Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Tom Danley for his outstanding and unparalleled service in my district.

Mr. Danley attended California State University, Long Beach where he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He first started as a Physical Education Teacher in 1959 at Lynwood High School, now Anaheim High School, and finally Katella High school as a director and coach.

Mr. Danley has coached Varsity Basketball for 33 years at Katella High School, where he led Katella to win 14 league championships and win a staggering 618 games. For 50 years, Mr. Danley has continuously been recognized for his surreal accomplishments including the following: induction into the Southern California Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, ``Basketball Coach of the Decade'', and CIF/SS All-star Game Coach, and State Athletic Director of the Year in California, just to name a few.

In addition to serving as Katella's Basketball Coach and Athletic Director, he has also served as President to the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association, was the President to the Orange County Athletic Directors' Association, and was the President of the California State Athletic Directors' Association.

Mr. Danley is a prime example of an extraordinary individual who has gone above and beyond for his community. His expertise, compassion, enthusiasm, and charisma will forever be remembered by those he mentored, coached, and led. He has left us with a legacy that will be the next stepping stone for those to follow.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Danley has been an outstanding role model for his community, and especially for young people. I am proud to be represent Mr. Danley. I hope he continues to be a source of knowledge, expertise and leadership for his community.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take some time today to honor one of my constituents, Mr. Jon Jumper, for his immense dedication to serving California's state government.

Mr. Jumper graduated from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in 1982 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Dance. While attending UCR, he also studied physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, accounting, archeology, and dance history.

Mr. Jumper is a Tax Administrator for Anaheim's tax office who was originally hired in 1985. First working as a field auditor, then as a tax collector and now as an administrator. During his tenure, Mr. Jumper has worked tirelessly to account for tax revenue and manage audits in the city of Anaheim.

Mr. Jumper is essential to his office in collecting tax revenue from audits. Mr. Jumper has successfully managed a team of tax professionals, administrative program specialists, and auditors to create exceptional work. His expertise has greatly helped the Anaheim and Santa Ana community receive tax revenue, which in turn has led to better infrastructure, improvements in education, and public services.

I am pleased to say that Mr. Jumper has contributed greatly to his community and state government.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Jumper is an exemplary citizen. I am honored to congratulate Mr. Jumper for his tenure at Anaheim's tax office and hope he continues to be an outstanding citizen for his community.

I thank my colleague from Texas.

I represent Orange County, California. I would like to say that California is now the sixth largest economy in the world. My home county of Orange County, if it were a country today, would be the 32nd largest economy in the world.

My district is exploding with jobs, unemployment at a record low. We have biotech, high-tech, tourism, home to Disney land, the Angels. We also have recycling, manufacturing. You name it, it is there.

It is about Americans working hard; former immigrants, now Americans, also working hard; and new immigrants, like DACA students, DACA members of my community, also holding hands with all of us, working hard to enrich our communities, our neighborhoods, our county, our State, and our Nation.

Today, DACA recipients, model immigrants. Nobody in this body would ever debate the fact that we want immigrants who come to work hard, follow the laws, pay taxes, learn English, and study hard. Those are model citizens that any nation in the world would want, and we have them here in this country.

Just a few weeks ago, my daughter came home, 17 years old, from high school. Two of her best friends came with her, and they said: We want help, Mr. Congressman. You are a Congressman. We want some help.

And I said: What is the issue?

They said: We are both DACA students, and we are afraid. We are concerned. We want to go to college. We don't know what is going to happen.

I didn't have any answers for those two young ladies, but, really, the answer I gave them was the same answer I give all the DACA individuals, students I meet in my district, which is: Let me fight the fight for you in Washington, D.C. What you have got to do is continue to study hard, continue to follow the law, and don't give up praying.

I am convinced that, in this body, there are enough people to vote for DACA students, to vote to change the laws. Why? Because it is the right thing to do.

This is a country of immigrants, and nobody, again, can debate the fact that these are good immigrants. These are good, hardworking folks who want a shot. They don't want a gift, but they want the opportunity to earn American citizenship.

These folks have taken an oath, the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag and our country to defend it against foreign and local enemies. These folks are Americans in the true sense of the word. Let's give them a shot, a true shot, at being Americans.

If the gentleman will yield.

I would like to say, they serve in our military. They are police officers, teachers, doctors, nurses. They are part of our fabric.

Mr. Speaker, I also am honored to join my colleagues from across the aisle tonight to talk about Attorney General Sessions' decision to rescind the Cole memo, which has guided the State of California as well as other States in pursuing reasonable cannabis regulation.

As a California State senator, we relied on the Cole memo to help craft California's cannabis industry regulatory framework.

I personally introduced legislation to regulate medical cannabis that was sponsored by the public safety community of the State of California. We all relied on the Cole memo. We all relied on regulating medical marijuana to make sure that it was chemical free, that it was tested, labeled, and that cannabis was kept away from our children, our neighborhoods, and our schools.

I remember working on this legislation, and one day I got a phone call from a Republican doctor who wanted to lecture me about my bill. I assumed he was opposed to the legislation, but, you know what, I wanted to hear him out. So I had him drive out to my district office. And during the meeting, he told me about his daughter, a young Miss Moynihan, who from birth to the age of 10--she was 10 years old--had had seizures. And every year, those seizures had gotten worse and worse. And the medication he had to use to keep the seizures under control had gotten stronger and stronger with terrible side effects on his beloved daughter.

Finally, Dr. Moynihan fell across medical cannabis. He used it. It was like a miracle. His daughter was getting better with no negative side effects. But then he said, ``Lou, I want to make sure that my daughter's seizures stop, but I want to make sure she doesn't get high,'' meaning what he wanted me to do in my legislation was to make sure that my legislation carried language to make sure that medical cannabis was tested and properly labeled.

All this doctor wanted was medical cannabis for his beloved daughter. And there are many patients like young Miss Moynihan that rely on medical cannabis, but she also relies on the proper regulation, and labeling, and manufacturing of medical cannabis.

Attorney General Sessions' doing away with the Cole memo effectively says to the State of California: You can no longer regulate medical cannabis. This will not be available for the young Moynihans of the State of California. I ask Attorney General Sessions to reinstitute the Cole memo. Let States do what States do best. Let's respect the sovereignty of our States, and let's move forward, not backward.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I just want to add, think about all of the progress that we made as a country, as a nation in regulating cannabis, medical cannabis, how so many States have relied on that Cole memo to be lawfully abiding citizens, lawful citizens, lawful businessmen, and States have also relied on that memo to make sure that their regulatory framework fits within Federal guidelines.

Much time, energy, effort, and resources have been invested by these States to make sure that we are following Federal law. And overnight, the Cole memo is gone. All of that work these States have put together is out the door. How do we tell all of these citizens that want to follow the law, want to pay their taxes, want to do what is right under the law that they are now criminals? This is not right. It is inconsistent with our due process. And at the end of the day, again, these are States' rights.

We have given effectively these powers, these abilities to the States to regulate medical cannabis. We cannot just turn our back and say: We didn't mean it. Sorry. Let's move forward.

I don't believe we can return to those days when we would lock up individuals for minor sources of cannabis. We can't go around the streets and arrest people for cannabis anymore, and, of course, Dr. Moynihan has to have the ability to continue to medicate his daughter.

Mr. Speaker, recently, my daughter came home from high school accompanied by two of her good friends. These young ladies are about 16 years of age. They wanted to sit down and talk to me a little bit, so we sat down and we spoke. After a while, I learned these young ladies were very nervous and very scared. They were DREAMers.

They had a basic question for me, which was: What can we do? What can you do for us?

Very, very tough questions. After a moment I answered them: Continue to study hard. Continue to follow the law. Be good students and don't give up hope.

At the same time I told them: Don't worry about Washington, D.C. I am going to Washington to fight for you.

That is what we are doing here today, myself and my colleagues, fighting for DREAMers, fighting to make sure that they have a shot at the American Dream.

Now, I am happy to say today that DREAMers enjoy support of not only Democrats, but Republicans as well on this floor.

Why?

Because all of us know who DREAMers are. DREAMers are hardworking individuals. They serve in our military. They are soldiers, police officers, firefighters, nurses, teachers, and, of course, they are also our neighbors. DREAMers also are very good immigrants. They pay their taxes and follow the law.

Do you know what?

They provide value to our country.

Recently, I also had the opportunity to visit my son's high school, the Air Force Naval ROTC program. I went to be part of what is called a pass in review. Some very nice, honorable young cadets passing in review, all saluting the flag of the United States, all taking the Pledge of Allegiance to our country and to our flag.

Do you know something?

A lot of those cadets were DREAMers.

Mr. Speaker, today we have the chance to do what is right. We have a chance to do our job. Let the Dreamer legislation come before us for a vote and let's give the DREAMers the opportunity to earn the American Dream.

Mr. Speaker, let's not live with regrets. Let's not look back 5, 10, 15 years from now and say what we could have, should have, would have. Now is the time to act. Now is the time to vote for our DREAMers.

I ask my colleagues to please vote against the previous question so that we can immediately bring up the Dream Act to vote for justice and equity.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 4564, the Post-Caliphate Threat Assessment Act of 2017. The Post-Caliphate Threat Assessment Act requires the DHS to conduct an intelligence threat assessment of foreign fighter activities.

With the military defeat of ISIL's caliphate, we are concerned about the threat of foreign terrorists returning to the West. While the vast majority of foreign fighters originated from Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, about 20,000 foreign fighters traveled to Iraq and Syria from at least 110 countries. We must address foreign fighters who are ready to return home. We must stay abreast of their movements and stop them from coming to the United States.

Requiring DHS to conduct a threat assessment of current foreign fighter activities will help DHS to continue to focus on travel screening on the risk-based dangers that we face. Let's focus our policies on preventing terrorism by keeping dangerous individuals from coming to this country.

H.R. 4564 requires a detailed report by the Secretary of Homeland Security, coordinating with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, on foreign fighter movements to help DHS focus on preventing their activities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this measure. I want to thank Mr. Higgins for this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4569, the Counterterrorism Information Sharing Improvement Act of 2017. This bill seeks to ensure that the DHS gets access to biometric and biographic data collected by the United States Government to carry out its counterterrorism efforts.

Since 9/11, the Democratic members of this committee have been committed to bolstering terrorism information sharing within our government. Today, terrorist threats are decentralized, spreading beyond al-Qaida, al Shabaab, and ISIL to a patchwork of small cells and lone wolves who stand ready to carry out violence to our country at their whim. Increasingly, this threat also includes homegrown violent extremists and domestic terrorists.

Ensuring that the DHS has access to biographic and biometric data on individuals associated with a terrorist organization is critical to comprehensive assessing of all forms of terrorism and threats to our government.

This legislation also requires that the DHS report on how the data is being received and utilized for screening and vetting purposes. This report will help Congress ensure that screening and vetting of travelers to the United States is conducted in a risk-based manner.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and I am prepared to close.

Again, Mr. Speaker, this legislation ensures that the DHS have access to biographic and biometric data collected by our government on individuals associated with terrorist organizations. It is important that this information be integrated into the DHS' screening and vetting programs to protect our country, our citizens, from all forms of terrorism and extremism.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 4581, the Screening and Vetting Passenger Exchange Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, the Screening and Vetting Passenger Act of 2017 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and share best practices for using data provided by passengers in screening and vetting operations with our allies around the world.

Since 2014, more than 75 million international travelers have come to the United States. In recent years, especially during the Obama administration, great strides were made to use the information furnished by these incoming travelers to advance security screening and vetting processes.

Building upon the Department's 2017 last point of departure security enhancements that sought to raise the bar in physical screenings at overseas airports with direct flights to the U.S., this bill will further reinforce security measures and seek to provide our overseas partners with the capabilities to advance their own vetting and screening.

No country is immune from terrorism, and this bill will ensure that the DHS can be a valued partner to nations that work with us.

By providing best practices on passenger screening, H.R. 4581 seeks to ensure that terrorists seeking to inflict harm are not allowed to travel without detection.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this bill seeks to make international travel more secure and fosters a strong relationship between our country and our allies. All nations must increase their vigilance with respect to security screening. There are thousands of ISIL foot soldiers who may seek to enter the Western world and other nations to carry out their attacks. This legislation seeks to harness the United States' best practices and capabilities to advance the safety of the global aviation community as we face an agile and evolving enemy.

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

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

I rise in support of H.R. 4433, the Securing Department of Homeland Security Firearms Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, DHS is a diverse Department that has the distinction of being the largest law enforcement agency in the Federal Government. To help support its critical mission, DHS must maintain and safeguard a variety of sensitive law enforcement equipment, such as firearms, ammunition, and badges. DHS equipment in the wrong hands could result in loss of life.

According to an October 2017 report issued by the DHS Office of Inspector General, the Department does not have adequate requirements to safeguard its sensitive assets. Approximately 2,100 highly sensitive assets were lost between 2014 and 2016. In response to the report, my legislation requires DHS to develop and implement policies to secure firearms and other sensitive DHS equipment at the Department.

This security measure requires the Under Secretary of Management to disseminate a departmentwide directive that includes requirements for securing firearms and sensitive DHS equipment, as well as reporting these requirements.

This measure outlines the responsibilities to properly safeguard firearms and sensitive assets in accordance with the directive and requires personnel to properly report lost firearms and equipment.

This measure was unanimously approved by the Committee on Homeland Security last month and will help foster greater accountability and security within DHS, and I urge passage of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, my legislation is intended to advance the critical mission of DHS by ensuring that firearms and sensitive assets are properly safeguarded and maintained.

In my home State of California, in 2015, a 27-year-old, Antonio Ramos, was shot and killed with an ICE agent's stolen 9-millimeter weapon.

According to the DHS OIG, failures to safeguard important equipment and assets are still not being properly addressed. Given DHS' mission, it is essential that the DHS workforce prioritize and properly protect the equipment that is critical to their mission.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have lost an incredible individual to our society. Joanne Coontz, a trailblazer for women in the City of Orange has recently passed away at the age of 88.

Ms. Coontz was the city's first female council member and the first woman elected as mayor. She will always be remembered for her political pioneering and her tremendous dedication to the community. During her long political career, Ms. Coontz contributed and advocated to various causes, some of which include the expansion of the Orange Public Library and the creation of its history center. Moreover, Ms. Coontz helped establish a Veterans Memorial at Depot Park and Pitcher Park.

After her time in politics, she spent the rest of her life helping her community through nonprofits such as Friendly Center and the Orange Community Historical Foundation, volunteering with the Orange Unified School District, and much more.

Ms. Coontz has contributed to the City of Orange in numerous ways and will always be remembered as one of the first trailblazers. The City of Orange will never be quite the same without Ms. Coontz.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I celebrate the memory of Ms. Joanne Coontz. A vibrant member of the City of Orange community, taken from us too soon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize not one, not two, but three championship high school football teams in my district.

Anaheim's own Katella High School varsity football team won their first ever CIF Division 11 championship victory. On December 1, the Katella Knights varsity football team brought a championship title to their school for the first time in the school's history.

On December 2, Orange High School, another public school in my district, brought home the Division 13 CIF title.

Also on December 2, Mater Dei High School's varsity football team won their first CIF Southern Section Division 1 title since 1999.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating these fine athletes, their coaches, and their outstanding football programs.

I must say congratulations to the Knights, Panthers, and Monarchs. All three teams will be playing for their State titles in their respective divisions this Saturday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Raul Antonio Vazquez, who tragically lost his life on November 23, 2017 in Garden Grove, California.

Mr. Vazquez was a husband, father, son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, coach, and a friend. Mr. Vazquez was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky on November 8, 1967. In 1994, Mr. Vazquez moved to Orange County to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. It was there where he met his wife, Maricela Miranda, and later raised their three sons, Raul, Julian, and Joaquin, and daughter, Miranda.

Mr. Vazquez was an avid sports fan and loved spending time with his family. In his free time, Mr. Vazquez volunteered to coach and lead various organizations at his children's school, St. Cecilia School. All those he encountered were also met with his frequent jokes, selfless heart, and the power of his faith.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I celebrate the memory of Mr. Raul Antonio Vazquez. A vibrant member of the Garden Grove community, taken from us too soon.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take some time today to honor and remember a prominent member of my community, Dr. Joseph L. White, for his immense dedication and invaluable contributions while serving the community of Long Beach.

Dr. Joseph L. White passed away on November 22, 2017. Dr. White was a visionary who introduced and founded the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) in 1967 at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). This revolutionary model was later replicated by educational institutions throughout California and the United States, and allowed millions of minority, low-income, and first generation students of color to successfully attend and graduate from public and private colleges and universities. November of 2016 marked the 50th anniversary of the EOP at CSULB and Dr. White was honored in the presence of dignitaries and other prominent members of the community for his contributions as an educator and the success of EOP. EOP serves approximately 2,500 students annually and is continuously growing. Dr. White was personally responsible for touching the lives of countless students who remember him with great fondness and respect.

In 1962, Dr. White was only the second black tenure-track faculty hired at CSULB. He was also the only black tenured psychologist in California. He was extremely troubled by the lack of diversity at CSULB and decided to act and enable change himself. He realized that colleges needed a vehicle to admit students with potential were unable to meet college admission standards and requirements. EOP was able to support minority students, giving them a wider range of opportunities and a promising future. It is no surprise that he is known as the ``godfather of diversity'' at CSULB.

Dr. White's work extended beyond CSULB and throughout the community. Dr. White's time as a professor of psychology at the University of California, Irvine and across the country will never go forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. White is an example to us all of us of the incredible value found in community engagement. I am honored to recognize Dr. White for doing his part in addressing the issue of the lack of diversity in public and private colleges and universities, and thank him for the positive impact he has made on the community and the country.

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Congress for the first time enacted a military student identifier (MSI) program to track and collect data on military-connected students' education. However, this provision only requires states to identify and monitor the academic progress of active-duty military-connected students. This excludes the children of National Guard members and Reservists. Students with parents in the National Guard and Reserves may face the same challenges, such as constant moving and the stress of parental deployment, as students whose parents are in active-duty service. That is why, today, I am introducing the ``Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve Act.''

The need for an MSI for all military-connected children, not just those in active-duty, is important because it allows educators, parents, and policymakers to make informed, evidence-based decisions on how to positively affect the educational progress of all their students.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kieu-Chinh, a legendary Vietnamese-American actress and a philanthropist, who has contributed six decades of her life to the motion picture industry worldwide, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, China, India, Australia, Canada, and Hollywood.

Kieu-Chinh was born in 1937 in Hanoi, North Vietnam. She moved to the South Vietnam as a refugee in her own motherland at the age of 17, and started her acting career at the age of 19. Since then, she has appeared in over 100 movies and television shows including ``M.A.S.H'' and ``The Joy Luck Club.''

Throughout her acting career, she has received numerous accolades and awards: Best Actress Award of South Vietnam--Arts and Cinema Prize (1969), Best Leading Actress at the Asian Film Festival in Taipei (1973), Emmy Award for her documentary--``Kieu-Chinh: A Journey Home'' produced by FOX Television (1996), Special Acting Award at the Cinema Delle Donne Film Festival in Italy (2003), and Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Vietnamese International Film Festival (2003), at the San Diego Film Festival (2006) and at the San Francisco Movie Festival- Festival of Globe (2015).

In addition to her acting success, she was honored as ``Refugee of the Year'' by the United States Congress in 1990 and was invited to be the first Vietnamese woman to speak at the 10th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Groundbreaking Anniversary in Washington, D.C. in 1992.

In 1993, together with Lewis Puller--an American veteran and Terry Anderson--a journalist, Kieu-Chinh co-founded the Vietnam Children's Fund (VCF). Since its establishment, the VCF has built 51 schools in Vietnam to provide safe and high-quality education for more than 30,000 students annually. In the same year, she became a lecturer for the Greater Talent Network, Inc. in New York and has made multiple appearances at different conventions, academic conferences, and universities around the country for over two decades.

On the 60th Anniversary of Kieu-Chinh Cinema, Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Kieu-Chinh and her invaluable contributions to the motion picture industry and the communities worldwide.