Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his incredible leadership up to this point and moving forward as we get the INVEST in America Act passed in this House and soon signed by the President of the United States.

It is bold. It is transformative. And it is the investment we need now to compete in the 21st century economy.

Mr. Speaker, this bill includes long-delayed, incredibly important investments in Arizona's roads, bridges, transit, rail, and water infrastructure. Arizona will receive more than $5 billion for highways and almost $1 billion for transit.

Importantly, it supports major Arizona projects: I-11, public transit in cities big and small, key investments to support local communities, and improve the way we move people and goods.

It directs significant resources to our long overlooked Tribal communities throughout the State. It also addresses urgent water needs in my State by increasing investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, the time for action is now, and I urge my colleagues to support this historic investment in the American people and our American economy.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this important bill to better secure our Capitol complex, which includes my legislation to provide body-worn cameras to Capitol Police officers and require their use.

Implementing a body-worn camera system for the United States Capitol Police was recommended in General Honore's important report.

In the wake of the January 6 attack, is there any doubt that the Federal criminal investigations would have greatly benefited from additional body camera footage?

In addition, in my experience as a mayor of a major American city, the city of Phoenix, I know that body-worn cameras improve safety, improve safety for officers, for the public, and for everyone in the community. They will improve safety for the people who work here at the Capitol complex.

I thank Chairwoman DeLauro and Congressman Ryan for working with me on this important issue.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the legacy of Chandler Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Camille Casteel, who is retiring after 50 years of service. During her tenure, she touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of students. As a teacher, administrator, and superintendent, Dr. Casteel has been a pillar of our community and a one-of-a-kind leader. She devoted her professional life to ensuring that every student who walks the halls of a Chandler school is provided a quality, equitable, and impactful education--and our entire state is better today because of her leadership.

A native Arizonan, Dr. Casteel spent her entire career advocating for her students. In 1971, she started as a first-grade teacher when Chandler--mostly a community a farms and ranches-was home to just seven small schools with no air conditioning. Casteel spent the next five decades with CUSD, including 25 years as the district's Superintendent, and under her leadership, CUSD became one of the largest districts in the state. There, Dr. Casteel oversaw the development of 30 new schools to serve the more than 46,000 students who attend Chandler schools every day.

For 50 years, Dr. Casteel has remained a trailblazer in the Chandler community. She has fought to ensure her students and staff have the tools and resources they need to be successful in the classroom and a safe and caring place to learn. She developed innovative solutions for the challenges that inevitably come with a rapidly growing community and school district-and most recently, she led CUSD through the unprecedented challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her kindness, compassion, and commitment to excellence will be felt by future generations who pass through the Chandler Unified School District. Because of Dr. Casteel, Chandler's students will continue to receive a comprehensive, quality education that prepares them for ventures beyond their school days.

Arizona owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Casteel. Her devotion to strengthening our community's public education system will be felt long after her retirement. In this spirit of gratitude, I rise today to honor the esteemed career of Dr. Camille Casteel and wish her the best in wherever life takes her next.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the lifetime achievement of Annie Lopez, a nationally recognized artist and community leader in Arizona. A pioneer of the Phoenix art scene, Ms. Lopez shattered barriers to elevate the work of local and Latino artists across our state, and her living legacy deserves to be etched in our historical record for all to remember.

At a young age, she discovered her passion and vision for the arts. In 1982, Ms. Lopez became a member of the Movimiento Artistico del Rio Salado (MARS), a nationally acclaimed Chicano Arts organization. Ms. Lopez made it her mission to re-define how Chicano art is perceived in the broader art community. She became an immediate sensation, captivating audiences through her storytelling focused on her own experiences in Arizona and shared family heritage. Ms. Lopez proudly wears her heritage on her sleeve--and she translated that passion literally with her most recent work, hand-crafted dresses made from stitched-together prints on tamale paper that dawns excerpts of Arizona's SB 1070 and her grandparents' immigration cards. Through her art, she starts a dialogue about racism, stereotypes, and the local art world--making poignant statements about Latino culture with her unmatched sense of humor.

A fourth-generation Arizonan, Ms. Lopez has always been a relentless advocate for our community. She has served as a board member for MARS, and as a panelist for the City of Phoenix and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Ms. Lopez has exhibited her work in venues across the nation, including the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, the Phoenix Art Museum, Tucson Museum of Art, and the Arizona State University Art Museum. In the beginning of 2020, in recognition of her artistic excellence, Ms. Lopez was the first Latina artist to have her work displayed in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.--cementing her legacy as one of the greatest artists Phoenix has ever known.

Ms. Lopez has given all her time, heart and soul to the betterment of Phoenix and Arizona. She has inspired so many young artists to achieve their highest aspirations, and those who learn from her enter the world with a greater appreciation for Chicano art history.

I humbly rise to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Ms. Lopez for immense contributions to our state. A dedicated artist, advocate, and community servant, her life's work remains a local favorite in Phoenix, and I wish her the best as she continues to create a legacy that will be felt by Arizonans for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Sue Ellen Allen, who passed away on February 24, 2021. A woman whose fiery passion matched her red hair, Sue Ellen was a fearless champion for criminal justice reform in Arizona and across the nation--guided by her steadfast belief that everyone deserved a second chance. She loved fiercely, and her infectious southern charm brought light to every room she entered. Sue Ellen's story is an inspiration to us all, and Arizona is a better place for her presence among us.

She lived many lives as an educator, business owner, community leader, and as a former inmate at Arizona State Prison. Sue Ellen put it best, she was a ``contradiction in terms.'' It was during her time as an inmate when she encountered systemic inequities and became acutely aware of the hardships faced for those behind bars. Her cell mate, Gina--despite many pleas for medical attention--died of leukemia. This loss altered the course of Sue Ellen's life and inspired her to fight not only for her own reentry into society, but for all those formerly incarcerated, especially girls and women.

When talking about her experience, Sue Ellen used to say, ``Being released from prison is like being shot out of a cannon naked into a brick wall.'' Even through hardship, she never lost her sense of humor. Upon her release, she authored ``The Slumber Party from Hell'' detailing her time in prison. She then founded the nonprofit organization ReInventing ReEntry to educate and reshape society's perception of former inmates to help them reintegrate and give them a fair shot for employment, housing, education, and entrepreneurial opportunities--without shame or stigma.

Sue Ellen courageously chose to confront and relive these challenges with hope that she could help others see their purpose and potential again. She visited prisons and detention centers to tell her story and prepare women and girls for life inside and after reentry. She would talk to anyone who listened, from judges and elected officials--even President Barack Obama. For her seminal leadership on criminal justice issues, she joined First Lady Michelle Obama as a guest of honor for the President's final State of the Union address.

Sue Ellen saw life as a grand adventure and moved mountains to inspire hope in those she saw herself in. We owe her a debt of gratitude and are thankful we bore witness to her life's work in Arizona and across the nation. She inspired many Arizonans to seek justice, treat others with the dignity and respect they deserve, and to keep up the good fight.

In this spirit of remembrance, I rise to honor the tremendous life and legacy of Sue Ellen Allen. I thank Sue Ellen, and wish her Godspeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act. Dreamers have been waiting far too long for meaningful congressional action.

By passing H.R. 6, we are telling Dreamers all over our country: We see you, we hear you, and we know your home is here in the United States of America.

Arizona is fortunate to have nearly 24,000 DACA recipients. They are teachers, community organizers, and essential workers contributing greatly to our economy. In this pandemic, they make sure our grocery store shelves are stocked and our families are fed. They work long shifts in COVID hospital wings and now are vaccinating our communities.

That is who they are, giving back and contributing an estimated $240 million in taxes yearly in Arizona alone. Dreamers are essential to rebuilding our economy, and it is long past time we put them on a path to citizenship.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler and Chairwoman Lofgren for their incredible leadership on this important bill.

I rise in support of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill that will improve the H-2A agricultural visa program to make it easier for Arizona farmers to meet their workforce needs while also providing a path for agricultural workers to earn legal status.

Throughout this pandemic, farmworkers have been on the front lines playing a critical role in feeding America's families. They deserve the opportunity to take steps toward legal status in this country. It is the right thing to do for them and it is the right thing to do to advance our farm industry.

This bill is good for Arizona's economy--Arizona, the birth place of Cesar Chavez--where agribusiness is a $23 billion-a-year industry. Our State's crops cannot be left to rot in the ground because we lack access to a stable workforce.

Passing this bill today brings us one step closer to ensuring that farmers have the stable workforce they need and that farmworkers are recognized for all the work they do for us every day.

Madam Speaker, last week, we mourned half a million American lives lost to the coronavirus. Their absence in our communities is difficult to comprehend.

Sadly, many are facing the reality that it has now been more than a year without their loved ones. Tragically, many of them died alone, without loved ones to say good-bye.

To honor and memorialize those lost and those impacted by the virus, I introduced a resolution designating the first Monday in March as COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day. Commemorating this memorial day is an important marker for all those affected across the country and to help our country heal from this trauma.

In my home State, this day of recognition has been pushed by two advocates who lost their fathers to COVID-19. Kristin Urquiza and Tara Krebbs turned their grief into action and have mobilized more than 100 cities and multiple States to recognize today as a memorial day.

Long after our Nation moves beyond this ordeal, we will need to collectively recognize all that we have lost and the trauma of what we have experienced.

Together, we can overcome.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and I also thank the chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources and my fellow Arizonan, dean of our delegation, Congressman Raul Grijalva, for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, when people think of Arizona, they think of our Grand Canyon--perfectly chiseled over millions of years by the Colorado River. Its beauty and scale are humbling. But to us, it represents so much more than a natural wonder.

The Grand Canyon National Park welcomes 6 million visitors a year. It is the cornerstone of our State's tourism industry, directly supporting almost 10,000 jobs. Though it is special to all, it is sacred to the indigenous communities who call it home and who know better than anyone how critical it is to protect.

It is simple: This is no place for uranium mining. We can't risk the health of the communities that rely on this land and water or the delicate ecosystems it contains. We cannot improve upon this wonder, and we should not play a part in its destruction.

Mr. Speaker, I support protecting the Grand Canyon, and I am proud of the vote we will take later today to safeguard it for future generations.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Equality Act.

In the fight for LGBTQ-plus equality, we have made significant progress. From Stonewall to the Supreme Court, there is no doubt we have come a long way, but the unfortunate truth is that in far too many places discrimination is still permitted under the law. In public facilities, in education institutions, when applying for jobs, when trying to rent or buy a home, discrimination is still permitted under the law.

Many States right now are actively trying to turn back progress or write discriminatory practices into their own laws, especially against our transgender citizens. We can and must do better.

In Arizona, in any place in America, everyone deserves equal treatment under the law, no matter who they are, who they love, or how they express themselves.

I fervently support the Equality Act because we are a Nation that believes all are created equal and that this truth is self-evident. Everyone deserves to be seen, to feel heard, to be welcomed and protected.

Madam Speaker, Donald Trump is the first President in the history of this Republic to incite a violent insurrection against our own government, against our own people. It is a shocking betrayal of his oath of office and our American values. We don't know yet if the President will face criminal charges, but we do know he must be held to account.

Each one of us in this House took an oath to protect and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, even if that enemy is the President.

We must move forward as a nation from these darkest days, but we can't move forward without accountability. We must impeach this President.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Allen Chin, who passed away on November 18, 2013 at the age of 91. A proud Chinese Immigrant, Allen was a member of the Greatest Generation, and valiantly served our country in WWII to protect our freedom and American values at home and abroad. Allen's life embodied the highest ideals of our nation, and his remarkable courage are forever etched in our nation's history. For his service and sacrifice, Allen was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his service during World War II.

At age 15, Allen left his family in Guangdong, China and emigrated to San Francisco, California with a sponsorship from his uncle. When WWII broke out, Allen answered the call of duty and joined the U.S. Army. Allen was sent to serve in the Pacific Theater and became a machinist who helped train Chinese allied troops. His service instilled in him a deeply-held patriotism, which he would later inspire in future generations.

Upon returning home to California, Allen became an American citizen and sponsored his family in China to come to the United States. Allen's first civilian career was owning and operating the Sonoma House grocery store--a place where all in the neighborhood convened and shopped. He met and married his wife Lillian who he called the ``Pretty girl from Shanghai'' and they began a long life together.

Allen and his wife raised their daughter Arlene and settled down permanently in Arizona to forge a new path filled with adventure. Allen was a devoted father and active member of the Tempe community. He opened and sold a successful Chinese restaurant, worked as a machinist in the semiconductor industry, and pursued perhaps his greatest passion: ballroom dance. A man of dignity and honor, Allen's spirit lives on with his daughter Arlene, who has followed in his footsteps and continued his legacy of service. She has served Tempe proudly becoming its first Asian-American city councilmember.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to Allen for his selfless commitment and sacrifice. I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation for all he has done to make our community, our state, and our country a better place. In this spirit of gratitude and remembrance, I humbly rise to honor his life and legacy, which will continue to be felt for generations to come.

I thank Allen, and wish him Godspeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Joe McDonald, who passed away on November 16, 2019. Joe was a man of deep faith, an exceptional sportsman on and off the field, and an inspiration to the thousands of students who had the great privilege to learn from him. A beloved member of our community, Joe's life was marked by steadfast commitment to education and service to others.

Joe grew up in Bakersfield, California and was the fourth of seven children. His childhood was filled with family and faith; Joe played sports and made harmless trouble with his brothers, gained a strong work ethic from his parents, and worshiped proudly, singing alongside his family in their church's choir.

After two years at Bakersfield Community College, Joe caught the eye of Arizona State University Football Head Coach Frank Kush who recruited him to play tight end for the team. Off the field, he earned his degree and met the love of his life, Sharon, before beginning his career as an educator. A few years into his teaching career, Coach Kush reached out again, this time to ask Joe to be an assistant coach for Sun Devil football--he said yes. Throughout Joe's return to ASU, he coached for six years, served as the associate athletic director and earned both his master's and doctoral degrees. Joe brought both success and diversity to ASU football, leading the Sun Devils to the 1970 Peach Bowl and the 1971-1973 Fiesta Bowls as one of the first Black coaches at a Division One University.

Following his time at ASU, Joe returned to the classroom as a teacher and was later named the first principal of Desert Vista High School. During his principalship, the school was recognized multiple times for its academic achievements and excellence in athletics and fine arts. Joe always saw the good in everyone. He constantly advocated for the best interests of his students, teachers, and administrators because he knew they were the foundation which made Desert Vista a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all. In recognition of his more than a decade of service to Desert Vista, the school's auditorium was named after him upon his retirement.

Joe was also active and engaged in our community; he was a member of the First Institutional Baptist Church congregation for 52 years, where he regularly taught Sunday School. He served on the Sun Angel Foundation Executive Board and the Memorial Hospital Board. For all of his work in the community, Joe was recognized with the Arizona African American Achievement Award, the NAACP Leadership Award, the Tribune Leadership Award, and the Distinguished Administrator's Award.

Joe will be dearly missed by his friends, family, colleagues and all whom he empowered during his lifetime of service as an educator and school administrator. We join his family in grief and gratitude, thankful we bore witness to his incredible legacy which will be felt for generations to come.

I thank Joe, and wish him Godspeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of a civil rights icon and progressive giant, former Phoenix City Councilman Calvin C. Goode, who passed away on December 23, 2020 at the age of 93. Calvin spoke softly but carried with him the moral authority of having fought--and won--many civil rights battles throughout his long career.

Calvin was just 10 months old when his family moved from Oklahoma to Gila Bend, Arizona. The family relocated again to Prescott when the local school refused to enroll Calvin because of the color of his skin. He went on to attend Carver High School in Phoenix, Arizona's only high school built for Black students. After growing up attending segregated schools, Calvin devoted his life to improving education access in our community alongside his beloved late wife Georgie. He earned degrees in business and education from Phoenix College and Arizona State University, and served as an accountant for Carver and other Phoenix Union High School District schools for 30 years.

First elected in 1971, Calvin served a record 22 years on the Phoenix City Council. During his time at City Hall, Calvin continued to be guided by his deeply held belief in the equality of all people. Known as the ``Conscience of the Council,'' his legacy of creating opportunity for all endures in Phoenix--from the early childhood education and jobs programs he championed to the anti-discrimination ordinance he helped broker. He was instrumental in pushing the City to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day, paving the way for the holiday to be observed statewide.

Even after his time on the Council, Calvin remained one of the most impactful leaders in the Phoenix community. He fought to protect the history of his beloved Eastlake Park neighborhood where he lived for most of his life--an area shaped by segregation and redlining that became a gathering place for civil rights leaders. In his later years, he was instrumental in turning his alma mater, the formerly segregated Carver High School, into a museum and worked to ensure the institution would survive and thrive to hold African American Arizonans' history for future generations.

He was above all a man of quiet courage and unshakeable conviction, and we are all better because of his lifetime of service. Godspeed, Calvin.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.

Madam Speaker, over the last few hours, we have seen the consequences of dangerous un-American rhetoric; an armed insurrection against the seat of government of the most powerful country on Earth; a breach of this Capitol building to attack Congress, something that has not taken place since the British occupied this building during the War of 1812; an attempted coup spurred by rhetoric coming from those who are looking out for themselves, not country.

It is stunning, Madam Speaker, that there are some in this House who have voiced support for what happened. It was not a protest. It was treason. It was sedition. And it should be prosecuted as such.

At its root is a disease that has infected our politics, one that will make some political leaders do anything, including lie and incite violence to hold on to power. That is what we are seeing before our very eyes.

In contesting the outcome of this election, my Republican colleagues make a contradictory argument that puts party and power before country. They argue the election results were valid when it showed they won their races, but the same ballots were somehow fraudulent when it produced a result President Trump did not like.

Keep the results we like, they demand, cancel the one we don't.

That is not how democracy works, and neither is armed insurrection.

Here is the truth: Arizona has a long bipartisan record of conducting safe, secure, and fair elections. And I say that as someone whose party has more often than not been on the losing end of those elections. This last election was, once again, safe and secure. And I commend our State and county election officials, public servants on both sides of the aisle, for making Arizona proud once again.

We are here because the case that Republicans have brought before us has failed in court over and over and over again.

My colleagues say: Let's go back to the State, let them decide.

My friends, Arizona has spoken. They have sent the correct electors.

Arizona's Republican attorney general, one of the most partisan in the country, said: ``There is no evidence, there are no facts that would lead anyone to believe the election results will change.''

The Republican speaker of our State house has told us he doesn't like the

results of the election, but they are the right results. Joe Biden has won Arizona.

The State supreme court, made up entirely of justices appointed by Republican Governors, has spoken, too. The court said the President's challenge ``fails to present any evidence of misconduct, illegal votes, or that the Biden electors did not in fact receive the highest numbers of votes for office.''

Look to the words of one of the President's own campaign chairs in my State, our Governor, Doug Ducey. Our Governor loves the President. He has been so loyal. He made sure the President could hold large rallies in our State in the middle of a pandemic. The Governor personally attended them. They spoke so often that the Governor gave the President a special ``Hail to the Chief'' ring tone on his phone.

After election day, as the legal challenges played out, the Governor kept quiet; but when the truth became clear, even he acknowledged ``Joe Biden did win Arizona.''

I am grateful that, in this instance, the Governor put law, not partisan politics, first. And I urge my colleagues in the House to follow his lead.

Each and every one of us in this House, the people's House, swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Over the last few hours, we have gained a better understanding of what that means.

The future of the Constitution, the most precious of the founding documents of the greatest democracy human kind has ever known, is in our hands. Defending democracy is not, and should not be, a partisan task. It is a sacred one. Right here, right now, we must recognize that fidelity to the founding principles of our Nation are not about loyalty to one man, but rather to ensure that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the Earth.

The world is watching us all right now. We must get it right. Reject this ill-conceived attack on our democracy.