Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joseph Alexander of Los Angeles, California upon his centennial birthday.

Joseph Alexander was born in 1922 in Kowal, Poland. He and his family lived in Kowal until the 1939 Nazi German invasion of Poland when Joseph was 16 years old. At the onset of the war, for reasons still unknown to Joseph, his family was spared during the initial roundup of Jews in their community, and his family was able to escape and join other relatives in the town of Blonie. In 1940, Joseph along with his parents and five siblings, were transported to the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland. It was at this time that Joseph's father bribed some guards to allow Joseph and two of his siblings, an older sister and younger brother, to escape from Warsaw back to Kowal. This was the last time Joseph saw the rest of his family. After three days in Kowal, he was taken by train to a labor camp. Over the next six years, Mr. Alexander was sent to twelve different concentration camps, including the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau in occupied Poland and Dachau in southern Germany.

Upon arriving in Auschwitz, Mr. Alexander's left forearm was tattooed with the number 14284. While captive, he endured forced labor under threat of starvation and death--building sewers, a dam, an airport, and laying cobblestone streets and railroad tracks. According to Joseph, one of the ways he survived was to always try to work at every camp, and with the biggest and strongest men, so that he was not grouped with the elderly and sick. Following the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Joseph was sent back to the Warsaw Ghetto from Auschwitz, to clean up the aftermath of the destruction.

As the Home Army, the Polish underground resistance movement, advanced towards Warsaw, Mr. Alexander was sent to concentration camps in Germany, and after being moved around several times, ended up at Dachau. In 1945, the Allied forces neared the camp, and he was subsequently sent on a death march. Due to the impending American liberation, the guards abandoned the march, leaving Mr. Alexander and the other prisoners to fend for themselves. During this time, Joseph and a fellow prisoner managed to survive off a dead horse that they found in the snow. Mr. Alexander later recounted that it was ``the best meal we'd had in a long time.'' They were found by American troops a day later. He immigrated to the United States in 1949, where he married and had two children.

Today, Joseph shares his experiences during the Holocaust with students in the Burbank and Glendale Unified School Districts, Woodbury University in Burbank, and as a volunteer at the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum. Mr. Alexander and other Holocaust survivors

are living examples of a tragic time in our history, reminding us of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, and the dangers of allowing fascism and hate to overtake a democratic society.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring the centennial birthday of this courageous and resilient Holocaust survivor, Joseph Alexander.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Montrose Search and Rescue Team, in Montrose, California upon its seventy-fifth anniversary.

Over its 75-year history, the Montrose Search and Rescue Team has come to the aid of citizens lost or injured in the mountains locally and statewide, and through their consistent efforts, these brave men and women have saved countless lives.

Originally called the Montrose Mountaineers, this organization was formed in 1947 by a group of Civilian Air Defense members to assist people who became lost or injured in the local mountains. The team has since extended its aid outside the Los Angeles area, traveling throughout California to help in rescue or recovery efforts.

As one of eight non-profit, volunteer rescue teams affiliated with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the team is on call 24 hours a day to rescue stranded hikers, natural disaster victims, and other individuals in need of help. Receiving many calls each year, the group is one of the most active search and rescue teams in Los Angeles County. As part of their service, team members also conduct searches for downed aircraft, rescue people stuck in tunnels, mines, and underground utility vaults, and evacuate citizens from cars which have fallen off mountain roads.

These volunteer heroes, who come from a variety of professions, serve their community without asking for anything in exchange. They search through rubble, scale cliffsides, and brave surging waters to save lives. Their selfless dedication and invaluable service provide a model for all of us and deserve recognition.

I consider it a great privilege to recognize the Montrose Search and Rescue Team, and I ask all Members to join me in congratulating the team upon its seventy-fifth anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Kiwanis Club of Glendale, California upon its 100th anniversary.

The club was chartered on April 28, 1922, and at the charter night celebration on July 22, of that same year, 61 charter members were present. Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena, California, the Kiwanis Club of Glendale in turn, sponsored other clubs in 1922 including in Burbank, Santa Barbara, North Hollywood and Alhambra and several other clubs over the years.

Dedicated to selfless service to the community's youth with the goal of creating responsible citizens of tomorrow and following Kiwanis International's mission of ``improving the world one child and one community at a time,'' the club has supported a plethora of community programs, youth groups and projects over the last century.

In 1932, the renowned Glendale Kiwanis Chorus was formed. The chorus, which was active for decades, gave generously of their talent and time, performing at retirement homes, schools, other service clubs and international Kiwanis conventions, and participated in television and radio broadcasts. In 1940, the Boy Builders project, which operated for over 20 years, provided club and after-school athletic activities for at-risk boys, and was created in partnership with the Glendale YMCA. Other notable projects included providing facilities and camp buildings for Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, and Boy Scouts, and in 1944, a Vocational Guidance and Veterans' Welfare Center was established which served over 9,500 veterans in 1945 and became a model for similar centers in other communities. In the 1950's, the club formed Key Clubs at Hoover High School and Glendale High School, sponsored foreign exchange students, organized a Circle K Club at Glendale Community College, and held an annual basketball tournament for community college teams that changed in 1971 to an annual tournament for high school teams, and which provided income for the club's youth activities.

Current programs include the distribution of scholarships to local students, the Kiwanis Read Aloud project which supports the Glendale Public Library, the Reading is Fundamental program where books are distributed to local elementary schools, and The Blanket Project where members make blankets and distribute them to local charities such as the Salvation Army and the YWCA. In addition, the club partners with numerous local food pantries to feed local children and families, including the Glendale Community College Food for Thought Pantry for college students experiencing food insecurity.

To support their many worthwhile programs, the Kiwanis Club of Glendale's creative endeavors include the Kiwanis Incredible Duck Splash (KIDS), an annual holiday gala and ice socials.

I ask all Members to join me in congratulating the Kiwanis Club of Glendale and thanking its members for a century of outstanding service to the Glendale community, particularly to our children.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the centennial anniversary of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.

On January 1, 1890, in celebration of the balmy California winter weather, the Valley Hunt Club organized a parade with floats, flowers, and equestrian displays. This celebration would come to be known as the Rose Parade and would grow to such popularity that a separate organization, the Tournament of Roses Association, was created to facilitate its annual planning and operation. In 1902, a football game was created to finance the cost of the parade. It was called the ``Tournament East-West football game,'' with the University of Michigan defeating Stanford University 49-0. This would later be renamed the ``Rose Bowl Game,'' and nicknamed ``The Grandaddy of Them All''--the oldest currently operating bowl game.

By 1922, the parade had outgrown its former venue of Tournament Park and construction began on a new stadium, designed by notable architect Myron Hunt who had been inspired by the design of the Yale Bowl in Connecticut. Over the decades, many additions and refurbishments have been carried out ranging from an entire new southern wing of stands, which turned the stadium from a horseshoe into an actual bowl, to over seventy thousand new seat backs. The stadium is now recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

The first game at the stadium was in 1922 between the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Southern California (USC), ending in a Berkeley victory. The stadium was officially dedicated on January 1, 1923, with a game between USC and Pennsylvania State University that ended in a USC victory. Since then, the Rose Bowl has been home to numerous historic achievements in the world of sports and entertainment, such as the first transcontinental radio broadcast of a sporting event in 1927 and the first national color telecast of a college football game in 1962.

Today, the Rose Bowl Stadium hosts the annual Rose Bowl Game. It also has hosted the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins home games since 1982 and five Super Bowls. Beyond football, the stadium has served as the venue for the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, and participated in two Olympic Games. It will host events for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and this past Independence Day, hosted its 96th Annual Americafest Fireworks Show on July 4, 2022. Notable celebrities such as Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift have all performed at the venue, as well as many world-renowned bands, such as The Rolling Stones, Journey, The Eagles, Coldplay, and BTS.

I consider it a great privilege to recognize the Rose Bowl Stadium upon its one-hundredth anniversary, and I ask all Members to join me in congratulating this venerable, historic stadium.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor renowned television producer and screenwriter, Norman Lear of Beverly Hills, California upon his 100th birthday.

Norman Milton Lear was born on July 27, 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut. After attending Emerson College in Boston, he dropped out of college to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force. During World War II, he served as a gunner and radio operator, and flew 52 combat missions over Europe, earning the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.

Following his extraordinary military service, Mr. Lear worked in public relations before beginning a career as a freelance comedy writer, and eventually a television and film producer. Norman would go on to captivate over one hundred twenty million viewers weekly with his groundbreaking television shows of the 1970's and 1980's that dealt with consequential and critical issues such as race, social inequality, and sexuality. These iconic shows include All in the Family, which won many Emmy Awards, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude.

Inspired by his uncle Jack and grandfather Shya's political involvement, ``that a citizen can matter,'' Norman had been politically active for years; however, in 1980, he wanted a more direct effect on social change, so he put his television career on hold to focus on political activism. In 1981, Mr. Lear cofounded People for the American Way, which sought to build a democratic society and defend constitutional values such as religious liberty, free expression, and equal justice from right-wing extremism. In 1997, Norman and his wife, Lyn Davis Lear, created the Lear Family Foundation, which supports a wide range of nonprofit organizations such as the Rainforest Alliance, American Civil Liberties Union, Ballet Hispanico and Planned Parenthood. In 2000, Mr. Lear provided an endowment for a public policy center that explored the intersection of commerce, entertainment, and society at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism--the center was later dedicated as the Norman Lear Center. A few years later, Norman founded a nonpartisan youth voter registration initiative called Declare Yourself. Additionally, in 2001, Norman and Lyn purchased one of the few surviving original copies of the Declaration of Independence and shared the nation's birth certificate with their fellow Americans by touring it in all 50 states during their Declaration of Independence Road Trip.

Mr. Lear has received many professional awards and acknowledgement for his humanitarian achievements. These include the National Medal for Arts from President Clinton, several Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a Golden Globe Award, the Humanist Arts Award, Kennedy Center Honors, the Women in Film Lucy Award, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition's ``Media Icon'' Award. In addition, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It is my great pleasure to honor legendary television pioneer, and my dear friend, Norman Lear upon his centennial birthday. I ask all Members to join me in commending Mr. Lear for a lifetime of outstanding service to our community, country, and world.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this amendment, which has passed the House three times and which clarifies the authority of military commission judges to order court proceedings at Guantanamo Bay to be broadcast on the internet.

At its core, this amendment has a simple goal: transparency. By passing this amendment, we will show the American people that we believe they have the right to observe military commission proceedings, including those against the individuals who planned the 9/11 attacks.

We owe transparency to the loved ones and families of the victims. We should also provide transparency for journalists, academics, NGOs, and all concerned Americans who are understandably deeply interested in these vital proceedings.

Importantly, this bill does not require particular proceedings to be in open session--that will still be for the judges to decide. When they are open to the public, they should be accessible, so victims do not need to travel to Guantanamo to bear witness.

I will continue to work to permanently close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, but in the meantime, Congress must act to ensure transparency for the American people.

This bill is fully protective of classified information, I encourage all Members to support our amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, is there time remaining in opposition or should I close?

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill. Again, this bill does not require proceedings to be available

online, but it does ensure that judges have that authority.

I think that this is something that the victims would like because the victims would like to be able to observe the proceedings without having to travel all the way to Guantanamo. In the interest of those victims, I would urge support for the passage of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this amendment, which passed the House last year by a unanimous voice vote. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 currently prohibits the Army and Air Force from enforcing U.S. laws without authorization by the Constitution or Congress. Today, I offer an amendment to strengthen that existing law to include the Marines, the Navy, and the federalized National Guard and Reserve components.

My amendment would also prohibit the use of evidence unlawfully obtained by or with the assistance of the military in a court of law or other legal proceedings.

Put plainly, it would prevent any President of either party from unlawfully using the military as a domestic police force, and it would ensure that evidence obtained because of unlawful acts isn't used against any American. I would hope that this is a proposition that both parties can support.

Last year, as I said, this amendment passed by voice vote and with broad support. However, this year, conspiracy theorists, including some who served in this body when this amendment was passed previously, have announced their opposition. I guess it is fair to say that they were for it before they were against it.

You may hear some of these conspiracy theories this evening, so let me be very clear. This amendment has one goal: to prevent any President from unlawfully using our Nation's Armed Forces against Americans exercising their constitutionally protected rights.

Last year, my friends on the other side of the aisle didn't want evidence obtained illegally by the military to be used against people. This year, well, we will see.

This amendment will ensure the government cannot use evidence obtained by the military if acting unlawfully and allow us to better protect the fundamental freedoms enshrined in our Constitution. Surely, we can all agree on that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First of all, my colleague says that we already have laws against the military unlawfully engaging in the enforcement of domestic policy. We only have laws against certain branches of the military doing that. This bill would expand that to any branch of the military. So, this is not covered by existing law.

I am rather struck by the argument I hear against this amendment that if the military engages in unlawful activity, it appears they are okay with using that unlawfully obtained evidence in a court of law. That wouldn't be allowed in any criminal proceeding if law enforcement obtained evidence unlawfully. It shouldn't be allowed if the military obtains evidence unlawfully.

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that has changed from last year when this passed on a unanimous voice vote to this year is, apparently, this year, some of my colleagues are willing to have the military enforce domestic policy in violation of the law and use the fruits of that illegal action against American citizens. I don't think that is right.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer amendment 451 as the designee of Mr. Malinowski.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of amendment No. 451 for my colleague, Congressman Malinowski.

Before I do, though, I am glad that I have the opportunity to respond on my previous amendment regarding the Posse Comitatus law. My colleague in opposition made the claim: Well, what if evidence is obtained by the military lawfully? Would the amendment exclude that? I sought recognition to answer his question, but he did not want to recognize me, and I understand why, because the answer is quite simple from the text of the amendment.

The amendment reads: ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any information obtained by or with the assistance of a member of the Armed Forces in violation of section 1385 of title 18, shall not be received in evidence,'' and that is the pertinent part of that provision.

So the simple answer to my friend's question, what about evidence gathered lawfully? Well, obviously that is not impacted. It is only in the case that the military is used unlawfully, and evidence is gained unlawfully that it would be excluded, much as the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine that my colleague recognized. If that is true in criminal court, it ought to be true when the military acts in violation of the law.

Let me now turn to amendment No. 451 for my colleague, Tom Malinowski.

This is a simple and straightforward proposition. It requires a review of any actions by the military in Brazil to

interfere with their upcoming elections. This is not coming out of the blue, but responds to clear and concerning signals including:

Number 1, in April, President Bolsonaro repeated a falsehood that officials count votes in a secret room. He then suggested that voting data should be fed to a room ``where the Armed Forces also have a computer to count the votes.''

Number 2, senior generals have already begun to publicly question the integrity of the election.

Number 3, the Minister of Defense sent a preemptive and unfounded formal complaint to electoral authorities expressing ``concerns'' about the election, and generals are getting involved in digging up electoral fraud stories.

Number 4, thousands of military officers have been appointed to run the Brazilian Government, more than under the military dictatorship. Eleven officers in the Cabinet and military officers atop the national oil company indicating that they are already well positioned to maintain and expand the military's power and influence.

Number 5, senior officials are advocating the reintroduction of military laws from the dictatorship that would eliminate constitutional protections, furthering concerns about the health of Brazil's democracy.

These are concerning signs, and we must be vigilant to advocate for democracy, particularly in the largest country in Latin America with a population larger than Russia and also a country that is a major non- NATO ally.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to just say that I am in complete agreement with my colleague about the cold, but I am not in agreement about the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, there is a profound concern that we all ought to share that President Bolsonaro may be preparing his own big lie about the Brazilian elections and that he may bring the military in to help propagate a big lie about fraud in the elections in Brazil. He seems to be laying the foundation for making such a claim.

It would be a compounding of the tragedy we have experienced in this country if America's chief export to Brazil turned out to be a big lie in how to undermine integrity and faith in our elections and institutions.

This is a simple reporting requirement of a list of possible actions by military officials in Brazil surrounding the elections. It is a sense of Congress that whatever findings are made about military intervention in the elections ought to be assessed in terms of whether the coup clause has been triggered; that is, of course, the annual appropriations clause that prohibits U.S. assistance to countries where a coup has taken place.

Mr. Speaker, in light of the warning signs in Brazil, I urge support of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Patricia Perez of Elysian Valley, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, with longtime family roots in the city, Patricia Perez's passion and life has been about art. In her youth, she learned about pottery on the Laguna Pueblo reservation in New Mexico, and while in high school, she had the opportunity to participate in art classes at a renowned Frank Lloyd Wright home in Los Angeles.

In the early 1970's, Patricia taught children at Self Help Graphics & Art, an art studio at the intersection of arts practice and social justice dedicated to fostering the creation and advancement of art works by Chicana/o and Latinx artists, and a catalyst for cultural traditions, preservation, and restoration through the arts. Ms. Perez attended Los Angeles City College, the Pacific Institute of Commercial Art, and the Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County, now known as the Otis College of Art and Design, from which she graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in Painting and a minor in sculpture, Patricia's art training also included studying art history abroad in France and Spain. In addition to creating her own art, she also worked with Milton Williams Catering and high-end interior designers.

Patricia is a multi-medium artist, working in acrylics, ink washes, pencils, crayons, fabrics, recycled materials, and earth. She has been a long-time volunteer judge for the 28th Congressional District Art Competition and is an active contributor in her distinctive Los Angeles community known as Elysian Valley or ``Frogtown.'' Ms. Perez is Vice President of the Elysian Valley Arts Collective and opens up her home as a gallery during the annual Frogtown Artwalk. Teaching art classes in her community brings her great joy, as, in her words, she has lived her life through the arts and enjoys sharing it with others.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Patricia Perez.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Mariam Barnes of La Crescenta, California.

Born and raised in La Crescenta as a first-generation Californian in her Egyptian family, Mariam credits her top-notch education in the Glendale Unified School District for setting the base for her current career success and has devoted her spare time to giving back to the La Crescenta community.

Mariam served on the Crescenta Valley Town Council for two terms, where she was primarily focused on the youth in the community and worked to create opportunities for them to explore entrepreneurship. She helped launch the Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (EOT) program which gives students as young as 7th grade a booth to sell their products at the Montrose Harvest Market. EOT went from being an annual event to a quarterly event to encourage students to think about their career goals and polish their entrepreneurial skills.

Ms. Barnes has also participated in drug awareness efforts in the local community to bring solutions to individuals who struggle with addiction or have a family member who struggles with addiction.

As a manager for a global recruiting team in the video game industry, Ms. Barnes understands the skills necessary to achieve success, and is deeply aware of the importance of self-confidence and the role it plays in shaping peoples' lives and careers. She has volunteered as a mentor to many young women who struggle to find their confidence and helps them bridge the gap between ability and confidence. Ms. Barnes has also supported youth by planning workshops that focus on building self- esteem, providing information on vocational schools, coaching them on their interview skills, and helping students with their college applications.

In addition to her volunteer efforts and career, Mariam is a wife and mother of twin girls.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Mariam Barnes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Standolyn Robertson of Los Feliz, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Ms. Robertson attended the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education, and studied Interior Design Technology at Seminole State College of Florida. She returned to Massachusetts following years of entrepreneurship and employment in Florida and started her organizing career.

A professional organizer and coach, Standolyn founded an organizing service in 2000 called Things In Place, which is now based in Los Angeles where she currently lives. By merging warmth and wisdom with practical concepts and tactics, she helps individuals take back control of their values, lives, and happiness.

Since 2012, when Standolyn relocated from Boston to Los Angeles with her husband, Jamie, she has been charmed by Los Feliz, has grown to value and love its one-of-a-kind character, and has embraced community involvement. She has served in several roles within the Los Feliz Improvement Association and presently serves as a Greek Theatre Advisory Committee board member.

Over the past ten years, Ms. Robertson has given her time, advocacy skills, or expertise as a champion of a wide array of Los Angeles based community initiatives such as AIDS/LifeCycle, Homeboy Industries, and African Americans for LA Opera. Further, Standolyn is involved in local efforts to improve the LA River and Griffith Park and assists individuals experiencing homelessness.

Standolyn is the author of ``Managing Client Expectations: A Guide for Organizing Professionals''. She enjoys quilting, painting, attending storytelling performances, as well as hiking and camping with her husband. She is the proud mother of two adult sons who reside in Boulder and Seattle.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Standolyn Robertson.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Dr. Ramella Markarian of Glendale, California.

Dr. Ramella Markarian is a skilled healthcare professional who has served as Vice President of Business Development at Adventist Health Glendale since 2012. During her tenure, she has played a significant role in leading the physician relations and recruitment efforts, advancing Adventist Health Glendale's strategic growth and development, and overseeing various clinical and non-clinical departments. Since 2015, Dr. Markarian has helped organize and has participated in Adventist Health Glendale's annual medical missions to Armenia, bringing dozens of physicians, clinicians, and surgeons together to provide surgeries and medical consults to many Armenians living in Armenia and Artsakh.

Dr. Markarian's extraordinary efforts extend beyond her work at Adventist Health Glendale. In 2008, with the support of the Armenian American Medical Society's Ladies Auxiliary, Ramella founded Glendale Healthy Woman, a program that provides free mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women in the community. In 2010, several community leaders, including Ramella, founded the annual Glendale Health Festival which has been serving the healthcare needs of many underinsured and uninsured people in Glendale and neighboring communities for over a decade.

Ramella also served on the City of Glendale's Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee for eight years where she, along with other committee members, determined funding priorities. She also served as a member of the Los Angeles County Community Prevention and Population Health Task Force, providing her expertise and knowledge in strategic direction for community health planning in Los Angeles County. Currently, Dr. Markarian serves on the boards of several organizations including the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry and Glendale Police Foundation. She also serves as a guest speaker at local high schools, colleges, and universities, where she avidly shares her expertise and knowledge to inspire youth.

Dr. Markarian holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in Healthcare Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. She continued her education at the University of Southern California, where she received a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership, with a focus on healthcare.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Ramella Markarian.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a champion for excellence in public education, The Honorable Jackie Goldberg of Echo Park, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Jackie, a native of Los Angeles, attended public schools including the University of California, Berkeley, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts and was a leader in the Free Speech Movement. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching (History) from the University of Chicago and has several California teaching credentials. Ms. Goldberg's professional life in the educational field began as a classroom teacher in Compton, where she taught for nearly two decades and specialized in reading.

Equipped with teaching experience and direct understanding of the challenges of the Los Angeles public school system, Jackie was elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education in 1983, where she served two terms, serving as President from 1989 to 1991. Under her leadership, the board enhanced curriculums in reading, science and math and created a districtwide K-12 dual language education program.

In 1993, Ms. Goldberg was elected to the Los Angeles City Council, where she was the

first openly gay city councilmember in Los Angeles and was handily re- elected in 1997. During her tenure on the city council, she authored the ``living wage'' ordinance that guaranteed a living wage and benefits to all employees working indirectly or directly for the City of Los Angeles. Her council legacy also included authorship of Domestic Partner benefits for city employees and the creation of an afterschool program in central Los Angeles. In 2000, Jackie was elected to the California State Assembly where she served for six years. She authored landmark legislation that granted Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender couples nearly all the responsibilities and rights of marriage as well as state education funding that helped LAUSD build new schools.

Returning to the LAUSD Board of Education in 2019 as the Member for the 5th District, Jackie currently serves as a Member of the Special Education Committee and as Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. Her current efforts are focused on upgrading reading growth support for underachieving readers, and the upgrade of school facilities.

Jackie and her longtime life-partner and wife, Sharon Stricker, live in Echo Park.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, The Honorable Jackie Goldberg.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Jennie Cook of Silver Lake, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Ms. Cook's passion for cooking and dedication to changing the way America eats manifests itself in her business as the owner and executive chef of Jennie Cook's Catering and Plant Based Parties, which she has operated for nearly four decades. Prior to that, she was the owner of Cook's Double Dutch Restaurant, where she created the Sustainable Supper Club, which offered a quarterly vegan family style meal. Jennie is also a columnist and in 2013 published her cookbook, ``Who Wants Seconds?''

She also established the 24th Street Garden School Foundation, which provides a cooking class for third grade students in the garden, and founded The Mystery Lunch Box Challenge, a cooking competition class at Crenshaw and Jefferson High Schools. For several years, Jennie served as Chairwoman of the Board of RootDownLA, which educates children on how to grow, cook, share, and sell vegetables. Ms. Cook is a founding member of Food for Lunch!, which lobbied for healthier foods in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Other volunteer activities include fundraising for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music's scholarship fund, assisting in the creation of the Los Angeles Chapter of Moms Demand Action, and organizing a monthly mixer in her neighborhood to celebrate the community. In addition, when her children were younger, she served on the boards of the Rose Scharlin Co-operative Nursery School, the Hilltop Nursery School, and the Sequoyah School.

Jennie and her husband of 45 years, John Cook, live in Silver Lake, and have three grown children.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Jennie Cook.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Dr. Irene K. Kim of Hollywood, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Irene K. Kim, MD, FACS serves as the Director of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Comprehensive Transplant Center, and Assistant Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles Department of Surgery. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then attended the University of California, San Francisco, where she received her Doctorate in Medicine with honors. Dr. Kim completed her residency in general surgery at Tufts Medical Center and her fellowship in abdominal transplantation at Stanford University, where she was a clinical instructor in the Department of Surgery from 2010 to 2012.

Presently, Dr. Kim serves as Chair of the International Pediatric Transplant Association's Membership Committee, board member of the United Network for Organ Sharing, and Councilor-at-Large for the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Dr. Kim's medical society memberships are impressive and include the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, International Liver Transplantation Society, The Transplantation Society, International Pediatric Transplant Association, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Korean American Medical Association, American Society of Transplantation, Association for Academic Surgery, and Pacific Coast Surgical Association.

From her many scientific and research publications and editorials, to being a lecturer and speaker on numerous occasions at seminars and symposiums, Dr. Kim's accomplishments are multidimensional. In addition to her dedicated service in the healthcare arena, Dr. Kim also serves on the board of the Foundation for The AIDS Monument.

Some of the many honors Dr. Kim has received include the Leslie B. Brent Award from The Transplantation Society for best scientific manuscript, the Tufts Department of Surgery Chairman Award, the Cedars- Sinai Medical Center Department of Surgery Kenneth W. Adashek Award, and the American Liver Foundation ``Outstanding Women in Healthcare Award.''

Dr. Kim and her husband, Thomas Kudrle have two children, Max and Sylvie.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Irene K. Kim.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Lucy Levinsohn Berman of Sunland, a unique neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Lucy grew up in Palm Desert, California with her mother and sisters but spent many vacations and weekends with her father in Sunland. After her graduation from Palm Desert High School, she moved to the Los Angeles area, where she attended Glendale Community College, and California State University, Northridge, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music.

Activism and community service were important values instilled into Lucy at an early age. As a young girl, she volunteered at Ahead with Horses, a non-profit dedicated to providing equine therapy to disabled, special needs, and disadvantaged children. As a teenager, she volunteered for the Temple Sinai of Palm Desert's Thanksgiving feasts and yearly food drive and created her first daytime music festival in support of the Desert AIDS Project called NOMAD (New Original Music Across the Desert).

Ms. Levinsohn Berman is a Jewish American songwriter, singer and recording artist, who is most recognized as the frontwoman of the alternative rock band EVOLOVE, based in Los Angeles. Lucy's music has been featured in film and television, and her most recent project, The DreiDells is a Jewish comedy duo she and her sister, Anya Boyer developed to share a positive worldwide message about Judaism. A community builder and activist, she is a committee member of Songwriters of North America, which works towards fair royalty rates in the digital arena.

For nearly a decade, Ms. Levinsohn Berman has been a well-known leader in the Sunland-Tujunga Jewish community. As an enthusiastic member of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council's Arts, Recreation, and Culture Committee, she founded Hanukkah in the Foothills, an annual inclusive celebration open to everyone that features traditional Hanukkah music, food, and the Hanukkah story. She also volunteered for Love The Neighborhood, a Sunland-Tujunga community beautification group.

Lucy and her husband, Billy, reside in Sunland with their two children, Zoey and Benny, dogs, tortoise, and chickens.

I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well- respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Lucy Levinsohn Berman.