Our statistical, policy-oriented conversation often leaves out the key to humane policy: empathy.

When Speaker Pelosi appointed me chair of the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, we set out to take a clear-eyed look at our country's yawning wealth gap. But we were also determined to tell real American stories.

The result is a documentary film titled “Grit and Grace: The Fight for the American Dream”

I hope you'll take a moment to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxmzWeyYVJE

Ten years later, the loss of twenty schoolchildren and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut continues to weigh heavy on our hearts. Each day, more communities are ravaged by shootings, more families are broken, and more lives are lost. We can and must do more. For the children and teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary, for the families of those we’ve lost, and for all those whose lives have been upended by this senseless violence, I will keep fighting.”

Last week I joined with the Newtown Action Alliance and gun violence advocates from across the nation in Washington D.C. to mark the approaching 10 year anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre.

They bravely shared their pain from losing loved ones to gun violence. Many were survivors themselves. A room filled with courage, resilience, and strength. The only way to honor them is with action.

Today, I was proud to vote in favor of the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act in the House.

Every American deserves the right to love and marry whomever they choose without fear of retribution or hate. The passage of this bill is a monumental step towards preserving the rights of all Americans.

Today these U.S. Capitol Police and the D.C. Metro Police received the Congressional Gold Medal - the highest honor Congress can bestow - for their heroic service in defending our democracy on January 6.

They committed their lives and well-being in defense of the liberty and freedoms we each enjoy, and I am forever grateful for their sacrifice.

77 years ago, Ben Ferencz, now the last surviving Nuremberg prosecutor, successfully convicted Nazis for the atrocities of the Holocaust.

Last May, I cosponsored and voted in support of a bill that passed the House of Representatives honoring Ferencz with a Congressional Gold Medal.

In the face of rising antisemitism, it's more critical than ever to lift up the voices of heroes like Ben Ferencz, who changed the course of history by fighting for justice.

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/exploring-hate/2022/11/16/ben-ferencz-never-give-up/?fbclid=IwAR1Ll0Ir3IaD11_CCC8jSw1gtbPAUDr3Wl3OVyDuK83mNuvhtDnVgAFmDx8

The story of economic disparity and hardship in this country is not a partisan one - it touches every American, in every corner of our nation.

As Chairman of the Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth, I was determined to listen and amplify these American stories, in the service of reducing polarization and creating real, bipartisan solutions. I'm really proud of what we accomplished.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/30/house-committee-documentary-economic-inequality/