Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Gwen Watson, who worked to uplift vulnerable populations throughout her life in my community in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the State of California.

Gwen began her career as a teacher in Louisiana, working with high school students seeking vocational services.

She later moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where she served Contra Costa County's homeless population through the St. Vincent de Paul Hope Conference and the Interstate Faith Council of Contra Costa.

Gwen also served as the president of the League of Women Voters Diablo Valley, overseeing the ``You Don't Need a Home Vote'' project. In addition, in that position on the League of Women Voters, she facilitated candidate forums. I remember many years ago when I first ran for the Concord City Council, Gwen was there doing her civic best with the League of Women Voters.

Sadly, Gwen passed away in May. She will be remembered for her advocacy and her commitment to service. She was an inspiration to all of us who knew her and called her a friend. Please join me in honoring Gwen Watson for her invaluable contributions to her community and to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside Congressman Garamendi to recognize the life and service of Federal Glover.

Throughout his life, Federal demonstrated his unwavering devotion to service and advancing opportunity for all. Born to Morris Glover and Lucille Ball who came to the San Francisco Bay Area during the Great Migration, Federal was born and raised in Pittsburg, California. He attended Pittsburg High School, where he was elected Homecoming King. He went on to attend San Francisco State University where he studied Business Administration and was the first among his eleven siblings to attend college. He worked at Dow Chemical for 22 years before beginning his career in public service.

Federal was first elected to the Pittsburg City Council in 1996, serving as Mayor from 1998 to 1999. During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of residents, supporting neighborhood revitalization efforts throughout the City and establishing a ``Mayor's Forum'' to increase transparency in local government and facilitate better communication between city staff and residents.

In 2000, Federal was elected to represent District 5 on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, serving as chairman in 2004, 2008, 2013, and 2017, and being the first Black supervisor to serve Contra Costa County.

In this role, he was dedicated to empowering community members, increasing public safety, and bolstering youth engagement throughout the County. He was instrumental in supporting major transportation projects throughout the County, leading efforts to widen Highway 4, extend BART service to Pittsburg and Antioch, and implement safety improvements on Vasco Road. These projects have been critical in increasing access to public transit, reducing congestion and pollution, and improving quality of life for residents.

Further, he served on the board for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for 18 years, working to improve transportation infrastructure throughout the Bay Area. Additionally, he spearheaded the County youth conferences and the first Gang Task Force to foster youth participation in civics and provide holistic approaches to youth intervention. Throughout his tenure, he led with humility, compassion, and integrity. He retired from the Board of Supervisors in 2024 after over two decades of incredible service.

Sadly, Federal passed away on May 18, 2025, at the age of 69. He will be remembered for his resilience, his steadfast commitment to justice, and for the indelible mark that he left on this community. Please join us in extending our condolences to Federal's wife of 47 years, Janis, his children, Tederal and Carissa, and his grandchildren, and in honoring Federal Glover for his invaluable impact in Contra Costa and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Gwen Watson.

Throughout her life, Gwen was committed to serving vulnerable populations and empowering community members. She began her career as an educator, working with high school students in her home state of Louisiana who were interested in pursuing vocational careers. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, Gwen remained focused on giving back to her community. She was a part of St. Vincent de Paul's Advisory Task Force, working to serve Contra Costa County's homeless population. Driven by her faith and her dedication to service, Gwen helped to provide rental assistance and other critical resources to unhoused individuals through St. Vincent de Paul's mobile homeless shelter. That program has grown into what is known today as the St. Vincent de Paul Hope Conference.

Additionally, Gwen was a member of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and cofounded the Winter Nights program. This program aims to break the cycle of homelessness by providing shelter, food, childcare, and other key services to unhoused families. Through this program, Gwen helped countless Contra Costa families to get back on their feet and to have access to the resources they need in order to thrive.

Furthermore, Gwen served as President of the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley. In this role, she oversaw the ``You Don't Need a Home to Vote'' project, which worked to increase civic engagement from unhoused and low-income individuals and help them register to vote. Gwen's fierce commitment to advocacy and social justice was evident to all who knew her.

Sadly, Gwen passed away in May 2025. She will be remembered for her compassion, unwavering commitment to service, and her deep love for this community. Please join me in honoring Gwen Watson for her invaluable contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor World War II veteran and D-Day survivor, ``Papa'' Jake Larson, for his invaluable contributions to our nation.

Eager to serve his country, Jake enlisted in the National Guard at just 15 years old after lying about his age. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941, Jake was sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey before heading overseas to Europe. He advanced to the position of Operations Sergeant where he assisted in planning the invasion of Normandy in Operation

Overlord. In 1944, Jake arrived on the shores of Omaha Beach carrying 74 pounds of gear and narrowly surviving what was at the time the largest amphibious operation in history. He avoided gunfire and landmines, fighting the German Nazi forces and helping to liberate France from Nazi control. Throughout his time in service, Jake bravely endured six battles, including the infamous Battle of the Bulge. The heroism and courage demonstrated by Jake and others were critical in defeating the Nazis and putting an end to the war.

More recently, Jake Larson earned the nickname of ``Papa Jake'' from his online presence as a storyteller on TikTok and Instagram. Online, Papa Jake shares details of his time in the U.S. Army, teaching audiences about our nation's history and reminding us of the sacrifices that have been made to protect our freedom. Jake has amassed over 1.3 million followers on social media and his stories have touched countless lives.

As we commemorate the 81st anniversary of D-Day, I'd like to extend my gratitude and respect to Jake for his extraordinary bravery. Please join me in recognizing ``Papa'' Jake Larson for his dedicated service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joseph Calabrigo as he retires from the Town of Danville.

Joe has served Danville residents for decades, starting with the Town of Danville in 1985. He has served in many positions for the town, including Chief of Planning, Transportation Director, Administrative Services Director and Assistant Town Manager. He was appointed as Town Manager in 1993, being only the third person to hold this title since the town's inception. Throughout his tenure, Joe has worked tirelessly to foster a vibrant community in the Town of Danville and has diligently served the town's residents. Joe oversaw the development of all three of Danville's General Plans and both Master Plans. He has worked with every councilmember ever elected in the town and worked alongside seven police chiefs. Additionally, Joe's leadership was critical as he guided the town through three recessions and a global pandemic while still maintaining a balanced budget. Joe has continually demonstrated his steadfast commitment to service and his community.

Joe is a consummate professional and his work has helped to shape Danville into the beautiful community it is today. His time as Town Manager is marked by his dedication and years of expertise as the longest tenured city or town manager in the Tri-Valley. His leadership and collaboration have galvanized the respect of many and have left an indelible impact on his neighbors and peers.

Please join me in congratulating Joseph Calabrigo on his well- deserved retirement after decades of devoted service to the Town of Danville.

Mr. Speaker, the administration's reckless public servant firing spree is hurting the health, safety, and financial security of people across the United States.

Since he came into office, the President has laid off at least 58,000 Federal civil service workers with plans to eliminate an additional 150,000 workers. Another 76,000 workers accepted buyouts after being threatened with relocation or termination.

These layoffs include hundreds of staff members at the Centers for Disease Control who protected children from lead poisoning and air pollution, among other services. Staff cuts at the Social Security Administration have resulted in longer wait times for seniors applying for benefits.

I have been proud to join legal briefs filed against the administration, which are resulting in the reinstatement of thousands of Federal workers. I will continue to push back against the President and oppose illegal cuts to the Federal workforce, which block Americans from accessing the critical government services they rely on.

Mr. Speaker, if we want to talk about efficiency, then let's join together to evaluate it, not do it this way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor World War II veteran and D-Day survivor ``Papa'' Jake Larson for his invaluable contributions to our country.

After Pearl Harbor, Jake was eager to serve his country. He enlisted in the National Guard at 15 years old, not telling the truth about his age. He was sent to Europe, where he assisted in the planning of and participated in the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day and bravely endured six battles, including the Battle of the Bulge.

More recently, at 102 years old, Jake's storytelling on social media about his military service has earned him over 1.3 million social media followers and the nickname ``Papa Jake.''

As we commemorate the 81st anniversary of D-Day, I extend my gratitude and respect to Jake for his extraordinary service to this country.

Please join me in recognizing ``Papa'' Jake Larson for his dedicated service to America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a good friend and a great political and community leader in my community and in the bay area in San Francisco, California, former Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, who passed away on Sunday after a distinguished life of service to his community and his country.

Born in Pittsburg, California, Federal served as a city council member and mayor of the city of Pittsburg before becoming the first African American to serve on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in the east bay.

I was lucky to serve alongside Federal on the county board for 6 of his 20 years. He supported efforts to expand job opportunities, create the board of supervisors' public protection committee, and he was an instrumental leader on regional transportation in a transformative period of time in northern California and the bay area.

Federal was a good man, a good friend, and I will miss him very, very much.

I wish Federal good luck, and I hope I will see him again in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of the first oath the gentlewoman took before she got here: First, do no harm.

I wish my Republican colleagues would take that oath because the harm that this proposal does to the least amongst us in this country is unfathomable, cruel, and madness from a financial perspective.

When everyone is cut off from Medicaid, where will they go? They will go to public hospitals that are already underfunded and trying to serve the least among us.

After all the stories you have heard, I want to put in some numbers. Think of multiplying these numbers to the stories you have heard, particularly for people who are the least among us as Americans.

There are 78.5 million people enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program across America. This is 10 percent higher than in February 2020, pre-COVID.

One in three people with disabilities, 15 million, have Medicaid. Comparatively, 19 percent of adults without disabilities have Medicaid. These are the people who Republicans and Democrats in the past have tried to protect. Now, we are being cruel and dismissive of their needs.

One in five Medicaid enrollees has a disability. Two-thirds of Medicaid enrollees do not receive SSI benefits.

Mr. Speaker, 10.3 million people would lose Medicaid coverage in the next 10 years if the budget reconciliation bill of the Republicans passes because of its punitive work requirements. Most of these people are already working.

In 2022, Medicaid covered two-thirds of all home-care spending. 4.5 million people receive Medicaid-covered home-care services each year in America.

Medicaid cuts as proposed under the Republican budget threaten optional benefits the most, including long-term services and supports that help the disabled and the elderly in home- and community-based services that help protect these Americans who need our help. They live with disabilities in their own communities and get the support, love, and affection of those communities and their families.

In California alone, almost 15 million Californians are on Medicaid. 1,906,300 Californians on Medicaid have a disability. Of those, 992,000 people are working, aged 19 to 65. A million people in California with disabilities who get Medicaid are working, and now they are going to be forced to go through a bureaucracy that supposedly the majority wants to make more efficient. That is not efficiency. That is cruelty to the least amongst us.

Mr. Speaker, 68 percent of California adults on Medicaid have a job. In just my district, which is the fifth wealthiest district in the House, 131,634 people are on Medicaid and are at risk of losing care under the Republican budget. 45,916 of those are children, 19,000 are seniors, 10,000 are people with disabilities, 48,300 adults are on Medicaid due to ACA expansion.

Mr. Speaker, this is madness. I thank my colleague for bringing this to the floor, and I thank her for her spirit and her personal testimony to what this will mean to millions of Americans who are the least amongst us.

Mr. Speaker, as a former small business owner, I would like to spend a moment talking about the consequences of the administration's policies, both tariffs and the erratic behavior, that have an impact on people like myself, people who owned restaurants for decades, and the thin margins they operate under.

Mr. Speaker, recent surveys have said, 42 percent of small businesses reported increased costs due to the administration's policies, both tariffs and otherwise. I don't think they realized or thought through the effect of these policies on Main Street America.

Over 45 percent of Americans are employed by small business. They are the backbone of Main Street and our economy.

The administration and my colleagues on the other side have to think through the consequences of this erratic behavior on Main Street America.

Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unable to vote today, as I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 123, H. Con. Res. 30.

Mr. Speaker, in 2005, the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was launched to provide 24/7 access to counseling and referrals for Americans in crisis.

In recognition of these challenges, the challenges these Americans face, the 988 lifeline provides specialty services targeted at LGBTQ youth, who are at a higher risk of suicide than the population at large.

According to a 2024 survey by the Trevor Project, 12 percent of LGBTQ youth attempted suicide in the past year--12 percent of American youth in this category.

Now, the Trump administration is reportedly considering eliminating these specialized support services, which would cut off the lifesaving resources they provide.

Young people, young Americans, when they are in crisis, should be able to speak to a professional counselor who understands their experiences and is trained to communicate with people facing similar struggles.

This is a cruel idea. For the health and safety of all young Americans, the President must immediately reverse course on this ill- advised, cruel, and dangerous plan.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Huffman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, welcome to California water wars. A famous quote attributed to Mark Twain is:

In California, whiskey is for drinking, and water is for

fighting.

Welcome to the debate. This is much more than just the delta smelt. It is interesting to see my two colleagues and friends from parallel universes--I am from a southern parallel universe--debate this because, sometime ago when Mr. LaMalfa and I were in the California Legislature, we thought we had put a lot of this past us when we negotiated in good faith the building of those two reservoirs.

Part of it was to finally require the ag industry to get permits because they were depleting the aquifer so much that the water contractors were complaining. They were water contractors who historically have made a lot of money without providing much value.

I say that in the context of this is an important discussion for the environment appropriately for this committee, the chairman and the ranking member, but it is a bigger issue.

It is an issue about fairness, about subsidies. Yes, the agriculture industry is important, as the chairman pointed out, in California, but we have given them a lot of support over the decades, including subsidies from the Federal Government. When we are looking at fiscal management, we should look at this resource in a larger sense, in my view, as somebody who has represented the delta for decades.

The San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary, which I am proud to represent a significant part of, provides economic benefits to the entire State of California and, as the chairman said, to larger areas of the West Coast and the country in many ways. It provides clean water, recreation, and all of these benefits to a very large area.

The longfin smelt, one of the several native fish populations within the delta, is an important indicator species for the health of this vital body of water and our economy. It serves as kind of a red herring to help alert to habitat degradation across the delta from poor water quality or diversion of too much water.

Unfortunately, the species population, as the ranking member has pointed out, has declined more than 99 percent from 1980s levels, putting us at risk of losing an important way we analyze the delta in a drought-prone region.

The San Francisco Bay-Delta population of the longfin smelt was listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act after thorough scientific review, as has been mentioned, and a public comment process. This Congressional Review Act resolution casts aside the data for no apparent reason. Decisions on whether to list a species as endangered should be based on science as Congress intended under the Endangered Species Act, not on politics.

While I agree with my good friend from California that ensuring reliable water supply and storage is essential to northern California, for both of my friends from northern California, disregarding experts is the wrong way to go about the analysis, obviously.

This debate on the whole water supply and storage, as articulated by the ranking member, is essential to the West Coast. Disregarding these experts and scientists and the proper process for endangered species listing is not the way to do it. Protecting endangered species and providing a stable water supply are not mutually exclusive. They can be done in a way where both delta communities and delta species, and, indeed, the entire West Coast and the country, prosper from protecting this endangered species.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the resolutions it advances. Texas is allowed to do what it would like to do. California does not mandate Texas' decisionmaking. We want to make our own decisions. Under the U.S. Clean Air Act, signed by President Richard Nixon, we did that, and we have been leaders since he signed it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to specifically three Congressional Review Act resolutions that are in this rule that illegally take aim at California's legal ability to implement more stringent emission standards under waiver from the Clean Air Act.

In the last 2 months, the Senate Parliamentarian and the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office affirmed that California's Clean Air Act waiver is not subject to the Congressional Review Act. This week's attempt to advance these CRAs anyway is blatantly illegal.

On top of that, these CRAs are another unfounded attempt to limit States from having the choice to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality and their public health. It doesn't mandate any other States to do that. States can choose to join California under the Clean Air Act.

I proudly served on the California Air Resources Board under three Governors, including two Republicans and one Democrat, and I have seen firsthand the benefits of curbing emissions, both for the economy and public health. There is a reason why California is the fourth largest economy in the world and has three times the amount of patents than any other State, that State being Texas.

Republican Governor Ronald Reagan signed into law the creation of the California State Air Resources Board and Republican President Richard Nixon signed into law the California Clean Air Act. This was not a partisan issue then and it should not be now. It is about public health and the economy.

These waivers are an essential tool to give California and other States the choice to prioritize both the health and well-being of their residents and the environment. Modeling has shown that by 2040, all three rules would provide an estimated $13 billion in health benefits.

Mr. Speaker, President Gerald Ford had a vision. He signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to protect the most vulnerable amongst us: special needs kids.

One of the most cruel things I have seen in my time in Congress and with this administration is the attack on the public servants who promote and have never had the resources to really protect special needs kids.

This President has cut public servants at the Department of Education. Mr. Speaker, 1,315 workers were fired, 572 accepted voluntary separation packages, and 63 probationary workers were terminated. Programs for students with disabilities were moved to the Department of Health and Human Services where 20,000 public servants were cut in January.

There are approximately 7.5 million special needs kids in this country protected by IDEA in the Department of Education. They rely on the public servants who were just fired and eliminated.

The number of students served by IDEA has grown by over 1 million in the last decade. The administration has gutted the Office of Civil Rights which protects these students with disabilities from discrimination. This is outrageous.