WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) on April 21 went to the House floor to urge all her colleagues to join her in voting for H.R. 1333, the NO BAN Act. This important bill strengthens the Immigration and Nationality Act by barring discrimination on the basis of religion and blocks future presidents from abusing their authority by preventing executive overreach to enact similar travel bans in the future.

The transcript of the Congresswoman’s floor speech follows:

“The Muslim Ban enacted under the previous administration is a stain on our country and our nation’s history. And as we work to rebuild a humane and just immigration system, we must start by outlawing any type of this state-sanctioned religious bigotry. We do that today by passing the NO BAN Act.

“This bill strengthens the Immigration and Nationality Act by banning discrimination on the basis of religion and importantly, it will prevent any future president from enacting something like the Muslim Ban in the future by placing appropriate checks and balances on the President’s authority in this area. Discrimination based on religion is not who we are as a nation. Today, we can take the first step towards a more just, humane immigration system, and I encourage all my colleagues to join me in voting against hate by voting for the NO BAN Act.”

Video of Rep. Maloney’s floor speech is available on YouTube: 

More than 400 immigrants’ rights, faith-based, and civil rights organizations support the NO BAN Act, including the National Immigration Law Center, Immigration Hub, Interfaith Immigration Coalition, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Franciscan Action Network, Church World Service, Human Rights Campaign, American Civil Liberties Union, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Association, The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, National Iranian American Organization Action, Muslim Advocates, Jewish and Muslims and Allies Acting Together, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, HIAS, National Council of Jewish Women, Bend the Arc, International Refugee Assistance Project, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Engage Action, Airbnb, and Center for American Progress.