BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

On 2026-02-04, Representative Timothy M. Kennedy (D-NY-26) delivered a floor speech titled "BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER" in the House. The speech addressed immigration and also covered civil rights.

BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 25 (Wednesday, February 4, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 4, 2026)] [House] [Page H1979] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER (Mr. Kennedy of New York was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn Islamophobia in the United States, an alarming and dangerous trend that goes against the most basic values of our country. Hatred and religious discrimination don't make us safer, stronger, or more united. They do just the opposite. When fear and division are used by people in power, families in our communities are the ones who pay the price. When national leaders single out and demonize an entire faith or culture, it tells people that intolerance is acceptable, that cruelty is strength. Too often, the loudest voices of hate hear that signal clearly. Across our country, Muslim Americans are feeling that impact. Mosques have been threatened. Families have been profiled. Children have been made to feel like they don't belong in the only country they have ever known. It is wrong, it is unjust, and it is profoundly un-American. As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to stand up for fairness, freedom, and basic decency because Islamophobia has real consequences. Families are afraid to report crimes, workers lose opportunities, students feel isolated, and American citizens are treated differently because of how they pray, how they dress, or where their parents were born. In western New York, from Buffalo to Niagara Falls to the city of Lackawanna, and everywhere in between, we know what it means to face discrimination, hate, and division, and we know the power of standing together united. My district is home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the country. Families came here for the same promises as generations before them, to build a better future for themselves and their children. They believe in the American Dream. Neighbors in the city of Lackawanna came together in an act of love for the community and created ACCESS of Western New York. ACCESS helps families in crisis, supports young people, and gives immigrants and nonimmigrants alike the tools they need to get on their feet. They bring people together instead of pushing them apart. That is what America looks like at its best. At a time when division feels constant, western New York shows there is another way forward, one rooted in respect, compassion, and shared humanity. We all have a choice. We can allow hate to grow, or we can stand up and say it has no place here. I choose to stand against Islamophobia, and I urge my colleagues and all Americans to do the same. ____________________