Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the boy's basketball team from Eisenhower High School--in my hometown of Rialto, California--for winning the CIF State title this past Friday.

With their 73-61 victory over the Rocklin Thunder--from Sacramento, California--the Eagles captured the first ever State title for a school from San Bernardino County.

The win was the 23rd consecutive victory to end the season for the Eagles, and came after tough playoff wins over State powerhouses Loyola and Leuzinger from Lawndale, California.

Everyone said they were too small, but led by head coach Steve Johnson, the undersized Eagles used speed and a tenacious defense to beat Rocklin.

On behalf of my family--Barbara, Joe Baca, Jr., Jeremy, Natalie, and Jennifer Baca--I want to thank the players, coaches, parents, and school administrators, who all contributed so much to Eisenhower's historic run.

On Saturday, April 11th, their courage and relentless efforts will be recognized with a ticker-tape parade in Rialto. I thank Eisenhower for the hope this achievement has brought to our inland communities during this time of economic difficulty.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the boy's basketball team at Eisenhower high school, in my hometown of Rialto, for winning the California Interscholastic Federation Division 2 state title on Friday, March 20.

The Eisenhower Eagles ended their 32-3 season with a 73-61 victory over the Rocklin Thunder. Friday's win was the 23rd consecutive victory for the Eagles, and occurred in front of a crowd of over 10,000 in Sacramento.

Eisenhower's remarkable run to the state title came after a 28-3 regular season, and playoff victories over state powerhouse Loyola, and a win against high rated Leuzinger.

Their historic victory marks the first ever California Interscholastic Federation state title for a school from San Bernardino County.

Everyone said they were too small, but led by head coach Steve Johnson, the undersized Eisenhower squad achieved victory against a taller Rocklin team by causing turnovers with quick-handed tactics and dominating the Thunder in transition points up and down the court.

Coach Johnson has led the Eagles program back to greatness only two years after taking a several year hiatus from coaching.

I specifically want to recognize all 9 Eisenhower players, and thank Andrew Bock, Bryan Bock, Alex Varner, Nicholas Carter, Keyon Sayles, Devin Garner, Nazareth Richardson, Bernard Ireland, and Kirby Gardner for their hard work and commitment to excellence throughout the season.

I also want to recognize the parents, assistant coaches, and school administrators--who all played a critical role in Eisenhower's State Championship run.

Brendan Lane, star player for the opposing Rocklin Thunder, said about the Eagles, ``They're relentless. They get every rebound and every loose ball. They come after you the whole time.''

On behalf of myself, my wife Barbara, Councilman Joe Baca Jr., Jeremy, Jennifer, and Natalie Baca, I congratulate the Eisenhower Eagles for their relentless effort, not just in the title game but throughout the season. I thank Coach Johnson and all the Eagle players, for their grit and determination, and the hope their achievement has brought to the Inland community in these times of economic difficulty.

Madam Speaker, in this time of economic uncertainty, I rise to thank one company who is actively working to create new jobs and practice a clean, environmentally friendly business model, AT&T.

Through a new $18 billion initiative, AT&T is pledging to increase its broadband capacity. Not only will this initiative increase Internet speed and accessibility for customers, but perhaps more importantly it will create 3,000 new jobs.

Over the next ten years, AT&T also plans to create or save an additional one thousand jobs through a plan to invest $565 million in replacing its current fleet of vehicles with 15,000 domestically manufactured Compressed Natural Gas and alternative fuel vehicles.

Research shows that this new fleet will save 49 million gallons of gasoline over the next ten years. It also will reduce carbon emissions by 211,000 metric tons in this same time frame.

Madam Speaker, I applaud AT&T for its initiative in taking the lead in the movement to green our economy. Not only will these new initiatives help lead our nation out of its current economic downturn, but they also help to create an environmentally sustainable future for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. These actions set AT&T apart as an exemplary company, and I hope that others will soon follow their lead.

Mr. Speaker, last month the Department of Homeland Security reported that over 100,000 parents of U.S. born children were deported between 1998 and 2007. And the Homeland Security inspector stated that these figures are incomplete because the agency does not keep track of how many children each parent has.

This past Saturday, I hosted an event in my district for families to come and share their stories about how they have been impacted by the broken immigration system. The audience on several occasions had to hold back their tears as they heard the stories of how families, like the Serrano family from Bloomington, California, have been separated from their parents.

Children like those in the Serrano family are the real victims of this outdated immigration system that separates families.

As Speaker Pelosi said this morning at a meeting with Latino leaders, ``We must immediately end raids that separate families.''

I urge my colleagues in the House and the Senate and President Obama to work with CHC toward comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. Speaker, President Obama has said ``our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.'' Yet there are those that are full of hate and anti-immigration rhetoric that cannot see the rich contributions immigrants have made to this country.

Racial profiling in my district alone is alarming and the controversy of enforcement practices must be investigated. We will not stand for enforcement-only approaches that create a mistrust of law enforcement amongst the public. We need comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the real issues, respects families and includes enforcement and security of our Nation.

Congress needs to be proactive on this issue, instead of reactive to the negative few who preach enforcement-only failed approaches.

I urge my colleagues with the help of the CHC to have President Obama and Speaker Pelosi work towards comprehensive immigration reform.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor a loving mother, adoring grandmother and great-grandmother, passionate lawmaker and cherished friend, Nell Soto.

Working in the citrus groves as a child during the Depression, Nell eventually grew up to become influential and well-respected in the California Legislature. A sixth-generation Pomona resident, her passion for positive change and betterment of the community began early on in her life. Walking precincts as early as 1948 to help elect President Truman, she eventually became a pioneer of Latino political activism during the 1950s and 1960s. Actively involved in supporting the rights of farm workers, she walked the streets of Delano, California with Cesar Chavez. She also played an active role in the anti-war movement of the 1960s, including helping Senator Bobby Kennedy win the California primary. These are only a small sample of the impressive events she was a part of and one of the many reasons as to why she became an inspiring role model to us all.

Nell's fight for change carried on into politics where she helped elect her husband, Phil Soto, to the California Assembly in 1962. Nell herself was first elected to office in 1987 as a Pomona City Councilmember, serving for twelve years and becoming a prominent figure in the community. In 1993, she was appointed to the South Coast Management Quality District board and truly became aware of the growing concern of the environmental hazards that were affecting the community. This is where she first made her true mark as a champion of environmental protection. Concerned by the increasing rise of pollution in the Pomona area, she recognized how this was especially affecting all of the hardworking people in fields. Understanding that they were constantly being exposed to these toxins, she continued to push for greater reform.

Only a year after the death of her husband in 1997, she was elected to the California State Assembly. However, shortly thereafter, she replaced me in the State Senate when I left to become a Congressman in 1998 and then returned to the State Assembly in 2006 after her Senate term limits expired. Bringing her determination to create a better life for the people in her community, she formed a task force in the State Senate to help water districts in Fontana, Rialto and Colton address perchlorate contamination of groundwater, an issue that is very dear to my heart. Nell was instrumental in helping deliver $20 million in federal funding to the Inland Empire to buy replacement water.

Nell always stood up to fight for the poor, the undeserved, and for the community as a whole. She was a forceful voice for Latinos everywhere, making sure our community and its issues were heard. In addition to believing in the protection of the environment, Nell was also a fierce advocate for issues related to education, housing, public safety and transportation. Always prioritizing children and families at the top of her agenda, she helped establish legislation to create safer school routes for children and get parents more involved in their children's education. In addition, Nell was instrumental in securing 5000 new jobs by helping turn the General Dynamics plant in Pomona into a furniture plant, as well as helping to secure $22.5 million for the Pomona Metro Link and Transit System. She was also responsible for helping secure $5 million from the state budget for numerous parks and community centers within her district.

I have always been grateful for Nell's friendship, a woman who has always been an inspiration to my family and I. She always supported me, from the time I entered the Board of Trustees, to when I served in the State Assembly, State Senate and still as I came here to serve as a Member of Congress. I thank her for always making a point of attending one of my events or at least sending a representative if she couldn't come herself. I know I am not alone when I say that I have lost a truly amazing friend, one who will be remembered for her hard work, true commitment to family and tireless efforts to better her community.

I am proud to have known a woman who was so loved by all of her family and friends. Nell is survived by her children, Philip Jr., Michael, Patrick, Anna and Tom, as well as her eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

I would like to express my greatest sympathies for her family's loss. Let us take a moment to remember this great woman and her admirable dedication to instilling positive change and leading an exemplary life, one whose footsteps we all hope to follow. The thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara and children Councilman Joe Baca, Jr., Jeremy, Natalie and Jennifer and I are with her family at this time.

God bless Nell Soto for love of God, country and mankind.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor a loving father, loyal husband, adoring grandfather, Charles ``Chuck'' Beeman.

Born in Clovis, New Mexico, his family moved to San Bernardino, California where he grew up to become a longstanding, influential member of the community. Having graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1950, Chuck received a track scholarship to attend USC. However, it was his thirst for education that made him truly shine as he earned a doctorate in pharmacy from USC in 1956.

In addition to serving in the Army and the Army Reserve, Chuck became a successful businessman, opening Beeman's Pharmacy at St. Bernardine Medical Center in 1963. At the same time, he continued working at Krause Pharmacy on North E Street. In 1971, Chuck expanded his business by opening a second Beeman's Pharmacy across the street in 1971. However, his passion and concern for the community reached beyond his place of work as he was a strong advocate for higher education.

Appointed to the San Bernardino Community College District board in 1983, Chuck served until November 2008. Having served for twelve years together on the board, I always respected his leadership and dedication to the community. Through our bipartisan efforts, we were always very supportive of one another. Together, we were successful in helping implement the first Hispanic President of sister schools San Bernardino Valley College and Crafton Hills College. We also were instrumental in securing funding from public and private partnership in order to reinstitute the wrestling program at San Bernardino Valley College.

Survived by his wife, Janice, his memory will also be carried on by his children Christopher Beeman, Beth Beeman Dorado, Roland ``Scott'' Beeman and Gary Beeman; his brother; Jerry Beeman; his sister, Lois Waugh; and Chuck's loving twelve grandchildren.

As a longtime colleague and friend of Chuck's, I'll always remember his love for model car racing and though new to the game, a great golfer as well. At the last San Bernardino Community College meeting in December where we were celebrating his contribution to the District, I appreciated the mention that we can now add a 78 for his best round of golf to Chuck's long list of accomplishments.

I would like to express my greatest sympathies for his family's loss. Let us take a moment to remember this great man and his admirable dedication to instilling positive change and leading an exemplary life, one whose footsteps we all hope to follow. The thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara, my family and I are with his family at this time.

God Bless Charles ``Chuck'' Beeman for love of country and mankind.

America recently elected not just the first African American to serve as President but also the son of an immigrant. Yet, the positive contributions of immigrants never seem to make it through the smoke of politics that blurs the issue of immigrant reform.

We must not forget that we are a Nation built by immigrants. Today, there are 12 to 14 million undocumented, hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy.

As we struggle to rebuild our economy, we must not forget that a comprehensive immigration reform is needed to bring out of the shadows hardworking immigrants. We must make sure that all workers are on a level of playing field and that the exploitation of undocumented immigrant workers ends.

We must make sure that unscrupulous employers are punished and that families are respected.

I urge my colleagues to work with me and for the President to keep his word and work towards comprehensive immigration reform.

Madam Speaker, on May 8th, 2009, the San Bernardino community will gather to honor Mark Edwards as he is presented with the prestigious Golden Baton Award from the San Bernardino Symphony Guild. In the Guild's eighty years of its existence, this will only be the tenth time that this honor has been awarded. The Guild is honoring him not only for his significant contribution to the San Bernardino Symphony but also for his commitment and dedication to the San Bernardino community.

A respected lawyer in the Inland Empire, Mark received his Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of California, Davis. In 1982, he became a Shareholder and Senior Attorney at Reid & Hellyer, A Professional Corporation in San Bernardino. In 1994, Mark became a founding member of the Law Office of Mirau, Edwards, Cannon, Lewin & Tooke, A Professional Corporation in Redlands, where his firm practices transactional law in the areas of business, corporate, tax, real estate and estate planning.

In addition to his law practice, Mark has always been a very active member of the San Bernardino community. As former President and current First Vice President of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, he has also continuously served on the Board of Directors since 1992 and as a Member of the Executive Committee since 1995. In addition, he was actively involved with the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce, serving as President in 1992 and a Member of the Board of Directors as well as the Executive Committee throughout the 1990s.

Known for his passionate and selfless volunteerism, Mark has served as an Elder for the First Presbyterian Church of San Bernardino, Judge Pro-tem for the San Bernardino Superior Court, founder of Leadership San Bernardino, as well as a Member of the Board of Directors for numerous other organizations throughout the Inland Empire. It is obvious that the community has always been important to Mark based on his continual support of both the San Bernardino Symphony and city as a whole.

Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to recognize the service, sacrifice, and dedication of Mark Edwards. His impact on our community over the years serves as a great reminder that a life spent giving back to society is a life of a true patriot.

I rise today to urge my colleagues, our leadership, Speaker Pelosi, President Obama, to work with CHC on comprehensive immigration reform.

Two weeks ago this legislative body passed a significant bill that will help our devastated economy. We cannot forget the other gaping wound here, our broken immigration system. We are making a big mistake if we continue to ignore the 12 to 14 million undocumented immigrants who are part of this economy. This is not something that we should sweep under the rug with more unrealistic enforcement-only fixes to the immigration system. Enforcement-only approaches makes the situation worse by generating an underground economy and encouraging

a demand for vulnerable, undocumented workers.

I urge my colleagues not to let politics cloud a real solution. The only answer is comprehensive immigration reform.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor the 60th Anniversary of WWII Private Felix Longoria, the first Mexican American to be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC.

Private Felix Z. Longoria was drafted into the United States Army on November 11, 1944, at the age of 25 from Three Rivers, Texas.

While on a voluntary patrol on June 1945, Private Longoria was killed in action by a Japanese sniper in Cagayan Valley, Luzon, Philippines. He posthumously received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge for his service and sacrifice.

Sadly in 1945, when the remains of Private Longoria were finally identified and returned back to the United States, Beatrice Longoria, the widow of Private Felix Longoria, was turned away and unable to hold a funeral service for her deceased husband at a private funeral home in Three Rivers, Texas. At the time, the city of Three Rivers' sole cemetery was divided by a barbed wire fence, into two sections, one for whites and another for non-whites.

This act of discrimination moved Beatrice Longoria to contact Dr. Hector P. Garcia a surgeon general of the area, and the founder of the newly created American GI Forum.

Dr. Hector P. Garcia sent out seventeen telegrams to elected and government officials, which stated ``the denial was a direct contradiction of those same principles for which this American soldier made the supreme sacrifice in giving his life for his country, and for the same people who deny him the last funeral rites deserving of any American hero regardless of his origin''.

Just recently founded during that time on March 26, 1948, the American GI Forum and its founder, Dr. Hector P. Garcia launched a civil rights movement to help the Longoria family.

Then a junior United States Senator, Lyndon B. Johnson, on January 11, 1949, sent a telegram to Dr. Hector P. Garcia that read ``. . . I have today made arrangements to have Felix Longoria buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery here in Washington where, the honored dead of our nation' war rest. . .This injustice and prejudice is deplorable. I am happy to have a part seeing that this Texas hero is laid to rest with the honor and dignity his services deserve''.

Thanks to the AGIF, Dr. Garcia and Senator Johnson, Private Felix Longoria became the first Mexican American serviceman to be awarded this honor. On February 16, 1949, Private Felix Longoria was given a full military burial with honors in Arlington National Cemetery. The Longoria family was joined at the service by United States Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson, Congressman John Lyle and President Harry Truman's' military aide, General Harry H. Vaughan.

The work and legacy of the late Dr. Hector P. Garcia and the American GI Forum that he founded, still continues to this day, in the name of all Veterans and Hispanics in the United States.

February 16, 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the burial of Private Felix Longoria, the first Mexican American servicemen to be awarded this honor. On this day, I encourage all Americans to remember the great sacrifices made by our American heroes in all the conflicts in the history of the United States.

I believe that the stimulus package is very important for working families. And we must pass this bill on behalf of the American people. But our Nation is in desperate need of comprehensive immigration reform, as well. Politicians have used the immigration issue as white noise for every important bill that is brought up here in the House. We can keep dancing around the problems. We need real reform with border enforcement that also addresses the 14 million undocumented people living here in this country.

Just yesterday, The Washington Post reported that local counties in the area are stepping up their collaboration with ICE. This will only be creating more fear and dividing our communities and our families. This is why we cannot use a wide brush to paint a solution to deal with the immigration issues. We must not forget that we're talking about families, not just numbers and statistics.

I urge my colleagues to help these families and join me in working towards real comprehensive immigration reform. I ask President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address this issue of comprehensive immigration.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor a loving father, supportive husband, caring brother and cherished son, Gregory Lee Thomas.

Born in Fontana, California, Gregory moved with his family to San Bernardino where he grew up to become a valuable member of the community. Having always held an interest and fascination with cars, working on them in his spare time, he eventually became a Service Advisor for Toyota and resided with his family in Redlands. However, it was the compassion and love for his family that really made Gregory shine. This is what made him the dedicated and devoted husband and father that will always remain in our hearts.

Gregory is survived by Angela Thomas, his wife of 15 years, and his two children, Alexia and Michael. He will be sorely missed by his father, Bill, step-mother, Jaennie, brother, Jeff, and sister, Danette as well as all of Gregory's combined nieces and nephews.

As a friend of Gregory's father, Bill, I would like to express my greatest sympathies for his family's loss. Gregory was extremely loved and will truly be missed. Let us take a moment to remember this great man, a positive role model to us all. The thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara, my family and I are with Bill and his family at this time.

God bless Gregory Lee Thomas for love of country and mankind.

Our country is in desperate need of comprehensive immigration reform to ensure the security and the future of America. Our broken immigration policies have failed to secure our borders and have taken on racial profiling tactics.

Our families are being separated and terrorized with unjust border raids, such as the one that was held in my district a couple of weeks ago at a Home Depot parking lot. In the greatest Nation of the world, no one should ever live in fear of being torn apart from their families.

We shall not be a Nation of discrimination when our faces promote diversity. We need a cohesive program such as comprehensive immigration. We cannot stand complacent with our broken immigration policies. We need to take action.

Mr. President, you called for change. You and Madam Speaker need to deliver on that promise. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing comprehensive immigration.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support concurring to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2--The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act.

In my District, home foreclosures and unemployment are devastating many families with no end in sight. A facility in my district, the Community Hospital of San Bernardino is being forced to eat the costs or turn children away.

This bill will provide needed health care to our most vulnerable, our most in need, America's children. With this bill, the state of California alone will be able to cover an additional 694,000 children who are currently uninsured.

SCHIP benefits will be further improved, providing for all children enrolled in SCHIP to receive dental coverage. Parents should not have to choose between putting food on the table or paying for health insurance.

For too long we've faced partisan debates that only hinder our efforts. We now have the ``change'' voters want.

I urge my colleagues to help these families, do the responsible thing and vote for S-CHIP.