Transcripts For CSPAN U.S. 20240703

Anytime at cspan. Org. These points of interest markers appear on the righthand side of your screen when you hit play on select videos. This time table makes it easy to quickly get an idea of what was debated and decided in washington. Scroll through and spend a few minutes on cspans points of interest. Next, from the house floor, support of the College Protest happening in response to the israel hamas war. Republican congressman ralph norman also spoke on the topic to express his opposition. Im deeply concerned about the escalating oppression of First Amendment protected speech and assembly on College Campuses across our country. To all the elected University Boards and appointed president s, it needs to be very clear your students Constitutional Rights doesnt end when they enter your campus grounds. Mr. Speaker, id like to submit for the record the statements from the aclu and from ben the arc. The aclu state, mr. Speaker, says, quote, as you fashion responses to the activism of your students and faculty and staff, it is essential that you not sacrifice principles of Academic Freedom and free speech that are a core to our Educational Commission of your respected institutions. From ben the arc statement, protests, quote protest is essential to our movement work. It must be protected. We firmly stand against antisemitism being used as an excuse to threaten free speech and criticism of university and u. S. Policy. Protected. We firmly stand against antisemitism being used as an excuse to threaten free speech and criticism of university and u. S. Policy. To be clear, criticism of american policy towards israel is not inherently antisemitic, end of quote. Mr. Speaker, this is a fundamental american value. From the Civil Rights Movement to antiwar protests to the movement for black lives immigrant rights, our country has a long history of student leading movements for change and challenging the status quo that oppresses and normalizes genocides across the world. I am deeply moved by the courageous young people in more than 100 encampments at colleges across our nation that are demanding divestment in support of a genocide of gaza and apartheid government of israel. I had the opportunity, mr. Speaker, to visit encamp at the university of michigan that has public programming, they put it online for families on various issues. The day i went they were recognizes the anniversary of the armenian genocide. And having someone also speak about the connecteddivity connectivity to the palestinian neck about. It was inspiring to see these brave students across races, all faiths and backgrounds, standing side by side in solidarity to protest for peace. From prayer to shabbat, they are coming together in a way i wish my colleagues would welcome. Sending in mil millized militarized Police Officers and snipers to stop thinks students from expressing their First Amendment right. My colleagues are so outrage by students opposing genocide and apartheid, many of these same members were completely silent last year when we saw the dramatic increase of threats, literally death threats, on historical black colleges and universities across the country. These prosecutions of students can only be seen as explicit efforts to silence students and take away their First Amendment rights. No student, mr. Speaker, not one should be met with academic repercussions or policy brutality on their own campuses for exercising peacefully their right to free speech and assembly. Why is it, mr. Speaker, that my colleagues and every headline from Mainstream Media is more concerned and outraged by these protests than they are about the over 35,000 palestinians killed in gaza . 07 of them 70 of them are women and children. There are no universities left in gaza. No outrage. Multiple mass graves have been uncovered as several at several locations that Israeli Forces have recently drawn from. 200 bodies found at a hospital, literally fresh bodies found with their hands tied behind their backs naked. Wheres the outrage for these war crimes . And this is not just me. This is the United Nations high commissioner for human rights. Our government isnt just complicit to this genocide, were actively participating. Students are occupying their campuses to peacefully protest for an end to these atrocities and divestment in this genocide and