Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, during this Pride Month, I rise today to speak out about the human rights violations occurring in the Russian republic of Chechnya.

It has been reported that in that country, men are kidnapped, detained, tortured, and even murdered just because of their sexual orientation. Families have been shamed by these kidnappings and have resorted to taking their own sons' lives.

In April, I, along with 48 other Members of Congress, signed and sent a letter to Secretary of State Tillerson asking him to raise the issue of this horrible violence against innocent men with the Russian officials, but to date, neither Secretary Tillerson or President Trump or anybody else in the administration have committed to taking action on this issue.

The United States must speak out about this atrocity, and Russia must investigate such human rights violations so that there is accountability for an end to these senseless crimes.

During this Pride Month, we here in the United States celebrate our equality. However, every month we must say and act for the men in Chechnya as we fight for equality across the globe.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tom Nunes, Sr., this year's recipient of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California's E.E. ``Gene'' Harden Award for Lifetime Achievement in Central Coast Agriculture. Tom has devoted his entire career to farming the fertile ground of the Salinas Valley, contributing to the economic lifeblood of this region known . as the ``Salad Bowl of the World.'' Tom was born and raised in the heart of the Valley by a farming family in Chualar, CA. After graduating from Salinas High School, Tom attended Saint Mary's College on a football scholarship and later transferred to Stanford University, where he graduated with a degree in Economics.

After college, Tom immediately went to work in the Salinas Valley agricultural industry. He

started a farming venture with his father where he worked for several years before partners approached him with the idea to start a grower- shipper company in the mid-1950's, they named this venture Growers Exchange Inc. In 1966, Tom and his brother Bob decided to start their own venture, and founded Nunes Bros. of California Inc., a grower- shipper of iceberg lettuce. This venture achieved enormous success, and the Nunes brothers ultimately sold their company to United Brands/ Chiquita. The brothers were also one of six western vegetable grower- shippers that formed Inter-Harvest, the largest vegetable grower- shipper organization in the country at the time. Tom and Bob Nunes briefly ran Inter-Harvest before retiring in 1970. In the fall of 1976, Tom and Bob carne out of retirement to launch The Nunes Company, Inc., whose core values of honesty, integrity, trust, and attention to detail have fostered a culture that continues to this day.

Through his long and distinguished career, Tom has spanned the transition of harvests in the Salinas Valley from sugar beets and white beans to the modern specialty crop era. He has been an instrumental figure in the conversion how we farm, harvest, cool and market our fresh produce in the Salinas Valley that feeds people all across this country, and around the world. What started as 400 acres of iceberg lettuce on the central coast of California in the 1950's has grown into more than 22,000 acres of vegetable crops spanning five states.

Aside from his business success, Tom is also an invaluable member of our community. Tom has served as the President and Chairman of the Board for the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, worked with the Western Growers Board, was a charter member of the Palma High School Foundation, served on the Palma High School Board, and the National Steinbeck Center inducted him into the Valley of the World Hall of Fame. His friends and family know him as a passionate, powerful and intelligent man. In true farmer fashion, he is a man of action and few words. The Nunes Company has created opportunity for hundreds of residents, and three generations of the Nunes family continue to operate the company to this day. The strong work ethic that Tom has passed down to future generations is evident in the tradition of innovation and pride in stewardship of the land that his successors carry out at every level of this business to this day. I am proud to add my name to this chorus of thanks and congratulations to Mr. Tom Nunes, Sr. for his enormous contributions to our community, and our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Butch Corda for his work as Chair of the Board of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. In my home district on the central coast of California, agriculture is the engine that drives our local economy, and creates opportunity for the citizens who reside there. The Grower- Shipper Association plays a central role in bringing the region's vegetables and berries to tables around the world. Under Mr. Corda's leadership as Chair, the Grower-Shipper Association continued to expand upon its rich tradition of addressing the complex and evolving issues facing the agricultural industry, such as food safety, pest prevention, research and education, and much more.

A native son of the fertile Salinas Valley, Mr. Corda was born and raised in Gonzales. After attending Gonzales High School, Hartnell College and San Jose State, he returned home and has been working in the agricultural industry for over 35 years. Most recently, he has served as the General Manager of lppolito International, known for being North America's largest supplier of Brussels sprouts, among many other mixed and specialty vegetables. He has raised his family in Salinas, where his wife and daughter also work in the industry. His immense experience, ingenuity and creativity gained from a long and distinguished career served him well during his tenure as the chair of the Grower-Shipper Association.

Mr. Speaker, I was particularly impressed by Mr. Corda's implementation of the Association's ``Future Leaders Program.'' Through this program, the Board of Directors paid special attention to developing the next generation of leadership in the industry through mentorship, participation in board meetings, and many other educational events. This exposed a new generation of agriculture professionals to issues facing the industry as a whole, beyond what they manage in the day-to-day duties of their respective jobs, and empowered them to bring new and creative ideas to the table to solve these pressing concerns. Also during Mr. Corda's tenure, the Association premiered the documentary film ``Historical Narratives of Salinas Valley Agriculture,'' a collaborative project that engaged and educated the public on the important and often overlooked stories of the people who have built Salinas Valley agriculture into what it is today. Under the leadership of Mr. Corda, the Association assisted in providing a place for industry leaders to come together to make progress on a number of important issues, particularly pesticide safety and water conservation.

While Mr. Corda's tenure as Chair of the Board has ended, I am certain his contribution to this vital industry in my home district will continue. It is my pleasure to add my name to the chorus of thanks and congratulations to the outgoing Chairman and look forward to continued collaboration to champion bold, productive, and creative solutions to address the needs of the industry, its workers, and the American families who enjoy the harvests that we produce here every day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor a man who served California's Central Coast and the United States as a Marine and a public servant. Roderick Olson, a proud veteran of the Vietnam War from Santa Cruz, California passed away but left a legacy in place for LGBT Californians and service members.

Roderick Olson arrived in Santa Cruz in 1997 after serving in Vietnam. During his time in Santa Cruz, he dedicated his time to serving the community, especially his brothers and sisters in the LGBT community. He joined the Board of Directors of the Santa Cruz AIDS project, focused on a community-based response towards reducing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Roderick also served as a coordinator at the Santa Cruz Diversity Center, a member of the Pride Committee, the Program Committee and the Executive Committee. Further, he focused his time on protecting individuals from domestic violence and founded the 60 Plus program to support LGBT seniors.

Additionally, he established the first gay veterans group in the Santa Cruz region dedicated towards supporting LGBT service members. Roderick dedicated his life towards assisting LGBT veterans prior to the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, helping future LGBT service members serve openly.

Mr. Olson passed late last year and will be interred with military honors this week at the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery. However, his life and dedication to the Central Coast will not be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life of Roderick Olson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Jack O'Neill, a Santa Cruz resident, a cultural icon, and a surfing legend. Jack passed away last week at 94 years young. There has been a great amount of love for this man and a great amount of appreciation for what this man did.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, he moved to Santa Cruz, where he loved surfing in its cold waters, so much so that he was quoted as saying: ``When you get screwed up, just jump in the ocean and everything is all right.''

Jack's love for being in the ocean was demonstrated by being one of the first people to create and the first person to market the wetsuit. This led to him and millions of other people being able to surf at any time and at any temperature.

He was a trailblazer not just in the ocean, but in life. As a father of seven and grandfather of six, he understood how important it was to preserve our ocean for our children.

He was instrumental in designating Santa Cruz as a world surfing reserve, one of only four locations in the world that preserve surf spots and their surrounding environment.

He created the O'Neill Sea Odyssey, an educational program on a 65- foot-long catamaran that teaches our children how to be stewards of the ocean.

Jack not only bestowed upon us the wetsuit and year-round surfing, he left a legacy for our children to understand that being in and around the ocean really can make everything all right. For that, I thank and I honor Jack O'Neill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gonzales Chief of Police Paul D. Miller on the occasion of his retirement after thirty- four years of distinguished service to the community of Gonzales.

Chief Miller has dedicated his entire career to the people of Gonzales, and our communities on the central coast of California. His career began in the Monterey County Sherriff's Explorer Program in 1978 where Chief Miller achieved the rank of Captain, the highest rank in that program. After completing the Explorer Program, Chief Miller joined the Gonzales Police Department (GPD), first as a reserve officer, and then a full-time officer in 1985. After being recognized as the Department Officer of the Year in 1987 and 1991, Chief Miller was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1992. He was recognized a third time as Officer of the Year in 1995, and as Department Supervisor of the Year in 2006 and 2007. In 2010, he was appointed as Chief of Police for the City of Gonzales, where he served with distinction for seven years.

A champion of proactive community policing, Chief Miller provided important leadership that helped the GPD make important strides in reducing gang violence and maintaining Gonzales as one of the safest cities on the Central Coast. Under the leadership of Chief Miller, the GPD weathered one of the toughest recessions in history, coordinated the construction of a new 10,000 square-foot police station, and took a leadership role in securing key grants for the police departments of South Monterey County. Chief Miller also guided the department as the lead South County police agency in securing several important grants that helped provide important tools to help break the cycle of gang violence that continues to plague our communities on the central coast. One of these key grants included $500,000 in funding for the city of Gonzales through the California Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP) Program.

Mr. Speaker, as a former prosecutor who has worked closely with local police to prosecute violent criminal gang members, I know from experience that the work of taking and keeping these and other dangerous people off the streets of our communities is not easy. It requires dedication, perseverance, and the selfless willingness to put oneself in harm's way in service to others. Chief Paul Miller certainly embodies these qualities, and I whole-heartedly thank him for this service, and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement. There is no doubt that his commitment to justice, security, and prosperity for his community will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of a uniquely distinguished community leader, Captain William Perlstein, who has served the State of California as a Commander for the Highway Patrol. Bill began his career as a traffic officer in Hayward. He soon combined his career in law enforcement with his love of aviation, and trained to become a flight officer/paramedic, working on a CHP helicopter out of the Golden Gate Division. Subsequently, he became an instructor with the California Highway Patrol Academy and trained individuals on emergency medical procedures. As an instructor, he developed new emergency medical response programs, which helped to save lives across California.

Bill also encouraged transparency in policing and was promoted to work in the California Highway Patrol's legislative affairs, working to develop cooperation with traffic and law enforcement advisory groups. Bill eventually was promoted to provide technical advice to the California State Legislature and advocate for the California Highway Patrol at the Capitol. In this role, he was able to protect California police officers and ensure equal protection under the law. Bill also managed finances for the California Highway Patrol and provided leadership, guidance, and supervision to area personnel.

Most recently, Bill became Commander for the California Highway Patrol's Monterey Area. In this role he was able to establish goals, and develop strategies and tactics to keep the Monterey Bay area safe. Bill supervised employees and provided training and area management. He also ingrained himself within the community by joining the several organizations, including becoming a member of the steering committee for the Monterey County Gang Task Force; serving as treasurer of the Monterey County Chief Law Enforcement Officers Association; joining the Board of Directors of the Monterey Rape Crisis Center; and participating in the esteemed Leadership Monterey, a program aimed at providing the continuity of community stewardship.

Throughout his entire career, Bill has been dedicated to the safety and welfare of California citizens, including his own family: three wonderful children, Stephen, Matthew and Juliet, and his wife of twenty-four years, Stephanie.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize a distinguished law enforcement officer who has dedicated his life to supporting California families. I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing a true public servant who embodies the spirit and values of a committed law enforcement officer, and to congratulate him on a well-deserved and well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Santa Cruz Chief of Police Kevin Vogel for his 30 years of service to the Santa Cruz Police Department, and the community it serves.

Chief Vogel has dedicated his entire career to the people of Santa Cruz, and was first sworn in as a cadet for the SCPD in June 1987. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Chief Vogel has served in numerous capacities in the Department, including as a patrol officer, traffic officer and detective. He was promoted to sergeant in January 1995 where he served as a patrol supervisor, downtown supervisor and detective sergeant. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2002, and to Deputy Chief of Police in May 2004. He was appointed as the City's 21st Chief of Police on December 9, 2010.

A champion of creative and transparent community-oriented policing, Chief Vogel oversaw the implementation of a highly successful and innovative predictive policing program. This program utilizes technology based on earthquake prediction technology, and was praised by numerous media outlets and law enforcement agencies around the country, including The New York Times, ABC World News, and was even named as one of Time Magazine's ``50 Best New Inventions'' of 2011. More important than the accolades however, was the significant reduction in crime rates experienced under the program. Under Chief Vogel's leadership, Santa Cruz policing became a model for the nation.

Chief Vogel also shouldered the impossible task of guiding the SCPD through its greatest hardship that occurred on February 26, 2013 when two officers, Sgt. Loran ``Butch'' Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler, were tragically gunned down in the line of duty. This devastating crime shook our community to its core as we all mourned the loss of these fallen heroes. Through this time of uncertainty, Chief Vogel acted with honor and poise. He memorialized his fallen officers beautifully, and guided a deeply aggrieved department and community through this very difficult time. As time has passed, Chief Vogel ensured that the memories of Sgt. Baker and Detective Butler will not fade, and challenges his officers every day to honor their legacy and ultimate sacrifice by continuing to selflessly perform the work of upholding public safety in their communities.

Mr. Speaker, as someone who has dedicated their career to public service, it is my pleasure to add my name to the chorus of thanks and congratulations to someone who embodies that ideal of service to others. I whole-heartedly congratulate Chief Kevin Vogel on his retirement, and wish him all the best. There is no doubt that his commitment to justice, security, and prosperity for his community of Santa Cruz will serve as an enduring legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concern about the President's budget, and, in particular, the $610 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid over the next 10 years.

In my district on the central coast of California, Medicaid provides healthcare to over 280,000 people. These are people that need it the most, including low-income families, children, disabled, and pregnant women.

Clinics and hospitals, particularly in rural communities like my district, rely on Medicaid to provide patients with mandatory and preventative services. Employees from the number one industry in my area--agriculture--rely on those health clinics so that they can stay healthy and ultimately contribute to our economy and our culture.

If Medicaid is cut, as desired in the President's budget, it will hurt not just my community, it will hurt our country.

Throughout our Nation, millions would lose healthcare, healthcare clinics would close, and many insurance companies who partner with Medicaid would see cuts in their reimbursement rates substantially.

I realize that many of us in Washington have not been on Medicaid, but many of us need to realize that Medicaid benefits many of the Americans that sent us here. The least we can do is support them and their families by fighting against the President's budget and fighting to keep funding for Medicaid.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today about the need for investment in our infrastructure. As we know, this week is National Infrastructure Week. In my district on the central coast of California, we need infrastructure investment, not just for our roads, for our water systems, and our rural broadband but for something I used growing up, the transit systems.

The bus systems where I am from played an important role not just in my life but in many of my constituents' daily lives. Parents use the system to bring their children to their doctors, students use the transit system to attend the many schools and colleges in my area, and our employees use this form of transportation when they travel to their high-tech jobs in Silicon Valley, to their hospitality jobs on the Monterey Peninsula, and to their agriculture jobs in the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys.

The transit system makes our businesses more accessible to their employees, to their customers, and everybody who helps the regional economy, but the benefits don't end with our riders. With transit, our roads experience less wear and tear, and our environment is protected.

I know that my district isn't unique when it comes to the need for infrastructure investment. Our entire country needs it. So let's continue to do our jobs here in the Congress. Let's invest in our transit systems, in our infrastructure, so that our government can do something for our constituents, our local businesses, our home, and our families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the American Health Care Act. My colleagues across the aisle tried and failed once before to consider this bill, but they pulled it from the House floor because they didn't have the votes. Today, they seek to pass this. amended bill, but it's just as flawed as the first.

The changes will hurt seniors, veterans, the sick, and middle and low-income individuals. Essential health benefits guaranteed in the Affordable Care Act can now be waived, comprising quality health care for those with pre-existing conditions, expectant mothers, and individuals seeking mental health and substance abuse treatment. Ultimately, millions of Americans will be harmed by this bill.

This second attempt to rush a vote on our nation's health care, without a revised Congressional Budget Office score, was quickly and carelessly crafted to meet arbitrary, deadlines and ill-conceived campaign promises.

Protecting the central coast of California's health care, particularly for the most vulnerable among us, is one of my top priorities. I urge my colleagues in the Majority party to focus not on partisan interests but serve the people. I will be voting no on this bill. I urge my colleagues across the aisle to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today for rural America. I represent the central coast of California, one of

the most beautiful and bountiful districts in our Nation. With its many and diverse crops, it is the salad bowl of the world. Now, I know it is on the coast of California, but if you drive 1 or 2 miles east, you will be in rural America.

I understand a majority of rural Americans voted for Donald Trump. It has been 100 days now, and all they have received is broken promises with an intended laceration of the Department of Agriculture budget by 21 percent and a lack of respect and a limited appreciation for what the men and women do in rural America.

We ask the President to stop his lip service and start giving public service to rural America with investments in infrastructure, research and development, and, yes, immigration reform. It is time to stop the rhetoric and start recognizing that people who come here who work in agriculture contribute not just to our economy but to our country.

Mr. President, all we ask is that you do what people in rural America do every single day. They get up, they work hard, they are stewards of the land, they provide security for our food and for our families, and they serve not just their communities, they serve our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the National Day of Silence, which took place last Friday, April 21. That is a day when young people come together to raise awareness about the issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. In fact, it is the only day that highlights issues affecting our LGBT youth. It is that type of day that will lead to more acceptance and inclusiveness in our society.

Isa Moreno is a student from my district, in the town of Watsonville. She remained silent on that day. After, she said: ``Now, more than ever, we as a nation must understand the importance of unity and solidarity.''

I couldn't agree more. As a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus, we work to ensure inclusiveness in our country by fighting for policies that support our LGBT youth in our communities.

Many students like Isa took a vow of silence last Friday. So now we, as leaders, must take responsibility to speak out, to speak up, and to step up for all Americans living in fear because of who they love and who they are.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize David Pendergrass, the Mayor of Sand City, on his retirement after serving as mayor for thirty-five years. As an outstanding citizen and public servant, Mayor Pendergrass made a significant impact on the lives of citizens and the business community in Sand City in his four decades of public service.

As Mayor, he has achieved high praise for his accomplishments in the local, regional and business community on the Central Coast. In addition to his time as mayor, David was a professional artist and illustrator. He also had a thirty-two-year tenure working for the United States Army Training Division, in the Directorate of Plans, Training, and Mobilization Support Center.

Mayor Pendergrass entered public service in 1978 and twice served as Chair of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District. Further, he served on the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, the Monterey-Salinas Transit Board of Directors, the Regional Taxi Authority, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority and the Association of Monterey Area Governments.

During his tenure, Mayor Pendergrass has turned Sand City into a hub of economic and commercial activity. The accomplishments he has made to the Central Coast community will be felt for generations. His involvement in local and regional governance has provided a positive economic impact to the local business sector.

As Mayor, he has worked diligently on the challenging issue of water supply quantity and quality for the Monterey Peninsula. He also provided leadership in the community effort to deal with the closure of Fort Ord and establish CSU Monterey Bay. Mayor Pendergrass has deep roots in the community by raising three children, fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. I am proud of the mayor's many personal and professional accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize the dedication and hard work Mayor Pendergrass has given to Sand City and the Central Coast region. I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in recognizing Mayor Pendergrass and to congratulate him on his well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, in the early morning hours on a day earlier this week, a small town in northwest Syria was atrociously attacked with chemical bombs. As a result, over 75 civilians died and over 20 children gasped for air, writhed in pain, and foamed at the mouth. They suffered dilated pupils, muscle spasms, and involuntary defecation.

Based on the state of this evidence, it appears that it was the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, who committed this heinous act against his people once again. The last time Assad committed such an act, in 2013, he agreed to eliminate his chemical weapons. However, it appears he lied, and he continues his sick aggression against his own people and our humanity.

From the first use of chemical weapons in World War I to the Iran- Iraq war in the 1980s and now in Syria, chemical weapons epitomize the absolute horror of modern-day warfare. That is, of course, why they are outlawed and why their use is a war crime. That is also why anybody who uses them must be treated and penalized like a war criminal.