Floor Statements

Madam President, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Economic Empowerment Through Predevelopment Act. This legislation would improve support for capacity building and early-stage project development activities to ensure inclusive economic growth across communities.

Predevelopment activities are projects that must be completed prior to construction to advance infrastructure and development projects from concept to reality. This includes planning and design, community asset mapping, training, technical assistance, feasibility and environmental studies, demonstration projects, permitting, and organizational capacity building.

This bill would enhance the Economic Development Administration's role in the initial stages of a project by authorizing the Agency to make grants and cooperative agreements for predevelopment activities and capacity building purposes.

Many underserved, low-income, and rural communities simply do not have the institutions, expertise, or capacity to plan, design, coordinate, or implement new economic development initiatives. Building an inclusive economy requires policies for comprehensive economic development plans that better equip our communities to sustain and grow investments, leverage community-based assets, and diversify local economies to withstand potential disruptions.

Additional support for predevelopment projects would also allow for more intentional investments and longer term sustainability in local economies by preventing costly mistakes or unwise investments.

Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, Congress, State and local governments, as well as community organizations, have increasingly turned to EDA and economic development districts for assistance in predevelopment activities. This legislation will strengthen the Agency's work in this space.

I thank Senator Cassidy for introducing this important legislation with me in the Senate. I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting this bill for the economic empowerment of our communities.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 Act.

This legislation would permit individuals who have lived in the United States continuously for at least 7 years to file for lawful permanent residence here.

The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 Act will provide long-term residents of the U.S. a path to lawful permanent residence.

Specifically, this bill would amend the existing Registry mechanism in the Immigration and Nationality Act by opening the application to register permanent or adjust status to long-term residents who have lived in the United States for at least 7 years at the time of filing.

This bill would also allow long-term residents who have been in the United States for at least 7 years, waiting patiently for a visa number to become available, to immediately file an application to register permanent or adjust status.

This legislation has the added benefit of creating a much needed pathway to permanent residency for Dreamers and forcibly displaced individuals, such as TPS holders, who have been stuck in legal limbo for years.

By making the eligibility cutoff rolling, this bill would also preempt the need for Congress to repeatedly update the Registry's cutoff date to a specific year of entry into the United States.

There is strong precedent for Congress to advance the Registry date, which it has done on a bipartisan basis four times since it first codified the Registry in 1929. In 1958, Congress opened the Registry mechanism to long-term residents of the United States who had entered the country improperly, overstayed a visa, or otherwise violated the terms of a temporary period of entry. Congress clearly intended the Registry to allow undocumented immigrants to adjust to lawful permanent resident status.

Currently, the eligibility cutoff date for the Registry is January 1, 1972, more than 50 years ago. Just a handful of immigrants can currently satisfy this cutoff entry date requirement, rendering the 1972 entry cutoff all but meaningless. From 2015 to 2019, only 305 individuals adjusted their status based on the Registry, compared to the 58,914 individuals who did so between 1985 and 1989. If this legislation passed today, over 8 million individuals--who are already living in the United States and have longstanding ties to their communities--would become eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Registry.

Today, about 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States. It is not feasible or productive to remove all of them, and it would significantly hurt the U.S. economy to do so. The overwhelming majority of these undocumented immigrants have established roots in the United States and are law-abiding citizens. They are integral parts of our communities who work essential jobs, pay taxes, and even serve in our military. Leaving them without a path to permanent residency relegates them to second-class status and denies them the opportunity to fulfill the American Dream.

It is imperative that we create a path to permanent residence status for immigrants who lack certainty about their futures.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Sustainability Act of 2023. This legislation would authorize $550 million for the Environmental Protection Agency to address water inefficiencies and losses in public water systems.

Every year, household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water nationwide, increasing water bills and wasting water meant for critical drinking water and clean water uses.

The Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Sustainability Act of 2023 creates a suite of options for States, municipalities, water systems, and Tribal nations to address water inefficiencies and losses in public water systems and to support leak reduction as one of the most cost- effective urban water management tools we have.

Leaking pipes waste an estimated 17 percent of water before a drop reaches a consumer's faucet. In my home State of California, 8 percent is wasted in a State that cannot afford any waste as we face increasingly unpredictable weather whiplash between drought and flooding.

Water efficiency is the most cost-effective way to ensure clean, affordable drinking water for communities across the country. Much like energy efficiency measures, improving water efficiency saves consumers money, reduces demand, decreases strain on water supply systems, and saves energy.

Yet Federal spending on energy efficiency and renewable energy in outpaced spending on water efficiency and water reuse by approximately 80 to 1 since 2000, resulting in millions of gallons wasted each year that could otherwise be saved or utilized.

Achieving widespread water efficiency will require both inside-the- home and system upgrades. Fixes at the individual building level can add up to make a big difference. The EPA estimates that installation of water-efficient fixtures and appliances can reduce water use 20 percent and save money for consumers.

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided a historic level of water infrastructure investment--including for Bureau of Reclamation States and for wastewater efficiency--but more investment is needed in the water systems that deliver drinking water to our homes and businesses across all States.

As drought continues to impact the Western United States and regions across the country, investing in resilient water supplies is an increasingly urgent priority for States, water systems, and families facing rising water rates.

In a survey completed as part of a 2014 GAO report, 40 out of 50 State water managers expected water shortages in some portion of their State in the next decade. Improving water efficiency saves money, saves energy, and helps ensure a more resilient water supply.

I would like to thank my House colead, Congressman Levin, for championing this effort with me, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Sustainability Act of 2023.

Madam President, I rise in support of the Housing for All Act of 2023, which I introduced today.

Our Nation's homelessness and affordable housing crises have reached a breaking point. As of January 2022, over 580,000 individuals in the United States--disproportionately people of color--experienced homelessness. The rate of homelessness has increased by 6 percent since 2017. In Los Angeles County alone, the mortality rate for people experiencing homelessness increased by 55 percent between 2019 to 2021.

The lack of adequate Federal investment in affordable housing and housing assistance programs contributes to these crises. There is currently a shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes in the United States. According to a recent National Low Income Housing Coalition report, no State or county exists where a person working 40 hours a week and earning the State or local minimum wage can afford to rent a modest two-bedroom apartment, and 86 percent of all low-income renters in the Nation are considered cost-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on just housing costs alone.

The affordable housing and homelessness crises are not just a Democrat problem or an urban problem but impact every Senator's State. From our metropolitan areas to our rural heartlands, our constituents everywhere feel the real impact of housing unaffordability. And it is time for the Federal Government to step up, partner with our State and local governments alongside service providers on the ground and other stakeholders, and invest in solving these problems at a rate commensurate with the need.

I am proud to reintroduce this bill, which represents a comprehensive approach to tackling housing and homelessness. If enacted, it would invest in and align Federal resources to support people experiencing housing instability. To address the affordable housing and homelessness crises, we must invest in proven policies that support strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and ensure quality, affordable homes for all.

Specifically, this bill will address the affordable housing shortage by investing in the housing trust fund, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program, Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program, and the HOME Program. It establishes a commission to focus on racial equity in housing and homelessness.

The bill will address homelessness by investing in housing choice vouchers, project-based rental assistance, emergency solutions grants, and continuums of care. It also builds on locally-developed and -driven approaches by creating new grant programs to strengthen mobile crisis intervention teams; to support hotel and motel conversions to permanent supportive housing with services; to aid libraries in supporting persons experiencing homelessness; to provide people living in vehicles with a safe place to park overnight and facilitate a transition to stable housing; and to coordinate behavioral health care with homelessness services. And it commissions a report on the connection between evictions and emergency rental assistance during the pandemic, so we can make smarter policies moving forward.

When I have traveled around California--from Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire to the Central Valley, San Diego, and San Francisco-- to better understand the needs for housing in different communities, some key elements stood out. On the production side, there is a need for more dedicated funding for affordable housing from the Federal Government. There is also missing middle-income housing for families, especially people of color. And there is not enough housing near transit. That is why my bill focuses on supporting inclusive, transit- oriented development. When I talked to researchers about keeping families housed, one main point they made is that we don't have enough data on renters and evictions, and that is why I wanted to include a section of the bill on data--so we can make evidence-based policies.

Right now, the cost to build low-income housing in California is very high in part because of land and material costs and the fragmented way funding is distributed in California. This is a common problem across the Nation, not just in California. That is why I included a section to provide technical assistance for localities navigating Federal and State housing funding sources.

Affordable housing is essential infrastructure. Every person deserves dignity, security, and a space of their own.

I want to thank Representatives Ted Lieu and Salud Carbajal for introducing this bill with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in supporting this comprehensive solution to our nationwide affordable housing and homelessness crises.

Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Voice for Farm Workers Act of 2023, which I introduced today.

Farmworkers feed our Nation. This is especially true in California, agricultural heart of the Nation. California is the most successful State in agricultural production and has the largest population of farmworkers. During COVID-19, a time of incredible hardship, farmworkers put food on the tables of millions of Americans despite working in extreme conditions and facing deep-rooted inequities.

Right now, just one person is statutorily dedicated to serving as a liaison between farmworkers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture--the Farmworker Coordinator. While the 2008 farm bill created this position, Congress has never provided the proper resources to support or staff this position. The 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Commission Interim Report even included a strong recommendation for the USDA to fund and elevate roles for professional staff solely dedicated to farmworkers' concerns and perspectives.

It is time that we support the USDA staff who are dedicated to integrating the valuable perspectives of farmworkers into the decisions that directly affect the lives and livelihoods of these workers.

That is why I am proud to introduce this bill, which would expand the current role of USDA Farmworker Coordinator to allow for the Coordinator to create recommendations for new initiatives and programs, collaborate within the Department on programmatic and policy decisions that related to farm and food system workers, and allow for the employment of additional staff to support the Coordinator in their duties.

This bill would include additional entities for the Farmworker Coordinator to consult with, including institutions of higher education, local education agencies, and community-based nonprofit organizations, to increase outreach efforts and ensure that more farmworkers in more communities can be heard.

As we work towards passing this year's farm bill, I urge my colleagues to consider the farmworkers who keep our families and communities fed and healthy.

Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Supporting Our Farm and Food System Workforce Act of 2023, which I introduced today.

Farm and food system workers feed our Nation. We know this well in California--the agricultural heart of the Nation--where we have one of the largest populations of farmworkers and food system workers in the United States. Throughout pandemic, these workers put food on our tables and kept our grocery store shelves stocked--despite facing deep- rooted inequities in the workforce and often experiencing food insecurity themselves.

Right now, just one person in the entire Federal Government is statutorily dedicated to serving as a liaison between farmworkers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture--the Farmworker Coordinator. While the 2008 farm bill created this position, Congress has never provided the proper resources to support or staff this position. The 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Commission Interim Report even included a strong recommendation for USDA to fund and elevate roles for professional staff solely dedicated to farmworkers' concerns and perspectives.

It is time that we give those who provide the food for our Nation a voice in the national conversation. We must give farm and food system workers a dedicated office within the USDA to integrate their invaluable perspectives into the decisions that directly affect their lives and livelihoods.

That is why I am proud to introduce this bill, which will create the USDA Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce to not only serve as a liaison for farm and food system workers but also to provide a platform for their concerns and interests to assist in the creation of recommendations and new initiatives for the Department.

The bill would also create a Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee, composed of a diverse cross-section of members representing these workers' varied interests and perspectives, such as workers themselves, labor unions, higher education professionals, civil rights advocates, women worker focused groups, and trusted community-based nonprofits.

The legislation would also establish a Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency Council comprised of representatives from various Federal Agencies to improve coordination, planning, program development, and policymaking across Cabinet-level leadership. The Office will also appoint staff to various USDA entities to serve as liaisons on matters related to farm and food system workers within the Department.

Finally, the bill would require annual, publicly available reports in multiple languages about the Office's work in the past year, including recommendations to improve the work and livelihood of farm and food system workers, climate change impacts on the food system, and the barriers workers face in accessing Federal programs.

During this year's Farm Bill, I urge my colleagues to remember the workers behind the American food system, the workers who keep our families and communities fed and healthy. These workers deserve a seat at the table.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act of 2023. This legislation would allow specialty crop producers to access critical disaster relief programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Increasingly frequent and catastrophic floods, fires, freezes, and other disasters are threatening the long-term sustainability of agriculture across the country.

The impact has been particularly acute for California's agricultural communities, who face year-round threats from drought, heat, floods, and fires.

To ensure producers can get back on their feet following natural disasters, the farm bill authorizes a number of safety net programs. But these programs simply don't work for specialty crop producers, who, despite facing the same challenges posed by extreme weather as other growers, are excluded from meaningful participation in USDA disaster programs based on the application of outdated adjusted gross income, AGI, limitations.

As a result, producers from California to Florida are excluded from accessing critical disaster programs.

The Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act would codify flexibility used in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program to waive the AGI limitation for producers that derive 75 percent of their income from farming, ranching, or related farming practices.

What are referred to as specialty crops are just that--special. Specialty crops, which include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, are cultivated for food, medicine, and aesthetic purposes, requiring overall higher inputs and specialized processes for planting, growing, and harvesting.

Did you know that it costs more than $30,000 to produce an acre of strawberries? The cost of production for specialty crops is typically thousands of dollars per acre.

As a result, both large and small producers of specialty crops end up exceeding the AGI limitations put in place to means-test critical disaster assistance.

That is why we need to pass the Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act to ensure farmers and ranchers can access agricultural safety net programs in the wake of increasingly more frequent and catastrophic disasters.

I would like to thank Senator Tillis for joining me to introduce this bill, as well as Congressman Panetta for championing this bill in the House.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act as quickly as possible.

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize outstanding academic achievement on the world stage by none other than two California students. Earlier this month, the 2023 International Biology Olympiad--IBO--showcased the remarkable talents and encyclopedic knowledge of pre-university students in the field of theoretical and laboratory biology.

To even qualify was a challenge, but after competing in a field of 44 States, over 600 schools, and nearly 10,000 students at the national competition and then competing among their peers from over 80 countries at the international level, two California students stood out. Richard Zhu of North Hollywood Senior High School earned a silver medal, while Yufei Chen of University High School in Irvine not only earned a gold medal, he earned the highest score in the world.

Both students demonstrated a remarkable intellect, a refreshing passion in the field of STEM, and an example for every other California student to follow to achieve their dreams. I can't wait to see where their talents will lead them next.

Congratulations, once again, to Yufei Chen and Richard Zhu, on the hard-earned and well-deserved recognition.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Mental Health for Latinos Act. This important bill would boost our continued efforts to reduce stigma and promote mental wellness, while meeting the diverse needs of Latino communities across the country.

In response to the mental health crisis in the Latino community, this legislation requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a strategy to provide information on evidence-based practices, interventions, and treatments that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and increases awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses common among such populations, considering differences within subgroups, such as gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.

The evidence is clear: We are experiencing a mental health crisis in the Latino community. Disparities within our healthcare system are preventing members of Latino communities from receiving lifesaving mental health services.

These barriers to care are causing too many to suffer in silence, and this must change. Presently, only 36.1 percent of Latino adults aged 18 or older with a mental illness received services in 2021, compared to the U.S. average of 47.2 percent. Between 2010 and 2020, the suicide rate among male Latino adults ages 20 to 64 increased by 35.7 percent, and the female rate increased by 40.6 percent. Even those who are able to access services rarely receive the effective, culturally competent care they need.

This bill would further our continued efforts to reduce stigma and promote mental wellness, while meeting the diverse needs of Latino populations across the country. As our Nation confronts an unfolding mental health crisis, this critical legislation reinforces the timeless message that there is zero shame in asking for help and that seeking support is a sign of strength.

I would like to thank Congresswoman Napolitano for leading this legislation in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the Mental Health for Latinos Act as soon as possible.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Converting Our Waste Sustainably, COWS, Act of 2023. This legislation will help dairy and livestock producers reduce methane emissions, improve air and water quality, and implement more sustainable alternative manure management practices.

As the top dairy State in the country and the second in cheese production, California is the largest producer of milk, butter, and cheeses like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and queso fresco. Dairy operations contribute billions of dollars to California's economy but are also responsible for 60 percent of California's methane emissions.

Recognizing the urgency of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions like methane, California and the dairy industry are on track to reduce dairy methane emissions by 40 percent by 2030 largely due to the successes of California's own Alternative Manure Management Program.

The COWS Act would establish an Alternative Manure Management Program to help dairy and livestock producers transition toward pasture-based management, alternative treatment and storage practices, solid separation systems, and scrape technologies.

This voluntary program, modeled after California's extremely successful Alternative Manure Management Program, will provide more resources for the dairy and livestock industry to modernize technologies for manure management that help boost profitability, improve water quality, and reduce methane and nitrogen oxide emissions by fostering climate-smart farming.

The bill also makes composting eligible for funding under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural operations is critical to addressing the climate crisis. Because of the high construction and operation costs associated with anerobic digesters, nondigester manure management practices can provide a more cost- effective alternative for family dairy and livestock operators seeking to improve profitability while improving air and water quality for their communities.

I would like to thank my colleagues, Senators Brown and Heinrich, for their leadership in reducing agricultural methane emissions and Representative Costa for championing this bill in the House.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the COWS Act as quickly as possible.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Mental Health for Latinos Act. This important bill would boost our continued efforts to reduce stigma and promote mental wellness, while meeting the diverse needs of Latino communities across the country.

In response to the mental health crisis in the Latino community, this legislation requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a strategy to provide information on evidence-based practices, interventions, and treatments that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and increases awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses common among such populations, considering differences within subgroups, such as gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.

The evidence is clear: We are experiencing a mental health crisis in the Latino community. Disparities within our healthcare system are preventing members of Latino communities from receiving lifesaving mental health services.

These barriers to care are causing too many to suffer in silence, and this must change. Presently, only 36.1 percent of Latino adults aged 18 or older with a mental illness received services in 2021, compared to the U.S. average of 47.2 percent. Between 2010 and 2020, the suicide rate among male Latino adults ages 20 to 64 increased by 35.7 percent, and the female rate increased by 40.6 percent. Even those who are able to access services rarely receive the effective, culturally competent care they need.

This bill would further our continued efforts to reduce stigma and promote mental wellness, while meeting the diverse needs of Latino populations across the country. As our Nation confronts an unfolding mental health crisis, this critical legislation reinforces the timeless message that there is zero shame in asking for help and that seeking support is a sign of strength.

I would like to thank Congresswoman Napolitano for leading this legislation in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the Mental Health for Latinos Act as soon as possible.

Madam President, I rise to introduce the Converting Our Waste Sustainably, COWS, Act of 2023. This legislation will help dairy and livestock producers reduce methane emissions, improve air and water quality, and implement more sustainable alternative manure management practices.

As the top dairy State in the country and the second in cheese production, California is the largest producer of milk, butter, and cheeses like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and queso fresco. Dairy operations contribute billions of dollars to California's economy but are also responsible for 60 percent of California's methane emissions.

Recognizing the urgency of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions like methane, California and the dairy industry are on track to reduce dairy methane emissions by 40 percent by 2030 largely due to the successes of California's own Alternative Manure Management Program.

The COWS Act would establish an Alternative Manure Management Program to help dairy and livestock producers transition toward pasture-based management, alternative treatment and storage practices, solid separation systems, and scrape technologies.

This voluntary program, modeled after California's extremely successful Alternative Manure Management Program, will provide more resources for the dairy and livestock industry to modernize technologies for manure management that help boost profitability, improve water quality, and reduce methane and nitrogen oxide emissions by fostering climate-smart farming.

The bill also makes composting eligible for funding under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural operations is critical to addressing the climate crisis. Because of the high construction and operation costs associated with anerobic digesters, nondigester manure management practices can provide a more cost- effective alternative for family dairy and livestock operators seeking to improve profitability while improving air and water quality for their communities.

I would like to thank my colleagues, Senators Brown and Heinrich, for their leadership in reducing agricultural methane emissions and Representative Costa for championing this bill in the House.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the COWS Act as quickly as possible.

Mr. President, I rise as a proud Angeleno to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Few stadiums in the world have such a storied history and such a lasting cultural impact, as the LA Coliseum. Since opening in 1923, it has served as a living memorial to those who bravely fought in World War I, and it has endured as a landmark for generations of Angelenos.

The Coliseum remains the only stadium in the world to have hosted two Summer Olympics. The first games, held in 1932, helped revolutionize the format for the modern Olympic Games and displayed America's resolve through the Great Depression. The second, held in 1984, was highly regarded as a financial success and a masterclass in hosting and showcasing the Olympic Games. As a boy, I remember watching in awe as Olympic legend and California icon, Rafer Johnson, ran up the steps of the Coliseum and lit the Olympic cauldron. With plans to once again welcome athletes from around the world and showcase Los Angeles as a world-class city in 2028, the Coliseum will soon break its own record as a third-time host for the Olympic Games. The Coliseum also hosted the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games to showcase the skills and accomplishments of athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Many iconic sports teams have called the Coliseum home over the years. The USC Trojans' and the UCLA Bruins' athletic programs shared the stadium for over 50 years. Today, the Coliseum's timeless white arches provide the backdrop for thousands of loyal USC fans waiting to erupt each time their team plays a home game. In the National Football League, the Rams, the Raiders, and the Chargers have all called the Coliseum home at one point, and the stadium hosted three NFL championship games in 1949, 1951, and 1955, as well as the very first Super Bowl in 1967 and Super Bowl VII in 1973.

As a point of personal privilege, my Los Angeles Dodgers called the Coliseum home for several years when they first moved out west, and they would host the first World Series played on

the west coast at the Coliseum on their way to winning the 1959 World Series.

For decades, the Coliseum was where leaders would go to speak to large masses of Southern Californians. The stadium has hosted Presidents Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Reagan, as well as notable dignitaries and civil rights leaders, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Cesar Chavez, and the Dalai Lama. It has also hosted decades of legendary concerts from greats like the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Van Halen, and more. Since 2022, NASCAR has hosted the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, which is the first exhibition race of the NASCAR Cup Series season each year.

As we recognize 100 years of memorable events and historic firsts, I join all of Los Angeles in celebrating a century of competition, camaraderie, civic engagement, and culture, and I know the next 100 years have even more in store.

Madam President, I rise to introduce State and Local General Sales Tax Protection Act. This legislation would clarify congressional intent around a 1987 amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration's authorization regarding the use of local excise taxes on aviation fuel for airport purposes.

In 2014, the FAA implemented a policy change to require State and local governments to use general sales taxes collected on aviation fuel for airport purposes. This contradicted congressional intent clearly stated in the 1987 conference report and 29 years of practice, which applied this requirement only to local excise taxes on fuel and not to other taxes imposed by State and local governments.

This legislation would overturn the 2014 FAA policy and remove any ambiguity in Federal interpretation by distinguishing State and local sales tax measures of general application from aviation fuel excise taxes.

In my home State of California, local government sales taxes are voter-approved by a two-thirds margin for specific purposes. Diverting this money would be a violation of the State's constitution and the will of its voters. This 2014 FAA rulemaking, if enforced, is estimated to divert tens of millions of dollars away from voter-approved purposes like local transportation, first responders, education, and social programs every year. It is an assault on State and local control of general application sales tax measures.

The 2014 FAA rulemaking would also impose an unfunded mandate on States and local governments that would be required to implement a burdensome tracking system to segregate taxes on aviation fuel from other taxable sources.

Furthermore, in recognition of this error, the FAA included in its recommendations to Congress that the clarification provided in this legislation be included in an FAA reauthorization bill.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the State and Local General Sales Tax Protection Act to protect every State and local government that have or will have general sales taxes that include aviation fuel.

Madam President, I rise to introduce State and Local General Sales Tax Protection Act. This legislation would clarify congressional intent around a 1987 amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration's authorization regarding the use of local excise taxes on aviation fuel for airport purposes.

In 2014, the FAA implemented a policy change to require State and local governments to use general sales taxes collected on aviation fuel for airport purposes. This contradicted congressional intent clearly stated in the 1987 conference report and 29 years of practice, which applied this requirement only to local excise taxes on fuel and not to other taxes imposed by State and local governments.

This legislation would overturn the 2014 FAA policy and remove any ambiguity in Federal interpretation by distinguishing State and local sales tax measures of general application from aviation fuel excise taxes.

In my home State of California, local government sales taxes are voter-approved by a two-thirds margin for specific purposes. Diverting this money would be a violation of the State's constitution and the will of its voters. This 2014 FAA rulemaking, if enforced, is estimated to divert tens of millions of dollars away from voter-approved purposes like local transportation, first responders, education, and social programs every year. It is an assault on State and local control of general application sales tax measures.

The 2014 FAA rulemaking would also impose an unfunded mandate on States and local governments that would be required to implement a burdensome tracking system to segregate taxes on aviation fuel from other taxable sources.

Furthermore, in recognition of this error, the FAA included in its recommendations to Congress that the clarification provided in this legislation be included in an FAA reauthorization bill.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the State and Local General Sales Tax Protection Act to protect every State and local government that have or will have general sales taxes that include aviation fuel.

Madam President, I rise to reintroduce the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coin Act.

The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coin would direct the Treasury Department to mint and issue coins in commemoration of the ninth time that the United States will host the modern Olympics and the third time that our Nation will host the Paralympics.

The proceeds from the sale of these coins will support the hosting of the 2028 Games and aid in the execution of its legacy programs, including the promotion of youth sports in the United States. It is also worth noting that this bill would come at no cost to the Federal Government.

As you may know, the United States is one of the only countries with an Olympic Committee that does not receive funding from the Federal Government. All U.S.-hosted Olympic Games must instead rely on corporate partnerships, proceeds from broadcast agreements and ticket sales, and philanthropic contributions.

Historically, Congress has authorized commemorative coins to honor the Olympic Games and Olympic athletes, including for the 1984, 1996, and 2002 Olympic Games in the United States. The 2028 games are 5 years from today, and preparations for this grand event are already underway in the region. This legislation can help ensure the 2028 games has the resources necessary to be a world-class event.

I thank Senators Feinstein and Romney for introducing this legislation with me in the Senate, as well as Representative Sherman for leading it in the House. I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting this bill to ensure that Los Angeles, CA and our entire Nation are able to put on a successful and memorable 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.