Adelita S. Grijalva

Mr. Speaker, we often talk about the right to vote as if it is just another issue before Congress. It is not just another issue. It is foundational. The right to vote is how people make their voices heard. It is how communities hold their government accountable. It is the foundation upon which every other right rests. This is why the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais is so alarming. For generations, we have marched, organized, and sacrificed to secure protections enshrined in the Voting Rights Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2616. At a time when people are asking Congress to lower costs, crack down on corruption and powerful abusers, and keep children safe, House Republicans remain fixated on bullying vulnerable kids instead of addressing the real problems facing this country. This bill forces teachers to out transgender students to their own parents even when they know it could put that child at risk of abuse, homelessness, or violence. Think about that.