Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Faria Land and Cattle as they are awarded the 63rd Annual Farmers of the Year award by the Kiwanis Club of Tulare. The Faria Cousins--Steve, Rick, Mike, and Danny Jr.--were born into a family of farmers in Tulare. From early on in their lives they learned their craft from their fathers, Manuel Faria Jr. and Danny Faria Sr., who like them, learned from his father--Manuel Faria Sr.

Like many family farms in the Central Valley, Faria Land and Cattle was founded by Manuel Sr. after he immigrated to the U.S. from the Azores Islands of Portugal in 1920. The Cousins are the third generation of Faria farmers, carrying on the family business that has stood for more than a century in the Central Valley. Today, the Faria Cousins work together to manage the daily operations of the farm and dairy facilities.

Faria Land and Cattle produces a variety of commodities including wheat, oats, alfalfa, and almonds, and operates two dairies, as well as a custom calf ranch operation. Their commitment to providing high- quality products and services to the Central Valley community has been unwavering for more than 100 years.

In addition to their dedication to the family business, the Faria cousins are active members of the Tulare community, having volunteered on several boards of organizations that help to serve the local agricultural community. As the recipient of this year's award, the Faria Cousins are being recognized for their commitment to Central Valley agriculture and dedication to giving back to the community. The success of Faria Land and Cattle is a true testament to the Faria family's hard work and perseverance. I am confident that their work will continue to strengthen the Tulare agricultural community for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating Faria Land and Cattle as they are awarded the 63rd Annual Farmers of the Year Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Happy Trails Riding Academy as they celebrate their 40-year anniversary. Established in 1983 by T.J. Barreiro, Happy Trails Riding Academy is dedicated to serving individuals with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. For four decades, their devoted staff and volunteers have provided equine-assisted services to children, adults, and military veterans, offering a unique alternative to conventional therapies. Happy Trails Riding Academy is the only full accredited therapeutic riding center in the San Joaquin Valley. Participants from across the San Joaquin Valley, including those living with autism spectrum disorder, brain injuries, cerebral palsy, sight and hearing impairments, and posttraumatic stress disorder, have benefited immensely from Happy Trails' programs. Equine-assisted therapy provides numerous physical, psychological, and social benefits to riders. Happy Trails collaborates with several national and regional non-profit organizations, such as the Wounded Warrior Program, VA Direct Services, United Ways of Tulare and Kings Counties, Quail Park Memory Care Unit, Central Valley Regional Center, and Tulare County Health & Human Services. Through these partnerships, they provide a nurturing environment for individuals with disabilities to improve their overall well-being and gain independence.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating Happy Trails Riding Academy on their 40-year anniversary. Their unwavering commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities in the Central Valley will have a lasting impact for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the WestCare Foundation on their 50-year anniversary and thank them for their significant contributions to the Central Valley. For decades, WestCare has played a vital role in delivering essential health programs and services to communities across the nation. Since their founding, WestCare has remained steadfast in its commitment to providing individuals and families with the care they need to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. In the Central Valley, WestCare California provides essential services to youth, veterans, the homeless, and other vulnerable populations. WestCare California is passionate about supporting individuals that struggle with substance abuse. Through its adult residential and outpatient services in both Fresno and Bakersfield, as well as their Adolescent Services outpatient programs in Hanford and Corcoran, WestCare California delivers comprehensive counseling, education classes, relapse prevention, job assistance and family support services. The organization is also dedicated to serving Central Valley veterans through its San Joaquin Valley Veterans (SJVV) program. The SJVV program provides transitional living facilities for all veterans, as well as drop-in locations throughout the Central Valley that offer housing services, job assistance, supportive care, and referrals. WestCare California also addresses homelessness through its Veteran's Plaza and

HomeFront programs, providing home and case management services for individuals for up to two years. These initiatives are crucial in ensuring that Central Valley veterans receive the care and support they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the WestCare Foundation on their 50-year anniversary. Their work to improve access to healthcare in the Central Valley will be felt for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, California is in its second consecutive wet year.

Every major reservoir in our State is above the 15-year average, and our snowpack in the Sierras is at more than 100 percent of average for this time of year.

These conditions should mean that our farmers and communities are finally getting the water deliveries that they desperately need after years of drought.

Sadly, that is not the case.

Central Valley Project contractors rely on meaningful allocations from the Bureau of Reclamation for their yearly planning, including the type of crops they will plant and when.

Despite these favorable conditions, our South-of-Delta farmers were still not allocated 100 percent of the water they contract and pay for this year from Reclamation.

In February, our South-of-Delta farmers were allocated just 15 percent of their contracted supply. In March, these numbers were updated to 35 percent. Just last week, these allocations were bumped to 40 percent, a mere 5-percent increase, with no real explanation or transparency on the decisionmaking process.

A 5-percent increase is insufficient for our family farms and downstream communities who rely on meaningful allocations from Reclamation to grow the food that feeds the world.

California grows a quarter of our Nation's food, so these allocations are critical to the fate of our Nation's food supply.

I urge Reclamation to significantly increase the allocations for South-of-Delta water contractors so our communities can meet the Nation's food supply needs.

Food security is national security, and our ability to grow food for the Nation will not survive without a reliable water supply for South- of-Delta agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Mr. Rodney Brumit for his dedicated service to the Kings County community and to congratulate him on his well-earned retirement as principal of Lemoore High School. Mr. Brumit was born in Hanford to a family of educators. After graduating from Hanford High School where his father was a teacher, Mr. Brumit earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Fresno State University. Mr. Brumit furthered his education at Fresno Pacific University, having completed both the Principals and Superintendents Academies. Mr. Brumit began his 25-year career in education as a history teacher at Coalinga High School. He later became the school's Dean of Students and assistant principal. In 2003, Mr. Brumit became Lemoore High School's assistant principal. After five years as assistant principal, Mr. Brumit was selected as principal, where he would lead a faculty of more than 200 employees and 2,000 students annually. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Brumit was dedicated to the success and well-being of all students at Lemoore High School. He was actively involved in numerous aspects of the school's operation, having served as the Director of the School Attendance Review Boards, a member of the negotiations team, and as a Special Education administrator. In addition to his achievements as principal, Mr. Brumit was steadfast in his commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable students in the community. Mr. Brumit worked hard to implement gang resistance programs with the King's County Sheriff's Office, bring the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California program to Lemoore, and create the social and emotional intervention model in coordination with the Kings County Office of Education. Mr. Brumit's dedication to the students at Lemoore High School is a true testament to his character. While he will be missed as principal, I am confident that Mr. Brumit's leadership will have a lasting impact on the Lemoore High School community for years to come. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Mr. Rodney Brumit for his service to Lemoore High School. I wish him a happy and well- deserved retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my bill, the Right-of-Way Application and Transparency Accountability Act.

The bill makes a commonsense reform to our broken Federal permitting process. Right now, there is no required timeline for Federal agencies to respond to right-of-way applications of projects on Federal lands. That means hundreds of these applications are just stuck in permitting purgatory instead of moving forward.

The time spent waiting for answers on these applications is a significant and preventable bottleneck. This wasted time is hindering domestic energy production, rural development, new roads, and so much more.

My bill would fix this by requiring Federal agencies to notify right- of-way applicants if their application is complete within 90 days of receiving it.

Notifying applicants about their status of their right-of-way application in a timely manner is a very basic step that will make the permitting process more efficient and transparent.

We cannot continue to let permitting red tape kill these infrastructure projects. We must reform the Federal permitting process so we can better utilize our domestic energy resources, expand rural broadband, build roads, and ultimately create more jobs here at home.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill, and I thank the chairwomen for their support.

Mr. Speaker, after years of exceptional drought, California is in a second consecutive wet year. Every major reservoir in our State is above the 15-year average, and our snowpack in the Sierras is at more than 100 percent of average for this time of year.

This is all good news, but even with the current abundance of water, the South-of-Delta farmers are still not allocated 100 percent of the water they contract and pay for. This is unacceptable.

Central Valley Project contractors rely on meaningful allocations from the Bureau of Reclamation for their yearly planning, including the types of crops they will plant and when.

California grows a quarter of the Nation's food, and these allocations are critical to the fate of our Nation's food supply.

My farmers and communities have endured disproportionately low water allocations for many years, with contractors receiving well below their contracted supply even during wet years.

I urge the Bureau of Reclamation to increase these allocations for South-of-Delta water contractors to reflect the record wet year that we are seeing right now. Our ability to grow food for the Nation will not survive without reliable water supply for South-of-Delta agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Mrs. Amy Bush for her dedicated service to the Hanford community and to congratulate her on her well-earned retirement as Head Coach of the Sierra Pacific High School Girls Basketball Team. Mrs. Bush, a teacher at Kings River Hardwick Elementary School in Hanford, became the Head Coach of the Sierra Pacific High School Girls Basketball program in 2015. Under her leadership, the Golden Bears have won an impressive 213 games and maintained a winning percentage of almost 80 percent. Over the past nine seasons, the Golden Bears have also earned two undefeated Tri- County Conference Championships and six East Sequoia League Championships. In 2017, the team won their first California Interscholastic Federal (CIF) Section Championship and advanced to the CIF Semi-Finals. Just one year later, Mrs. Bush led the team to victory at the CIF State Southern Regional and Division V State Championships-- the first in Sierra Pacific High School's history. During her tenure, Mrs. Bush has received numerous awards to recognize her accomplishments as Head Coach. In 2018, she was named the Cal-Hi Sports Division V State Coach of the Year. Two years later, she earned the CIF Central Section National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coach of the Year and was nominated for Federation's State NFHS Coach of the Year. This season, Mrs. Bush has been honored as the Tri-County Conference Co-Coach of the Year. In addition to her achievements on the court, Mrs. Bush has worked hard to ensure the Golden Bears are active in the Central Valley community. Over the years, the team has put together several donation drives to support local residents, including drives to support the families of fallen firefighters and police officers. The team also volunteers every year at the Episcopal Church of the Savior Parish Soup Kitchen. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the team donated food items to the Kings Pantry to give back to local families. The success of the Sierra Pacific High School Girls Basketball Team is a true testament to Mrs. Bush's character and dedication to the program. While she will be missed as Head Coach, I am confident that her leadership will have a lasting impact on the Golden Bears for years to come. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Mrs. Amy Bush for her dedication to the Sierra Pacific High School Girls Basketball Team and the Central Valley. I wish her a happy and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mayor Olivia Trujillo, who passed away on March 3, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. She was 67 years old. Mayor Trujillo was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and at the age of five, her family immigrated to Arvin, California. During her summers, she worked alongside her family harvesting fruits and vegetables in the fields of the San Joaquin Valley, learning the values of hard work and perseverance from a young age. Mayor

Trujillo attended Sierra Vista Elementary, Haven Drive Middle School, and Arvin High School, and was involved in numerous activities in the Arvin community during her childhood. Mayor Trujillo dedicated her life to serving the Arvin community for more than 60 years. She served as the Vice-President of the Arvin Chamber of Commerce from 2013 to 2018, Chair of the Arvin City Planning Commission from 2015 to 2018, and was a member of the Arvin City Council from 2016 to 2018. In 2020, she was elected as the Mayor of the City of Arvin. As the first woman, Latina, and immigrant in this position, her election represented a significant milestone in our community's history. During her tenure, Mayor Trujillo was deeply committed to serving the community's most vulnerable, including the youth, senior, and homeless populations. She was instrumental in bringing new jobs to the city, improving resources for the homeless population, and leading domestic violence awareness campaigns. She significantly expanded various services for Arvin residents, including the new Bakersfield College Arvin Campus, the first Urgent Care Center and food bank, and the Arvin Kiwanis Club for youth leadership development. Mayor Trujillo was a trailblazing leader, passionate about the well-being of all residents of the community. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the incredible life of Mayor Olivia Trujillo. Her service to the Arvin community will be felt for generations to come. My thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, due to a family emergency, I was not present for today's votes on amendments to H.R. 2799, the Motion to Recommit, and final passage of H.R. 2799. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 73, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 74, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 75, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 76, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 77, and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 78.

Mr. Chair, due to a family emergency, I was not present for today's votes on H.R. 7511 and H.R. 3843, as well as the amendments to H.R. 2799. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 66, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 67, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 68, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 69, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 70, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 71, and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 72.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Glen Stephens for his dedicated service to the Kern County community and to congratulate him on his well-earned retirement from the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District. Mr. Glen Stephens' career in air quality control and passion for public health began more than thirty years ago when he became an Air Quality Engineer for the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District. In 1992, he joined the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and two years later, returned to work for Eastern Kern County. In 2012, Mr. Stephens was appointed to serve as Air Pollution Control Officer by the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District Board. During his tenure as Air Pollution Control Officer, Mr. Stephens has worked to expand the Tehachapi field office to solve staff members and the District's Board of Directors, deployed additional air monitors throughout Kern County to improve air quality, and advocated for cost-of-living wage increases for his staff. Mr. Stephens has also used his expertise to help numerous solar projects navigate the rulemaking and permitting processes. Throughout his career, Mr. Stephens has been steadfast in his commitment to promoting clean air for all residents of the community. He has used his decades of experience to support rural communities and work with local stakeholders to address complex air quality issues and find common sense solutions. He has also strived to engage community members on the importance of air quality and preserving the character of rural communities across the Valley. His dedication to his colleagues, his work, and his community is a true testament to his character. I know that his service to our Central Valley community will have a lasting impact for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Mr. Glen Stephens for his decades of service to the Central Valley and wishing him a happy and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Mr. Frank Bebereia on his 100th birthday and thank him for his service to our Nation. Mr. Bebereia was born in Laton, California on February 22nd, 1924 to Emily Gonzalez and Manuel Bebereia. He grew up in the Central Valley and attended Lemoore High School. Following his graduation, Mr. Laton spent time as a farmer in Hanford before being drafted to serve in World War II. After completing Army boot camp in 1945, he was deployed to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. During his service, Mr. Bebereia was a member of the 43rd Engineer Construction Battalion, 27th Division. He served in Okinawa, Japan as a Heavy Equipment Operator and quickly moved up the leadership ranks--even being promoted to Sergeant after only 7 months of deployment. Mr. Bebereia received in many awards and recognitions to honor his service during the war, including the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, and Army Good Conduct Medal. His fellow soldiers often spoke about their time serving with Mr. Bebereia, remembering him as a capable, strong, and fearless leader. Mr. Bebereia was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1946. Following his service in the war, Mr. Bebereia returned to the Central Valley where he's spent most of his life. Today, we honor Mr. Bebereia's service to our country, commitment to his family, and dedication to the Kings County community. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the incredible life of Mr. Frank Bebereia and wishing him a happy 100th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. William Lynch for his dedicated service to the Kings County community and to congratulate him on his well-earned retirement from the Kings County Fire Department.

Mr. Lynch's passion for the fire service began 40 years ago as a volunteer firefighter for Kings County Fire Department. After a few years with the department, Mr. Lynch joined the Hanford Fire Department as a professional firefighter. He quickly moved up the leadership ranks, and was promoted to Captain in 1995, Assistant Chief Fire Marshal in 2004, and Deputy Chief in 2008. In 2011, Mr. Lynch was named Kings County Fire Chief following 24 years of dedicated service with the Hanford Fire Department. After his retirement from the department in 2016, he returned as the Fire Chief in 2020. Over the course of his career, Mr. Lynch has received many professional certifications by the California State Fire Marshal's Office, including Fire Instructor, Fire Investigator, and Fire Prevention Officer. Mr. Lynch has served as an instructor of fire technology at College of the Sequoias, as well as an instructor of hazardous materials for the California Standardized Training Institute, where he teaches students the skills required to protect their communities from fire hazards and other dangers. Throughout his entire career, and in his many different roles, Mr. Lynch continually demonstrated his commitment to ensuring the safety of our community. Mr. Lynch's decades of service to his community serve as a true testament to his character and leadership abilities. I am confident the impact he has left on the Kings County Fire Department and the broader Central Valley community will be felt by generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Lynch for his decades of service to the Central Valley and wishing him a happy and well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Jack Amoroso for his dedicated service to the Kings County community and to congratulate him on his well-earned retirement from the Hanford Police Department.

Mr. Amoroso was born and raised in San Francisco and moved to the Central Valley in 1974 to attend College of the Sequoias, where he played baseball. His passion for law enforcement was inspired by his father, who retired as the Deputy Chief of Police of the San Francisco Police Department. Mr. Amoroso's career in law enforcement began in 1979 at the Hanford Police Department, where he earned two stripes and was promoted to Sergeant. In 1988, Mr. Amoroso became the Swat Team Leader and Range Master at the Kings County Sherrif's Office. During his time at the Sherrif's office, Mr. Amoroso was awarded the Medal of Valor to honor his bravery while protecting the Corcoran community and was later promoted to Commander. In 2009, he retired as Commander and was sworn in as the Police Chief of the Avenal Police Department. During his tenure as Police Chief, Mr. Amoroso was steadfast in his commitment to reducing violent crime, leading the department to reduce the city's gang crime rate by nearly 80 percent. In 2023--more than 40 years after he was first hired by the department--Mr. Amoroso returned to the Hanford Police Department, this time as its Interim Police Chief.

In addition to his more than 35 years as a law enforcement officer, Mr. Amoroso has served for decades as an instructor at the Tulare-Kings Counties Police Academy, where he teaches young recruits the skills, responsibilities, and dedication required of future Central Valley law enforcement officers. From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Amoroso served as the Academy's Director. It is because of the dedication of public servants like Mr. Amoroso that our future law enforcement officers are prepared to protect our Central Valley communities. Mr. Amoroso's dedication to his colleagues, his work, and his community is a true testament to his character and leadership. I know that his service to the Department and his commitment to the safety of Kings County will have a lasting impact for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Mr. Amoroso for his decades of service to the Central Valley and wishing him a happy and well-deserved retirement.