Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Donald McLeod, an Orange County airman.

In 1945, Mr. McLeod joined the Army before transferring to the newly created U.S. Air Force.

From the excitement of the Berlin airlift to the isolation of Greenland, Mr. McLeod faithfully served his country at every post.

When he returned to civilian life, Mr. McLeod used his aircraft expertise to land a job with McDonnell Douglas, where he worked for almost 10 years. In 1985, Mr. McLeod retired and began a career with his newly minted wedded wife as a Catholic missionary.

Mr. McLeod retired for a second time in 2010 and currently lives in my district in Anaheim, where he enjoys the events put on by the American Veterans Assistance Group. His dedication to serving others is unmatched, and I am happy that he is enjoying his well-deserved second retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McLeod for serving his country and for his dedication to our community. He is a valued member of our community.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life of my good friend, Mayor Mark Murphy, and to recognize his lifetime of service to the city of Orange.

Mark was a loving husband, a lifelong Orange County resident, and a committed public servant. He served our community for more than 30 years as the Orange County Transit Authority chairman, city of Orange councilmember, and then city of Orange mayor.

It is because of his love for his neighborhoods and his community that he earned the nickname ``Mr. Orange.''

Mark's passion was improving our community's parks and recreation centers. He oversaw the construction of Grijalva Sports Center, the expansion of the Orange library, and the acquisition of several park spaces.

While many know Mark for his strong advocacy, his voice as a singer is less known. He actively participated in his church choir and even sang on stage during park concerts.

Mark was also known as a Harley-Davidson bike rider.

Mr. Speaker, we love Mark and his legacy continues.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of WWII hero and U.S. Navy Corpsman Jack Gutman, who passed away just days short of his 99th birthday.

Born December 19, 1925, in San Francisco, California, Jack was the third of nine children. His father, who spoke seven languages, served in World War I, after which he worked at the Grand Hotel in Shanghai, China. Gutman's mother, from a wealthy Russian family, was a ballerina. When her family fled the Bolsheviks, they went to Shanghai, and the two met, married, and settled in America.

The Great Depression was a difficult time for the family and his father had to travel to make a living selling apples. By the time Jack was a teenager, the family was living in New York. Jack was hanging out with his high school friends when the news of Pearl Harbor broke. Gutman enlisted right away at age 17 as a Navy seaman. After boot camp, Gutman thought he was going to be an aerial radio man--but an urgent need arose for medics, and his training was diverted.

At age 18, Corpsman 1st Class Gutman provided treatment to the wounded and dying on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and at some of the bloodiest battles throughout the European and Pacific theaters. Gutman vividly remembers when his unit landed on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944. With bullets flying, bombs exploding, and men dying all around him, Corpsman Gutman helped those he could, giving shots of morphine, applying bandages and tourniquets, and providing words of comfort to soldiers who died in his arms.

Gutman would later write a book about his experience titled ``One Veteran's Journey to Heal the Wounds of War.'' His story was recorded by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jack was also interviewed as part of a documentary film about the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

A quote from his book best describes the impact the war had on his life: ``I went into the war with a fervor to fight for my country and protect our freedom, but the experience had been nothing like what I thought when I signed up to join the Navy. Back at home, I thought constantly of the men that had died overseas. I wondered how and why I survived. There I was, a young teenager thrown into a crazy war with thousands of young men dying in front of me. I never dreamed it would be that awful, and that those horrifying images would stick with me now that I was safely at home, and for years to come.''

After his combat experiences, Gutman decided to become a doctor. He took night school classes, and before algebra, would tell jokes. He met his wife, Mary Jo, in that class, and they were married June 22, 1947, a union that lasted 77 years. Once his children came along, he never made it to medical school.

Throughout his life, Jack kept quiet about the flashbacks that haunted him ever since returning home from war. As a band-aid to cover his recurring nightmares, he immersed himself

in his work, including performing as a successful comedian under the name of Jackie Walker.

When things took a turn for the worse, he finally turned to the VA for help and was seen by a therapist, who diagnosed him with post- traumatic stress disorder and helped him receive treatment and VA benefits.

With a new lease on life, Jack began helping other veterans experiencing PTSD by encouraging them to seek support to live happy, productive lives.

Gutman's valiant service to both his country and his life of service to his fellow veterans serves as an inspiration for us all. For this reason, I ask my colleagues to join me celebrating the life and legacy of Jack Gutman, a true American hero.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8150, which allows Customs and Border Protection to make low-cost maintenance repairs at our ports of entry without involving the General Service Administration.

It makes sense to allow CBP to carry out expedited low-cost repairs needed to facilitate their operations at our ports of entry. We should not let minor maintenance issues slow down or disrupt legal trade and travel through our ports of entry. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation, which eliminates red tape.

I thank Representative Gonzales for leading this important initiative. This is a commonsense bill, Mr. Speaker. It allows CBP to carry out low-cost repairs needed to facilitate the operations at our ports of entry.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career and professional achievements of Diana Gomez, who spent over 36 years as an electrical engineer and contributed to our community as part of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

Born in Fresno and raised in the City of Parlier, Ms. Gomez graduated from Parlier High School and was named as the first member of the Parlier Unified School District Hall of Fame. She earned her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at California State University, Fresno.

Ms. Gomez developed more than 36 years of transportation experience with Caltrans in various positions, including Senior Transportation Electrical Engineer and Chief for the offices of Traffic Management and Systems Management Operations. In 2011, Ms. Gomez was appointed as the Deputy District Director of Operations in Los Angeles, making her the highest-ranking Latina engineer within the California State Employees, a title she still holds.

Her last assignment with Caltrans was serving as District 6 Director with responsibility for the State Highway system in Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties. From the time she filled the role in July 2020 up to her retirement, she helped secure more than one billion dollars for the district and local partner projects.

Prior to her appointment as District 6 Director, Ms. Gomez was appointed by Governor Brown in 2012 to serve as the Central Valley Regional Director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. As the Regional Director, she worked to build strategies and maintain relationships with local advocates, residents, consultants, and policy makers to ensure the high-speed rail project in the Central Valley continued on-time and on budget.

Ms. Gomez is an active member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and was even named one of the ``100 Most Influential Hispanics'' by the Hispanic Business magazine for her role as SHPE's National President. She served in this role for six years, having also occupied several other leadership positions with the organization. Under her leadership, SHPE grew exponentially in its membership and revenue.

Ms. Gomez has maintained her roots in Fresno County and is a member of the Fresno State School of Engineering Advisory Council, Vice Chair of the Fresno State Alumni Association, and Board Member for the Fresno State Transportation Institute. Her other professional affiliations include serving on the Board of Directors for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and she is a member of Women in Transportation (WTS) and founder of the WTS Central Valley Chapter.

I call on my colleagues to join me in celebrating the exceptional career and lifetime achievements of Diana Gomez, and to congratulate her on her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize California State University at Fullerton's new president, Dr. Ronald Rochon.

Dr. Rochon was born on the south side of Chicago where he founded and nurtured his passion for education and community service. He stepped into the top role at Cal State University at Fullerton, my alma mater, this past July.

Dr. Rochon brings 14 years of experience to southern California, having led the University of Southern Indiana through COVID-19 and a new athletic division.

As the proud Titan that I am, I am very excited to see Dr. Ronald Rochon at the helm. We are happy to see Ron at Cal State, Fullerton, and we look forward to working with him. Let's get busy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Deceptive Downsizing Prohibition Act of 2024 (DDPA). This vital piece of legislation empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to protect consumers and small businesses against deceptive downsizing, the act of maintaining a product's packaging while reducing the content size. By defining deceptive downsizing as a prohibited unfair and deceptive practice, the FTC can pursue an action against a manufacturer of a consumer product who deceives everyday Americans and businesses on Main Street.

DDPA bans the deceptive downsizing of consumer products, making it unlawful for manufacturers to sell products of reduced size, volume, or weight in packaging previously used for the same or similar product of a larger size. Holding manufacturers who engage in this deceptive practice accountable will protect consumers and small businesses.

The practice of deceptive downsizing has become a significant concern for American households, particularly during times of economic uncertainty. Food, personal care items, and household products that Americans rely on most are particularly impacted by this deceptive practice. As manufacturers reduce the size or weight of products while maintaining the same exterior packaging, consumers are left with less, often for the same or even higher price.

Most disturbingly, many consumers do not realize that the item they purchased was smaller than expected because the packaging looked the same, further intensifying the financial burden on hard-working Americans. Honesty in packaging is essential in enabling consumers to make informed choices, and misleading the public is unacceptable.

This is not simply an issue of safeguarding the wallets of Americans--it is about fairness. When hardworking American consumers and businesses shop, they expect the product that comes in the same size packaging will remain the same size. When that happens, consumers and small businesses rightly feel duped. I am introducing this legislation to ensure that no American family or business is deceived and getting less than expected.

I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this crucial legislation that will help protect American consumers and businesses from the practice of deceptive downsizing so they will know that when they buy a product, they get what they expect and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 30th Annual Anaheim Tree Lighting Festival, which will bring our community together this Sunday, December 8, 2024. The festival rings in the holidays with a very special tree-lighting celebration on the steps of Anaheim City Hall in Downtown Anaheim.

For the past 30 years, the Annual Anaheim Tree Lighting Festival has provided holiday fun to everyone in our community--and it is one of my hometown's favorite annual celebrations.

The City of Anaheim worked together with many community partners to create this event, including Children Dental Fun Zone, Credit Union of Southern California, Home Comfort USA, Knorr, Land Care, Taqueritos, The Frida Cinema, Zambos, and the Orange County District Attorney's Office. This year, the Anaheim Tree Lighting Festival includes entertainment and food, a Holiday Village, the Candy Canine Costume Contest, a visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus, a brief performance of The Nutcracker by the Anaheim Ballet Company, and the Tree Lighting Ceremony in front of City Hall.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Anaheim Tree Lighting Festival, which for 30 years has brought joy and festive spirits to help greet the holiday season.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the remarkable career of my very good friend, Anaheim City Council Member Stephen Faessel.

Stephen has spent his entire life giving back to the city of Anaheim. He was first elected to the city council in 2016 and now serves as a member of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Stephen is a strong advocate of history, and he is a founding member of the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim. As board secretary, he has been able to teach history to young people, tourists, and anybody else in Anaheim who wants to listen to the great story and history of the city of Anaheim.

As he leaves the Anaheim City Council, I want to recognize Stephen for his hard work and dedication to our community. We thank him for giving back. I know he is not done, and I know we are going to hang out at more events in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my good friend, Orange County Supervisor Bill Steiner.

Bill was a valued neighbor, constituent, and leader in Orange County whose work directly impacted the lives of so many in our community. As an Orange city councilmember and Orange County supervisor, he dedicated his life to serving others.

Out of the many issues Bill championed, his passion was child welfare advocacy. His work was the driving force behind the creation of the Orange County Orangewood Children's Home.

Today, Bill's 5 children and 16 grandchildren help keep his memory alive.

Mr. Speaker, we thank Bill for a lifetime of work for our community and for his leadership. He will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the family and community engagement liaisons across Orange County and this Nation.

Family and community liaisons play an important role in collaborating with health facilities and community resource centers to ensure that families have access to the support they need in their academic, professional, and overall community success.

In my own district, Santa Ana Unified School District is home to 54 dedicated liaisons who work around the clock to bridge the gap between schools and families, to ensure that every child and parent feels supported, empowered, and included in the local campuses.

I hope my colleagues join me today in recognizing November as Family Engagement Month and November 16 as National Family and Community Engagement Liaison Worker Day.

I thank every community liaison around Orange County and around the

country for their good work and for helping our local communities be successful.

Honoring Staff Sergeant Gordon Lee Hogan

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, legacy, and sacrifice of Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Gordon Lee Hogan.

An Orange County native, Staff Sergeant Hogan served our Nation bravely in Korea and Vietnam, and he made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our values in Vietnam.

During his 19 years of service, Staff Sergeant Hogan had many roles. He worked on trucks as a motor transport chief, waged the invisible war as a psychological operations specialist, and made relationships with civilians as a civil affairs officer.

In his many roles, Staff Sergeant Hogan would go on to be recognized with many awards and commendations. Among these, the National Defense Service Medal, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation, and a Purple Heart. These are just a few that I am naming today.

Sadly and tragically, on April 1, 1967, Staff Sergeant Hogan made the ultimate sacrifice when his unit was ambushed by the Viet Cong while on patrol in Thua Thien province in Vietnam. His body would be sent back home to Orange County where he would be laid to rest in our very own Westminster Memorial Park.

Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Gordon Lee Hogan was a model soldier, a model American, and a true patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the work done by our food banks, food pantries, and other community-based organizations in Orange County and across the country.

In recent years, almost 49 million Americans have turned to food banks for assistance. Back home in Orange County, over 300,000 of our neighbors don't know where their next meal is going to come from, and over 20 percent are children.

Every day during the holiday season, I joined with my community to make sure that these individuals have a meal.

Today, I am proud to be leading a bipartisan resolution with over 50 of our Members acknowledging the essential work these groups do throughout our great country. They deserve the support of Congress, and I call on Members of this Congress to join us in cosponsoring this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the food banks and pantries and other community- based organizations across the country for their good work. They are appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 100th anniversary of La Purisima Catholic Church, that is 100 years of service to our community in the city of Orange.

Established in 1924, the church originally served local residents and seasonal migrant farm workers from Mexico. As the city of Orange grew, so did La Purisima. It adapted to meet the needs of its new parishioners, leading to some of the first trilingual services in the Diocese of Orange County.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing La Purisima Catholic Church as it celebrates 100 years of great service. We look forward to the next 100 years.

Congratulations for service well done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gilbert High School in Anaheim, California, for its collaboration with CITYarts' 50 States of Peace initiative to create a Peace Wall mural to be displayed on campus.

For the last 35 years, CITYarts has engaged students, art teachers, and professional artists to spread the message of peace through artistic expression in all 50 states of our nation. The Gilbert High School mural does just that.

The message, ``Respecting the Rights of Others is Peace,'' is interwoven with brilliant imagery and colors that fill a wall located at the campus entrance. This welcoming piece of art and powerful message of peace now greets students and staff who enter the campus each school day and is seen bv the hundreds of community members who visit the school's food pantry and resource center.

The Gilbert High School mural was commissioned to represent the State of California and was selected as number two in the 2024 CITYarts 50 States of Peace initiative. Gilbert High students worked with art teacher Janelle Frese and artist Jamie Kough throughout the creative process. After engaging in research, investigation, and collaboration around the idea of peace, the students created a design with imagery that was also inspired by discussions on social justice and participation in ethnic studies classes, art and music workshops, and school-wide civic engagement activities.

I invite my colleagues to join me in congratulating this cohort of student artists, as well as their teachers and mentors, for elevating their imaginations and creative talents into a piece of art that is literally art for peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize La Purisima Catholic Church, a pillar of our community that has served parishioners in the City of Orange for the last century.

Established in 1924 on Center Street as La Purisima Mission, the church opened through the generous donation of Mr. Remedios Mares and originally served local residents and seasonal workers from Mexico. In October of 1957, La Purisima Mission came under the spiritual caretaking of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, who oversaw the mission's growth partly due to the influx of new residents to the area from Orange's burgeoning aerospace industry. This period also saw an expansion of services provided to local residents, including the first ``Fiestas'' beginning in 1958 and the parochial school opened by Sisters of the Company of Mary in 1964.

In 1962, La Purisima's ``old church'' building was constructed. It was in this building where La Purisima was granted Parish status on May 8, 1964, by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. La Purisima would join the newly formed Diocese of Orange on June 18, 1976.

The growth of Vietnamese and Hispanic American communities in and around the parish of La Purisima led to some of the first trilingual liturgies in the Diocese of Orange. Due to the popularity of the trilingual liturgies and the growth of the community at La Purisima, parishioners received permission in 1999 to begin efforts to build a larger church building that remains in use today, dedicated on June 4, 2005, by Bishop Tod Brown.

This year the La Purisima Catholic Church celebrates its 100th anniversary, a testament to its commitment to service in the community.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing La Purisima Catholic Church's 100 years of service to the residents of the City of Orange, and in wishing them a bright future of faith and service.