Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk, No. 80.

Mr. Chair, my amendment is simple in that it would improve the transparency of the process around the development of the plan required in the underlying bill.

Like other regulatory processes where public input is required, my amendment would require the Secretary to provide for an opportunity for at least a 90-day public comment period on the plan.

If Congress is going to open up more Federal land for oil and gas production, we must hear from the communities and stakeholders that would be affected by most of these projects. This amendment simply gives an opportunity for the public to offer their views and knowledge for the Secretary to consider in the formation of any plan.

Oil and gas drilling can be a terribly destructive process for the environment and the communities around these drilling sites. The individuals and families who must live near drilling sites are forced to experience the harsh day-to-day realities of air and water quality impacts, which can lead to increased risks of developing asthma, respiratory disease, cancer, and other harmful side effects.

If the Secretary is going to recommend a plan to expand more drilling, then we should hear from experts,

stakeholders, and others who have a vested interest and allow them to participate openly and honestly in the process.

This is a simple, good-governance amendment. We are elected to Congress by the people, and it is the people who are affected who deserve a say in what happens in their communities.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk, No. 81.

Mr. Chair, my amendment would require the Secretary to consider the current number of inactive but approved Federal oil and gas leases and permits to drill in the development of any proposed plan. My amendment is vital to fully capturing the scope of unused oil and gas leases and permits to drill on Federal lands that companies are choosing not to utilize.

There are currently over 9,000 approved permits to drill on Federal land, yet my Republican colleagues want to open up even more Federal lands and approve additional permits to drill. The underlying bill is merely a politically motivated effort to undermine this administration's ability to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve while opening up more Federal lands to exploitation by private-sector interests.

Before the Secretary can draft any plan that proposes expanded drilling on Federal lands, I believe it is important that it consider all information relevant to such a plan, and that includes how many leases and permits are already approved but left inactive.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk, No. 82.

Mr. Chair, the United States is at the forefront of clean energy development and clean energy deployment globally. Not only are we developing countless private renewable energy projects across the country, but we have hundreds more wind, solar, and geothermal projects on Federal lands, with many more on the way.

If we are to remain a global leader in renewable energy deployment, then we should ensure any new oil and gas drilling does not impede the rapid deployment of renewable energy projects that are so critical to our energy independence and security.

Before we consider approving even more land for outdated and highly polluting forms of energy, we must continue on our march into the future and invest in renewable energy projects, not just on Federal lands but in every community that stands to benefit from these projects.

My amendment would require the Secretary to not only certify that increased oil and gas drilling on Federal lands will not negatively impact renewable energy project development but also prohibit the inclusion of any recommendations to expand such drilling in this plan if it would do so.

Yes, we must make gas affordable at the pump, but the President of the United States has already helped lower prices for the American people by drawing down the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. In fact, the underlying legislation would create additional barriers to keeping gas prices low.

The answer is not more drilling. The answer is to invest in renewable energy and to make these new technologies more affordable for everyday Americans.

If we want to keep the United States from falling second to China in the deployment of renewable energy projects, then we should be taking every reasonable step to continue their deployment. My amendment would do just that by ensuring the plan required in the underlying bill mitigates any impacts to renewable energy projects on Federal lands.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Point of Order

Mr. Chair, I respectfully reject the point of order against my amendment. Adding limitations to the scope of the existing plan required in paragraph 1 falls squarely within the jurisdiction of the base text and the legislative intent of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote on H. Con. Res. 7--Commedning the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran demonstrating in more than 133 cities and risking their safety to speak out against the Iranian regime's human rights abuses. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 36.

Offered By: Mr. Takano

Amendment No. 80: Page 3, line 9, strike the closed

quotation mark and the final period.

Page 3, after line 9, insert the following:

``(4) Comment period.--Before finalizing the plan required

under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide an

opportunity for public comment on the plan for a period of at

least 90 days.''.

Offered By: Mr. Takano

Amendment No. 81: Page 3, line 9, strike the closing

quotation mark and the final period.

Page 3, after line 9, insert the following:

``(4) Considerations.--In developing the plan under

paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the number of

inactive but approved Federal oil and gas leases and permits

to drill issued before the date of enactment of this

subsection.''.

Offered By: Mr. Takano

Amendment No. 82: Page 2, line 13, strike ``date of

enactment of this subsection'' and insert ``effective date of

this subsection''.

Page 3, strike lines 1 through 5 and insert the following:

``(2) Limitations.--The plan required by paragraph (1)

shall not--

``(A) provide for a total increase in the percentage of

Federal lands described in paragraph (1) leased for oil and

gas production in excess of 10 percent; or

``(B) provide for any increase in oil and gas drilling if

that oil and gas drilling would impact deployment of

renewable energy projects on Federal lands.''.

Add at the end the following:

Mr. Speaker, it should not be a partisan issue to support democracies globally and, in particular, affirm the results of the free, fair, and credible Presidential election in Brazil last fall.

The radio silence of my Republican colleagues regarding the January 8 attack on Brazilian democracy is inconsistent with their professed concern over freedom.

On a bipartisan basis, we should denounce a would-be autocrat who refuses to accept the results of elections and is taking refuge within the United States.

Our contempt should also extend to American extremists who are undermining democratic institutions at home and abroad.

Our commitment to democratic freedom cannot be selective. Fascism and communism are two sides of the same authoritarian coin.

Standing up for democratic values is not just about standing up to the Chinese Communist Party. It is about condemning autocratic movements globally.

We must defend democratic institutions here and everywhere, including any conspiracy undermining Brazilian democracy.

Mr. Speaker, there is broad recognition among Democrats and Republicans that Congress must adopt a whole-of-government approach in response to the intensifying great power competition between the United States and China.

The formation of the select committee is the Republicans' response to the China question. However, I do remain skeptical of the true intentions behind the formation of this committee, and I hope my Republican colleagues can approach this topic from a position of strength, not weakness, xenophobia, or fear.

A specific focus on strategic competition with China could be meaningful if the committee's work remains constructive, but I question why the work of this proposed select committee could not have been done through the current committees of jurisdiction.

With that being said, to be constructive, the committee should consider perspectives beyond the military domain that include the political, economic, military, cultural, and diplomatic implications of a potential U.S. response.

Republican leadership should also select Members to sit on this committee who are serious minded about the risks posed by China and not merely anti-China hawks yearning to isolate China through military might.

Most importantly, it is my hope that the committee will consider meaningful ways that we can promote a rules-based international order that the United States has spent considerable time and resources building up in the post-World War II era. We must leverage our soft- power tools and work cooperatively with our allies and other democratically aligned partners across the globe to achieve our ends.

Finally, unity at home is just as important to demonstrating the strength of our Nation as it is to project our strength abroad. Our strength is derived from our unwavering commitment to our democratic values, the cohesion of our alliances, the intellect and innovation of our people, and the shared prosperity of every American. What grants us currency with the world is our credibility at home as a reliable partner that provides a robust social safety net for its people and consistently supports democratic ideals.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to take this opportunity seriously. It is not simply enough to demonize and dehumanize our adversaries to align the world behind our democratic ideals. Let's use this select committee to show that we have unity and strength to outrival China and that we are good for more than just fearful rhetoric.

Until this point, my Republican colleagues have shown an unwillingness to avoid the vitriol that undermines a constructive approach to China, so I plan to vote ``no'' on this resolution. However, I hope we can move forward in a constructive way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 200th anniversary of the diplomatic binational relationship between the United States and Mexico. On December 12, 1822, Mexican envoy Jose Manuel Zozaya y Bermudez presented his diplomatic credentials to U.S. President James Monroe. In the two centuries since, we have strengthened the robust strategic and diplomatic relationship between our two countries. The United States and Mexico remain united through deep bonds of friendship and partnership that have helped make our shared continent one of the most prosperous regions in the world.

Madam Speaker, I am particularly proud of the pioneering role my hometown of Riverside, California has played in this key diplomatic relationship. Riverside is proud to have two Sister Cities in Mexico-- Cuautla, Morelos and Ensenada, Baja California Norte. The relationship between Riverside and our two sister cities is grounded in both art and cultural exchanges and public safety partnerships, fostering impactful dialogue and information sharing.

I commend the International Relations Council of Riverside for their commitment to facilitating these sister-city relationships and strengthening our region's global ties. IRC Riverside brings world leaders and dignitaries to our community, providing students and local business leaders with the opportunity to interact with and learn about people from our sister cities through citizen diplomacy.

Madam Speaker, I thank the cities of Cuautla and Ensenada for their continued commitment and partnership with Riverside and their dedication to strengthening the important binational diplomatic relationship between our two countries. I know that this relationship will continue to grow and prosper in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, earlier this year, President Biden called on Congress to comprehensively address the effects of toxic exposure in our veterans.

My bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act is the largest expansion of VA benefits in a generation.

Now that it is the law, the United States is finally recognizing toxic exposure as a cost of war.

Earlier this year, VA announced that it will immediately begin processing PACT Act benefits claims for eligible terminally ill veterans.

These developments would not have been possible without the work between Congress, House Democrats, and the Biden-Harris administration, and for our commitment to follow through on our promise to deliver healthcare

and benefits to America's toxic-exposed veterans.

I encourage veterans to visit VA.gov/PACT for more information on PACT Act benefits.

Madam Speaker, and may I add that Bishop Barber, our guest chaplain today, along with our Speaker, were instrumental in including Camp Lejeune as part of the PACT Act, and I know that America is grateful for this justice to be done.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1518, I call up the bill (H.R. 1948) to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify authorities relating to the collective bargaining of employees in the Veterans Health Administration, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 1948, as amended.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1948, as amended, the bipartisan VA Employee Fairness Act. This legislation ensures important collective bargaining rights for all frontline healthcare workers who care for our veterans.

As chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I have made veterans' healthcare one of my top priorities. I know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle strongly support our veterans and the benefits they earn.

This bill presents an opportunity to match words with action. The VA Employee Fairness Act will ensure critical protections for the healthcare workers serving our veterans.

As a Nation, we must invest in these frontline workers at VA hospitals. Our veterans need modern, well-designed hospital and clinical buildings equipped with the latest, most advanced medical devices and equipment and stocked with adequate medical supplies.

However, all this means little without a well-trained workforce ready to serve our veterans. That is why collective bargaining is vital.

Frontline healthcare workers deserve the right to organize themselves. They deserve to have a voice. VA nurses or technicians should be able to point out wrongdoing without fear of losing their job or other forms of retaliation.

All of this sounds like common sense, and it is, and this is what collective bargaining is all about.

My bill will bring parity to the Federal workforce by ensuring full collective bargaining rights for all VA employees.

Under current law, almost all Federal employees have basic worker protections through collective bargaining. They can become members of a labor union. They have a way to raise grievances and seek redress. They are allowed to have the support of union representatives. This has long been part of the fabric of the Federal workforce.

But there is one glaring exception. Many of the frontline healthcare workers within VA hospitals and clinics are barred from collective bargaining.

Title 38 healthcare professionals, such as registered nurses, physicians, dentists, and physician assistants, do not have the same rights as the psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, and licensed practical nurses who work side by side with them.

I will note that the same professionals at Department of Defense hospitals have collective bargaining rights. You heard that right. A registered nurse has collective bargaining rights at DOD but not a registered nurse at VA. This is the kind of legal contortion that should be fixed.

This probably sounds arbitrary, and it is. A list was written up by Congress years ago and depending on your specialty of nursing care or other occupation, someone taking care of veterans is either able to have full rights as an employee or not, and this only happens at VA healthcare facilities.

The bill is cosponsored by 218 of our congressional colleagues, and it has the support from those who represent frontline VA healthcare workers, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, National Nurses United, National Federation of Federal Employees, National Association of Government Employees, Service Employees International Union, the National Veterans Affairs Council, and a dozen other national labor unions. Further, this bill has the endorsement of Vietnam Veterans of America and The American Legion.

I wish to point out what VA said in its testimony when my committee held a legislative hearing on it last year. ``Secretary McDonough has stated publicly and to our workforce that a unionized workforce is a strong workforce. Collective bargaining is a powerful means for a strong workforce which is VA's number one asset as we work toward increasing access and outcomes for veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. VA supports organized labor and values in the collective bargaining process with our labor partners.''

I agree. This is about building and maintaining a strong workforce, a workforce dedicated to serving our veterans. I will share a real-world example of the importance of collective bargaining at VA.

In an issue that rose to U.S. District Court, the Central Texas VA Healthcare System failed to pay nurse practitioners and physician assistants overtime. When the healthcare workers demanded what was due to them, VA resisted.

The case was arbitrated in favor of the employees, but VA then used its authority under title 38 to argue that the grievance should not be addressed.

There is nothing fair about that.

This outdated provision in Federal law has become an excuse for VA to deny workers the benefits they have rightfully earned. Stories like these hardly represent an incentive for nurses to remain in the Department.

H.R. 1948, as amended, will ensure that VA employees have the ability to seek redress when VA does not follow its own rules and policies.

Some of my colleagues will argue that this means labor unions will start making veteran healthcare decisions, but this is, quite simply, not the case. Under Federal law, VA healthcare workers do not have this power. No Federal healthcare worker with collective bargaining rights has this power. Nor do their labor unions.

In fact, the current law stipulates that Federal employees with collective bargaining rights are limited in what they can bargain for.

Unlike in the private sector, Federal workers who have collective bargaining rights cannot strike, and they cannot bargain over their level of pay. Pay levels are set by the civil service pay grades each year and are not subject to collective bargaining.

Title 38 employees should have the same rights as those governed by title 5. Title 38 employees should have the same rights as their colleagues with whom they work side by side serving our veterans. H.R. 1948, as amended, is all about fairness for VA's frontline workers.

VA is going to be ramping up hiring over the next 5 years as it welcomes 3.5 million more veterans into the VA healthcare system after the passage of the Honoring our PACT Act. In order to attract the most qualified workforce to serve our veterans, we need to ensure that VA is a great place to work.

The employees who are on the front lines of our Nation's veterans' healthcare deserve and need basic worker protections. A VA nurse needs to be able to ask that their pay errors will be resolved. A doctor must feel empowered to raise medical safety concerns without fear of reprisal or retaliation. Without these protections, VA will continue to struggle to recruit and retain the best and brightest medical professionals that our country has to offer, and I fear that veterans' health and well-being will suffer as a result.

This is about fairness, and I am pleased that the administration agrees and has issued a statement in support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the Statement of Administration Policy.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 1948--VA Employee Fairness Act of 2022--Rep. Takano, D-CA, and 218

cosponsors

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 1948, the

VA Employee Fairness, Act of 2022, to expand collective

bargaining opportunities for covered Federal employees.

The Biden-Harris Administration supports worker organizing

and empowerment as critical tools to grow the middle class

and build an inclusive economy. The Federal government,

consistent with its obligations to serve the public, can be a

model employer in this regard.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for

the delivery of safe, effective, and timely patient care for

our veterans, and dedicated VA employees work tirelessly to

support our veterans' health needs, including in combating

Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1948, as amended, the VA Employee Fairness Act. It represents the right thing to do for those who care about our Nation's veterans. I wholeheartedly support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote for its passage. I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Before I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), I would like to rebut some of the points that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), my good friend, has made.

I believe that the gentleman from Illinois is misreading the law. H.R. 1948 will not allow the types of impacts that he has described. H.R. 1948 amends section 7422 of title 38. This is true. However, it is title 5 statutes overall that define the scope of collective bargaining for Federal workers.

Most importantly, title 5 states that collective bargaining does not include policies, practices, and matters ``to the extent that such matters are specifically provided by Federal statute.''

There are many laws which define the scope of collective bargaining. For example, if H.R. 1948 were enacted, title 38 section 7464 of the United States Code is still on the books. This law controls disciplinary appeals boards. I remind my colleagues that H.R. 1948 would only allow unions to grieve items under its contract with the department, and if it is not in the contract, a grievance cannot occur.

Furthermore, my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Bost) has made the assertion that doctors and nurses don't have collective bargaining rights outside of VA, or he pointed out a specific example of the Mayo Clinic. There are many, many wonderful, great, effective medical organizations that do have employee unions as part of their workforce, and so what he is stating is simply not true.

Hundreds of thousands of registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses, including nurse practitioners, are represented by labor unions and have full collective bargaining rights. Full collective bargaining rights. We are not talking about full collective bargaining rights in this particular instance of H.R. 1948.

There are whole unions for physicians and dentists that have existed for more than 50 years, and this includes many hospitals in New York and California. At UC San Francisco, over 5,000 nurses are represented by National Nurses United, and doctors are represented by Committee of Interns and Residents, which is part of SEIU.

Furthermore, DOD healthcare clinicians have collective bargaining rights, including nurses and physicians.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), my good friend and cosponsor of H.R. 1948, a member of the Committee on Financial Services, chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He also serves on the Homeland Security Committee.

Madam Speaker, I would remind my colleague from the State of Illinois that this bill more than adequately went through regular order.

We held a legislative hearing in April of 2021. The bill has garnered 218 cosponsors of our colleagues, each of whom has presumably reviewed the bill before they joined as cosponsors. We put the bill through a regular markup, and I have been in regular consultation with the Secretary of the VA about this bill. And most recently, the White House has issued a Statement of Administration Policy in support of the bill.

So to say that this bill is being rammed through at the 11th hour is patently untrue and not accurate.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins), my good friend and cosponsor of this bill. He serves on the Budget Committee and is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, I just remind the gentleman from Illinois that I did cite an egregious example of the VA ignoring the conclusions of an arbitrator in a patently unfair way.

Giving our title 38 employees the right to organize and the right to be represented by unions in such cases where a very legitimate grievance arises, I think is a basic principle of fairness, in fairness.

Let us think about what our veterans sacrificed. Let us think about what they put the uniform of their country on to fight for. They fought for our freedoms. They fought for our rights. They fought for basic fairness.

I have often said on this floor, that supporting our veterans is neither about being red or blue, but red, white, and blue. And I say to you that it is red, white, and blue to support the very principles that our veterans fought for. They fought for fairness. They fought for dignity. If you look at authoritarian countries around the world, they not only close the churches down, they not only close civil society down, but they close down real, independent unions, as well.

So if we are faithful to the principles of our Republic, we will stand up not only for religious institutions, not only for civil society, not only for your right and my right to say what is on our mind, but we will also fight for the right and defend the right of employees to organize and to unionize.

In this case, it is a very limited circumscribed form of collective bargaining, far more circumscribed than the very union that my colleague, who is a firefighter, I am willing to bet that his union had a far more robust ability to exercise collective bargaining than the very employees that we are trying to empower today.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1948, and I stand squarely behind it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Respect for Marriage Act. Over my time in Congress as the first openly gay Member of color elected in history, the fight for LGBTQ equality has remained a critical and personal focus of mine. Last week, the Senate took long- overdue action to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, and when my colleagues and I pass the Respect for Marriage Act in the House today, it will mean the world to me, my loved ones, and to millions of Americans.

Nearly 10 years ago, at the start of my career in Congress, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that marriage equality is a fundamental protected right. We took to the streets in fervent celebration of this cornerstone victory for our community.

This bill will pass today, but it is a reminder of the necessity of our vigilance in the fight for human rights and the need to hold the judicial branch accountable. We must rise to the challenge, and we will prevail.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Kassie Stagner has served our committee both as a clerk and a research assistant. During her time on staff, she has also shown a willingness to go the extra mile, take on any job that needs doing, and to do so with incredible attention to detail. Her work proved invaluable to many of the committee's oversight investigations. Through long days and hard projects, Kassie brought a sense of humor and a Texas charm to everything she did.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and to support our veterans was made better by Kassie's service, and she will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his generous yield.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Toria Sullivan brought a deep passion for helping veterans to my committee and always provided a kind and empathetic ear to those who contacted our office seeking assistance.

She brought calm and order to a fast-moving office, where the next urgent priority was always right around the corner. She was unfailingly helpful and went above and beyond expectations as part of the committee's communications team.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Toria's service, and she will be deeply missed.

Thanking Heather O'Beirne Kelly

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Dr. Heather O'Beirne Kelly brought 20 years of experience as a psychologist to her critical role with the Health Subcommittee. She spearheaded my committee's work on veterans' mental health and suicide prevention and drafted key portions of some of the most important legislation passed by the committee, including the Veterans COMPACT Act, the STRONG Veterans Act, and the VIPER Act.

Even as she grappled with incredibly difficult policy challenges, Heather was a joyful presence in our office who made every day better for her coworkers.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Heather's service, and she will be deeply missed.

Thanking Esti Lamonaca

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Esti Lamonaca is an Army veteran who lives and breathes veterans advocacy and who brought deep insight and tireless passion to the committee's efforts to support women veterans.

As the lead for the Women Veterans Task Force during this Congress, Esti organized a series of important task force events. The oversight work they undertook will guide the committee's work on behalf of women veterans for years to come, and Esti's commitment to this work will continue to inspire those who worked with them.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Esti's service, and they will be deeply missed.

Thanking Matt Tyrell

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Matt Tyrell came to our committee from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and his experience within that organization proved invaluable to our work. He spent months engaging with stakeholders, drafting language, and laying the careful groundwork needed to pass the Honoring our PACT Act, one of the most important pieces of legislation to come out of this Congress. Even while accomplishing such a Herculean task, he never failed to bring collegiality and good humor to his work.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Matt's service, and he will be deeply missed.

Thanking Peter Tyler

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Peter Tyler is a former member of the Navy Reserve and an experienced Hill staffer who brought considerable skill and oversight experience to my committee. He led many of our efforts to make the Veterans Administration a welcoming place for all who served our Nation and to protect veterans and their families from abusive debt collection practices by improving administrative processes at the VA.

Peter's passion for good government shone through in every task he took on for the committee.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Peter's service, and he will be deeply missed.

Thanking Matt Horowitz

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Matt Horowitz brought real-world experience in technology and cybersecurity to my committee's work and broadened the scope of our oversight efforts into this important, complex, and often overlooked area.

His deep knowledge, patience, and good humor also helped my committee become a model to others as Congress adjusted to the need for remote work and virtual hearings during the pandemic. He expanded the work the committee does and helped us do it better during a very challenging time.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Matt's service, and he will be deeply missed.

Thanking Joel Walsh

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Joel Walsh has been an important part of my committee's oversight and investigations team, and he brought skills to his job that he honed while working as a journalist. His professionalism, writing and investigation skills, and work ethic proved invaluable to the committee as he helped lead hearings and draft important records.

Joel's sincerity and good humor made my committee a better place to work and also made our work better.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Joel's service, and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his generosity of spirit and for his collegiality.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Lofgren for her leadership and Chairman Nadler for his staunch support to move my bill, the Veteran Service Recognition Act, through committee and to bring it to the floor.

As chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, one of my top priorities has been the prevention of undue noncitizen veteran deportations.

Most Americans would be shocked and in disbelief that we have deported people who have served in our military, have served in uniform, have even been in combat. They would be shocked to learn that we have done this, but it is true. We have actually taken American heroes who have served in our military and deported them.

While many would be shocked to learn that veterans who have served our country are being subjected to deportations, the number of these individuals is unknown because we have not kept adequate records on who these people are.

In 2019, Representative Vargas and I requested that the Government Accountability Office evaluate the scope of servicemember and veteran deportations and determine the state of and adherence to DHS policies on such deportations, DHS' own policies.

What the GAO found was significant gaps not only in the Federal approach to processing potentially removable veterans but also in how the government facilitated the naturalization of noncitizen servicemembers and veterans.

I was further dismayed by the additional findings that the number of these veterans was not being tracked; deportation often prevented these individuals from accessing their VA benefits and services or attending hearings to appeal VA decisions; and ICE did not consistently adhere to its own policies on removal proceedings involving veterans.

The GAO report made it abundantly clear that reforms are desperately needed across the Federal Government, and that is precisely what my bill endeavors to do today.

Despite being born in a different country, these veterans served in the United States for the promise of a better future. They put their lives on the line to promote our ideals and values because they believe in the American experience.

Often, these individuals, like many veterans, leave service with traumas or

ailments that impact their physical and mental health. This can lead to drug addiction, self-harm, or PTSD, which also can serve as a precursor to violence or criminal activity.

We must recognize these struggles that our veterans face and show greater compassion toward those who may have made a mistake, including those noncitizen veterans who are facing deportation due to their actions.

I say to you, Mr. Speaker, if there is anyone who deserves a second chance in our country, it is people who have worn the uniform of the United States of America.

The Veteran Service Recognition Act creates a pathway for us to recognize their service and prevent the undue deportation of servicemembers and veterans. The bill achieves this by making the naturalization process easier for Active-Duty servicemembers at basic training and establishing a military family immigration advisory committee to review the record of an individual being considered for deportation. This is not an automatic thing. This is about weighing the servicemember's record as part of those proceedings.

What American would deny that we should treat noncitizen veterans with fairness and compassion? We want veterans to be able to apply for green cards to return home, excluding the most egregious cases, and codify an administrative program for immediate family members of veterans to also obtain green cards consistent with existing administrative policy.

The number of eligible individuals under this legislation remains a very small subset of the veteran population. In fact, estimates are in the couple of hundreds.

Mr. Speaker, for my friends across the aisle, this is an opportunity to honor our brave veterans for their heroism, regardless of the country they were born in.

We commemorated Veterans Day last month, and I can think of no better way to honor our veterans than voting ``yes'' on the underlying legislation. We can and must do better by our immigrant veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Riverside Community College District Trustee Tracey Vackar for her esteemed service to public education throughout California's 41st Congressional District.

Trustee Vackar embodies steadfast commitment to Riverside Community College students, helping them realize and achieve the American Dream through education.

Tracey is the immediate past president of the RCCD board and was elected by her out-of-district peers to serve on the California Community College Trustees Board, a massive indication of her leadership. With over two decades of working in the Moreno Valley Unified School District, and in my colleague Pete Aguilar's neighboring district with Fontana Unified School District, Tracey's dedication to students spans the Inland Empire.

Tracey deeply understands the critical role that our community colleges play in creating workforce training opportunities to expand middle-class families' pathway toward college degrees.

With her unparalleled passion for service, Tracey is an exemplary role model for Inland Empire students. She will be missed on the board, but I wish her best of luck on her next journey.