Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the life of Paul Howard Rich, an outstanding leader and beloved member of the community. I am honored to represent in Congress. Mr. Rich, born on April 14, 1941 in Worcester, Massachusetts later moved to Southern California where he worked his way up in the labor movement as an active member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 441. If it were not for Paul, I would not be where I am today. He was a true mentor, not only to me, but to countless young people who joined the labor movement in Southern California. During his 55 years as an IBEW member, Paul was an inspirational leader who left a lasting impact on multiple generations of electrical workers to come up through the ranks. Everything Mr. Rich championed served the greater good.

Beyond his dedication to social justice at work, Paul was an active member of his church community and the consummate family man. His faith was an inspiration. I know that Paul will forever remain close to the hearts of so many, including Mary, his wife of 57 years, his 5 children, 16 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. Countless other family members, friends, and colleagues will carry on Paul's legacy fservice to the community.

Although no words can take away the pain from Paul Rich's loss, may his loved ones find comfort in knowing that his legacy will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Genocide Prevention and Awareness Month to honor and remember the countless lives lost in unforgiveable genocides and tragedies across the world.

Just yesterday we commemorated the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and earlier this month we recognized Holocaust Remembrance Day. While these are somber occasions marking some of the darkest times in our world's history, we must commemorate them because we cannot allow the world to forget what happened.

Millions have died and suffered at the hand of cruelty and injustice. I am deeply saddened that today there are still those who refuse to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and the atrocities that occurred in 1915. Their denial is disrespectful to the 1.5 million Armenian--men, women and children--who died and the millions more who risked their lives to escape the violence.

We can't undo what happened. But we must learn from history and make sure this never happens again. This month we honor those who had their lives stolen at the hands of evil and hate. We can do better, and we must do better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate my dear friend, Marcy Kaptur, from the Ninth District of Ohio.

Earlier today, the Speaker and minority leader honored Marcy for hitting a historic milestone. She is the longest serving woman in the history of the House, which is quite an accomplishment.

Ever since joining Congress, Marcy has been blazing trails, and I have been honored to know her for many years and to work with her on important issues impacting working families.

She has been a steadfast advocate for labor unions, fighting to ensure that hardworking men and women get paid a decent wage, and she has been fighting efforts to ship good American jobs overseas. Marcy knows that labor unions are a critical part of our country, creating a middle class and moving us all forward.

She has also been a strong advocate for our military and national security.

Her work is far from done. I know she will continue to be a powerful voice in our Caucus, and I look forward to many more years working with Marcy on issues that are important to the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the tireless work of school counselors across the country and in the 38th District of California, whom I am honored to represent. These public servants guide students through academic, social, and personal development.

Dana Zapanta, a counselor at Artesia High School in my district, is exactly the type of champion that students need. Dana, a 12-year counseling veteran, has been instrumental in the development of Artesia's Career Technical Education program. She also coordinates numerous events, including AP Student Night and college fairs. Thanks in part to her unwavering commitment to students, the graduation rate is nearly 99 percent.

Despite the important contributions counselors like Dana make every day, counseling positions are not always protected when local budgets are cut. The average student-to-counselor ratio in our Nation's public schools is almost double the ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association.

Students deserve to have the support of school counselors like Dana. That is why I am proud to introduce a resolution to designate this week as National School Counseling Week. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring these selfless professionals.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor one of the cities in my district. On January 28, Pico Rivera, California celebrates its 60th Anniversary. Pico Rivera is a thriving community nestled on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin. With over 120 acres dedicated to recreational space, and 100 acres of local parks, Pico Rivera offers residents a peaceful refuge from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

Pico Rivera was officially incorporated in 1958 as the 61st city in Los Angeles County. Before the community evolved into a lively residential area, the historic communities were originally home to agricultural practice. Now, Pico Rivera is home to a vibrant industrial and

commercial community, attracting many businesses small and large.

Pico Rivera has a rich history, and has continued to invest in the local community through projects such as the Passons Boulevard railroad underpass project, and the new Pico Rivera Library. These types of city projects make Pico Rivera a great place to live, work, and relax. I am honored to represent this city and its residents, and look forward to what the next 60 years have in store.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday December 18, 2017, on Roll Call Number 685 through 687, The Motion to Fix the Convening Time, H.R. 4375, STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act and H.R. 3979, Keep America's Refuges Operational Act, I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote.

Had I been present, I would have voted: Motion to Fix the Convening Time: No; H.R. 4375: Yes; H.R. 3979: Yes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask a simple question: What is the rush? Why are we rushing to vote on a $1.7 trillion tax bill that will end up being paid off the backs of working Americans?

Don't be fooled. Working Americans will pay for this bill. That is why the National Association of Realtors warned that the typical homeowner in my State could see their home value drop between $37,000 and $57,000. That is why the Joint Committee on Taxation has said the Republican bill would increase costs to college students and their families by $71 billion.

We all know whose retirement Republicans will raid when their overly optimistic growth numbers don't materialize. They are going to go after your Medicare and Social Security.

The American people deserve better than this Republican tax scam. Instead of rushing to get this done, let's work together to get it done right.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1, or better known as the GOP tax scam.

This bill provides tax cuts for corporations and multimillionaires at the expense of hardworking middle class families. Massive corporate tax cuts do not guarantee job growth or higher wages. The only thing guaranteed is the $2.3 trillion that this scam adds to the deficit.

Democrats are serious about passing comprehensive tax reform that is fair and that puts a little more money in the pockets of working Americans. This fiasco of a bill is not fair.

Corporations get a massive 15 percent tax cut, but what do working families get? They get nickeled and dimed.

Despite student loan debts surpassing $1 trillion, this bill eliminates the student loan interest deduction, which only allows those earning $80,000 or less to claim it in the first place, squarely hurting middle class Americans who are trying to pay off debt, save for a home, or buy a new car.

Teachers will no longer be able to deduct expenses for school supplies that they purchase with their own money for their classrooms, yet corporations are able to deduct the cost of those same supplies that they purchase.

Seniors and people with chronic illnesses would no longer be able to deduct some of the cost of their treatment. At a time when many families are feeling the pressures of affording care for their children and their aging parents, this bill takes money right out of their pockets.

Under this bill, 29 million households would lose their property tax deduction. Eighty percent of middle class homeowners would lose, compared with just 13 percent of high-income earners. Does that sound fair?

Finally, the elimination of the State and local income tax deduction disproportionately impacts middle-income families, especially those in California, whose residents would see an overall net tax increase of $12.1 billion.

The Tax Code is a reflection of our values. The Republicans have clearly chosen who they serve--the wealthy and corporations--but I am concerned about the 36 million Americans who will see a tax increase, teachers and their students, and people with preexisting conditions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this disaster of a bill.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record two letters in opposition to this bill, one from SEIU and one from the AFL-CIO.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the pivotal role that small businesses in California's 38th district are playing in transporting humanity to new frontiers in our solar system. As a proud member of the NASA Caucus, I know that the extraordinary feats that the United States has made in space exploration and human spaceflight would not be possible without the ingenuity of small businesses and manufacturers across our country.

I want to recognize one such manufacturer, AMRO Fabricating Corp., which is celebrating its 40th anniversary next week. In 1977, AMRO was established in South El Monte, California by Michael K. and Thora A. Riley. The company first entered the aerospace industry in 1979, and in 1986, McDonnell Douglas selected AMRO to manufacture Isogrid panels for the Titan IV rocket. Over the past 30 years, AMRO has honed its forming process for Isogrid and Orthogrid designs, which allow metal structures to be both lightweight and durable, and are critical for enabling spacecraft and aircraft to fly efficiently and safely.

I am proud of the integral work AMRO is contributing to the development of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, which will carry U.S. astronauts farther than ever before and eventually to Mars. Just this August, AMRO delivered window panels for the Orion spacecraft that astronauts will use on its first manned mission, Exploration Mission-2, in the early 2020s. AMRO is also working on elements for the SLS's core stage, which will carry the Orion spacecraft beyond Earth's orbit.

From 1977 to 2017, AMRO's innovation in spaceflight and aerospace have allowed it to grow from just 6 employees to more than 250, as well as to develop training programs for high school and university students. The U.S. space program has an exciting future ahead of it, in no small part due to the dynamism of America's small businesses. Please join me in congratulating AMRO on its 40th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sorrow and anger. Last night, more than 58 people were tragically murdered and over 500 wounded in a senseless act of violence in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The murderer was found to have 20 guns, including at least one automatic rifle. No person should be allowed to possess a weapon that makes indiscriminately killing human beings easier.

It just baffles me that some of my colleagues don't agree with that basic premise. Not only do they not agree with sensible gun control measures like background checks and no fly, no buy, they won't even allow public research dollars to be used to research gun control and gun violence.

Until Congress acts to make it harder for dangerous people to acquire these types of weapons, tragedies like this will continue to happen.

How many more people have to die?

How much more blood must be shed before Congress decides to act?

Moments of silence and sympathy and prayers from Members of this body are not enough anymore. The time has come to act. We must act now.

Mr. Speaker, while my colleagues on the other side of the aisle press forward with their partisan gimmicks, 800,000 young people are still holding their breath. With time quickly running out, they are wondering what their futures look like without DACA.

Will they lose their jobs? Will they have to drop out of college after they have already paid tuition? Will they live in fear that ICE will be waiting for them at any corner?

All these fears could be eliminated if Republican leadership allowed a vote on the bicameral, bipartisan Dream Act. Instead of living in fear or losing their job, the Dream Act would allow them to continue working and add $22.7 billion annually to our U.S. GDP. Passing the Dream Act will help our country reach the goal of 3 percent economic growth.

The Dream Act would allow them to continue improving themselves and their education. In the process, they would add $728 billion cumulatively to our economy over a decade, due to an ``education bump.'' The Dream Act would allow current teachers, nurses, soldiers, engineers, high school and college students, and hundreds of thousands of others to continue contributing to our economy and our country.

I call on my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and, instead, bring the Dream Act forward for a vote. We have the votes, and the urgency of passing the Dream Act is real.

Mr. Speaker, today's bill that is on the floor is nothing more than a harsh measure that seeks to cast a broad net and cast immigrants in general in a poor light by labeling them criminals based on the suspicions but not the actual facts. What is more, this harsh and reckless measure provides virtually no procedural safeguards for people to challenge a police officer's opinion as to whether or not they are involved in a gang. A mere suspicion can mean that somebody can be facing removal.

Instead of dealing with such draconian legislation, we should really be talking about the positive contributions that immigrants make to this country and the fact that we have over 800,000 DREAMers in this country who are waiting for this Congress to act. They have been hoping and they have been waiting for years for this Congress to provide a legislative solution to allow them to continue to live in their communities, to contribute to the economy, to pay taxes, and to be a part of a country that they consider their own.

Many of these DREAMers were brought to this country as children, and they had no say in the matter. They speak the language here, not even that of their home countries of birth. Many of them have no families or ties there. Many of them are outstanding students who are studying law, medicine, and engineering. They want to put their talents to work for this country, and yet here today we are talking about a bill that would basically seek to condemn all immigrants as gang members and try to deport them as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in opposition to the bill that we are debating today and in support of allowing DREAMers a legislative path to remain in this country, to continue to serve in the military to fight and die for this country, to put their God-given natural talents to work to pay into the system, and to generate good economic results.

Committee on Migration, Migration and Refugee Services,

Mr. Speaker, if you look at the class of DREAMers today that contribute to this country, many of them work and go to school. Many of them are breadwinners for their families. They want to stay, and yet we have given them no opportunity to do so. They are patriotic, they are talented, and what they contribute to our country economically is tremendous.

If you think about the number of DREAMers who have bank accounts, who have credit cards, and who purchase goods that are produced here in the United States, to simply embark on a path of mass deportations isn't going to help our economy, and it is going to rip apart these families.

Speaker Ryan and House Republicans need to decide whether they will be complicit in the Trump administration's cowardly assault on DREAMers and immigrants or whether they will join the overwhelming majority of Americans in calling on Congress to protect these courageous and patriotic young people from the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please vote ``no'' on the underlying bill and please stop giving lip service to these talented young people. Provide them with a path to hope and a path to be able to contribute to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember my dear friend, and fierce advocate for his fellow veterans, Jose Ramos. I am deeply saddened by his passing, and my thoughts are with his wife, Sylvia, and his family at this very difficult time. Jose was a member of my Veterans Advisory Committee and a well-respected resource for veterans throughout our community. He will always be remembered for his tireless work to gain national recognition for Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.

Jose Ramos was born in 1948 to Augustine and Herminia Ramos. He attended Garfield High School but chose to enlist in the Army when he was in 10th grade. He worked as an Army Combat Medic, and in 1968 he received the Purple Heart. After returning home, Jose worked at the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center and at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. He retired in 1999.

Like his fellow Vietnam veterans, Jose Ramos returned home from an unpopular war only to face hostility and resentment. And like his fellow soldiers, Jose quietly went back to his normal life, built a family and stayed in touch with his veteran friends. He became a powerful advocate for veterans in our community and across the country. It was his personal experiences, and those of his fellow GIs, that motivated him to work toward establishing a national day of recognition. He inspired many, including me, to help give Vietnam veterans their long overdue welcome home.

His legacy lives on as several states all across the nation have already adopted Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. It is long past time for our country to officially recognize and commemorate their service. I will continue to introduce and advocate for legislation to establish a national `Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day' on behalf of Jose Ramos and all of our veterans who fought bravely in the Vietnam War.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DREAMers like Nadia, who received a master's degree in public health from UC Davis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Howard L. Chambers, City Manager for Lakewood, California in my Southern California district who is retiring after over 41 years of public service. Howard is concluding his career as the longest serving city manager with any single city in California, exemplifying his love and dedication towards the City of Lakewood and its people.

Howard was born and raised in Lakewood, having attended Lakewood schools and working at the local YMCA and the City of Lakewood's recreation program. As his life progressed Howard never strayed too far from his beloved city, attending college at nearby California State University, Long Beach where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. Howard became Lakewood's top executive in 1976, after receiving a Master of Arts degree in Planning and Administration from Pepperdine University and serving as Executive Assistant to the Lakewood City Manager.

During his tenure with the City of Lakewood, Howard always provided strong leadership and knowledgeable direction for major projects. While his accomplishments are far too numerous to name, I want to highlight the building of the Weingart Senior Center, The Centre at Sycamore Plaza, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Vista Lodge, the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail, and, most recently, the new Pumpkin Playground at San Martin Park. He also oversaw the renovation of the Veterans Memorial Plaza and Douglas jet plane at Del Valle Park.

Over the past decades, Howard has worked tirelessly to ensure Lakewood operates on firm financial footing and never outside its fiscal means. During the recent economic downturn, Lakewood was able to maintain funding for all city services and avoid employee layoffs thanks to Howard's budgetary foresight.

Howard has also played an influential role amongst his peers in city management, through his leadership roles in League of California Cities, the California Contract Cities Association, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, and the International City/County Management Association. Howard was recently honored by the League of California Cities with the 2017 Wes McClure Award of Distinction for outstanding career service, leadership, ethics, expertise and innovation as a city manager.

I wish to commend Howard Chambers on his many years of outstanding public service and dedication to the City of Lakewood and its residents. I wish him the very best in retirement.