Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two El Monte police officers, Corporal Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, killed in the line of duty on Tuesday night. The two officers were fatally injured while investigating a domestic violence call.

Corporal Paredes started his career with the El Monte Police Department as a full-time officer in July 2000. Prior to being appointed corporal, he worked on specialized assignments. Corporal Paredes is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

Officer Santana began his law enforcement career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department as a deputy sheriff. After 3 years, he accepted a position as a police officer in the city of El Monte, allowing Santana to serve his hometown. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and twin boys.

Our hearts are filled with deep sadness today as we mourn the loss of these brave officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our community. Their dedication will never be forgotten.

Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the officers' families and all of the friends and loved ones in the El Monte community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. DeFazio for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my chair, Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and the subcommittee's ranking member, my friend, Mr. Rouzer, and bring to the floor H.R. 7776, the Water Resources Development Act of 2022.

The Water Resources Development Act is our legislative commitment to investing in and protecting our communities from flooding events, restoring our environment and ecosystems, and keeping our Nation's competitiveness by supporting our ports and harbors.

Through the biennial enactment of WRDA legislation, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has addressed local, regional, and national needs through authorization of new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects, studies, and policies that benefit every corner of the Nation.

We held four hearings in preparation for this bill, including a Member Day hearing. We had a formal process to receive legislative, policy, and project ideas from Members which resulted in 1,500 ideas submitted to us by Members, so that is quite an accomplishment for our staff to go through. I thank all Members for engaging with the committee on this bill and advocating for the needs of their districts. We were able to incorporate most of the requests from Members into the bill.

I am particularly thankful that we were able to make a commitment in this WRDA--thank God, the fifth WRDA--to address the needs of Tribal and disadvantaged communities. The bill requires the Army Corps of Engineers to improve outreach to these communities by creating liaison programs in each Corps district region across the country. That is new.

WRDA includes provisions to develop technical assistance programs that provide guidance to Tribal communities on water resource projects, identify opportunities and challenges on existing Corps projects, and provide planning assistance for future projects. The bill gives Corps personnel the training and tools to effectively address issues on Tribal lands of ancestral, historic, and cultural significance, including burial grounds.

WRDA also continues the effort we started over 10 years ago to improve water supply at Corps dams by addressing managed aquifer replenishment so that dams can hold water for recharge to local groundwater basins. The bill addresses the buildup and removal of sediment in reservoirs to improve operations and capacity of dams. The bill requires the Corps to take a particular focus on infrastructure in the West, to evaluate opportunities to improve water management, water supply, and address the impacts of climate change.

Section 116 of the bill continues Congress' goal of improving dam safety by assessing the status of all dams maintained by the Corps and determining the needs for rehabilitation, retrofit, or removal.

Section 128 of the bill is bipartisan legislation my good friend, Ranking Member Rouzer, and I introduced titled H.R. 7762, the Army Corps of Engineers Military Personnel Augmentation Act. It amends an outdated 1956 law which is prohibitive against current soldiers who have the technical skills to provide engineering support to the civil works mission of the Army Corps.

In 1956 there were not a lot of NCOs with advanced degrees, so it was presumed that only commissioned officers would be properly trained to handle civil works responsibilities. However, since that time and the development of the professional Army, there are many NCOs, National Guard officers, and warrant officers with advanced engineering and technical skills, and it no longer makes sense to exclude them from positions in civil works. This change is supported by the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Engineers, and the National Guard Association of the United States.

The bill also provides for hundreds of local concerns throughout the country. I am proud that this bill transfers the authorization of 31 debris basins in my region to the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. These debris basins are locally owned and have been successfully operated and maintained by the County of Los Angeles for decades. This provision will formalize the current operations of these debris basins.

WRDA also includes authorization for the development of storm water, sewer, and ecosystem restoration projects in the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles County. This will improve flood protection and boost local water supply at the same time by investing in spreading grounds, dam infrastructure, and treatment operations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the many people who have helped this bill become a reality. I thank the leadership at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-- Assistant Secretary Connor and Lieutenant General Spellmon--and their incredible staff who have worked through over 1,000 submissions that we received for WRDA 2022.

I am very fortunate to have some of the best water leaders in the country in my district and southern California who provided valuable input for this bill, including Colonel Julie Balten and David Van Dorpe of the Los Angeles District.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7776.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Richard L. Gutierrez, Sr., who proudly served his country in uniform in World War II and the Korean War.

Born August 15, 1925, in East Los Angeles, California, Mr. Gutierrez was the son of Frank F. and Esther L. Gutierrez. He attended Riggin Elementary School, Garfield High School, Compton College, and the University of Southern California.

Mr. Gutierrez fought in World War II, enlisting in 1943 as a Navy Seabee, assigned to the 4th Division of the Marines, Platoon 133 Seabee support, Company B. He participated in battles on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima where he earned the Purple Heart. He also served as a Marine in the Korean War, during which, he was recalled to Camp Pendleton and served as a Drill Instructor.

Mr. Gutierrez was married in 1948 to Virginia Lopez. This marriage lasted for 50 years. He leaves behind six children: Priscilla, Michelle, Richard Jr., Thomas, Aida, and Michael, who is a dedicated Catholic priest in La Puente; eleven grandchildren; and six great- grandchildren.

After his military career and college training, he worked as an aerospace engineer for Douglas Aircraft, North American/Rockwell until he retired. During his professional career he was a team member who developed the Apollo and lead engineer on the command module of the Space Shuttle. Mr. Gutierrez died on March 6, 2022, in Duarte, California.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Richard L. Gutierrez, Sr., and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Gutierrez's service to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Corporal Ysabel ``Mac'' Ortiz, who proudly served his country in the Korean War and was missing in action for 70 years.

Corporal Ortiz was born in 1931 and raised in El Monte, California. As a third generation El Montean, he attended El Monte High School before enlisting in the U.S. Army at the age of 17. In 1950, Corporal Ortiz was deployed to fight in the Korean War and was assigned to a M- 19 anti-aircraft tank. His tank took a direct hit on December 2, 1950, and his remains were not found for 70 years. In January of 1954, Corporal Ortiz was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for making the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

Although he was listed as missing in action, his family never gave up hope that he would someday return home and receive the hero's burial he so much deserved. In 2019, 55 caskets containing the remains of American soldiers were returned to the United States after a summit with North Korea, and DNA evidence provided by Corporal Ortiz's siblings was instrumental in identifying his remains. Over 70 years later, he finally made it home.

Corporal Ortiz is survived by his mother Concha Ortiz (now deceased), his father Ysabel M. Ortiz, Sr. (now deceased), his brothers Harold Ortiz (now deceased) and Jose Lucio Ortiz (now deceased), his sisters Esmeralda ``Chata'' Ortiz Ureno (now deceased) and Jennie Sanchez (now deceased), his step-brothers Rudy Ortiz (now deceased), Manuel Ortiz of El Monte, and Joe Ortiz of Bakersfield, and step-sisters Rose Soto of West Covina and Ana Sanchez of Murrieta,

Over the next 70 years, both Corporal Ortiz's family and community would work to recognize his sacrifice and to ensure that his memory lived on. Corporal Ortiz is recognized on a bronze plaque honoring our nation's war dead at the El Monte Historical Museum, and his photo also hangs at the La Historia Museum/Museo de Los Barrios veterans' exhibit in El Monte. In 2022, a new 53-unit veterans housing project developed by the Cesar Chavez Foundation is scheduled to be opened in El Monte and will be named Plaza Ortiz in honor of Corporal Ortiz. The housing project will include a monument with a mural and a plaque to commemorate Corporal Ortiz's service to our nation.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of fallen Corporal Ysabel ``Mac'' Ortiz, and I would like to recognize the dedication and years of work shown by his family to finally have Corporal Ortiz laid to rest with full honors at Riverside National Cemetery in California. I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing Corporal Ortiz's ultimate sacrifice for our Nation.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honor the life of Grace Pugh, a West Covina resident who died on April 6, 2021.

For over 38 years, Ms. Pugh served as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, and as a Legislative Ambassador with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. She was a three-time breast cancer survivor and saw first-hand its devastating impact. Ms. Pugh lost both her mother and her grandson to cancer, and her two sisters were cancer survivors. This personal experience helped drive her deep and profound commitment to fight back against cancer.

As an advocate with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Ms. Pugh used her boundless energy and passion to help build bipartisan support for legislation to help advance the fight against cancer. She traveled multiple times to Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, CA to meet with her elected representatives, and regularly visited their district offices, sent emails, and made phone calls to convey the importance and urgency of making the fight against cancer a top priority.

Ms. Pugh devoted countless hours of her time and worked tirelessly to help educate people about prevention and early detection, and support for patients, survivors, and caregivers. She dedicated herself to the American Cancer Society's patient support services, including the Reach to Recovery Program, which provides one-on-one support to those diagnosed with breast cancer.

I extend my sincere sympathies to Ms. Pugh's three children, Bud, Kathy, and Ken, her six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and to the extended Pugh family and friends. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join us to honor this fearless advocate.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true champion for veterans, a dear friend, a wonderful employee and colleague, a proud resident of the City of Monrovia, and a dedicated, caring gentleman in Hector Elizalde, our beloved Deputy District Director of the 32nd District, who died on February 7, 2021, from complications due to COVID-19. For the past 11 years, Hector was truly devoted to his job of defending, advocating for, and serving veterans and their families, and tackling any problem that came his way. He was the embodiment of what it means to serve one's nation and one's community, holding true to his pledge to never leave a soldier behind, whether on the battlefield or city street.

Hector F. Elizalde was born in Chicago, IL on February 15, 1946. He served in the United States Army from July 31, 1964, until he was honorably discharged on July 28, 1967. Hector later graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He worked for some of America's most recognized companies, such as Anheuser-Busch, Stroh Brewery Company, PepsiCo, and Don King Productions. His career advancements led the Elizalde family to live throughout the country, from 1984, in the states of Michigan, Connecticut, New York, and Florida until his return to California in 1997. Hector could have continued excelling in lucrative professions, but he had a great sense of duty to any and all fellow veterans, and also to his neighbors.

From the very first day he entered our office in the spring of 2010 until his very last on this earth, Hector honorably served the veteran community. Whether it was helping a homeless veteran find shelter or escorting the casket of a fallen servicemember at the airport, Hector's compassion for helping veterans touched countless lives. Giving out his personal cell phone number was nothing out of the ordinary, and whenever he did so, he made sure everyone knew that it was a 24/7 number.

Hector understood the frustration many veterans felt because of delays in VA benefits and routine health checkups that would take an entire day. He took this personally and vowed we must do better. Under his tenure as Military/Veterans Liaison, we began to hold an annual Veterans Forum, to bring the VA to the San Gabriel Valley, which grew in size and reach each successive year. As a result of Hector's persistence and laser-focus on the mission, the San Gabriel Valley VA Health Clinic was opened in May 2019 in Arcadia, CA.

A sharp dresser, but very humble individual, he never sought nor wanted praise. He was there for everybody. He served not only the people of the 32nd District, but all of Los Angeles County, as Chair of the Los Angeles County Veterans Advisory Commission, to which he was appointed by LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Since his passing, the outpouring from people whose lives he touched has been immeasurable, because he was a true believer in public service. From the many hours he spent resolving constituents' casework, to the city council meetings, weekend veteran and community events he would attend; for Hector, the public's needs always came first.

Hector is survived by his ex-wife, Elaine, the mother of his two adult children; sons Phillip and Edward; Edward's wife Ingrid; and their two children, Isabella and Aiden. Hector truly loved and was proud of his family, especially his grandchildren.

Hector made us all feel like family. He was kind, respectful, thoughtful, and helpful to everyone he met. His charisma and smile will never be forgotten. His laughter and the way he cared for others will forever live on in our memories. It was our honor to be able to work alongside him.

The world has lost a hero. Hector was the best of the best, and we are all better people because of him. There is no one else like him and probably never will be, but it is safe to say, our world needs more Hectors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Petty Officer Raul Guerra and the work of the Bring Raul Home Committee.

Petty Officer Guerra was born in 1942, grew up in Los Angeles County, was beloved by his friends and family, and known for his love of journalism.

Petty Officer Guerra enlisted in the Navy Reserves in 1965 and was deployed to Vietnam as a Navy journalist. On the evening of October 8, 1967, Petty Officer Guerra volunteered for a combat mission to support a major airstrike over North Vietnam. His plane was tragically shot down and crashed. Due to heavy terrain and hostile territory, he was pronounced killed in action. His remains were not recovered.

A local paper, the Whittier Daily News, in 2007 reported that a local Navy seaman's remains had been found, which was part of a long process to return Petty Officer Guerra's remains home.

His former classmates, Ruben Valencia, and Donna and Gary Petersen formed the Bring Raul Home Committee. They worked over 12 years to diligently spread his story, search for living family members, and held many meetings with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

The DPAA, in February 2019, notified the committee of the closure of Petty Officer Guerra's case, that he would finally return home, whereby he received full honors at LAX, Los Angeles International Airport, escorted by numerous, caring people.

Petty Officer Raul Guerra was finally laid to rest after 52 years on April 25, 2019.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of fallen Petty Officer Raul Guerra and recognize the dedication and years of work shown by the Bring Raul Home Committee.

Mr. Chair, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 418 due to a meeting I was having as Chairwoman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Aye'' on the Suozzi Amendment.

Amendment No. 27 Offered by Mrs. Lee of Nevada

Madam Speaker, on roll call No. 380, I meant to vote Aye on the Buchanan Amendment No. 133.

Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Price for yielding and discussing this issue with me regarding the FAA's recent threat to withhold over $250 million annually in FAA grants to California's airports and divert over $70 million in voter approved local general sales tax away from their voter approved purpose for transportation, police, fire, and the healthcare of our citizens.

Mr. Chairman, on May 17, California and Illinois were sent letters by FAA threatening to withhold Federal aviation funds because FAA believes the States have not followed a 2014 FAA policy change which would require State and local governments across the country--not just California and Illinois--to use general sale taxes collected on aviation fuel for airport purposes.

Although FAA sent the first letters to California and Illinois, they have sent letters of inquiry to other States like Georgia, and this issue also has significant effects in Georgia and any State and local government that has aviation fuel as a part of their general sales tax.

Mr. Chairman, California sent a letter to the FAA over a year and a half ago on December 8, 2017, explaining their plan of action for compliance with the FAA policy change. FAA did not respond to California's letter until last month when they gave California 30 days to change their compliance plan and seek burdensome tax information from all 58 State counties and over 100 cities in our State.

This is further concerning in the State of California because our general sales taxes are voter approved by two-

thirds margin. FAA is trying to undermine the will of our California voters.

Mr. Chairman, I ask that you work with me and my colleagues who are concerned about FAA's action and with Representatives Alan Lowenthal, Jared Huffman, Adam Schiff, Harley Rouda, John Garamendi, Salud Carbajal, David Scott, and John Lewis in addressing this situation regarding FAA's threat of unreasonable enforcement on many States and local governments.

Mr. Chairman, I thank you very much.

Madam Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

His amendment would strike from the underlying bill a provision in Section 108 that blocks the Trump administration from transferring existing funds from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, known as the Corps, for the construction of a wall or barrier along the U.S./Mexico border.

I have been a very vocal opponent of this President's never-ending political stunt to construct a wall along our southern border with Mexico.

Through emergency supplemental bills, Congress provided billions of dollars to help American families rebuild their lives after recent storms and natural disasters, as well as prepare our country for future disasters. This emergency money in the Corps budget is not a slush fund to be raided by the President for his political purposes.

Americans have seen their lives upended, their homes and towns destroyed, and havoc wreaked upon their local economies. Our government should not abandon them in their hour of need.

I support Section 108 of the Energy and Water Appropriations title of this bill that prohibits the President from transferring any funds appropriated in this or earlier bills from being used for the construction of this wall.

I was also pleased to join with the chairs of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. DeFazio, the Committee on Appropriations, Mrs. Lowey, and the Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Ms. Kaptur, in

challenging, in a letter, the underlying legal authority for the President to re-allocate existing appropriated funds of the Corps' Civil Works program for the construction of a physical barrier along the southern border.

Madam Chair, I insert a copy of the letter in the Congressional Record.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, January 16, 2019.

Hon. Donald J. Trump,

The President, The White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. President: You have publicly indicated several

times that you may seek to declare a national emergency in

order to fund the construction of a physical barrier along

the southern border of the United States. Also, a number of

news reports suggest you are considering utilizing a

previously unused statutory authority to reallocate existing

funds of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for this

construction.

We believe that any suggestion that you could use this

statutory authority for this purpose is misinformed. Simply

put, this authority does not authorize you to reallocate

existing Corps funds--including, but not limited to,

approximately $14 billion in disaster funds for communities

impacted by the 2017 and 2018 hurricanes or other natural

disasters--for the construction of the physical barrier. In

addition, we oppose the reallocation of existing Corps funds

from communities that are just starting to rebuild from the

devastation they faced, and for which Congress provided

emergency funds to help the lives and livelihoods of our

citizens.

Section 923(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of

1986 (33 U.S.C. 2293(a)) states that:

In the event of a declaration of war or a declaration by

the President of a national emergency in accordance with the

National Emergencies Act (90 Stat. 1255; 50 U.S.C. 1601) that

requires or may require use of the Armed Forces, the

Secretary, without regard to any other provision of law, may

(1) terminate or defer the construction, operation,

maintenance, or repair of any Department of the Army civil

works project that he deems not essential to the national

defense, and (2) apply the resources of the Department of the

Army's civil works program, including funds, personnel, and

equipment, to construct or assist in the construction,

operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works,

military construction, and civil defense projects that are

essential to the national defense.

As you know, this authority has never been used by the

Corps since its enactment in 1986. Therefore, there is no

historical precedent on its use by any Presidential

administration. However, we believe that a plain reading of

this statutory provision does not provide legal authority to

reallocate existing appropriated funds of the Corps' civil

works program for the construction of the physical barrier

along the southern border you have called for.

First, section 923 unequivocally states that actions funded

by this provision ``require or may require use of the Armed

Forces'' (emphasis added). In our opinion, there is nothing

uniquely related to the planning, design, or construction of

the physical barrier that would suggest the Armed Forces' (in

this case, the Corps) involvement in these activities is

required. We understand that the Corps has, on previous

occasions and through its Support for Others authority,

participated in prior design and construction activities

related to existing barriers along with the southern border.

But, it is also our understanding that these activities were,

at best, supportive roles to other Federal agencies,

including the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and that

none of these activities were paid for using the Corps' civil

works funds.

The legislative history of section 923 further highlights

Congress' intent that there be a military nexus as a

prerequisite to use of this authority. In contemporaneous

hearings before the Senate Committee on Environment and

Public Works, the then-Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army

(Civil Works) testified on the limited scope of this

authority--noting that this authority ``would be available

only in two limited situations: in time of war declared by

Congress, or in time of national emergency, military in

nature, declared by the President in accordance with the

National Emergences Act'' (emphasis added).

It is our belief that construction of a physical barrier

along the southern border fails to meet either of these

limited situations. On the former, there is no active

declaration of war related to the border crossing. On the

latter, there is no justification that construction of the

physical barrier is military in nature. The term ``military

in nature,'' again, implies that the situation requires the

unique presence or involvement of the Department of Defense

in its military (Armed Forces) capacity. While the Corps is a

component of the Department of Defense, its civil works

mission is focused on water resources development activities

and emergency response to natural disasters. It is in that

capacity that the Corps provides domestic construction-

related assistance through its authorized civil works

activities, or through its Support for Others authority. Yet,

these authorities are solely distinct from the Corps' role in

supporting the combat and installation readiness needs of the

Department of Defense. In our view, because construction of a

physical barrier does not necessitate the actions of the

Department of Defense in its military capacity, the use of

the Corps for construction of the barrier would not fall

within the limited scope of section 923.

Second, section 923 also requires that any project, for

which construction, operation, maintenance, and repair work

is funded under this authority, be specifically authorized by

Congress. As noted in the Congressional Record during Senate

consideration of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986,

``[this] section does not provide authority to construct any

project not authorized by law.'' Yet, the proposed physical

barrier that you are contemplating is not specifically

authorized by Congress--not as a civil works project, not as

a military construction project, and not as a civil defense

project. Therefore, your potential use of this authority

for the proposed physical barrier would fail a second test

of applicability.

Even if you were to ignore the plain text of section 923,

and continue to pursue this authority to reallocate existing

funds from the Corps, we want to be very clear who would be

impacted by your decision.

It is our understanding that the administration has

identified potentially $14 billion in construction funds from

the 2018 Supplemental Appropriations related to Hurricanes

Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as other disasters (Pub. L.

115-123) and an additional $2.9 billion in supplemental

appropriations related to Superstorm Sandy that remain

unobligated. These funds were specifically appropriated by

Congress to help communities in impacted states and

territories recover from devastating natural disasters.

In July 2018, the Corps released its list of specific

projects for which the 2018 Supplemental funds are planned to

be utilized. This list includes, approximately: $4.5 billion

for the State of Texas; $2.4 billion for the Commonwealth of

Puerto Rico; $2.4 billion for the State of California; $1.2

billion for the State of Louisiana; and $700 million for the

State of Florida.

Each of the states and territories that received an

allocation of emergency supplemental funds by Congress were

uniquely impacted by natural disasters.

For example, in the City of Houston, Texas, officials

believe that 82 people were killed, 13,000 people were

rescued, and more than 42,000 people were forced into

shelters by Hurricane Harvey (in addition to the 6 million

Texans who were otherwise impacted by the storm). Similarly,

in 2017, Puerto Rico faced Hurricanes Irma and Maria, with

Maria now designated as the third deadliest hurricane in U.S.

history, killing thousands of citizens, and disabling the

entire power grid of the Commonwealth for months. While these

are just two examples of the devastating impacts of recent

natural disasters, they are indicative of why Congress

decided to provide robust emergency funding to these and

similarly impacted communities that are only now starring to

rebuild.

In our view, it would be the height of irresponsibility to

take away vital reconstruction funds from communities

impacted by recent natural disasters, leaving these

communities at continued vulnerability to future disasters,

and future loss of life.

Again, we believe that section 923 of the Water Resources

Development Act of 1986 does not provide you with legal

authority to reallocate existing Corps funds to the

construction of a physical barrier along the southern border.

In addition, we oppose the transfer of Corps funds away from

communities that have already suffered enough from the

impacts of recent natural disasters, and strongly urge you

not to utilize these allocated recovery dollars for any

purpose related to the construction of the physical barrier.

Sincerely,

Peter A. DeFazio,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Grace F. Napolitano,

Member of Congress.

Nita M. Lowey,

Chairwoman, Committee on Appropriations.

Marcy Kaptur,

Chairwoman-designate, Subcommittee on Energy and Water

Development and Related Agencies.

Madam Chair, the construction of the President's wall is the wrong way to address our Nation's immigration challenges. This amendment would allow the President to abandon families in California, Texas, Puerto Rico, Florida, the Midwest, and elsewhere, that were impacted by recent natural disasters, in their hour of need.

I thank Chairwoman Kaptur for including much-needed funding in this bill for the Army Corps of Engineers to do their job, and for including Section 108 that protects the Army Corps from the political stunt of building a border wall.

Madam Chair, I oppose this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate Citrus College, the first California community college to receive top honors for student success by a national organization. At an awards gala on April 15, 2019, American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) President, Dr. Walter Bumpus, and AACC Board Chair, Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, presented Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, Superintendent/President of Citrus College, with the 2019 AACC Award of Excellence in the Student Success category. This well-deserved national recognition affirms the outstanding campus- wide effort to boost completion and transfer rates. Citrus College is the only community college in California to have been honored by the AACC in 2019.

Every year, the AACC recognizes the exceptional work accomplished by the nation's community colleges by presenting Awards of Excellence in six categories: Student Success, Advancing Diversity, CEO/Board Relationship, Community College Safety and Planning, Faculty Innovation, and Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership. The AACC Award of Excellence in the Student Success category recognizes a community college that has demonstrated a sustained commitment to student achievement. The criteria used to determine this year's finalists included the development of a comprehensive strategic completion plan, the achievement of measurable and significant increases in degree completion, certificate completion, and transfer from two-year to four-year institutions.

Citrus College was highlighted for establishing and promoting an associate degree for transfer (ADT) pathway to four-year colleges and universities, and for introducing the Citrus College Promise, a program designed to cover enrollment fees and other college costs for first- time students for up to two years. As a result of the college's efforts, transfers have risen by 38 percent from 2014 to 2017.

We send our sincere congratulations to Dr. Perri and all students, faculty, staff, and Members of the Board of Trustees at Citrus College, and we wish them continued success.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate the University of La Verne on being ranked 5th in the nation for social mobility of graduates, according to U.S. News & World Report in its 2019 Best Colleges rankings. These high marks affirm the university's record of success in helping students from low-income families achieve equity with graduates from families with stronger financial backgrounds.

I recently had the honor of addressing the University of La Verne's 2019 graduating class during the commencement ceremony on May 31, 2019, where I noted this distinguished ranking, and I was grateful to meet several students from all backgrounds and their families. These future leaders are poised to enter the workforce, continue their studies, and make a difference in our communities and the world around them.

For its social mobility rankings, U.S. News & World Report focused on how effective universities are at serving and graduating students who receive federal Pell Grants. Pell Grants are awarded to students from families with a household income that is typically less than $50,000 annually.

We congratulate University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman and all students, alumni, faculty, and staff on this well-deserved national recognition, and we wish them continued success.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Hippie Bots of Clifton Middle School in Monrovia, California, who became the first middle school robotics team to win the FIRST Tech Challenge Los Angeles-Southern California Regional Championship.

This extraordinary accomplishment made them the first middle school team in our region to qualify for the World Championship. At the World Championship in Houston, Texas on April 17-20, the team faced adversity yet showed its resolve by battling back into contention on the final day of competition. Although the students did not win, they truly made Monrovia and our entire San Gabriel Valley proud with the way they conducted themselves and represented their city throughout the season.

We send our many congratulations to Sophia Adkins, Evan Asti, Lucas Corsi, Christian Figueroa, Alex He, Ian Hughes, Dylan Polanco, Caroline Squire, and Miles Wilson, as well as their teacher, Paul Flores. They have made us very proud; and we wish them the very best in the future.

Madam Speaker, today marks the 16th annual observance of World Lupus Day. It serves as a forum for lupus organizations and advocates to call attention to the need for increases in funding for medical research, educational programs, and improved access to medical care.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that is highly individualized, extremely volatile and can affect any organ system of the body, including the skin, joints, kidney, brain, heart, lungs, blood and blood vessels. It currently affects over 300,000 Americans, and there is no known cause or cure.

There is no limit to lupus and it affects all nationalities, race, ethnicities, gender and age. For example, it is the leading cause of kidney disease, stroke, and premature cardiovascular disease in young women, and affects woman 9 times more often than men.

With continued commitment to this important day, I would like to again recognize World Lupus Day and demonstrate our nation's concerns for the needs of millions of Americans and their families affected by lupus.