Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I cast my vote incorrectly on Roll Call No. 309, on passage of H.R. 9576, the National Fraud Enforcement Division Act. I mistakenly voted YEA when I intended to vote NAY.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Contra Costa Senior Legal Services (CCSLS) as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. Since 1976, CCSLS has worked tirelessly to improve quality of life and provide accessible legal assistance, advocacy, and education for Contra Costa's seniors.

CCSLS has demonstrated their steadfast commitment to serving vulnerable populations in our community. Around 1,000 clients per year receive guidance with issues that adversely affect the lives of seniors. By providing legal advice, advocacy, educational resources, and representation with tenants' rights, consumer protection, simple wills, and public benefits issues, CCSLS has successfully protected their clients from physical, financial, and emotional abuse. From helping clients stay in their homes to navigating Social Security benefits, CCSLS has shown their dedication to providing accessible support to our community's seniors.

They also work to educate our community members through local outreach events, providing seniors with the tools necessary to recognize identity theft scams or signs of elder abuse--ensuring assets are safeguarded and legal remedies are sought. County-wide, CCSLS' free legal clinics are staffed by pro-bono attorneys who provide information and advice on general legal issues. As a result, they have helped their clients avoid eviction, fight against unsafe housing, legally grant Power of Attorney, appeal Social Security denials, and file restraining orders against those who commit elder abuse. Last year alone, CCSLS helped recover over $190,000 for Contra Costa's seniors, provided 530 hours of pro-bono service, and hosted 106 free legal clinics. CCSLS' work has touched the lives of thousands of Contra Costa residents, and they have had a profound impact in our community.

Please join me in honoring Contra Costa Senior Legal Services for their critical work and in celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Scott Haggerty.

Scott served as an Alameda County Supervisor for 24 years. First elected to represent District 1 in 1996, he worked tirelessly on behalf of working families, championed transportation initiatives, and supported vulnerable populations within the community.

During his tenure in public service, Scott drove many initiatives that improved the lives and wellbeing of his constituents. Transportation was often at the forefront of these initiatives. He spearheaded the Valley Link Rail Project, a planned zero-emission passenger rail system linking the Dublin BART station and the Mountain House community in San Joaquin County. As a leader on the Alameda County Transportation Commission and Metropolitan Transportation Commission, he oversaw key transit ventures such as the BART extension to Warm Springs, carpool and express lanes on Interstate 580, and the Highway 84 Expressway. Because of his efforts, Scott was named the California Transportation Foundation's Person of the Year in 2020.

Scott was also a proponent of renewable energy. In 2021, the Scott Haggerty Wind Energy Center brought energy to more than 45,000 homes through 23 new wind turbines in Altamont Pass.

Scott's leadership and service touched many lives in the community. Through his involvement with various non-profits, such as serving as a board member on Alameda County Meals on Wheels and chairing the Twin Valley District of the Boy Scouts of America, Scott worked diligently to serve his region. He was also involved in the creation of Goodness Village, which provides a safe and supportive community of tiny homes to previously unhoused individuals in the Tri-Valley.

Sadly, Scott passed away on July 5, 2026. Please join us in honoring Scott for his unwavering dedication to the community, his outstanding leadership, and his invaluable contributions to our region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Jared Huffman, and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren to recognize the service of Alan Abbs upon his retirement from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Alan has worked throughout his career to improve air quality and public health in California. As the Legislative Officer for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Alan has been a strong advocate for strengthened air quality policies and investments to improve the health of our community.

Throughout his career, Alan has shown his steadfast commitment to service and has worked tirelessly to strengthen California's existing environmental laws and advocate for critical new programs. Prior to joining the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Alan served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, Executive Director of the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, and as an Air Pollution Control Officer for multiple counties. He helped lead the charge to establish the Wildfire Smoke Clean Air Centers for the Vulnerable Populations Incentive Pilot Program, providing funding to retrofit public ventilation systems and other infrastructure to prepare for smoke events. Alan also worked on behalf of the Bay Area Air District to strengthen statewide statutory penalties for air quality violations, culminating in legislation that provides additional incentives for groups that prioritize safety and public health. Beyond his work to advance air quality protections, Alan has been a strong supporter of other environmental policies. He supported the expansion of the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program, which protected marine life and promoted sustainable shipping along the California coast.

Alan championed pollution reduction efforts at the federal level, as well. He testified before the House Science Committee on the importance of reducing auto emissions, utilizing his expertise to provide a framework for federal legislation. He was also a fierce advocate for the Clean Corridors Act, a bill I introduced that led to important funding for cleaner fueling and charging infrastructure across the Nation.

Beyond his professional achievements, Alan is also an accomplished runner, regularly running 50- and 100-mile races alongside his wife, Beverly. He is also a long-suffering Detroit Tigers baseball fan.

Alan's leadership has been integral to preserving clean air in California and beyond. Please join us in honoring Alan for his outstanding leadership and congratulating him on his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jane Garcia as she retires from La Clinica de La Raza.

Jane has worked tirelessly to serve the East Bay community through her role as the Chief Executive Officer of La Clinica. Since beginning her role in 1982, Jane has led La Clinica in providing culturally sensitive care to over 86,000 patients throughout the East Bay.

Jane has been a steadfast proponent for accessible, culturally competent, community-focused health care. She has helped thousands of patients in navigating the health care system and has worked diligently to build La Clinica into what it is today. She fostered strong partnerships with providers like Kaiser Permanente, allowing La Clinica to reach underserved communities. Under her leadership, La Clinica has not only become a major asset to communities in need of accessible health care, but it also helps to enroll patients in Medicaid and other insurance programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jane facilitated programs at La Clinica that helped patients re-enroll in health care after their coverage had expired, delivered meals to families in quarantine, and helped people find resources so that they were able to keep their homes. Furthermore, in 1997 she took then-California Governor Pete Wilson's administration to court for defunding Medi-Cal prenatal care for undocumented immigrant women--and she won. She also serves on various boards such as The California Endowment, the Alameda Alliance for Health, and Oakland Thrives, and she served a remarkable three-year term as President of the California Primary Care Association. Through working on the ground with patients and navigating policy, she has been a fierce advocate for historically marginalized communities and has been a true leader in protecting and promoting public health throughout the Bay Area.

Jane's commitment to community health has earned her numerous awards, including the Equal Rights Advocates award, the YMCA Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Prize for Human Dignity and Brotherhood award, and the National Association of Community Health Centers 2010 Betsey Cooke Advocacy MVP Award. She has also been inducted into the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame, as well as the Women's Hall of Fame by the Contra Costa Commission for Women, and was recognized as one of UC Berkeley's School of Public Health's 75 Influential Alumni.

Jane's leadership has been integral to providing quality health care to marginalized communities around the Bay Area, and her stellar commitment to service has left a lasting impact on countless individuals. Please join me in congratulating Jane Garcia on her retirement after her four decades of service to our region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Dr. Kent Lee Sack.

Kent was born in Hettinger, North Dakota, on January 13, 1935. He earned his degree with honor from North Dakota State University where he studied pharmacology. Kent returned to his alma mater later to help build the university's master's program before he went on to medical school at Northwestern University. After medical school, Kent relocated to California where he completed an internship at Orange County General Hospital and later, a family medicine residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center.

Kent was then drafted into the Navy where he accepted a Marine Corps assignment and served with the First Marine Division in Vietnam. During this time, Kent served as an anesthesiologist, surgeon, and medical troubleshooter, reactivating a Marine Corps MASH unit. For his service in the Marine Corps, Kent was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Following his military service, Kent continued to demonstrate his commitment to promoting public health and quality care. He returned to California where he completed a pediatric residency at Los Angeles County USC Medical Center and later returned to Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. Kent was a firm believer that everyone deserved to be

treated with dignity and compassion. He led the way as an early provider of HIV care in the East Bay during the AIDS epidemic, helping to establish social service agencies for patients. Additionally, he served two terms as chair of Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights. He later went on to be a founding member of the Rainbow Community Center in Concord, providing critical resources and health services to Contra Costa's LGBTQIA+ community. Kent helped to shape the Rainbow Center into the organization it is today, guiding the organization through its early stages of development and leading the Rainbow Center through challenging financial periods. Throughout his career, Kent remained a tireless advocate for equitable, compassionate care.

Kent sadly passed away in June of 2026, after greatly serving his country and his community throughout his entire life. Please join me in honoring him for his remarkable impact in our community and his incredible leadership and advocacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my continued outrage over this administration's abuse of taxpayer funds at the very time that Americans are struggling to pay their own bills.

Here are just a few examples of this administration taking money, stealing money from Americans' pocketbooks:

During the President's first term, he charged Secret Service 300 percent or more above the allowable rates to stay at his hotels while on duty.

On his watch, the Department of Homeland Security spent 70 million taxpayer dollars on a luxury jet, and the President is converting a gifted Qatar Boeing 747 to use as Air Force One and plans to keep the plane after he leaves office for his personal use.

A yet unknown amount of money has been spent renaming Federal buildings and putting the President's name and face on banners, money, park passes, passports, visas, and more.

This is not patriotism, my colleagues. It is vanity. It is corruption, and we should all be outraged. The silence by my Republican colleagues on this issue is deafening.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a friend and a local hero in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Kent Lee Sack, who sadly passed away in June.

Dr. Sack, after completing a family medicine residency at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, was drafted into the Navy after his residency, where he served as a Marine Corps surgeon in combat in Vietnam.

Returning to the bay area after his military service, Kent became an early provider of HIV care during the AIDS epidemic and established social services for patients, deeply connected to his patients.

Kent's commitment to social justice led him to leadership roles in the Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights and the Rainbow Community Center in Concord, California.

Kent will be remembered for his compassion and his commitment to equality.

Please join me in honoring this great American and a dear friend, Dr. Sack, for his life of service to our community and our country.

Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the chairman, whom I have great respect for, and our collegiality is focused on enforcing the rules of this body. I also thank all of the committee members, who were thoughtful and bipartisan on this particular subject matter, and all of the things that come before the Ethics Committee. I also thank our nonpartisan, professional committee staff for their tireless efforts and devoted service to this House and this country.

Our committee's investigation of Representative Edwards' conduct spanned 4 months and included interviews of 16 individuals and a review of nearly 1,500 pages of documents.

Our subsequent censure recommendation reflects our bipartisan and unwavering commitment to a congressional workplace free of sexual harassment and discrimination. Unfortunately, Representative Edwards, in my opinion, failed that standard.

For more than 2 years, Representative Edwards lavished two of his female staffers with gifts of jewelry, designer purses, shoes, flowers, gifts, and vacations, to name just a few examples.

He commented on their appearance and dress in their congressional office, remarking favorably on their weight and telling them they looked pretty and breathtaking in certain clothing.

He invited them on intimate one-on-one outings and trips to restaurants, casinos, and live performances.

He sent them personal texts late at night and wrote them deeply personal letters and poems expressing his affection. He even skipped a vote series to decorate a Christmas tree at one of the staffer's homes.

These are not innocuous, isolated incidences. They are part of sustained, unprofessional, and inappropriate conduct by Representative Edwards toward two young women he employed.

Neither individual felt free to reject Representative Edwards' attention without fear of professional consequences.

Despite attempts to communicate their discomfort, his behavior continued, and both ultimately left their congressional employment.

One woman told the committee that she felt she could not resist Representative Edwards because she ``did not think having a Member of Congress against me would benefit my career.''

This statement gets to the heart of the matter--the power and balance between Members of Congress and their staff.

Representative Edwards' interpretation of his own conduct does not change how the women experienced it. Whether or not he occasionally gave gifts to, or received them from, other staff is irrelevant to how he treated these two women, who felt his behavior was uncomfortable and unwanted.

Representative Edwards may not have made physical advances or explicit propositions, but sexual harassment does not require either. His conduct was inappropriate, unwelcome, and, most importantly, created a hostile work environment.

As a result, the House of Representatives lost two staffers, and, for that, I believe he should be censured.

In the House, censure is not simply a punishment directed at an individual Member. It is a collective statement by this institution that we will and will not tolerate certain behaviors. Today, with this censure resolution, we can make our standard clear. Professional boundaries must be respected. When congressional employees say that conduct is unwelcome, they will be heard, and that conduct will not be allowed to continue.

There must be zero tolerance for sexual harassment and misconduct in the Halls of Congress, but zero tolerance does not mean zero due process. Representative Edwards was fully informed of the allegations and sat for a voluntary interview. He ultimately waived certain procedural steps so that the committee could recommend a House-level sanction.

In exchange for accepting this recommended censure, he reviewed and was allowed to respond to the committee's report.

For sexual harassment to truly have no place in the congressional workplace, the principle cannot exist only on paper in a committee report. It must be modeled for accountability.

To deliver that accountability, to defend the integrity of this institution, and to affirm that every congressional employee deserves a safe and respectful workplace free from sexual harassment, I would urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair of the committee one more time for his work on this matter.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution holding Michael Joseph in contempt of Congress for his failure to

comply with duly authorized subpoenas issued by the Committee on Ethics.

At a time when public confidence in Congress is at historic lows and the House's ability to self-police Member conduct is under intense scrutiny, enforcing lawful congressional process is vital to delivering swift transparency and accountability for any misconduct.

A witness who refuses to cooperate with the Ethics Committee hinders the thoroughness and swiftness of an investigation. If the committee must authorize and issue a subpoena for that witness, more delays result.

If after those additional steps the witness decides to flout the subpoena, the committee is ultimately deprived of key evidence needed to resolve the allegations.

A subpoena from the House Ethics Committee is not a suggestion. It is a lawful demand for information needed by the House to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities to enforce the official code of conduct, adjudicate violations, and to impose appropriate discipline.

The investigative subcommittee in the matter of Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick repeatedly sought documents and testimony from Mr. Joseph, yet he failed to comply with voluntary requests for information and multiple subpoenas in the 118th and 119th Congresses.

While other witnesses did not fully cooperate with the committee's investigation, Mr. Joseph's conduct went further. Twice he failed to appear for subpoenaed testimony in the current Congress, and he was made aware numerous times that his failure to comply with the subpoenas could result in contempt proceedings. He had notice of and was properly served all the subpoenas by the investigatory subcommittee, and he never asserted any valid privilege or basis for noncompliance.

The bipartisan investigative subcommittee unanimously found, and the full committee agreed, that his conduct was contemptuous. His noncompliance also unnecessarily and significantly delayed the committee's investigation.

Contempt referrals like these are a rare step because almost all subpoenaed witnesses cooperate with the committee before contempt proceedings need to be initiated.

But the rareness of this step should not obscure its importance. The effectiveness of the committee's oversight hinges on the expectation that subpoenas cannot and will not be ignored.

This contempt resolution is not intended to be a punitive measure. It is a deterrent to future noncompliance and obstructive conduct by witnesses in future investigations.

With this resolution, we can establish a clear and necessary boundary for future witnesses. If you are subpoenaed by the committee, you cannot simply decide that compliance is optional.

By demonstrating that noncompliance has consequences, this resolution will empower the Ethics Committee in its continued efforts to uphold civic confidence and the integrity of this body.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam).

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution holding Hector Roos in contempt of Congress for his failure to comply with duly authorized subpoenas issued by the Committee on Ethics.

The investigative subcommittee, in the matter of Sheila Cherfilus- McCormick, repeatedly sought documents and testimony from Mr. Roos, who was a key witness in the matter. Yet Mr. Roos failed to comply with voluntary requests for information and multiple subpoenas in the 118th and 119th Congresses.

While other witnesses did not fully cooperate with the committee's investigation, Mr. Roos' conduct went further. He simply ignored multiple subpoenas without asserting any valid legal privilege or basis for noncompliance.

Despite his later claims that he affirmatively reached out to the committee after he was contacted about his noncompliance, Mr. Roos never communicated to an email address belonging to any staff, and he failed to respond to numerous emails and phone calls at the points of contact where he claims to have been reachable.

The bipartisan subcommittee unanimously found, and the full committee agreed, that his conduct unnecessarily and significantly delayed the committee's investigation and was thus worthy of a referral for criminal contempt proceedings.

Compliance with the Ethics Committee subpoenas is not optional, as I have said before. This contempt resolution is meant to demonstrate to witnesses before the committee that obstructive conduct has consequences, and the committee will vigorously use all the tools at its disposal to thoroughly and swiftly investigate allegations of misconduct.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Sue Rainey, a remarkable public servant in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Sue served as the mayor of Moraga, California, in the late 1970s and later as the mayor of Walnut Creek, California, from 2001 to 2010, where she worked diligently to develop that city into the business, retail, and arts hub that it is today.

She also volunteered with the Cancer Support Community in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years, ultimately serving as the board chair of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter. Thanks to her leadership in the cancer community, the chapter now supports over 100 families each year.

Sadly, Sue passed away last month at the age of 86, a remarkable life of 86 years. She will be fondly remembered for her commitment to our community, for bettering the lives of thousands of people.

Please join me in honoring the life and service of my friend, Sue Rainey.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my outrage about recent FDA regulatory actions on e-cigarettes. On April 30, Reynolds American donated $5 million to MAGA Inc., a Trump-backed super-PAC. In the following 8 days, the President dined with top tobacco executives, and the FDA issued guidance making it easier for tobacco companies to sell flavored e-cigarettes.

In 2024, 1.63 million middle and high school students in America used e-cigarettes, and nearly 90 percent of them used flavored products. The tobacco industry is openly paying bribes to advance policies that will get the next generation of young people hooked on nicotine.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in condemning this blatant, pay-for-play corruption and the harm it will inflict to generations of young Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose the transfer of special education programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services.

HHS Secretary Kennedy has troubling and ignorant views on disabilities and is woefully unqualified to oversee programs supporting more than 8 million students and their families.

This move, publicly opposed by multiple Bush administration education officials and Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, according to a recent story by The New York Times, will segregate special education from the larger education system in direct defiance of congressional intent.

Special education programs must remain at the Department of Education, where they are administered by expert staff that have a long understanding and longstanding relationships with States and local school districts.

If this move continues, all officials responsible should face the consequences, including impeachment of the Secretary of Education.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Coach Jack Clark, the architect of one of the greatest college sports programs in the history of the United States and his induction into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

A remarkable athlete from a young age, Jack played varsity football and rugby at the University of California before shifting his focus solely to rugby and playing for the U.S. national rugby team, where he was selected the first American to be amongst the best rugby players in the world.

Since 1984, Jack has served as the varsity rugby coach at Cal, leading the team to an astounding 31 national championships. He also coached the U.S. national rugby team to the 2003 World Cup. Jack's mentorship has touched the lives of countless young athletes in California and, indeed, from across the country.

Please join me in recognizing this remarkable leader and coach, Jack Clark, for his induction into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame and for his legendary career as Cal's head rugby coach. Go Bears.