Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take a few moments today to honor one of my constituents, Mr. Scott Glabb, for his contributions to Orange County youth over the last twenty years.

Mr. Glabb has been an important figure as a teacher and wrestling coach at Santa Ana High School. After wrestling in college for Pacific University and Eastern Washington University, Mr. Glabb took his talents to Santa Ana High School in 1990, where he became a teacher and head wrestling coach.

Leading by example, Mr. Glabb's dedication has led Santa Ana High School to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Championships year after year. Mr. Glabb also coached two individual National High School Champions: Tony Perez in 1998, and Jose Leon in 1999. He had similar success through coaching two female Wrestling State Champions: Lizette Tenorio in 2009, and Berenice Blanco in 2012.

Mr. Glabb focused on more than winning, and has always made an effort to better his students. He has taken kids from a challenging neighborhood and made them leaders. Because of his guidance, many have gone on to pursue higher education.

Recently, Mr. Glabb was inducted into both the California's Chapter National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the California State Wrestling Hall of Fame. Mr. Glabb's tremendous efforts are not left unnoticed and his accolades are well-deserved. More important than his awards is his impact, which made our community a better place.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Mr. Glabb and the positive impact he has made on the Santa Ana community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Walz.

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz for giving me the opportunity to share my enthusiastic support for this bill, H.R. 2288. I also want to thank Mr. Bost and Ms. Esty for their remarkable leadership in guiding this legislation to the floor and for taking the steps to finally fix the appeals process.

I stand here today to support the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act. This legislation reforms the VA appeals process so that our veterans can begin to receive the benefits they have earned through their dedication to our country.

Veterans in California and all across America, including those in my district, currently face a backlog of sometimes more than 5 years to get their benefits. This is not acceptable, and that is why I am pleased to support this bipartisan legislation.

A veteran who files a disability claim for an injury that they sustained during their military service is issued a VA rating decision, which either grants or denies a claim. If a veteran disagrees with the outcome, they may appeal the VA's decision and then wait and wait and wait. This bill will improve the process by creating a multiple appeal streams, which will accelerate the process.

Our veterans who suffered injury during their time in service can now be assured that they will be one step closer to having their appeals cases reviewed and decided in a timely manner.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of the men and women who protect our families, our streets, and our communities.

Fifty-five years ago, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 National Police Week. Each year, Americans come together to honor our law enforcement professionals and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our families and our communities.

I remember that infamous day, 9/11, when thousands were running away from burning and crumbling buildings; yet, at the same time, our police and first responders ran into the same burning and crumbling buildings to save lives. These brave men and women knew that they were running to certain death.

Every day, police leave their homes knowing full well that they may not return that evening. Every day, they have our backs. It is our job to make sure that they know that we have theirs.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday we commemorated the 42nd anniversary of Black April and the fall of Saigon. On this day, we are reminded of the pain of losing your homeland and of the sacrifices made in search for freedom.

When Saigon fell in 1975, thousands of families were forced to flee their home, and many came to America with nothing but hope and their dreams to keep them alive.

Today I am proud to have represented Little Saigon, the largest concentration of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. Each and every one of them has a personal connection to the sacrifices that their families have made and to the loss of their homes. This shared experience has made the Vietnamese community and culture thrive in Orange County, California.

I am honored to represent this community and mourn alongside with them. I am proud that America gave them shelter in their time of need.

The U.S. must always be a beacon of hope to those without hope. We must continue to stand up for human rights and religious freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Roe and our ranking member, Mr. Walz, for all the good work for all of our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise also in support of the Choice Act and urge my colleagues to also protect our veterans' access to health care.

Our veterans all gave some, and many, many made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation. Providing our vets with the best health care our Nation can deliver on a timely basis is the least we can do for our veterans.

Sadly, as all of us know, in 2014, the average wait time at a VA medical center was 115 days. The Choice Program has provided vets with the opportunity of obtaining health care in their community on a timely basis.

The VA, of course, is an excellent institution that takes care of many, many of our veterans. Yet, when the VA is not available, the Choice Program can be the best option for our heroes.

No one--no one--should have to wait 3 months to see their doctor, especially our vets, our heroes. We must meet our commitment one way or another. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Let's, all of us, keep the promise this country has made to every one of our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, in January, I wrote to President Trump requesting information about why the Spanish language option on the White House website was deleted. Although the White House did state that a Spanish option was under development, in the almost two months since I wrote the letter, I have not received a response nor has an official White House Spanish website been published.

As I stated in my letter to President Trump, there are many taxpayers whose first language is not English. Spanish along with Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese are the most commonly spoken languages in the U.S. Constituents benefit tremendously from having language options to access their government and receive information that may impact their lives. This is why it is imperative that the White House and federal agencies continue to be accessible to all taxpayers.

It is vital for my constituents and all Americans to be able to follow issues that affect their lives. I will continue to work to ensure that more taxpayers have access to information in the language they choose to utilize at home and in their communities.

Therefore, today, I am introducing the White House Accountability for Language Diversity Act. This legislation will require the White House and federal agencies to establish Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese language options for their official websites. This will ensure that millions of taxpayers have the option of accessing up-to- date information in their preferred language.

Mr. Speaker. I'd like to take a few moments today to honor one my constituents, Mr. Frank Barbaro, for his decades of incredible service to Orange County.

Mr. Barbaro was born in Detroit, Michigan and arrived in California in 1954. From a young age, it was clear that Mr. Barbaro was bound to be successful. By the time he was a teenager, Frank hosted his own radio show which aimed to find employment opportunities for young people.

After graduating from Garden Grove High School, Mr. Barbaro went on to graduate magna cum laude from the University of Southern California and then earn his law degree, also from USC.

As a lawyer, Mr. Barbaro distinguished himself among his peers in several noteworthy cases. Mr. Barbaro won 11 multimillion dollar verdicts for his clients.

Mr. Barbaro began his career in politics in 1977 as Chair of the Democratic Party of California. In 2001, Mr. Barbaro was asked by his colleagues to serve as chair once again which he did until his resignation in 2013. Mr. Barbaro also served as the chair for the Orange County campaigns of President Carter and President Obama.

During his time as party chair and successful attorney, Frank's colleagues praised his ability to inspire and work with others. Above all, Mr. Barbaro sought to be inclusive and bring people together despite their differences.

Mr. Barbaro also made helping others a personal goal, such as when he organized the ``Front Line Defense Fund'' which delivered food to the United Food and Commercial workers during their strike.

Mr. Speaker, Frank Barbaro is an example to all of us of the tremendous importance of hard work and dedication in service to others. I am honored to recognize the accomplishments of Mr. Barbaro and the positive impact he has made on Orange County.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 1302, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017.

Every day, communities across this country are confronted by evolving threats. Since the beginning of the year, we have seen a number of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers. A year and a half ago, a 21- year-old White gunman hoping to start a race war opened fire at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine of its parishioners. The year 2015 went on record as the year with most threats, reports of harassments, and vandalism against mosques in the United States.

In light of the emboldened White nationalist, anti-Semitic, and antigovernment movements, as well as ongoing threats from abroad, we must ensure that our first responders are prepared to respond to the evolving threats to our great country.

This bill will direct FEMA's national exercise program to design scenarios that include emerging terrorist threats. To be clear, the legislation does not require FEMA's national exercise program to focus exclusively on terrorist threats, but, rather, seeks to ensure that FEMA continues to develop exercises that are responsive to threats as they may emerge.

The bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out exercises related to terrorist threats domestically and abroad.

H.R. 1302 was passed unanimously and approved by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month and the full House in the last Congress, in July 2016.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1302 is commonsense legislation that will prepare first responders, as well as State and local government partners, for the challenges that lie ahead.

At this time, when first responder programs are slated for the chopping block under the administration's budget blueprint, it is more important than ever that Congress stand together to support them. Exercises like the ones authorized under this legislation contribute to our preparedness.

As such, I urge Members to support this bill once again.

Mr. Speaker, 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. 1238, the Securing our Agriculture and Food Act.

Mr. Speaker, U.S. agriculture and agriculture-related business represents about 6 percent of our gross domestic product as of 2014. Protecting this industry, which contributes $985 billion to our economy, from international and naturally occurring biological events is critical not only to the stability of our national economy, but also to the security of our national food supply and our human health.

This bill would clarify the responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security's Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs as they relate to the DHS' responsibilities under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, entitled: ``The Defense of U.S. Agriculture and Food.''

The bill includes language offered by Representative Donald Payne, Jr., my colleague on the committee, directing the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs to coordinate with all departmental components with responsibilities related to food and agriculture security and screening procedures. Such coordination will include Customs and Border Protection, which has historically struggled to maintain agriculture inspection staffing levels at ports of entry.

Mr. Speaker, agriculture and agriculture-related businesses constitute a major portion of California's economy. Agriculture plays an integral role in industries ranging from transportation and warehousing to finance and insurance, to accommodation and food services.

The cascading effects of national and international outbreaks compromise agriculture, food, and could have devastating effects on the State's economy.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill to ensure the integrity of our agriculture industry and food supply.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, Securing Our Agriculture and Food Act passed the House in September of 2016, and the Senate companion bill was reported out of committee last week.

Passage of this measure will send a strong message about our commitment to protecting our Nation's food and agricultural sectors. As such, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1238.

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. 1365, the Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act.

When the Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002, it was understood that the mission of safeguarding the American people would be

a complex one. Today, 15 years later, the ever-changing nature of the terrorist threat and its landscape has demanded that DHS be more innovative. In the past 3 years, the Department has actively worked to carry out its procurement process in new and innovative ways.

The Acquisition Innovations in Motion program, launched in 2015, is a framework for coordinated industry engagement in which opportunities, challenges, and strategies are discussed to identify acquisition solutions and foster greater efficiency and effectiveness.

A key component of this program is a Procurement Innovation Lab called PIL. PIL is a virtual testing environment that experiments with innovative techniques to assess whether they can be effectively integrated into DHS' procurement process. To date, PIL is credited with reducing award times, the integration of existing flexibilities that are in use in other portions of the Federal Government, and improved acquisition training.

Results, case studies, and lessons learned from the PIL process are regularly shared throughout DHS through webinars and the internal web portal. These activities facilitate a continuous learning culture that enhances the DHS mission of support.

I introduced this bill, H.R. 1365, to institutionalize DHS' acquisition innovation efforts by authorizing such activity by the Under Secretary of Management. Specifically, my legislation authorizes robust testing, development, and distribution of best practices and acquisitions throughout the Department, as well as performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of such efforts.

Enactment of this bill will help ensure that this successful acquisition management technique continues. This bill was unanimously approved by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month.

Mr. Speaker, DHS' approach to acquisitions not only accommodates the Department's unique mission, but it supports our responsibility to the management of taxpayer dollars.

This bill codifies a pathway to developing and implementing innovative approaches that serve the Department's acquisition challenges through collaboration and efficiency. To that end, it is vital that DHS continue to drive towards a more effective procurement process in support of its vital mission.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 1365, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday we will vote on the future of health care for America. We need to do what is right for our district and for our constituents. We need to protect the Affordable Care Act.

The ACA works, but like America's other great healthcare program, Medicare, it needs a little time to get there. Today, Medicare covers over 55 million Americans and is a staple for our seniors; but back in 1965, people had a very negative opinion of Medicare. Today, 52 years later, Medicare is one of the most efficient healthcare systems in our country.

I urge my colleagues: Do not repeal the Affordable Care Act. If you do, 24 million Americans will lose their coverage and older Americans will pay higher premiums. I ask my colleagues to keep the ACA. Let's do the right thing.

Mr. Speaker, tonight at the President's address, I will be joined by a young man, Eliel Aguillon, a new American, in the great tradition of this great country.

Eliel grew up surrounded by poverty, yet he found his path to the American Dream through hard work and education. Eliel is my neighbor. He attended the same public high school

that my daughter attends. He is the first person in his family to attend college, and his goal is to earn a Ph.D. in engineering and to address our Nation's affordable housing crisis. Today, Eliel encourages young students to pursue careers in science and math.

Eliel is a DACA student. Let me repeat. Eliel is a DACA student. He and his family left Mexico when he was 7 years old to pursue the American Dream through hard work and dedication.

We must ensure that Eliel and hundreds of other hardworking DACA students stay in America, the only home they have known, so that they can also contribute to the greatness of our great country. DACA students are our new Americans.

Let us help our great Nation stay great. Let us do the right thing. Let's give our DACA students and other hardworking taxpayers in our Nation a pathway to citizenship.

Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Act. This legislation will provide funds for legal services to protect DREAMers, immigrants, and refugees from President Trump's Executive Order.

Last week, I held an immigration town hall. Scores of my constituents attended because they were afraid for their families and communities. This was before the Executive Order was released. When I was at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Saturday, I saw this fear escalate. Immigrants and refugees were unjustifiably detained and denied access to counsel at airports across our country. President Trump's Executive Order directly challenges the right to due process, which is guaranteed under our Constitution. My legislation will guarantee that DREAMers, immigrants, and refugees have access to legal aid.

I am deeply concerned about the actions taken by the Trump Administration. The refugees that have been granted status by the U.S. Government undergo an intensive security screening process that takes an average of 18 to 24 months. The security screening is performed by multiple federal agencies, including the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI Terrorist Screening Center, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the Department of Defense. The security screening that refugees undergo is the most intensive of any individual entering the United States.

It is sad that the Trump Administration would detain individuals, who fear for their lives in their home countries and seek refuge in the United States, with the intent to deport them back into harm's way. These actions are a misrepresentation of our American values. Our country has always stood up for the oppressed and welcomed the persecuted. It is un-American to turn our backs on those that need our help the most.

If we wish to remain a beacon of freedom to the world, we must stand up for the immigrants and refugees looking towards the United States for hope. We cannot just claim we are the greatest nation in the world. We actually have to act like it too.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the DREAMers, Immigrants, Refugees--or DIRe--Legal Aid Act. This bill will fund legal services to protect them from the recent executive orders.

In my district last week, I held an immigration town hall. The place was packed with people who were afraid for their neighbors and afraid for our communities, and this was before the executive order was released. When I was at LAX this past Saturday evening, I saw the fear escalate. President Trump's executive orders directly challenge the due process rights that are guaranteed to all of us under the Constitution.

My legislation will help DREAMers, immigrants, and refugees have access to legal representation. Refugees are already vetted by the State Department, and the State Department does a very good job. If we want to do extreme vetting, let's do it right, and let's do it legally.

If we wish to remain a beacon of freedom to the world, we must stand up for immigrants and refugees who look to America as a place of hope. We can't just claim we are the greatest Nation in the world--we have to be the greatest Nation in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 724, which would rescind President Trump's refugee ban in light of mothers like Ran Chauhan, who arrived in the U.S. 5 years ago and is going through the naturalization process, but is separated from her sister and two children who are set to arrive in mid February.