Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I would like to take some time today to honor Toyama Karate-Do Martial Arts Academy and recognize their 50 years of commitment to the community and the celebration of their 47th Black Belt Graduation.

Toyama Karate-Do began on April 26, 1969, and it was named after Hanshi Toyama Kanken, who was the founder of the Shudo-Kan style, in Okinawa, Japan. Fifty years later, Toyama has the same mission; teach discipline, confidence, and self-defense to prepare students physically and mentally to lead a better way of life.

In 1991, Toyama Karate-Do reached Southern California, opening the first school in the United States. Toyama is the most recognized and accomplished Martial Arts Organization in Orange County and one of the top 100 schools in the United States. Currently, Toyama has more than 75 schools worldwide, including locations in Bolivia, Japan, and Canada.

Instructors, Rodolfo Cazales, a 7th degree Black Belt, and his son Jerry Cazales, a 5th Degree Black Belt, are responsible for the United States expansion. They have been teaching side by side to bring the ``Traditional System'' and the ``New Creative System'' together to provide Dynamic Martial Arts Youth Programs. Toyama Santa Ana has over 2,000 active students involved through SAUSD, City, and Private Programs and is one of the most successful Toyama Karate-Do programs in the United States.

Toyama's Creed is:

Why do we practice Karate-Do?: For a better and stronger physical, mental, and spiritual ability.

What are the values of Karate-Do?: Justice, Courtesy, Humbleness, Determination, Self-Respect, and Respect towards our Family, Teachers, Peers, and everyone we encounter.

What is the meaning of Karate-Do?: ``The Road of the Empty Hand.'' In Karate-Do we do not inflict harm with an attack, but attack with a defense to protect our life.

I recognize Toyama Karate-Do and the Cazales family for all they do for my constituents. They truly are a great asset to the community.

Madam. Speaker, I rise to honor the achievements of Anaheim Union High School Teacher Meg Elder, who has served as the school's dance director and founding director of the Anaheim High School Performing Arts Conservatory.

She began her 31-year career at Anaheim High School in 1988 as a walk-on coach for the school's drill team. Since then, more than 6,000 students have found a second home in her music and dance programs.

Hundreds of Mrs. Elder's students have obtained college degrees by following a path through the arts. Her students have also gone on to become doctors, attorneys, teachers, or have found success in other professions outside the arts. She credits their prosperity to the self- esteem and self-confidence they developed through the performing arts.

Mrs. Elder produced her last dance concert on April 13, 2019. The ``LEGACY--A Celebration of 30 Years of Artistry,'' featured past and current students applauding their teacher's career and contribution to their lives.

Today, Anaheim High's dance program ranks among the top of high schools in the region, with a professional-level studio that is outfitted with audience seating, lighting systems, media projectors and other amenities.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I celebrate the work of Anaheim High Dance Teacher Meg Elder, who has dedicated her life to creating opportunities for students through the arts. She is leaving behind a legacy of arts appreciation for a legion of students.

Madam Speaker, since 2003, April has been recognized as ``National Donate Life Month.'' Every year, the month serves as an opportunity to encourage organ and tissue donor registration, recognize those individuals who continue to wait for an organ transplantation, and honor living and deceased donors and their families for their gift of life.

Today on Blue & Green Day, during which the public is encouraged to wear blue and

green to promote organ donation awareness, I am proud to introduce a bipartisan resolution to recognize April 2019 as ``National Donate Life Month'' and support its goals and ideals.

Every ten minutes, a person is added to the national transplant waiting list. As of April 2019, more than 113,000 people are awaiting an organ donation. Unfortunately, despite over 145 million people registered to be donors, the need for donated organs outweighs the supply of organs. Sadly, on average, 20 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant.

The simple truth is that organ donation and transplantation saves lives. In fact, organ donation from a single deceased donor can benefit up to eight individuals and tissue donation can benefit an additional 75 people or more. Living kidney and liver donors provide transplant candidates with the chance to live longer.

I am proud to sponsor this resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives again and recognize that organ donation is the gift of life.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take some time today to honor Nativo Virgil Lopez, a longtime civil rights activist and a powerful voice and advocate for the immigrant community. A sixth- generation Mexican-American, Nativo Virgil Lopez was born in Los Angeles and raised in Norwalk. As a high school student, he was inspired to grassroots immigrant rights activism by the national movement against the Vietnam War, due to the high numbers of deaths and wounded of Latinos and African Americans.

In 1982 he founded the Orange County chapter of Hermandad Mexicana Nacional (HMN) based in Santa Ana, an organization dedicated to improving the social and political conditions of Latinos in the United States. He was involved in successful efforts to win a large-scale amnesty for undocumented immigrants in 1986, and the years-long campaign to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers' licenses in the 1990s.

In 1996 Lopez and Hermandad was instrumental on a Latino get-out-the- vote drive that helped Loretta Sanchez win California's 46th District seat in the U.S. Congress.

In 1996 Nativo was elected as a trustee of the Santa Ana Unified School District and served through 2003. Backed by the MALDEF--Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund--he claimed that the practice of printing initiative and recall petitions in English-only was a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This led to the state requiring Spanish-language petitions statewide in 2002, and local jurisdictions also providing multilingual election materials.

Nativo was a key co-organizer of the 2006 United States immigration reform protests. Over 500,000 people marched for comprehensive immigration reform in those marches in Los Angeles and Santa Ana. Nativo was leader in making this a reality.

Nativo has been a previous member of LULAC and has renewed his 2019 membership with Santa Ana LULAC Council No. 147. He has worked closely with LULAC National President Domingo Garcia to stop the building of the border wall and continuing his struggle for the adoption of a comprehensive immigration reform that has a smooth pathway towards citizenship.

Nativo Lopez is truly a fighter for the immigrant community, and I am proud to honor his commitment to the community.

Madam Speaker, according to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 80 percent of military-connected children attend public schools. In 2011, the Government Accountability Office reported that data concerning the academic outcomes of these students was limited. In response, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, which included the military student identifier to require that public schools identify and report on the academic outcomes of military- connected students.

However, the military student identifier only includes children with a parent who is on active-duty in the Armed Forces. Children whose parents serve in the National Guard or Reserve Components are excluded from the military student identifier unless that parent serves full- time. These children still face unique challenges and stressors as members of the National Guard and Reserves often deploy within their respective state in response to state emergencies, directives, or while in training.

Therefore, the Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve Act expands the military student identifier to include children of the National Guard and Reserves.

This simple and straightforward change will provide invaluable data for educators, parents, and policymakers to understand the academic outcomes of all military-connected students.

Madam Speaker, to my right is a picture of champs. I congratulate the Fullerton College men's basketball team for winning the State championship this last weekend.

This victory marks Fullerton College's fourth State championship title, but the first since 2006. This awesome performance is thanks to Coach Perry Webster and tournament MVP Lance Coleman, sophomore Rodrick McCobb, and the rest of the talented players.

I am honored to recognize these fine young men. These players are going to be role models, and they are going to be leaders in our community. These men have learned a lesson, which is that hard work and determination pay off.

These are our State champions. Congratulations to Coach Webster and the Hornets. They have earned this victory.

Go Hornets.

Madam Speaker, one in six women in the United States is a Latina. There are currently nearly twenty-eight million Hispanic women living in the United States. Latinas have been part of our nation's fabric from the start. They contribute to our nation through their work in business, education, science and technology, engineering, mathematics, literature and the arts, the military, and public service at every level of the government. Many have overcome a unique set of challenges and have paved their own paths to success. During National Women's History Month, I want to honor the millions of Latinas who have contributed to our nation.

Therefore, I am reintroducing a resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of Latinas in the United States. This resolution will recognize their contributions to American society and further celebrates those who have inspired the next generation.

Madam Speaker, the American Legion is the largest veterans service organization in the United States. Originally chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919, the American Legion has consistently advocated for our nation's servicemembers and their families for 100 years. In that time, the American Legion has fostered a community of support for our men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.

Currently, only veterans who served during formally recognized periods of hostilities are eligible to join the Legion. Therefore, I am introducing the bipartisan LEGION Act, which will enable all veterans who have fought for our country to join and enjoy the benefits of the American Legion. Specifically, the bill expands membership eligibility to veterans who have served honorably in unrecognized periods of conflict since World War II. This bill recognizes and thanks our brave servicemembers and veterans for their service to our country.

Madam Speaker, regrettably, there have been too many instances in which Department of Homeland Security officers have misplaced or lost their Department-issued firearms due to a failure to properly secure such sensitive assets.

In October 2017, the DHS Office of Inspector General found that 2,142 sensitive assets--including 228 firearms and 1,889 badges--were misplaced between fiscal years 2014 and 2016. Most of these losses were due to DHS personnel who did not properly safeguard such sensitive assets. The Office of Inspector General identified the lack of a Department-wide firearm policy as a major reason why sensitive assets were not secured.

Therefore, I am introducing the Securing Department of Homeland Security Firearms Act, which improves the accountability of DHS-issued firearms and other sensitive assets. Specifically, the bill directs DHS to develop and distribute a Department-wide directive for achieving adequate security over firearms and other sensitive assets. That directive must include reporting and recordkeeping requirements for lost assets. Additionally, the bill requires that DHS provide officers with training and guidance on how to follow safeguarding requirements and how to properly report the loss or theft of a firearm.

Due to its mission, DHS has a variety of highly sensitive equipment. Failure to safeguard those assets can have grave consequences for public safety and homeland security. This measure will foster greater accountability and security within DHS.

Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the distinguished public service career of Mr. Stephen Philip Spernak. Mr. Spernak has dedicated over 20 years to serving and benefitting our community in Orange County. In 1982 Mr. Spernak began working for the Cypress Police Department, and here is where his strong leadership and hard work began to take notice.

Mr. Spernak served 14 years with the Cypress Police Department, during this time he was named Officer of the Year in 1988 and received the Medal of Valor in 1993 for rescuing an infant from a burning structure. Officer Spernak was nationally recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 1990 for creating a drunk driving education program for teens, which is still used today. MADD recognized Mr. Spernak as Officer of the Year in 1989 and he has since served as a spokesman and lecturer for MADD for 24 years. He also created and launched a notable public affairs program related to crime prevention, drunk driving, traffic safety, and neighborhood watch through public appearances and cable TV. Mr. Spernak has also served as an Orange County Sheriff Reserve Deputy.

Outside of law enforcement, Mr. Spernak acted as Executive Assistant and Policy Advisor to Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer during his two terms in office. In these roles he aided the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) in their efforts to incorporate Rancho Santiago Margarita into cityhood. His successful role led him to serve as Deputy City Manager of this new city in 2000.

While serving the Orange County Supervisors, he played a lead role on Supervisor Spitzer's staff, serving as his Southern California Liaison. In this role he collaborated with anti-airport committees and successfully defeated a plan to build an international airport at El Toro Marine Air Corps Station.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Fire Chief Tom Schultz, the thirteenth Fire Chief for the city of Garden Grove.

Fire Chief Tom Schultz began his career in firefighting at the age of 21 as a Fire Prevention Specialist with the Fullerton Fire Department. He soon became a firefighter, and later a captain. After 2 decades, he became the Training and Disaster Preparedness Officer, responsible for the department's overall professional Fire training and for updating and implementing the citywide disaster preparedness program.

In 2007, his diligence earned him the position of Shift Battalion Chief which allowed him to oversee the daily activities of the department. In 2011, while serving as the Deputy Chief of Operations, he was assigned to facilitate the management integration of the Fullerton and Brea Fire Departments. His extensive work ascended him to become the acting Fire Chief.

In 2015, after an established 30-year career, he was chosen to be the Fire Chief for the city of Garden Grove. Since then, he had proudly and wholeheartedly served the residents of Garden Grove.

Fire Chief Tom Schultz was known as the ``firefighter's firefighter''. For more than 25 years, he had been a Fire technology instructor at Santa Ana College, training hundreds of students with a passion for saving lives and serving the community.

Anyone who knew Fire Chief Tom Schultz can attest to his integrity, dedication, and humility. While he is a hero to many, he was also a loving son, husband, and father to his

family. Today, Fire Chief Schultz is survived by his wife of 27 years and children.

Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to work with Fire Chief Tom Schultz; and I ask that the House join me in a brief moment of silence in honor of Fire Chief Tom Schultz's memory. We are forever in debt to his service. Shall his legacy live on.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to bring attention to the Vietnamese Government's violence and oppressive attacks on its own citizens in Loc Hung garden. For generations, families have thrived in this farming community, Loc Hung garden. They raised their children and care for their elders.

These citizens are law-abiding citizens, yet, the Vietnamese Government sent over 1,000 officers to destroy this community and displace over 200 families.

There was no due process, no day in court, and no compensation. Instead, the Vietnamese Government took land by force from its own citizens.

These tactics cannot go unnoticed, and the world must call this out for what it is: tyranny. I ask the Vietnamese Government to allow these families to return to their homes.

On behalf of the thousands of Vietnamese citizens living in Orange County, I ask the Vietnamese Government to cease its behavior, cease these oppressive tactics, and let the Vietnamese people live in peace and return to their land where they have been living for generations.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take some time to honor Manuel U. Garcia, a proud U.S. Citizen and Zacatecano that devoted his life to theater, philanthropy, and his family. Regrettably Mr. Garcia passed away on October 28, 2018 in Santa Ana, California at the age of 76 years old.

Mr. Garcia was born in El Cargadero, Zacatecas, Mexico to Francisco and Antonia Garcia. He was the fourth child of a family of 10 children. At the age of 21, he immigrated

to the United States in 1962 as a member of the Bracero Program and worked as a farm worker in Arizona and California. He eventually made his way to Los Angeles where he attended community college to learn English. In 1964 he moved to Santa Ana where he bought two homes. He became an imperative resource to his family and friends arriving from Mexico, providing them with temporary shelter, food and helping them find jobs.

As a member of the Santa Ana Actors Club of the Yost Theater, he helped bring Spanish-speaking theater to the growing Latino community in Santa Ana by acting and writing screen plays and poems. He began working as a laborer in 1966 and was a proud card-carrying member of the Laborers' International Union of North America, Local 652, for more than 50 years. During his 23 years as a laborer, he worked on many construction projects throughout Southern California, including numerous expansions to the Interstate 5 freeway and building the Indiana Jones Adventure ride at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

Mr. Garcia was married in 1971, to Reyna Silvia, and together they had eight children: Leticia, Patricia, Alma, Elvira, Rosalva, Carlos, David, and Teresa. He was also the father to Johnny and the grandfather to 13 grandchildren.

After nearly 30 years in the United States, he was inspired to become a citizen as a result of the anti-immigrant sentiment in California in the 1990s. He was proud to become a U.S. citizen on March 9, 1999, and quickly registered to vote as a Democrat. He made sure he voted in every election, and took pride to learn about all candidates, local measures, and statewide propositions to make sure he made informed decisions.

Manuel was also very proud of his Mexican nationality, and frequently visited El Cargadero--a small town in the state of Zacatecas. He was instrumental in helping build a health clinic, a library with computers, a funeral home, and update the elementary school. For nearly four decades, he partnered with many Mexican government officials to further help improve his hometown. He spearheaded projects to build a bridge, expand the central plaza, build a new townhall, public restrooms, a new baseball stadium, and improve local infrastructure.

Manuel was also an avid baseball fan. He was a loyal fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels. He played recreational baseball for many years with his brothers, and as a parent coached many teams for the Santa Ana Little League. In his retirement years, he worked part-time as a janitor at the Los Angeles Angels stadium while enjoying a good game--the best of two worlds.

Mr. Garcia was a generous man who continuously found ways to give back to his community. His generosity reached hundreds of people and will be missed by friends and family. Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize Manuel U. Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I have met with multiple veterans in my congressional district who attest to the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis in managing their pain.

According to the American Legion, a significant number of veterans across the country--not just in my district--are currently using medical cannabis as an alternative treatment. With so many veterans using cannabis for therapeutic purposes, it is important that physicians have the information and research necessary to fully advice on the potential impacts of medical cannabis usage on post-traumatic stress and chronic pain. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is uniquely positioned to pursue that vital research.

To that end, I am introducing the bipartisan VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, which requires VA to conduct clinical research on the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis, in varying forms and delivery methods, for treating veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and veterans with chronic pain. The legislation requires VA to submit annual reports to Congress on the implementation of this bill for five years. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act is a pragmatic and sensible approach to the need for additional research and could potentially save veterans' lives

Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 50th wedding anniversary of Alfredo and Guillermina Hernandez.

Alfredo and Guillermina were married December 18, 1968, in Mexico Distrito Federal. While still residing in Mexico, they had three children: Veronica, Jose Alfredo and David Alejandro.

Alfredo and Guillermina immigrated with their children to the United States on September 29, 1979. They settled in Santa Ana, California, where they became productive members of their community, never taking for granted the opportunities our great country has provided them.

For 30 years until he retired, Alfredo worked for Miniondas, a Spanish newspaper based out of Santa Ana, and Mrs. Hernandez has been a small business owner in Santa Ana since 1987. Their hard work and dedication bettered not only their lives, but the lives of their children, grand-children and the generations of children who will follow in their footsteps.

Their eldest daughter, Veronica, has been employed with the Santa Ana Unified School District for 28 years, and is married to Ladislao Guillen.

Their son, Jose Alfredo, who has been in practice for 18 years as an immigration and criminal defense attorney, served the SAUSD for 10 years as an elected member of the School Board. He established his own law firm in December of 2006, and is married to Alma, an attorney who serves as a Riverside County prosecutor.

Their son, David Alejandro, served as a United States Marine for 14 years and now works at the Department of Health & Human Services, and is married to Laura.

The legacy of this couple continues not only through their three children, but also through their nine grandchildren, one of whom is serving in the United States Army Reserve, another who has obtained a university degree, and others who are pursuing their educations, dreams, and goals.

Considering the strong values, they were provided with from their own parents, it's not surprising that Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez achieved this significant milestone. Alfredo's parents, now passed, were married for 50 years, and Guillermina's parents have been married for 69 years and counting.

Madam Speaker, please join me in acknowledging the accomplished lives of Alfredo and Guillermina Hernandez and the gift they've given their children, a set of values that stem from their humble roots as immigrants. Together, they have produced an extraordinary family, whose members are now living the American Dream.