Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a loving husband, devoted father, award-winning attorney, and good friend, Jon C. Teller. Jon, a pinnacle in the Los Angeles trial attorney community, passed away much too soon this month after a courageous battle with cancer.

Jon was a celebrated Senior Trial Attorney at Wilshire Law Firm, known for his dedication to fighting large insurance corporations and holding them accountable. His excellent work at Wilshire led to his nomination for both Attorney of the Year by Consumer Attorneys of California in 2020, and Trial Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in 2022 and 2023. Perhaps most importantly, Jon maintained a reputation as someone who cared for those around him, always finding time to mentor fellow attorneys and share his knowledge and expertise. Jon believed that assisting fellow trial attorneys would help the most injured people receive the justice they deserved, and he dedicated his life to that belief.

Jon was also a beloved husband and father and is survived by his wife Rachie and their children Jordan, Nicky, and Ally. I have requested the United States flag to be flown over our Nation's Capital in recognition of Jon's life and contributions to his community. Jon will be dearly missed by his friends and family, and his legacy will continue in the minds of everyone who met him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1642, the Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act.

Small businesses can't thrive if they can't access a highly qualified workforce. This legislation will help small business owners connect with graduates of vocational programs and hire employees who can help their businesses thrive.

Talented graduates come out of vocational education programs in my district, like Coastline College in Fountain Valley, and have the skills that small businesses in Orange County need.

This bill will help ensure graduates of career and technical education programs find good-paying jobs that they are already trained for. It is pro-small business, pro-students, pro-workforce, and pro- economic growth. It is a win for everyone.

I am proud to co-lead H.R. 1642. I thank my colleagues, Chairman Williams and Congressmen Olszewski and Bresnahan, for their leadership in championing this important piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 787, the Plain Language in Contracting Act.

Far too often, bureaucratic barriers and complex government jargon prevent small business owners, especially veterans and immigrant entrepreneurs, from accessing and securing Federal contracting opportunities.

I consistently hear from small business owners in Orange County that the main reason they do not apply for Federal contracts is that the barriers to entry are simply too high.

H.R. 787 will address this barrier facing small business owners and mandate Federal agencies to use clear and accessible language in their contracting opportunities.

I am proud to co-lead this bill, and I thank the gentleman from Long Island (Mr. LaLota) for working with me to improve the SBA and simplify the Federal contracting process. Let's continue to empower local businesses and ensure that every entrepreneur has the opportunity to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this reckless attempt by Republicans to force through a reconciliation bill that makes life harder for the working families in California's 45th District.

My constituents deserve better than this budget. The American people deserve better than this budget. Republicans are taking money out of Americans' pockets and giving it to billionaires and big companies.

Over 250,000 people in my district rely on Medicaid, and over 100,000 of them are children and seniors. Nearly 40,000 children, seniors, veterans, and families in my district will have less food on their tables because of Republicans' cuts to SNAP.

Our constituents sent us here to fight for them. They are looking to us for answers, and all Republicans can offer are higher costs for less care. That is not okay with me. Our constituents deserve better.

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

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scott Franklin) as cosponsor of H.R. 1637.

Mr. Speaker, when attempting to cast my vote on April 29, 2025 for S. 146--the TAKE IT DOWN Act, my voting card did not properly record my vote. Had my voting card been functioning properly, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 104.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to mark the most solemn day of the year for the people of the Vietnamese diaspora.

Black April, Thang Tu Den, is not just a solemn day in history. It is a reminder of the day we lost everything--our homes, our livelihood, and our beloved country.

I am honored and humbled by the trust the Little Saigon community has placed in me as the first Vietnamese-American Congressman to represent the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the world. It is a privilege to share the story of my family and community with my colleagues in Congress and ensure that our history is never forgotten.

This is a painful day, a day for reflection, remembrance, and mourning.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in not only remembering the hardships we faced but also in celebrating the incredible resilience of the Vietnamese people.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to mark the most solemn time of the year for the people of the Vietnamese diaspora. ``Black April,'' ``Thang Tu Den,'' is not just a solemn day in history, but it is a reminder of the day when we lost everything: our homes, our livelihoods, and our beloved country.

It was 50 years ago, on April 30, 1975, that South Vietnam fell to the Communist regime. American troops airlifted 6,000 American and Vietnamese people to safety. Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees would follow, most of them boarding boats on uncharted waters, not knowing what awaited them on the other side of the journey.

In Vietnam, the conditions under the Communist regime grew more brutal. Many were imprisoned in concentration camps, losing not just their homes but their freedom, their dignity, and, in too many cases, their lives.

This is a painful day, a day for reflection, for remembrance, and for mourning. Over 58,000 United States soldiers and more than 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers gave their lives in service. These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice, and they deserve our continued and unwavering gratitude.

We mourn not only those who fought for freedom but the countless innocent lives lost during the war, those who perished at the hands of the Communist regime and the aftermath and the brave souls who were lost fleeing repression on boats. We have no choice but to honor those precious souls who were lost by giving the most we can to this life that we have been blessed with.

I share my own story with hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese Americans born to parents who fled our homeland with nothing. Boat people did not let the hardship of the journey define the life that they built in America. We have built communities that are unparalleled in strength, prosperity, and commitment to preserving our history.

Mr. Speaker, as we reflect on the past 50 years since the fall of Saigon, we do so in solemn remembrance but in celebration of what we have built together. From the ashes of war, we have risen.

We celebrate today the trailblazers who have risen from this legacy: generals and admirals in the U.S. military, award-winning scientists, titans of business, educators, doctors, and artists. Our community has nurtured leaders in all walks of life, turning adversity into opportunity in just five short decades.

Many of these people are children of refugees or refugees themselves, and they represent just a few of the countless contributions that Vietnamese Americans continue to make across every sector of society. Our journey from tragedy to triumph has only just begun, and the story of our people will continue to inspire generations to come.

As the first Vietnamese American to represent Orange County's Little Saigon community in Congress, I am humbled by the responsibility to carry this history forward. Little Saigon, home to the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the world, is a beacon of hope and a reminder of the resilience that has defined our community.

I stand on the shoulders of the Vietnamese leaders in California and across the country who have paved the way for future generations to succeed. I am proud to be the third Vietnamese American ever elected to Congress, following Congressman Joseph Cao of Louisiana and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Florida.

I am reminded every day of our strength, our determination, and our unyielding commitment to preserving our history and to ensuring that no Communist regime can rewrite our history.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in not only remembering the hardships we face, but also in celebrating the incredible resilience of the Vietnamese people. Let us honor the lives of those who sacrificed everything for freedom: The United States Army veterans and the veterans of the former Republic of Vietnam. As we commemorate this solemn milestone, let us reaffirm our commitment to the values that matter most: democracy, human rights, and our unshakeable will to be free.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark the beginning of the most solemn month of the year for Vietnamese Americans and diaspora. We refer to this month as Black April, or Thang Tu Den, because so many of us lost our homes, our livelihoods, and our country.

My own parents escaped brutal oppression at the hands of the Vietnamese Communist Government and came to this country seeking the freedom and democracy that had been ripped away from them in the country of their birth.

This year, we recognize the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. In the years since, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese Americans have built vibrant communities in the United States that have enriched our Nation and strengthened our communities.

By recognizing Black April, we honor those who sacrificed their lives for freedom, including members of the South Vietnamese military who fought alongside American allied forces. We also honor the immense hardships endured by the refugees as they embarked on the perilous journey to seek refuge and rebuild their lives.

I am so proud to be the first Vietnamese American to represent Orange County's Little Saigon community in Congress. Home to the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the world, Little Saigon is a beacon of hope and testament to the resiliency of our community.

I am proud to tell the story of our community on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to ensure that no communist regime can rewrite our history.

As we mark this solemn milestone, let us reaffirm our commitment to freedom and human rights and honor the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese diaspora.

Mr. Speaker, in 1787, after the Second Continental Congress, Benjamin Franklin was asked: Do we have a monarchy or a republic?

He solemnly replied: a republic, if you can keep it.

For nearly 250 years, those immortal words have lived at the heart of our Republic. Representative democracy is not just something that appears, it doesn't happen by accident, and it isn't maintained by sheer inertia. We have to fight each and every day to maintain it.

I am the child of refugees. My parents came to this country from Communist Vietnam in search of the very freedoms that had been ripped away from them in the country of their birth. I joined the Army when I was 18 years old because I wanted to protect the freedoms that have given me so much.

I fear that this President does not share this same commitment to our Republic. He seems not to care whether we keep it or not, as long as his personal political desires are met. This is a trying time for our Republic, and I invite my Republican colleagues and the rest of America to join me in fighting to keep our Republic.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding. I rise to urge my colleagues across the aisle to show some humanity and compassion to the thousands of veterans who have been recklessly dismissed from their civil service jobs at the political whim of this administration.

The men and women who serve our country deserve our unwavering support, not broken promises. The indiscriminate firing of veterans by the Trump administration and Elon Musk dishonors the unwavering commitment that these public servants have dedicated to our country. These heroes stepped up for us, and now we must stand up for them.

This issue is deeply personal to me. I am the son of Vietnamese refugees who fled war and persecution in search of safety and a better life in America. This country welcomed them and gave me the chance to succeed. I joined the Army out of a sense of duty to my country because I wanted to give back to the country that gave me so much. I wanted to protect the very principles of freedom, justice, and decency that we hold dear.

However, I don't see these values in the actions by the Trump administration. I see only chaos, fear, and cruelty.

I have a duty as a Congressman, a veteran, and a proud American to stand up for those who made the highest commitment to us. That is why last week I introduced my first bill, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, to reinstate veterans who were recklessly terminated without cause under the Trump administration's purge of the Federal workplace. My bill will also hold the executive branch accountable for any future terminations that may occur.

This isn't about politics. This is about basic decency. This is about treating our veterans with the dignity they deserve. Veterans make up over 30 percent of the Federal workforce, and when they are unjustly removed, it impacts all of us. From delays in healthcare services and disability claims to staffing shortages at the VA, the consequences for American families and servicemembers are dire.

Veterans have always had our backs. It is time we step up to have theirs. I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in opposing the previous question so that we can take up this important measure to restore the livelihoods of veterans who have served our country honorably and who have continued to do so through civilian service. Let's reverse course immediately and get these veterans their jobs back.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to announce that the first bill I will introduce as a Member of Congress is the Protect Veteran Jobs Act. The men and women who serve our country deserve our unwavering support, not broken promises.

The indiscriminate firing of veterans by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's DOGE dishonors the unwavering commitment that these public servants have dedicated to our country. These heroes stepped up for us, and now, we must stand up for them.

This issue is deeply personal to me. I am the son of Vietnamese refugees who fled war and persecution in search of safety and a better life in America. This country welcomed them and gave me the chance to succeed.

I joined the Army out of sense of duty to my country because I wanted to give back to the country that gave me so much. I wanted to protect the very principles of freedom, justice, and decency that we hold dear.

I don't see those values in the actions by the Trump administration. I see only division, fear, and cruelty.

I have a duty as a Congressman, as a veteran, and as a proud American to stand up for those who made the highest commitment to us. It is my honor

to introduce the Protect Veteran Jobs Act to reinstate veterans who were recklessly terminated under the Trump administration's dishonorable purge of the Federal workplace and hold the executive branch accountable for any future terminations that may occur.

This isn't about politics. This is about basic decency.

Veterans make up 30 percent of the Federal workplace, and when they are unjustly removed, it impacts all of us. From delays in healthcare and disability claims to staffing shortages at the VA, the consequences are dire.

Mr. Speaker, veterans have our backs, and we must have theirs. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this important bill. Veterans gave everything for us. It is time we give back to them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 832, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act.

This bipartisan bill would provide small businesses with improved access to international markets by expanding the function and duties of SBA's Office of Advocacy.

In particular, the bill authorizes the office to represent the views and interests of small businesses in international discussions and analyze international economic data for the benefit of America's small business owners.

As the world becomes more and more connected, participating in the global economy is vital to small businesses' success.

I proudly represent California's 45th Congressional District, an international hub for America's small businesses. Businesses in my district connect with diverse companies and international markets every day and are a dynamic part of the economic engine driving southern California. Over 90,000 small businesses call Orange County home, including many in Little Saigon, where exporting and importing goods and working with partners overseas is an important part of their success and allows them to grow.

This bill would ensure that small businesses have a strong voice advocating on their behalf regarding international matters and help us to better understand how international economies impact our Nation's small businesses.

I am proud to be a co-lead on this bill, and I thank Chairman Williams and Ranking Member Velazquez for working together to advance this bill to the floor, as well as my colleagues Congressman Van Drew from New Jersey and Congresswoman Goodlander from New Hampshire, for working with me to improve SBA's Office of Advocacy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to wish all those who celebrate a happy lunar new year. Lunar new year is observed by many Asian countries around the world, including the incredible east and southeast Asian communities in my district.

As the son of Vietnamese refugees, I represent Little Saigon in Orange County, California. I am especially

proud to don my ao dai today, which is traditional garb that is worn to celebrate special occasions such as Tet, the Vietnamese lunar new year. The ao dai represents our cultural identity and heritage.

Tet is a time to reflect on the past, to embrace new beginnings, and to eat a lot of really good food. It is a vibrant celebration brimming with parades, festivals, and firecrackers.

What is more, it is a celebration of family, tradition, and the enduring spirit of hope. It is a time to express kindness and well- wishes to each other.

So as the Vietnamese saying goes: ``Chuc mung nam moi. An khang thinh vuong va van su nhu y.''

(English translation of Vietnamese is as follows:

``Happy new year, wishing you peace and prosperity, and may all your wishes come true.'')

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deepest sympathies to the residents of Los Angeles County and Ventura County who have been impacted by the devastating wildfires in southern California. I deeply appreciate the firefighters, first responders, and local leaders who have been working tirelessly to battle these fires.

I was proud to join bipartisan Members of the California delegation in urging President Biden to grant a major disaster declaration for our State. These funds are urgently needed to help families that have lost everything in the wake of these wildfires.

I am truly appalled that some in Congress are seeking to impose political conditions on aid for wildfire victims in their time of need. It is cruel, and it is just not right.

What is more, I am here to remind all of my colleagues that California contributes far more in Federal tax revenue than it receives back in spending.

Mr. Speaker, in times of crisis, my home State has always been there to support other States unconditionally. Californians deserve the same disaster

relief without any political strings attached. Time is of the essence.