Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, when the pandemic closed schools and left millions of children without meals they needed, our government took action. Emergency waivers eliminated income caps and gave meal providers flexibility in delivering food.

Even now, with schools reopened, these waivers are getting healthy meals to children without burying families under mountains of paperwork, but these provisions are set to expire on June 30.

As 97 percent of meal providers like schools struggle to pay soaring food prices, these protections should be strengthened, not stopped.

This year, California became the first State to provide free meals to any student. Offering no-cost meals to everyone, regardless of income, helps resources reach the kids who need them most.

This will also help California's kids in schools perform better. Free meals contribute to better attendance, fewer nurse visits, and higher test scores. California's universal meal program will benefit schools and families. The Nation should follow our example.

Taking Action on Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, the greater our delay in taking action on climate change, the higher the price tag will be for families and our economy.

Last week, Californians suffered through an intense heat wave. Temperatures went over 100 degrees in parts of our State. That is bad for public health and bad for our economy.

A study by the Atlantic Council estimates that the total economic loss from excessive heat is at least $100 billion annually. They also estimate that this loss could double by 2030 and quintuple by 2050 if we don't take climate action.

Simply put, the fiscally responsible thing to do is for Congress to act quickly to prevent further losses. Taking climate action will lower and stabilize costs for families.

High temperatures aren't just bad for human health. They are bad for our economy. Heat waves push prices for electricity higher, costing us billions. We should not leave families in California and across the country to figure out their budgets while Washington figures out climate change.

The need for climate change is urgent, not just for our planet, but also for our pocketbooks.

PTSD Awareness Month

Mr. Speaker, our Nation is failing people with post- traumatic stress disorder. During June, PTSD Awareness Month, we must commit to doing better.

Mental health affects many across our Nation, but I rise today to shine light on the brave young people dealing with PTSD.

Too many Americans, including many with PTSD, go without the mental healthcare they need because their insurance won't cover it. I wrote a bill, which is now Federal law, to crack down on insurance companies that break the rules and refuse to cover mental health the same way they cover physical health. I am proud the House is considering additional proposals I have worked on to strengthen the enforcement of protections for mental health coverage.

When a child experiences a traumatic event, like emotional or sexual abuse, it harms their emotional, social, and cognitive development. These adverse childhood experiences are linked to substance use disorder, chronic health issues, and PTSD.

We cannot let trauma or related challenges hold students back from getting high quality educations. The effect of these experiences doesn't end when children leave their homes for college. They bleed into their daily lives, including in the classroom.

I am proud to introduce legislation, the Student Mental Health Rights Act, which would direct the Department of Education to study mental health, issue guidance to help schools level the playing field, and support students in overcoming their mental health challenges so they can complete their schooling. Our students need this help.

For Americans with PTSD of all ages, awareness is not enough. They need action.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation's populations of fish and wildlife are dwindling. To save threatened and endangered species, we need the bipartisan Recovering America's Wildlife Act which will boost science-based conservation efforts.

The United Nations has warned the world that human actions will continue to drive plant and animal species to extinction if we do not act. In my home State of California, native species have declined by 20 percent, and over 600 species risk extinction.

As a member of the House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, I have learned from scientists and advocacy groups that we need dedicated funding to recover and sustain healthy populations of threatened and endangered species.

Importantly, protecting these species is good for our economy. Wildlife-focused recreation generates $140 billion annually. The Recovering America's Wildlife Act will sustain biodiversity, create jobs, and protect our planet.

Madam Speaker, over 300,000 mail carriers serve our communities, delivering for us 7 days a week. Unfortunately, these dedicated public servants have increasingly become targets for criminals.

Criminals will steal a carrier's mailbox key and then use that stolen key to steal mail and packages. Between 2018 and 2021, robberies of mail carriers more than tripled, and robberies involving a gun quadrupled.

Until 2020, postal police officers patrolled our neighborhoods to protect letter carriers and deter mail theft, but in August 2020, right before the Presidential election, the Trump administration ordered the postal police to stop patrols and limited them to guarding post offices.

This policy needs to change immediately. Our mail carriers are at risk, and they deserve the protection of the law enforcement officers employed by the post office.

Madam Speaker, all government officials must be held accountable, especially those entrusted with the power to interpret our country's laws.

Repeated scandals and lax ethics requirements for Federal judges are eroding Americans' confidence in the impartiality of our courts.

When judges and Justices preside over cases that affect their individual stock portfolios or don't disclose their connections to special interests, they jeopardize the rule of law.

The American people should not have to question if cases are being decided fairly. We need stronger ethics rules to prevent these abuses of power from happening again.

I am backing legislation that will root out corruption, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency in all three branches of the Federal Government.

To restore public trust in our institutions, we must hold government officials to the highest ethical standards. No one is above the law.

Mr. Speaker, during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we recognize that diversity is more than a cultural exchange that enriches our Nation. It is a tool that we can use to save lives.

Despite being the fastest-growing minority group in our Nation, AAPI communities remain underrepresented in medical research. In 2019, NIH invested less than 1 percent of its budget to support clinical studies in AAPI communities. That is not enough.

In Orange County, our institutions recognize the need to reach all of our communities with medical research. UC Irvine recently received $750,000 in Federal resources to increase diversity in clinical research, and that money is going to help AAPI communities benefit from the university's groundbreaking Alzheimer's research.

A medical innovation is only a miracle when it reaches patients in need. The Nation should follow Orange County's lead and work to provide the benefits of publicly funded research to all communities.

Madam Speaker, trying to cancel a subscription can take you in as many circles as looking for summertime parking at Newport Beach. I have experienced it myself.

For too long, dishonest companies have gotten away with trapping Americans into subscriptions by intentionally making it easy to start and nearly impossible to stop. As a longtime consumer advocate, I am pleased that the Federal Trade Commission is now holding corporations accountable for this abusive practice.

The FTC has made it clear that businesses should make it as straightforward for customers to unsubscribe

as it was to sign up. If they don't and they lock consumers in with abusive practices, they will face penalties. Policing unfair and deceptive business practices makes our capitalist economy stronger, safer, and more competitive. That is the FTC's job, and I am glad they are a cop on the consumer protection beat.

I am committed to saving Orange County families time and money. If a company won't let you cancel a subscription, you can report this fraud on the FTC's website or contact my office for help.

Secure David Lin's Release

Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of David Lin who, has been imprisoned in China since 2006 on charges of contract fraud.

Although the Chinese Government has reduced David's sentence, the fact remains that David has been separated from his family for nearly 16 years and may die in prison. He has already missed his children's graduations, his daughter's wedding, and the birth of his grandchild.

At age 67, his health is declining, and he may never have the opportunity to hold his grandchildren or see his family again. Recently, his daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. This is urgent.

Americans wrongfully detained overseas should be allowed to come home to their loved ones, and I urge President Biden to continue doing everything in his power to secure David's release.

Southwest Carpenters Visit

Madam Speaker, Orange County infrastructure is getting an upgrade because of Federal funds.

Last week, I had the opportunity to wear an orange safety vest and a hard hat and join the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters Local 714 at one of their job sites. I saw firsthand how they are working to improve our freeways and keep families safe. Their commitment to quality work was an inspiration.

This project will improve 16 miles of the 405 in Orange County. It will revamp road conditions and upgrade bridges with safer sidewalks and bike lanes. It was paid for, in part, through Federal funds.

I was proud to support the bipartisan infrastructure law, which makes additional investments to create millions of jobs and strengthen our economy. This law will make necessary infrastructure projects possible, and I will continue supporting Federal legislation that brings resources back home to Orange County.

Mr. Speaker, Orange County families are feeling the squeeze of higher gas prices. As a single working mom, I share their concern when I fill up my minivan. We can provide relief by holding oil companies accountable.

These corporations are making record profits, the highest they have been in over 7 years, even as Americans are struggling. And as the price of crude oil falls, oil and gas companies have refused to pass on savings to customers. Especially as Big Oil engages in profiteering, they should not get our taxpayer dollars to line their pockets. Each year, the industry receives roughly $650 billion in direct and indirect subsidies, financed by taxpayers.

This week, I am leading an effort to bring legislation to the House floor that ends these giveaways to a profitable industry and instead puts these dollars toward helping families make ends meet.

Last week, I introduced the End Oil and Gas Tax Subsidies Act, which would eliminate nearly a dozen longstanding egregious tax breaks to the oil and gas industry. Healthy capitalism requires a level-playing field. For far too long, Big Oil has manipulated the market in its favor by lobbying Congress for sweetheart deals. Then, they raise prices while simultaneously rewarding their executives with huge bonuses.

Their record profits are proof that they can do without market- distorting government subsidies.

Eliminating these tax breaks would provide approximately $60 billion in help to families feeling the squeeze. If my colleagues have the political courage to stand up to Big Oil, we can quickly relieve the pain that Americans feel at the pump. I am ready.

Cracking Down on Porch Pirates

Mr. Speaker, porch pirates steal packages and make our communities less safe. Over 1 in 3 Americans, myself included, have been a victim of this theft, which costs us billions of dollars each year.

I joined Democrats and Republicans to introduce the Porch Pirates Act, which will crack down on this crime. This bipartisan bill expands Federal protections for mail and parcels to cover deliveries from private carriers.

Porch pirates are committing crimes of opportunity, and online shopping--especially during the pandemic--has dramatically increased these opportunities. I recently met with the Irvine police chief who described to me how sophisticated these bad actors have become.

Our Porch Pirates Act modernizes Federal law and helps keep families safe.

Social Security is a Promise

Mr. Speaker, Social Security is a promise. It is a promise that we make to older adults and disabled Americans, people who count on our support.

One of Social Security's most important features--one not found in traditional pensions--is that benefits automatically adjust for inflation each year. The current level of adjustment isn't working. As corporate profiteers drive inflation to new highs, people on Social Security are not even treading water, they are sinking.

Democrats have a solution. The Social Security 2100 Act fixes the inflation adjustment. It would put more money in the pocket of older Americans and people with disabilities so they can afford higher healthcare costs and other expenses.

It would also eliminate waiting periods for people with disabilities, reducing disabled poverty. More than 200 Members of Congress support this bill, and I am proud to be among them. By passing the Social Security 2100 Act, we honor our promise to older Americans and disabled Americans.

Madam Speaker, inflation is a challenge for families. I feel it myself as a single mom raising three kids. Historically, the standard approaches to reduce inflation are to raise interest rates and to lower wages. Some people are calling for these same misguided approaches today. This is wrongheaded. Families need lower costs, not less money in their pockets.

We can bring prices down by increasing supply, for example, by expanding energy capacity with more green energy. The America COMPETES Act, which I supported, will strengthen our supply chains and increase our domestic manufacturing of technology.

We can also bring prices down by cracking down on corporate abuse. We can reduce healthcare costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, lower grocery costs by increasing competition in the meatpacking industry, and stop Big Oil from price gouging.

These policies will lower costs without lowering wages. We can strengthen our capitalist economy and rein in inflation. Families need us to address inflation. They need lower costs, not lower wages.

Budget Cuts Limit IRS

Madam Speaker, the IRS backlog is over 7 million tax returns. That is unacceptable. On the Oversight and Reform Committee, I am holding the IRS accountable to eliminate this backlog quickly.

Families need their tax refunds to pay rent and buy food. Small business owners need their refunds to keep their doors open. It is their money, and the government should promptly return it.

My office has helped Orange County residents cut through red tape and get answers from the IRS. We have helped nearly 500 taxpayers collectively recover over half a million dollars. I am proud of these wins, but the solution here cannot be individual intervention. Years of budget cuts have limited the IRS' ability to operate effectively and efficiently.

IRS employees are working hard. I thank them. But the IRS needs resources, and the taxpayers need assistance. Every Congress Member should vote to fully fund the IRS. As a taxpayer advocate, I will keep pushing to save taxpayers time and money.

Clean Energy Solutions

Madam Speaker, Orange County is leading the way on clean energy solutions. Businesses in our community are spearheading innovative technologies to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. These businesses represent the best of our capitalist economy. They create jobs and lead in innovation. I am proud to represent a district that ranks among the top five in the most clean energy jobs in the country.

However, as Earth Day approaches, we must also recognize that these cutting-edge businesses face an uneven playing field. Big Oil and gas companies have unfair tax breaks and other advantages that inhibit competition that we need for healthy capitalism. Long term, this will make it harder for our economy to stand up against our global competitors.

The hard work of Orange County businesses that they are putting in to develop new and efficient methods of producing clean energy represents the best of our capitalist economy. To remain competitive, we have to lift up new and innovative technologies.

Congratulating Neal Kelley on His Retirement

Madam Speaker, free and fair elections are the bedrock of our democracy. Regardless of their ideology, their identity, or where they live, all eligible voters should be able to cast their ballots freely and safely.

In Orange County, the registrar of voters facilitates elections for more than 1.8 million registered voters. As chief election official in Orange County, Neal Kelley safeguarded equal access to the ballot box and protected the integrity of our elections. He innovated to improve efficiency and reliability of voting, adopting technology that increased transparency and voter turnout.

He retired on March 10 after 17 years of remarkable service. Neal Kelley is a model public servant we can all learn from. On behalf of Orange County voters, I congratulate Mr. Kelley on his retirement and thank him for his service to our democracy.

Madam Speaker, corruption abroad makes our country less safe.

President Biden has said that the fight against corruption is a core national security interest for the United States. In the last month, we have sanctioned hundreds of Russian oligarchs and political figures over the war in Ukraine. These sanctions show the importance of alliances, the strength of diplomatic values, and the power of the economic tools at our disposal.

But it should not take a war to crack down on people who become wealthy through bribery and theft. We should not need to go person-by- person, business-by-business, country-by-country to strike down corruption.

We need legislation that will identify kelptocrats and proactively limit their ability to wield influence and exploit power to enrich themselves, at the expense of the people and land they govern.

Mr. Speaker, our frontline healthcare workers face a mental health crisis. One in five healthcare providers experienced mental health problems during the pandemic. This should concern every American.

On March 30, National Doctors' Day, we recognize that to protect our public health, we must protect the well-being of our health workers.

When doctors and nurses struggle with their mental health, they struggle to care for us. Nearly half of healthcare workers, 47 percent, are considering leaving their roles in the next 3 years. We need their talent, dedication, and expertise.

Congress recently passed a law that will connect doctors and nurses with mental health resources, but we can and must do more.

Healthcare workers helped keep us safe during the pandemic. We have a responsibility to get them the healthcare that they need.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an amazing Californian, Mr. Shelton Johnson. I commend his contributions to the National Park Service and his dedication to telling the stories of our history that often go untold.

Mr. Johnson has worked as a park ranger for over 35 years. In that time, he has enthusiastically recounted the special contributions of Black Americans to preserving Yosemite's wilderness. The all-Black 9th and 10th Calvary Regiments, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were among the first park rangers, even before the founding of the National Park system.

I am inspired by Mr. Johnson's creativity and commitment to sharing our diverse history. Mr. Johnson was recently awarded the American Park Experience Award for his lifelong efforts in helping more families and youth feel welcome as they see their stories told.

As a fellow teacher and mom to three enthusiastic, park-loving kids, I am honored to recognize him today.

Competition in Capitalism

Mr. Speaker, a strong capitalist economy requires competition. Weak antitrust enforcement has atrophied the bones of our economy. When our economy lacks competition, we see prices go up, wages drop, and innovation stall.

Last year, my office released a report detailing how Big Pharma's market consolidation creates real harms for families. Too many Americans can't afford lifesaving prescription drugs because Big Pharma buys out its competitors so that it can continue its corporate abuse.

We have also seen how Big Tech's market consolidation reduces consumer choice, stifles competition, and harms small businesses.

Competition is central to healthy capitalism. Reining in corporate greed, holding big businesses accountable, and cracking down on monopolies will strengthen our economy.

Congress must tackle market consolidation to create a level playing field for all businesses and to strengthen our capitalist economy.

Madam Speaker, kids and teens are facing a mental health crisis.

In Orange County, the hospitalization rate for children's mental illness and substance use disorder increased 88 percent between 2010 and 2019. Just last year, our children's hospital saw a 40 percent increase in mental health admissions in its emergency department.

On March 2, National Teen Mental Health Day, we recognize that caring for mental health is a part of raising and educating our kids. Communities should support children's well-being before mental health issues become crises.

In Orange County schools, like the ones my kids attend, that work has already begun. Using funds from the American Rescue Plan, the Irvine Unified School District has hired qualified mental health specialists. These professionals are dedicated resources for mental health recovery, and they allow counselors to focus on academic issues and peer relationships and teachers to focus on education.

Together with the Children's Hospital of Orange County, schools are building safe, comfortable places for students to heal. These retreats, called WellSpaces, are supported by mental health professionals and help students with the pressures of being kids.

WellSpaces are an innovative way to ease the transition to in-person learning after pandemic school closures and to teach mental wellness skills. Just like with physical health, even the best prevention tactics do not eliminate emergencies or stop chronic illnesses.

For kids that need more care, CHOC offers world-class treatment. CHOC's intensive outpatient program keeps children living at home with their loved ones and allows them to remain in school. This healthcare delivery keeps kids connected to their families and their teachers. CHOC built a pediatric inpatient center to give younger kids the acute care that will help them have healthier teen years.

Mental healthcare providers are moving mountains to care for our kids. Thanks to the work of dedicated professionals and health centers like CHOC, raising a family in Orange County means our kids will have the resources to stay healthy, mentally and physically. But these resources mean little if families cannot afford them or if insurers refuse to cover them.

That is why I am making sure that big insurers follow the law and cover mental healthcare. I am proud that my bill, the Mental Health Parity Compliance Act, was signed into law in 2020. This legislation provides tools to enforce the requirement that insurance companies cover mental healthcare the same way they cover physical health.

Children need lawmakers to prioritize their well-being, including mental healthcare. This means supporting high-quality, innovative programs; increasing connections between families, schools, and healthcare providers; and closing loopholes used by insurance companies to deny families affordable mental healthcare. The youth mental health crisis will not improve without investment in care.

As an Orange County mom, I am proud that my community is leading the way in responding to the youth mental health crisis. Our younger generations are counting on us to help them toward health and wellness, and I am committed to working across the aisle to get that done.

2022 SOTU Virtual Guest Nazy Shabazian

Madam Speaker, when my 1-year-old daughter, Betsy, went to daycare, I was worried. My family was in upheaval with a divorce, and Betsy was new to childcare. But when the door opened, Betsy was scooped up in a hug.

Irvine resident Nazy Shabazian provided Betsy with years of fun but firm guidance--painting, racing cars, dancing, and even snacking on Persian cucumbers.

A single parent herself, Nazy inspired me by successfully running her small business and raising two terrific daughters. During the pandemic, she adjusted to new health protocols, employee changes, and different parent schedules. Today, her business, Melody Child Care, is thriving-- and so are the children in her care.

Nazy is an exemplar of the compassion and resilience that childcare providers and small businesses showed during the pandemic. I am proud to honor her as my 2022 State of the Union guest.

Mr. Speaker, reports to Congress are not just for us. They are a tool for Americans to hold our government accountable.

I joined Republicans and Democrats to pass the Global Respect Act to require the White House and State Department to name foreign individuals who violate the human rights of LGBTQ people. People put on this list would be ineligible for visas to enter into the United States.

This report of human rights violations should not fit on some desk in Washington, D.C. gathering dust. My amendment to the Global Respect Act gives every American the opportunity to read the report on protecting LGBTQ rights abroad.

The public, our partners, and our allies need to see that the U.S. Government is holding human rights abusers accountable. My amendment will require a published report and will improve transparency and accountability.

Madam Speaker, I introduced the Stop Foreign Interference in Ballot Measures Act to ban foreign contributions to State and local ballot initiatives and referenda. I am proud that my bill is part of the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

Foreign interference in our politics ranges from social media disinformation paid for by our adversaries to dictators bankrolling lobbying on Capitol Hill. Current law permits billions of dollars of foreign influence in ballot initiatives. Last year, over $750 million was spent in California alone.

We prohibit foreign contributions to candidates because it protects our national security. That same rationale should apply to foreign contributions to ballot initiatives and referenda. That is why we must pass my bill.

Money and politics distort the will of the American people. It advantages special interests and limits the power of regular Americans. When that money is supplied by foreign countries and adversaries, it puts our democracy and our national security at risk.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on the Motion to Table the Republican Motion to Reconsider, H.R. 6119--Further Extending Government Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

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