Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Dr. Melvinia King as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year. As the Executive Director of Fighting Back Partnership, Melvinia helps lead the organization's drive to alleviate and eliminate poverty and substance abuse amongst youth in Solano County. Since joining the organization in 2018, she has spearheaded an agenda rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of ``Creating the Beloved Community,'' addressing the complex issues of poverty and racism while simultaneously empowering families and nurturing the potential of our youth. Beyond this important work, Melvinia serves on several local committees, including the Solano County Workforce Development Board, Black Infant Healthcare Advisory Board, and Solano County Home Visiting Community Advisory Board. She is known by her colleagues as not only a strong advocate for change, but also an active contributor to it. Her work has created a lasting legacy that will touch the lives of countless individuals throughout our district. On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Dr. Melvinia King for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Erin Garcia-Robles as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Erin is a registered nurse who serves as a staffing supervisor for the Behavior Health Unit at Woodland Hospital. She works with patients who are struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues. She is a compassionate caregiver for suicidal patients and people who have been sexually abused. Erin manages intake for some of the most vulnerable patients, ensuring that doctors and staff know what care they need. She ensures that her patients receive proper placements and are connected with family members. She is recognized by her family, friends, and colleagues for her caring nature and determined attitude which she brings to every interaction. Her dedication to her patients, family, and friends is an inspiration to everyone who knows her.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Erin Garcia-Robles for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise to recognize the contributions of June Mejias as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

June is a dedicated public servant and active member of the Benicia community. June's advocacy began with her efforts to understand the Crude by Rail issue and educate others on its importance to their region. She went on to serve on the Benicia Campaign Finance Subcommittee and meet with the Benicia Open Government Commission. She has served for many years with the League of Women Voters and would often volunteer to visit high schools and help register eligible students to vote. She was also selected by the City Council to serve for 3 years on the Benicia Parks and Recreation Commission. June continues to engage with all levels of government, advocating for issues that impact not only her, but the community at large. She consistently ensures that her voice and those of her peers continue to be heard. June is a role model of civic engagement for anyone looking to have an impact on the policies that impact them.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize June Mejias for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Karen Freeman as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Karen has spent the last five years establishing herself as a key leader in our community, after completing her studies in Leeds, England. Apart from upholding her duties as a priest at Grace Episcopal Church, she has devoted her time to several causes in the community. Primarily, she hosts regular neighborhood clean ups, an event at the annual National Night Out, and a health fair for the sake of keeping her neighbors and fellow community members informed. Karen has been described as an objective, well-prepared, spirited leader; these attributes are especially exemplified by her work with other local organizations. She works with Epiphany Church in Vacaville to prepare lunch for the unhoused and has led efforts to partner with Fairview Elementary School to provide school supplies, snacks, teacher breakfasts, and more. Her leadership, extensive acts of service, and immense contributions to the community are just some examples of how Karen continues to make a lasting impact in our district.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Karen Freeman for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Katrinka Ruk as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Katrinka is a dedicated and passionate leader who has touched the lives of countless members of her community. Katrinka is described as a Bay Area native who has made a career out of improving the lives of working people. Professionally, she spent years working in the field of human resources as an HR Director for Geyser Peak and a global pharmaceutical company, and Regional HR Director for TriNet where she supported the growth of startups into thriving organizations. Katrinka has also helped grow the economy of Contra Costa County by serving for 20 years as director for the West Contra Costa Council of Business and Industries. Katrinka has also extensively given her time as a board member for Canine Guardian Assistance Dogs, an organization connecting fully trained service dogs with veterans who suffer from PTSD. She also served on the East Bay Board of the YMCA where she supported social programs and reviewed potential grants for the organization. Katrinka's years of work and volunteerism will be felt throughout Contra Costa County for years to come.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Katrinka Ruk for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Major Kayleigh Migaleddi as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Kayleigh serves as the interim Chief for the 60th Air Mobility Wing Commander's Action Group and a Flight Nurse Evaluator for the 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Travis Air Force Base. From her first assignment at Nellis Air Force Base as a clinical nurse in the inpatient setting, to her current position where she is responsible for local and regional partnerships for twenty-eight thousand personnel, Major Migaleddi has proven that her leadership and exceptional dedication is unmatched. During Operation Allies Refugee. she was the Aeromedical Evacuation Team Lead at Hamid Karzai International Airport. where she and her team responded to the deadly Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul. Following the experience of seeing her fellow medics through this tragedy, she resolved to change the trajectory of training and mission readiness to better prepare her peers for combat operations. Kayleigh has also amassed 720 flight hours and 104 combat flight hours in Operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve and contributed vital efforts in the execution of the largest and fastest aeromedical evacuation movement in modern history. Under Kayleigh's leadership, her team won Team of the Quarter twice. Group Airmen of the Year, Squadron Aeromedical Technician Instructor of the Year, and her troop was selected to commission into the Interservice Physician Assistant Program. Kayleigh has also played a crucial role in coordinating countless events at Travis Air Force Base including the Warrior Event. Gold Star Family Ruck, and POW/MIA Week. Kayleigh is a valuable part of the Travis team, as well as the larger Solano Community.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Major Kayleigh Migaleddi for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Eleanor Thompson as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Eleanor has been an active member of her community for over fifty years and continues her work volunteering with her church and youth throughout Richmond. She founded Social Progress Inc. and ran a Youth Resource Center that served 30 young people in the community. While serving as the CEO of Social Progress Inc, she ensured that young men living in the Iron Triangle were able to safely get to school by driving them herself. Over the years, Eleanor has distributed hundreds of backpacks, toys, and scholarships to youth in need. She also founded the yearly Fourth of July Parade and Festival in Richmond that serves to bring the community together. She is passionate about pushing for change regarding homelessness and public safety and has been awarded for her community leadership with the Richmond Police Commission, the Anti-Drug Task Force, Parks and Recreation Commission, the Crime Prevention Team, and the 7th Street Crime Watch Team, among others. Eleanor is a shining example of a compassionate and dedicated community leader.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Eleanor Thompson for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Colonel Elizabeth Aptekar as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Elizabeth serves as the Commander of the 60th Mission Support Group at the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base. She leads a 1,900-member group that provides support to three wings and more than fifty mission partners. Her team rapidly mobilized support for 104 nations, readied 3,000 missions, and executed 2,000 deployments and seven Presidential Support packages which empowered six Combatant Commands to enable diplomatic and economic ties globally. Locally, she oversaw 54 construction projects totaling $137 million which facilitated the KC-46 aircraft activation at Travis Air Force Base. She also guided a $208 million Defense Health Agency contracting transition strategy for the Air Force's largest hospital, saving $48 million and harnessing $15 million for other critical priorities. She also leveraged Defense and hybrid energy initiatives positioning $20 million toward alternative energy, fuel resources, and electric vehicle infrastructure. Elizabeth has also worked to integrate Travis AFB with the surrounding community, organizing meetings between base and city leaders and fostering support for initiatives focused on infrastructure and quality of life improvements. Demonstrating her commitment to Airmen, her team's 90 percent execution rate of resiliency funds was No. 1 in the Air Force, ensuring Team Travis Airmen and Families across 77 units were immersed in surrounding community activities. Elizabeth's work has improved quality of life for all members of the Travis AFB community, and her engaged leadership, service to others, and commitment to excellence is noted and celebrated.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Elizabeth Aptekar for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Jameelah Hanif as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Jameelah is a community organizer, family advocate, and champion for children. She is the Founder, CEO, and Executive Director of Watch Me Grow, Inc, a non-profit organization that provides resources and training for parents. Jameelah facilitates the Parent Leadership Training Institute to help parents advocate for their children and families. She has been a small business owner for 10 years, providing quality childcare and family services to over 150 children. Jameelah has also been the Chair of the Solano County Local Child Care Planning Council and the Solano County Licensed Family Child Care Association. She has a degree in Child Development and Family Services, and completed the Solano County Parent Leadership Training Institute, Leadership Vallejo, and EmergeCA programs. Since the beginning of 2022, Ms. Hanif has organized monthly youth-led community clean-ups to expose our youth to community service and to develop community pride, attracting over 350 participants. Ms. Hanif is currently the Vallejo leader of All Children Thrive California initiative, a community-led movement working towards creating protective community environments that allow all children to thrive. Jameelah has been a strong voice for children and families in Vallejo and with her passion for this work she will continue to expand her advocacy locally and regionally.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Jameelah Hanif for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Janet Scoll Johnson as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Janet is an active and determined community advocate for environmental justice. She has served in many roles as part of her advocacy and community service. She has served for nine years as the co-coordinator of the Sunflower Alliance, which works to protect the health and safety of all Bay Area communities affected by toxic pollution and climate change. Janet also served for four years as the co-chair of the Richmond ShorelineAlliance. She has advocated for a full cleanup of toxic sites, for the preservation of Point Molate, and for public awareness of the dangers of sea level rise. Janet was a member of the Richmond-San Pablo AB-617 Community Air Monitoring Steering Committee and a lead organizer for No Coal in Richmond, a grassroots organization that works to prevent coal and petroleum coke from being shipped through the Levin-Richmond Terminal in an effort to prevent toxic dust from contaminating local air, water, and soil in nearby neighborhoods. Thanks to Janet's successful advocacy, a land-use ordinance to phase out a coal and petroleum coke handling and storage at a private terminal in the Port of Richmond was passed.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Janet Scoll Johnson for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Elizabeth Hoffman as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Elizabeth is the Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Solano County, an organization that provides home rehabilitation services and hosts community volunteer workdays. Her tireless work has improved the quality of life for low-income families, veterans, and disabled individuals in our district. She coordinates thousands of volunteers who help build low-income housing and community centers. This year, she has led home improvement efforts to help low-income communities and veterans' widows. She helped distribute over 2,000 Disaster Safe at Home Kits to low-income veterans, seniors, and disabled households. Elizabeth partnered with local government and community volunteers to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, assemble raised garden beds, and distribute more than 950,000 pounds of food. Her dedication to helping low-income individuals, veterans, seniors, and disabled residents throughout Solano County is unparalleled.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Elizabeth Hoffman for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Donna Ebert as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

As an active Ambassador to the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce, Donna has led teams of local business leaders to forge connections with one another. Donna has also been key player in organizing the chamber's ``lunch mob'' where member businesses host chamber members and help substantially increase the revenue of the businesses. Donna is also involved with the Travis Regional Armed Forces committee where she is committed to improving the lives of the men and women serving at Travis Air Force Base. She supports Air Shows, golf tournaments, and the many other events that benefit the base and surrounding community. Donna also serves her community as an active member of Solano County Soroptimist International helping to support women through education, empowerment, and opportunity. Donna's enthusiasm, hard work, and dedication to serving her community serve as an inspiration to all her peers.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Donna Ebert for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

A talented public servant and campaigner, Buffy has served as an Assemblymember for California's 14th Assembly district since she was elected in 2017. During her time in the California State Assembly, one of Buffy's major missions has been tackling California's housing crisis. In her first year as Housing Chair, she championed AB 2011 as well as legislation such as her ``Yes in God's Backyard (YIGBY) Bill'' which allows churches to build affordable housing in empty lots near their church buildings.

Buffy Wicks' career in politics began when she organized anti-Iraq War protests and worked for Howard Dean's 2004 campaign. She also worked on both of Barack Obama's successful campaigns in 2008 and 2012 and went on to work in the White House where she was the Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement.

Buffy is a relentless public servant and advocate for families and let her own lived experiences as a working mother inspire her fight for others. She highlighted and platformed important issues such as family leave and gained the support and sympathy of parents nationwide. Buffy's commitment to her constituents and the well-being of Californians knows no bounds.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Buffy Wicks for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Judge Diana Becton as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Diana Becton has been Contra Costa County's District Attorney since her 2017 swearing in. Diana is the first woman, first African American, and first woman of color to serve in the role since its creation in 1850. This accomplishment alone shows the historical impact she has had on her community. For 22 years Diana, served as a judge in Contra Costa County where she was elected and became president of the National Association of Women Judges. She is known not only for upholding the law and holding people accountable, but also for striving to improve Contra Costa County's judicial system by focusing on disrupting the school to prison pipeline, creating safe alternatives for low-level non-violent offenders, and addressing the mental health needs of our community. She created the Reimagine Youth Justice Task Force to create alternatives to juvenile hall for young offenders and has made efforts to curb racial bias in her department by partnering with the non-profit Vera Institute of Justice to evaluate her office's decision making.

Diana's accomplishments in the judiciary are too enumerable and impressive to list briefly

as she is truly a pillar of her community and a testament to the excellence found in our district. Diana, far from doing business as usual, has aimed to fundamentally change many aspects of our often- harsh criminal justice system to decrease bias and fulfill its duty to serve justice.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Diana Becton for her positive contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker pro tempore, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Debra Mason as she is honored as one of California's 8th Congressional District's Women of the Year.

Debra is the current Executive Director of the Bay Point Community Foundation and the Bay Point Municipal Advisory Council, where she has served for many years. Over the years, she has worked for after-school programs and served on the Mt. Diablo School Board, and today she continues to be a fierce advocate for students, parents, schools, and her community. She has pushed for public safety, nutrition assistance, after school education, and community engagement in schools. Continuing her work with education, she is also a California School Age Consortium Board Member. Her dedication, service, and work ethic has been an invaluable benefit to the local community. One example of a lasting impact that she has made on the community is establishing the Bay Point Branch of the Contra Costa County Public Library. Debra has been committed to addressing issues that she cares about and is always willing to take action and help others. Debra has been involved with countless community offices and committees where her leadership has improved our local schools and broader community.

On behalf of the people of California's 8th Congressional District, it is my pleasure to honor and recognize Debra Mason for her positive contributions to our community.