Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the legislation this body brings to the floor each week speaks volumes about our priorities.

While House Democrats are defending our fundamental freedoms by fighting back against extreme MAGA Republican attacks on abortion care and fertility services like IVF, the majority believes that rather than protecting the rights of women in this country, it is essential that we protect the so-called rights of home appliances.

The difference could not be starker. In a time of unrelenting attacks on reproductive rights and when 21 States have banned, either fully or partially, abortion access, House Republicans have chosen to do nothing. They have chosen to pretend that women are not dying, that they are not being forced to carry unwanted pregnancies, and they are doing nothing to protect IVF or birth control.

Instead, they are bringing up a rule today to consider legislation to protect home appliances.

It seems that House Republicans would like toasters and microwaves to have more rights than women in this country.

Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question on this rule, my Democratic colleagues and I will offer my bill, the Women's Health Protection Act, or WHPA. WHPA is a Federal solution to the extremist Supreme Court decision to strike down Roe v. Wade. It will restore the right to everyone, no matter what State you live in, to receive abortion care.

In a world where doctors are being threatened with prison time for doing their jobs, it would protect the rights of providers to provide abortion care. This is the legislation the body should be considering today, not bills protecting blenders and coffee makers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

Forty-nine years ago today, on April 30, 1975, the Republic of Vietnam was overthrown by communist forces in an event known as

``Black April'' or the ``Fall of Saigon,'' which is observed in Vietnamese-American communities across the United States each year. This event marked the end of the Vietnam War, which claimed the lives of as many as 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers and nearly 60,000 American soldiers, as well as hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians throughout Southeast Asia. I recognize the bravery of the soldiers of the South Vietnamese military who fought side by side with the United States Armed Forces in defense of the ideals of democracy and freedom.

Since Black April, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese, many of them refugees, have resettled in the United States and built vibrant communities across the country that contribute to the rich diversity of this Nation. They are the sixth largest immigrant group in the United States, representing nine percent of all immigrants from Asia in the United States. And they continue to show fierce commitment to those ideals of freedom and democracy as they speak out against human rights abuses in Vietnam and throughout the world.

Forty-nine years after the Fall of Saigon, I am honored to pay homage to the journeys many Vietnamese refugees and immigrants took across oceans to call America their new home. I am also proud to sponsor the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2023, legislation that would end deportations of Southeast Asian American refugees, including many Vietnamese Americans, and establish a pathway to return to the U.S for the more than 2,000 refugees who have already been deported. On this anniversary, I call on my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation and honoring our commitment to the Southeast Asian Americans who made this country home after enduring war, violence, and genocide.

I am grateful for the opportunity to honor the service and contributions of the Vietnamese American community, and to commemorate Black April on this 49th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H. Con. Res. 86, a disingenuous resolution that wastes our time while it misleadingly attacks a carbon tax.

Continuing with yesterday's shameless giveaways to Big Oil and Gas, Republicans' next energy week bill asserts that a carbon tax would raise food prices and the cost of every good in America, while ignoring the cost of climate change to communities hit hardest by flooding, wildfires, and other climate catastrophes, all while oil and gas executives maximize their profits. This is unacceptable.

The reality is that when Democrats controlled the House, Senate, and

White House, we did not pursue a carbon tax. Instead, we passed historic tax credits that are incentivizing and fueling the clean energy transition.

The Inflation Reduction Act was the largest climate investment in history and through it, we are powering economic growth, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and advancing environmental justice.

While asserting a carbon tax would raise food prices, Republican leadership refuses to disavow their own Members' proposals, like the FairTax Act, which would actually be a 30 percent sales tax on everything, including groceries, medical bills, tuition, insurance, and, yes, fossil fuel products like gas that you buy at the pump, hurting the very same people they are purporting to help.

Ultimately, this resolution represents yet another attempt by House Republicans to favor corporate interests, including Big Oil, over job- creating clean energy policies and climate solutions that benefit American families and our planet. They are trying to distract from the reality that the U.S. is hitting record levels of domestic energy production under President Biden.

We welcome Republican support in facilitating the transition to clean energy. Instead, they remain focused on doing everything they can do to undo this progress. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on February 5, 2024, I was unable to cast my vote on H.R. 443--Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 33.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 6918, the deceptively named Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act.

This bill has a simple but negative purpose: It would divert Temporary Assistance for Needy Families dollars that successfully keep needy children and families from poverty to anti-abortion centers.

These so-called crisis pregnancy centers masquerade as healthcare facilities, even going so far as to have staff dress in scrubs and white coats to mimic medical professionals.

Let's be clear: They are organizations attempting to strong-arm, manipulate, and coerce pregnant people seeking abortion care into carrying pregnancies to full term, and this is to the great disadvantage of women in need.

These anti-abortion centers are not actual medical facilities, so they are not covered by the privacy and security rules of HIPAA. With little or no consequence, staff at these facilities can lie to patients and share their personal information with anti-abortion extremists in order to survey, harass, pressure, or prosecute those seeking abortion care.

The lies these centers tell can have profound impacts on a patient's health. In Iowa, an OB/GYN has seen patients who were told at these centers that using contraceptives was the same as having an abortion.

In Massachusetts, an unqualified staff member at an anti-abortion center failed to diagnose a woman's ectopic pregnancy. That woman later required emergency surgery. Worst of all, there are no consequences to these centers for this.

A recent study of 607 anti-abortion centers across nine States found that they ``promoted patently false and/or biased medical claims about pregnancy, abortion, contraception, and reproductive healthcare providers.'' Fewer than half of these centers reported having a licensed medical professional on staff.

Unfortunately for the American people, spreading misinformation about abortion and ultimately implementing a national ban on abortion seems to be unifying objectives for Republicans here in Congress.

During our markup last week, Democrats offered a series of amendments to allow funding to these centers if they could prove that they provide medically accurate information, not harm women's health, and did not mislead or coerce women into visiting their centers.

Committee Republicans rejected all of those amendments, making it clear that their purpose is coercive propaganda, not support for pregnant women.

If Republicans want to support expecting new parents, House Democrats would welcome their backing of a fully expanded child tax credit, universal paid family and medical leave, and affordable childcare.

However, instead of considering these measures or even doing the basic business of keeping the government open, we are debating a bill going nowhere in the Senate and intended, instead, to score political points with anti-abortion groups gathering in Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 6918.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the Honorable Stephen Sham, who passed away on November 29, 2023, at the age of 59. As the first Asian and Chinese American mayor of the City of Alhambra, Stephen Sham was a revered visionary, leader, and advocate who dedicated his life to empowering the Asian community, fostering economic opportunities, and promoting social equity.

Stephen Sham was born in Beijing, China, in 1964 and later lived in Hong Kong before immigrating to the United States during his teenage years. His educational journey led him to Daniel Murphy High School in Los Angeles, and he went on to earn a B.S. in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship) from Cal State L.A. Alongside his wife, he successfully operated Plaza Printing, a local business, for over 25 years.

When Stephen first started his business, he faced racism and discrimination from residents who resented the growing Asian American community in Alhambra. Motivated by these challenges, he joined the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce to challenge such prejudiced views. Through hard work and dedication, he not only dispelled misconceptions, but also rose to become the Chamber's President. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in enhancing community outreach and supporting the growth of small businesses. In fact, I was proud to honor Stephen as businessperson of the year in my Congressional District in 2018.

Stephen's journey into the public service began in 2006, when those who knew him and benefitted from his service to the community urged him to run for the City Council. He answered the call and won, ultimately making history as the first Asian American Mayor of the City of Alhambra since its establishment in 1903. His leadership extended over four mayoral terms and 12 years on the City Council.

During his tenure, he prioritized the needs of every resident and led initiatives to increase the city's and Police Department's use of social media platforms to better connect with the Chinese-speaking community. He worked closely with fellow Councilmembers to make Alhambra a more prosperous place during his time in office. He oversaw a 23 percent decline in the crime rate and a strategic investment of over $4 million into Public Safety equipment, with an additional $2 million for fire training safety.

Under his leadership, Alhambra attracted new businesses, and the city council invested in new recreational facilities for its growing community. Furthermore, the city successfully built housing to meet the growing needs of its residents, and Stephen collaborating with local non-profit organizations to reduce homelessness.

His influence expanded beyond Alhambra as Stephen served as the President of the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO), the President of the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, and the President of Chinese American Elected Officials (CEO). Additionally, he contributed to the Board of Directors of Bank Irvine in his most recent role.

Stephen will be remembered by family, friends, community leaders, and residents for his devotion and service to equal opportunity and diversity in the City of Alhambra. I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the life of this extraordinary individual.

Mr. Chairman, as chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise in strong opposition to the DETERRENT Act.

The DETERRENT Act would burden higher education institutions and Federal agencies by needlessly complicating existing research security measures. Further, the bill would impose unreasonably expansive reporting requirements on individual researchers. What is worse is that it would broadcast their personal information on public databases; therefore, casting a chilling effect disproportionately on the Asian- American academic community.

From the incarceration of Japanese Americans in World War II to racial profiling of Chinese-American scientists under the failed China Initiative, countless Asian Americans have had their lives destroyed because our government falsely accused them of being spies. Already, 72 percent of Asian-American academic researchers report feeling unsafe.

Safeguarding national security can be done through commonsense reforms that Democrats have offered that don't come at the expense of U.S. scientific innovation, global collaboration, and the Asian- American community. In fact, Congressman Bobby Scott has submitted such an amendment that is a commonsense reform.

Meanwhile, this bill, the DETERRENT Act, is a bill that I urge all my colleagues to vote ``no'' on.

Mr. Speaker, on November 10, 2023, I was unable to cast my vote on H.R. 1105--Debbie Smith Act; H.R. 593--To rename the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Hinesville, Georgia, as the ``John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic''; and the Motion to Refer the Resolution Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 643; YEA on Roll Call No. 644; and YEA on Roll Call No. 645.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to this amendment, which would prohibit the Small Business Administration from implementing the Community Advantage SBLC program. This amendment is an attack on veterans, rural, and low-income entrepreneurs, and it should be rejected resoundingly.

One of small businesses' greatest challenges is obtaining access to financial capital. For over a decade now, the Community Advantage program has been helping close this funding gap. Community Advantage lenders are required to make at least 60 percent of their loans to underserved markets defined as veteran-owned businesses, rural businesses, new businesses, businesses located in HUBZones, empowerment zones, and other low-income communities.

These are the types of businesses that too often find themselves on the margins. Their owners lack the ability to qualify for more traditional loans because they may lack a credit history or preexisting relationship with a bank.

What is unique about Community Advantage lenders is that they are mission-based, primarily nonprofits focused on economic and community development. They go beyond just providing loans. They provide technical assistance to the businesses they serve. As a result, Community Advantage has been far more successful than the traditional Small Business Administration 7(a) loan program at reaching underserved groups like veterans.

Community Advantage was operating as a pilot up until the SBA, just this past month, established the Community Advantage SBLC program to provide more permanency for the program and lenders.

Congress needs to build on these efforts by providing statutory permanency for Community Advantage so veteran, rural, and low-income small business owners can continue to be served. This amendment would do the exact opposite, eradicating this proven program and undoing all our progress.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support our Nation's veterans, rural, and low-income entrepreneurs by rejecting this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 95th birthday of my friend, Reverend James Lawson, who for more than half a century has been a force for justice and worker rights.

As a minister and teacher of nonviolent resistance, James Lawson was a leader of the civil rights movement and worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King. Lawson led sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and strikes, including the historic 1968 Memphis sanitation strike, and he was a mentor to our beloved John Lewis.

In 1974, Reverend Lawson moved to Los Angeles, where he teaches nonviolence at UCLA. His work orchestrating nonviolent sit-ins and civil disobedience helped improve working conditions for southern California hotel workers, generating a national movement for immigrant worker justice.

Reverend Lawson has been an inspiration to many as he continues the fight for freedom and justice.

Mr. Speaker, I wish Reverend Lawson a happy birthday.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to these amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, which aren't designed to protect our national security or support the men and women in uniform who protect our freedoms.

These amendments are anti-diversity and anti-freedom. They hurt women and restrict access to necessary abortion care. They are homophobic. They censor servicemembers. They deny the existence of trans people. They needlessly undermine our military's readiness and effectiveness. They even attack our domestic film industry.

Further, these amendments seek to interfere with international collaboration on research by targeting Asian researchers and scientists and then peddle conspiracy theories about COVID-19.

As chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I have to underscore how these amendments open the door to more hate, violence, and profiling of Asian Americans, especially after 3 years of increased anti-Asian hate.

Ultimately, what was a bipartisan bill in committee has become a vehicle for MAGA Republican extremism.

Vote ``no.''

Madam Speaker, it has been a year since the Supreme Court ripped away the rights of millions of Americans in an instant by overturning the constitutional right to abortion care. It has been nearly 1 year since American women were forced to live in a country where they possessed fewer rights than their grandmothers.

House Republicans are out of step with the American people when it comes to abortion access, but instead of working to restore these fundamental freedoms, they have worked to further restrict abortion access in this country. That is why we are here today, to take action.

I am proud to present this discharge petition to force accountability for Republican inaction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the Honorable Ronald S.W. Lew, who passed away on May 19, 2023, at the age of 81. Judge Lew's esteemed jurisprudence and relentless advocacy made him a widely respected judge and community leader.

Judge Ronald Lew was born in Los Angeles, California in 1941. He attended Loyola High School and went on to obtain his bachelor's degree in 1964 from Loyola Marymount University. He then enrolled in Southwestern Law School, but those studies were put on a temporary hold when he served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969. Upon returning home, Judge Lew completed his studies in 1971 and went on to serve as deputy city attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney's office in the Criminal and Civil Liability Divisions from 1972 to 1974. After practicing with the city attorney's office, Judge Lew practiced privately and, during that time, was appointed to commissioner of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension Board from 1976 to 1982.

As a widely respected jurist, Judge Lew was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1982, and two years later was appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Governor George Deukmejian. Then, in 1987, Judge Lew was honored with a nomination from President Ronald Reagan to serve as United States District Judge for the Central District of California, making history by becoming the first Chinese American person appointed to a federal bench position outside of the state of Hawaii. After serving for nearly two decades, Judge Lew took senior status in 2006 but remained a committed and prominent jurist.

Judge Lew was also a dedicated advocate in the Chinese American community. He was instrumental in the creation and success of the Chinatown Service Center, a renowned nonprofit organization located in Los Angeles that provides health care, social services, economic development, youth, and many more resources to tens of thousands of deserving clients each year. After working with the Center to provide counsel on youth criminal issues in 1974, he became a board member of the Center, spearheaded the organization's incorporation into a 501(c)(3), drafted its bylaws and even became its first President of the Board of Directors. When Judge Lew began his work with this organization, it only had two staff members and no budget for employees. Judge Lew took action, organizing fundraisers and spreading the word which enabled the Center to obtain the staff and finances it needed to continue its essential services. But his work was nowhere near done. Judge Lew continued his incredible service to the Chinatown Service Center by securing crucial city funding and establishing a close partnership with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, which later helped the Center receive its first city workforce grant. Since its founding, the Chinatown Service Center has had an immeasurable impact in providing essential services to the surrounding community, thanks in large part to the tireless work of Judge Lew.

Outside of his remarkable work with the Chinatown Service Center, Judge Lew helped found the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association in 1975, the first Asian Pacific American bar association nationwide which offers support and resources to law students, lawyers, and jurists in the Chinese American and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders communities. For his incredible work in law and in the Chinese American community, Judge Lew was named one of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California's Chinese American Pioneers in Law and also received the Los Angeles Chinese American Museum's Historymakers Award.

Judge Lew was a trailblazer whose accomplishments strengthened the Chinese American community and uplifted all Angelenos. He was always considered a mentor and trusted advisor to those who knew him. His impact is indelible and will never be forgotten. Judge Lew was also a loving husband, father, grandfather, and inspiration to us all. I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the life of this extraordinary individual.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and commemorate the 100th anniversary of Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California. This historically Black Church has played a vital role in the community and has been a beacon of faith, perseverance, and resilience for a century.

The founding of Saint Barnabas Pasadena is rooted in the ``Great Migration'' of African Americans from the South in the early twentieth century. These individuals sought better lives and opportunities in California, but were confronted with racial segregation and discrimination.

Existing Jim Crow laws prevented African Americans from worshiping where they wished, including at All Saints Church in Pasadena. Undeterred by this adversity, a group of determined individuals met on June 16, 1909, at the home of Mrs. Georgia Weatherton on South Fair Oaks Avenue to organize a Black Episcopal mission. This mission, known as Saint Barnabas Guild, quickly gained support, and the members sustained their ministry through food sales.

By 1911, services were being held in the Grand Army Hall on Colorado Street, and the seeds of Saint Barnabas Church were sown. Finally, in 1923, eight remarkable women, including Ellensteen Bevans, Rosebud Mims, and Georgia Weatherton, officially founded Saint Barnabas Church. The church had come a long way from its first services, which were held in Georgia Weatherston's home on Del Mar Street, with as many as 29 members in attendance on Sunday mornings. Over the course of the following decade, the church grew steadily and in 1932, the Saint Barnabas Congregation was admitted into the Episcopalian Archdioceses, signifying its growing significance and influence.

The Saint Barnabas Church helped strengthen and shape the character of the City of Pasadena with many of its church leadership playing important roles in the community, such as Reverend Jesse D. Moses, II, who served as the first Black principal of the Pasadena Unified School District. Today the church has become an essential pillar in the San Gabriel Valley, transcending racial boundaries and fostering unity. Its current congregation is a diverse community that is dedicated to serving others. The church supports local youth by sponsoring the Northwest Pasadena Little League and granting scholarships to Pasadena Unified School District graduates. It also uplifts vulnerable families by providing meals to the homeless, maintaining a community food pantry, and hosting Alcoholics Anonymous groups.

Over the last century the Saint Barnabas Church and its congregation have overcome racism and adversity to strengthen the Black community, build the City of Pasadena, and uplift all communities in the San Gabriel Valley. They are a remarkable institution and embody the best qualities of the 28th Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, I rise to urge my Republican colleagues to come back to work now to responsibly avoid a national default, just like they did three times under President Trump.

Instead, as the U.S. is on the brink of defaulting for the first time in history, House Republicans have recessed for the weekend, holding the global economy hostage and threatening a catastrophic recession if they don't get to impose cruel cuts on American workers, families, veterans, and seniors.

The mere threat of default will cost workers close to $20,000 out of their retirement savings. It would also send interest rates skyrocketing, cost small businesses $2,500 more per month for capital, and force Californians to pay almost $300 more per month on their mortgages.

Republicans already voted to spend the money. Now they are trying to walk out on the bill and leave the most vulnerable Americans out to dry. That is inexcusable.