Madeleine Dean
Representative for Pennsylvania · Democratic · United States
“SNAP cuts have literally taken food out of the mouths of babes, kicking 1.5 [[Page H4548]] million children from nutrition assistance, leaving families hungry and afraid for tomorrow. Because of this now-law, Medicare cuts have left seniors facing life-threatening barriers to healthcare.”
“SNAP cuts have literally taken food out of the mouths of babes, kicking 1.5 [[Page H4548]] million children from nutrition assistance, leaving families hungry and afraid for tomorrow. Because of this now-law, Medicare cuts have left seniors facing life-threatening barriers to healthcare.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4547-H4548] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BARRIERS TO BENEFITS (Ms.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4547-H4548] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BARRIERS TO BENEFITS (Ms.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for his remarks, and I could not agree with him more. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule for many reasons, as expressed--the outrage about what is in here regarding veterans and their deserved, earned benefits.”
“The American Medical Association, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, National Sleep Foundation, and dozens of other societies tell us that if we stop the clock, permanent standard time is a healthier choice-- permanent standard time. That is not the debate before us. We have been here before.”
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“Ripping healthcare coverage, nutrition, and security from our most vulnerable is no way to honor our guiding principles. ____________________”
“SNAP cuts have literally taken food out of the mouths of babes, kicking 1.5 [[Page H4548]] million children from nutrition assistance, leaving families hungry and afraid for tomorrow. Because of this now-law, Medicare cuts have left seniors facing life-threatening barriers to healthcare. Martin Luther King once said: ``Of all forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.'' When you consider that this bill is on track to cost our Nation $3.4 trillion, it becomes even more nonsensical, destabilizing, and cruel. That seems to be the point. Our Founding Fathers believed--in fact, endangered their very lives-- on the unmovable belief of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for those fortunate to call our Nation home.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4547-H4548] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BARRIERS TO BENEFITS (Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this month, as our country celebrated 250 years of American democracy, a moment for profound reflection and unity, instead my Republican colleagues rejoiced in one year of the big, beautiful bill. It was anything but beautiful.”
“Ripping healthcare coverage, nutrition, and security from our most vulnerable is no way to honor our guiding principles. ____________________”
“SNAP cuts have literally taken food out of the mouths of babes, kicking 1.5 [[Page H4548]] million children from nutrition assistance, leaving families hungry and afraid for tomorrow. Because of this now-law, Medicare cuts have left seniors facing life-threatening barriers to healthcare. Martin Luther King once said: ``Of all forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.'' When you consider that this bill is on track to cost our Nation $3.4 trillion, it becomes even more nonsensical, destabilizing, and cruel. That seems to be the point. Our Founding Fathers believed--in fact, endangered their very lives-- on the unmovable belief of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for those fortunate to call our Nation home.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 116 (Thursday, July 16, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4547-H4548] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BARRIERS TO BENEFITS (Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this month, as our country celebrated 250 years of American democracy, a moment for profound reflection and unity, instead my Republican colleagues rejoiced in one year of the big, beautiful bill. It was anything but beautiful.”
“The American Medical Association, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, National Sleep Foundation, and dozens of other societies tell us that if we stop the clock, permanent standard time is a healthier choice-- permanent standard time. That is not the debate before us. We have been here before. In 1974, children died as a result of a permanent daylight saving time attempt or trial when they were trying to go to school in the dark for hours. In 1974, this was revoked. More than that, we aren't voting on bills right now that would reduce the sky-high costs of food, fuel, and healthcare or address the President's war in Iran. Instead, we are considering a bill that was deadly and dangerous in the past, in the seventies, that we learned from. I hope we don't have to learn that lesson again. Mr.”
“I hear broad agreement in this Chamber and beyond that the twice- yearly time changes have acute health consequences, but I want to talk about the chronic long-term impacts of this bill's late winter sunrise. Early morning light is an important environmental cue to set our bodies' internal clocks and promote alertness, and dim evening light tells our bodies that it is time to sleep. We function best, scientists tell us, on a physical, mental, and social level when our bodies, the Sun, and the clock on the wall are all aligned. Kids perform better at school. Workers are more alert. That is why we observe standard time in the winter months and why we should at least consider observing it year-round.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for this opportunity to talk about the Sunshine Protection Act. I rise in opposition to the bill and the danger it poses to our health and safety. This bill, sadly, is being rushed to the floor as a political bargaining chip without thorough consideration of the impacts, and we have been here before. Permanent time is a national decision with implications for every aspect of our health and economy. It deserves a robust, thoughtful debate and an amendment process that allows Members to test each provision of the bill. For example, we should be able to test the provision that eliminates a State's right to opt out of daylight saving time or the decision to ``stop the clock'' on daylight saving time in the first place.”
“Disruption in our natural sleep-wake cycle can reduce reaction time, alertness, and other measures of performance and safety. Sleep deprivation leads to a higher risk of serious health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and some forms of cancer. This topic deserves robust debate, not a closed rule. Congresswoman Scanlon proposed an amendment for a permanent standard time to do just that, but it was promptly rejected. In closing, for the health and safety of our constituents, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule.”
“{time} 1240 Over 50 years later, we are making the same mistake again. Please, let's not. We are doing it with less information. The only hearing on time zones this Congress focused on tourism and golf courses. Members should have been able to speak and ask doctors how permanent daylight savings time would affect our health, safety, and well-being. My home State is Pennsylvania. We did just this in April. In a hearing, Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at UPenn, explained that our body clocks rely on bright light when we wake up in the morning and dim light in the evening before we go to bed. Under this bill, Pennsylvanians would wake up in the darkness for months. In some parts of the State, over 100 sunrises would be after 8 a.m.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for his remarks, and I could not agree with him more. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule for many reasons, as expressed--the outrage about what is in here regarding veterans and their deserved, earned benefits. For my remarks, within it, I will speak to the Sunshine Protection Act. I worry that this bill is repeating the mistakes of the past and that it is being rushed to the floor without a robust committee process. We tried permanent daylight saving time during the 1970s oil crisis, and it lasted less than a year. The policy was popular until parents realized their children had to travel to school in darkness, armed with flashlights. After eight Florida children were killed in traffic accidents, the Governor called on Congress to end the 2-year experiment early.”
“The win must not be through some sort of appeasement. It will not help. It will not work. Putin will go on to seek other territory and other land. He is very hungry for that. We must learn the lessons of Neville Chamberlain in 1938 and 1939, where he thought he was going somewhere toward peace and, of course, 1 year later, Hitler walked into Poland. With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend very much for yielding. Slava Ukraini.”
“Mr. Speaker, maybe I will end by just thanking Representative Kaptur again for the lead she has taken on this. It means a lot to my district. As my friend knows, I have a very large Ukrainian-American population, cultural center, churches, and just extraordinary constituents. I learned so much from them. As Ms. Kaptur says, they have prepared--whether they are Ukrainian- American or not, the folks in my district care desperately about this. I have one woman who has been physically a part of delivering ambulances to Ukraine and so many other materials. We ought to look at the folks, the people of Ukraine, led by President Zelenskyy, with such admiration. We ought to say that we should do everything we possibly can to support them, everything they need to win. We have to finish that sentence: Everything they need to win.”
“I plead for this administration to help bring us peace, no appeasement, peace through the sovereignty of the democracy that is Ukraine, our friend and our ally.”
“They are increasing their military support for defense as is their obligation, and they want to do whatever we can to ensure Ukraine's protection and sovereignty because what happens to Ukraine and its young democracy happens to theirs and happens to ours. The conversations were filled with such emotion and a clear desire to do the right thing. As cease-fire talks continue, may we strive for an end to this devastating war, to its suffering for all of Europe, frankly, but obviously so much so for the people of Ukraine, and we must do it through strength. I will end with this: With the passing of the Holy Father and holding on to a promise of my faith, he reminded us over and over again of the Gospel of Matthew: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
“This weekend, I was struck by the images of President Trump's private meeting with President Zelenskyy at the Vatican, which took place as the world mourned the passing of Pope Francis. Pope Francis was a global leader of humility, of empathy, and of service. He was a faithful man who advocated for peace, not appeasement. That must be our goal. Last week, I joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers on a trip to the United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, and Denmark to meet with our allies abroad. I met with European leaders, and over and over, I heard the same refrain that they want to work with us. They want us to stay with them.”
“Just last week, Russia launched a barbaric missile strike on Kyiv that killed and injured more than 100 Ukrainians. Since Russia began this unprovoked war more than 3 years ago, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have paid with their lives, and we must never forget the more than 20,000 children from Ukraine who have been forcibly deported by Russia and remain missing. I remind our President and our Vice President that it was Putin who started this ruthless and illegal war more than 3 years ago and, we must not forget, 11 years ago in Crimea. To endorse a so-called peace deal that fulfills Russia's every wish and forces our Ukrainian allies to bend to Putin's will by ceding their sovereign territory is beyond disgraceful. It is disgusting, and it is un-American.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Marcy Kaptur and Representative Mike Quigley for so ably, faithfully, and loyally co-chairing the Congressional Ukraine Caucus for us and for bringing us here to the floor tonight to remember how urgent it is that we support Ukraine and how urgent it is that we support the peace process that results in the protection of the sovereignty of Ukraine and its democracy. We have reached a Chamberlain or Churchill moment. As cease-fire negotiations start and stop between Ukraine and Russia, the United States must stand firm in our support of Ukraine's young democracy. History makes clear that appeasing a bloodthirsty dictator in Europe simply does not work. It only encourages him to continue his aggression, press for more territory, and shed more innocent blood.”
“I thank the First Lady and the President for their leadership on this. I implore all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this important bill.”
“[[Page H1647]] As a former educator, and a mother, and as a grandmother, this sickens me. As an elected official, I am moved to protect our children. Congress must create guardrails to protect Americans' privacy and dignity at a time when online exploitation is easier than ever. That is what our bill does. The TAKE IT DOWN Act criminalizes the publication of real or fake AI-generated intimate images. It requires websites to react, to respond, and to remove these horrifying images and videos within 48 hours of a victim's report. I suggest they act even faster. Finally, we will hold online platforms and social media companies accountable. This cannot wait. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have bipartisan support for this bill. I thank Representative Salazar and Senators Cruz and Klobuchar.”
“We must empower and protect victims from bad actors who share their intimate images, real or fake, without consent and from the most harmful developments of AI. During the 2023-2024 school year, 15 percent of high school students reported hearing about deepfakes of nonconsensual intimate images that depicted kids at their schools. It happened to one of my hometown constituents, a 20-year-old, bright college student named Jack Sullivan. He was sextorted by two men claiming to be a woman on Instagram. They threatened Jack. They told him they would post intimate images of him unless he paid huge sums of money. He paid and he paid. When he could no longer pay their demands, Jack took his own life. We must do better for Jack and every other victim of these crimes.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bilirakis and Ranking Member Pallone for bringing this bill forward. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the TAKE IT DOWN Act. Senate bill 146 was my bill, and it is still my bill. I thank Congresswoman Salazar for her leadership on this. I thank Congresswoman Dingell for her longtime leadership on this and for leading this effort with me on the House side. I thank Senators Cruz and Klobuchar for their strong leadership on this. As we speak, the internet is awash with real and fake nonconsensual intimate imagery. Mr. Speaker, the consequences, as you just heard, are devastating for every victim, their family, and their community. It happens to men and boys, to women and girls. Most often, it happens to women and girls. As AI becomes more prevalent in our everyday lives, Congress must meet this moment.”