00:00Today is a historic day for Southern Arizona, for women, for Chicanos and Chicanas everywhere.
00:05We shattered the glass ceiling together, and I'm grateful to my community and to the leaders who paved the way.
00:12But this historic moment comes with a sober reality.
00:16My swearing-in was delayed by 50 days, the longest in modern history.
00:21And let's understand very clearly that if I were a Republican, I would not have waited this long.
00:28If I were a man, I would not have waited this long.
00:32We all know that the rules are always different for women of color and people of color.
00:39And we have to fight against that.
00:42There is no way that this can ever happen again to anyone at all.
00:50We're going to push forward bipartisan legislation to ensure it.
00:54Because we cannot allow this to happen to anybody again.
00:57For one individual to be able to silence 800,000 people, it's unconscionable.
01:06It's grosero.
01:08It's just not okay.
01:10And so, you know, this representation is so important.
01:14It's important to me as the daughter of Congressman Grijalva, who served our community for 50 years total, 22 years in Congress.
01:24Because people in our community know what it's like to depend on a Grijalva.
01:29And for us to not have that representation was painful.
01:33But worse and adding insult to injury is when Speaker Johnson would placate and make misogynistic comments about what I should and should not be doing.
01:44They all know better than I do.
01:48If you don't have a budget, you can't do anything.
01:51And that's the situation that I've been in for the last 50 days.
01:54And so, Speaker Johnson purposefully obstructed my swearing-in by canceling vote after vote.
02:03And the Epstein Files discharge petition sat one signature short.
02:08With my signing, we move one step closer to the truth.
02:13The truth that they will try to deny.
02:15But that survivors deserve their day of justice.
02:20And the American people demand it.
02:22We also stand on the eve of another vote that shows how little Republicans understand working families.
02:29They've already passed a bill stripping health insurance for more than 15 million people.
02:35Now they're pushing one that will send premiums skyrocketing for 22 million more.
02:39These attacks fall hardest on vulnerable communities, especially Latino children, who rely on Medicaid and CHIP because their parents work jobs without employer-provided coverage.
02:52But the Congressional Hispanic Caucus understands what's at stake.
02:55And we will stand together to defend families, protect our democracy, and demand accountability from those who abuse power.
03:03And finally, my overwhelming election in Arizona sends a clear message.
03:08This nation, built by immigrants, strengthened by diversity, will choose hope over hate and leadership over chaos every time.
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