Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill.

As co-chairman of the Congressional Sustainable Investment Caucus, I am glad to join Ranking Member Waters and other colleagues here to talk about protecting the freedom to invest.

Americans want their pensions and retirement savings to be invested responsibly.

Additionally, recent studies have shown that 80 percent of investors want to invest in companies that consider climate risks, diversity hiring, and employee welfare.

That is because investors understand that these factors have huge implications for the value of their investments and depend on disclosures to make informed choices.

Corporations are spending up to $500,000 a year to evaluate their sustainable business practices because investors are asking for this information. Many of these investors manage pensions and retirement savings for teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other hardworking Americans.

However, House leadership is bringing legislation to the floor that limits access to the very information that investors want.

I submitted an amendment that would have protected the right of investors to access these disclosures. Unfortunately, this amendment and others intended to increase transparency were rejected.

Mr. Speaker, the bill we are voting on today would make it more difficult for investors to maximize the returns on your retirement savings.

Why?

It is because House leadership is trying to make it more difficult to consider risk factors that they simply don't like.

According to a 2023 Statehouse Report, retirees' pension funds stand to lose billions of dollars due to Republican bills attacking sustainable and profitable investment practices.

Mr. Speaker, if you really believe in the free market and capitalism, then you need to give investors the freedom to make their own decisions.

We need to grow pension and retirement savings, not force them into shortsighted, riskier investments.

I know that giving responsible investors more information is a good thing. It is not a bad thing.

Evidence shows that bills targeting sustainable business practices directly harm taxpayers, investors, and hardworking Americans' retirement funds.

We should be giving investors the information they need to continue growing pensions and retirement funds. This bill would do the opposite.

Mr. Speaker, what was interesting in the introduction and the comments so far is they haven't talked about the markets. They were saying that we were going to be in a recession. In fact, just the opposite has happened.

In fact, Chairman Gensler and this administration have done such a good job that we saw the Dow Jones shoot past 40,000 points and now over 42,000 points.

Why?

It is because they are doing a good job. It is because they are giving the information to the investors that the investors want, and they are making good decisions.

However, they, again, want to burn the books when it comes to information.

Is this America?

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition, and I thank the leader, again, for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Armando Vazquez-Ramos, an outstanding professor, who has served our Southern Californian communities as an educator and activist for more than 55 years since 1968.

Professor Vazquez-Ramos' family has been active with unions since the 1970's, holding leadership roles in different organizations across Southern California and active roles

with the California Faculty Association, California Teachers Association and National Education Association for over 35 years.

Professor Vazquez-Ramos earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mexican-American Studies and a Master's in Psychology at California State University, Long Beach and a Master's in Public Administration at Pepperdine University. As a student leader in 1969, Professor Vazquez-Ramos was a co-founder of the Chicano and Latino Studies department at California State University, Long Beach.

He has taught various topics and issues related to Chicano/Latino studies at California State University, Long Beach Chicano and Latino Studies Department. During his time at the Office of International Programs, he promoted California-Mexico exchange and North American Studies programs. Since 1998, he has led travel-study groups to Mexico, Cuba and Venezuela for students, faculty, and union leaders.

In 1999, he also established the California-Mexico Project at California State University, Long Beach. The California-Mexico Project raised scholarship funds for students to study abroad in Mexico and promote educational exchange. In 2008, Assembly Concurrent Resolution 146 recognized the California-Mexico Project and directed the California Research Bureau to conduct the ``The California Research Bureau Report on California-Mexico Study Abroad Programs'' study.

In 2010, Professor Vazquez-Ramos' established the non-profit California-Mexico Studies Center to research, develop, promote, and establish policies and programs between higher educational institutions and cultural organizations that will enhance the teaching, mobility and exchange of faculty, students, and professionals between California and the U.S. with Mexico.

The establishment and creation of the California-Mexico Studies Center has allowed more than 400 students a safe opportunity to study abroad with an additional 200 students who participated through the California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program. The California-Mexico Dreamers Study Abroad Program was precedent-setting study abroad model which Professor Vazquez-Ramos established in 2014.

Professor Vazquez-Ramos has impacted the lives of thousands of students during his 55-year career and has created the opportunity for students to return to their birthplace, meet their families, and discover their homeland while advancing their academic careers. His legacy career has established precedent and model programs for universities and colleges to follow for future generations.

Professor Vazquez-Ramos was awarded the Barrio Station Lifetime Achievement Award on March 14th during the Barrio Station 54th Anniversary Dinner. He is celebrated for his dedication and lifelong commitment to his students and our community as a devoted professor, innovator, and mentor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Makeda ``Dread'' Cheatom, an exemplary community leader, who has served the 52nd District for more than 50 years, specializing in the visual and performing arts throughout the City of San Diego.

Makeda grew up in San Diego, CA and has dedicated her life to music, art, culture, and the well-being of community members. In 1971, she opened the Prophet Vegetarian Restaurant, the first vegetarian restaurant and international cultural center in San Diego. The opening of the Prophet served as a catalyst to her career, collaborating with various international health advocates and artists, such as world- renowned musician Bob Marley.

Makeda began her music promoter career hosting her own radio show Reggae Makossa, which has been on-air for more than 30 years. She has also coordinated and hosted Bob Marley Day at the San Diego Sports Arena for more than 25 years. In 1989, she established WorldBeat Cultural Center, a non-profit multi-cultural center in Balboa Park Makeda currently serves as the Executive Director.

The WorldBeat Center is dedicated to promoting, presenting, and preserving the African Diaspora and Indigenous cultures of the world through music, art, dance, multimedia arts, education, and STEAM research programs and events. The organization is leading as one of the most-important multicultural art and event centers in San Diego--a place to celebrate all cultures, all art, all music, all dance, and all people.

She also established the WorldBeat Center's Children's EthnoBotany Peace Garden which is used to bring families outdoors and teach children of the origins of their food and science. The WorldBeat Center's Children EthnoBotany Peace Garden, honoring the great George Washington Carver, furthers the organization's mission to preserve and promote African and Indigenous art forms.

Her work in the community has impacted the lives of thousands and has cemented her place in San Diego. She has been honored and recognized by the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame, the African American Heritage Foundation, San Diego 10 News, KPBS, San Diego Unified School District, California State 78th Assembly District, UC San Diego Life Course Scholars, and California Senator President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins. In 2020, she had a mural dedicated to her career in music and community advocacy.

She has participated in a four-year research project through the National Science Foundation and worked as a co-principal investigator with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She currently serves on the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership Executive Committee, the Balboa Park Committee, and the San Diego Natural History Museum's Canyon Initiative Advisory.

Makeda exemplifies how music, art, dance and culture can unite people across varying cultures. Makeda's vision has brought past, present, and future generations of community members the opportunity to express themselves through varying art forms and gain a diversified outlook on life.

Makeda was awarded the Cesar E. Chavez Humanitarian Award on March 14th during the Barrio Station 54th Anniversary Dinner. She is celebrated for her dedication and lifelong commitment to community members as an inspirational director, mentor, and advocate.

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for bringing us together tonight to defend the SNAP program.

In America, no child should go to bed hungry. No family should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. SNAP is the most important and effective tool we have to stave off hunger in our country. It is our first line of defense, and yet House Republicans have proposed the largest cut to the program in decades. This is cruel, plain and simple.

These proposed cuts stand to harm more than 40,000 families in my district in California and over 40 million families nationwide who benefit from this program. Almost 80 percent of the people who benefit from SNAP are children, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.

SNAP also boosts our local economies. Every dollar spent on SNAP benefits generates roughly $1.50 in economic activity. For too many people in our country, making ends meet is a daily battle. Programs like SNAP are vital tools for ending hunger and helping those who are most in need. They provide Americans with the help they need to find the footing in tough times and to make life better for themselves and their children. We should be expanding these programs, not cutting them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Joyce Bennett Justus, who was called home on April 12.

A beloved and gifted academic, as well as a dedicated educator and administrator, Joyce touched the lives of many people in San Diego and beyond.

Joyce was born in Jamaica and immigrated to the United States. She believed in excellence and pushed herself to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology from UCLA in 1971.

She devoted her life to teaching, especially higher education, from her time as an assistant professor of anthropology, to coordinator of urban and royal studies, to vice chancellor at UCSD.

She also served as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs with the University of California Office of the President, Peace Corps Advisor, and Assistant Director of Social and Behavioral Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Clinton White House.

Joyce loved her church, St. Peter's, especially the choir and the organ music. She also loved her Bible study and her friends there.

Joyce was loved by all her family and friends, and they look forward to reuniting with her in Heaven.

May she rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Leonard ``Len'' Charles Perry, who passed away on April 14, 2024 in San Diego.

Len always worked to leave our world better than he found it and he left an indelible mark.

Len was born on June 11, 1924, in Oberlin, Ohio, to his father, Attorney Clyde C. Perry, and mother, Ruth Mae Perry. Len's family moved to Cleveland when he was five. He attended Glenville High School where he was an outstanding student athlete, becoming the City of Cleveland's champion high hurdler in 1943.

Len served our nation with dedication and honor as a radio operator with the Combat Engineers during World War II.

After World War II, Len attended law school and passed the Ohio Bar in 1951. He continued his service and began his legal career as a Contract Specialist with the Department of the U.S. Army in the Ordnance Corps, where he quickly became the chief of the Research and Development Branch.

Len also played an integral role in one of our Nation's great achievements and leaps in scientific discovery. Len was the NASA Lewis Research Center's Contracting Officer during the 1960s, managing over forty administrators. Under his direction, they worked to develop Centaur, the upper-stage booster for the Surveyor, which was the first spacecraft to make a true soft landing on the moon. Len's work was critical to this mission and one of the most important successes of NASA's early lunar and interplanetary program.

In 1970, after NASA's successful completion of Moon exploration and twenty years of government service, Len was hired by SD General Dynamics. His family relocated to San Diego and Len became the Manager of Material Contracts.

Len later bought Aerospace Design and Fabrication, an engineering company that primarily performed design and services for NASA and served as the Chief Executive Officer.

Len also gave back to his community and was a member of many organizations in both California and Ohio. He was a member of the San Diego Community College Board of Trustees, the Honorary Deputy Sheriff's Association, the Scholarship Award Board for the San Diego Air and Space Museum, and the Grand Slammers Bridge Group.

Len lived a full life and accomplished so much. But at the heart of everything was his family and his faith. A beloved husband, father, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Len was above all else devoted to his loved ones and his late wife, Elinor.

My prayers are with all who knew Len during this time of loss.

His legacy will always be remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chula Vista Assistant Police Chief Phil Collum, a 29-year veteran of the department who we sadly lost to cancer. His service and his legacy will always be remembered.

Those who knew Assistant Police Chief Collum best emphasize his empathy, his compassion, his reputation for being fair, his work ethic, and more than anything, his dedication to his community.

Community was at the heart of everything Assistant Police Chief Collum did. He gave the directive in 2022 to create the Community Engagement Division to help foster community relationships--and he personally led this division.

He was committed to building bridges between officers and the community they serve. Through the Community Engagement Division, he worked to make sure that the Chula Vista Police Department was actively connecting with community members including residents, students, and business owners.

Assistant Police Chief Collum was also deeply involved in charity work. He volunteered at his church. He went to Tijuana every month to support orphanages and help children in need as part of the Corazon de Vida Foundation--his empathy and compassion for others on full display.

And, Assistant Police Chief Collum was a true trailblazer. He was the Chula Vista Police Department's first Black lieutenant, first Black captain, and first Black assistant chief.

He was also the first openly gay male officer in the department. In his own words, during an interview in 2022, Assistant Police Chief Collum said that he was proud to be a member of the LGBTQ community. He was proud to be a law enforcement officer. He was proud of his husband. He was proud of his community. And that he wanted to celebrate that.

I can't think of a better way to sum up his incredible contributions to our community. He broke down barriers and was a role model for so many.

Assistant Police Chief Collum is survived by his loving husband, William Lopez, and my heart is with his family, his friends, his colleagues, and our entire community as we mourn this immense loss.

We will always remember Assistant Police Chief Collum.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chula Vista Assistant Police Chief Phil Collum, a 29-year veteran of the department who we sadly lost to cancer. His service and his legacy will always be remembered.

Those who knew Assistant Police Chief Collum best emphasize his empathy, his compassion, and his reputation for being fair, his work ethic, and more than anything, his dedication to his community.

Community was at the heart of everything Assistant Police Chief Collum did. He gave the directive in 2022 to create the Community Engagement Division to help foster community relationships, and he personally led this division.

He was committed to building bridges between officers and the community they serve. Through the Community Engagement Division, he worked to make sure that the Chula Vista Police Department was actively connecting with community members, including residents, students, and businessowners.

Under his leadership, the division also worked to make sure community members were aware of how officers could help them.

Assistant Police Chief Collum was also deeply involved in charity work. He volunteered at his church. He went to Tijuana every month to support orphanages and help children in need as part of the Corazon de Vida Foundation. His empathy and his compassion for others were on full display.

Assistant Police Chief Collum was a true trailblazer. He was the Chula Vista Police Department's first Black lieutenant, first Black captain, and first Black assistant chief. He was also the first openly gay male officer in the department.

Mr. Speaker, we will remember him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Dorinda ``Dori'' Nicholson, an outstanding citizen and reproductive rights advocate who serves our community, both as a health care worker and a volunteer of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.

Dori is being honored for her efforts to provide high-quality reproductive health care necessities to constituents and educate our community about women's health issues. She is a long-time resident of City Heights and works as an X-ray technologist in the South Bay, providing care for those in need. Dori was moved to join the fight for reproductive rights after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, an impactful decision that changed the lives of many.

From a young age, she received educational and health resources from Planned Parenthood and is proud to work alongside the organization she has since admired on projects and initiatives that benefit residents throughout our community. As a volunteer of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, Dori provides care kits for patients, an important basic need that may be non-existent or disregarded in regular health care facilities. She has also helped Planned Parenthood with several important events, including the San Diego Pride Parade and the Planned Parenthood 60th Anniversary Annual Dinner.

I am proud to honor Dori Nicholson as the 52nd Congressional District Constituent of the Month for March 2024. Her dedication, commitment, and advocacy have made our community a better place, and I can't think of a

better person to have recognized during Women's History Month.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H. Res. 1068.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Gabe Gutierrez, an outstanding citizen who serves the blood donor community, both as a donor and a Board member of the San Diego Blood Bank.

More specifically, Mr. Gutierrez has donated more than 19 gallons of blood, and he continues to donate. He dedicates his time leading the San Diego Blood Bank's Community Advisory Committee, which aims to recruit and engage diverse donors throughout the region.

Mr. Gutierrez upholds a diverse professional background, including his service as a policy advisor and community liaison for former members of the San Diego Board of Supervisors, and his work for a local Fortune 500 company. Currently, Mr. Gutierrez is working within the Office of Strategy and Innovation at the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.

Mr. Gutierrez possesses an array of knowledge and experience, spanning over fifteen years on various boards and commissions, including as former Chairman of the Chula Vista Planning Commission, and as former Chairman of transportation, land use and housing think tank, Circulate San Diego.

Mr. Gutierrez graduated from San Diego State University with a Master of Public Administration, and graduated from the National Urban Fellows, America's Leaders of Change program, through the University of Kansas. Through leveraging his experience as well as his relationships, Mr. Gutierrez has fostered positive change in the San Diego region.

Gabe lives in Chula Vista with his wife, Janice, and their two daughters, Mila and Ayla. He enjoys the natural beauty of San Diego, spending his spare time visiting the parks within the region.

Gabe Gutierrez was honored as the 52nd District Constituent of the Month in January 2024, when National Blood Donor Month is celebrated. He is commended for his dedication and tremendous commitment to our local community and the larger San Diego region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief Petty Officer Ivan Rosario, an outstanding veteran, who served our Nation in the United States Navy for more than 17 years.

Chief Rosario was born in Arkansas and spent much of his childhood abroad in Puerto Rico. He grew up with his five siblings, and as many military families do, moved to a new home depending on military orders. His father was a long-time servant in the United States Army and deployed to Vietnam numerous times.

Chief Rosario followed both his father's and brother's footsteps and initially joined the United States Army at the young age of 17 years old. He was stationed in Germany for three years, and when he returned, he realized the difficulty of pursuing a career without a high school diploma. He searched for options, and after going to the United States Navy Recruiting Center, he found his true calling to continue serving his country.

Chief Rosario dedicated 17 years of service with the United States Navy. He served as a Radar Systems Operator and completed several WestPac Tours overseas.

Chief Rosario was on active duty, while he and his spouse raised two children. As a dedicated family man, he continues to support his family and our country by working with his wife's former students, who have expressed an interest in joining the U.S. military.

He earned his High School GED in his first year as a sailor. Early on, he had a keen interest in cutting-edge technologies used on U.S. Navy ships. He achieved a college degree using the GI Bill, and he went on to receive both his bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in computer technology. Chief Rosario's academic achievements led to mentorship opportunities for others, and he earned rank as a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy.

Chief Rosario has served the local community, volunteering at Sunset Elementary School in San Ysidro, California, and other schools. He has worked with students during special school assemblies and has helped them with their technological needs. During these assemblies, Chief Rosario has also talked about his service in the United States Armed Forces and the different training programs available to them.

Chief Rosario was honored as the 52nd District Constituent of the Month in November 2023, when Veterans Day is celebrated. He is commended for his dedication and lifelong

commitment to our Nation, and also for giving back to the local community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Maria Rosales, an outstanding community member and small business owner. Her journey to the United States was challenging, as she faced a treacherous route while sustaining her basic needs and facing the fear of the unknown.

Ms. Rosales came to the United States on this journey from Mexico when she was only 16 years old, alongside her sister and her sister's husband. Maria met her husband here in the United States in 1987, and in 2011 they were both granted citizenship. This allowed them to get one step closer toward achieving their American Dream.

Ms. Rosales' first job as a nanny paved the way to her newfound passion for taking care of children--and she grew this passion enough to also help others. In 2019, while many parents within her community were having a tough time finding the proper care and attention that their children needed, Maria stepped up to provide a safe and loving place to leave their children while they work. Her commitment led her to an opportunity to complete a childcare class with the San Diego & Imperial Women's Business Center, which is an 8-week accelerator program to become an in-home family childcare facility. She was determined to be the best at what she does, and she took classes in marketing, finance, and other courses to start her own business. This training provided her with the tools to develop a safe space for children where they can develop their academic and socio-emotional abilities.

Ms. Rosales opened Vienna's Daycare, a home daycare, where children are encouraged to reach their developmental milestones that help them succeed in the future. Ms. Rosales continues to be a beacon of light for those who aspire to take their passion and apply it toward valuable community service.

Ms, Rosales was honored as the 52nd District Constituent of the Month, during National Women's Small Business Month in October, for her admirable commitment to supporting families and parents, and for her unwavering strength, which will inspire others for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor Linda Kay Mitrovich, a beloved friend, leader and mentor.

Linda was born on May 18, 1947, in Whittier. California. She was a dedicated public servant. She served on the Poway City Council and was Deputy Mayor from 1986 through 1990.

She committed her life to the betterment of others and took on many important causes, including environmental protection and Native American sovereignty.

She played a significant role in creating the first Wildlife Corridor in California. the Coal Canyon Wildlife Reserve, which supported the ecological well-being of over twenty-two million people in Southern California. Linda also created the first national conference on Native American Sovereignty in 2000.

The California State Legislature also recognized her accomplishments by naming her Woman of the Year in 1988 and 1991.

Linda's legacy is remembered through her husband and five children, and her memory is cherished by those fortunate enough to have met her.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Linda Kay Mitrovich, a beloved friend, leader, and mentor.

Linda was born on May 18, 1947, in Whittier, California.

She was a dedicated public servant. She served on the Poway City Council and was deputy mayor from 1986 to 1988.

She committed her life to the betterment of others. She took on many important causes, including environmental protection and Native American sovereignty.

She played a significant role in creating the first wildlife corridor in California, the Coal Canyon Wildlife Reserve, which supported the ecological well-being of over 22 million people in southern California.

Linda also created the first national conference on Native American sovereignty in 2000.

The California State legislature recognized her accomplishments by naming her Woman of the Year in 1988 and in 1991.

Linda's legacy is remembered through her husband and five children. Her memory is cherished by those fortunate enough to have met her.