Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the victims of the horrific mass shooting that occurred at Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, 11 years ago. My community forever changed the night of July 20, 2012.

Twelve people, with arms full of popcorn and candy, walked into theater 9 and never walked out. I think those of us in this room whose communities have faced this type of tragedy would agree: There is a before and there is an after, and what comes after is a shattered community trying to make sense of a senseless act of violence.

Today, we remember Veronica, AJ, Micayla, Jessica, Alexander, Jonathan, John, Matt, Alex, Jesse, Rebecca, and Gordon. They should still be here.

Every year, Aurora and the greater Colorado community come together to remember the lives we lost and the collective trauma shared. We also recognize those, who in the face of unspeakable fear, stepped up to help their loved ones and neighbors.

Let us not grow numb to the pain of this day, rather, we honor the lives of those we lost by being relentless in our pursuit for gun reform. As Members of Congress and as Americans, it is our duty.

Madam Chair, I rise today in opposition to this extreme and misguided amendment.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, I fought alongside servicemembers from every race, gender, and political affiliation, and we had each other's backs. We still do. So, I will not sit quietly while people attack the rights of women who have stood up to serve this country. We owe them better than this.

It is extreme, misguided, and inconsistent with the values of our Nation and our military.

Madam Chair, as a standard-bearer of those values, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I fully support Ukraine in its existential fight for freedom and democracy. I have also spent years in this Chamber addressing the issue of civilian casualties. In fact, I am one of the founding co-chairs of the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus. Why? Because I spent the formative years of my life in Afghanistan seeing the horrific results of war, including cluster munitions.

However, there are times in this Chamber when a measure doesn't do what we think it does, when it, in fact, does the opposite.

This measure will not stop the use of clusters in Ukraine. I have written to the administration. I have asked for clarity. I have asked for assurances and mitigation measures, and I will continue to do that.

What this measure will do is play right into pro-Russian and pro- Putin propaganda. It will be twisted and contorted by nefarious actors who say that America doesn't support Ukraine and that Democrats don't support Ukraine. That is not where we need to be because that is the history of this bill. That is the history of many of those who are supporting this bill and who have originated this bill. That is the context from which this bill originates.

That is not where progressive, pro-Ukrainian Members should be.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this measure vociferously.

Mr. Chairman, I do a lot of good work with my friend from California, and we have agreed before, but I have to vehemently disagree with him on this particular amendment.

It is framed as an Afghanistan oversight amendment, an issue that is very important to me and which I have worked very hard on over the last couple of years, both before the withdrawal from Afghanistan and after the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

It lists a number of efforts and a number of data points and information and documents that it wants the government to turn over.

If only somebody had thought of this before. If only we thought about doing oversight of Afghanistan before; like maybe the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, SIGAR, or maybe the Abbey Gate investigation, or maybe the thousands of documents that CENTCOM already has on its website, or maybe the Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee that Foreign Affairs actually just created that I am the ranking member of, or maybe the DOD, State Department, and CIA after- action reviews that exist, or maybe the General Accountability Office investigations, or maybe the IG investigations, or maybe the bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission

that we have supported that has eight Democrats and eight Republicans that many of my friends on the opposite side of the aisle won't even agree to fund now, or maybe the 20 pieces of legislation that I and others have supported to make sure that we learn lessons and do this right, or maybe the Afghan Allies Protection Act that I am moving forward to do right by our SIVs, or maybe the Afghan Adjustment Act to make sure that we are helping those Afghans that we evacuated.

I could go on and on about all the efforts that I have worked on, and others have worked on that I would fully support and hope that you would do the same, but this is just a political effort, right?

There is all this other stuff going on that I support that are good, bipartisan efforts. This is duplicative which makes it gratuitously political, and I urge my colleagues not to support this measure.

My friend from California, I will always accept an offer to meet with our families of the fallen. I served in Afghanistan, as you know, and some of my friends and people that I served with made the ultimate sacrifice, but this is not the way to advance this mission and get this done.

As the ranking member of the Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee, I will work with you to do it the right way.

Mr. Speaker, here are some facts.

Fact number one, Donald Trump remains one of the greatest dangers to our democracy that we have ever seen, and he is a demagogue.

Fact number two, demagogues don't like people who call them out, who speak the truth, and who pose a threat to their grand designs to destroy our democracy.

Fact number three, I have spent my life serving this country in uniform, out of uniform, and I would be hard-pressed to find somebody who is more committed to democracy, who has more integrity, and who is more committed to the rule of law than Adam Schiff.

I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this absurd proposal, to set yourself free from your servitude of Donald Trump so we can move forward as a country.

Set yourself free. You know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of all in this country who have been impacted by gun violence.

My constituents in Colorado's Sixth District know too well the deep- rooted pain caused by gun violence. It is a fracture in a community that never fully heals. From Columbine to Aurora, STEM School, and Arapahoe High School, ours is a community that has faced immense tragedy.

Our children are afraid to go to school every day. Students in my district ask me: What are you doing to protect us?

I want to tell them that Congress is doing everything we can to protect them, but I can't. Unfortunately, many Republicans are failing them and us by refusing to pass basic, commonsense, lifesaving gun violence prevention legislation.

June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, encompassing six anniversaries of tragic mass shootings in our Nation, including the horrific, hate- filled shooting at Pulse nightclub that took 49 lives 7 years ago this week.

Mr. Speaker, I honor the lives of those that we have failed to protect, and I ask for action.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation (CFM) and celebrate its 10th anniversary. The CFM Foundation is a non-profit corporation maintained by a network of volunteers that seeks to provide a place of reverence for Coloradans who left to fight for freedom and never returned.

After a visit to the Normandy American Cemetery in France, founder Rick Crandall learned that 88 servicemembers from Colorado were buried there. Curious about how many Coloradans had been lost in all of America's wars, Rick made it his mission to create a space to honor the Colorado servicemembers killed in action. After more than a decade of work, the CFM Foundation erected the Colorado Freedom Memorial in 2013. symbolically bringing Colorado's once-lost men and women back home.

The Colorado Freedom Memorial, located in Aurora, Colorado, holds the names of 5,990 Coloradans killed or missing in action, with an additional 102 names awaiting inscription. The

names, which span from the Spanish-American War to present day. are organized by conflict, but are intentionally out of alphabetical order to evoke the chaos of war. As long as war is a reality, the lives and names of Coloradans will continue to be added to the memorial to honor the ultimate sacrifice they made in service to our Nation.

In the ten years since the memorial was dedicated, thousands have come to visit, pay their respects, and remember those who served. The Colorado Freedom Memorial is not only a solemn space for memorial services and ceremonies but is a place of grief and healing for families that never had a cemetery to visit the loved ones they lost.

I commend the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation and its volunteers for their ongoing effort to ensure that no Coloradan is forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Leah Peer, Founder and Music Director of Kol Nashim, the Women's Choir of the Colorado Hebrew Chorale.

Leah founded Kol Nashim in the fall of 2013 with the mission to preserve, promote, and celebrate the Jewish experience through song by performing with and for diverse audiences. In 2014, Kol Nashim performed its first benefit concert to raise awareness for women in need and has since continued to spread its dual message of presenting Jewish music while expressing the life experience of women.

A notable history with music, Leah is an active performing pianist and has established several chamber ensembles around the U.S. Additionally, she holds a Master of Music in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem, Israel.

Leah is a teacher, leader, and musician. Her dedication to music is apparent and undoubtedly led to the beautiful cultivation of her art. I want to congratulate Leah on her many accomplishments as we celebrate 10 years of Kol Nashim.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the victims of the horrific mass shooting that occurred at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado 24 years ago. It has been 24 years since 12 teenagers and one teacher went to school and never made it home.

It's been 24 years since Daniel Rohrbough's mom gave him a hug and kiss goodbye before he walked out of their home one last time.

It's been 24 years since Dave Sanders placed the lives of over 100 students above his own before he was murdered.

It's been 24 years since Steven Curnow's greatest concern was when he could finally see Star Wars: the Phantom Menace.

It's been 24 years since John Tomlin held the hand of his classmate to comfort her as they hid under a table in the library.

It's been 24 years since Daniel Mauser was shot and killed two weeks after he expressed concern to his dad about America's gun laws. Daniel asked his dad about the loopholes in the Brady Bill that allow individuals to obtain guns online or at gun shows. Daniel's life was taken by a gun purchased through one of those loopholes.

I ask: What has changed since Columbine?

The gun show loophole remains open to this day. Gun violence in this country is the worst it's ever been. Our children fear going to school every single day, and Republicans in Congress refuse to take the necessary steps to protect them.

Americans have had enough. I've had enough.

A quote etched into the side of the Columbine Memorial reads: ``It brought the nation to its knees but now that we've gotten back up how have things changed; what have we learned?

We can and must do more to protect our children and our communities from gun violence. We must ban assault weapons and ensure these weapons of war are inaccessible to the general public.

As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to act and to ensure that a tragedy like the one that occurred at Columbine never happens again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the victims of the horrific mass shooting that occurred at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

Twenty-four years ago, 12 teenagers and 1 teacher went to school and never came home. I stand before you all today and ask: What has changed since Columbine?

Two weeks before his death, one of the victims expressed concern to his dad about America's gun laws. He asked his dad about the loopholes in the Brady Bill that allowed individuals to obtain guns online or at gun shows. His life was taken from him by a gun purchased through one of those loopholes.

The gun show loophole remains open to this day. Gun violence in this country is the worst it has ever been. Our children fear going to school every single day, and Republicans in Congress refuse to take any steps to protect them.

Americans have had enough, and I have had enough. We can and must do more to protect our children and our communities from gun violence. We must ban assault weapons and ensure these weapons of war are inaccessible to the general public.

As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to act to stop these tragedies from occurring all over our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H. Con. Res. 21.

Now, I have been one of the most vocal proponents in this Congress on reasserting congressional authority in matters of war and peace, because the Constitution delegates to this body the decision to debate and decide when to send our men and women into harm's way.

Now, Congress after Congress has abdicated that authority to both Republican and Democratic administrations. Yes, it is time to pull it back, and it is time to reassert our authority and to have the debates that have been long overdue for many, many years. I join my bipartisan colleagues in that endeavor, because it is a right, true, and just endeavor, and we owe our constituents nothing less.

There is a good way to do it, and there is a wrong way to do it. I rise in opposition to this concurrent resolution, because it is the wrong way to do it for three reasons.

Many of us have spent the morning in the Foreign Affairs Committee rehashing the disaster of the 20 years in Afghanistan and hearing about the moral stain of our partners and allies that we have left behind in Afghanistan. I am not willing to make that mistake again, of saying that we will leave behind the Kurds and the Syrian Democratic forces and our other partners who have fought side-by-side with us in years past and again today.

Number two, the dangers that ISIS poses to the American people are well documented, and we are not prepared yet to abdicate and turn our back on that threat.

Number three, any military person knows that retrograde operations or withdrawal operations are the riskiest operations that you can conduct. Setting an arbitrary timeline on a retrograde that is not tied to defined benchmarks or operational requirements is the wrong way to do it and puts our men and women at risk.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Rico Munn, Superintendent of Aurora Public Schools. At the end of the 2023 school year, Rico will step down as Superintendent to act in a supportive capacity to the district.

For more than nine years, Rico has served at the helm of the Aurora Public School (APS) district. He stepped into the role after the Aurora theater shooting when the community and many APS students were grieving. Years later, school districts were faced with an unprecedented pandemic, closing their doors to in-person learning for nearly two years. Rico worked with others in the APS system to develop a response to the pandemic that ensured students had the resources they needed to succeed.

APS is one of the largest and most diverse districts in Colorado, and Rico has always understood the importance of advocating relentlessly for and supporting the people, policies, and practices that lead to student success. Since 2013, when Rico stepped into the role of superintendent, APS has made strides in eliminating the graduation equity gap, increasing graduation rates, and decreasing dropouts.

In 2019, Rico was named Colorado's ``Superintendent of the Year'' and Aurora's ``Man of the Year''--highlighting Rico's dedication to the students and teachers of APS, as well as the improvements and changes that occurred under his leadership.

Outside of his work as Superintendent, Rico also has an extensive history fighting for social justice causes. He served on the board of the ACLU-Denver and was principal author of the Denver Police Department's first policy against ``Biased Policing.'' Additionally, Rico is active in many nonprofits across Colorado.

I commend and thank Rico for his years of service to the students, teachers, and families of the APS system, as well as his continued dedication to our community. As Rico transitions to a supporting role in the APS system, may his experience and commitment to students continue to be an immense asset in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Richard Fierro, a survivor of the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, CO, who chose to risk his life to save others, in the face of unspeakable violence.

On the evening of November 19, 2022, Richard and his family were enjoying a drag show at Club Q--a nightclub that has long been a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community. In the blink of an eye, an enjoyable night turned deadly.

After spending 15 years as an officer in the U.S. Army, with combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan, Richard's actions were instinctual. Except this wasn't a warzone--this was a night out with his family at a bar in his own backyard. As gunfire rang out around him, people screamed, and glass shattered, Richard's Army training kicked in. He ran toward the shooter--tackling and subduing him.

Not only did he subdue the gunman, but he also took charge and gave orders to those around him--attempting to establish some semblance of order amid the chaos. He placed tourniquets on his friends and reassured them they would be okay while he yelled to police that the shooter was down. There is no doubt in my mind that Richard's heroic actions saved countless lives.

Here in Colorado, we are all too familiar with gun violence and the devastating impact it continues to have on our communities. We should not still be in mourning when the next mass shooting occurs. We should not have to live in fear every time we step outside our homes. Yet time and time again, we are forced to rely on the bravery of unsuspecting patrons in clubs, restaurants, grocery stores, and dance studios to disarm shooters in this country.

We continue to mourn the lives lost at Club Q: Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump, and Raymond Green Vance--the boyfriend of Richard's daughter. Any loss of life like this is senseless and heartbreaking, but in the face of tragedy and unspeakable darkness, there are always heroes who rise up and answer the call to service. It is an honor to recognize Richard's heroic actions at Club

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill to ensure critical protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.

Madam Speaker, 19 days ago, Coloradans woke up to the news of yet another mass shooting impacting our community. This violence was the direct result of intolerance and discrimination. It was the direct result of efforts by some elected officials to seize on hate and villainize the LGBTQ+ community.

Today, we have the opportunity to reject the ugly vitriol and stand with the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado and nationwide. Today, we have the opportunity to protect all Americans, regardless of how they identify or whom they love.

The Respect for Marriage Act will uphold marriage equality under Federal law, repealing the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. This bill ensures that the Federal Government won't stand in the way of a person's right to marry whom they love.

I thank Chairman Nadler for leading this effort and the Congressional Equality Caucus for their ongoing work to promote equality for all, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the Colorado Music Institute (CMI) in Centennial, Colorado for being recognized as the 2022 National Music School of the Year by the Music Academy Success System.

Founded in 1996, CMI has been at the forefront of the music community in the state of Colorado. CMI has been steadfast in its commitment to teaching students of all ages--believing people are never too old to pick up an instrument and try a new skill. Their reach extends far beyond Colorado--as students from all over the world seek out lessons there.

This year, music schools around the nation worked to regain their rhythm with a return to predominantly in-person learning. Bringing music and joy to the community, CMI has a diverse staff from all over the world cultivating and developing students' musical talent and establishing the foundation for a lifelong love of music. CMI believes that music should be all about joy, therefore aiming to be Colorado's most fun, welcoming, and professional music school.

The National Music School of the Year award is presented annually to a school that has made significant contributions to the music industry. Hundreds of schools around the country compete for this highly prestigious award.

Teachers have a tremendous impact on the lives of their students no matter the age. I commend CMI for their tireless dedication to their students, and congratulate them for receiving this recognition. It is an honor to recognize CMI and their achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3462, the bipartisan SBA Cyber Awareness Act.

The Small Business Administration supports small businesses in every corner of the country. With the support of Congress, the SBA has gone to bat for small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic through relief programs like PPP and EIDL. Yet, year after year, the SBA's Office of Inspector General has found that IT security is one of the agency's most serious management and performance challenges.

The pandemic highlighted the gaps in the agency's cybersecurity. As a result of high demand, a glitch in the EIDL application exposed the personal information of over 8,000 applicants.

We need to bolster the SBA's cybersecurity so that the SBA can better protect small businesses' information and continue to help small businesses nationwide.

My bill, the SBA Cyber Awareness Act, would direct the SBA to issue an annual report on the agency's cybersecurity strategy, as well as disclosure of recent threats and breaches. Under this bill, the SBA would also report on its supply chain risk management strategy and issue a plan to address the risks of foreign manufactured information technology used by the agency, including components originating from the People's Republic of China.

This bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and a similar version passed the House of Representatives unopposed last year in November 2021.

I thank the bill's Republican co-lead, Representative Young Kim, for her support, as well as Chairwoman Velazquez, Ranking Member Luetkemeyer, and the staff of the Small Business Committee, all of whom have been critical in advancing this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me again in supporting this commonsense bill to support SBA cybersecurity.