Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Eagle Rock Concerts in the Park summer music series. The Eagle Rock Concerts in the Park series was founded by Michael Nogueira in 1997 and has grown to become an annual attraction that residents from Eagle Rock and neighboring communities in Northeast Los Angeles look forward to each year.

For the last 25 years, the Eagle Rock Concerts in the Park series has advanced community cohesiveness in Northeast Los Angeles through the artistic musical mediums of performance.

The Eagle Rock Concerts in the Park series was especially critical in promoting a sense of comradery and community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, I am proud to recognize Michael Nogueira, the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce, and Sir Michael's Events for their tireless efforts in making this annual event an overwhelming success and for making Northeast Los Angeles and the Eagle Rock community a better place to live.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating the Eagle Rock Concerts in the Park summer music series on its 25th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and legacy of a community leader and advocate, Mr. Stephan Early.

Mr. Early was an educator and active community member. Mr. Early taught English at Eagle Rock High School for 30 years and was part of the National Education Association where he represented California as a delegate in education policy for nearly 10 years. He was most proud of teaching Shakespeare to students, noting the literature's timeless and engaging language.

Mr. Early was a standout educator, and dedicated ally and advocate. He supported his students at bake sales, car washes, and encouraged neighbors to do the same. Mr. Early would say, ``in order to communicate an idea, you need to be able to write it down.'' His passion for teaching, creating community, and service is what made Mr. Early a model citizen.

Mr. Early cared so deeply about his community that he served as the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council President for 2 years and always worked on protecting the Eagle Rock community. Mr. Early was a proud family man and veteran. His wife, Mrs. Early, remembers him as a loving husband and proud father of 2. Mr. Early served our Nation in uniform during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Mr. Stephan Early.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Posse Los Angeles on their 20th Anniversary. Posse Los Angeles is headquartered in California's 34th Congressional District and is the Pacific Coast branch of the national Posse Foundation. The Posse Foundation was founded in 1989 and is dedicated to identifying and supporting public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes.

The Foundation extends to students the opportunity to pursue personal achievement and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams (``Posses'').

Since 2002, Posse Los Angeles has selected numerous talented and diverse leaders to attend some of the nation's top colleges and universities. Posse Scholars are awarded full-tuition merit scholarships and begin a lifelong relationship with The Posse Foundation that will see them through to graduation and help them become leaders in the workforce.

Today, I am proudly share that the Posse Foundation has identified, recruited, and trained more than 10,000 students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential, and has been recognized as one of the most comprehensive college success and leadership development initiatives in the country.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Posse Los Angeles on their 20th Anniversary and in wishing them continued success for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in honor and memory of one of my constituents who was killed in the Las Vegas mass shooting in October 2017, Michelle Vo.

I also rise in the memory of the kids who were killed in Uvalde, Texas, in Parkland, in Sandy Hook.

I rise in their memories, and I also rise due to the fact that I will have a newborn child on August 8. That child, in a few years, will be going off to school, and I will be worried about that child being put in danger because he is going off to school when there are mass shootings across this country.

I rise in support of this because it is a small step forward to prevent the loss of life.

In the end, it comes down to one simple question, as my colleague from northern California posed: Are you with the kids, or are you with the killers? Are you with the victims, or are you with the killers?

I choose the victims; I choose the kids; and I choose the countless lives we will save because we will pass this law.

Mr. Speaker, Latino servicemembers have been vital to the defense of our country, including the thousands who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It is important that our communities and our government pay tribute to the diverse history of Latinos in the United States military, which is why I am proud that the House passed my bill, H.R. 5900, honoring World War II hero, Private Jacob Cruz, an Angeleno and Boyle Heights resident, and a United States Marine Corps Reserve private.

Private Cruz was 17 years old and a junior at Roosevelt High School when he asked his single immigrant mother, Gracia Cruz, a custodian at White Memorial Medical Center, for permission to enlist. After initial training, Private Cruz shipped off to the Pacific where he gave his life running ammunition boxes to gunners amid enemy fire during the Battle of Tarawa in 1943.

Private Cruz's heroic devotion to duty posthumously earned him the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. Unfortunately, his remains were not recovered after he was killed. During a storm in 2019, Mother Nature brushed away a house where the battle took place, and the remains of Mr. Cruz were found. In 2020 they were identified, and in 2021 they were finally returned to Private Cruz' family for a long-awaited proper burial with full military honors.

In recognition of Private Cruz' service and sacrifice, the House passed H.R. 5900 designating the Boyle Heights Post Office as the Marine Corps Reserve Private Jacob Cruz Post Office.

I take a moment to give thanks to Private Cruz' family, including his brother, Isaac; his sister, Ruth; his nephews, Mike and Isaac; and his niece, Alta, who have kept Private Cruz' legacy alive in Boyle Heights for almost eight decades and never gave up the fight to bring him home.

As we approach Memorial Day, I urge the Senate to pass H.R. 5900 to honor Private Cruz' sacrifice and those of other Latino military heroes, both fallen and alive, in Los Angeles and across the country for decades to come.

Roosevelt High School, where Private Cruz attended, has a long history, as well as Garfield High School, in giving up boys to go to fight the World Wars. There is a football game called the East L.A. Classic between Roosevelt and Garfield. The 4 years during World War II were the only years that they couldn't field a team on either side. This is an honor of Private Cruz, but it is also an honor of all the Latino men who gave their lives during our conflicts, especially during World War II.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside on their 50th Anniversary.

For 50 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside have navigated through challenging times to provide a safe place for kids and teens. Today, they are committed more than ever to ensure club staff, families, and communities have the resources and support they need during uncertain and difficult times.

The Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside has three clubs in CA 34: Estrada Courts, Ramona Gardens, and William Mead. These clubs, which are located in low-income public housing communities, provide a fun, structured environment for after school, during holidays, and on summer vacation for youth ages 6-17. The programs and services that are offered promote and enhance the development of America's youth and families by instilling a sense of worth, belonging and inspiration.

These clubs inspire me. They are open 6 days a week serving over 6,000 kids and 2,200 families and they have served more than 250,000 meals in our community. During the Covid-19 pandemic the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside stepped up for the community and distributed over 1 million face masks, hand sanitizers and assorted PPE. Additionally, the clubs hosted vaccine clinics where they administered over 600 vaccines. Sixty-eight families received Rent Relief to stay in their homes during the holidays and an additional $60,000 was given to 30 families at the start of 2022 in rent relief support.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Nativo restaurant in the community of Highland Park on its one-year anniversary.

Nativo first opened for business in November 2020, but temporarily closed its doors amid the rising COVID-19 case count. In February 2021, the colorful Guadalajara-inspired restaurant began to welcome guests again.

Nativo has been a local, family-owned operation from day one. Gabriel Paredes, a Highland Park native, draws inspiration from his family roots in the neighborhood and Guadalajara, Jalisco. He remembers walking up and down York and Figueroa with his grandfather selling boots from a beat up old white truck. ``One of my dreams has always been to come back to the neighborhood that has meant so much to me,'' says Paredes. Corissa Hernandez, co-owner and wife, is Nativo's cultural liaison. ``We want to create a platform for people of color, for women,'' says Hernandez.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Gabriel Paredes, Corissa Hernandez, and Nativo on their one-year anniversary. I also extend to all of them my best wishes for many more years of success ahead and I invite my colleagues to stop by Nativos the next time they're in Los Angeles.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Barlow Respiratory Hospital on its 120th anniversary.

Barlow Respiratory Hospital was founded in 1902 as the Barlow Sanatorium, a charity hospital for tuberculosis patients. Since then, Barlow Respiratory Hospital has maintained an uninterrupted focus on respiratory care and is among a few of continuously operating respiratory hospitals in the nation. Their award-winning programs include their expertise in ventilator weaning for post-ICU patients who need specialized care.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Barlow Respiratory Hospital physicians have served as clinical leaders. Barlow Respiratory Hospital's tradition of care for patients who are critically ill, often hovering between life and death, now includes care for patients who have survived COVID-19. The clinical care teams work together to help patients begin to recover at Barlow Respiratory Hospital.

As the only not-for-profit long-term acute care hospital and the only not-for-profit respiratory hospital in California, Barlow Respiratory Hospital has established a legacy of service to the Los Angeles community.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating the 120th anniversary of Barlow Respiratory Hospital.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Lemon Poppy Kitchen restaurant in the community of Glassell Park on its ten-year anniversary.

Lemon Poppy Kitchen opened for business in March 2012 with hardly any money, a couple of handmade tables, and a counter crafted by a friend on the promise of free ice coffee and biscuits. The three owners Katie Kildow, Anca Caliman, and Jack Wilson were the cooks, waiters, and cashiers.

From your first interaction with Lemon Poppy Kitchen, you know you are in for a treat. ``We make food from scratch with love,'' says Anca. The team is a compassionate group that is engaged with the Glassell Park community and beyond. During the pandemic, Lemon Poppy Kitchen worked with the Glassell Park Improvement Association to provide 50 cooked meals a day, six days a week, for seniors. They have also helped raise funds for the homeless community of Skid Row in Los Angeles.

Once you make your first order at the restaurant you feel the sense of community. ``We wanted to make a spot where everyone wants to be,'' says Katie. Ten years later the Glassell Park community has shown that Lemon Poppy Kitchen is the go-to spot for good coffee, pastries, and meals. ``We are happy we made it [to ten years]. There have been some rough patches, but the people that come here feel like family after a while,'' says Jack.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Katie, Anca, Jack and Lemon Poppy Kitchen on their ten-year anniversary. I also extend to all of them my best wishes for many more years of success. I invite my colleagues to stop by Lemon Poppy Kitchen the next time they are in Los Angeles.

Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Kathy J. Sackman, a pioneer in the labor movement, as well as a registered nurse and founder of the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals.

I had the honor of serving with Kathy when I was her political director for a number of years, and she was a nurse's nurse. She was a frontline nurse who worked in critical care units and saw that the adverse treatment of nurses led to worse outcomes for patients. She started in Pittsburgh and then moved to California, and she was a registered nurse in Fontana.

I asked Kathy simply one day, why did you start the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals? And she said simply, I saw that the nurses were being treated very differently, very differently than the doctors. We didn't even have dental, and they did. She said, it seemed small then, but it was something big because it represented just the fact that nurses, people that work in healthcare, didn't even get the proper benefits that they deserved. So they decided to organize.

That organization now is 32,000 strong, representing not only registered nurses but also nurse midwives. It is something that she left a living legacy that will continue for years to come.

One of the things that we tried to remind people, she told me, is that the wins that we have achieved tend to be forgotten over the years; that the pay for nurses; that the staffing ratio for nurses; that the way nurses are viewed today has always been so. And she said that that was not always the case. And that is why they fought to organize, they fought for their patients.

But she also understood that if you don't treat the nurses well, then the patients are not treated well. If you have 10 patients for one nurse, well, there is no way that those patients can get the quality care that they deserve. So she led, as well as other nurses, for the fight for staffing ratios in California that have improved the outcomes for patients across not only southern California, where she started the Nurses Union, but throughout the entire State and the country.

One of the things that she was always proud of is that she always put members first, nurses first, the community first, the hospital first because she knew if the hospital did well, that the nurses would do well. If the nurses do well, patients do well. So this is something that was impressive.

Quick story: She reorganized a hospital, nurses at a particular hospital. And when we opened up the hospital's books, they were flat broke. Every night a creditor would swipe their bank accounts, take all the money that was owed to them, and they would never have enough money to put into patient care or to keep them whole.

So she made an agreement with the nurses; we are going to help save this hospital. She worked with the parent union of this union called AFSCME International, a Republican Member of Congress, a Democratic Senator, to get the bridge funding necessary to help that hospital stay afloat. It was a safety net hospital; and told them that once we get that hospital stabilized, their finances are better, and we can get your raise, then you will be pay more dues. At that point, they were only paying $5 in dues. That is unheard of. But that is because she knew that in the end you had to get that hospital to a place that was financially stable; that was stable for the patient; and was stable for the people that worked there.

In the end, she helped save a hospital that was in a low-income community. It was a working-class community and the community that I grew up in, Riverside, California.

She will always have a lasting legacy as long as we continue to fight for patients, for nurses, and for our communities.

Madam Speaker, I just want to also mention that she is survived by two sons, Monty and Michael, and an extended family.

Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of a constituent of mine, Sarah Louise Hodge.

She was a mother, a grandmother, an educator, a union rep, and also my mother-in-law. She died on the evening of January 20 in Los Angeles, with my wife at her side, as well as her caregiver, Patricia.

She was born in Macedonia, Ohio. She is the daughter of two teachers, and she was the youngest of three and the only girl, but she was raised as a tomboy through and through, and her brothers taught her not to take any crap from anyone.

She became a teacher, a kindergarten teacher for over 40 years, 38 years at the same school. She was an educator through and through. She would make sure that each student had their own curriculum, their own box, and then made sure that any time that she found a new student that didn't feel welcome, she would find a way to connect with them.

When I met her, she just had a student that enrolled that was from Latin America. She thought he was Mexican, but I think he was Salvadoran, but close enough. She wanted me to go and get to know him, so we went to the Cleveland Zoo so she would feel more comfortable. I got to speak a little Spanish to that student.

Like many teachers, she always went out of her way to give out of her own pocket to the students that didn't have much, and that is one of the things that she did.

She was an educator even with her own daughters. When they would go on summer family trips to Virginia and the different areas around here, she would play the Civil War songs that were being played on a tape, and then she would go to the different historical sites for the daughters to know about our history.

She was an educator through and through, but she was also a tough advocate for teachers. She was a union rep. Her daughters would often go and sit in the union meetings where they would plan out strikes, and they would participate in everything that a union does.

She was soft spoken. She was quiet, but I learned my lesson when I tried to debate her once at Thanksgiving where she didn't let me get a word in edgewise. I knew at that moment that if I helped her run for office, she could have become a Member of Congress, no problem. She was fit for the position.

She was very adventurous except when it came to food. Back in the 1960s, she traveled around the globe on a cruise ship, and she went to India and different countries. This is different because she had a disorder where she couldn't eat any spices, so tell me how do you go to India when you can't eat spices? But that is what she did. She went around the globe because she wanted to travel, learn about different cultures, no matter if she couldn't eat spices. She was a very interesting and tough woman.

There are different people you meet throughout your life, you think there is coincidence in life. One of them for me is that she had an uncle whose name was Laurence Woodworth. Most Americans don't know who he was, but he was the director of Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation, which I find interesting because I am from California, the son of immigrants, and I married her daughter, and I end up coming to Congress, and what committee am I on? I am on the Ways and Means Committee, which is the main taxation committee that interacts with the Joint Committee on Taxation. So you never know how lives from different parts of the country are going to intersect.

She had a profound impact on my life, not only through her daughter, but also just kind of being a calming force when I ran for office the first time. She was one of my first max-out donors, even after she retired from teaching, and that is impressive because retiring on teacher's pay and then being able to give a max contribution was a big, big deal, but she believed in me enough.

She started losing some of her personality, it felt like, because of the stroke she had in 2014, but she got to come here to Congress when I got sworn in and got to meet Speaker Pelosi. Speaker Pelosi gave her Ghirardelli's chocolate, her favorite. My mother-in-law opened it, ate it, made a face, and gave it back to Speaker Pelosi, so she didn't lose that spirit.

She has been a force. I want to just say that she will be missed. She is survived by her two daughters--my wife, Mary Hodge; Felicia Hodge and her two kids, Stacey and Fedrick; her brother, Al Woodworth; as well as the extended family of the Eysters.

Sally, you will be missed, and we love you very much. We will see you again soon.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee, Inc. (LACFRC) on 44 years of service to the district.

LACFRC is a non-profit organization composed of a group of volunteers who donate their time and energy to organize and stage events and programs promoting healthy lifestyles, fitness, and cultural awareness to the greater Los Angeles community.

This organization hosts the annual Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K Run/Walk which is the largest and longest-running Lunar New Year charity run in the United States. Today, because of LACFRC's dedication it has expanded its events to include a bike ride, kiddie run and paw'er dog walk.

All proceeds are reinvested into the community, in support of elementary schools and nonprofit organizations, providing services and programs to those in need. LACFRC has contributed more than $500,000 to local elementary schools and non-profit community organizations.

Although, the pandemic prevented an in-person event this year, LACFRC has stood by its mission: ``to promote health and fitness, education, cultural awareness and community involvement'' by hosting virtual events.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee, Inc.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Ms. Tammy Membreno on the occasion of her 30 years of service as Executive Director of Barrio Action Youth & Family Center.

As an immigrant from El Salvador, Tammy Membreno, has devoted her life to improving the quality of life for youth and their families because she understands the impact of limited economic resources and education on low-income families. During her college years, she began volunteering at Barrio Action and in 1991 she embraced the opportunity to become their Executive Director.

Barrio Action was established to empower young people to succeed both academically

and socially, working with people of all ages, with a special emphasis on helping high-risk and at-risk youth, young adults and their families.

Today, because of Tammy Membreno's persistence and advocacy, the organization has grown from three staff members to one with over twenty-three employees and multiple programs serving over 20,000 children and families in Northeast Los Angeles.

Thanks to Tammy Membreno's vision, Barrio Action has a permanent home in the community of El Sereno. Barrio Action is the only youth and family center in El Sereno, a community of over 54,000 residents.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Tammy Membreno.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Congressman Esteban Torres.

Congressman Torres was a Los Angeles icon, a beloved public servant who proudly represented East Angelinos here in the People's House for nearly two decades. He was a trailblazer who paved the path for someone like me--the son of working class, Mexican immigrants--to stand here in this chamber today.

A Decorated Korean War veteran and labor organizer, he never stopped fighting to lift up the working class and advance immigrant rights. He stood for all that is good and just, and his legacy should be a model for all those who serve in this body.