Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask, what happened? My hometown, Santa Ana, California, is predominantly Hispanic Latino. Factory workers live there. Remember, we are the biggest manufacturing State in the Union. Nearshoring, guess where it is happening?

California is the largest ag State in the Union. There are a lot of farmworkers in my district. What happened? One day, we are going about our business in Santa Ana, Orange County, masked Federal agents start going into our neighborhoods, picking up hardworking neighbors. Oh, yeah, you bet, people were concerned, scared, and nervous.

A lot of people expressed their First Amendment rights. We got the National Guard. Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes did not call for the National Guard. Local police chiefs did not call for the National Guard. We get the National Guard.

President Trump promised to deport criminals, those with deportation orders, those here less than 2 years, but now it is hard workers, people who pay taxes that are being picked up. Mr. Speaker, 60 percent of those being picked up are now people without criminal records.

Orange County didn't have any violence. We had masked officers coming into our neighborhoods.

I bet President Trump would want to know what is going on on Main Street. One of the constituents that just got picked up I talked about a minute ago, Narciso Barranco. He has been in the U.S. for 25 years. He is a gardener and a father of three marines. We make movies of people like this. This gentleman is a hero. His family are heroes. Instead, he is in an ICE holding facility in Los Angeles.

I am hearing more stories coming, more Barranco-type families being broken up, military families being separated from their loved ones by ICE. I do not believe President Trump would want his legacy to be that he deported military family members like Mr. Barranco.

Let's use common sense here. This resolution is not prime time for a vote. There are a lot of inaccuracies. I am going to ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill is not good for national security. That is plain and simple.

This bill would require Customs and Border Protection to publish sensitive detailed national security information on a monthly basis. This information would give the bad guys around the world real-time updates on DHS operations and targeting.

Let's be clear. A special interest alien, an SIA, does not mean someone who is a terrorist. It just means that someone's travel patterns indicate a need for further scrutiny. It means they need more detailed questioning to determine what is going on.

During markup and during the Rules Committee meeting, we heard from my Republican colleagues how the Department already publishes information about known and suspected terrorists. That is true. However, this bill demands that DHS post far more detailed information about special interest aliens than DHS publishes about known suspected terrorists.

Today, DHS publishes suspected terrorist information on a monthly basis, broken down by Border Patrol and ports of entry. No other data is published.

Here, my colleague from Georgia wants DHS to publish more information about special interest aliens than they publish about suspected terrorists. For special interest aliens, she also wants information published in real time about where they are from and where they are encountered.

If Ms. Greene's bill mirrored what we report on known and suspected terrorists, I would be happy to support it. However, that is simply not the case here. By publishing this information in real time, bad actors would be able to tell who is getting advanced screening from CBP. They will also be able to tell which locations have been the most successful in interdicting those migrants that need enhanced screening.

Bad actors will adjust their operations in response and try to avoid extra screening, which will only hurt our national security.

Please note, Mr. Speaker, DHS has never publicly released these numbers on a real-time basis because this information, these numbers, are essentially sensitive data we don't want to be made public. As the chair just stated, DHS already has the ability to publish these numbers if they were to choose to make these numbers public.

Mr. Speaker, if it is safe to do, then why isn't DHS already doing it?

I would say, Mr. Speaker, let the security professionals decide what to publish and when. That is their job, not ours. Ours is to legislate. They have the ability to make decisions now. Let them make these decisions.

I ask my colleagues to let the Secretary, again, make the decisions and publish the information they deem safe and correct.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

This legislation simply puts our national security at risk by forcing DHS to hand over parts of its playbook on how it stops potential actors from entering the United States. It is all going to make us less safe.

This bill would require Customs and Border Protection to publish sensitive national security information on a monthly real-time basis. We are not talking about personal identifiable information, despite the author's claim. We are talking about releasing who CBP is looking for, targeting, and where those advance interviews are actually happening in real time.

This essentially gives the bad people the opportunity to coordinate, triangulate, and take advantage of the situation, essentially to know what our playbook is.

We all support transparency and accountability at DHS--that is our job here in Congress--but not at the expense of tipping off terrorists or criminal organizations as to what our playbook is.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security.

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

I am listening to this debate, and we are not debating. We are just talking. Again, for the third time I am going to say: We support transparency. We support this information being made public if the Secretary so deems it to be made public in the interest of our national security. That is all we are saying.

We are Members of Congress. We believe in transparency, accountability, and oversight. That is why folks on this side of the aisle are writing countless letters right now to the Secretary of Homeland Security demanding information so that we can do our job. That is transparency.

I don't know when the last time was that my colleagues were at the border. I was just in San Ysidro a couple weeks ago. I can tell you I went to the secondary inspection. Fentanyl is still coming through that border. People were still breaking through that border. The fact is that border is not secure. That is why you have 2,000 U.S.

border agents and 20,000 Mexican border agents trying to work on this issue.

This opposition to this legislation is based on national security. We are saying if this is information that the author thinks is not sensitive, let the Secretary of Homeland Security make that decision to present it. This legislation isn't necessary. You don't want to mandate it. You want to let the anti-terrorist experts make that decision.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez), a leading member of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will make it clear to my colleagues and those who are watching this that the Secretary already has the power to disclose this information. All we are saying is to let the Secretary and the terrorist expert decide what should be disclosed in real time. What goes on at the border in real time is the key here.

We support full transparency and accountability of the Department of Homeland Security. That is why a lot of us, including yours truly, were going to those ICE detention centers in my district for the last 2 weeks. I could

walk in, and I had a good relationship with those individuals. Then, about a week ago, I was told: You can't come in anymore. You need a 7- day notice.

According to the law, there is no notice that Members of Congress need to give to do an inspection of an ICE holding facility.

They are not doing anything wrong? Okay, so then what is wrong with me coming in and looking at the ICE facility? Transparency, Mr. Speaker, all we are asking for is transparency.

The chairman talked about those cases and due process. I can't speak to those specific ones, but I can speak to what is going on in my district right now. The reason we want more transparency is because I want to make sure that the President of the United States knows what is going on. He promised to go after criminals, those visa overstays, those individuals with orders of deportation, and those individuals who came in, in the last 2 years.

That is the minority, the smallest number, of the people who are actually being apprehended. I say that because the President came out last week and said that we don't want to go after farmworkers, dairy farm workers, and hospitality workers. The President said that we don't want to go after these individuals. We want to go after those three categories.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you that, back home right now, most of the people who are being rounded up are workers in factories and workers in farms who are picking our crops.

That is part of the American economic strength. The President needs to know that his immigration policies, as being implemented right now, are not what he is saying and not what he deems is good for this country.

That is what transparency and accountability is about, oversight, making sure what they are saying up top is what actually is happening at the ground level.

My colleagues may have seen this story just last week. A gardener at Home Depot gets picked up. He has been in the United States for 25 years. He didn't even have a traffic ticket.

Do you know what the sad part is, Mr. Speaker? Three of his sons are marines in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The President needs to know that he is deporting individuals of mixed households whose children are in the U.S. military.

I am not quite sure--actually, I am certain that is not what the President wanted to happen. That is what our oversight is, to let him know and the public know exactly what is going on in our districts.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Sister Teresa Lynch, who will be retiring from Santa Ana's Saint Anne School.

She served as a teacher for 31 years and principal for 19 years at Saint Genevieve and Saint Anne School. She also worked to improve the lives of incarcerated prisoners at the California Institute for Women in Chino, California. She also co-directed the Get on the Bus program that connected children with their incarcerated parents.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Sister Teresa for showing us all what it means to care for the community. I thank her for her friendship.

I congratulate Sister Teresa on her retirement. I suspect now, as a retiree, she will be busier than ever.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of amendment No. 8 directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to make recommendations on changes that are needed to its existing healthcare infrastructure so veterans can receive psychedelic-assisted therapies upon FDA approval.

In December of 2024, the VA announced $1.5 million in funding for clinical research on MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD and alcohol disorder, as well.

This is the first time the VA has funded research on psychedelic compounds since the 1960s.

My fellow Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus co-chair, General Jack Bergman, and I are encouraged by the promising results so far that we have seen in treating veterans with PTSD and other disorders.

However, these therapies are different from traditional therapies in many ways. Psychedelic therapies involve hours-long sessions with multiple therapists, additional safety issues, and special training considerations for providers.

We introduced this amendment because we need to be ready and be proactive to make sure that when the VA is ready to administer these therapies they actually can.

While MDMA-assisted therapy did not receive FDA approval last summer, approval of certain psychedelic therapies will likely come very soon. We owe it to our veterans to make sure that they can access these therapies upon approval.

Every day we lose nearly 20 veterans to suicide. One suicide is way too many. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to make sure that our veterans have the best care they need as soon as possible.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Loma Ridge air disaster.

On June 25, 1965, 60 years ago, a military jet took off from El Toro Marine base in Orange County. It was heading to Vietnam. After takeoff, the jet plunged into a mountain, killing all 84 persons onboard. This remains Orange County's worst air disaster.

Today, I honor the 72 marines and 12 airmen who lost their lives that day. I thank them and their families for making the ultimate sacrifice for our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Richard Stein, a leading advocate and partner for the arts and arts education across Orange County, California.

Richard, who recently stepped down as the President and CEO of Arts Orange County, led the organization for more than 14 years. Under his leadership, Arts Orange County addressed the needs of the arts and culture community in Orange County as a trailblazer among nonprofit arts councils worldwide--augmenting traditional arts agency programs and services with its unique role as the community's go-to arts consultant to government, education, and nonprofit organizations. This has helped enable Arts Orange County, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, to become a leading advocate for the arts and arts education on the local, state, and national level. Richard's stewardship also led Arts Orange County to become a strong supporter of the Congressional Arts Competition, providing funds for winning artists to travel to Washington, D.C. to see their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol.

Prior to his appointment at Arts Orange County in August 2008, Rick transformed the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach into a major resident professional theatre over the course of more than 17 years as its Executive Director, growing its annual budget of $700,000 to $7 million and producing more than 100 plays, including two national touring productions. He also directed many notable productions at this venue, including several premieres.

Rick first came to Orange County in 1987, to serve as Managing Director of the Grove Shakespeare Festival in Garden Grove following a five-year stint as Director of Lincoln Theater at Connecticut's University of Hartford. Before that, he held management positions with two major symphony orchestras.

Rick holds degrees in English from Columbia and Syracuse Universities and returned to Columbia for postgraduate study in drama on a National Endowment for the Humanities summer fellowship. He was sent to Korea on a cultural exchange by the International Theatre Institute-US, served on the executive committee of the League of Resident Theatres, and was a contributing writer to AMERICAN THEATRE magazine.

Rick is a former Chair of the John Wayne Airport Arts Commission, past President of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals-Orange County Chapter, and twice former Co-Chair of National Philanthropy Day- Orange County. From 2009 to 2022, he served on the board of Californians for the Arts/California Arts Advocates, a statewide organization promoting the interests of the arts community, including three years as its President.

Demonstrating his commitment to fostering an appreciation of the arts in the next generation, Richard has been a guest lecturer at University of California, Irvine and California State University, Fullerton, and was a commencement keynote speaker for the Laguna College of Art and Design. He has served as a panelist or site visitor for the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Western States Arts Federation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Riverside Arts Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, Louisville Fund for the Arts, City of Pasadena, and the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, for which he also produced its State Arts Awards.

Although his career has largely been in the theatre, Rick's first post after finishing graduate school was as Executive Director of a local arts agency, Oswego County Council on the Arts, located in Fulton, New York. In fact, the theatre company Richard co-founded in 1977, Contemporary Theatre of Syracuse, continues operation today as The Red House, a highly successful producer of multi-disciplinary arts. He is a 33-year resident of San Juan Capistrano with his wife, Alison, an artist.

I call on my colleagues to join me in celebrating Richard Stein's leadership and stewardship of the arts in Orange County and thank him for helping bring arts and culture to our community and country.

Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent and missed the following votes on the House Floor. Had I been present, I would have voted accordingly: NAY on Roll Call No. 166, Passage of S. 331; YEA on Roll Call No. 167, Motion to Recommit on H.R. 4; NAY on Roll Call No. 168, Passage of H.R. 4; AYE on Roll Call No. 169, Motion to Adjourn; YEA on Roll Call No. 170, Motion to Recommit on H.R. 2056; and NAY on Roll Call No. 171, Passage of H.R. 2056.

Mr. Speaker, I was necessarily absent and missed the following votes on the House Floor. Had I been present, I would have voted accordingly: NO on Roll Call No. 164, Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 499; and NO on Roll Call No. 165, H. Res. 499.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Diana Barrios, a homegrown, passionate leader.

Diana graduated from Oxford Academy at the young age of 16 after finishing her sophomore year. She then earned a bachelor's degree in political science and sociology from UCLA with high honors and completed a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Diana's commitment to public service continues to be unwavering, and I was honored to name her as one of my 2025 Women of the Year.

Honoring Denise Osorio

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Coach Denise Osorio, a youth mentor, mother, and community leader who calls the city of Anaheim home.

Denise is the head coach of the Anaheim High School boys' and girls' water polo teams.

Denise took on the challenge to rebuild Anaheim High School's aquatic program after 20 years with no swimming pool and no swimming program. Under her leadership, the girls' water polo team captured the first- ever CIF division title in women's sports in the school's history.

Beyond that, Denise is a devoted mother of three, Nicholas, Rosemarie, and Emma. I am honored to name her one of my 2025 Women of the Year.

Honoring Beverly McNeff

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Beverly McNeff, the co-founder of KidSingers, an after-school youth chorus program for kids in Santa Ana.

Beverly is known as ``Mrs. Cool''. Why? Because she teaches kids that it is cool to sing together in harmony.

Beverly is a former actress, broadcaster, and talent agent in Hollywood. She is married to KidSingers' founder and director, Paul McNeff, and they live in Anaheim with their son, Jeffrey.

I was honored to name her as one of my 2025 Women of the Year. I know Beverly will keep up the good work.

Honoring Ana A. Gonzalez

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor a mother and community leader who calls California's 46th District her home.

She serves as district director to Senator Tom Umberg where she advocates for 1 million constituents, making sure that their voices are heard in Sacramento.

Ana received her bachelor's degree in legal studies from Chapman University and is a graduate of HOPE. Ana is also the mother of Victoria and Cyrus.

I was honored to honor her by naming her as one of my 2025 Women of the Year.

Honoring Alicia Garcia

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Alicia Garcia, a mother and community leader who embodies the American Dream.

Alicia was born in 1961 in Durango, Mexico, and made the brave decision to immigrate to the United States in search of the American Dream.

In the early 1990s, Alicia earned her certification as a certified nurse assistant.

Today, 30 years later, Alicia continues to serve her community at French Park Care Center, where her impact is felt by her patients, her colleagues, and the families she touches and supports on an everyday basis. I was honored to name her as one of my 2025 Women of the Year.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me begin by thanking the chair and the ranking member for their interest in good, managed, efficient SBA offices. They are Federal taxpayer dollars being invested to make sure that we continue to create jobs in our great country.

That being in mind, I would ask everybody to think about return on investment to taxpayers. Orange County, California, my home, today is probably the 30th largest economy in the world. It is home to Disneyland and the Anaheim Angels, and is probably the 30th largest economy in the world.

California, which always gets beat up here in this body, just became the fourth largest economy in the world. Let me say: We are the fourth largest economy in the world.

Guess what? As California taxpayers, we pay the Federal Government $100 billion more in Federal tax dollars than we get back from the Federal Government. I would say, as an economy, we are doing pretty good. We need the workers. We need workers.

California has the biggest agricultural sector in the United States. We feed ourselves and other States in the Union and other nations, and 70 percent of our workforce is--guess what?--undocumented.

We are waiting for this body to pass immigration reform so good, hardworking individuals can be legalized.

We have the biggest manufacturing sector in the United States. It is not Pittsburgh or Michigan. California, southern Cal, is the biggest manufacturing sector in the United States. Guess who most of those workers are? Undocumented. They also pay Federal taxes.

Let's evaluate the SBA not on rhetoric but on how many jobs an SBA office creates. What is that return on investment?

I am not sure why we are doing this today. We all know that there are millions and millions of undocumented workers in this country. Absolutely, we don't want criminals, hardened criminals, in our district. I don't want them as my neighbors.

If they are hardworking, honest individuals, taxpayers, what is wrong with giving them the opportunity to be American, to pursue that American Dream, and to be legalized? That is what America is all about.

I ask my colleagues to strongly consider their ``yes'' vote and please vote ``no.'' We are talking about Federal dollars, taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievements of wrestling coach Scott Glabb, the saint in the city.

Scott took the Santa Ana High School coaching job in 1990 because nobody else would apply for the job.

Mr. Speaker, 30 years later, he has produced national high school wrestling champs, State champs, CIF wrestling champs, both boys and girls.

Mr. Speaker, it is often said that, when a person tastes success, it changes their lives forever. Coach Glabb has helped thousands of students discover their inner youth and their strength, and helped them to overcome tremendous adversity. It is this kind of leadership that earned Scott the title ``Coach of the Year'' and a place in the California Coaches Hall of Fame.

Only Coach Glabb could see that all that these kids needed was a break and somebody who cared for them.

I thank Scott for the positive role model that he has presented to our kids. We love him and wish him success in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Maria Macias Sanchez.

Maria was born in Agua Prieta, Mexico. She then came to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. She married Ignacio and settled down in my hometown of Anaheim to raise a family of seven children, including our own colleagues, Congresswomen Linda Sanchez and Loretta Sanchez. Today, she remains the only mother in the country to have two daughters serve in Congress.

Maria was a teacher who believed that education was the key to the middle class, and she was a role model for our community. In 2008, my alma mater, Cal State Fullerton, designated her as an outstanding alumna.

Maria was a trailblazer for us. Her contributions to our community were tremendous. She will always be in our heart. I thank Maria. We will never forget her.

Mr. Speaker, let me first rise to welcome today our own Anaheim Police Department officers seated in the gallery. Thank you, gentlemen, for protecting our community. Thank you for being here. Thank you for taking an interest in congressional affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Lorin Griset Academy in Santa Ana for being recognized as a Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education.

Griset Academy helps prepare students to fulfill their potential both in class, as well as in future careers.

Join me in congratulating the dedicated staff and educators at Lorin Griset Academy for a great job in preparing Orange County's next generation of leaders.

Honoring Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Police Week by honoring my very good friend, Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez.

Chief Rodriguez was brought to the United States when he was 4 years old as an undocumented immigrant. He got his opportunity at the American Dream thanks to former California Governor and Republican President Ronald Reagan. He then served our country in the marines for 6 years through two wars.

Today, Chief Rodriguez is our Santa Ana chief of police. He fulfilled a lifelong dream of being an American and serving his great country.

He inspires our community. I thank him for his hard work. God bless him and God bless Santa Ana.

Recognizing Goodwill Industries

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Goodwill Industries of Orange County for 100 years of service to our community.

Reverend John Winterbourne founded Goodwill Industries in Orange County, California, in 1924. His own home became the first clothing repair shop that expanded to include an as-is lot that essentially created Goodwill Industries throughout the country.

Please join me in thanking Goodwill Industries for 100 years of service and dedication to our community and to our Nation.

Congratulating Students of Magnolia Science Academy

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the students of Magnolia Science Academy in my district, who have achieved a tremendous milestone, qualifying for the VEX Robotics World Championship.

These students have shown that dedication and hard work does pay off. They have earned the opportunity to compete on the international stage.

Join me in celebrating these remarkable young students as they prepare for the world championship in robotics.

Recognizing Bharat Patel

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my very good friend, Mr. Bharat Patel, for his incredible career and contributions to our community.

In 1976, the Patel family purchased the original Peter Pan Motor Lodge in Anaheim, right across from Disneyland. Almost 50 years later, Mr. Patel's leadership has transformed this small hotel into the Castle Inn and Suites in Anaheim.

Mr. Patel is a business leader and philanthropist. He sits on the board of the California Lodging Industry Association, Visit Anaheim, and several colleges.

Bottom line, he is a Cal State Fullerton alumnus, a Titan, and I am proud of the positive changes Mr. Patel has brought to our community.

Recently, he was honored by Cypress College's Americana Awards as Citizen of the Year in Orange County. I thank Mr. Patel for his great work. He inspires and honors us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to recognize five young students who were taken too soon from the Santa Ana community.

A few weeks ago, five students from the Santa Ana Unified School District were victims of a devastating car crash: Aurelia Robles, Natalia Vidal Zarate, Jacqueline Torres Zarate, Cynthia Torres Zarate, and Emanuel Gonzalez Martinez.

This tragic loss has broken the hearts of our community.

Mr. Speaker, our prayers are with the families of these students. May the souls of Arely, Jacqueline, Natalia, Cynthia, and Manny rest in peace. Our community will never forget them. We miss them dearly. We thank them for the time they spent with us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career and service of Makiko Shirai, a Japanese foreign service worker who worked to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Japan.

On May 20, Makiko will be presented with Japan's Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays, for 35 years of supporting the U.S.- Japanese relationship.

Throughout her career, Makiko served more than 90,000 Japanese nationals in the Los Angeles area, and she played a large role in the Consulate's emergency response to the 1994 Northridge earthquake and again during the attacks of 9/11 on our country.

I thank my good friend and neighbor, Makiko. I thank her for being a role model and showing us all what the power of relationships between countries can do.

Congratulations to Makiko on a well-deserved honor.

Recognizing Sophie Garcia

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sophie Garcia, a sophomore at Orange Lutheran High School in my district, who is making school history as the first female wrestler to win a CIF Southern Sectional individual wrestling championship.

Sophie's championship run included winning five matches in the 2-day tournament, showcasing her exceptional skill, determination, and competitive spirit.

Sophie trained very hard but studied even harder. She maintained a 4.2 GPA, earning recognition as a student-athlete scholar.

I am very proud of Sophie. I know she is going to do even better and will keep up the good work.