Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Grand Opening of the East Wind

Foundation for Youth's Chinatown Community Cultural Center.

Since opening its doors in 1972, the East Wind Foundation for Youth has been committed to empowering young Angelenos to become the next generation of global leaders. Headquartered in Chinatown, this non- profit equips young people with the skills they need to cultivate an inclusive community that brings families, friends and neighbors together while honoring their Chinese culture.

The East Wind Foundation for Youth hosts countless cultural programs throughout the year, such as their annual essay writing contest, lion dance performances, martial art training and community service. Through these opportunities, young people are encouraged to think critically, build up their self-confidence and create lasting friendships while celebrating their shared Chinese heritage.

While the foundation's programming is aimed at uplifting students, its impacts reverberate throughout our Los Angeles neighborhoods, improving the lives of families and entire communities. By providing creative and academic outlets for students, the foundation is reducing the likelihood that young people engage in gang violence, and is thus promoting safer neighborhoods.

The grand opening of the Chinatown Community Cultural Center allows the non-profit to further expand its arts and educational services to constituents of California's 34th Congressional District, with a focus on the history of Chinese Americans in Los Angeles as well as the history of the organization.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this milestone for the East Wind Foundation for Youth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Los Angeles Union Station's 85th anniversary.

Los Angeles Union Station opened its doors in May of 1939, becoming the main railway station in Los Angeles, California, and the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. This landmark enjoys the great distinction of being known as the ``Last of the Great Train Stations'' built in the United States.

Owned by the Metro/Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority since 2012, Union Station is a major transportation hub for Southern California, providing thousands of passengers daily access to Amtrak long distance trains, Amtrak California regional trains, Metrolink commuter trains, and Metro Rail subway and light rail lines.

Los Angeles Union Station is also a vibrant landmark and symbol of Downtown Los Angeles. This station serves as a hub for visitors to Los Angeles, and has been the star of hundreds of movies, television shows and commercials.

The station also showcases an array of arts and cultural events from music and dance to film screenings, architecture tours and holiday programs, and was internationally recognized as the host to the 93rd Oscars in 2021.

In the eight-plus decades since its opening, Los Angeles Union Station has captured the spirit and soul of Los Angeles and is a source of great civic pride for Angelenos.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this milestone for Los Angeles Union Station, and I look forward to seeing all that they do in the next 85 years and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I was not recorded on roll call Nos. 280, 281, and 282. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA'' on roll call Nos. 280, 281, and 282.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club for their 80 years of providing essential services to some of the most vulnerable residents in California's 34th Congressional District.

Founded in 1944, the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club has nurtured and empowered generations of youth and families, providing them with essential resources and opportunities for growth.

Over the years, the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club has evolved, adapted, and expanded to meet the changing needs of the Northeast Los Angeles community.

Some of the essential services provided by the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club include developmental programming for children, academic support, sports, psycho-educational groups, leadership development, pre-employment preparation, art and dance, and gang prevention and intervention.

These programs have resulted in improved math proficiency, improved reading test scores, a lifelong interest in regular exercise leading to an improved health-conscious habits that prioritize health, and proper nutrition for the youth of Northeast Los Angeles.

Additionally, the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club provides services to support the entire family unit through case management, weekly food distribution, positive community events, and emergency and crisis response services.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this milestone for the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club, and I look forward to seeing all that they do in the next 80 years and beyond.

Madam Speaker, during Immigrant Heritage Month, I rise to honor my constituent Maria Barahona, a shining example of the resilience and contributions of our immigrant community.

Maria, a home-care provider and TPS recipient from El Salvador, embodies the American spirit through her unwavering commitment to serving others. TPS gives Maria the ability to work and care for her community.

Her story is not just one of personal triumph but a testament to the invaluable impact of immigrants to our Nation. Foreign-born workers drove a staggering 50 percent of the U.S. labor market growth last year.

Maria's story is a call to action. We must support and uplift our immigrant community and expand TPS.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exceptional contributions of Esther Kim, our Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) fellow, who has used her talents for the betterment of California and the U.S. Congress as a whole. From astutely demanding answers from the Food and Drug Administration on how lead-tainted food was able to get to the plates of children and what the agency would do to ensure it never happened again, to building key coalitions of support and helping pass through the House a bill to redesignate a Koreatown post office in honor of activist Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, Esther's insights and diligence have made real change and pushed important congressional efforts forward.

As she prepares to enter Yale Divinity School in the fall, I am certain her time in Congress is only the beginning of the impact Esther Kim will make on our nation. I know I speak for everyone who encountered Esther on the Hill when I say we can't wait to see what she will do change the world next.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Titus for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill to name the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse in my district after two individuals whose courage bent the arc of history toward justice, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez.

The Mendez family, alongside the Ramirez, Estrada, Guzman, and Palomino families, challenged segregationist policies that prevented their children from getting the same quality education as their White peers, and they won.

Their efforts resulted in the landmark 1946 case of Mendez v. Westminster School District, which led to the desegregation of California schools and set the stage for Brown v. Board of Education, the monumental Supreme Court decision that stated: separate but equal is inherently unequal.

I introduced this bill alongside Sylvia Mendez, the daughter of Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez, who, as a child, set in motion this desegregation case.

Sylvia was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by President Obama and is the subject of this children's book, ``Separate is Never Equal,'' which I brought as a reminder of what this means for our children.

This courthouse will be a reminder that history and law are not just shaped by judges, they are molded by people who have the courage to challenge unjust laws and make our country better.

The NAACP, ACLU, and Japanese American Citizens League sent amicus briefs in this case, showing that our struggles are distinct, but our battle to form a more perfect union is one and the same.

In fact, Thurgood Marshall wrote the NAACP's brief, and just years later used similar reasoning before the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters from the NAACP, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and 21 Latino civil rights organizations and advocacy groups in favor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, for all Americans to feel part of our American story, they need to see themselves reflected in the buildings and monuments that commemorate our history.

The Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez Courthouse will be the first courthouse named after a Latina out of over 200 named Federal courthouses.

I thank the over 60 cosponsors, including Members from both sides of the aisle, along with the overwhelming support of the California delegation and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate to pass this legislation swiftly to send a clear sign about what we stand for as a Nation.

Mr. Speaker, on May 6, 2024, I was not recorded on Roll Call vote No. 177 and No. 178.

Had I been present, I would have voted AYE on both Roll Call No. 177 and No. 178.

Mr. Speaker, on April 29, 2024, I was not recorded on Roll Call Vote No. 153 and No. 154.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``AYE'' on both Roll Call No. 153 and No. 154.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the birthday of a fearless trailblazer and a symbol of hope: Dolores Huerta.

At 94 years old, she is still fighting the fight for economic justice, social justice, and justice for all workers.

Just last week, we were together reaffirming our commitment to workers' rights during a Cesar Chavez celebration. As the cofounder of the United Farm Workers, she mobilized local communities to fight for the rights of workers everywhere. Dolores understood that to create a movement, you need to empower the next generation of leaders so your work extends far beyond your lifetime.

With every organizer she trained, she helped create a ripple of change that organized and transformed committees decades after she uttered those famous words, ``yes, it can be done,'' ``si, se puede,'' a movement that still continues to this day.

Mr. Speaker, I wish Dolores a happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I was not recorded on rollcall vote No. 90. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 90.

Mr. Speaker, today, we remember Robert ``Bob'' Ramirez, a devoted Angeleno and founding member of the El Rio Veterans Collaborative, who passed away at 78.

Graduating from Cathedral High School, Bob served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam war, earning the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Following his military service, he dedicated over 30 years to the IBEW as general chairman.

He earned a degree from the California State University, Los Angeles and taught at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

Bob's impact extended beyond his professional and academic endeavors. He played a crucial role in the El Rio Veterans Collaborative, changing the lives of people across our district.

Bob is survived by his wife, Caroline, and their two children. Let us honor his life of service and leadership and remember his impact on our community and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of Robert ``Bob'' Ramirez, who passed away at the age of 78.

Robert, a lifelong Angeleno and founding member of the El Rio Veterans Collaborative, leaves behind a legacy of dedicated service and community leadership.

A proud graduate of Cathedral High School, Bob's career path led him from the Southern Pacific Railroad to the U.S. Air Force in 1965. His deployment to Vietnam in 1966 as a security police specialist with a scout patrol fire team earned him the Air Force Commendation Medal for his meritorious service.

Following his military service, Bob's commitment to advocacy and representation was evident in his role as general chairman for IBEW, where he tirelessly served for over 30 years.

His pursuit of knowledge culminated in a degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and he shared his expertise as a professor at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. Bob's impact is felt not only through his professional and academic contributions but also through his role as a founding member of the El Rio Veterans Collaborative. He is survived by his wife, Caroline, and their two children.

Mr Speaker, I hope everyone will join me in mourning the loss of Robert ``Bob'' Ramirez and celebrating his life of service.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and legacy of a community leader and advocate, Mr. Alan Nishio.

Mr. Nishio was an activist, educator, and tireless organizer. Born in the Manzanar incarceration camp in 1945, Mr. Nishio spent his life uplifting the Japanese American community in his many roles, including as the longest-tenured Board President for the Little Tokyo Service Center. Mr. Nishio was also the founder of UCLA's Asian American Studies program in 1968.

Mr. Nishio advocated for the Japanese community in Little Tokyo and beyond. As founder and co-chair of the National Coalition of Redress/ Reparations, Mr. Nishio worked tirelessly to provide rightful compensation to Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II.

Mr. Nishio was not only a mover and a changemaker, but a genuinely kind individual. Mr. Nishio always focused on the bigger picture, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships between the Japanese American community and other communities throughout Los Angeles.

Mr. Nishio's legacy will live on in the Japanese American community in Little Tokyo, and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Mr. Alan Nishio.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding, and I thank both the chairman and the ranking member for their support in finding a path to get this bill to the floor.

I am honored to represent L.A.'s Koreatown, home of the largest Korean-American community in any congressional district in our country.

This legislation not only honors one of the first Korean-American immigrants in the United States and a key figure in the Korean independence movement, Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, it celebrates every Korean American who makes our country what it is today.

Ahn Chang Ho, also known by his pen name, Dosan, was a pivotal early leader in the Korean-American community, immigrating to the United States with his wife as the first married couple from Korea to do so; founding early Korean-American community groups; and laying the groundwork for the last 121 years of Korean-American contributions.

Dosan was also a celebrated Korean independence activist, who helped author the South Korean national anthem, advocated for social reform, served as a leader of the provisional government, and played a key role in the opposition of the Japanese occupation of Korea.

He was the father of trailblazing Korean-American actors: Philip Ahn, Philson Ahn, and Ralph Ahn; and his daughter, Susan Ahn Cuddy, was the first Asian-American woman to join the U.S. Navy, and she was an important leader in the post-World War II national security community.

Dosan was a pioneer in American history, and his story deserves to be told.

The post office in the heart of Koreatown where he rose to become one of first leaders of the Korean-American community and where he founded the first Korean organization in the continental United States will ensure this important piece of history is shared with generations to come.

The Korean-American story is the American story, and we must ensure this community receives the recognition and support they deserve.

I am proud this measure to name our post office after Dosan Ahn Chang Ho is on the floor of the House today, and I look forward to the day when this redesignation is officially signed into law by the President.