Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as national Stop the Bleed day approaches on March 31, I encourage my colleagues and friends to get trained on how to control bleeding in a trauma situation to help end preventable deaths. The American College of Surgeons' Stop the Bleed program offers training to the public on how to control bleeding in an emergency using simple techniques that can be learned by almost everyone, such as direct pressure, bandaging, and even tourniquets.

In the United States, traumatic injuries cause the death of more than 180,000 people each year. While tragically some traumas result in near instantaneous death, many others occur in the first few hours or days and they are most often caused by uncontrolled bleeding. Traumatic injuries and bleeding can have many root causes including shootings, vehicle crashes, falls, workplace accidents, and natural disasters.

As an emergency physician, I have seen these heartbreaking cases time and again. In trauma care we think of the ``Golden Hour,'' the time during which, if prompt medical attention is provided we have the best chance of saving a life. The Stop the Bleed campaign teaches members of the community how to respond to a bleeding emergency, and just as we see with CPR, the earlier the intervention begins, the greater the chance of eliminating preventable death. This is especially important in the moments before the arrival of medical personnel.

Please join with me and consider getting trained to Stop the Bleed.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to say happy birthday to my daughters, Sky and Sage. There is no greater love than the love I have for my twin girls, Sky and Sage, and for my wife, Monica.

There is no greater role or responsibility I have than to be their father and Monica's husband. There is no greater title more honorable and more meaningful in my life than the title of father and husband.

There is no greater joy than to hear my girls sing with happiness, play with vigor, and laugh with gusto. There is no greater medicine for my soul than feeling their bear hugs when I arrive home after being away at work for days.

Today, I celebrate their birth, their 3 years of life, and their future with the highest hopes and aspirations any father can have throughout all generations of fatherhood.

Today I sing our love story, and I sing Happy Birthday to my Sky Bear and Sage Monkey.

Happy birthday. I love you a lot--te amo mucho.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Pallone, and the committee for their hard work on this bipartisan bill.

This legislation includes my bill, H.R. 5007, the Tribal Broadband Deployment Act, which will direct the FCC to improve broadband access on Tribal lands within 30 months.

For the communities in my congressional district, California's 36th District, and throughout our Nation, this will be a game changer. Throughout the Coachella Valley, the San Jacinto Mountain communities, and the Pass regions of California, rural, underdeveloped Tribal lands are spread out among non-Tribal communities, both of which are often lacking broadband internet and both of which will benefit.

My bill will bring real resources and opportunities to these areas, improving connectivity and helping to close the digital divide in these historically underserved communities. With expanding access to the internet, families, students, workers, and businesses will be able to harness the power of their ideas and information to achieve their dreams and grow our local economies.

I want to thank Chairman Blackburn for honoring her commitment to work with me on this issue.

I urge the House to pass this important bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, today is Valentine's Day. Children will pass around cards and candy at school. Young men and women will gather the courage to speak with their crush, and many couples will get engaged to marry.

I sent my first Valentine, my mother, flowers. I will spend this evening telling my wife, Monica, and my girls, Sky and Sage, the many ways that I love and appreciate them over FaceTime.

But for many, today is not a joyous day. There are too many victims of domestic abuse who live in homes of broken hearts and who search for love but find violence instead. No form of mental, emotional, sexual, or physical abuse is acceptable no matter who it is from or under any circumstance, period.

I thank the many organizations, like Shelter From the Storm, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, and others in my district, for the refuge and support that they provide.

To the victims: I want you to know that you are not broken and you are not at fault. You are a survivor and you have the courage. Help is only one phone call away. Happy Valentine's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to congratulate Officer John Quintero on his well-deserved retirement after 27 years with the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Our entire community is grateful for his dedication to keep our roads and highways safe. Today, I would like to recognize his outstanding career and years of service.

Day in and day out, we use our vehicles to go to various places such as work, school, or visit our loved ones, and we are able to mobilize safely because of the tireless efforts of individuals like Officer Quintero.

He is an esteemed member of our community and a resident of the City of Indio. He is a devoted husband and father of six children. He served as an inspiration for his daughter Jacquelene to follow in his footsteps and become a CHP Officer. His colleagues look up to him as an intelligent, hardworking man.

Officer Quintero began his career in traffic law enforcement in South Los Angeles, where he served for six years. During his early years, he demonstrated a passion to protect our citizens and keep our streets safe, which earned him the Governor's Employee Safety Award for his efforts in vehicle theft. Officer Quintero carries that passion in every task he undertakes, making him an exemplary leader.

Throughout his career, he has held numerous positions including Field Training Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, Shift Supervisor, Drug Recognition Expert, Child Safety Seat Technician, El Protector Hispanic Outreach Office, and Critical Incident Peer Supporter. Officer Quintero was also a member of a Special Response Team, where he served as protection for last year's Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

His commitment to keeping our citizens on the road safe is exemplified by his fast response in saving the lives of two residents who had been shot while driving in the freeway. With the strength they had left, they managed to park their vehicle in front of the Indio CHP Office. Officer Quintero and his daughter rapidly administered medical aid to the male driver and the female passenger, keeping them conscious until the paramedics took them to the hospital. In the process, they collected crucial information about the suspected shooter. After an investigation was conducted, the suspect was arrested. Officer Quintera's outstanding performance and courageous actions are truly commendable.

Officer Quintero has dedicated his life working to ensure our community is safe. Every day, he was willing to sacrifice his life in service of others. His valuable contributions and arduous work will be felt for years to come.

On behalf of the entire 36th Congressional District, I am honored to recognize Officer John Quintero's achievements and years of service. His arduous work and contributions to our community will be felt for years to come. I commend his public service and extend my best wishes on his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate Palm Springs Police Captain Walter Combs on his retirement after more than 23 years in law enforcement. His dedication to ensuring the residents of Palm Springs are safe is truly commendable. Today, I want to recognize his outstanding accomplishments and years of service.

Captain Combs is an exceptional leader in our local community. He began his law enforcement career serving as a patrol officer with the Indio Police Department. After five years, in 1994, Captain Combs started working with the Palm Springs Police Department where he remained until 2017.

His commitment to keeping our citizens safe earned him many promotions over the years, going from patrol officer to Captain. During his early years with the Palm Springs Police Department, he served as an undercover Narcotics Task Force Officer, field Training Officer, Police Department Honors Guard, and member of the SWAT Team. In 2005, he was promoted to Sergeant and supervised the Patrol Officers, the Detective Bureau overseeing the Property Crimes Division, the auxiliary Peer Support Group and Honor Guard, and the volunteer unit of citizens on Patrol. His determination and outstanding performance eventually led him to be promoted to Lieutenant in 2012, and ultimately to Captain in 2014.

Captain Combs commitment to public service is inspiring. While serving with the Palm Springs Police Department, he was also a devoted member of the Human Rights Commission board and the LGBT Committee.

Captain Combs has dedicated his life in service of the residents of Palm Springs. His valuable contributions and arduous work strengthening our community will be felt for years to come.

On behalf of the entire 36th Congressional District, I am humbled to honor and recognize Captain Walter Combs. I extend my sincerest congratulations on his accomplishments and years of public service. I wish him all the best on his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, nearly 9 million children across the Nation, more than 55,000 in my district alone, rely on the Children's Health Insurance Program for their healthcare.

The deadline to fund CHIP passed and Congress has failed to provide long-term funding for the program, kicking the can down the road and leaving parents worried about whether or not their child will get the healthcare they need, because they are no longer covered, in the middle of a flu season no less.

For decades, Republicans and Democrats have come together to fund the bipartisan and noncontroversial CHIP. It is unacceptable that this time around, Republican leaders proposed paying for CHIP by cutting other critical public health programs that CHIP recipient kids rely on, like vaccines. This is unconscionable.

Stop using children's healthcare as a partisan weapon. Kids and parents deserve better. We must put our children's needs above partisanship and provide for the health of our children with a bipartisan, long-term funding solution for CHIP.

Mr. Speaker, right now, my home State of California is ablaze, and the communities of Idyllwild, Anza, and Mountain Center in my district are still bruised from the 2013 wildfires and are on high alert for the next fire.

Today, we passed my bill and delivered a win for our firefighters and victims of fires by increasing Federal funding to recover, rebuild, prevent future fires, and keep communities safe.

The 2013 Mountain Fire in my district burned over 27,000 acres, destroyed homes, and cost over $25 million. I worked with Cal Fire, Idyllwild Fire Protection District, and Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council to author the bipartisan Wildfire Prevention Act, which will deliver tens of millions of dollars to recover, rebuild, prevent future fires, and keep our communities safe.

This bill puts people above partisanship and solutions above ideology to improve the lives of the people we serve. It makes government work for the people.

Thank you to these incredible local partners for working with me to deliver this pragmatic solution for the district and for the community.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the heroic actions of firefighter and paramedic James McDonald. His courage, calm demeanor, quick reflexes, and solution-based approach saved the life of Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy David Solis.

On the afternoon of May 25th, 2017, Mr. McDonald and the rest of the members of Fire Station 79 were dispatched across town to assist Deputy Solis who had been shot multiple times during a foot pursuit in the City of Coachella.

Mr. McDonald reacted immediately and medically assisted Deputy Solis. He assessed the injuries, directed the medical support, and requested an air ambulance to transport Deputy Solis to the nearest regional trauma center.

As an emergency room physician, I am aware that when an individual is severely injured by gunshots, every second is vital to save his or her life. Mr. McDonald remained calmed and focused throughout the operation, and his leadership was essential in saving Deputy Solis's life. His courage and agility of mind is commendable.

Throughout his two years working with the Riverside County Fire Department, Mr. McDonald has demonstrated a strong commitment to public safety, earning the respect and admiration of his colleagues. Before becoming a firefighter, Mr. McDonald served our community as a paramedic since 2000. Mr. McDonald was recently recognized by the City of Coachella for his outstanding performance assisting Deputy Solis.

On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I am grateful for Firefighter and Paramedic James McDonald and commend his valuable contributions and arduous work strengthening our community.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize an outstanding member of my Congressional district, Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Alicia Lopez. Because of her extraordinary altruism, she was recently named Officer of the Year by the Palm Desert Police Department. Her story is an inspiration and today, I want to recognize her exceptional dedication of service and sacrifice.

Deputy Lopez and Community Service Officer Angelina Castleberry became close friends when they were both working at the Palm Desert Police Department. In 2014, Ms. Castleberry gave birth to beautiful twins. Unfortunately, one of them was born with a kidney deficiency. For three and a half years, little Matthew has been subject to multiple dialysis treatments, 14 surgeries, and weekly visits to the Loma Linda University Kidney Center.

Throughout the procedures, doctors advised Ms. Castleberry that Matthew may not survive for too long without a kidney transplant. When Deputy Lopez learned about Matthew's troubles, she decided to participate in a blood drive to see if she could be a match. In March 2017, the results indicated that she was indeed a match. Without any hesitation, Deputy Lopez decided to donate her kidney to save the life of little Matthew.

When Deputy Lopez enthusiastically shared the great news with Ms. Castleberry, she was overcome with tears of joy. On July 31, 2017, Deputy Lopez donated her left kidney to little Matthew, and the transplant surgery was successful. Her selfness generosity saved Matthew's life, who is now recovering well with his new kidney.

Deputy Lopez has dedicated her life to serving the residents of the Coachella Valley. Her valuable contributions and arduous work strengthening our community are inspiring. As exemplified in this story, she goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I truly commend Deputy Lopez for her heroism and compassionate sacrifice. Her willingness to help little Matthew is an inspiration to us all. Her years of service and contributions to our community are an example of excellence and dedication that all should seek to emulate.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Daniel DiMaggio for his heroic and swift actions which ultimately helped save the life of Deputy David Solis.

On May 25th, 2017, Deputy Solis was shot five times during a foot pursuit in the City of Coachella. Deputy DiMaggio rapidly responded to the situation and assessed Deputy Solis's injuries. Two weeks prior to the incident, Deputy DiMaggio attended training on Tactical Field Lifesaving, where he received the necessary medical materials to apply a tourniquet to Deputy Solis's arm. This technique helped stem the blood flow and reduce the shock from his wounds.

Deputy Solis is now alive thanks to the collective efforts of our community's first responders and public safety officials. However, Deputy DiMaggio's medical assistance was key in helping save his life. He took care of Deputy Solis until the paramedics arrived and remained with him while he was transported to the nearest regional trauma center.

Deputy DiMaggio's rapid response and decisive actions are truly commendable. He maintained a calm demeanor and a deep level of concentration that allowed him to execute the advance medical training he had received. He also had the needed medical kit ready to be used, which exemplifies his judicious thinking.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I want to honor and recognize Deputy Daniel DiMaggio. His courageous and decisive response saved help the life of one of the members of our community. I commend his admirable contributions strengthening our community.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate Hemet Police Chief David M. Brown on his retirement after more than 30 years in law enforcement. His dedication to ensuring the residents of Hemet are safe and secure is truly commendable. Today, I want to recognize his outstanding life achievements and years of service.

Chief Brown is an esteemed member of our community. He moved to the San Jacinto Valley when he was a child and graduated from Hemet High School. He obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Science from California State Polytechnic University and a Master's Degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Azusa Pacific University.

His commitment to keeping our citizens safe earned him many promotions over the years, starting as a patrol officer and eventually becoming Chief of Police. During his early years with Hemet Police Department, Chief Brown was one of the founding members of the department's first gang team, raising awareness about gang issues and providing enforcement training to fellow officers and members of the community. Throughout his stellar career in law enforcement, Chief Brown has excelled in several other positions, including field training officer, gang investigator, and SWAT team commander.

Chief Brown is an exceptional leader in our community, dedicating his life to public service. He has served as President of the Riverside County Police Chiefs' and Sheriff's Association, President of the Inland SWAT Commanders Association, a member of the Statewide Committee on Regionalized SWAT Teams, and a member of the CA Police Chiefs' Municipal Policing Resource Workgroup. His wealth of proven leadership experience earned him the award of ``Man of the Year'' by the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2013 and 2015.

Chief Brown has dedicated his life serving the residents of Hemet. His valuable contributions and arduous work strengthening our community will be felt for years to come.

On behalf of the entire 36th Congressional District, I am humbled to honor and recognize Chief Brown. I offer my sincerest congratulations on his accomplishments and years of public service. I wish him, his wife, and his children all the best on his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the determination, perseverance, and accomplishments of Citlalli Ortiz, a young constituent who became the first female boxer in the Coachella Valley to win the gold medal for Team USA in the 2017 Women's Youth World Championships.

Citlalli is a Coachella Valley High School student with an inspiring commitment and passion for boxing. Her dedication to giving her all in the ring has led her to become the first female boxer from Coachella Valley Boxing Club gym to achieve such high recognition.

She began boxing when she was a little girl, inspired by her father, Alex Ortiz, and her older sister, who was also a boxer. Her training started when a couple of boys were teasing and punching Citlalli. Her father saw this and took the opportunity to teach her how to use some boxing moves for self-defense, including the ``one-two'' move. Citlalli defended herself successfully against the boys, and decided to become a boxer, following in her sister's footsteps.

Citlalli's road to success hasn't always been easy. In the beginning, trainers did not want to work with her due to her weight. As a result, her father decided to become her trainer and empowered her to fight for her dreams. After long hours of training in the gym, Citlalli achieved her first victory at the age of 12 at the Desert Showdown.

Citlalli brings agility and strength to the ring in every fight. She has won medals and beat national champions at the 2016 USA Junior and Youth Boxing Championships in Nevada, the 2016 USA Boxing Junior Olympic, and the Prep National and Youth Open Championships in Texas. Citlalli is also the 2016 Oxnard National PAL Champion, 3x Desert Showdown Champion, and the 2015 Gene Lewis Champion. To this day, she remains undefeated.

Throughout her 8 years in boxing, Citlalli has witnessed a large gender disparity in the ring. She is committed to become a professional boxer so she can represent women in boxing. Citlalli's greatest inspirations are female professional boxers such as Cecilia Braekhus and Hannah Gabriel. Her goal is to represent USA at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Citlalli Ortiz. On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I commend her accomplishments and passion for boxing. I look forward to her many more victories in the ring.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the outstanding service and heroism of one of California's finest, Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy David Solis, who serves in Coachella, California.

On May 25, 2017, Deputy Solis engaged in a chase with a suspect in a vehicle, which led to a foot pursuit. The suspect unexpectedly drew a firearm and shot Deputy Solis six times at close range. Though he was critically injured, Deputy Solis continued to feed his team information, ensuring other officers could secure the area, which led to the eventual capture of the suspect.

Incredibly, Deputy Solis was back to work after just 4 months of recovery. His bravery, strength, and professionalism exemplify the very best in law enforcement, which is why his department selected him to receive the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor for exhibiting ``extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty.'' It is the highest decoration for public safety officers.

Deputy Solis, you truly embody these values. Your courage has made our entire valley a safer place. You and all law enforcement officers put yourselves in harm's way each day to keep us safe.

On behalf of my wife, Monica, and the entire 36th Congressional District, I thank you, Martha, and your children--Caleb, Jonah, Grace, Jeremy, and Penny--for your service and sacrifice.

GOP Tax Plan

Mr. Speaker, the tax plan being considered in conference right now will be devastating for the people I represent, in particular, seniors, homeowners, students, and taxpaying middle class Californians.

According to every nonpartisan estimate out there, this tax plan will blow a giant hole in our deficit, a $1 trillion hole, in fact.

So my first question is: Who is going to pay for it?

Well, next year it will be our seniors, to the tune of $25 billion in cuts to Medicare.

And 10 years from now?

We will be looking at cuts to programs that invest in our children and our future, like Pell grants for our students.

My next question is: Who will actually benefit?

Well, it won't be California homeowners, who, on average, will see their taxes go up by $800 a year. It won't be hardworking families in southern California, who will be double-taxed on their income.

It will be corporations that will get free rein to ship jobs overseas, because any income ``earned'' abroad will be completely tax free.

It will be the wealthiest 1 percent who get more than 50 percent of the tax cuts in this plan, while sticking our children with the bill.

I want to simplify and modernize our Tax Code to give middle class families the purchasing power they need to improve their lives and spark the economy. This plan, unfortunately, will further burden the middle class for the benefit of millionaires.

So, let's start over. Let's come back to the table to make real, bipartisan tax reform a reality and to give real tax cuts to all the people we serve.

Mr. Speaker, Congress must act to help our veterans exposed to burn pits and must act now. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the military used burn pits to get rid of huge piles of trash, exposing our men and women in uniform to toxic chemicals and carcinogens in the air and soil--veterans like my constituent and my friend Jennifer Kepner, a mother who died from pancreatic cancer in October 2017.

That is why I urge a vote on H.R. 1279, the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act that I support and cosponsor. This bipartisan bill will create a center of excellence within the VA that will help diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate veterans who were exposed. Veterans will be served by staff with specialty expertise needed to address the kinds of health conditions those exposed now suffer.

This bill also directs the VA and DOD to establish a program to train their health providers to treat veterans exposed and to study the long- term effects of exposure. So I urge all of my colleagues to support this critical bill and bring it to a vote immediately to help save our veterans lives.