Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the commonsense bipartisan Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2024. I thank Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Raskin for including provisions from legislation I introduced, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Reauthorization Act, in this package to help combat the fentanyl and drug epidemic in California's central valley and across the United States.

The Federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, or the HIDTA Program, allows Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials to share intelligence and pool resources to help get these dangerous drugs off of our streets and out of our schools. They do this through 33 individual HIDTAs that have been designated around the country, including throughout my district.

In 2022, the Central Valley California HIDTA seized over 1.4 million dosages of fentanyl, 3,000 kilograms of methamphetamine, 355 kilograms of cocaine, and 101 kilograms of heroin. These seizures of illegal drugs are exponentially higher for the United States. However, the HIDTA Program expired in 2023.

The version of my HIDTA bill included in this larger package would authorize $298.5 million in funding for the HIDTA Program, a $18.5 million increase; renew this program through fiscal year 2031; and make $5 million available to individual HIDTAs across the country to further enhance their fentanyl seizure and interdiction activities.

In addition, I commend the local prosecutors and district attorneys in my community who work hard every day to put drug traffickers behind bars, but resources can be limited, and California's soft-on-crime and lenient bail policies don't help. These partnerships between Federal and local prosecutors are critical to putting these high-volume drug traffickers in prison for decades, not months. That is what Federal prosecution can do.

Included in this package are additional provisions for my bill that would empower the U.S. Attorney General to assign Federal prosecutors, known as assistant U.S. attorneys, to individual HIDTAs to investigate and prosecute organizations and individuals who are trafficking in fentanyl in the United States to the fullest extent of Federal law-- decades, not months.

I am proud to have worked with local sheriffs and DAs in the valley to develop my HIDTA bill, and I appreciate their support for this important legislation that will help our communities become safer.

I again thank Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Raskin for working with me on my HIDTA bill and including provisions on this program in the ONDCP package we are considering now. It is critical to ensure that law enforcement has the necessary tools and resources to continue to fight against fentanyl and the drug crisis across the United States. Protecting our communities and families is not a partisan issue.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 9598.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 7409, the HEATS Act.

This bill will assist working families, small businesses, and the geothermal energy producers streamline the permitting process for one of the cheapest and cleanest energy sources. We are talking about steam coming out of the ground and creating electricity. That is what we are talking about today.

Geothermal is a big word. Let's not miss that. This is simply turning steam out of the ground into electricity.

One of the cheapest and cleanest energy sources in the United States is prioritized and supported by the Federal Government. During a Natural Resources hearing earlier this year, I asked Federal regulators what we, the people, gain by requiring a Federal permitting process on geothermal energy, one of the cleanest, cheapest energy sources in the world.

There was no coherent answer. Instead of restricting geothermal energy, we should be supporting and encouraging advancements in this field. Currently, the Bureau of Land Management is practicing regulation by imagination, with no real instances of negatives of geothermal energy production.

I am proud to work with Representative Kim to take the necessary steps to make it easier to produce clean, affordable geothermal energy in California.

California produces more geothermal energy than any other State, but the Bureau of Land Management is preventing California from growing our clean energy to our fullest potential. This bill ensures that geothermal energy producers do not need to obtain a Federal permit if they are drilling on land that is not owned by the Federal Government.

With this commonsense change, we can grow our geothermal energy production. This would provide cheaper energy to working families, create good-paying jobs in California, and cement California and the United States as a global clean energy leader.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7409. It is a commonsense bill that will lower energy costs for working families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Madera County Historical Museum's 50th Anniversary on September 28, 2024.

The Madera County Museum was opened to the public on September 28, 1974. For fifty years, the Madera County Historical Society, volunteers, and local organizations have made the Madera County Museum a historic and informative destination in the Valley. I want to also recognize the efforts of the community for their donations and efforts to provide exciting events and learning experiences showcasing Madera County's rich history.

Through the efforts of the community, the Madera County Museum provides Madera County with educational school tours, holiday events, and weekly educational public visitation options. Madera County Museum gives back to the community by hosting mock trial and 4-H educational opportunities for students, holiday events to bring the community together, and supporting local law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Madera County Museum's role in preserving the rich history of Madera County. I would also like to encourage every Valley family to visit the Madera County Museum and learn about our Valley's rich history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Merced County Community Action Agency (MCCAA) in celebrating sixty years of service. MCCAA began serving Dos Palos in 1964 and opened its first Head Start center in 1965. MCCAA is part of a nationwide movement that began with the signing of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. MCCAA's mission is to serve, advocate, and collaborate for those in need by developing innovative strategies for self-empowerment.

MCCAA gainfully employs nearly 200 people and serves over 17,000 unduplicated customers every month with a total of sixteen federal and state programs. The work MCCAA provides for the community would be impossible without our local community, who last year volunteered over 14,000 hours. Last year, MCCAA housed over 112 formerly unhoused community members with safe, affordable homes. Over 400 children utilize their free preschool programs for early learning and education. MCCAA provides 1,500 families with utility assistance, keeping families safe during scorching Valley summers.

The MCCAA maintains over sixteen other locations in Merced County, and partners with over 200 local service providers, government agencies, and families to help with outreach, referrals and access to needed services. The D Street Navigation Center is open year-round, twenty-four hours per day to meet the needs of Merced County's most vulnerable living on the streets. Last year, over 514 unhoused individuals stayed at this Center.

MCAA continues to expand. MCAA recently added a diaper bank, a summer food program, and expanded support for at risk pregnant and new mothers.

Therefore Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the MCCAA for 60 years of service to our Valley.

Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Westerman for yielding, and I rise in support of the Fix Our Forests Act.

As someone who farms on the edge of the forest in California, I can tell you, bad policies coming out of Washington and Sacramento, exacerbated by frivolous litigation, have led to failed outcomes in Federal forest management. There is no doubt about it: This is abandonment of one of our natural resources.

As we see with government-imposed droughts in California, laws and regulations are being twisted to block forest management and timber harvesting in our national forests, which peaked in the 1980s, but steadily declined and have not recovered. This has been exacerbated by the designation of over 111 million acres of preservation wilderness areas that severely limit access, ban timber harvests, and make even firefighting difficult in our forests.

This resource abandonment is also hurting our communities. Countless jobs are lost, and insurance companies are seeking to cancel policies and refusing to even provide fire insurance coverage in areas of California because of the risk of out-of-control forest fires.

These fires also devalue our national forest habitat and watersheds.

For example, we are now learning that some of these fires burn so hot that they may be changing the soil chemistry to create cancer-causing hexavalent chromium. That is the Erin Brockovich compound. This raises serious concerns about the toxic chemical getting into our groundwater when runoff from burn areas occurs.

That raises another serious concern: sedimentation of our rivers. When our forests burn, debris washes off the Sierra Nevadas and settles into our waterways, silting up our rivers, streams, and reservoirs and hurts fish species. This increases flood risks and decreases our ability to store water.

These fires also release millions of tons of pollution into the air that we breathe that can cause respiratory issues.

This resource abandonment is hurting Californians, which is unacceptable, and that is why I am proud to support the Fix Our Forests Act.

This commonsense legislation will make necessary reforms to expedite forest management projects and reduce frivolous lawsuits designed to slow or block action. This bill will help protect our forests, the environment, and will create jobs, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate three great Central Valley universities: UC Merced, Fresno State University, and Stanislaus State University, that The Wall Street Journal ranked three out of the top four colleges in America for helping students climb the socioeconomic ladder.

These universities embody the American Dream. They empower first- generation Americans to work hard, get good jobs, and improve their lives.

UC-Merced tops the rankings for social mobility and its commitment to transforming lives. The same values are echoed up and down the valley by Cal State-Stanislaus at number two and Cal State-Fresno at number four.

These schools do more than provide a good education at a reasonable price. They open the door to the American Dream. Going to these valley schools is more than an education. It is an opportunity for valley kids to dream big, work hard, and build a better life for themselves and their families.

Mr. Speaker, sending a student to one of these schools is a dream for so many families in the valley because they change lives. Today, on the House floor, we honor their impact, their dedication, and their relentless pursuit of excellence. I congratulate these universities.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act. I am proud that the House is considering my bill on the floor today and for the support of Democrats and Republicans so that veterans can obtain the benefits they have earned in service to our Nation.

I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) for his support of this bill and my Democrat co-lead, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Budzinski), for joining me on this important legislation. This bill is a testament to what Congress can achieve when working across party lines.

Since coming to office, I have led several veterans' townhalls across California's Central Valley. One topic that continues to come up is the daunting challenge that our veterans, young and old, face when applying for and receiving benefits through the VA after their service to our Nation, and this is unacceptable.

Currently, when a veteran applies for benefits or files a claim with the VA, the VA responds in writing and often provides updates in writing.

At a Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in March 2024, it became clear that the VA's effort to make these letters easy to understand, to guide veterans through the process, have failed. We learned the VA letters are often lengthy, packed with indecipherable legal jargon, sometimes omit crucial information needed to advance a claim, and can be over 20 pages long. These letters cause confusion, anxiety, and stress among our veterans, and some veterans are so overwhelmed that they give up on their claims entirely.

The Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act would require the VA to work with a federally funded research and development center to simplify the notification letters for VA benefits, including disability compensation, disability ratings, health benefits, and education.

This bill would require the VA to contract with a FFRDC to assess the letters sent to veterans within 30 days. Within 90 days of receiving the assessment, the VA would be required to notify Congress and implement any recommendations from the FFRDC.

This legislation is supported by numerous veterans' groups across California, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, the National Organization of Veterans' Advocates, the American Legion, as well as the Stanislaus County Veterans Advisory Commission.

Their endorsements underscore the vital need for this reform. We must uphold our commitment to those who have bravely served our country. As a Congressman, I am always honored to help Central Valley veterans get their benefits. This bill is a step toward correcting the flawed VA claims process to help ensure our veterans get the care and benefits they earned from a grateful Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) for supporting the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Assyrian community in the Central Valley of California. In particular, Stanislaus County has had a long history of Assyrians seeking refuge from religious persecution and genocide in their ancestral homelands known as Mesopotamia. This vibrant and thriving community is determined to preserve the language, heritage, culture, and their identity as Christians.

Over fifty thousand Assyrian Americans call Stanislaus County home. The 10th Anniversary of the Assyrian Festival hosted by the Assyrian Church of the East local parishes bring thousands of visitors to the Turlock Fairgrounds to celebrate the rich heritage, cuisine, and traditional dances of the Assyrian culture. The Assyrian language, heritage, and culture form the bedrock of Assyrian communities in the Central Valley, which anchors them in traditions that span millennia while also acting as guiding lights that propel them successfully forward while preserving their unique narrative. In addition, the Assyrian Church of the East's most ancient faith dating back to the first century of Christianity offers this community spiritual nourishment. This heritage instills pride, and the language and culture fosters unity. Together, they empower the Assyrian people worldwide to preserve the rich legacy and advance as a vibrant community, forging connections across generations and continents, ensurIng their enduring presence in the tapestry of humanity.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in proudly recognizing the Assyrian community in the Central Valley of California for its invaluable contributions to our Nation's history, culture, and prosperity as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Assyrian Festival this month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize August 4 through 10, 2024, as National Health Center Week. This annual celebration of events is sponsored by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). National Health Center week creates a valuable opportunity to showcase the work of Community Health Centers and raise awareness in the communities served by Federally Qualified Health Centers. Every year, Golden Valley Health Centers (GVHC) hosts various events centered around its patients and communities. These events commemorate National Health Center Week and highlight the commitment and passion of the Community Health Center staff.

GVHC is one of the largest Community Health Centers in California and has been proudly serving Central Valley communities for more than 50 years. The organization has a long history of providing high quality health care to residents. In August, at events throughout the service region, the center will celebrate the comprehensive workforce and our communities who entrust their health care to GVHC, which is a growing network of clinics serving approximately 150,000 patients through 47 clinic sites each year.

Community Health Centers serve as a beacon of strength, service, and care in communities across the United States. Together, they care for 31.5 million patients, representing 14,000 communities. One in five California residents receives their care at a community health center. GVHC invites the community to join us in honoring the achievements and commitment of Community Health Centers across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in recognizing August 4 through 10, 2024, as National Health Center Week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Michelle Reimers, who recently retired as General Manager of the Turlock Irrigation District (TID).

TID was founded in 1887, making it the oldest irrigation district in California. Today, TID provides water from Don Pedro Reservoir to over 150,000 acres of farmland in Stanislaus and Merced counties through 250 miles of canals. It is one of only four irrigation districts in California that provide retail electricity to homes, farms, and businesses in its service territory.

Michelle was with TID for 18 years, starting with its public information operation, but through hard work and dedication to the District, she assumed various other leadership positions, culminating in becoming the first female General Manager in 2020. During her time leading the agency, she focused on transparency, collaboration, and commitment to its customers, but always prioritized ensuring that TID had water supplies to serve its communities, such as through creating new water rights for the District to capture flood flows on the Tuolumne River. In addition, under Michelle's leadership, TID electricity rates remained among the lowest in California, without wavering on reliability.

Just three months into her role as General Manager, Michelle successfully navigated the most challenging pandemic of our time. Additionally, she led TID through extreme weather conditions, including the third direst three year stretch on record and then one of the wettest winters in history, and through significant wildfires multiple years in a row all the while maintaining the reliability our community expects and deserves. Michelle was also a driving force in the long- term relicensing of the Don Pedro Project, a federally licensed water storage facility with hydroelectric energy generation on the Tuolumne River, with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Pragmatic and results oriented, Michelle would bring disparate groups together from the Environmental Defense Fund to the American Public Power Association to get the job done. While she encouraged collaboration, she never shied away from her main objective--to ensure our communities and farms had a reliable supply of water and power. And when she was not leading TID or representing the District in water- related negotiations, she could be found growing walnuts and almonds on her farm.

Michelle was a tireless advocate of our community and farmers and always led with the customer in mind. She should be proud of all she accomplished while leading TID and, as she begins this new chapter in her life, I am confident she will continue to make positive impacts in our Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing a woman whose professionalism, passion, and determination has benefited many of the water and power users of California's San Joaquin Valley. It is both fitting and appropriate that we honor Michelle Reimers on her retirement from the Turlock Irrigation District. I want to wish Michelle and her family all the best as she embarks on this new phase of life.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann) for yielding time to me.

Mr. Chairman, the last 2 years in California have been very, very wet, and flooding has devastated our valley. I saw firsthand the devastation in Planada, California, when brush and sediment in Miles Creek forced floodwater into neighborhoods that had been flooded from similar events just 5 years prior. My office and I helped displaced families in Planada after their homes were destroyed or damaged by floodwater. The work is still not done.

I am never going to object to Mother Nature blessing our State with rain and snow, but we must better prepare to capture and manage our water coming off of the Sierra Nevada mountains to protect our communities and farms.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment, which I am grateful is included in this package, is very simple. It prioritizes funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, one, to study the scope and scale of sediment buildup in the rivers and streams in the San Joaquin watershed and, two, to report to Congress on how to reduce that buildup to protect families and farms from flooding. My amendment has the bipartisan support of Congressmen Costa, Fong, and Harder.

As I close, I make one additional important point. Water abundance is affordable energy, food, and housing. Farms create good-paying jobs, stabilize soil, improve air quality, and deliver affordable dinners to working American families. Hydroelectric energy is clean energy when we need it. Houses can only be built where water abundance is available.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Fleischmann for supporting my amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc package of amendments.

Madam Chair, under the Clean Water Act, the EPA or States with delegated authority regulate point sources of pollution into the waters of the United States. Point source pollution is pollution from any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, such as pollution from sewage treatment facilities but not agricultural stormwater runoff.

This type of discharge pollution is regulated by Federal law to protect water quality and human health. Certain types of wastewater discharges, which are considered point source pollution, into bodies of water can adversely impact water quality and the environment.

In California, the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is surrounded by communities with wastewater treatment plants. It is critical to ensure that these facilities are not unintentionally or deliberately discharging wastewater into the delta, which can result in harmful algal blooms. This can adversely impact nature and threaten species in the delta, which has a ripple effect that can ultimately result in less water going to the Central Valley for families, farms, and affordable housing. Instead, more water is needed to flush these pollutants out of the delta.

My amendment, which I am grateful is included in the en bloc package of amendments, is very simple, Madam Chair. It prioritizes funds for the Environmental Protection Agency to, one, study whether any wastewater treatment plants are making point source pollution discharges into bodies of water, rivers, or deltas without the necessary Clean Water Act permits and reports to Congress on its findings so that this body can better exercise its oversight responsibilities.

This amendment will help keep vital freshwater on farms and in people's homes where it belongs rather than being used to flush wastewater out of the delta that should not have even been there in the first place.

Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Simpson for supporting my amendment and including it in the en bloc package of amendments.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Bob Gallo of Modesto, California, who passed away earlier this week.

A successful businessman, Bob grew the E. & J. Gallo Winery into the largest family-owned winery in the world. Bob also played a key role in establishing the Gallo Glass Company and other business ventures in the valley.

Bob helped put Modesto on the map. He and his late wife, Marie, supported arts and education through the valley, culminating in the Gallo Center for the Arts. Bob and Marie transformed the cultural landscape of Modesto and our valley.

The loss of Bob will be deeply felt in our community. His generosity and hard work left a legacy of kindness and community spirit that will make a difference in the valley for years to come.

Alexandra and I send our sincere condolences to Bob's 7 children, 22 grandchildren, and the entire Gallo family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of June as National Portuguese Heritage Month, honoring the contributions Portuguese Americans make to our country.

As the descendant of immigrants from the Azores, I admire the rich culture and history of Portuguese communities in the Central Valley, throughout California, and across the country. To me, Portuguese Heritage Month brings back memories of Festas--celebrations spent enjoying Portuguese culture, and food. I for one, have spent many days with friends and family enjoying sopas, sweet bread, and linguica. Bullfights, parades, and, of course, the bodo de leite are cherished traditions in our Valley. These events are made possible by the dedication of cultural organizations who commit themselves to keeping Portuguese heritage alive.

Over 350,000 Portuguese Americans call California home--the largest community in the United States. This community shapes life in our State, and, especially, the Central Valley. The story of the Valley would be impossible without the stories of thousands of Azoreans who crossed an ocean and a continent determined to live the American Dream. Today, that dream is realized. Portuguese-Americans are leaders in dairy and farming, serve proudly in the U.S. military, and give back to our country in countless ways. Three Representatives of Portuguese heritage serve our Valley in Congress, and I am honored to be among them.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in proudly recognizing Portuguese Americans' invaluable contributions to our Nation's history, culture, and prosperity as we celebrate National Portuguese Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the momentous occasion of Evapco's 45th anniversary and the significant completion of the Sierra building expansion in 2024.

Evapco is a global industry-leading manufacturing company with global resources and solutions for worldwide heat transfer applications, it is employee owned, and was founded in the United Slates. Evapco launched its second U.S. manufacturing company in Madera, California, in 1979, and now employs more than 234 individuals.

Evapco's expansion in Madera County has not only created more jobs in the congressional district that I represent but is also a testament to my constituents' dedication and hard work. It also has bolstered Evapco's production capabilities and will help it meet growing demand for advanced cooling solutions in our community, the Central Valley of California, and beyond.

My constituents enjoy working for Evapco as it follows the vision of ``one global team, united to be universally recognized as the superior provider of a full spectrum of heat transfer solutions.'' And its commitment to teamwork has enabled its employees--my constituents--to excel. It is a team their employees and customers alike can count on for a lifetime.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating Evapco's 45th anniversary in California and recognizing its success in expanding in my district to produce innovative water-saving, ``Eco-Air'' dry-cooling products, which will improve the quality of life of my constituents, Californians, and communities around the world.