Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize California State Senator Jean L. Fuller, who retires this year from the California State Senate following an exemplary career of public service. Over her career, Jean served two terms in the State Senate and two terms in the State Assembly representing pot1ions of Kern, Tulare, Inyo, and San Bernardino counties.

Born and raised in Shafter, California, Jean began her long career of public service as an educator, teaching elementary school in Lemoore, California. Later, Jean moved to Los Angeles County where she served in a variety of roles in the Keppel Union School District, culminating in her service as the District Superintendent from 1990 to 1999. Over her career in education, Jean gained firsthand knowledge of the issues impacting students and their teachers, building a passion that pushed her to dedicate her life to public service. From 1999 to 2006, Jean returned home to Kern County to serve as Superintendent of the Bakersfield City School District (BCSD), the largest elementary school district in the State of California. During her time with BCSD, Jean managed the district's 3,500 staff members to foster a safe and constructive learning environment for the 28,000 students the district served.

In 2006, Jean brought her years of knowledge and experience in education to Sacramento, representing the 32nd State Assembly District for four years. By 2010, Jean was successfully elected to represent the 18th and later 16th Senate Districts, where she became known as a consensus-builder among her colleagues. Jean was elected by her colleagues to serve as the Republican Leader of the California State Senate in 2015, becoming the first woman to hold this important top leadership post. During her tenure in the State Legislature, Jean achieved significant legislative success despite Republican minorities in both legislative chambers. Among her achievements, Jean secured tens of millions of dollars in funding to benefit public schools near military bases when her bill, SB 111, was signed into law with broad bipat1isan supply. Additionally, Jean advanced significant legislation to fight Valley Fever, a rare but potentially life-threatening disease that is endemic to our community. Through her efforts, Jean secured $3 million for Valley Fever research for use at the Valley Fever Institute at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield. Jean's success in the fight against this disease is a significant step forward in finding a cure for an ailment that impacts so many in California's Central Valley.

Anyone wishing to serve the public would do well in emulating Jean's tireless work ethic, can-do attitude, and sagacious command of the issues impacting our communities and our state. Jean is unquestionably one of California's most beloved legislators and has paved a career exemplifying the best of public service. Her commitment to fight for her principles with civility, and her constant search for consensus and solutions among her Senate colleagues reflects the deep and enduring respect and admiration she has across the political spectrum. But perhaps one of the most honorable traits of a public servant is one that Jean is universally known for: keeping her word. From hard-fought policy battles on the Senate Floor to her annual travel commitment to her friends with the Camp Fire Girls of America, Jean could always be counted on, and her presence will be sorely missed in and around our community and in the California State Legislature. Jean's transition to a private life is a loss to our community, though I know she will spend her well-deserved retirement to focus on the things she loves most: her family and friends, and traveling and flying with her beloved husband, Russell. As Jean begins this new chapter of her life, on behalf of a most grateful community, state, and nation, I would like to express my profound appreciation to her and to wish her and her family all the best

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lisa Green on her retirement after a long, accomplished legal career and her eight years of service as the District Attorney of Kern County in California, which I represent.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Lisa moved west to attend Fresno State University. Upon graduating in 1980, Lisa attended San Diego Law School, where she quickly made a name for herself at the San Diego Law Review and for her membership on the law school's Moot Court. Lisa graduated law school in 1983 and notably received the Order of Barristers award for her exceptional skills in trial advocacy, oral advocacy, and brief writing. She then deepened her roots in the Golden State, moving to Bakersfield to work for the Kern County District Attorney's office and immersing herself in a community she has since called home.

As Deputy District Attorney, Lisa quickly gained a reputation as a talented prosecutor. In 2001, Lisa was promoted to Supervising District Attorney, and she was again promoted to Chief Deputy District Attorney in 2009. In 2010, Lisa ran and won a historic election for District Attorney of Kern County, becoming the first woman in Kern County history to hold the position as the county's chief prosecutor.

Over her 35 years of practicing law, Lisa has blazed a career to be proud of. As a trial lawyer, Lisa fought to put some of the worst members of society behind bars. Throughout her career, Lisa prosecuted over 110 felony trials, most of them being for homicides and sexual assaults. Despite the inherent difficulty of these trials, Lisa handled each of her cases through strategic preparedness, composure

and poise. During her tenure as a county prosecutor, Lisa prosecuted a number of high-profile cases which she handled with great determination and innovation. Notably, she successfully prosecuted a gruesome murder case by using the species of insect found on the suspect's car windshield to pin the suspect to the scene of the crime. Lisa's tenacity for justice proved time and time again that she was among the best in her field.

Lisa Green leaves her post at as Kern District Attorney having made her community a better, safer place. I will remember Lisa for her dedication to her department and her unflagging loyalty to local victims of crime. During a multi-year county budget crisis, Lisa guided her department with professionalism and skill, upholding the court's obligation to speedy trials without delay. She is a fixture at the annual Crime Victims' Rights March, and was renowned for the transparency and accessibility of her office. Lisa's retirement will be felt immediately in the Kern County legal community, though I am confident that the impact of her career of excellence will be felt for years to come. I wish her and her family all the best as she begins this next chapter of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Judge Gary T. Friedman. Judge Friedman retired this year following 35 years of judicial excellence on the Kern County Superior Court.

Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, Judge Friedman's future in law was foreshadowed by his keen interest in watching his father, an oilman, negotiate with attorneys for the family business. He found the idea of helping people to resolve disputes compelling, and committed himself to his studies at Garces Memorial High School and later Bakersfield College while concurrently working for both his father's oil company as well as shepherding on his family's farm. Upon completing his studies at Bakersfield College, Judge Friedman furthered his education at the University of California, Santa Barbara and later earned his law degree at the University of California, Berkeley. After passing the bar exam, he served as a deputy district attorney, worked in various civil law firms, and became the first federal magistrate judge in Kern County before serving on the Superior Court.

Over his career, Judge Friedman heard a number of cases, many of which stretched on for months. In fact, he bears the unique distinction of presiding over the longest gang trial in Kern County history. Other cases he heard encompassed the worst of humanity--criminal cases that inflicted incredible and lasting trauma to victims and their families. Yet through each trial he presided over, Judge Friedman made everyone in his courtroom feel comfortable in even the tensest of moments, using genuine kindness and a gentle sense of self-deprecating humor to keep litigants and witnesses at ease. Judge Friedman treated each person who entered his courtroom with all the dignity and respect owed to them in the court of law and was as tenacious as he was ethical in his dogged pursuit of the equal administration of law and justice. These qualities are all the hallmarks of a great judge, and perhaps even moreso, all the hallmarks of a great person.

There are not many judges like Judge Gary Friedman, and while it is the County's loss to see him leave his post on the Superior Court, it comforts me to know that he plans to transition to practicing civil law and will remain a fixture in the Kern County legal community. I have had the privilege of getting to know Gary and his wife, Gloria, over the years as members of Bakersfield Downtown Rotary, and I am looking forward to many more spirited conversations about his days, as he puts it, ``toiling in the vineyards of justice'' for years to come. As he embarks on this new adventure, I wish Judge Friedman all the best and thank him for his immense work in service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to begin by thanking my friend. Today could be our last scheduled colloquy together.

Over the years, we have had many spirited debates on this floor. We have celebrated moments of cooperation, from tackling the opioid epidemic to fighting human trafficking to leveling tough sanctions on American adversaries. As my friend knows, most of what we do in this Chamber is bipartisan.

A study by Quorum found that the 115th Congress enacted the highest percentage of bipartisan bills of any Congress in the last 20 years. That success could not have happened without a lot of working across the aisle to find common ground.

Now, beyond legislation, I look forward to continuing to work with my friend on our shared passion for a more efficient, effective, and accountable government through events like Congressional Hackathon.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding, and I thank him for those kind words.

There are other things we also did on this floor. We have also mourned during times of grief, including our colloquy just 1 day after the shooting at the GOP baseball practice.

Those moments of shared humanity reflect the very best that this House has to offer. And, yes, we have had our share of debates--debates over policy, over politics, and how to make the country better. But I have always known my friend to be a man of integrity and a fair and honest broker.

And although his questions were rarely confined to the schedule for the week to come, I have actually grown to enjoy these colloquies. Because no matter the subject, these colloquies represent some of the last true debate that occurs in this Chamber. So while the transcripts of what we say one day will fade, I wish my friend well as he carries forward this rich legacy of debate on the basis of mutual respect in the people's House, and I know he will.

Mr. Speaker, my friend knows I love metrics, so here are a few final stats. On average, our weekly colloquy this year has lasted 42\1/2\ minutes. I apologize to the House recordkeepers and to the Members trying to give 1-minute speeches like they are today. The shortest was 8 minutes, and the longest lasted more than an hour.

Mr. Speaker, today will likely be on the shorter end, because our schedule for next week remains fluid and subject to change. Conversations are currently ongoing between the House, Senate, and the White House. In the meantime, Members should be on standby and prepared to return to Washington for votes next week. We will provide advance notice ahead of any expected votes.

As of today, I would estimate first votes for the week to occur at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday. I would encourage all Members to make the necessary arrangements to be here as we complete our work for the 115th Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. That is completely accurate. So we will have votes 6:30 Wednesday night, and we will finish our work to make sure our government continues to move forward.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for the question. I also thank my friend for coming back to where he originally was years ago. Earlier in this Congress, it was not his belief that shutting the government down was bad, and I am thankful that he learned that lesson, because I didn't think it was helpful when he shut the government down over immigration last time. Nobody did. America didn't, and we had to put it back to work.

Now, my friend is correct that we have enacted 75 percent of the discretionary budget into law already. I think all Members should take pride in that, even if one side voted ``no'' the majority of times. That is because that is better than any Congress has been able to do in nearly 25 years. So, obviously, 25 percent remains.

My friend is correct, there are 12 days left. We did not want to be here with 12 days left. Unfortunately, we had the passing of President Bush.

Now, President Bush--there is a legacy to lead. He found a way to find compromise. My friend on the other side says there is six of the seven we agree with, but I can't compromise on the seventh. He says that the American public wants to make sure it stays open. Yeah, we do, too. The American public also wants to make sure we are safe.

So I think, in the spirit of the season, of the time, we should come to an agreement, knowing that neither side will get everything that they want. One side wants nothing to happen. The other side wants a certain number. I think we can find common ground. I think we could get it all done next week, and it is really my intention and belief that we will have that vote on this floor, that we can find common ground, keep the government open--I am very thankful that he believes in that again, as we do, and that we finish the job the American public asks for. And when we finish that job, America is stronger, safer, and on a footing to make sure we continue to lead for the 21st century.

Not into law.

One by one?

I like your calendar.

You said Wednesday.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. I appreciate my friend's comment. I appreciate that he told us that people on his side of the aisle want to have border security.

Then why don't we do the job? Why would we finish a year to settle for mediocrity?

My friend also said that he had passed all the appropriations bills, but they never were enacted into law. The most ever done in the last 25 years is what we did this Congress, because of the Senate and the 60 votes. That is why you had Leader Schumer over there at the same time, because Democrats control whether we keep this government open or shut down. They have shown that power before, just as they have done earlier in this Congress.

Now, my friend knows that he wants this country protected. I agree with him 100 percent. I do not challenge his belief on the protection of this country.

I hope my friend also knows that, on that border, they catch, on average, 10 known terrorists a day.

Homeland security is not like any other appropriations. It is not one we just set aside because we disagree with it. This country has known the damage of setting something aside and not paying attention to the warning signs. I think we are better than that.

Yeah, it might be uncomfortable. We might have to work a little harder. We are going to stay here a little later than we all planned to be, but there were other circumstances that caused that.

I think let's do all seven. Let's get them all done. Let's end on a high note. And it will probably make your job a little easier in the next Congress as well. You won't have to worry about it.

But, in doing so, I think we are both going to have to do something. We are both going to have to look the American public in the eye, and we both made our arguments of what we wanted. But we are going to have to accept that you and I are not going to get 100 percent of what we want.

I will make this pledge to you right now: I am willing to find some common ground. What that means is, the common ground is, we don't leave until we get this done.

Now, your vote has been funding the wall. You voted for that before. I don't know if you have changed your position on that now. But what we are asking for is border security. That means more than just that.

I think there is a window, and I think the American public expects it to get done. I would hate to leave and go home and say, oh, I finished the majority of everything, but that homeland security, that one that keeps our constituents safe, that one that looks around for whatever can happen to us in any part of this country, in so many places, we just did what we did last year.

You know that harms the agency. You know that holds them back. And I can't look at somebody's face that maybe loses a loved one because something happens in the future because I wanted to leave, because I couldn't find compromise.

Mr. Speaker, I will make that promise. I will find common ground, and I will take as long as it does inside any room to make that happen, that we do not leave this Congress without funding all and making sure homeland is not living under the same rules that they had before. When they know it is a changing society, it is also a changing place for those who want to do us harm.

What a CR does is locks them in these continuing resolutions that they can't do something new, when they have found that new technology to protect us throughout the homeland.

So I want to find common ground. I want to protect America. I want to make us safer, and I want to make us stronger. And I make that commitment to you, sir, that we can get it done.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I respect my friend. I even follow my friend on Instagram. And today is Thursday, and I almost feel like he is throwing a Throwback Thursday up, because now he calls a shutdown stupid.

But in this Congress, that is not what he did. In this Congress, he actually whipped to have a shutdown. I did think it was stupid then, and I think going into a shutdown is stupid now. That is why I want to solve the problem.

Mr. Speaker, my friend says: Can we make the border better? Yes. He keeps talking about the wall. I just talk about security.

When he described what is happening along the border, it was interesting, the words he chose. He said there were ``some people'' down there. I am sure the rest of America has watched what has gone on down there, gone on down there before it even got into Mexico, where they broke down their wall and came across, where they stormed and they threw things at our Border Patrol.

I think the border could be more secure. I know my friend lives in Maryland, but to those of us who live in a border State, maybe we understand this a little differently.

Now, I am the first one who believes in legal immigration. This has nothing to do with it. This is about keeping the country safe. And if two sides cannot sit down to solve a fundamental problem, it is bad for the country.

There is a check and balance, as the gentleman well knows. There is a House; there is a Senate; and then there is an administration, a President, who either signs or vetoes a bill.

The gentleman started the conversation earlier very proud of the fact that he passed all 12 bills. We have done that before, too. The test is really the final end, does it get all the way there?

We are 75 percent there. Twenty-five percent should not stop us, and we should be able to get it done.

But in the gentleman's quest of talking about passing all 12 bills, they didn't become law. Why? Because of the Senate and the 60 votes there.

Mr. Speaker, no, I am not. I was here. The gentleman shut down the government.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman voted. He whipped.

Mr. Speaker, here, yes.

Mr. Speaker, yes.

Mr. Speaker, my plan to do that is I need 60 votes in the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I do not want the gentleman to get more Pinocchios, because that is not true. We have brought two major immigration reform bills to this floor, and not one person on the other side of the aisle voted for either.

My friend knows the hours that we have spent in our office discussing with everybody trying to come to an agreement, but we had two on this floor.

Mr. Speaker, no, we did not.

Mr. Speaker, because between those two bills, the gentleman held all of his Members to vote ``no,'' the same way he did with taxes, the same way he did with children's health, the same way he did on many other elements.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, he doesn't want to work with us. I guess the plan is to go back to what the motto of the gentleman had been earlier in this Congress.

The gentleman says it is hard to pass bills here. What is interesting, in that same Quorum study, more bills have passed this House and this Congress than any in modern history. So, yes, we pass bills. We even do it when the gentleman's side tries to hold back.

So when the children were worried about their health insurance and he held back, we did not. When we worried about growing the economy, when he held back, we did not. When he worried about trying to shut the government down, we kept moving forward.

When we wanted to solve the immigration problem, yes, we had two different bills; yes, it takes 218; and, yes, we had more than the 225 votes on either of those bills--you just had 218 on one. But there wasn't one on the other side, even though there were people on the other side of the aisle who would come to me and tell me they wanted to

vote for these bills but their own leadership twisted their arms and said they could not.

Now, yes, were there struggles at times and do we have different factions within the Conference? Yes, we do. But if I were the gentleman, I would watch my words, because I am going to look forward to seeing how well he does with the new faction coming in on his side.

Mr. Speaker, it will be quite interesting to watch.

I know my struggles. I hope the gentleman doesn't have the same struggles, but I will make this promise to the gentleman: When we agree, I will be there.

We do not have differences because we have parties; we have parties because we have differences.

The gentleman's challenge is he continues to bring up the wall. The question would be, then: Does border security work? Having a wall a part of that security, does it help?

Coming from a State that borders Mexico, we put a wall, which the gentleman had voted for, down in San Diego. You know what the results were? A 92 percent drop in illegals coming across. We built a wall in Tucson, down 90 percent; El Paso, 95 percent.

At one time, El Paso was one of the most dangerous cities in America. Now, today, it is one of the safest, and it has been able to live with that.

Yuma, down 95 percent.

So the question is: What is the plan? The plan and the hope, yes, we will take a bill up. But my hope was that, in the spirit of the season, it wouldn't be the gentleman's way or no way, that he would break from this tradition that Republicans have to pass everything on their own.

Look, I put a bill in that I fully fund the wall at $25 billion. I know I am not going to get that. Am I going to run away and say, then, I am going to vote for nothing? No, because that is not the way our government works.

You see, we have to have compromise because of the structure. And I don't want to have a plan where I am going to sit up here as majority leader and say, oh, I passed all the bills, but none of them became law.

I want to make law. I want to solve the problem.

Listen, this is not the time to continue to go through and argue. This is the time to solve the problems. Look, the campaign is over.

Mr. Speaker, do you know what the solution is? Sit down with us and come to a compromise, not that it is his way or no way.

Mr. Speaker, let me ask the gentleman a question.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman has already voted for funding of the wall. So my question is: Democrats had to vote for it with 60, the gentleman voted for it on here to fund the wall. Is the gentleman now saying he does not want to fund any of the wall going forward?

Mr. Speaker, no. I am not one who shuts the government down. We went through that.

Mr. Speaker, I thought that was the gentleman's quote from our Congress earlier.

So I don't hold people to what they go through. I realize all the time we had these colloquies before, all the time I studied the history in here, the gentleman always said a shutdown was bad. I quoted back to him numerous times where he had told me that all the way through these. But when the day came in this Congress, he changed his ways. He thought a shutdown was right. I am thankful that he changed. That quote could have been his quote just in this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I think we might be hitting our average for how long this colloquy goes.

Mr. Speaker, we should debate ideas; but if the idea is, ``What is your plan?'' it wasn't my plan that we had to do it alone. If we have to, we have proven we have done that before. He knows it will go on to the Senate.

But if my friend has changed his belief, I don't hold it against him. He might have changed his belief. Or maybe his belief always was that we should have no border security. I don't know.

My friend did acknowledge that there was a great number of people who were trying to get into our country and storming the gates. That is not all the bill. The bill is border security and homeland security.

If the idea is it has to just be a CR or they can't deal with it, do you know what my plan has been all along? It is to work with the gentleman. But I am not hearing that he is even willing to work with us, that I am saying I am willing to.

Compromise. He has already voted for part of border security to be a wall. He doesn't even want to sit down and discuss how much should that be, how much border security should we have.

Is 10 terrorists a day coming across the border okay with the gentleman? Because it is not with me.

Is 2,000 inadmissible people coming across? Is that okay with the gentleman? It is not with me. It takes away from those, like our own relatives, who come here legally.

I was at a naturalization just a few months ago. I sat there inside this service. I watched individuals with such pride raising their hand. And do you know what I told them? George Washington is now their founding father; Abraham Lincoln was their liberator; Martin Luther King spoke of their dreams; and the flag that sits on the Moon is their flag today. And I want them to be safe.

And I don't know what those terrorists have planned when they come across the border, or when those people storm the gates. But I do know we have a responsibility--that I can't get everything I want--a responsibility that we find security, and that we protect our own border security at the same time.

I think there is a window that we can do this. I don't want to do it alone. So my plan was to do it with the gentleman. If he is saying to me he can't, then I am going to have to change my plan, just as we had to do when it came to the children's health insurance. We were not going to let that lapse. Just as it happened when you were going to shut the government down over DACA; we weren't going to let that happen.

We believe the government should stay open. So that is my plan. Will you join with us? Will you make sure that we don't shut down? Will you make sure that we make America stronger and safer for the future?

I don't want to leave work for the gentleman to get done. He is excited about his majority. I want him to be successful. I may smile for the challenge that he is going to have with some people I see coming in, and I will be right over here to debate where we disagree; but when we agree, I will be right there with him, and I will find compromise in every part I can.

I think this is a window to show--even to all those new freshmen, even to those who are leaving and these could be some of their last votes--that we did the very best with the moments that we had for the future of this country.

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of the season, I have a little gift for the gentleman from Maryland. It comes from a little shop in my hometown, family-owned. They are excited about what we have been able to do this Congress. It is a little candy that might sweeten his spirit, and he might even be more likely to work with us to solve the problem.

Merry Christmas.

Mr. Speaker, I want to agree with my friend that all the success that he has is because of Parker. I say that kind of jokingly but seriously as well.

I am pleased to be here to take a moment to recognize Parker Poling, the chief of staff to my dear friend Patrick McHenry. Patrick is the deputy whip.

Many of you know, being a part of Congress, you have to make tough decisions; you have to get the votes to pass any bills; and you have to make things happen. Really, the staff that is around you says a lot about you.

I could think of no finer staff member in all this service than Parker. What I admire most about Parker: There were times when Patrick and Steve and I would be together, and we would come up with a really good idea. We thought it was brilliant. We would go back to our offices, and soon I would get a text or a call from Patrick, who would say: That is a dumb idea.

I would say: Why do you think it is a dumb idea?

Because Parker told me so.

But that was what Parker would do. She understood the Members. She understood the policy. But she understood, really, what we had to have happen.

History is going to be very kind to this Congress, what we have been able to achieve: the lowest unemployment in more than 50 years; being able to pass the tax bill when people on the other side, even though they had come to us personally and said they wanted to vote for it, but the leadership would not let them, so that meant it was resting on one side.

The person who put the work together, the majority of that, was Parker. Yes, she would explain the bill, but she was tough at the same time. There were many times she told me no, and I understood why.

But there is more to Parker than just all that knowledge in legal.

One of the reasons why I am not sad is because she is not going far. She has a new job, and I want her to be as successful in the new job as she was in this job.

But Parker is more than just a great mind. She is also a wife to Todd and a mother to Barrett and Eliza. I think they are with us today, are they not? We thank them for sharing their wife and mother with us. It has meant a great deal. From a very grateful Nation, we want to say thank you.

To Parker, we want to wish her well in her new work. We want her to be successful, because her success means our success. If I go on her past behavior, I am looking forward to a very bright future.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here tonight with my colleagues from California and recognize our friends who this Congress for some may be their last, others may be coming back.

I recognize Congressman Jeff Denham, Congressman Darrell Issa, Congressman Steve Knight, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Congressman Ed Royce, Congressman David Valadao, and Congresswoman Mimi Walters.

What makes this delegation unique is our bond with each other. In a State with 53 members, a class of 14 gets pretty tight pretty quick. But it isn't simply a matter of proximity that strengthens our ties. You see, it is our bond and belief in our Nation to be a more perfect union, to strive to continue to improve.

Being from California does not mean it is easy to get to Washington. But I will tell you every single week I would see the same faces getting on that plane going home because they understood who they represented. They understood who they had to listen to.

They also understood who they fought for. But they would get on that plane again and fly back the 8 or 9 hours to be the voice of those that they listen to. It is amazing--the accomplishments.

You know, for people who walk around this building, at times they will see these paintings of members of the past, and, I will admit, portraits last a long time, but a legacy of change lasts much longer. It is like compound interest or a snowball rolling down a hill. When I think about the legacy of change of my colleagues, it is tremendous.

When I think about from Transportation and Infrastructure to Veterans' Affairs, what a better way of life they have today because Jeff Denham served in this body.

I think of Oversight and Government Reform, the battles and the fearlessness of Darrell Issa.

When I think of the new programs for veterans getting service after hours, it wasn't because a bill passed. It was because a man fought, Steve Knight, because he was a veteran and the work that he has done that will continue to live.

Or the decades that Dana has served, from every aspect in Science, Space, and Technology to beyond, that his voice transferred and made a difference.

Ed Royce, when it comes to foreign policy and what has been accomplished in this Congress, his name was on the title of many of those bills, even when he allowed someone else to run it.

And when I look to California, and the statement out there is: ``Whiskey's for drinking. Water's for fightin'', it is one of the most difficult issues. This entire body got together strong to make a difference that hadn't been done in a quarter century. And the person really behind it was David Valadao. He is kind of that quiet leader that made a major difference, that he would continue to make things happen.

And it is a unique--but everybody serves a little different. My friend, Jeff Denham, has a voice as strong as his passion, that he can be heard without a mic because of what he wanted to fight for.

But when I look to someone who I consider like my sister, Mimi Walters, she was the one female in our group, but I think we would all admit, she was tougher than any one of us. To serve on Energy and Commerce, when you think of California, and the forefront of the world of the technology of what we have in our State, it continues to lead because of Mimi's voice.

But they all had something very unique, and we have been friends for a long time. They put this country first, and they were willing to sacrifice. Some of us know more of the sacrifice they made than others.

But I want to say: Thank you. I want to say: Thank you for your service. But I also want to say: Thank you for the fight. You were willing to go beyond. Yes, your family missed you some days, but you were doing it for a bigger cause. You were putting people before yourself.

I know history is going be kind. But history is going to be kind because the Nation is better off that you were willing to take that risk. And I want to thank you for your friendship

One thing about family, you might not be here every day, but we will always be together and friends. From a very sincere heart, thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Donald ``Don'' Wattenbarger. This October, Don celebrated hi s 50th year of service as a member of Oildale Mutual Water Company' s Board of Directors, marking a significant milestone in a lifelong career of distinguished service to his community.

Born in the City of Tulare in California's Central Valley, when he was five, Don's family moved to Bakersfield where he established roots that have lasted a lifetime. It was in Bakersfield where Don attended school, met and married his beloved wife, Connie, raised his four children, and made a name for himself in our local business community as a general contractor.

However, Don's most lasting impression on the Kern County community has been his longstanding role on the Oildale Mutual Water Company (OMWC) Board of Directors. First elected in 1968, Don applied his personal character and integrity, as well as the skills and talents accrued over his career as a general contractor, to revolutionize the way OMWC conducted business, starting with constructing a new building for the company. When he was first elected to the Board of Directors, OMWC struggled to pay its employees, who helped service the company's 5,000 customers. Today, OMWC employees receive lifetime company healthcare coverage and the company's customer base has more than doubled to 11,000 today. This is in no small part because of Don's leadership, and his constituency agrees: as an OMWC Board member, Don has successfully been re-elected every year for half of a century.

Don Wattenbarger is a shining example of exemplary public service, and it has been an inspiration to watch his leadership at OMWC over his many years of service. I recall a time when it was suggested that OMWC raise its rates to solve a $4.5 million short fall. Don refused to pass the buck on to his customers and resolved to work with his colleagues on the Board to solve the problem in a manner that was fair to the community. For me, this story best exemplifies the type of man Don is: responsible, ethical, and determined. It is my hope that the career Don has built these past 50 years on the board serves as an example for those seeking to serve their community, and Judy and I wish him all the best as he continues his work for many more years to come.

Mr. Speaker, December 1, 2018 marks Romania's Great Union Centennial. It was on this day 100 years ago that members of the Romanian National Assembly gathered together and unanimously voted to unify the territories that they represented.

That same year, as World War I raged on, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Hugh L. Scott, the first American high-official to visit Romania, addressed the Romanian Parliament. Gen. Scott assured the parliamentarians that the United States would fight with them and the other Allied partners until victory was secured.

Today, Romania stands as a country that has faithfully contributed to European peace and shared the burden of our collective transatlantic security. Romania also has contributed greatly to NATO's operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and to the Alliance's capacity to defend against ballistic missile threats.

We Americans are proud to recognize the contribution of many generations of Romanian-Americans to the history and the development of the United States, and to honor their rich cultural heritage as an intimate part of the very fabric of U.S. society.

Therefore, recognizing the outstanding strategic partnership between our two nations, I congratulate Romania and all Romanian-Americans on their celebration of the Great Union Centennial.

Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 175th anniversary of Tejon Ranch. For nearly two centuries, Tejon Ranch has been among California's most essential hubs for commerce.

Spread across over 270,000 acres of Central California's southern mountainous reaches, the land that would become Tejon Ranch has a rich history predating California's statehood. Tejon Ranch was initially established through several Mexican land grants, the first being Rancho el Tejon issued in 1843. Edward Beale, a hero of the Mexican-American War, purchased the Rancho el Tejon land grant in 1865, and he quickly followed this purchase by buying the neighboring Rancho Los Alamos, Agua Caliente, and Rancho de Castac. Together, these four parcels comprise Tejon Ranch as it is known today.

Under Beale's direction, Tejon Ranch developed into an integral economic component of a rapidly-growing Kern County, becoming the county's premiere cattle ranch operation by the time of Beale's death in 1893. In 1915, Tejon Ranch solidified its place in California history with the construction of the Ridge Route, a pivotal roadway that connected Northern and Southern California through the state's Central Valley for the first time. Though it has changed and expanded over the years, portions of the original route now form a key artery of Interstate 5 and is driven by millions each year.

Today, Tejon Ranch continues to play a key role in Kern County's economy and culture. While cattle ranching can still be found on Tejon Ranch, Tejon has expanded its business footprint to new industries, drawing companies from around the world to invest in California. Most recently, Foreign Trade Zone

#276, which includes Tejon Ranch, was re-established earlier this year, doubling the previous designation in square footage and improving the flow of commerce throughout California. Finally, land at Tejon Ranch has been used to honor our nation's veterans at the Bakersfield National Cemetery, which offers our heroes a dignified place of final rest amid the stunning vistas of the Tehachapi Mountains.

Tejon Ranch is also a keystone region for ecological conservation. Established on June 17, 2009, the Tejon Ranch Conservancy was the product of a collaborative effort between the Tejon Ranch Company and conservation groups to protect the one-of-a-kind natural beauty of the Tejon Ranch landscape. To meet these needs, an overwhelming majority of ranch property--an immense 240,000 acres--has been dedicated to conservation. This land is now used by visitors from around the world to explore the breathtaking natural gem of the Tehachapi Mountains and to view wildlife, such as the California Condor, in their natural environment.

Tejon Ranch is a one-of-a-kind place that has been critical to the success of Kern County. While Tejon Ranch has offered our community innumerable economic and recreational benefits, it has above all else illustrated what it means to be a good steward of the land. Tejon Ranch has left a defining mark on our county, our state, our nation, and indeed the world. There's no other place on earth like Tejon Ranch and this land and the values it represents remain a key component of Kern County's core essence. I am confident that it will continue to play this role for centuries to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague, Devin Nunes, to recognize Tulare County Supervisor Mike Ennis. This year, Mike is retiring from his position on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors following a career of 12 years of service to his community.

Born and raised in California, Mike has spent 60 years living in the City of Porterville. He attended Porterville High School, Porterville Junior College, and General Motors University of Automotive Management. Taking what he learned at school and college, Mike became an accomplished businessman and worked in the private sector, including for Faggart Buick and GMC.

Mike was elected to represent Tulare County's Fifth Supervisorial District in 2006, and has represented the communities of Springville, Terra Bella, Alpine, Ducor, Camp Nelson, California Hot Springs, Posey, Kennedy Meadows, Ponderosa, and Sequoia Crest. During his tenure on the Board of Supervisors, Mike has accrued a long list of accomplishments, including his work to secure funds for a new prison complex and new roads as part of the state's ``Safe Routes to Schools'' program in our community, as well as establishing the first mental health clinic, Porterville Wellness Center, in the area.

Mike has also been a tireless advocate for enlarging Success Reservoir by widening and raising the spillway. After nearly a decade of delay by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, we were proud to work with Mike in leading the community effort to get this critical project back on track. We recently secured full funding from the Army Corps to complete the Success Reservoir Enlargement Project, marking the beginning of the end of this long and storied project, which will bring additional water supplies and recreation opportunities to our community. Mike has also been an active member of the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), traveling to Washington to advocate for critical road, bridge, and infrastructure projects in our community, as well as for commonsense reforms to byzantine Federal transportation policies and programs to help get projects to construction expeditiously. Among his accomplishments with TCAG have been the critical rehabilitations of State Routes 190 and 65, which are key transportation arteries in Tulare County. He also worked with us to reform National Forest management policies to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires that can threaten the Giant Sequoias, important natural wonders that bring visitors from around the world to Tulare County.

Outside of his work on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, Mike is active in the local community, counting himself as a Charter Member of the Springville Siena Sunrise Rotary Club, the co-chair of the Porterville Fair Sales Committee, and a leader in the community' s local4-H program for 27 years, not to mention being a past member of the Porterville Noon Rotary.

We have enjoyed working with Mike over the years, and always appreciated his insight, counsel, and advice on the important issues facing Tulare County. As Mike retires, he can rest assured that he has left an indelibly positive mark in our community, and we have been honored to call him a friend. On behalf of a grateful community, we wish Mike, his wife Diane, and their family all the best as he begins this new chapter of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague, Devin Nunes, to recognize Tulare County Supervisor Steve Worthley. This year, Steve is retiring from his position on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, where he currently serves as chairman, following two decades of service to his community.

Born and raised in Tulare County, Steve graduated from Dinuba Union High School in 1971 as valedictorian, earned a degree in history from Occidental College, and got his law degree at the University of the Pacific. He started practicing law in 1978 and opened his own firm, where he still practices law, in 1981.

Steve was elected to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors in 1998, and represents the communities across the northern part of Tulare County, including Dinuba, Cutler Orosi, Woodlake, Ivanhoe, Goshen, and Visalia. These cities are part of a keystone region of California's Central Valley, an area famous for its rich legacy of leadership in our nation's agricultural industry.

Recognizing the importance that life-giving water plays in our community, Steve has been a tireless advocate for the Temperance Flat Reservoir project, which will improve water supplies and availability for local farmers and Central Valley and Tulare County communities. In fact, he serves as the President of the San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Board, which is dedicated to developing funding sources for the Temperance Flat Reservoir project. Steve also understands that the Sequoia National Forest and the Giant Sequoias are critical to the local economy, bringing tourists from all over the country and world to see these natural wonders. As a Tulare County Supervisor, he has helped lead the fight to ensure our National Forests are healthy and managed in a fashion that can reduce the threat of catastrophic fires, which can threaten the Giant Sequoias, release pollution into the air we breathe, and damage the Sequoia National Forest's critical watershed. Steve is also a former chairman and member of the Governing Board of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, where he has been a consistent voice for commonsense reforms to the myriad of Federal air pollution regulations, all the while continuing to clean up the air we breathe.

Outside of his official duties with Tulare County, Steve is locally known for his membership and leadership as a past president of the Dinuba Elementary School Board, as well as for his active role in Dinuba's Rotary Club and at his church, Dinuba Christian Church.

Steve retires leaving a lasting positive mark on our community, and we will forever be grateful for his advice, insights, and counsel over the years to advance the interests of Tulare County. He will be remembered fondly in Tulare County for his tireless dedication to his constituents and his advocacy on the issues that impacted them the most. As Steve begins this new chapter of his life, we wish him, his wife, Vicki Lyn, and his four children all the best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside my colleague, David Valadao, to honor Mr. Richard ``Dick'' Taylor, a community leader from Bakersfield, California. Mr. Taylor retired this year from his position as the Director of the Kern County Veterans Service Department following a lifelong career of service to his community and nation.

Born and raised in Bakersfield, Dick attended East Bakersfield High School and Bakersfield College. Throughout his youth, he had a keen interest in the Armed Services and serving his nation, which pushed him to join the United States Marine Corps. During his military service, Dick served around the world, with deployments in South America and around the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, he served as a sergeant in several infantry units with the First Marine Division, with the 1st Battalion 5th Marines and 2nd Battalion 5th Marines, serving as a Section Leader in an 81mm Mortar Platoon, then as the Battalion Armorer. Prior to leaving the Marines with an honorable discharge, Dick received many medals over his career of service, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment ribbon.

Upon returning to Bakersfield, Dick quickly re-immersed himself in the community he called home, working at his family's Goodyear dealership, which he operated as President and General Manager for 27 years. Dick also got involved in matters impacting the state and county, serving as a delegate to the California Republican Party and also as a Field Representative for the California Off-Road Vehicle Association. He played a key role in establishing neighborhood watches across Kern County by partnering with the Kern County Sheriffs Department to deliver presentations to communities. For six years, Dick continued his service to our community by working as a Field Representative for Kern County Supervisor Mike Maggard. Today, Dick continues to serve as one of Kern County's Liaison Representatives for the Devil Pups Youth Program for America, where he counsels and trains Kern County's youth in moral and ethical citizenry.

Despite his many accomplishments, Dick is best known in town for his dedication to helping the veterans of Kern County. As the Kern County Veterans Service Officer, Dick worked each day to promote and honor all veterans, connecting Kern County's approximately 47,000 local veteran heroes with the resources and services they fought and sacrificed so much for. He is a happy warrior with a tireless work ethic, and his passion for our community's veterans extends far beyond his desk at the Kern County Veterans Service Department. It is not uncommon to see Dick throughout Kern County supporting causes and organizations, such as Kern County Honor Flight, the Veterans History Project, and the Wounded Heroes Project. His efforts have directly made the Kern community a better, more supportive place for veterans to live.

Over the years, we have been fortunate to consult with Dick on legislation concerning our veterans, and perhaps more than anything else, we are blessed to count him as a friend. As he begins this new chapter of his life, on behalf of our grateful nation and community, we wish him and his wife, Cheryl, all the best

Mr. Speaker, I rise for the purpose of making a scheduling announcement.

Members are advised that votes are no longer expected in the House during the weeks of October 1 and October 8, 2018.

Now, I would also like to make another announcement. I would also like to note that today is the 1-year anniversary of our friend, the Majority Whip Steve Scalise, returning to Congress after the attempt on his life.

I will not forget the day of that shooting. Many of you may know-- Steve did not know at that moment--but Kevin Brady, Patrick, and I were sitting with the doctor waiting for Jennifer to arrive. We celebrate him coming back, but we didn't know that he was even going to make it.

Steve and I have been friends for more than 20 years, long before we ever entered this floor. Steve had always had the strength and the courage, and he is an example for a public servant and for all of us to impart. I am just so glad that Steve is back with us.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Or the week after.

No.

I thank the gentleman for his question.

November 13, if I am correct, is the first time we will come back, and hopefully we will come back in the same order we leave.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution condemning San Francisco for allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.

I want you to imagine for 1 minute that you are an immigrant to this country. You came here the right way. You followed all the rules. And after years of anticipation, after improving your English, passing your citizenship test, declaring your allegiance to the United States and renouncing your allegiance to foreign powers, finally, you are naturalized as an American citizen.

In that moment, you undergo a change. You have known many leaders in the past, but in that moment George Washington is your Founding Father. You have experienced many hardships, but suddenly Valley Forge is your winter. The Declaration is your inspiration, and the Constitution is your inheritance. Lincoln is your liberator. Electricity, skyscrapers, and flight are your heritage. The GIs of D-day are your heroes. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke of your dreams. The Moon bears your flag, and our future is your future.

Imagine, again, that you are this immigrant. What do you feel the first time you step into a polling place?

Actually, we don't need to imagine, because we know of so many naturalized citizens who have come here, played by the rules, and earned their citizenship. I have talked to many of these Americans. They describe casting their first vote as one of the proudest moments of their lives. In that moment, they are reminded that they have become Americans, with all the rights and responsibilities of Americans.

Unfortunately, a handful of cities in our country are short- circuiting the legal path to citizenship. In the process, they are devaluing the very concept of citizenship itself.

These cities--Chicago, Cambridge, and, most recently, San Francisco-- allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. That includes illegal immigrants who broke our laws when they entered our country.

And not only that, noncitizen voting actually dilutes the votes and voices of law-abiding Americans, including naturalized citizens. If you are an American citizen in one of these cities, your vote in local elections counts less now than it did before. You can thank your local politicians for that.

But that isn't my ultimate concern with noncitizens voting. Ultimately, I am concerned about the message that this practice sends about American citizenship itself.

Ask yourself: Does the concept of citizenship mean anything? Does it grant a person special consideratio in the eyes of our government? Does it impose upon him or her special duties or obligations?

Sadly, too many of our elites and even our politicians have trouble answering these questions. But for the rest of us, American citizenship still resonates as a source of significance, purpose, and identity.

We know that citizenship has a meaning, that borders have a purpose, and that sovereignty is an imperative. Precisely because we believe these things, we have to look out for our fellow Americans while guarding our elections against all outside interference. That is why I have introduced a resolution condemning efforts to allow noncitizens to vote in our elections.

American citizenship means something special. Just ask any naturalized citizen. They will tell you about it.

I urge my colleagues to stand with me in protecting the right to vote for every American citizen of legal age and rejecting all outside and foreign interference in our elections.

Citizenship means something. It means something to become an American. And today, I hope this body understands that and stands united in condemning a devaluing of citizenship.