Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the transformational Build Back Better Act and the investments it will make in our economy to help working families in our country.

I am proud that, after months of compromise and negotiation, we have a bill today that is certain to make a difference in the lives of so many, while growing our economy and confronting the climate crisis.

By extending the child tax cut, making childcare affordable, and lowering drug prices, we are giving families more money in their pockets. We are also ensuring 4 weeks of paid leave for all workers so that nobody has to lose their job in order to take care of themselves or loved ones; something so many families have struggled with this pandemic.

And all these investments are completely paid for by ensuring that billionaires and corporations pay their fair share. Those who get rich off the backs of working families need to pay their fair share and support them.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize U.S. Army First Lieutenant Grant Haxton for his bravery, heroism, and service to our country. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Grant when he interned in my Washington, D.C. office in spring 2018.

Grant is an infantry platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne Division, which was deployed in August to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan as the Taliban closed in on the city. He and his fellow soldiers helped secure the perimeter of the airport for two weeks as they evacuated over 120,000 Americans, Afghan allies, and other vulnerable people to safety. After weeks of selfless dedication to the mission, Grant left on one of the last transport planes out of Kabul. It is thanks to heroes like Grant that our military was able to coordinate one of the largest airlifts in history.

Grant is a 2015 graduate of La Canada High School, just outside of my congressional district. He was a member of Boy Scout Troop 509 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 2014. As a student at the University of Wisconsin--Madison, Grant served as a legislative intern in my Washington, D.C. office. Through this position, he helped respond to constituents over the phone and through mail, greeted visitors in the front office, conducted tours of the U.S. Capitol, and assisted my legislative team with research and administrative support. He is remembered fondly by my staff for his diligent work, sense of humor, and passion for public service.

I commend Grant for his dedication to his community and to his country. I am fortunate to have had such a selfless public servant on my team, and I am proud to see all of Grant's incredible accomplishments since his time in my office.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4256, the Investing in Main Street Act, which would make a simple, commonsense change to small business investing laws to ensure that SBA-certified Small Business Investment Companies, or SBICs, can take full advantage of capital available from banks and Federal savings associations.

Even though banking rules allow financial institutions to invest up to 15 percent of their capital and surplus in SBICs, small business investing rules cap these same investments far lower, at just 5 percent of capital and surplus. The Investing in Main Street Act amends this outdated law to ensure that banks can invest the full 15 percent in SBICs, a simple change that will dramatically increase the amount of investment capital available to our country's small businesses.

By raising this cap, this legislation will deliver more investments and more financing to our small businesses for whom even small investments can mean so much. Already, SBICs have helped companies like Tesla, Apple, and Intel get off the ground back when they were just starting out.

SBICs fill a gap in the investment ecosystem and level the playing field by providing equity investments and financing opportunities to the smallest businesses which face the highest barriers to secure investments from traditional, private investors.

The nearly 300 certified SBICs in operation today have invested or committed $32 billion in small businesses nationwide. Last year, in my State of California alone, SBICs made nearly 300 financings, totaling over $670 million. By raising the investment cap from 5 to 15 percent, we could potentially triple those investments in the years to come. That growth will be so important as our country continues to recover and rebound from the COVID pandemic.

America's small businesses have endured one of the most challenging periods in our country's history, and now is the time to help them rebuild and grow.

I want to thank Representative Garbarino for his partnership on this legislation, and Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for their strong support. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5661, the Continued State Flexibility To Assist Older Foster Youth Act.

We have heard directly from foster youth that aging out of the system comes with unique challenges, and that they are often left without supportive services or families to help them if they fall on hard times. This has been especially difficult throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as older and former foster youth have experienced homeless, been laid off from work, endured food insecurity, and navigated negative impacts on their mental health.

But States like California have devised ways to help, like letting foster youth who turn 21 continue receiving support and assistance through the child welfare agency. Additionally, at the end of last year, Congress provided States with additional funds in the year-end omnibus specifically to help this population, many of whom were not eligible for Federal stimulus payments. And in California, we are working to get this funding directly to impacted youth via direct cash payments. Unfortunately, the pandemic has made it harder to get these funds directly into the hands of the young people who need them, causing needless delays and hardship.

That is why I am happy to support H.R. 5661 to extend support to our young adults and ensure that they have all of the tools they need to make it through this unprecedented time. By extending the programmatic flexibilities in the Chafee program, which helps current and former foster youth prepare for independent adult living, we are keeping young people safe and housed and also ensuring access to supportive services for those youth affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

I have had the privilege to meet with foster youth from across the country throughout the years, and I have been impressed with their resilience and ability to advocate for themselves. But they don't have to do it alone. I am proud to support this bill to help foster youth shape a better future for themselves and our whole country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of doing what every adult is expected to do: pay their bills. That means raising the debt limit.

Let's be clear: this is not about new spending. This has nothing to do with any of our plans for new investments in infrastructure. Those plans are all paid for through other means. When we raise the debt ceiling, it is so we can pay the bills for money we have already spent. That means the reason we need to raise the debt ceiling right now is to pay Donald Trump's bills--which, as usual, he would rather leave unpaid.

Under the last administration, the deficit grew every year, totaling over $7 trillion in debt increases, requiring Congress to raise the debt ceiling three times.

And why was that?

Because the 2017 GOP tax scam used the reconciliation process to spend $2 trillion on tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy that were not paid for. The American people were told that the tax cuts would pay for themselves, but that was a lie. And now the bill comes due. Again.

But this time the Republicans are refusing to even allow a vote. It is not that they are choosing to vote ``no'', which would be their prerogative, even if it is political and insincere. Instead, they are filibustering to prevent us

from even voting to stop the U.S. from defaulting; something they all said would be terrible.

We are not children who flip a game over when we lose. It is our responsibility to pay the government's bills no matter who is in charge.

Madam Speaker, if you can vote to give tax cuts to billionaire amateur astronauts like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, then you can vote to pay the bill for it. It is that simple.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, the Women's Health Protection Act.

For decades, Roe v. Wade has guaranteed everyone the freedom to access safe abortion care regardless of background. And for decades anti-abortion extremists have been devising new ways to put that right out of reach. That has left many, mainly low-income people of color, to fear that every new anti-choice law could be the one that finally puts abortion access out of reach for them or their daughters.

Well, it is time to put a stop to these attacks once and for all. With today's historic vote, we are ensuring that access to abortion care is a right, from Texas to California.

This bill respects our right and the freedom to make our own choices about our bodies, and it leaves those decisions up to us and our doctors. It is time to take control of our bodies out of the hands of extreme rightwing politicians. It is time to pass the Women's Health Protection Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my two amendments to the NDAA to ensure the Pentagon pays attention to the most vulnerable, both within the ranks and within the theaters of war, where they operate.

My first amendment is a response to the ongoing but still poorly understood problem of hazing in the military. For years, unchecked hazing has been eroding unit cohesion and troop morale. Too many, like my own nephew, Harry Lew, have died by suicide after having been mercilessly hazed by their fellow soldiers.

Stopping this requires understanding the problem, which is why this amendment extends regular reports through 2027 on hazing and what the Pentagon is doing to address it.

My second amendment is a response to the horrific August drone strike in Kabul that killed at least 10 civilians. This kind of mistake is inexcusable. These families can never get their loved ones back, but with just compensation they can begin to rebuild their lives. Accepting our responsibility is the bare minimum of what they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this en bloc package.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William R. Sanchez who passed away at the age of 103 on August 23, 2021. Mr. Sanchez was a longtime constituent of mine in Monterey Park, California, and an American patriot who bravely served our country during World War II.

Mr. Sanchez was born on July 18, 1918, in El Paso, Texas, and moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of one. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1938 and immediately joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, where he worked in Northern California managing forests and building roads. He received a boxing scholarship to UCLA, but instead decided to enlist in the U.S. Army in 1940. In search of adventure, Mr. Sanchez chose to serve at Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in the Philippines. He was assigned to Army Intelligence on the island and served on General Douglas MacArthur's staff. While working with Army Intelligence, he helped provide advance notice of the Japanese force on its way to attack Pearl Harbor.

In 1942, Sgt. Sanchez fought in the Battle of Corregidor and was taken as a prisoner of war after keeping the Japanese at bay for five months. Like thousands of other American prisoners of war, he experienced unimaginable atrocities on the Bataan Death March. He was then transferred on a Japanese ``hell ship'' and taken to Camp Omori near Tokyo, where he was constantly abused, beaten, and underfed. Sgt. Sanchez's mental fortitude helped him endure these brutal conditions for over three years until the end of the war.

After the war, he returned to the U.S. and attended Woodbury College where he earned his bachelor's degree. He then went on to earn a master's degree in International Trade and Finance from USC. He started his own company, Belenco, and became one of the biggest importers and suppliers of rolled steel products on the West Coast. Mr. Sanchez settled with his family in Monterey Park in 1958 and took an active role in the community. Over the years, he remained active in the veteran community, serving as the keynote speaker at many veterans forums, and offering advice and support to countless veterans and their families on their benefits and rights.

William Sanchez was truly a hero of our time. He leaves behind an enduring legacy of service and sacrifice to our nation, and that is why it is my distinct honor to commemorate his life.

Madam Speaker, as the chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus' Contraception and Family Planning Task Force, I rise in strong support of Congresswoman Brownley's Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act.

Every day, servicemembers are willing to sacrifice their lives for our constitutional rights. So we must ensure that those rights are available to them when they come home, and that includes the right to contraception.

That is what this bill does, by ensuring that veterans, just like their civilian neighbors, have access to the contraception that works best for them, without the burden of copays. And since we know that not every method of birth control works for every person, this bill requires the VA to cover all FDA-approved contraception, including emergency contraception, which is an especially important option in sexual assault.

Contraception helps people plan for their futures, for their families, and for themselves. This bill removes unnecessary barriers to care for our veterans who have already given this Nation so much.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join Congressmember Ed Case and my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to commemorate the ``Go For Broke'' Forever Stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service earlier this month. This stamp honors the over 30,000 Japanese American soldiers of the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team who bravely served our country during World War II. Despite facing intense racism and discrimination, these soldiers fought valiantly to defend our nation and went on to become the most highly decorated military unit in U.S. history.

The courage of this all Japanese American military unit is exemplified in their work to ensure that no American solider was left behind during the war. In late 1944, Allied troops were pushing towards Germany, facing some of the fiercest resistance yet, and liberating French territory along the way. Looking to take advantage of these gains, the men of the 141st Regiment--made up of mostly Texans--moved quickly through dense forests and mountains until they unknowingly became separated from the rest of their fellow soldiers. Surrounded by Germans, with both temperatures and supplies running low, and special orders from Hitler himself not to let these troops escape no matter the cost, the situation was desperate.

And so, to save these men, we turned to the one division we knew had what it would take to push through: the 442nd Regimental Combat Team--a segregated unit consisting entirely of Japanese American troops. For six days, this unit fought with almost no rest until they pierced the German lines. When one of the trapped Texans finally saw who was coming to their rescue he said, ``To our great pleasure it was members of the 442nd Combat Team. We were overjoyed to see these people for we knew them as the best fighting men in [the European theater].''

One of the men from the 442nd who was there that day, Ted Ohira, says that was no accident. Because of the prejudice of the time and the assumption that Japanese Americans could not be trusted, Ohira says these Japanese American soldiers were subjected to some of the roughest basic training. But he was proud of what he went through, saying it meant they were able to take more, endure more, and go further than anyone. They called this their ``Go For Broke'' mentality, which is exactly what they did in risking everything to rescue the 221 men of the famous ``Lost Battalion.''

And yet, even as men like Ted Ohira were risking and losing their lives for our country, their families back home were facing unbelievable discrimination. In fact, while Ted Ohira was in Europe, his future wife Chiz and her family were being forced onto a bus just down the street from their Los Angeles grocery store and driven to a prison camp in Arizona. Chiz and her family were just some of the over 120,000 Japanese Americans to be wrongfully imprisoned at this time due to President Roosevelt's shameful Executive Order 9066.

But for these ``Go For Broke'' Japanese Americans, their patriotism was more important than somebody else's prejudice. And in 2011, the U.S. Congress awarded these Japanese American Nisei veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor that Congress can bestow. And yet, too many still do not know about their incredible service to our nation.

That is why, in 2016, I led a letter along with the late Congressmember Mark Takai, signed by 33 Members of the House and Senate, urging the U.S. Postal Service to preserve and share this inspiring story through a commemorative stamp. This was not only to recognize and honor the service and sacrifice of some of our most heroic soldiers. It was also to inspire others through their example of courage, loyalty, and undying patriotism. And I'm so glad that we now have a ``Go For Broke'' Forever Stamp to honor the thousands of Japanese Americans who signed up to defend freedoms they themselves could not enjoy.

This stamp was so important to me because it sent a powerful message that even when our government is not living up to our values, there are millions of Americans from all backgrounds who will risk their lives for those values. And I am proud that I am not alone. Starting in 2005, people like Chiz Ohira and the Nisei movement have been tireless in their work to make sure more Americans understand the service of the Japanese American soldiers in World War II.

I'm grateful for their years of hard work in helping make this stamp a reality, and I'm so proud that future generations will continue to be inspired by this patriotic service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the COVID- 19 Hate Crimes Act.

Since the start of this pandemic, Asian Americans have been terrified by the near-daily attacks in our communities. Shocking videos like the fatal assault of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, and the horrific shootings of eight people at three Asian-owned spas in Georgia brought national attention to this issue, but it also showed that our national response to combating hate crimes is lacking.

That is why today's vote is so important. The bill would create a new position at the U.S. Department of Justice to better track and address COVID-19 hate crimes. It also includes the text of the bill I co-lead, the NO HATE Act, which improves hate crime reporting by law enforcement and provides grants for community-centered solutions to fight hate.

After a year in which we have seen over 6,600 anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, finally we are helping the Asian-American community fight back.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my resolution, H. Res. 275, to condemn the horrific shootings in Georgia and to reaffirm the House of Representatives' strong commitment to combating anti-Asian hate, bigotry, and violence.

As we commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May, the Asian-American and Pacific-Islander community continues to be terrified by the alarming rise in anti-Asian hate and violence that have become near daily tragedies.

The bigotry and xenophobia were fueled by former President Donald Trump and his followers, who used racial slurs like China virus, Wuhan virus, and Kung flu to direct blame and anger at innocent Asian Americans, who have put lives at risk despite the fact that the CDC and World Health Organization said not to name a virus after geographical locations because of the stigma it would cause.

In fact, to date, there have been over 6,600 anti-Asian hate incidents reported in just the past year alone, and two-thirds of those have targeted Asian women.

In March, the fear that many Asian Americans were feeling reached a crisis point when a gunman targeted three Asian-owned spas in Georgia, killing eight people, including six Asian women. This killer, so motivated by hate, intentionally sought out Asian immigrant women.

In response, I organized a congressional delegation to Atlanta to meet with the victims' families, as well as local AAPI leaders. We went there with a purpose: to follow the murderer's steps to show how deliberate he was in targeting three Asian-owned businesses that were nearly 30 miles apart from each other.

Local sheriffs have tried to diminish these crimes by saying that the shooter had a sex addiction and a bad day. But he had plenty of other places to go in that time. Instead, he chose three places where Asian women would be killed.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was a hate crime. That is why I am glad that Georgia prosecutors announced last week they will be seeking enhanced hate crime charges against the murderer.

The victims of these tragic shootings were hardworking mothers and grandmothers, many in their fifties, sixties, and as old as 74. I met with the families of two of these women.

Xiaojie Tan was the owner of one of the spas and a mother, who worked 7 days a week to provide for her family. Her daughter, Jami, spoke to us through tears about how unfair it was that her mother's life was cut short on her 50th birthday.

Then there was Young Ae Yue, whose son, Robert, told me about his mother and how she adored her children and loved being a Har Mul Ni, or grandmother. She would share her love through cooking and karaoke. But amid his pain, Robert was angry, too--angry that it happened, angry at a narrative that tried to justify it by victim blaming, and angry that people moved on so quickly.

Madam Speaker, we will not move on, and that is what today's resolution is about. We must remember Young Ae Yue, Xiaojie Tan, and other victims of these horrific shootings in Georgia. We must stand up for all of those who have been terrorized by anti-Asian hate and violence.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Yong Ae Yue, and to honor her two sons, Elliott and Robert Peterson. Ms. Yue was one of eight people tragically killed in the March 16th shootings at three spas in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Ms. Yue was raised an orphan in South Korea, where she met her former husband, Mac Peterson, who was in the U.S. Army. After having their first son, Elliott, in South Korea, the couple moved to the United States in the early 1980s and had their second son, Robert. Ms. Yue was determined to give her two children a promising and successful life in the United States, and she taught her sons the value and meaning of hard work. Given her sons' multiracial background, she made sure they were proud of their Black and Asian identities, and helped them find strength in their heritage. According to her family, she was a selfless, compassionate, and generous woman who loved to sing karaoke and cook Korean food for her friends and family. She moved to the Atlanta area in 2001 to be closer to Robert and loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.

I also want to honor Ms. Yue's sons, who have raised awareness of the impact that violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has on families and communities. Elliott bravely served our country in the U.S. Army for over 24 years. He recently retired in

September and lives in Japan, where he trains U.S. soldiers in field exercises. And following Ms. Yue's tragic passing, I traveled to Atlanta with several of my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to pay my respects. I was honored to meet Robert and discuss the wonderful life his mother lived. After speaking with Robert, I was pleased to invite him as my virtual guest to President Biden's first address to a joint session of Congress. It has been a privilege to hear Elliott and Robert tell their mother's story and elevate the concerns that so many in the AAPI community have.

Yong Ae Yue's life was the embodiment of the American dream. She came to the United States with a determination to work hard and raise a family, and she passed along her strength and selflessness to her children and grandchildren. My thoughts are with Ms. Yue's family and the many other families grieving from this tragic event.

Madam Speaker, as chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise today to join my colleagues in the Tri-Caucus to ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for communities of color.

While we are all equally susceptible to the coronavirus, we are not all equally impacted by it. Communities of color are disproportionately likely to be in frontline jobs with greater exposure to the virus; have less access to quality healthcare; and, as a result, have been experiencing higher infection and mortality rates throughout the pandemic.

With over 150 deaths per 100,000 cases, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have one of the highest mortality groups of all groups from this virus.

That is why we will be introducing a resolution to address this. If we rely on communities of color to get us through this pandemic, then we need to ensure they are provided equitable access to the vaccine so they can stay healthy. We must ensure all Americans have an equal shot to be vaccinated.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my legislation, the NO BAN Act.

The Muslim ban was always wrong, needless, and cruel. Today, we can make sure it never happens again.

First, this policy was wrong. America does not ban people because of their religion, and the Supreme Court acknowledged this. When they upheld the

third iteration of Trump's Muslim ban, the Court insisted that, in order to prove this wasn't just a religious ban, the Trump administration would have to issue waivers to allow those we know not to be a threat to travel here. But that waiver process was a sham, with almost all requests ignored, proving the purpose of the ban was to keep Muslims out of the country, just as Donald Trump always said it was.

Second, the policy was needless. As the Supreme Court's waiver requirement recognized, America has the best and strongest vetting system in the world. Many of those stopped by the Muslim ban had been vetted by U.S. officials many times over many years. I have met with many of them myself. These are people who are trying to escape dangerous situations or who simply wanted a chance at a better life. They turned to the U.S., as countless others have done over the generations. But instead of opportunity, they were met with bigotry, sometimes just days before they were supposed to arrive here.

Which is why, thirdly, this ban was about cruelty. Afraid to leave America out of fear they wouldn't be able to return, or unable to visit here at all, families were intentionally isolated from each other, missing weddings, funerals, births, and graduations.

This past year has shown us what the impact of missing such milestones feels like. To do it deliberately is inexcusable.

Thousands of families were separated by this policy simply because of a lie that Muslims are dangerous, a lie that encouraged bigotry and xenophobia, even as hate crimes are on the rise.

Fortunately, President Biden understood the harm of this policy and rescinded the Muslim bans on his first day in office. But we must make sure no President is ever able to ban people from coming to the U.S. simply because of their religion, which is why I am so pleased that we are voting to pass the NO BAN Act today.

While preserving a President's ability to respond to national emergencies like pandemics, this bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require that any future travel ban is based on credible facts and actual threats. The bill also requires the President to work in consultation with the Departments of State and Homeland Security to provide evidence of why a ban is needed in the first place.

I am so grateful to Chairman Nadler, as well as my House and Senate cosponsors, for their support, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''