Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DREAMers like my former intern, Luis, who came to this country when he was 6 years old.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer two amendments in this en bloc package to this appropriations bill. These two amendments will finally provide the authorized funding levels of $12 million for the regional infrastructure accelerator demonstration program, section 1441 of the FAST Act; and $10 million for the transit-oriented development pilot program, section

1036 of the FAST Act. This funding will finally allow these two important programs to move forward, improving infrastructure projects and transportation options in my district in the Inland Empire and throughout our country.

I appreciate the chairman's and the ranking member's support.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to this appropriations bill.

Section 235(b) of the INA requires that any individual who arrives at a U.S. port of entry and asks to apply for asylum must be granted an interview with an asylum officer. That is the law. It does not say our borders are open, but it does say that we do not turn away asylum seekers at our borders.

However, in recent months, NGOs have documented many cases where Customs and Border Protection officials have turned away asylum seekers at ports of entry. These actions are clearly prohibited by section 235(b).

My amendment would simply prevent any use of funds to violate section 235(b). Our taxpayer dollars should not be used to break the law.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment to Division E of the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act.

Immigrant families in my district and across this country are terrified. They are afraid because of the things that President Trump has said and because of the policies that he has proposed.

President Trump has been clear about who he thinks immigrants are. He thinks immigrants are lazy. He thinks immigrants are unskilled. He thinks immigrants are dangerous criminals.

Just yesterday, he ended the DACA program, crushing the dreams of 800,000 talented and courageous young Americans.

He has promised to triple the number of ICE agents to build a deportation force to go into immigrant communities. Under President Obama, ICE was told to focus on detaining and deporting dangerous criminals. But President Trump has told ICE they should go after whomever they can find.

Now, every immigrant without papers is a target, young and old. This is why immigrants are so afraid. Democrats in Congress have been united in standing up against President Trump in his war on American immigrants. We have blocked money for the wall and for his deportation force. But we also need to put some healthy constraints on President Trump's Department of Homeland Security.

My amendment will strike section 209 of Division E, which grants the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to reprogram or transfer funds for the purpose of detaining immigrants prioritized for removal.

President Trump has made his intentions very clear. He wants to deport every one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country no matter what those consequences may be.

With this bill as it is currently written, there is almost no limit how far he can go. Congress must stand up and make clear where we stand.

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

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's concern for public safety. The reality is that this administration has kept Congress in the dark about immigration policy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a long-time resident of my district, Mrs. Helen Liu, as she celebrates her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends.

Mrs. Liu spends her days embodying the qualities of kindness, generosity, and selflessness, all of which have been gained after many years spent as a mother and a woman of faith. She was born August 19, 1917 in a small village outside the city of Tangshan, China. The youngest of six children--three older brothers and two older sisters-- Helen found a passion in pursuing higher education in an environment that discouraged it.

After completing her exams at Shen Hung Girl's High School, Helen was accepted to two prestigious universities: Yanjing University in Beijing and Nankai University in Tianjin. In order to remain close to her family, Helen attended school in Tianjin. It was here where she later met and married her husband, Yung Kwei Lui, on April 7, 1941.

Helen and her husband raised a beautiful family of four, two sons and two daughter, one of which she currently spends her days with in the City of Montclair. In her spare time, Helen teaches bible study and the lessons she has learned throughout her long, but fulfilling life. Many of these lessons are well documented in her autobiography.

When asked her opinion of such a monumental celebration, Helen said she finds it difficult to believe that she has lived to see 100 years. She only hopes to see many more.

For her endless dedication to her family and her community, and for being an example of love and kindness, I would like to recognize Mrs. Helen Liu, proud American citizen, and wish her a very Happy Birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise to express my disappointment that Republican leadership has added something as controversial as funding for the border wall to a critical bill funding our Nation's defense.

There is a reason those who live on the border and know the region best don't want this wall. They know this wall won't keep us safe, and they know it won't stop illegal immigration.

Instead of wasting $1.6 billion in taxpayer dollars on a piece of security theater, DHS should focus its limited resources on its declared mission, which is ``to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.'' This wall does none of that.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stop playing politics with our security and bring a clean bill to the floor.

Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by thanking also my friend, Representative Pearce from New Mexico, for offering this amendment with me.

Mr. Chair, during our committee work on portions of this bill, I raised this issue and offered a similar amendment. So I appreciate Representative Pearce for working with me to improve the bill for Indian Country.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment because it will provide some limited, though not complete, legal protection for Indian Tribes and their water rights. That said, I continue to have grave concerns with the underlying bill and the impact it will have on Indian Country.

Even if this amendment is adopted, the underlying bill will cause significant harm to Indian Country. For example, in title 4 of this bill, it blocks

emergency water releases that prevent disease outbreaks for Tribal fisheries in California's Klamath River. The provision will significantly increase the risk of widespread fish kills and lead to tragic losses for Tribal communities.

While this amendment doesn't mitigate all of the negative impacts of this bill, it will improve the bill somewhat by including an additional legal protection for Tribal rights that will preserve past, pending, or future Tribal water rights settlements.

Mr. Chair, I urge support for this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today not only as a Member of Congress but as an immigrant and a proud American, and I and my fellow members of the New Americans Caucus took the step to not just become naturalized citizens and exercise our right to vote but also to get involved in our communities and eventually run for office.

This is why, today, I want to encourage all of those who can to do the same, become a citizen and get involved. Your vote is your voice. It allows you to use that voice to better your community and to speak up for those who still can't.

Citizenship is a security. Citizenship is power. These days, too much is at stake, so don't wait until it is too late.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 145, expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the fight against corruption in Central America.

In too many Central American countries, it has become common practice for government officials to use public office to enrich themselves instead of serving the public good. For too long, corruption has allowed violence and poverty to hold these countries back.

But recently, the people of Central America have made it clear that they are ready for a change. In the last 2 years, young people from across the region have taken to the streets and demonstrated, and some real progress has been made.

In Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, the attorneys general have demonstrated independence and real courage.

In Guatemala, Attorney General Thelma Aldana has worked closely with CICIG, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala. Under the leadership of Ivan Velasquez, CICIG has been instrumental in improving the capacity of Guatemala's prosecutors and has assisted with effective investigations into corruption and human rights violations.

In Honduras, Attorney General Oscar Chinchilla has worked with the Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras, MACCIH, since 2016. Led by Juan Jimenez, MACCIH has promoted important legal reforms and is assisting with the investigations of high-profile corruption cases.

In El Salvador, Attorney General Douglas Melendez has made significant progress in tackling high-level corruption cases. I hope that the Government of El Salvador will recognize the value of CICIG and MACCIH and accept the international assistance that the attorney general and his prosecutors so clearly need.

Mr. Speaker, the countries of the Northern Triangle are at a crucial point in this fight against corruption, and we cannot turn back the progress that has been made. This resolution will send a very clear message that the United States will be a steadfast partner in its support for the fight against corruption in Central America.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their support and hard work in advancing this resolution.

Additionally, I thank Congressman Moolenaar, who worked with me to draft and introduce this resolution and who has been a strong supporter and advocate of the fight against corruption in Central America.

I also thank all of the cosponsors of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Frankel and Congresswoman Jackie Speier of the Democratic Women's Working Group for hosting tonight's Special Order and for their constant advocacy on behalf of the victims of the Marines United scandal.

The gentlewoman is correct. While I was not blessed with a daughter, I was blessed with three sons, one who I am proud to call a veteran of the United States Air Force.

My son Christopher was the first one to leave home, and I can't imagine, as a mother of a child who is leaving him for the first time going into basic training, receiving the types of calls that these parents must have received, completely heartbreaking.

One of the stories that my son shared with me was of a suicide that happened that involved one of his classmates, and how the parents found out about her suicide through a Facebook post because everyone was sharing a condolence note.

So these things happen; and while we cannot and may not be able to always control the actions of these young men and women, there is a basic understanding and expectation from parents like myself that when we send our boys, and our young men and our young women, daughters and sons, to the military, that they will be taken care of; and when they file a complaint, that those complaints will be taken seriously and fully investigated. They deserve nothing less.

Sexual harassment in the military certainly isn't new, but this scandal is a wake-up call that we cannot afford to ignore. The victims of Marines United don't just deserve our sympathy and our support, they deserve a commitment to doing everything that we can to finally bring an end to sexual harassment in the military in all forms.

This isn't a case of boys being boys. This is a disgusting violation of women who have taken an oath to defend our Nation.

I would like to read part of Erika Butner--corporal, U.S. Marine Corps,

2011 to 2016--part of her testimony here today.

She begins by stating her name and thanking you for the opportunity to testify at the August 8, 2011, hearing.

And she states: ``I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps knowing I could have potentially deployed to a combat zone. If presented the opportunity, I would have given my life for this country without hesitation. Never once did I think the war I'd fight would be among my very own brothers in arms.

``During the time I spent in the Marine Corps, various clothed photos of me were taken from my personal social media accounts without my consent and shared on sites that are like Marines United with great frequency. They would post my photo and caption it, `Smash or Pass,' in other words, `Would you have sex with this woman or not?' followed by extreme vulgar, degrading, and repulsive comments, including rape talk. My so-called brothers in arms shared clothed photographs of me on Marines United, posted my contact information, and discussed all the unspeakable things they would like to do to me.

``Comments I saw on other posts of the site included how female marines aren't `real' marines and belong in the kitchen. One post suggested friendly fire to the women who are now being integrated into the infantry units. Another male veteran described how he would rip off an Active-Duty female's eyelashes and then throw her into a tub of acid. Many veterans think because the UCMJ does not apply to them, they're immune from legal action.

``This culture of sharing photographs has been going on long before Marines United, and even before Facebook. With the use of social media and other file-sharing sites, this behavior has developed into something that has led to harassment and the degradation of men and women servicemembers. If this behavior had not come to light, I believe it would have continued as a dark secret of the military.''

Her statement goes on. I will not read the rest of it but continue by saying that these aren't faceless strangers. They are our daughters, our sisters, and our friends. They are American heroes who volunteered to serve our country.

As a mother of a veteran, I know that our military is better than this. Our men and women in uniform represent the very best of this Nation, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues this evening in support of bringing about the changes we need to put a stop to the sharing of nonconsensual pornography in the military and, ultimately, bring an end to sexual and gender-based violence and harassment in our Armed Forces.

The next letter that I write to one of the academies recommending a young lady from my district, I want the reassurance from our military that her safety, her personal safety, will be taken seriously. And I need to have a commitment that she is just as American as any male of our military.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, it looks like Congress has avoided another government shutdown for now. We will probably pass another short-term spending bill or two before this latest stopgap bill runs out, threatening to bring us to the brink once again.

This is no way to govern. As a former mayor and State legislator, I know that our States and cities need to be able to plan ahead. They can't do that if Federal funding is up in the air and subject to the latest political tug of war.

If we expect 50 States to pass a budget every year, there is no reason Congress can't do the same. It is time for Congress and the White House to stop playing games and to do the job that we were sent to Washington to do.

Mr. Speaker, our children are this Nation's greatest asset. Our future is in their hands. We have to make sure that they have the tools they need to lead our country and tackle whatever challenges the future holds.

This is why I was shocked the President's budget makes drastic cuts to education--cuts that will have the biggest impact on kids who need our help the most.

In my district, a quarter of our kids live in poverty, with parents working long hours and multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Yet President Trump wants to cut before- and afterschool programs, as well as over $4 million in programs to hire and train teachers and reduce class size.

As this Congress crafts our budget, I ask my Republican colleagues to reject these cuts and to truly invest in our future. We will never make America great if we leave our kids behind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Patrick O'Malley of the Pomona Police Department for his unyielding commitment to improve the lives of residents in my district every single day.

Sgt. O'Malley may be a native of the Sunshine State, but it is our Golden State that has been the beneficiary of his strong work ethic and compassionate character since he moved here in 1971. He started his career as a police

officer with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department Academy in 1991, graduating a year later in 1992. In 1993, my district received a wonderful addition when Sgt. O'Malley joined the Pomona Police Department. Since then, he has continued his life-long devotion to public service through his career in law enforcement of more than 25 years.

While Sgt. O'Malley has had a commendable career with numerous assignments including the Gang Team, Patrol Operations, Traffic Bureau, Detective Bureau, and the MAIT Investigation team, perhaps his most admirable assignment came when he met BreAunna Barnett.

``An angel with a badge,'' is the phrase that BreAunna's mother, Leanne, uses to refer to Sgt. O'Malley. Mr. Speaker, in what could only be described as a mother's worst fear, Leanne almost lost her daughter to the drug addiction epidemic that plagues our country today. The unequivocal love of a mother and the pure integrity of an officer brought Leanne and Sgt. O'Malley together. While many would have given up, Sgt. O'Malley committed himself to finding and helping BreAunna.

When he found BreAunna she initially rejected his attempts to help, but that did not stop Sgt. O'Malley, who refused to give up. Over time, Sgt. O'Malley gained her trust and eventually helped her receive proper treatment. Even after recovery, Sgt. O'Malley still continued to check up on BreAunna.

In the most tumultuous of times, we find hope in individuals like Sgt. O'Malley, the very same hope that BreAunna experienced. Yes, indeed, he is an angel with a badge.

Sgt. O'Malley's case is especially relevant and worth highlighting in the environment that we find ourselves today where communities' distrust in police officers has reached unprecedented levels. The positive work that our police officers perform often goes unnoticed, and instead we only see the negative. We look to stories like that of Sgt. O'Malley's to remind us that the simple act of caring goes a long way and that taking a community policing approach works.

Sgt. O'Malley did not shy away from a challenge and is a reminder that we too should not shy away from helping each other out.

For his endless contributions and commitment to my community, and because he teaches us to go above and beyond what is asked, I would like to recognize Sergeant Patrick O'Malley on the House floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Jonah Min Hwang, another victim of a senseless act of gun violence. Jonah was only 8 years old when he was killed last week in a drive-by shooting in my home city of Pomona.

Jonah, his parents, and his brother were enjoying dinner hosted by friends of his parents, two schoolteachers, when a bullet ripped through the house and hit Jonah. Crimes like this are heartbreaking.

A talented soccer player, an avid reader who loved superheroes, Jonah was an adopted child from a Taiwanese orphanage just 3 years ago. It eats at your soul to think that such a young child with his whole life ahead of him could be taken so ruthlessly. Perhaps most frustrating is that Jonah's killer is still at large.

When I first heard of Jonah's death, it brought me back to a similar tragedy when I served as mayor of my home city of Pomona. In 2006, little Ethan Esparza was shot and killed while he was playing in his front yard during his birthday party. He would have turned 4 years old.

Ethan's murder shocked our community and was a stark reminder of the violence that plagues our city. Sadly, over 10 years later, we are still fighting those same battles.

The murders of Jonah and Ethan were completely senseless, but they are not rare. In fact, Pomona was recently ranked California's eighth most dangerous city, which doesn't surprise those of us who have seen gangs take ahold of our city.

Our local police department puts their lives on the line every single day to try to keep us safe, and our local officials have made significant investments in law enforcement. During my time as mayor, we implemented gang injunctions to try to get hold of the problem.

But as the number of guns on the streets continues to rise and ruthless gang members get their hands on these deadly weapons, it often feels like a losing battle. We are alone fighting these battles.

As a matter of fact, today marks the 23rd anniversary of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, better known as the Brady bill, which has blocked more than 3 million people who had no business owning a gun from buying a gun from a federally licensed dealer.

As the new President makes his first address to Congress today, it is especially infuriating that, despite the countless gun-related tragedies occurring across our country, this Congress and this new administration have not taken one single step to reduce gun violence. I have come to this floor before demanding action, and I stand here before you yet again today, Mr. Speaker, to demand action on behalf of Jonah, of Ethan, and of the millions of innocent lives lost.

There are steps that we can take immediately to expand the Brady bill to save lives and make our communities safer:

First, we should close the loophole that allows guns to be sold online or at gun shows without background checks.

Second, we should make sure that there are resources available to research gun violence--research. We can't find effective solutions if we can't research and understand the problem.

Lastly, we should enhance the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, NICS, and make sure that States are inputting records in a way that allows Federal agencies to run complete background checks on individuals. Background checks are only as effective as the quality of the records in the background check system.

There is no excuse for making it easy for dangerous people to get their hands on a deadly weapon. It is my deepest hope that this Congress will take action on gun control so that none of us has to attend another vigil in Pomona--or anywhere else in America--to honor the memory of another child taken from us much too soon. We owe it to the victims and to their loved ones to act.

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

By expanding the boundaries of the Shiloh National Military Park in the State of Tennessee, H.R. 88 will assist the National Park Service in its efforts to preserve lands and share the history of the Civil War for generations to come.

The bill adjusts the boundary of the park to include several sites identified in the 2004 boundary expansion study conducted by the National Park Service. This bill also establishes the Parker's Crossroads Battlefield as an associated area of the National Park System.

Between the Union and Confederacy, Parker's Crossroads saw over 700 Americans lose their lives in the war for our Nation's future. Preserving this site will provide even broader opportunities to commemorate and learn from the legacy of the Civil War.

The emphasis that we all need to place on preserving our country's history cannot be overstated. The Civil War is a chapter in our national story that continues to shape the thoughts and actions of this country over 150 years after its conclusion.

The struggles and personal conflicts faced by millions of soldiers and the impact on families throughout and after the war have provided us with many lessons, lessons that continue to remain relevant today. Only through learning from our past will we learn how to be a better and stronger nation in the future.

Parks, such as Shiloh National Military Park, offer countless opportunities for us to explore the rich history and lessons of the past. These opportunities are most effective when visitors to sites can immerse themselves in the full setting of the area and gain a true understanding of the historical context, something that this expansion of the Shiloh National Military Park will achieve.

I would like to thank Representative Blackburn for her hard work and commitment to protecting the historical resources in her State, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to again thank Representative Blackburn for her efforts, and I urge adoption of this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Public Law 102-477 establishes what is commonly known as the 477 Program to foster employment and economic development in Indian Country. This highly successful program authorizes tribal governments to consolidate up to 13 different Federal grant programs into a single plan with a single budget in a single reporting system.

Current participants in the program have significantly improved the effectiveness of the delivery of services included in their 477 plan, while lowering administrative costs. These cost savings have been translated into more accessible and available services for their communities.

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma's 477 Program has been in place since 1996. Since 2010, the Nation has served well over 6,000 participants through the program. Of those who had employment as their goal, 47 percent achieved unsubsidized employment.

H.R. 288 will build on this success by permanently authorizing the program, increasing the scope and availability of participating Federal grant programs, and setting a streamlined process for tribes to follow.

I want to congratulate Chairman Young for his tireless work on this legislation and for bringing together all of the stakeholders to address their concerns and find a workable solution.

I supported this legislation last year, as it passed the House last Congress unanimously. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

This is an important program that deserves to be reauthorized. As we know, this bill passed out of the House last Congress without objection. I look forward to continuing to work with Mr. Young at finding other pieces of legislation that we can work on on a bipartisan level.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.