Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Martin Lugo, a 24-year-old veteran from Tucson, Arizona, who was killed after being wounded during a combat operation in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Lugo enlisted in the United States Army while still a student at Tucson High School. At the time of his death, he was serving on his sixth deployment, having previously completed three tours in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. He served our Nation with extraordinary courage, dedication, and a deep sense of duty.

But Martin was far more than his uniform. He was a son, a friend, and someone deeply loved by his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. Those who knew him remember his generosity, humor, intelligence, adventurous spirit, and his remarkable ability to bring people together. He embraced life fully and led with both strength and compassion.

I also thank Maria, his mother, for allowing me to share Martin's story today.

As we remember Sergeant Martin Lugo, we honor his life, his service, and the sacrifice carried every day by the families of those who serve.

In Maria's words: ``The way we can honor their service is by doing the best we can for ourselves, for each other, and for our country.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Jackson for his steadfast leadership in this fight to protect our democracy, and I thank the CPC for bringing us together for this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, we often talk about the right to vote as if it is just another issue before Congress. It is not just another issue. It is foundational. The right to vote is how people make their voices heard. It is how communities hold their government accountable. It is the foundation upon which every other right rests.

This is why the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais is so alarming. For generations, we have marched, organized, and sacrificed to secure protections enshrined in the Voting Rights Act. Those protections helped ensure that communities of color could fully participate in our democracy and elect Representatives who would fight for their interests.

Today, those hard-won protections are being chipped away piece by piece. We are already seeing the consequences across the South. Politicians are rushing to redraw maps and dilute the political power of communities of color. Instead of expanding participation in our democracy, they are looking for new ways to silence voters, undermine fair representation, and make it more difficult for people to get involved in our democracy.

As an Arizonan, this fight feels especially personal. The Voting Rights Act is not some abstract law to the people I represent. Southern Arizona is home to communities whose political representation has been protected by the Voting Rights Act for generations. Those protections helped ensure that Latino voters and other communities of color had meaningful opportunity to elect leaders who understood their experiences and would fight for them.

The truth is, without the Voting Rights Act, Arizona's political landscape would look very different. The Voting Rights Act helped make it possible for leaders like my dad, Congressman Raul Grijalva, to serve southern Arizona. It helped make it possible for me to stand here today as the first Latina ever elected from the State of Arizona to Congress.

That representation did not happen by accident. It happened because generations fought to ensure that every community, regardless of race, language, or ZIP Code, could have an equal voice in our democracy.

That is why what is happening today is so dangerous. When courts weaken the Voting Rights Act and politicians engage in racial gerrymandering, they are not just changing lines on a map. They are weakening the voices of entire communities, undermining the promise of equal representation, and silencing people, period.

Congress must act. We must restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. We must defend fair representation. We must strengthen our democracy so that every community has equal voice and equal opportunity to be heard.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2616.

At a time when people are asking Congress to lower costs, crack down on corruption and powerful abusers, and keep children safe, House Republicans remain fixated on bullying vulnerable kids instead of addressing the real problems facing this country.

This bill forces teachers to out transgender students to their own parents even when they know it could put that child at risk of abuse, homelessness, or violence.

Think about that.

Republicans want to force teachers to betray the trust of children who likely already feel scared, isolated, and unsafe at home.

That is dangerous.

Most young people confide in their families when they feel safe doing so, but some queer kids don't have that option.

These same Republicans who consistently talk about small government cut funding to a local library in Bisbee a couple weeks ago just because it hosted a drag story time. Now, they want to control what teachers can say, what students can read, and even a name a child can use at school.

Where will it end?

This bill censors discussions about transgender people and gender identity altogether. It sends a message that trans people should be erased from classrooms, from history, and from public life. Transgender people exist. They are our neighbors, our students, our classmates, our coworkers, our friends, and our children. No bill passed in this Chamber will ever change that.

What this legislation will do is make schools less safe for already vulnerable students.

I hate to break it to my Republican colleagues, but attacking trans kids will not make groceries or gas cheaper. It will not lower rent. It will not bring down healthcare costs. It will not make anyone's life better. It will not make this Nation safer, and it certainly won't make our kids safer in school.

It is time to stop scapegoating children, stop targeting our kids, stop obsessing about gender identity, and let's start doing the jobs that people actually sent us here to do.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record this letter from the ACLU opposing H.R. 2616.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on

Madam Speaker, I rise today with great pride to celebrate the incredible students of Apache Jazz Ensemble from Nogales High School in Arizona's Seventh Congressional District.

Earlier this spring, I had the joy of attending the Mingus Jazz Festival in Nogales and listening to the ensemble's performance. Their talent, energy, and love for music were absolutely unforgettable. I was so grateful for the opportunity to meet the students and hear their stories firsthand.

Since then, these remarkable young musicians traveled to Orlando, Florida, to compete at Festival Disney, where they earned a superior rating with an outstanding score of 97.7, taking first place in their division and winning the prestigious Gold Mickey award, the highest honor awarded across all instrumental divisions.

These students represented Nogales and southern Arizona with excellence, discipline, and heart. Their achievement is a testament to their hard work and dedication of their director, Anthony Belletti, and the power of music education to inspire and uplift our communities.

Madam Speaker, to Apache Jazz Ensemble, Nogales High School, and all of your friends, fans, and families: ``Congratulations''; ``muchisimas felicidades.'' Thank you for making Arizona proud.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the anniversary of the sacrifice of fallen officer John Anthony Valenzuela of the South Tucson Police Department, who was killed in the line of duty on May 17, 1993.

Officer Valenzuela was just 27 years old. He served as a school resource officer, dedicating himself to protecting children and strengthening the trust within the south Tucson community, a community in which he was raised, attended school, lived, and had strong ties.

On the day of his death, he acted on behalf of a young victim and courageously joined fellow officers in serving a warrant connected to a child sex abuse investigation. In the face of danger, Officer Valenzuela gave his life in service to others. He is the only officer killed in the line of duty in the history of the South Tucson Police Department.

More than three decades later, his legacy lives on in southern Arizona through the John Valenzuela Youth Center named in his honor, his family and friends, and through the countless lives he touched by his service and sacrifice.

We remember Officer John Valenzuela with gratitude, respect, and solemn remembrance.

May he forever rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo High School for making history once again with their 12th consecutive first-place win at the 44th Annual Tucson International Mariachi Conference student showcase, the longest running continually held mariachi festival in the world.

For 12 straight years, these talented young musicians have carried the spirit of Pueblo Warriors and Tucson onto the stage with excellence, talent, and pride.

Under the outstanding leadership of Director John Contreras, Mariachi Aztlan continues to set the standard for high school mariachi programs across our Nation.

This moment is especially meaningful to me as a proud Pueblo alumna and mom of a recent grad of this amazing mariachi.

Driving these students and their instruments all across Tucson as a mariachi mama, I witnessed firsthand the dedication and ``heart,'' ``corazon'' that make this group so extraordinary.

To the students, families, fans, and Director Contreras of Mariachi Aztlan, your community could not be prouder of you.

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

``I am so proud of all of you and send my congratulations on this historic victory.''

``Estoy muy orgullosa de todos ustedes, y muchas felicidades por esta victoria historica.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Scott Blades of Tucson, Arizona, for more than three decades of leadership and service to individuals living with HIV in Pima County.

At the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, when stigma and fear left many isolated, Scott responded with compassion and resolve, bringing community members together to provide care, dignity, and connection.

In 1994, he founded the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, building a powerful model that united faith communities, volunteers, and service providers to support those in need. Under his leadership, he recruited thousands of volunteers and, together, TIHAN served more than 1,600 people living with HIV, improving health outcomes, reducing stigma, and strengthening the community.

Scott Blades' career reflects the very best of public service, a lasting commitment to dignity, equity, and care for others.

I ask the people of the Seventh Congressional District to join me in honoring his extraordinary contributions to southern Arizona.

I thank my friend Scott for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Garcia for his leadership and for giving us the opportunity to weigh in on this budget.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on this administration's budget request, a proposal that makes one thing painfully clear: Trump's budget isn't America First; it is America last.

While working families struggle to get by, this budget spends $350 billion on another endless and illegal war abroad. To fund this, his budget cuts the very programs people rely on here at home.

In Arizona, we are already seeing the devastating consequences of cuts from the big, ugly law. More than 400,000 Arizonans, including 180,000 children, have lost SNAP access just this last year. That is nearly half of all recipients in my State, the largest drop in the country. That means parents skipping meals so their kids can eat. This means seniors choosing between groceries and medication. It means food banks stretched beyond capacity, trying to fill the gap that the Federal Government has created.

Instead of reversing course, Trump's budget doubles down. It eliminates financial assistance for families that are facing rising utility bills. It slashes affordable housing programs like CDBG. It cuts nutrition and health assistance for women, infants, and children, WIC. It guts cancer research and public health funding, even as rural hospitals struggle to stay open.

This budget is a statement of values, and it shows clearly that the priority is not our people. It tells us exactly who this administration is willing to fight for and who it is willing to leave behind, with a 42-percent increase in funding for the Pentagon while cutting programs that support the American people here at home by 10 percent.

I will not support a budget that asks working families to sacrifice more just to bankroll endless wars abroad and hand out tax breaks to the wealthy.

``Our people deserve better''; ``nuestra gente merece mejor.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with pride to honor an extraordinary group of women from Arizona's Seventh Congressional District, the Pima Community College women's basketball team, NJCAA Division II National Champions.

Last month, they made history, defeating Kirkwood 64-58 to secure the program's first ever national title representing southern Arizona and Tucson with excellence.

This team faced adversity all season but stayed resilient, united, and found a way to win and are now champions.

Tournament MVP, Melicia Nelson, led the charge with 20 points and 11 rebounds. From Window Rock, she carries the pride of the Navajo Nation and now stands as the best player in the tournament.

To Coach Todd and the entire team, ``congratulations''; ``felicidades.'' I thank you so much for inspiring us all. Southern Arizona is proud.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the RED Tape Act is a blatant sacrifice of human health for corporate profits. It will allow major Federal projects to move forward without any consideration for impact on air quality or public health. This is a clear attempt to hide the truth about the health impacts of pollution.

I will make this crystal clear: Our constituents do not want to increase the risks of their children developing asthma or cancer so that billionaires can fast-track polluting projects. This notion is obscene. As a parent, I can tell you, we will not stand for putting polluters over our children's right to breathe in clean air. Not now, not ever.

For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment. My amendment would ensure that section 309 reviews still occur for major Federal projects or actions that may increase public exposure to mercury, lead compounds, asbestos, or any other hazardous air pollutants.

Air pollution is associated with over 100,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. These are not just numbers. They are people taken from families far too soon. There must be no sidestepping protections for human health.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit, and I urge my colleagues to support the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to recognize a historic moment for my hometown of Tucson and Arizona's Seventh Congressional District: the naming of Monica Prieto as the chief of the Tucson Police Department, the first woman to ever serve in this role over the department's 155-year existence.

Chief Prieto has dedicated more than 25 years to public service, starting in 1999 and rising through the ranks, serving in multiple divisions across the department throughout the community, including most recently as deputy chief.

Having been born and raised in Tucson, including graduating from CD07's own Desert View High School, Chief Prieto knows this community, knows this department, and she understands the people she serves.

This appointment is a testament to her leadership, her commitment, and her trust that she has built throughout the city and with her colleagues over the decades.

I am proud to congratulate Chief Prieto, and I look forward to her leadership as she helps guide Tucson forward. ``Congratulations''; ``felicidades'' to Chief Prieto.

Mr. Speaker, a 9-year-old boy named Deiver, told Ms. Rachel, a well-known online educator in a recent interview: Can you help us leave here? I don't want to be here anymore. I want to leave and go to the spelling bee.

This is so heartbreaking, cruel, and reprehensible. It shows the real harm caused by immigration policies pushed by Trump. The Republican Party isn't just watching. It is supporting, defending, and funding it. Our children, ``our babies,'' ``nuestros ninos,'' are being locked in detention, separated from their families, and traumatized.

There are too many stories like Deiver's, and each one is a moral failure of our government and this administration. No family deserves this. No one deserves this.

Deiver has been released. But what about the hundreds of babies and children who haven't? Who will be torn from their parents next? Who will be disappeared next?

These children don't belong locked away in jails. They belong in classrooms. They belong at school, learning, dreaming, and preparing for spelling bees, not living in constant fear that they will be taken away from their family and friends, and disappeared.

How does locking up our babies make this country safer? This is not politics.

Mr. Speaker, this is a moral crisis, and it is on all of us, on every single one of us, to act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to recognize Audrey Jimenez, a remarkable young woman wrestler from Tucson, Arizona, a graduate from Sunnyside High School in Arizona's Seventh Congressional District, and a gold medalist at the Pan American Wrestling Championships.

Audrey represents the very best of our community. She is an inspirational young woman who has put in early mornings, long practices, and hard-fought matches to become a champion.

What stands out even more is her heart, her humility, her determination, and the way she carries herself as a proud Arizonan.

Audrey is a shining example of a role model who opens doors and inspires other young girls to see themselves in sports where they may not have seen themselves before.

I have had the privilege of seeing how deeply our community rallies behind athletes like Audrey, and it is clear she carries that support with her every time she competes.

We are so proud of Audrey and are excited for her continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize America Cazares, an extraordinary young woman from my district and a proud fellow warrior from Pueblo High School.

Over the past 4 years, America has electrified her community with her talent, determination, and relentless drive on the basketball court. Through countless hours of hard work and unwavering commitment to excellence, she has achieved a truly historic milestone.

America is now the all-time leading scorer in Arizona girl's basketball history across all divisions. This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to perseverance, discipline, the power of believing in yourself, and believing in your abilities.

America has not only raised the bar for athletes across our State but she has also inspired young people in southern Arizona and beyond to dream big and work hard. Her success reflects the strength of her family, her coaches, her teammates, and the Pueblo community that has supported her every step of the way.

Mr. Speaker, we are incredibly proud of America. ``Felicidades''; ``congratulations'' on this historic achievement. We look forward to all she will accomplish in the years ahead. ``Adelante''; ``forward.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of southern Arizonans who are being squeezed to the brink, families who cannot keep up with rising healthcare costs, soaring gas prices, and a future that feels further and further out of reach.

Working families are struggling to get by. Instead of relief, they are being ignored, all while Trump and House Republicans continue to serve their billionaire friends and special interests.

Nearly 60 percent of families in this country are living paycheck to paycheck. Yet, there is always money for war but never enough money for the urgent needs of everyday people here at home.

The American people want healthcare, not warfare. This war alone has cost us $22.8 billion. Think about that. That kind of investment could have provided Medicaid to over 6 million children, funded head start for 1.3 million families, canceled $20,000 in student debt for 1 million borrowers, or funded the ACA premium assistance that Republicans refused to extend.

These are investments southern Arizonans and Americans across the country want to see. Working people are not interested in funding another endless war while they struggle to fill their gas tanks and pay their bills. Instead of putting billionaires first, Congress should focus on policies that make people's lives better. It is time to start putting the American people first.