Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today, I am so thrilled to join my colleagues around the country to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pell grant.

The Pell grant is essential to fulfilling our Nation's promise of higher education by ensuring low-income students have the same access and opportunities as their wealthy peers.

As a former college educator for over 20 years, I know firsthand how life-changing a college degree can be for a student. That kind of opportunity should not be reserved for only the richest amongst us.

During the 2021 academic year, nearly 850,000 students in my State of California received a Pell grant to help them access and complete a college degree. Nationwide, about 40 percent of all undergraduate students benefit from the Pell grant.

With most of these students coming from working families, it is clear: Pell grants help make college more affordable, enabling students to focus on their education and complete their degrees faster.

The Pell grant has spent the last 50 years helping students across the country access higher education, and it is now easier than ever for eligible students to apply.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with Members of my delegation, the Honorable Mark Takano and the Honorable Alan Lowenthal, to honor the life of Dr. Eve Kurtin-Steinberg, who passed away on May 5, 2022, at the age of 68. From her career in the healthcare sector to her outstanding dedication to the Jewish community, Eve tirelessly put the needs of others before her own. We were also lucky enough to call Eve a friend.

A graduate from the University of the Pacific's Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and the University of California, Los Angeles' Anderson School of Management, Eve used her medical and business expertise to kickstart a decades-long, prolific career as a healthcare executive and investor. With a passion for medical technology advancement and reducing the cost of patient care, Eve served in myriad leadership roles including as the managing director of Pacific Venture Group, founder and CEO of Physician Venture Management and CEO, and President of Kurtin Communications. She also served as vice president of American Medical International, was a founding member of the RAND Health Board of Advisors, and sat on numerous other healthcare boards, including that of her alma mater, the Pacific Board of Regents.

This commitment to helping others also seeped into Eve's longtime advocacy for the Jewish community, of which she was considered a pillar. For decades, Eve devoted herself to the Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles, California, and served in many leadership roles including chair of the Wise Parents Association, chair of the Temple's Financial Oversight Committee, and even as president of the Temple's congregation from 2003 to 2005. Even when she was not in a leadership position within the Temple, Eve was known for being an active, vivacious participant in any service or event she attended.

Eve's dedication to the Jewish community and Israel expanded beyond her work with the Wise Temple. Eve was also engaged for decades with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where she served as Political Chair for Southern California and helped to foster an active AIPAC community within the Wise Temple. Furthermore, as director of the Union for Reform Judaism, Eve was invited to attend a meeting with former president Obama's then-chief of staff, Jack Lew, to discuss international relations with Israel, the Affordable Care Act and more because of her extensive knowledge on the matters. And a lifelong donor to the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Eve served as cochair of their literary program KOREH LA and was a longtime member of their Community Engagement Committee. She even dedicated her time to being a volunteer for School on Wheels, a school tutoring program.

Eve is survived by her spouse, Dr. Michael Steinberg, her children Beth and Drew, and her grandchildren Lev, Liam, and Micah. It is clear that a driving force in Eve's life was serving those around her, in whatever sector or group she touched. Eve will be remembered for this very service and dedication through the Hebrew saying Eshet Chayil, or Woman of Valor. We ask our colleagues to join us in commemorating the life of this extraordinary individual.

Madam Speaker, we cannot let America be like this.

Children shouldn't be texting their family good-bye as they lay barricaded behind desks. Parents shouldn't dread having to drop a child off at school, wondering if this is a death sentence. And a grandmother shouldn't have to fear being murdered as she goes into a grocery store to get dinner.

The U.S. is the only country in the world with more civilian-owned firearms than people, and it is costing us our loved ones' lives.

Thoughts and prayers are not enough. They never were. We have to take action. This is what we were sent to Congress to do, to act.

The bill before us today, H.R. 7910, the Protecting Our Kids Act, will save lives. We can no longer act like we are powerless to stop mass murders in our communities when it is clear there is so much we can do.

Pass this bill. Enough is enough.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during a dark time in our Nation's history when the right to an abortion--the fundamental right to decide what happens to your own body--is under threat. Today, I rise to tell the stories from patients and providers in my district.

The stories I am about to tell provide a glimpse as to what life will be like if Roe v. Wade is indeed struck down in the final decision of the Supreme Court.

These stories come from my local Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley who offer high quality healthcare--from STD testing to contraception and abortion care. Since the Supreme Court decided to allow State-based abortion bans to remain in place, it has become such an incredible resource, not only for my constituents but for those living in other States where abortion is not as accessible.

Just last month, a mother of four and her husband drove all the way from Houston, Texas, to the Planned Parenthood Health Center in Pasadena, California, in my district because of Texas' draconian vigilante law, S.B. 8, because she was unable to get care at home because she was 7 weeks pregnant. This was just 1 week past the State limitation.

She did not have options in Texas. She and her husband knew that another child was not the right choice for them. They put all four of their children in the car and drove for 20 hours to Pasadena. They came to Pasadena because after searching everywhere in surrounding States, the appointment in Pasadena was the soonest one she could get. She was not wavering in her decision. She was sure she wanted an abortion.

She and her family spent a day and a half driving to California, a day in California when the procedure was done, and then had to spend another day and a half driving home. The time, the expense, and the time off work to have a 3-minute procedure done is an undue and egregious burden that people are already facing when trying to access safe and routine abortion care.

This mother was in and out of her appointment within 2 hours from start to finish but had to spend over 40 hours of time and money to access healthcare that should be readily available to anyone who needs it.

Another patient from Texas came to Planned Parenthood in Pasadena in March of this year. She had originally been scheduled to go to Oklahoma for a medication abortion but felt that she needed more time to decide if terminating her pregnancy was the right choice for her.

After taking a few days to think about her decision, she lost that appointment in Oklahoma. She flew to California to receive a medication abortion at 9 weeks pregnant. She and her support person had to incur the cost of the flight to Los Angeles and an overnight hotel stay, as well as time off of work to access abortion medication.

These are just two stories out of the hundreds of patients that Planned Parenthood Pasadena sees every day, but it illustrates what we are talking about with regard to the right to an abortion. We mean real people and real women with lives and jobs and families whose right to decide what to do with their own bodies and their own futures have been taken away by politicians looking to score political points. It is wrong. It is cruel. It is unjust.

I will not stop fighting to enshrine abortion rights into Federal law and for passage of my bill, the Women's Health Protection Act, which this body passed in September of 2021 by a vote of 218-211, making it the most supported abortion rights bill in the history of Congress.

I will continue to fight for these patients, to fight for these women, and to fight for the hundreds of patients like them every single day who deserve quality healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation to fulfill our commitment to the small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, like the many in my Los Angeles-area district.

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program have been crucial interventions to protect the industries most reliant on in-person, indoor crowds. These were some of the first businesses to close and among the last to return to full capacity.

That is why we must pass this legislation to fund $42 billion in pending restaurant applications, give live venues and theaters more time and flexibility to use their funds, and create a new program for the hardest hit small businesses that still need help to keep their doors open.

This bill would be paid for by going after funds stolen by fraudsters, showing the American public that the U.S. will not tolerate those who use the pandemic to take advantage of small businesses in their most dire time of need.

Madam Speaker, Dolores H. Hickambottom is a true legend in Altadena, Pasadena and the Greater San Gabriel Valley. Widely admired and greatly respected in the community, she was at the forefront of many monumental issues for over five decades.

Dolores led the effort to desegregate the schools who were part of the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD). After PUSD had failed to integrate its schools, they were sued by community members resulting in the 1970 landmark case of Spangler vs. the Pasadena City Board of Education. Dolores did everything she could to help the plaintiffs and organized hundreds of residents in the Pasadena area to support them, while at the same time educating people about the racial segregation affecting the school district. Due to the monumental efforts of Dolores and members of the community, the case went up to the U.S. District Court, which ultimately determined that racial segregation existed at all levels of PUSD. As a result, Pasadena was integrated and became the first school district west of the Mississippi to have crosstown bussing.

Dolores also went to great lengths to raise the visibility of African Americans in government. During her early years in Pasadena, Dolores noticed that few African Americans in the community attended city council meetings. They saw the lack of representation in their local government and rightly believed their voices would not be heard. Dolores made it her mission to correct this problem and deliver the representation the African American community deserved. Through hard work and determination, Dolores helped to elect Pasadena's first African-American and second female mayor, Loretta Thompson-Glickman, in 1977, and later served as her field representative. Dolores went on to serve in other important political roles, including as a staff member for California State Senators Walter Stiern, Richard Polanco, and Jack Scott.

Dolores had so many interests and passions, serving on the boards of numerous community organizations from the League of Women Voters to the Pasadena Chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus to Pasadena City College. However, most impressive of all was her service in the Korean War. Dolores was one of the few women serving in the United States Army, and one of the few people of color. Even though the odds were against her, she excelled in her position and was recognized as an outstanding basic trainee. Dolores never forgot her service in the military and joined organizations like American Legion Post 13 so that she could provide support to struggling Veterans. Throughout her years, she made it a priority to help Veterans in the community and was a crucial part in establishing a Veteran's Community Based Outpatient Clinic in the San Gabriel Valley. Dolores' commitment to her fellow veterans will live on and continue to serve those who were brave enough to stand beside her.

For her entire lifetime, Dolores Hickambottom broke barriers, built bridges, and strove to make the world a greater place. She was a hero to the community and her incredible legacy will forever serve as an inspiration to us all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6833, the Affordable Insulin Now Act.

I will never forget the day a constituent in my district showed me his bottle of insulin. He told me that one day while traveling in Canada he found he forgot it, so he went to a pharmacy. He found that that same bottle of insulin that he buys here in the U.S. for $200 cost only $25 in Canada, the exact same product.

He started calculating how much it would cost him to fly to Canada once every 3 months, and then asked himself: Why are Americans the only ones paying these exorbitant prices?

Nobody should have to sacrifice just to afford medicine. That is why today's bill is so important. By capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month, this bill will ensure that monthly costs for millions of families are truly affordable. It is time to prioritize the needs of our people so that every American can afford to stay alive.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of Reverend Inman Moore, who passed away on January 26, 2022, at the age of 96, and his wife, Nellie Moore, who passed away on February 6, 2021, at the age of 95. Inman and Nellie were stalwarts in the San Gabriel Valley, dedicated to leaving their community better than they found it. And they did just that.

Nellie Moore was born in rural Southern Mississippi in 1926 as an only child to a single mother after her father died of pneumonia right before her birth. Nellie married Inman Moore in 1947, and she dedicated herself to being a minister's wife, becoming an active member of the church communities that she and her husband joined. After settling in Pasadena in 1970 with her husband and children, Nellie served as an administrative assistant at the famous Jet Propulsion Laboratory and later started and ran two successful businesses in Pasadena alongside her husband.

Inman Moore was born on September 8, 1925, in southern Mississippi. While he intended on attending medical school, Inman's plan changed following his service in the Navy during World War II. Upon returning home, he enrolled in Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi and decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, a Methodist minister, by receiving a graduate degree in theology from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Inman went on to serve in various churches in Mississippi, a segregated state, during the rising civil rights movement of the 1960s. He was a founding member of the Mississippi Human Relations Council, an interracial organization dedicated to improving race relations through educational programs. Additionally, while serving as pastor at the renowned Leggett Memorial United Methodist Church in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1963, Inman was one of 28 Mississippi Methodist ministers who signed a ``Born of Conviction'' statement opposing the perpetuation of a segregated society.

Inman, Nellie and their children then relocated to California in 1963 where Inman became a pastor at the Palmdale United Methodist Church and later became a minister at the Crescenta Valley United Methodist in La Crescenta. In 1970, Inman retired from the ministry and started two successful Pasadena companies with Nellie: Moore Vending and Tournament Souvenirs. After nearly 30 years in business, Inman and Nellie sold their companies and retired in 1997.

Years later, when Grace United Methodist--a predominantly Black congregation in Altadena, CA--lacked the funding to afford a full-time minister, Inman came out of retirement without hesitation to serve as their part-time minister for four years. Inman even came out of retirement a second time to serve as associate pastor at the First United Methodist in

Burbank, California for five years, and served as a guest pastor for several other churches throughout the Southern California region. At the age of 90, Inman penned his own autobiography, ``On the Road to Civil Rights,'' sharing his incredible journey of activism and faith. When a need presented itself in the community, Inman was there.

Inman and Nellie were happily married for 73 years, and are survived by their children, Linda, Robert, and David Leon Moore, their grandchildren Saul, Marisa, Nate, Sarah, Anna, and Nellie, and four great-grandchildren. Inman was known as a force of nature for his powerful preaching abilities, his unyielding moral code and his commitment to racial justice and civil rights. Nellie will be remembered by kindness and humor, and her dedication to her community. Inman and Nellie Moore embody what it means to put the needs of others, whether that be family, parishioners, or community members, above their own. I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the lives of these two extraordinary individuals.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2954, the Securing a Strong Retirement Act. This bill continues the work the Ways and Means Committee began 2 years ago with the SECURE Act to expand access to retirement savings and enhance retirement readiness for millions of Americans across the country.

I am especially proud of provisions drawn from my bill, the Encouraging Americans to Save Act, that strengthens the Saver's Credit. This credit provides millions of low- and middle-income taxpayers with an incentive to save for retirement each year. But currently it is split into three tiers of 10, 20, or 50 percent.

This legislation not only directs the IRS to promote the credit to more communities, including those with limited English proficiency, but also makes it both simpler and more generous by setting it at 50 percent for all eligible taxpayers.

Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill to isolate and stop sending our money to Russia.

Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has already caused countless deaths and injuries while forcing 1.5 million innocent refugees to flee their homes. There must be consequences for this belligerence.

That is why I support cutting off Russia's oil and gas imports to the U.S., seeking to suspend their participation in the World Trade Organization, and extending our ability to implement further sanctions. Global trade, the wealth it helps generate and the needs it helps to meet, is a benefit of the very international order that Russia is trying to undermine.

If Putin is declaring war on global peace and stability, then he should also not be able to benefit from global peace and stability.

I believe that the promise of being able to once again profit from global trade is a powerful incentive for Putin to end his war of choice. I am proud to support using our economic influence for peace.

Madam Speaker, as the Representative of America's largest and oldest Armenian population, I rise today to commemorate the Baku and Sumgait Pogroms and to reaffirm that the U.S. stands on the side of democracy and peace--and that means standing with the Armenian people.

Over 30 years ago, as the lines of the Soviet Union were fading, the people of Artsakh were united and voted for greater independence from Azerbaijan. But this peaceful movement for self-determination was followed by premeditated and government-sponsored attacks. Over the next two years, the Armenian population of Artsakh was repeatedly victim to brutal and racially motivated pogroms. Hundreds were murdered, and thousands were displaced in Baku, Sumgait and Kirovabad.

These pogroms were a direct assault on the right of self- determination in Artsakh, And it is an assault that is continuing today. In the fall of 2020, as the world was struggling to contain the corona virus pandemic, Azerbaijan launched yet another war of aggression against the peaceful people of Artsakh, destroying homes and villages and once again displacing thousands.

This violence is unacceptable, which is why I immediately called for a cease fire and have called for an end to U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan. We must also ensure the humanitarian needs of the Armenian people are being met, which is something I have pushed Samantha Power, the Administrator of USAID, to help us do.

Having had the privilege of visiting Artsakh in October 2019, I've seen the pride of the people there and I know how strong they are. That is why I know that, just as their spirit could not be defeated after the Sumgait and Baku pogroms, it will not be defeated today.

I am proud to stand with the Armenian people in their fight for democracy and human rights and stand united in rejecting the violence from Azerbaijan that has destroyed too many lives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize James Hong, a venerable actor with one of the most prolific acting careers in Hollywood history. I was fortunate enough to meet with Mr. Hong in advance of his induction to the Hollywood Walk of Fame where he will receive his very own star commemorating his outstanding career. For nearly seven decades, Mr. Hong has been gracing our screens with his legendary performances, amassing over 672 credits since the outset of his career. At 92 years old, Mr. Hong has no intentions of slowing down.

Mr. Hong was born in 1929 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to parents who immigrated from China. His father owned a local herb store, one of only two stores within the city's Chinatown. It was within these walls that Mr. Hong's passion for the arts was cemented when, on weekends, local Chinese workers gathered at his father's store and watched as a young Mr. Hong put on performances for them.

While dreams of being an entertainer remained strong as ever, Mr. Hong's parents urged him to become an engineer, so he enrolled at the University of Minnesota to study civil engineering. But his studies were interrupted when he was drafted to the Korean War. While at training at Camp McClellan in Alabama, Mr. Hong did some impressions for his fellow soldiers and quickly caught the attention of the Camp's General. Mr. Hong was ordered to remain at the base to provide entertainment to the troops and coordinate public relations with the community, preventing him from being deployed to Korea during the war.

After his service, Mr. Hong completed his civil engineering degree at the University of Southern California and worked for the County of Los Angeles in road repair. Then in 1954, Mr. Hong appeared on Groucho Marx's radio show, ``You Bet Your Life,'' where he did impressions, including of Groucho himself. His appearance was so popular that the radio show received the second largest amount of fan mail for any episode. This appearance kickstarted Mr. Hong's incredible career in Hollywood and was one of the first of what would become hundreds and hundreds of credits, including ``Chinatown,'' ``Blade Runner,'' ``Bonanza,'' ``Big Trouble in Little China,'' ``Soldier of Fortune,'' ``Mulan,'' ``Seinfeld,'' ``The Big Bang Theory'' and so many more.

Unfortunately, Mr. Hong often faced discrimination on set, and many of the roles he was given were stereotypical, demeaning portrayals of Chinese people. Faced with the difficult choice of playing a character that was written in a racist manner or not working at all, Mr. Hong ultimately decided to continue his acting career, but worked tirelessly to bring complexity to roles that so frequently lacked humanity.

Taking his own experiences of discrimination, Mr. Hong set out to make the entertainment industry more accessible and humane, and to help expose Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) actors to opportunities. When given a script for the 1962 film ``The Confessions of an Opium Eater,'' Mr. Hong was taken aback by the stereotypical, negative depictions of Asian characters. So, he organized a group to approach the director to argue that a rewrite of the script was needed to make its AAPI characters more human. Even though the director ultimately refused a rewrite, Mr. Hong remained committed to advocating for better, more just representation.

These experiences eventually inspired Mr. Hong and fellow actor Mako Iwamatsu to form an acting troop for Asian American actors, which eventually turned into the renowned theater group, East West Players. Since its creation, East West Players has played an instrumental role in showcasing productions formulated, designed and executed by AAPI creators. On top of that, East West Players fostered a space for AAPI artists to express themselves freely and form a community. Mr. Hong's dedication to shedding light on the abilities and accomplishments of AAPI artists is clear from the group's alumni which include names like George Takei, John Cho, Daniel Dae Kim, Randall Park and countless others.

As one of the most accomplished actors in Hollywood history, James Hong has entertained and brought joy to innumerable viewers across the country and world. Not only has Mr. Hong committed his entire professional life to entertainment but has likewise dedicated himself to uplifting the abilities and careers of AAPI actors and has therefore paved the way for future generations of performers to come. It can be said with certainty that Mr. Hong has made an immeasurable, positive impact in the performing arts. It is my distinct honor to commemorate his career and life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the America COMPETES Act, which will make historic investments in America and ensure we remain a global leader in science and technology.

From climate change to cybersecurity, many of the greatest challenges facing our country can only be met through research and innovation that will develop new products and create new jobs, but in order to rise to this moment, we need to turbocharge America's scientific sector. And that is what this bill would do by investing $52 billion for semiconductor production here

at home, an investment that will improve the supply chain for almost every product in our lives.

And it modernizes the National Science Foundation to advance America's scientific leadership by supporting institutions like Caltech, based in my district, which is one of NSF's most trusted partners.

I thank my colleagues today who have modeled responsibility in debating this bill by focusing on what we gain and not who we should fear.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of today's bill to help monitor and combat Islamophobia.

Targeting someone because of their religion is discriminatory and it is dangerous. Yet, across the world anti-Muslim prejudice is spreading. As a result, innocent people are being attacked, their mosques vandalized, and their rights curtailed. All of this is the deliberate result of anti-Muslim fearmongering, often from the highest levels of government.

The violence and repression would not be possible without the propaganda that paints all Muslims as dangerous. We have seen that even in our own country, where a lie that Muslims are dangerous was used to justify a Muslim ban. This hate speech continues to echo in the halls of Congress today, even against our own Members of Congress. This must stop.

The more these hateful lies spread, the more people will follow the words of their leaders and take action, leading to more violence like the shootings in Christchurch and around the world.

With this bill we can help stop the spread of this Islamophobia and stop the violence these words cause. Let's ensure that everybody, regardless of race or religion, can feel safe in this country and around the world for being who they are.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Dr. Lorna Breen Act.

The past 2 years have stretched our Nation to the brink. No one has shouldered this burden more than our healthcare workers. The doctors, nurses, and all healthcare workers who have worked day in and day out through surge after surge have put their lives on hold to care for us and our loved ones as the pandemic spread around the country.

In many instances, they have done this while understaffed, without sufficient PPE, and knowing that they are putting their own lives at risk before a vaccine was available to them. This can have a profound impact on a provider's mental health. Today, we are

taking an important step to ensure that they get the help they need.

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act establishes grants for training healthcare workers and strategies to reduce and prevent suicide burnout, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. It also establishes a national awareness campaign to encourage healthcare professionals to seek support and treatment for mental health issues.

As one of the two psychologists in Congress, I know how much mental healthcare matters and how much stigma can prevent someone from getting the help they need. By passing this bill today, we can say to healthcare workers: You are not alone.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.