Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Agua Caliente Land Exchange Fee to Trust Confirmation Act.

This legislation would place certain lands into trust for the Tribe in order to finally allow the Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians to manage these lands that are of special, cultural value to their people .

Land that has traditionally been held by Agua Caliente has been divided into a checkerboard between the Tribe, Federal Government, and private landowners.

In 1999, the Bureau of Land Management and Agua Caliente entered into an agreement to acquire and exchange lands within what would become the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. In 2000, legislation was enacted to establish the monument and authorize the land exchange.

For 17 years, Agua Caliente worked with the Bureau of Land Management to finalize an agreement to exchange the lands that are addressed by this legislation, and in March 2019, the land exchange was finalized. However, since the original legislation didn't expressly address the status of land transferred to the Tribe, the lands covered in this bill were not placed in trust. My legislation would correct that and provide the fix to finally place the exchanged land into trust and made part of Agua Caliente's reservation.

This bill represents the final step to complete the original 1999 agreement between Agua Caliente and the Bureau of Land Management.

Importantly, enactment of this legislation would allow for improved land management and allow Agua Caliente to manage these lands that have a longstanding cultural and natural resource value to the Cahuilla people.

The land is in a remote wilderness area within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and the Tribe will manage the land as conservation lands similar to how it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

I thank Congressman Ruiz for his partnership on this effort and for his commitment to honoring the Federal Government's trust responsibility. I also thank the bipartisan Members of the House who have supported this legislation and Senator Feinstein for coleading this effort with me in the Senate.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the Agua Caliente Land Exchange Fee to Trust Confirmation Act as quickly as possible.

Mr. President, I rise to recognize the 50th anniversary of Chez Panisse, the pioneering home of farm-to-table cooking in Berkeley, CA.

Chez Panisse was founded in 1971 by Alice Waters, then a young Montessori teacher. She felt that by strengthening her community's connection to seasonal foods and local growers, she could foster new ideas and connections. At the core of the new restaurant was a sense of social responsibility and limitless communal potential.

Guided by Alice Waters' ideals, Chez Panisse spurred a movement of slow food and local eating, showing that sustainability could ground a gourmet menu. Alice Waters mentored countless young chefs on her staff, many of whom went on to open restaurants, found companies, or write cookbooks of their own. Today, the style pioneered at Chez Panisse is known as California cuisine.

And Alice Waters never lost sight of the principles that inspired her. To commemorate the restaurant's 25th anniversary in 1996, she launched the Chez Panisse Foundation, which supports organic gardening and culinary education in schools. Thousands of schools across the world now benefit from the curriculum developed through her Edible Schoolyard Project.

Chez Panisse is an icon of the California culinary scene, offering a testament to the fruits of eating locally and sustainably. I congratulate Alice Waters and all the staff of Chez Panisse on this remarkable anniversary and send my best wishes for the decades to come.

Madam President.

Madam President, I am proud to share with all of you the experience of California this last year in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. I am proud to say that California has led the way on COVID-19 prevention and vaccine because we have seen the devastation that surging cases can cause.

Last winter--remember where we were last winter? A catastrophic surge in my home county of Los Angeles overwhelmed local hospitals, as was the case, frankly, in many parts of the country. Families were desperate to find care for their loved ones. Ambulances struggled to find hospitals with capacity.

As we approach this winter season, I recognize that we made incredible progress turning the tide since those tragic times. Now, just a month ago, California achieved the lowest level of COVID-19 transmission of any State in the Nation, but today cases are beginning to rise again. We are seeing the effects of the changing weather.

We need to stay vigilant to prevent another devastating surge like the wave that peaked in California and across the country last winter.

Fortunately, today, we are armed with a powerful defense: an FDA- approved vaccine that is safe, that is effective, and that is free for all. California's historic vaccination effort--made possible by the resources that we helped deliver when we passed the American Rescue Plan--has covered more than three-quarters of our residents, more than 55 million shots in arms of Californians.

But now is not the time to let up. Every person who gets the vaccine helps to stop spread of the virus in our community. And we just received two new critical weapons: One, booster shots to increase protections for adults and, two, approval of a vaccine for children older than 5.

Colleagues, during last week's State work period, I had the privilege of joining leaders of the Los Angeles Unified School District for the opening of their first vaccine clinic, a mobile clinic on school sites for students ages 5 and up. I saw firsthand the anxious excitement of families looking forward to a freer, safer life for children. Imagine that, play dates with friends, holiday celebrations with grandparents, and relief for those with family members at higher risk.

Now, as parents of younger children, Angela and I know that this pandemic has especially been hard on children. For more than a year, as we would gather together to pray as a family, our youngest, Diego, whom many of you met, would ask God for COVID to be over. And he would then ask when a vaccine would be ready for him and his brothers.

That is why it was such a big deal when the vaccine was approved for children ages 5 and older. Angela and I were vaccinated earlier this year. Our oldest son, Roman, was vaccinated months ago. And, finally, last week, Diego and Alex received their vaccines. So we know that we are sharing this moment of joy with millions of families across the country who are relieved that our children will be better protected against COVID-19.

Colleagues, as we approach this now second Thanksgiving since the start of the pandemic, we recognize that we have much to be thankful for. We are thankful for the scientists who drew on years of research to design and test one of the most effective vaccines that we have ever seen. We are thankful for the doctors and nurses who are helping to administer the vaccine to as many people as possible while caring for the sick. And we continue to be thankful for all the essential workers who take on high-risk jobs to keep food on our tables and keep the economy going.

So it is in the spirit of all this that I ask each and every one of you to do your part. To everyone at home, please, each and every one of you do your part. Protect yourself. Protect your family. Protect your community. Get vaccinated. Get your children vaccinated. Go check to see if you are eligible for a booster, and if you are, find one near you at vaccines.gov. We have come to appreciate how vaccination is the key to a safe holiday season, and it is key to ending the pandemic for all.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act.

This legislation would ensure that noncitizen servicemembers have access to the information and resources they need to apply for citizenship in the United States and avoid deportation from the country they have served.

The Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act includes important changes to ensure that servicemembers are not removed from the United States after leaving the military because they were never provided the resources necessary to ensure they could adjust their status. The bill would also protect servicemembers' spouses and children from deportation.

Specifically, this bill would require the Department of Homeland Security, DHS and the Department of Defense to create a program to help ensure that servicemembers and their families have a pathway to naturalization. The program must also include training for JAG officers and recruiter training on the naturalization process for servicemembers. These personnel must also work with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Agency to ensure that all noncitizen military servicemembers are naturalized before they leave the service.

The bill would also create the Military Family Immigation Advisory Committe that must provide recommendations to DHS on whether a noncitizen who has served in the military or their family members should be granted a stay of removal, deferred action, parole, or be removed from the country.

ICE, CBP, and USCIS are directed to transfer case materials of individuals in removal proceedings for individuals who are determined to be a member of the Armed Forces, a veteran, or a covered family member of the advisory committee. These individuals cannot be removed until a recommendation is issued by the advisory committee.

Finally, the bill would require DHS to establish a program and application to allow removed veterans and their family members to be admitted back into the United States as lawful permanent residents and would direct the Department of Justice to reopen their removal cases.

Our noncitizen servicemembers have risked their lives serving our country.

For over a century, the United States has recognized the contributions that noncitizens make in the military. They deserve a clear path to citizenship for themselves and their spouses and children.

Over the past several years, programs to help facilitate these processes have diminished, and this lack of support from Federal Agencies has made it more difficult for noncitizen servicemembers to become U.S. citizens. Veterans who are unable to naturalize are at risk of deportation if they commit certain crimes and are forced to leave the country they served. Many of these individuals believe that they are citizens already due to their service and are shocked they are not, years later.

It is imperative that we work to protect our noncitizen veterans from deportation and that we bring back those veterans who were removed from the United States. These veterans have shown nothing but loyalty to the United States, and they deserve to stay here, receive their benefits, and live fulfilling lives alongside their family members.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act.

This legislation would ensure that noncitizen servicemembers have access to the information and resources they need to apply for citizenship in the United States and avoid deportation from the country they have served.

The Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act includes important changes to ensure that servicemembers are not removed from the United States after leaving the military because they were never provided the resources necessary to ensure they could adjust their status. The bill would also protect servicemembers' spouses and children from deportation.

Specifically, this bill would require the Department of Homeland Security, DHS and the Department of Defense to create a program to help ensure that servicemembers and their families have a pathway to naturalization. The program must also include training for JAG officers and recruiter training on the naturalization process for servicemembers. These personnel must also work with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Agency to ensure that all noncitizen military servicemembers are naturalized before they leave the service.

The bill would also create the Military Family Immigation Advisory Committe that must provide recommendations to DHS on whether a noncitizen who has served in the military or their family members should be granted a stay of removal, deferred action, parole, or be removed from the country.

ICE, CBP, and USCIS are directed to transfer case materials of individuals in removal proceedings for individuals who are determined to be a member of the Armed Forces, a veteran, or a covered family member of the advisory committee. These individuals cannot be removed until a recommendation is issued by the advisory committee.

Finally, the bill would require DHS to establish a program and application to allow removed veterans and their family members to be admitted back into the United States as lawful permanent residents and would direct the Department of Justice to reopen their removal cases.

Our noncitizen servicemembers have risked their lives serving our country.

For over a century, the United States has recognized the contributions that noncitizens make in the military. They deserve a clear path to citizenship for themselves and their spouses and children.

Over the past several years, programs to help facilitate these processes have diminished, and this lack of support from Federal Agencies has made it more difficult for noncitizen servicemembers to become U.S. citizens. Veterans who are unable to naturalize are at risk of deportation if they commit certain crimes and are forced to leave the country they served. Many of these individuals believe that they are citizens already due to their service and are shocked they are not, years later.

It is imperative that we work to protect our noncitizen veterans from deportation and that we bring back those veterans who were removed from the United States. These veterans have shown nothing but loyalty to the United States, and they deserve to stay here, receive their benefits, and live fulfilling lives alongside their family members.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Prevent Release of Toxics Emissions, Contamination, and Transfer Act. The PROTECT Act would add certain PFAS chemicals to the list of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

The Environmental Working Group recently identified nearly 30,000 potential industrial dischargers of PFAS into the air and water. Yet there are currently no restrictions on industrial PFAS discharges under the Clean Water Act or the Clean Air Act, leaving communities vulnerable to the devastating impacts of PFAS pollution.

While it is well documented how toxic PFAS chemicals are prevalent in the water supply, it is less well known that PFAS chemicals are also emitted into the air.

This legislation would add PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, and GenX to the list of hazardous air pollutants regulated under section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act. It would also direct the EPA to create a list of categories of major sources and area sources that emit PFAS within 2 years and give the EPA a 5-year deadline to finalize the subsequent regulations.

The EPA has acknowledged that ``air emissions of PFAS from industrial sources is now recognized as a significant route for PFAS releases to the environment and is evidenced by deposition as well as their presence in rainwater.'' Yet PFAS air emissions aren't currently regulated under the Clean Air Act or any other anti-pollution law.

Adding PFAS to the EPA's hazardous air pollutants list would build upon work done by States to limit air emissions from industrial facilities and greatly expand the number of facilities that would have to adopt technology to reduce PFAS emissions.

I thank my colead Senator Shaheen for her tireless leadership fighting PFAS contamination and protecting vulnerable communities and Congresswoman Stevens for successfully shepherding this legislation through the House.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the PROTECT Act as quickly as possible.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Prevent Release of Toxics Emissions, Contamination, and Transfer Act. The PROTECT Act would add certain PFAS chemicals to the list of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

The Environmental Working Group recently identified nearly 30,000 potential industrial dischargers of PFAS into the air and water. Yet there are currently no restrictions on industrial PFAS discharges under the Clean Water Act or the Clean Air Act, leaving communities vulnerable to the devastating impacts of PFAS pollution.

While it is well documented how toxic PFAS chemicals are prevalent in the water supply, it is less well known that PFAS chemicals are also emitted into the air.

This legislation would add PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, and GenX to the list of hazardous air pollutants regulated under section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act. It would also direct the EPA to create a list of categories of major sources and area sources that emit PFAS within 2 years and give the EPA a 5-year deadline to finalize the subsequent regulations.

The EPA has acknowledged that ``air emissions of PFAS from industrial sources is now recognized as a significant route for PFAS releases to the environment and is evidenced by deposition as well as their presence in rainwater.'' Yet PFAS air emissions aren't currently regulated under the Clean Air Act or any other anti-pollution law.

Adding PFAS to the EPA's hazardous air pollutants list would build upon work done by States to limit air emissions from industrial facilities and greatly expand the number of facilities that would have to adopt technology to reduce PFAS emissions.

I thank my colead Senator Shaheen for her tireless leadership fighting PFAS contamination and protecting vulnerable communities and Congresswoman Stevens for successfully shepherding this legislation through the House.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the PROTECT Act as quickly as possible.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act. This legislation would ensure that immigrants with criminal convictions do not face barriers to naturalization and experience unfair removals after their convictions have been dismissed, expunged, or pardoned by a Federal or State locality.

What the bill would do. The Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act is important in ensuring immigrants are not unjustly treated after receiving a criminal charge that never resulted in a conviction or after a previous conviction no longer stands.

Specifically, this bill would ensure that immigrants whose convictions have been overturned are not penalized when they are no longer considered valid in the court of conviction or for sentences that have been fully suspended by the sentencing court.

By redefining the term ``conviction'' in the Immigration and Nationality Act, this legislation also clarifies that any adjudication that is appealable or in which the court has issued a judicial recommendation against removal or probation without judgment will not count as a conviction.

The bill would apply retroactively to any conviction, adjudication, or judgement entered before, on, or after the enactment of this bill. Finally, it establishes that an immigrant cannot be removed on the basis of a conviction if the sentencing court issues a recommendation against removal to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Why the bill is needed. Under current law, rather than having access to many rehabilitative measures that are afforded in the criminal justice system, immigrants with dismissed criminal charges, suspended sentences, or criminal convictions that are no longer considered valid in the court of conviction still face severe consequences in the immigration court system.

Some of the immigration consequences that immigrants can face include unjust removals, mandatory detention, and barriers to naturalization.

It is imperative that we resolve this disparity between immigration and criminal law to prevent those immigrants with dismissed criminal charges or with convictions that are no longer considered valid in the court of conviction from continuing to face punitive immigration consequences.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act. This legislation would ensure that immigrants with criminal convictions do not face barriers to naturalization and experience unfair removals after their convictions have been dismissed, expunged, or pardoned by a Federal or State locality.

What the bill would do. The Fair Adjudications for Immigrants Act is important in ensuring immigrants are not unjustly treated after receiving a criminal charge that never resulted in a conviction or after a previous conviction no longer stands.

Specifically, this bill would ensure that immigrants whose convictions have been overturned are not penalized when they are no longer considered valid in the court of conviction or for sentences that have been fully suspended by the sentencing court.

By redefining the term ``conviction'' in the Immigration and Nationality Act, this legislation also clarifies that any adjudication that is appealable or in which the court has issued a judicial recommendation against removal or probation without judgment will not count as a conviction.

The bill would apply retroactively to any conviction, adjudication, or judgement entered before, on, or after the enactment of this bill. Finally, it establishes that an immigrant cannot be removed on the basis of a conviction if the sentencing court issues a recommendation against removal to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Why the bill is needed. Under current law, rather than having access to many rehabilitative measures that are afforded in the criminal justice system, immigrants with dismissed criminal charges, suspended sentences, or criminal convictions that are no longer considered valid in the court of conviction still face severe consequences in the immigration court system.

Some of the immigration consequences that immigrants can face include unjust removals, mandatory detention, and barriers to naturalization.

It is imperative that we resolve this disparity between immigration and criminal law to prevent those immigrants with dismissed criminal charges or with convictions that are no longer considered valid in the court of conviction from continuing to face punitive immigration consequences.

Mr. President, I want to join Chairman Cardin in calling attention to the unacceptable obstruction by our Republican colleagues who are doing nothing other than playing political games with the confirmation process.

Dilawar Syed is an outstanding and highly qualified nominee to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Syed brings decades of experience as a business leader and entrepreneur in a number of fields. He is a dedicated public servant who helped guide President Obama's support of Asian-American small business owners in the wake of the great recession, and he has served as the founding chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force.

He has earned support from business groups and on both sides of the aisle. Notably, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically announced their support for his nomination, citing his very impressive background.

In June of this year, two of our Republican colleagues joined the Democratic members of the Small Business Committee and voted to send Mr. Syed's nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. But, today, Republicans are refusing to allow the Senate to vote on his nomination. In so doing, they are also obstructing the work of the SBA itself--work that has never been more critical.

As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wrote back in April, ``It is essential for SBA's senior leadership team to be in place to deliver on the agency's COVID-19 small business emergency relief responsibilities.'' Again, critical.

Mr. Syed is ready to serve with dedication and skill as the SBA pursues its mission of supporting economic growth for entrepreneurs and working families. He is also ready to make history as the highest ranking Muslim official in any Presidential administration, and our Nation's hard-working small business owners urgently need his leadership.

My Republican colleagues who are playing these political games to obstruct this nomination are also blocking resources needed by their own constituents.

Let's end this, and I urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Mr. Syed.

Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Outdoors for All Act.

This legislation would ensure that access to local parks and outdoor recreation is equitable and available to all.

The Outdoors for All Act would codify and guarantee annual funding for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program, which provides grants to build new outdoor recreation spaces, improve existing parks, and form connections between underserved, urban communities and the outdoors.

It specifically invests in parks and open spaces in areas where 80 percent of Americans live. Any urban area with a population of at least 30,000 can qualify for grants, which can benefit residents in all 50 States.

These grants would fund projects in park-poor, urban communities, and the bill would require the National Park Service to prioritize projects that support underserved communities, provide job-training to youth, and leverage resources through public-private partnerships.

As our cities grow and the effects of climate change intensify, this bill will increase equitable access to the many benefits of local parks, from job creation, to shade and tree cover, to clean air.

Nationwide, 100 million people, including 28 million children, do not have a park within a half-mile of home. That is almost one third of America.

Additionally, in the 100 most populated cities, neighborhoods where most residents identify as Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Asian American and Pacific Islander have access to an average of 44 percent less park acreage than predominantly White neighborhoods.

For example, in Los Angeles, low-income communities and communities of color lack equal access to parks; a Los Angeles County survey found that Compton reported only 0.6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, in contrast to Malibu, which has 55.5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.

This bill would address this staggering inequity in Los Angeles and across the country and make equity and justice a key focus of park investment and planning.

I thank my colead Senator Collins and all of the bill's cosponsors for championing this effort with me in the Senate. I also thank Congresswoman Barragan for her steadfast dedication to park equity.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the Outdoors for All Act as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Mr. President, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Outdoors for All Act.

This legislation would ensure that access to local parks and outdoor recreation is equitable and available to all.

The Outdoors for All Act would codify and guarantee annual funding for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program, which provides grants to build new outdoor recreation spaces, improve existing parks, and form connections between underserved, urban communities and the outdoors.

It specifically invests in parks and open spaces in areas where 80 percent of Americans live. Any urban area with a population of at least 30,000 can qualify for grants, which can benefit residents in all 50 States.

These grants would fund projects in park-poor, urban communities, and the bill would require the National Park Service to prioritize projects that support underserved communities, provide job-training to youth, and leverage resources through public-private partnerships.

As our cities grow and the effects of climate change intensify, this bill will increase equitable access to the many benefits of local parks, from job creation, to shade and tree cover, to clean air.

Nationwide, 100 million people, including 28 million children, do not have a park within a half-mile of home. That is almost one third of America.

Additionally, in the 100 most populated cities, neighborhoods where most residents identify as Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Asian American and Pacific Islander have access to an average of 44 percent less park acreage than predominantly White neighborhoods.

For example, in Los Angeles, low-income communities and communities of color lack equal access to parks; a Los Angeles County survey found that Compton reported only 0.6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, in contrast to Malibu, which has 55.5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.

This bill would address this staggering inequity in Los Angeles and across the country and make equity and justice a key focus of park investment and planning.

I thank my colead Senator Collins and all of the bill's cosponsors for championing this effort with me in the Senate. I also thank Congresswoman Barragan for her steadfast dedication to park equity.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the Outdoors for All Act as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.