mr. Yoho permission to other daughters. Hat to his he in using that language, in ront of the press, he gave permission to use that language daughters, wife, his women in his community, and i am is to stand up to say that not acceptable. Do not care what your views are. It does not matter how much i isagree or how much it is incenses me or how much i feel that people are dehumanizing others. Myself. Ot do that will not allow people to change and create hatred in our hearts. I believe is that a daughter does not make a man decent. Wife does not make a decent man. Dignity andple with man. Ct makes a decent and when a decent man messes up, are bound to do, he ries his best and does apologize. Ot to save face, not to win a vote. To pologizes genuinely repair and acknowledge the harm move on. Hat we can all to express i want to mr. Yoho is gratitude. To thank him for showing he world that you can be a powerful man and accost women. Can have daughters and accost women without remorse. Married and accost women. You can take photos and project image to the world of being a amily man and accost women without remorse and with a sense of impunity. In this s every day country. It happened here on the steps of capitol. Ns it happens when individuals who highest office in this admit, admit to hurting women and using this language of us. All once again, i thank my joining us today. I will reserve the hour of my to my d i will yield colleague, representative jayapal of washington. Thank you. Jayapal madam speaker, hat was brilliance, grace, intelligence, and complete justice, to what equality, and dignity in the United States looks like. Is our colleague, alexandria ocasiocortez, and we to her for her voice. Florida olleague from did was unacceptable. Violent. It was sexist. To i do believe he needs apologize, not because its going to make our colleague, ms. Ocasiocortez, feel any better, but because he, too, needs to what unacceptable behavior looks like and rise to the level he has been that elected to. It does not dignify, not just the 750,000 people that he represents. Thought, madam speaker, that it would be good to review or my colleagues a little bit of the history of the word that was used. With a b hat begins thats five letters and that with witch. That word. Rom 1915 to 1930, madam speaker, that word suddenly took off in usage. And wspaper reports articles. And you know why . This body gave women the right to vote. That was just a little too much power for too many men the country. And so all of a sudden that word prominence because, god forbid, that women would have a that we would have power in this body, that we would have power anywhere in country. God forbid that women would actually have a voice to speak mattered and that be the arbiters of what is fair with ght and spoken dignity and truism. And so that is when that word to take off. That want to be clear this violent language is about power. Power. Bout its about exerting power. Ts about wielding power over people. Its about fear of people who may well be smarter than you, and r working than you, more dedicated to achieving justice than you. That. T may be it may be that fear. It is about diminishing and isrespecting when you have no other tools to do so. And its not new. Right peaker, you were here managing time on this floor when i, as a new member of was told by one of my republican colleagues that i was ayoung lady and i didnt know damn thing about what i was talking about. You were right here managing the and you helpedde me through that moment. Thank you. This did get an apology on floor from my colleague across the aisle. I was also told in judiciary how to read learn by another one of my members aisle. The these are the things that happen to us all the time. Are not jokes. Theyre not little things. Not because they hurt us. That. Way too strong for but because they Say Something about the caliber of person that is here in the United States congress. Do you know, madam speaker, out 11,000 people that have ever served in the United States congress, there are only 79 of women of color who has ever served in this body. We bring a new voice. And so i say to my colleague, ocasiocortez, thank you for your grace and for your brilliance and for your dignity. Everybody that is out there watching us and to our colleagues across the aisle, let say this. We are not going away. There are going to be more of us here. There is going to be more power across ands of women this country. And we are going to continue to speak up. Continue to say, madam speaker. We are going to continue to have a voice for people so that ev y working people, our sons, our daughters, and our across the our wives country understand that somebody is standing up for them. I believedam speaker, mr. Yoho should apologize. I have been on a trip with him globe. The i never thought i would hear language from him. I really didnt. And im stunned and, yet, at the same time its a pattern. An old pattern. Thank you, madam speaker. Colleague. My ms. Ocasiocortez thank you, jayapal. Ative thank you for giving the context on how these words and this levied has always been toward the assent of women. Ascending in are power. I now yield to another my own al leader from ome state of new york, velazquez. Ive nydia friends, at my times like this, it will benefit what the wordmber means. S actually congress means a coming together. Entire point of this institution. From different regions of he country with varying political views, individuals of backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientation, genders come together to solve problems on behalf of American People who elect us. Word congress he originates from. A coming together. Disagree. Equently we argue on this floor and in hearings and meetings. We may even disagree on the capitol. The owever, let us disagree agreeably. The words being discussed today to those ideals. And the gentleman must, must say sorry. Is he must apologize. Apologize to alexandria ocasiocortez. Must apologize to his wife, daughters, to women in country. Today, our political discourse with an ten infected malice on our democratic institutions. Officials, we are expected to do better, to act as of how we can debate passionately but treat one another with compassion, and respect. It saddens me that the words discussing today failed to live up to that standard. For those reasons, madam peaker, i stand with my friend from new york in condemning the remarks that were made. Ask all of us to do better. Better. Do and i yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez id also like to thank representative velazquez for her press department and leadership as well. Before i was a young puerto rican woman upending a incumbent, Nydia Velazquez was as well. Every single one of us as women has to stand on the shoulders and the efforts made by other women who had to fight, fight d, fight pay tree arcy patriarchy, fight men in order to exist in bodies like this. Id also like to thank not only representative velazquez but representative lawrence who is a leader in the womens caucus, ensuring that others and other women who will walkthrough these doors not just today but in generations to come continue to be protected and amplified. Yield to mrs. Lawrence. Mrs. Lawrence i stand here today in support of women. I stand here today condemning the words of, unfortunately, a colleague of mine. I want to reflect on history. The first africanamerican woman was elected in 1968. The first hispanic woman in 1989. Ladies and gentlemen, we are here to stay. This year is the 100th year that women have the right to vote. For far too long women and people of color have been bjected to being mistreated, humiliated, and trying desperately with words to minimize us. Women of color have traditionally been excluded from the halls of congress. But im here today saying in a congress where we have the largest number of diversity and women in the history of this congress, our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. You will see today speakers coming to this mike, yes, we are standing up because of the words of one member. Im standing here today of generations of assaults. Generations of abuse and stand ere proud as a survivor. Our constituents expect leadership. Not schoolyard bullying from their elected colleagues. Almost 100 years after the radfication of the 19th amendment to congress, to the and now the most diverse our body has ever been, this is a time we should be celebrating each other, thanking god we have opportunity to serve with legends like john lewis, but instead we are trying to roll back the clock with behavior thats unacceptable. Im the little black girl from the east side of detroit who was raised by a woman who is the grandchild of an emancipated slave. Im not scared of you. I will call you out. And i demand respect and i will respect you. I yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you to my colleague from michigan, representative lawrence. As i had indicated earlier that having a daughter does not make a decent man. Having a wife does not make a decent man. But treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. Im incredibly thankful to have the honor and privilege to serve with decent men in this body each and every day. And it is an honor and im thankful to serve with representative al green, who is a sterling example of such a decent man. I yield to him. Mr. Green thank you. Madam speaker, i thank you for this opportunity. Ms. Ocasiocortez, i thank you. Adam speaker, im 72 years old i have no children. Would i had a daughter, i name her alexandria because my name is alexanderer. Alexander. If i had a daughter, i would want her to be bold. I would want her to be courageous. I would want her to speak truth to power. I would want her to be just like alexandria ocasiocortez, the name means helper of humankind, and thats what shes about the business of doing. I salute her for the positions shes taken. Madam speaker, this is not the first time we have heard this bword used by people in positions of authority. A Higher Office in this country has corrupted the discourse. It came from a Higher Office and we all took it for granted. We just assumed, thats just a person saying something. S. O. B. , you are talking about the mother. This is unacceptable. It is absolutely unacceptable. I believe that we must change the tide of discourse in the country, and i believe that what ms. Ocasiocortez has said is something that all of us should take notice of. She spoke from her heart as she usually does, by the way. A brilliant head with a compassionate heart. Im proud of her. I will stand with her not only today but in the future. I doesnt have to agree with everything she says to respect her dignity, to respect her humanity. Up in ally this, i grew me where scaretology was commonplace. I dont think thats a word but if such a word existed there were many scaretologists in my own. Scaretology is a word. I learned early on how that impacts the psyche of people. We cannot allow what happened to go unnoticed, which is why i am here today. This scaretology with the bword is everything that demeans every woman when it is used. I will stand against it and i will stand with the honorable alexandria ocasiocortez. I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you, representative green. Your words brought tears to my eyes. I the relationship particularly between fathers and daughters is a very sacred one and special one. I also know my father was publicly using that language to another, particularly my age, but any woman, i would tell him that he needed to apologize. That his behavior was reprehensible and embarrassing. I would like to yield to representative Jackie Speier of california. Ms. Speier i thank the gentlelady. I want to compliment you on a profound, articulate, and accurate statement of what is wrong with what is going on in this country and what is going on wrong in this body. As one of the cochairs of the democratic womans caucus, i stand here as the author of the letter, along with my colleagues. Calling on mr. Yoho to apologize, demanding an apology from him to ms. Ocasiocortez. He didnt give an apology sterday as ms. Ocasiocortez indicated. But we really are at a water this watershed moment in body. We have mourned the loss of two great leaders of this body. John lewis, we sat on this floor last night for hours, both sides of the aisle, talking about his greatness. And what did he call us . He called us a family. A family does not talk to each other as mr. Yoho had talked to ms. Ocasiocortez. We mourn the loss of congressman elijah cummings, who said, we are better than this. And we are better than this. We are the most Diverse Congress ever in the history of this country. 24 of us are women. 8 of us are women of color. Where does this all come from . It comes from the top it comes from the white house. Who calls women crazy nancy. Or such a nasty woman. Or a low i. Q. Person of a colleague of ours who serves as the chair of a committee. A crazed, crying, lowlife. Our colleague, mr. Yoho, conducted himself like a hitandrun driver. And he does not want to take responsibility for his conduct. I believe he must take responsibility for his conduct. We are not as women in this house going anywhere. We are here to stay. We belong here. And we will demand respect for ms. Ocasiocortez and every other woman in this house who has been demeaned by a colleague. Whether a democrat or a republican. It is not right. And we can do better. I yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez i now yield to mr. Pocan of wisconsin who is also the cochair of the congressional progressive caucus and another wonderful champion for all people. Mr. Pocan thank you very much for yielding. Earlier this week a member of this body attacked another member over their viewpoint, but it wasnt the ordinary debate over idea pololgi, it turned personal and miss songniesic misogynistic too quickly. What was the offense . She said what we all know to be true. That poverty is a leading path to crime. That if you cant pay your rent or feed your family, you will do whatever you have to do to survive, and you could turn to crime. So you arent homeless or so your family doesnt starve. Thats called survival. And thanks to our nations disastrous response to covid19, more people arent working and that will cause poverty. Pretty simple, honest logic. Well, one member not only took offense to that truism, but they also took offense to the person who said it. In the most frightening manner. They started to attack the person not just for their values, but for who they are with the most antiquated view and response i have seen in this body. By swearing at someone and calling them an fing b you dont denigrate the person you are attacking as much as you denigrate yourself and honestly this institution. By not properly apologizing for that incident, you further dig yourself into a dinosaur sized miss songniesic misogynistic whole. For the republican hole. For the Republican Party not to deal with that member swiftly and strongly, you show a greater problem with your party. It is likely not a coincidence that half of this body looks more like a mad man episode than a representative governing body for the greatest nation on the planet. I am so proud to serve with alexandria ocasiocortez and every other woman and woman of color in this body. This country is not just made up of older white wealthy men alone. We are a rich tapestry of genders, races, sexual orentsations, economic backgrounds, and more. We cant be afraid to look like the very country we represent and smart women, smart women of color shouldnt make you afraid, they should make you proud of our nation and proud that we finally, finally are starting to look more like it. And if somehow the combination of truth, if our actions in this body on issues like covid if done improperly can lead to joblessness and poverty and could lead to more hunger and homelessness and potentially crime, if that truth combined with the truth teller that looks like the nation as a whole, as opposed to this congress, if that scares you, well, then learn how not to be scared or figure out your next career. Because we have got more of this coming. Truth telling and Representative Democracy and it couldnt be coming quickly enough. Thank you, alexandria, i yield. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you so much. Representative pocan, for your brilliance. I think you bring up such an excellent point. Something that we had all seen is that what we are seeing here is a resounding rejection of abuse and acosting of women, but why is this only happening from one party . This should not be a partisan issue. Yet when mr. Yoho walked down those steps and accosted me and used these words, he was next to a republican colleague, and that republican colleague did nothing. Not only did that colleague do nothing, he pretended he didnt hear it when he in fact jumped in. O not only did a person do it, but a bystander did nothing. From the yet to hear leader of the Republican Party personally. Gotten a callhave from representative mccarthy addressing his members behavior. Yet to see republican colleagues standing up for their that this nd saying behavior was unacceptable. Resounding standing nd loud calls for justice, equally loud is the silence and drop from the republican arty about this type of misconduct. No matter. Because with that we have an for women, hampion gender for for nforming people, and justice, and i am proud to call her my sister. Representative ayanna pressley. Ms. Pressley i want to condone representative who accosted ocasiocortez. Unfortunately, what brings us to this moment are the structural and cultural conditions and, very men that have normalized the marginalization of women and specifically women this nations very inception. Madam speaker, patriarchy, its tool of oppression. Thats very much at home in the powerful his institution. Not unlike the hostile working nvironments and harassment experienced by countless women across this nation who dare to speak truth to power. Rise for every woman thats dealt with these dynamics conflated part of their walk in life. Every woman that has repressed rhetoric inflicted on our bodies and our lives. It to say that these tired tactics to debase and familiar and, yet, still we rise. Forefathers and our foremothers, the trailblazers to take on a world that was built on contradictions and injustice. Because of them, we have learned how to walk with our heads held high. Our legacy defined by the laws we do on nd the good behalf of those we serve. Foot in this D Institution at the age of 19. My mother poured into me a sense for this ce institution, of the awesome power that it held. Walked through hallways and still do flanked by the statues f men that enslaved my ancestors in a building built by my enslaved ancestors. While there may still be some specters in this upholding t on oppression and misogyny, i know when my 12yearold daughter hallways ugh these today she sees my name in a outside the door and lit up on the voting board above sees ouse floor and she talib and omar and chu and scobar and trahan and underwood. Our very existence is proof that progress has been made. Although in some instances we are better than we used to be, we are still not who be. An and so with my eyes fixed, clear on the challenges of the moment, clearer still on the promise of future, i speak to our daughters. For they are watching and how we y taking note of respond in this moment. To my his moment, i say core and all cora and all our youhters, you are powerful, are limitless, your contributions to this world are rilliant, needed and uniquely yours. Your ideas are substantive. Your experiences, your kind belong atcritical eye every single table where decisions are being made. Deserve a life free from fear and filled with dignity and love. You are not defined by your productivi chosen vity or your work. We affirm these truths to be selfevident that women are the of our family, of our communities and we are nation builders. E believe in you fully without reservation. You have a right to show up in are. Orld exactly as you and who you are is always enough. Everywhere. Long and i will close with the words barber whoed william aptly points out that we find ourselves as a nation in a reckoning. A reckoning which calls for reconstruction. Fights. But this is a new day. Lets build the world that cora all girls and Women Deserve nd let us begin with this very institution. Thank you. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you so pressley. Esentative and now i yield to epresentative judy chu of california. Rise today in support of my friend and colleague, representative but most of all, basic humanpport of decency. Remarks that are disrespectful and offensive and reflected a s hostility that should alarm my olleagues on both sides of the aisle. Its not expected that everyone eachis chamber agrees with other. It is expected, however, that we dignity h other with and respect. There should never be a reason to meet this ils low bar. Turning policy disputes into disputes is dangerous. Inciting , we risk violence in others. As Congress Members, it fight on focus on good morning. Should not governing. Not incite hateful words. This week it was Congress Member ocasiocortez. Speak out against this tomorrow, it could be any Congress Member who is a woman or person of color. Nd thats why this must end now. If any such ugly curse words are ttered, decorum dictates there should be an apology. A real apology. Sincere apology. Not word that simply deflect and others. On the great seal of the united says e pluribus unum, out of many one. Isagreement and different perspectives were baked into this country. And it is our ability to work others that we do not always agree with that has beacon america to be the of hope. E should never betray these values of unity despite disagreement. Congress member alexandria ocasiocortez deserves respect. Member alexandria ocasiocortez deserves a real now. Gy ms. Ocasiocortez thank you. I thank you, representative chu. So thankful to all of our colleagues who are oming and standing up today, again, not just for one incident ut for all of us in this country. I yield to representative Debbie Wasserman schultz of florida. Ms. Wasserman schultz i thank the gentlelady for yielding. Stand here in support of her courage. Every man and d woman on this floor that we were ent to washington to destroy hostile work environments, not build them. Few women here watching have not felt a mans bullying breath or as cing finger in our face we were told exactly where our place was at work. Felt it as a 20something lawmaker and had a highly public similar experience here in these alls of congress as a 30something member. Once again, from a then florida member of congress. Former member was just elected as chair of the Republican Party of texas. Way, this is unchecked. Take a stand from our colleague and friend, ms. Ocasiocortez, and those women endure this archaic behavior. Today we take a stand and say enough. S sadly, most capitols, including his one, endure this archaic behavior. And we must stand shouldertoshoulder to say that is the last day that we will tolerate it. Adly, most capitols, including undeniably e still boys clubs but women have critical numbers, my friend. Fed up with are bullies. We are not in a middle school playground. Have serious work to do. People across the country are facing ing, unemployed, eviction. Yet, misogyny was this members messaging. Ority unbelievable. I guess really not unbelievable. Day, gentlemen, and i use that term loosely, with some cases. Reminder for those who still want to wield the intimidation, of your time is up. To my sisters on this floor and my ening at home, to daughters listening at home, we must not let those who may be our strength scare us away. I am proud of us and proud to colleague and friend, congresswoman alexandria ocasiocortez today. The balance of my time. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you. Nd with that i would like to ield to representative lori trahan of massachusetts. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam speaker, we can disagree a issues that we face as nation and we can disagree on the policies and prescriptions we develop to fix them. Very body was built on the belief that productive tension and spirited would force legislators to do the hard work of creating benefit all l americans. For centuries, the house of representatives has rejected like those acks hurled at congresswoman ocasiocortez on the steps of u. S. Capitol earlier this week. This institution has maintained ofes that hold us as Members Congress to a higher standard. Because thats what the ardworking people we represent expect from us. And thats what we owe to them. Speaker, when we learn of the kind of personal attack congresswoman ocasiocortez, we cannot sit idly by. We cannot let it go unaddressed of us women have long been expected to do. Out. St call it we must demand accountability like we are here today. Women,what we owe to all especially to our daughters. We have to send a message loud because apparently people still arent getting it. Women, you bullying disagree with, whether its in a oard room, in a newsroom, on a military base, or in these hallowed halls of congress, are over. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle dont believe e, watch, as we continue winning in districts across america. Atch as women ban together to say enough to being public lihue illiated simply because publicly humiliated simply disagree. Ey watch. Endured so we have our daughters dont have to. I want to thank our fearless grace, the r the courage, and the intellect that you bring to this chamber every day. And with that i yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you so much, representative trahan. Id like to yield to our stood upleader who has this body ember in and decency across parties, our representative hoyer. R. Hoyer madam speaker, this is an issue of who we are as a people. Women have spoken on this floor, but this is an issue for fathers. An issue for sons. Brothers. Issue for i have three daughters, two randdaughters, and three greatgranddaughters. Not be confronted with this kind of attack. It was. Hat some have tried to demonize the new york who m does in fact bring the intellect the focus onon and the s surprisingly that gentleman mentioned yesterday in nonapology. This side of the isle are supportive of alexandria ocasiocortez and all of her isters and all mothers as well. Back. D ms. Ocasiocortez thank you. Thank you so much, hoyer. Ntative and i would like to now yield to representati new sentative sherrill of jersey. Ms. Sherrill i thank the gentlelady from new york for yielding. 116th congress has the largest number of women serving bodys history. House, n serving in the 26 women in the senate, and this istoric class of women represents the broad and diverse america that we live in. We are all public certificate isnt servants. We all kime here to serve our countries and communities. Policy differences are no excuse for personal attacks. And we know that some of the harshest personal attacks are often reserved for women of color. Furthermore, telling a woman, im sorry you heard it that way is as cliche as old as time to belittle and dismiss women after attacking them. We have got to do better. We are role models for our children. I am standing here not just for my two daughters, but for my two sons. We have got to do better. Thank you. And i yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you so much. I would now like to yield to representative barbara lee of alifornia. Ms. Lee thank you very much. First of all, let me just say, i rise today to support not only my colleague, congresswoman alexandria ocasiocortez, but i rise in strong support of this privileged resolution. As an africanamerican woman, first, let me just say, i personally have experienced a lifetime of insults, racism and sexism. And believe you me, this did not stop after being elected to public office. Its past time that this body understands that women of color are here to stay. Congresswoman a. O. C. Is here to stay. It is past time that this house recognize that women will not tolerate these personal attacks and insist that we be treated with respect, anyone in this house representing over 700,000 people. The impact of using this language against any woman dehumanizes women and girls and sends the message to other men that women are valued less than a human being. My mentor, congresswoman shirley chisholm, from brooklyn, new york, was the first black woman elected to congress. Nd as a member of the late congressman delhams staff, i spent many years on capitol hill and witnessed the personal attacks and curse words against her. As a black female member of congress. But you know what, just like yourself, she would not tolerate such behavior. And she had to fight oftentimes alone against such despicable language and behavior. Well, congresswoman. We are here today with you. We are here supporting your rights to speak out, to represent your constituents, and to be who you are, a brave and bold member of congress. Which we know you to be. Now, the gentleman from florida, yes, he must apologize to you, congresswoman. He must apologize, though, to all of the little girls who aspire to be who they are, to be who they are without being to d disgusting names and keep their voices silent. I close with reading you just one verse of our beloved dr. Maya angelous poem, still i rise. Im reminded of you today. She said, you may shoot me with your words. You may cut me with your eyes. You may kill me with your hatefulness. But still, like air, ill rise. So, yes, congresswoman. You have risen once again. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you so much, representative lee. Not just for your comments, but for your leadership. With that, i yield to another incredible, resilient, passionate leader, Representative Ilhan Omar of minnesota. S. Omar madam speaker, i am here not only to defend my friend and colleague, alexandria ocasiocortez, im here on behalf of women around the world. This is not just about one woman. One incident. Or one verbal assaulter. This is about respect and fundamental equality. Like alexandria, i was raised by a dignified man who told me that that t deserve equality, i deserved equality because i was an equal human being to my brothers. I am appalled often, like alex was, when we hear men say, i would never do this because i have a wife, i have a daughter, i have sisters. You dont only respect women because they could be your mother, they could be your wife, they could be your sister. No. You respect women because they are an equal human being to you. Thats how my father raised me. And thats how alexandrias father raised her. Nearly every woman in the world has experienced verbal abuse, not just once, but since they were little girls. We experienced it on playgrounds, we experienced it on work in workplaces, we experienced it on our social media feeds. We see it coming regularly from the president of the United States. And now we see it coming from his partisan lackeys. From birth, little girls are sent the message that they are dont matter. They dont matter. In this body, we have seen men who are afraid of muslim women like me and Rashida Tlaib, because we say proudly that you cannot ban us from this country because we pray differently than you. They are afraid of women verywhere, fighting systems of recession and Sexual Harassment through the metoo movement. They are afraid not just of us, but losing their own power. It is no accident that alex was verbally abused for speaking up for poverty in her district. And its relationship to unrest. Because when relation to unrest. Because when you push power, power pushes back. The people from marginalized communities when we speak for people from marginalized communities, we understand as people who come from those marginal itesed communities marginalized communities, and that is a threat to those who wield power against marginalized communities. So we are not we are here to say that we will not allow sexism, misogyny and patriarchy to hold us back. We will not apologize for advocating for women everywhere. We will not apologize for claiming the power that Women Deserved for centuries. And we will send a message to our daughters and their daughters that they deserve fundamental equality. I yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you. Thank you so much, representative omar. And thank you, again, to so many members who have shown up today in support. Although not everyone has been able to speak, representatives castro, barragan have also risen, along with many, many others, and i appreciate everyones presence. And with that, id like to yield to representative clark from brook clarke from brooklyn, new york. Oh, the other clark. My apologies. He yield to representative Katherine Clark of massachusetts. Ms. Clark we like that there are so many women and women named clark that we can be confused. Thank you, representative ocasiocortez. As we all know, sexism isnt new to congress. Its not new to america. It happens in homes, in schools, and in all places of work. The behavior, the language, the assault wielded against my colleague was disgusting, inappropriate and endemic of the toxic masculinity that permeates our culture and our country. Slurs like the one used by representative yoho are meant to degrade, objectify and belittle women. It was an attempt to dismiss her. Her role in this body, and her position altogether. All women have experienced this to some degree. But so often it is women of color who are singled out. When we hear comments like this, men and boys think its appropriate. Women and girls expect it. Today we stand with our colleague, we will not accept this behavior anymore. E will not be made to feel lessthan. This is our house and we are claiming our space. I yield back. Ms. Ocasiocortez thank you, representative clark. And i yield to representative Rashida Tlaib of michigan. Ms. Tlaib thank you, madam speaker. I rise today as a proud member of this body, and as a woman of woman of color, as a sister in service to my colleague, congresswoman alexandria ocasiocortez, who was verbally assaulted by a member of this same chamber. Gaslighting my colleague and our country wont work here. I rise to tell my sister in service, i believe you. I believe you not just because reporters happened to be standing there to hear the sexist attack, but because i believe women across our country when they tell us of the violence they experience at the workplace. Violence against women in politics specifically is a global problem. I know. I would invite any of my colleagues across the aisle to answer the calls into my office for just one day, to hear the vile, sexist remarks made about me and other women serving in this chamber. When my colleague from florida made the remark in question, he echoed and perpetuated those sexist, violent calls. Madam speaker, we must condemn in the strongest terms possible this kind of violent sexism so that women and girls across the country know that there is no room in any workplace, not in congress, not anywher q a we lookn back with our conversation with john lewis. Black people and white people couldnt be seated together on a bus. Couldnt use the same waiting room. Couldnt be seated together at a lunch counter and a restaurant. Couldnt use the same restroom facilities. We were testing a decision of the United StatesSupreme Court trying to make it real. 00 p. M. S sunday at in eastern on q a as we look backed cover conversation with representative john lewis. Live coverage of two key hearings next week. On monday, amazons jeff bezos,facebooks mark zuckerberg, sundar of google and apples tim cook appear before the House Committee as they examine dominance of Online Platforms and market power. Live coverage begins monday at noon eastern on cspan2 and on tuesday at 10 00 a. M. Eastern, william barr appears before the house judiciary committees general oversight of the Justice Department hearing. Watch live hearing coverage on monday on cspan2 and tuesday on cspan3. Watch any on cspan. Org or listen on the go with the free cspan radio app. Announcer live on the cspan network, the house returns to finish work on the appropriations package to fund the state department, foreign operations, military construction and veterans affairs. On cspan2, a meeting with peter gaynor on National Disaster preparedness. Fauci30, dr. Anthony about the pandemic. Biden5, the wife of joe will participate in a discussion with a texas representative. Coming up in one hour, the educational fd