Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and votes on H.R. 2792, H.R. 2795, and H.R. 2796. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 238, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 239, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 240.

Mr. Speaker, on October 1, 2017, my district experienced the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history after a gunman opened fire at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas.

Mr. Speaker, 58 lives were lost and two victims have died since then. The shooter injured thousands, and more than 800 survivors sustained severe injuries and unimaginable trauma that stays with them the rest of their lives.

In the years that followed, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, under the leadership of the Honorable Barbara Buckley, became a model for cities across the country grappling with this same kind of hardship.

My office took notice, and I pushed for and eventually got $3 million in Federal funding to help build and develop a Vegas Strong Resiliency Center to continue serving these victims.

Tennille Pereira, its executive director, was on the Hill today to accept an award from the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus.

I nominated them for that award because we see the effects of their work in our community every day--for every survivor persevering through this lingering trauma and for every grieving family member who has lost a loved one. This center has helped keep Vegas strong and moving forward.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H. Con. Res. 15, which authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 42nd Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition.

As the ranking member of the subcommittee that oversees our public buildings, it is my honor to carry this resolution alongside subcommittee chair, Mr. Perry.

The memorial service, which will be held on May 15, will be coordinated with the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police, and it will honor 557 officers whose names will be added to the memorial, including 9 from Nevada.

The memorial will also continue to recognize the sacrifice of law enforcement during the pandemic as they served among the millions of frontline and essential workers who day in and day out risked their lives and their families' safety to keep us safe while we slowed the spread of that deadly virus.

We cannot bring back those that we have lost, but we can honor the sacrifice they made to keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities safe.

I note the officers from southern Nevada who made the ultimate sacrifice: Bailiff Gerald ``Bear'' Smith served in the Pahrump Justice Court since 2009, and he is remembered for his constant compassion and going out of his way to do anything he could to help the people of Pahrump.

Bailiff Smith passed away on January 18, 2021, from complications as a result of contracting COVID in the line of duty.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officer Closi, Philip Closi, who served in the department for 21 years, including working closely with local students as part of the DARE program. He previously served as a firefighter and paramedic.

Officer Closi passed away on August 11, 2021, from complications, again, as a result of contracting COVID in the line of duty.

Sergeant Douglas King served 17 years in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and prior to his death was set to receive the department's Medal of Honor for placing himself in danger to save the life of a domestic violence victim.

On August 23, 2021, Sergeant King passed away from complications as a result of contracting COVID in the line of duty.

Senior Federal Air Marshal Shawn Hennessee was a member of the Federal

Air Marshal Service for nearly 19 years and spent an additional 13 years serving in the U.S. Air Force.

Based out of the Las Vegas field office, he dedicated his life to protecting passengers and crew from threats to their safety in the skies.

Federal Air Marshal Hennessee passed away on August 26, 2021, from complications as a result of contracting COVID in the line of duty.

Police Officer Edward Contreras served the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for over 15 years, in addition to his service in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was deployed to both Somalia and Iraq.

Officer Contreras passed away on September 28, 2021, from complications as a result of contracting COVID in the line of duty.

Special U.S. Deputy Marshal Jose Gomez was a United States Marine Corps Reserve veteran who served with the United States Marshals Service for 22 years.

While serving at the Lloyd D. George Courthouse in Las Vegas, Special Deputy Gomez contracted COVID-19 in the line of duty and passed away on February 6, 2022.

This was a cruel disease that took away many of our very brave frontline law enforcement and emergency responders.

Detective Justin Terry humbly served in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for nearly 21 years and was committed to protecting children in the community from sexual assault and abuse.

A sworn task force officer with the U.S. Marshals Office, Detective Terry passed away on June 10, 2022, after a tragic accident in the northwest valley.

Police Officer Truong Thai was proud to be a Vietnamese-American officer in Las Vegas. A 23-year veteran of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, he dedicated his time on patrol and served in the financial crimes unit and mentored countless new recruits.

On October 13, 2022, Officer Thai was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call.

My condolences are with the families and loved ones of these brave public servants and all of those who are mourning the loss of the 557 courageous men and women whose duty and sacrifice will be commemorated at this year's memorial.

I urge the House to join me in supporting this tribute to our fallen law officers. It is the least that we can do.

Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying that this is a very fitting thing for us to do here on the Capitol Grounds, and I hope that all our colleagues will join Mr. Perry and me in voting in favor of this memorial service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life and legacy of Judy Heumann, an internationally recognized activist and trailblazer who I am also fortunate enough to have called a friend.

As a young girl in a wheelchair, Judy was denied entry to her local public high school because she was considered a ``fire hazard.''

Years later after graduating from college with a degree in education, she was again discriminated against and denied the opportunity to teach. She challenged the city in court and went on to become the first teacher in a wheelchair in New York.

Her passion for justice and inclusion persisted throughout her lifetime. I was honored to work with her to craft and pass disability legislation of my own in recent years.

Judy once said: ``Disability only becomes a tragedy when society fails to provide the things we need to save lives.''

I will continue to pursue disability advocacy in Congress with her quote and her legacy top of mind and close to heart.

Madam Speaker, I rise to discuss the Protecting America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act which the Republicans brought to the floor today to fix a mistake that their leadership in the 114th Congress made. You wouldn't know that, Madam Speaker, to hear them talking today of blaming other people and not themselves.

Back then, 235 Republicans voted to end our country's 40-year-long crude oil export ban. When they did that, Trump took full advantage of it, and under his administration over 391 million barrels went to China. Now they want to rewrite history. You can't rewrite the history. The evidence is there.

This bill was a step in the right direction. But like my colleague from Ohio said earlier: It doesn't go far enough.

Why don't we extend this ban to North Korea, Iran, and Russia?

That way we can prevent all our adversaries and not just China from using our oil to our disadvantage.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Disaster Survivors Fairness Act which I introduced to address housing needs for victims in the aftermath of disasters.

In June, my subcommittee held an informal roundtable with stakeholders to identify post-disaster housing needs when it comes to emergency management and what the government can do to be helpful.

It is no surprise that climate change and the related severe weather events are changing the emergency management landscape. Today's disasters cause more damage, they have greater impacts on communities, they are more expensive, and they require more time to recover.

This legislation will cut red tape by providing States more flexibility to pursue the most appropriate post-disaster housing solutions for them, for their locations, for their geography, and for their demography.

It will deliver valuable resources to those in need by expanding eligibility for hazard mitigation assistance. It will provide oversight to ensure assistance is not being prioritized for wealthy homeowners and that everyone will benefit from the program. It will save taxpayer dollars by reducing the need for long-term sheltering that can cost FEMA upwards of $300,000 per unit. We all remember the pictures of the trailers after Katrina.

So, Madam Speaker, I believe that this is commonsense legislation, it is broadly supported, and I ask my colleagues to vote for it. I thank the chair for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, this week I was proud to join President Biden at the White House for the signing ceremony of S. 2293, the Civilian Reservist Emergency Workforce (CREW) Act, which is the Senate companion to legislation I introduced to protect Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reservists from losing their fulltime employment when they are called to assist communities during disasters.

Right now, we are continuing to see wildfires burning in the West and are in the middle of hurricane season which is causing tremendous damage on the East Coast with Hurricane Ian. These disasters are becoming deadlier and costlier due to climate change, and we need to have a FEMA reservist workforce ready to respond when communities need it most.

Unlike military reserves, FEMA's workforce is not afforded employment protections during deployment. When these men and women are answering the call of duty, they shouldn't be worried about losing their means of income.

That's why I introduced bipartisan legislation to guarantee these employment protections to the FEMA reservist workforce.

This will not only give reservists peace of mind while they are responding to communities in need, but it will also bolster FEMA's long-term recruitment and retention efforts that will better prepare our country for future disasters.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of my legislation to strengthen the U.S. travel and tourism industry at a time when it is needed most.

Las Vegas welcomes nearly 43 million visitors annually from around the world. My Visit America Act will ensure tourism is at the table when we consider national economic policy.

Currently, the United States is the only member of the G20 that does not have a Cabinet-level or equivalent position focused on tourism.

My bill creates an Assistant Secretary position at the Department of Commerce specifically charged with strengthening the United States travel and tourism industry. This department will work with other agencies to coordinate a comprehensive tourism strategy and help position cities like Las Vegas to serve as hosts for large meetings, conferences, and exhibitions.

Having a position at the Department of Commerce to oversee travel and tourism will not only help insulate Southern Nevada's regional economy from future economic shocks but also better position the U.S. travel economy in the age of global competitiveness.

I look forward to working with the new Assistant Secretary to bolster our hospitality industry and let the world know the U.S. is a great place to visit, to work, and to play.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and congratulate the Las Vegas Aces on winning the Women's National Basketball Association Championship this past Sunday.

On September 18, 2022, the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun, 78-71, in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. The Aces won the championship three games to one and secured the first major professional sports championship in the history of the city of Las Vegas.

Even before the playoffs, the Aces had an incredible season, led by rookie head coach Becky Hammon, who became the first former WNBA player and rookie head coach to win the WNBA Championship.

Every member of the team, including Kiersten Bell, Sydney Colson, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, Theresa Plaisance, Kelsey Plum, Iliana Rupert, Aisha Sheppard, Kiah Stokes, Riquna Williams, A'ja Wilson, and Jackie Young, were critical to the success of the Aces this year.

Since coming to Las Vegas in 2018, the Aces have played well, but unfortunately, up until now they were unable win it all.

In 2020, during the COVID shortened season and without key players due to injury, the team still made the WNBA Finals but were ultimately turned back.

In 2021, the team seemed set for greatness, but, unfortunately, fell short in heartbreaking fashion in game five of the Western Conference Finals.

In the lead up to the 2022 season, the team lost key players to free agency and former coach Bill Laimbeer retired, but the organization shifted its focus and approach and took the league by storm.

Fueled by prolific three-point shooting, the Aces dominated the regular season, and ended with a league best record of 26-10, securing Commissioner's Cup as well.

Heading into the playoffs, the team was primed for success, having overcome so much adversity over the last few seasons.

Guided by forward A'ja Wilson, who won this year's regular season Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All- WNBA honors, fellow All-WNBA honors guard Kelsey Plum and WNBA Most Improved Player Jackie Young, the Las Vegas Aces dominated the playoffs.

In the finals, Chelsea Gray delivered a tremendous performance, averaging 18 points per game in the series and winning WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player. In the championship-clinching game Riquna Williams scored a crucial 17 points, with her incredible three-point shooting, to lift the Aces to victory.

Following this victory, Aces players Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and A'ja Wilson, who competed and won gold medals for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021,joined an exclusive club of players who have won both Olympic gold and the WNBA Championship.

So, in closing I want to again congratulate owner Mark Davis who, through continued investment and support, has put women's basketball on the map in Las Vegas; Coach

Becky Hammon; all the amazing players, directed by the fabulous A'ja Wilson; and the entire Las Vegas Aces organization led by its president, Nikki Fargas, and general manager, Natalie Williams. Congratulations on this tremendous achievement.

The City of Las Vegas and all of Southern Nevada are extremely proud of the Aces. They certainly raised the stakes and hit the jackpot.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and congratulate the Las Vegas Aces on winning the Women's National Basketball Association Championship this past Sunday.

On September 18, 2022, the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun 78-71 in game four of the WNBA finals. The Aces won the championship three games to one and secured the first major professional sports championship in the history of the city of Las Vegas.

Even before the playoffs, the Aces had an incredible season led by rookie head coach Becky Hammon, who became the first former NBA player and rookie head coach to win the NBA championship.

Every member of the team, including Kiersten Bell, Sydney Colson, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, Theresa Plaisance, Kelsey Plum, Iliana Rupert, Aisha Sheppard, Kiah Stokes, Riquna Williams, A'ja Wilson, and Jackie Young was critical to the success of the Aces this year.

Since coming to Las Vegas in 2018, the Aces have played well, but, unfortunately, up until now they were unable to win at all.

In 2020, during the COVID-shortened season and without key players due to injury, the team still made the WNBA finals but were ultimately turned back.

In 2021, the team was set for greatness, but, unfortunately, fell short in heartbreaking fashion in game five of the Western Conference Finals.

In the lead-up to the 2022 season, the team lost key players to free agency, and former coach Bill Laimbeer retired, but the organization shifted its focus and approach and took the league by storm.

Led by prolific three-point shooting, the Aces dominated the regular season and ended with a league best record of 26-10, securing the Commissioner's Cup along the way.

Heading into the playoffs, the team was primed for success.

Led by forward A'ja Wilson, who won this year's regular season Most Valuable Player, also Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All- WNBA honors, fellow All-WNBA honors guard Kelsey Plum, and WNBA Most Improved Player Jackie Young, the Las Vegas Aces dominated the playoffs.

In the finals, Chelsea Gray delivered a tremendous performance, averaging 18 points per game in the series and winning the WNBA finals Most Valuable Player. In the championship-clinching game, Riquna Williams scored a crucial 17 points, with her incredible three-point shooting, to lift the Aces to victory.

Following this victory, Aces players Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and A'ja Wilson, who competed and won gold medals for the United States in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, joined an exclusive club of players who won both Olympic gold and the WNBA championship.

In closing, I congratulate owner Mark Davis who, through continued investment and caring, has put women's basketball on the map in Las Vegas; Coach Becky Hammon; all the amazing players, led by the A'ja Wilson; and the entire Las Vegas organization led by its president, Nikki Fargas, and general manager, Natalie Williams. Congratulations on this tremendous achievement.

The city of Las Vegas and all of southern Nevada are extremely proud of the Aces. They certainly raised the stakes and hit the jackpot.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of S. 2293, the Civilian Reservist Emergency Workforce, or CREW, Act, appropriately named, which is the Senate companion to legislation I introduced to protect FEMA reservists. It would protect them from losing their full- time employment when they are called up to assist our communities during and after disasters.

FEMA reservists have in the past and continue to step up time and time again when communities need help in the wake of severe storms, wildfires, and other climate events. We also saw them on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike military reservists, however, FEMA's workforce is not afforded employment protections during deployment. When these men and women are answering the call of duty, they shouldn't have to worry about losing their means of income back home where they can take care of their own families.

I am proud to lead the House companion to this bill along with my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko). I thank him for his leadership, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I rise in support of S. 4205, the Planning for Animal Wellness, or PAW Act. This is the Senate companion to legislation I introduced along with Chairman DeFazio to help protect our beloved pets during disasters.

When preparing for and responding to disasters, animal welfare often is not taken into consideration. Sadly, some owners make the risky decision of refusing to evacuate in order to stay with their pets. We have seen heartbreaking pictures of people on their roofs during floods clinging to their animals, along with their children and a few household possessions.

The PAW Act establishes a FEMA advisory group to align agency guidance with current best practices in animal welfare for emergency preparedness. This will ensure first responders and Federal disaster response workers can help pet owners plan to keep every member of their family, even the furry and feathered ones, safe during a disaster.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. I also thank Senators Peters and Johnson for their leadership on this in the other Chamber. I urge your vote in support.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, based on the bipartisan backing in the House and the Senate, I think it is appropriate to say we can call this bill a bright idea. It will make public buildings more energy efficient and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent as judiciously as possible.

Simply put, the BRIGHT Act directs the GSA to procure the most life cycle cost-effective and energy-efficient lighting in public buildings to the extent practicable.

Recognizing that each installation is unique, and that technology is ever changing, this bill doesn't endorse, nor does it prohibit any specific technology, but rather, guides the GSA to purchase and pursue the most efficient option which will save millions when fully implemented.

For example, simply replacing compact fluorescent downlight lamps and linear fluorescent lamps with LEDs could save taxpayers up to $15.6 million every year.

I am proud to sponsor the House companion to this House Resolution that is led by Senators Peters and Johnson. It promotes taxpayer savings at all levels of government and is good for the planet.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot of talk today about the Constitution. Well, when the Founding Fathers wrote the Second Amendment these kind of weapons didn't even exist. They had muskets and flintlock pistols that could fire three or four shots in a minute, on a good day; and they weren't very accurate at all.

The Founding Fathers did not know or anticipate these weapons of mass destruction that shooters use to kill as many innocent people as brutally and quickly as possible; and that is exactly what they did in my district on October 1, 2017, when you had 60 people shot at a concert.

I urge my colleagues on the other side to have the courage to stand up to the NRA and support this legislation. It is common sense; it is necessary; and it will prevent mass shootings and save lives.

Mr. Chair, I was absent from the floor and missed the vote on Bipartisan En Bloc No. 7 To H.R. 8294. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 379, En Bloc No. 7 to H.R. 8294 on agreeing to the DeLauro amendment.

Stated against: