Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 23 I voted ``yea,'' I wanted to vote ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask that today we extend the crucial and critical unemployment insurance lifeline to the 1.3 million jobless Americans who have already lost coverage. In California alone, 214,000 people have already lost their unemployment coverage, including almost 19,000 people in San Diego County and 3,500 people in Imperial County.

With unemployment unacceptably high, now is not the time to take money out of the pockets of those who are struggling to find work. Unemployed Americans are actively looking for work but, unfortunately, are unable to find jobs in our economy.

We must continue to provide unemployment benefits to jobless Americans so they can purchase crucial life needs like food and shelter. So let us heed the better angels of our nature and immediately restore unemployment benefits to out-of-work Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to extend the critical unemployment insurance lifeline to the 1.3 million Americans who have already lost coverage.

Tragically, another 1.9 million Americans are set to lose benefits over the first 6 months of this year if we do not act. In California alone, over 214,000 people have already lost their unemployment coverage, including 19,000 people in San Diego County and 3,500 people in Imperial County.

Approximately 326,000 more Californians stand to lose their coverage in the first 6 months of 2014. With unemployment unacceptably high, now is not the time to take money out of the pockets of those who are struggling.

For jobless Americans, unemployment benefits are used to purchase basic lifeline needs like food and shelter and immediate necessities. The time is clicking. Let's do the right thing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Rondal K. Moore, of Aurora, Colorado, who passed away from a stroke on November 12th at age of 71. Rondal was born on May 25, 1942 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the son of Clarence Delmer and Golden Viola Moore. In 1961, he graduated from Wheeler County High School in Fossil, Oregon. He went on to serve in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War on board the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea as well as duty in Rhode Island at the Naval War College. In the spring of 1963, he married Nancy E. Heily and on March 29th of this year they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Rondal began working for United Airlines in 1966 and spent decades in the field of de-icing until retiring in 2003 after 37 years. He held multiple patents for inventions in both information and system operations as well as software products used in the process of de- icing. His inventions and patents are still in use today in order to help determine check time for de-icing fluid, which allows for safe airline travel during inclement weather. My thoughts and prayers go out to his surviving family member including his wife of 50 years, Nancy Moore, of Aurora, Colorado; his son, Jason Moore, of Chula Vista, CA; his daughter, Sondra LaValley, of Aurora, CO; and his sister, Carol Ellis, of Kennewick, WA.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Rondal K. Moore of Aurora, Colorado, who passed away from a stroke on November 12 at the age of 71.

Mr. Moore was born on March 25, 1942, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the son of Clarence Delmer and Golden Viola Moore.

In 1961, Mr. Moore graduated from Wheeler County High School in Fossil, Oregon. He went on to serve in the United States Navy during the Vietnam war onboard the aircraft carrier USS Coral Seas, as well as duty in Rhode Island at the Naval War College.

In the spring of 1963, he married Nancy E. Heily, and on March 29 of this year they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Moore began working for United Airlines in 1966 and spent decades in the field of de-icing, until retiring in 2003 after 37 years.

He held multiple patents for inventions in both information and system operations, as well as software products used in the process of de-icing. His inventions and patents are still in use today in order to help determine check time for de-icing fluids, which allows for safe travel during inclement weather.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his surviving family members, including his wife of 50 years, Nancy Moore, of Aurora, Colorado; his son, Jason Moore, of Chula Vista, California, also a Navy veteran; his daughter, Sondra LaValley, of Aurora, Colorado; and his sister, Carol Ellis, of Kennewick, Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of First Lieutenant Jennifer Moreno who died on October 6, 2013 in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Lieutenant Moreno died of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near her dismounted patrol. Lieutenant Moreno was a member of the Cultural Support Team supporting a Joint Special Operations Task Force for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Born and raised in San Diego, Lieutenant Moreno graduated from San Diego High School and went on to receive a bachelor degree in Nursing from the University of San Francisco. She was commissioned to the U.S. Army as a Nurse Corps Officer where she served as a Clinical Staff Nurse on a medical surgical unit. The Commander of the Ranger battalion, Lt. Col Patrick Ellis, said: ``She was a talented member of our team who lost her life while serving her country in one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Her bravery and self- sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the 75th Ranger Regiment.'' Her awards and decorations are numerous, including being awarded the Bronze Star posthumously. Mr. Speaker, I know we all extend our deepest condolences to her family and friends who have suffered this tragic loss. Her loved ones will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of 1st Lieutenant Jennifer Moreno, who died on October 6, 2013, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Lieutenant Moreno died of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near her dismounted patrol. Lieutenant Moreno was a member of the Cultural Support Team supporting a Joint Special Operations Task Force for the U.S. Army's Special Operations Command.

Born and raised in San Diego, Lieutenant Moreno graduated from San

Diego High School and went on to receive a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of San Francisco. She was commissioned in the United States Army as a nurse corps officer, where she served as a clinical staff nurse on a medical surgical unit.

The commander of the Ranger battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Ellis, said, ``She was a talented member of our team who lost her life while serving her country in one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Her bravery and self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the 75th Ranger Regiment.'' Her awards and decorations are numerous, including being awarded the Bronze Star posthumously.

Madam Speaker, I know we all extend our deepest condolences to her family and friends who have suffered this tragic loss. Her loved ones will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

Mr. Speaker, in the short time that I have been here, I have had the honor of meeting many of my colleagues on the Republican side, and I have found them to be very honorable people. In fact, I have had the solemn opportunity to pray with them. They love their families, they love their country, they love their community, just like we do. And I would hope that we could both stand back on this issue, reopen the government, and find a way to get to a compromise. I think that reasonable people can get there.

So I pray that we are granted wisdom on both sides to step back, to take a look at what we're doing, and to see how many people are being hurt in our communities and around the country. This is not the way I think that we should be acting. I think we are better than that.

Again, I pray for wisdom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Physicians Medical Group (SCPMG) on their 60th Anniversary. As a leading provider of health care services for more than 500,000 San Diegans this is truly an historic occasion for their organization. Since its modest beginnings in 1953, SCPMG has grown to become the nation's second largest private multi-specialty group practice. In 1967, Kaiser Permanente introduced the ``integrated'' model of healthcare to San Diego with the opening of its first hospital and medical center.

With over 1,100 SCPMG physicians in the San Diego service area, they provide care at two medical centers and 24 outpatient offices and annually see more than 2.9 million patients. They have established San Diego Medical Center as a premier destination for the treatment of strokes as well as having been certified a ``baby-friendly'' hospital. SCPMG sites also serve as academic institutions where SCPMG physicians help mentor Kaiser Foundation graduate medical residents and fellows.

SCPMG is helping to shape the future of health care in our nation through the use of advanced technology and the creation of innovative solutions that will have a lasting impact. I would like to commend SCPMG on their 60th Anniversary and thank them for their contributions to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition of this bill. Senator Dole is right: this is no time to play politics with hunger.

I want to thank those in the faith community that have come out against these cuts to the nutrition program because of the moral imperative in the Bible from Matthew 25:

When I was hungry, you gave me to eat.

I want to thank in particular Reverend David Beckman, who writes:

The proposed cuts are a clear indication that some in

Congress underestimate the hunger that is present in American

homes. The bill picks on the poorest people in the country.

This is morally and economically unacceptable, especially as

some areas continue to experience high unemployment.

I also want to thank Reverend Stephen Blaire, who said:

Adequate and nutritious food is a fundamental human right

and the basic need that is integral to protecting the life

and dignity of the human person.

Please, defeat this bill. It's the wrong thing to do. In a country as rich as our own, we can feed the poor. It's the most basic imperative in the Bible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on Syria.

The real issue is that the Assad regime gassed more than 426 children and their parents. Those who perished died a horrific, merciless, and completely unnecessary death. We must come together and act with the President to create a credible threat of force and, thereby, deter the future use of chemical weapons.

Now, I am somewhat optimistic that, as recently reported, Syria is willing to place its chemical weapons under international control. This solution could possibly bring a peaceful resolution. But we must remember that Iran is also watching. The Ayatollah is looking to see if the U.S. is willing to stand up against those who gas their own people. Will they really stand up then against the plan to build nuclear weapons?

We need to stand with the President and send a message to the world that we mean what we say: that we won't allow Assad to keep gassing his own people and that we won't allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael Loyd for the outstanding commitment and dedication he has demonstrated to the community and our nation throughout his 29 years of service in law enforcement. Michael Loyd began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the El Cajon Police Department. Soon after, Michael Loyd joined the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control as an investigator, where he was one of the original investigators assigned to the Specialized Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team. In 1994, Michael Loyd joined the Attorney General's office as a Special Agent with the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, first in the Orange County office, and later in the San Diego office. In 2001, Michael Loyd began serving on the Imperial County Narcotics Task Force, where he is currently the Senior Commander. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Michael Loyd for his selfless commitment to protecting and serving our nation and commend him for his long and distinguished service in law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the memory of Beatriz Arredondo, an inspiring woman who embodied the spirit of love and compassion.

Beatriz, or ``Nena'' as she was called by her loved ones, passed away on June 28, 2013.

Beatriz was born on January 16, 1943, in Tamaulipas, Mexico. At a very young age, she knew that she wanted to be a loving wife and mother, and she dreamed of one day seeing her grandchildren. She accomplished these goals magnificently.

Fifty-four years ago, she met Ernesto Arredondo, Sr. and they were married for 46 years. They have four beautiful children--Ernesto, Jr., Edoardo, Everardo, and Elizabeth.

Beatriz is survived by her husband, her children, and her 10 grandchildren.

As is said in St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy:

She fought the good fight. She finished the race. She kept

the faith.

She is now in God's arms.

Our prayers are with the Arredondo family.

I want to thank the gentleman from California for yielding to allow me to speak on this very important issue to California.

But I especially want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for putting it in the context of our faith and our faith communities and our faith tradition. He, of course, quoted famously from Matthew 25. He could have quoted from Leviticus. In fact, I would like to do that now, from Leviticus 19:33-34:

When an alien resides among you in your land, do not

mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be

treated as your native born. Love them as yourself for you

were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

And I have to ask, are we keeping that commandment?

Are we keeping that rule?

Are we keeping that pronouncement?

Of course we're not. I wish that we were.

Immigration reform is vital to the economy of our country and, in particular, to California and my district. California is unique in that it is home to the technology industry, which relies heavily and highly on skilled talent and has an incredibly successful agriculture industry, which needs a temporary worker program that provides a predictable workforce.

The more California business leaders I speak with, the more apparent it is that immigration reform is the key to stimulating our economy and encouraging job growth.

Ruben Barrales, the immediate past president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and current head of the Republican Political Action Committee, GROW Elect said:

It is the responsibility of national leaders to modernize

our immigration laws to help the United States remain

competitive in the global economy.

Comprehensive immigration reform should help to attract and

retain highly skilled immigrants, and should provide some

pathway to legalization for qualified undocumented

immigrants.

We must welcome immigrants, who continue to strengthen our

economy and reinvigorate our society.

The California Chamber of Commerce is also acutely aware of the immense value that surrounds successful immigration reform. The California Chamber of Commerce, along with 29 other chambers, including the El Centro Chamber in my district, signed a letter stating that they stand united in adopting comprehensive reform.

The letter states:

Immigration reform is especially important to California as

there are approximately 2.6 million undocumented immigrants

in California, 23 percent of the Nation's total.

The uncertainty over their legal status is a drag on our

economy and, if resolved, would stimulate consumer spending

and investment.

Many of those who are in California have called our State home for more than 10 years, becoming Americans in all but legal status. Californians would benefit from more than 18,000 jobs created each year as a result of comprehensive immigration reform, according to a 2013 study by the Center for American Progress.

Moreover, California would see a 10-year cumulative increase in gross state product of $125.5 billion, an increase of earnings of all California residents of $68.2 billion, and, finally, an increase in taxes paid by undocumented immigrants by $5.22 billion.

There is no denying that immigration reform is an economically sound decision, and I urge my Republican colleagues to work with us to achieve real, valuable, economically beneficial immigration reform.

And I respectfully ask that, again, they look at their own faith because that's really the basis of this. We know it's the right thing to do.

Look to Genesis. Look to Leviticus. Look especially to Matthew 25, and you'll see in your hearts, this is the right thing to do.

I rise today to speak on the pressing and important issue of immigration reform.

Yesterday, the Senate took a necessary step forward in the effort to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Now it is imperative that the House put politics aside and that we work together to reach a compromise that will benefit our country, strengthen our economy, and allow 11 million people to step out of the shadows.

The House must enact immigration reform that is fair and reflects the highest values of our Nation. We are a country of immigrants, and how we treat those who aspire to be citizens reflects our democracy's commitment to uphold the moral principles upon which our Nation was built.

I urge the Republican leadership to bring the Senate bill to the House so we can finish the crucial work the Senate began and finally fix our immigration system.

I also want to thank all of the faith groups that keep praying for all of us to pass a comprehensive bill. It is obviously working.