Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate professional boxer Timothy Bradley, Jr., on his well-deserved retirement after 23 years and 37 fights in the boxing ring. His dedication, commitment, and passion for boxing are an inspiration. Timothy is a remarkable resident of Cathedral City, where he grew up and currently lives with his wife Monica and five children. As an incredible father, husband, and businessman, he is a role model for all the members of our community.

Timothy, who later earned the moniker ''The Desert Storm,'' was born in Palm Springs and attended Cathedral City High School in my congressional district. His boxing career began when he became one of the favorite fighters on Showtime series ``ShoBox.'' In 2004, he won his first professional bout.

As a stellar professional boxer, Timothy holds extraordinary wins against several of the world's best fighters. In 2005, he became a World Boxing Council Youth World Welterweight champion by defeating boxer Francisco Rincon. The following year, he beat Arturo Urena and became a World Boxing Council Youth World Light Welterweight champion. In 2008, he overcame boxer Junior Witter to win the World Boxing Council World Light Welterweight title. In 2009, Timothy defeated Kendall Holt to obtain the World Boxing Organization World Light Welterweight title and would proceed to successfully defend it against boxer Manny Pacquiao in 2012.

In every fight, Timothy brought agility and resilience of mind, body, and spirit to the ring. Most importantly, he remained true to himself and always kept his family, friends, and fans in his heart. He was not only an outstanding boxer, but also a humble man who gave back to his community.

In 2014, Timothy was awarded with the 377th Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars for his contributions to the Coachella Valley. He supports the desert's youth as an assistant coach for La Quinta High School varsity football team, assistant coach for All American Junior PeeWee Youth Football Association, and mentor for the Coachella Valley Boys & Girls Club.

In December 2016, Timothy and his wife Monica Bradley opened a Hawaiian-style restaurant located in Rancho Mirage. Additionally, the duo works with young boxers Edgar Martinez and Dominic Serna, providing them with mentorship and training. Said Bradley, ``I hope to continue to allow boxing in my world through teaching, commentating and being a fan of a sport I love so dearly.''

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize and honor Timothy Bradley, Jr. On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, it is with deepest respect that I commend him for a remarkable career dedicated to professional boxing and look forward to the significant contributions he will continue to make in service of others. I wish him, his wife Monica, and his children all my best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DREAMers like Mithi, who attends the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and dreams of saving thousands of lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Jarrod Dougherty, a young constituent who unexpectedly passed away in an accident on May 8, 2017. His charisma, energy, and talent will be enormously missed. I had the pleasure of meeting Jarrod when he visited my office in Washington, D.C. earlier this year as part of St. Theresa Catholic School's tour. I will never forget our conversation.

Jarrod was a bright and talented student from my Congressional District. He was born on June 29, 2003, in Indio, CA and spent his childhood in Palm Springs and Cathedral City. He attended Cielo Vista Charter School and St. Theresa School where he was beloved by his peers and teachers.

Outside of school, Jarrod was involved in our local community. He was an active member of the Victory Christian Center and the Palm Springs Youth League Baseball Organization. He was passionate about sports, and. his favorite teams were the LA Dodgers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Stars, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Jarrod enjoyed spending time with his family and his dogs. With a smile and a great sense of humor, he brought joy to those who knew him. He was a blessing to his parents, Jarrod and Cassandra, who often referred to him as Jr., Bub, Bubba, or Bubbas. Another one of his nicknames was Country, given his love for country music.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the memory of Jarrod Dougherty. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met such a charming young man, and on behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable life of Erika Fein, a Holocaust survivor who turns 88 years old on August 11, 2017. Her powerful story is an example of resilience, perseverance, and strength in character.

Erika was born in 1929 in Yugoslavia, where she lived in a small village with her family. They were torn apart when Yugoslavia was invaded by Germany, Italy, and Hungary in 1941. Erika, her mother, and aunt were taken by the Nazis, and she never again saw her other family members. Over the next four years, she was kept as a prisoner in three different concentration camps. She was first taken to a German labor camp Guben, then shuttled to Auschwitz II-Birkenau in Poland, and finally brought to Bergen-Belsen in Germany.

During the last years of World War II, when she was just a teenager, Erika was forced to participate in a death march, where she ultimately lost her mother and aunt. The Nazi military organized large scale marches to move prisoners to different camps to evade suspicion of mass killings, and to erase any trace of evidence. Nazi soldiers subjected prisoners to starvation, dehydration, and humiliation during inclement weather. Not only did Erika survive these marches as a teenager, but she endured, despite being ripped apart from her family.

While at Bergen-Belsen in Germany, Erika and the other prisoners were finally liberated by the British Armed Forces in April 1945.

A few years later, Erika moved to the United States seeking a new beginning in pursuit of the American dream. She married her current husband, and they adopted a son. They later moved to Palm Desert, in my Congressional District, where they live today.

Today, I am elated to honor her courage and dedication, as we celebrate her 88th birthday. Her story is a reminder that we must always be steadfast in the fight against intolerance, hate, and injustice. The hardships she overcame are unthinkable, but her strength is admirable. She is truly an inspiration.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the life of Erika Fein. On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, it is with deep respect that I extend my best wishes on her 88th birthday. I wish her and her family all my best in the years to come. Happy Birthday Erika.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an outstanding individual from my Congressional District Sergeant Don Simpson of Hemet, California. Because of his commitment to protecting our nation and his fellow service members, Don received a Silver Star Medal. His story is truly an inspiration and today, I want to recognize his exceptional achievements and courage.

Don graduated from Hemet High School in 1964 and entered the U.S. Army a few years later. During his service, Don was sent to Vietnam where he served as a rifleman, Radio Telephone Operator (RTO), and squad leader.

In February of 1967, Don was a Specialist 4 (SPC) and the RTO for a reconnaissance team that was conducting a sweep of the forward battle area. After disembarking the helicopters, his unit came under intense heavy

enemy automatic weapons fire. Seeking cover behind a small hedge, SPC Simpson returned fire against the enemy.

Over the next hour of intense fighting, SPC Simpson established radio communication with Captain Conlon, Alpha Company Commander, requesting support from helicopter gunships and artillery. Despite continued intense enemy fire, and at great risk to himself, SPC Simpson maneuvered to a position allowing him a better view of the enemy. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, SPC Simpson established direct contact with the Air Force Pilot on station, directing an air strike on the enemy. When the first two air strikes did not fully eliminate the opposing forces, SPC Simpson directed the strike that was dangerously close to himself and his own troops, resulting in elimination of the enemy. During the entire combat event, SPC Simpson maintained communication with higher command, calling additional air support.

The engagement resulted in 4 personnel killed in action and 8 wounded in action. His courageous initiative and exemplary professionalism significantly contributed to the successful outcome of the engagement and directly led to the saving of his fellow soldiers' lives. Specialist 4 Simpson's unquestionable valor while engaged in military operation involving conflict with insurgent force is in keeping with the finest tradition of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 1st Cavalry Division, and the United States Army.

Five years ago, Don discussed his service and this incident with his doctor when getting a VA C&P Exam. The doctor, Mr. Ronnie Immel, contacted Don's squad leader Sgt. Carl Lawrence and his 1st Sgt. Ralph Cranitz. Both recommended Don for a Silver Star. My office was pleased to partner with them to ensure Don's service was properly recognized. Together, we worked to find the rest of Don's chain of command and submit the Silver Star Medal to the Department of the Army. After a few months, Don's Silver Star Medal was finally received and I was honored to present it to him.

Among the many awards he has received for his honorable service are the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Valorous Unit Award, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with ``60'' Device.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize and honor Don Simpson. He is indeed a hero whose actions embody the true meaning of valor. I am very proud to have met him. His years of committed service to our nation are an example of excellence and dedication that all should seek to emulate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Jarrod Daugherty, a young constituent who unexpectedly passed away in an accident on May 8, 2017. His charisma, energy, and talent will be enormously missed. I had the pleasure of meeting Jarrod when he visited my office in Washington, D.C. earlier this year as part of St. Theresa Catholic School's tour. I will never forget our conversation.

Jarrod was a bright and talented student from my Congressional District. He was born on June 29, 2003, in Indio, CA and spent his childhood in Palm Springs and Cathedral City. He attended Cielo Vista Charter High School and St. Theresa School where he was beloved by his peers and teachers.

Outside of school, Jarrod was involved in our local community. He was an active member of the Victory Christian Center and the Palm Springs Youth League Baseball Organization. He was passionate about sports, and his favorite teams were the LA Dodgers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Stars, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Jarred enjoyed spending time with his family and his dogs. With a smile and a great sense of humor, he brought joy to those who knew him. He was a blessing to his parents, Jarrod and Cassandra, who often referred to him as Jr., Bub, Bubba, or Bubbas. Another one of his nicknames was Country, given his love for country music.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the memory of Jarrod Daugherty. I am grateful for the opportunity to have met such a charming young man and on behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, with all the political rhetoric, the finger- pointing, and the many versions of TrumpCare, hyperpartisan politicians often forget what this debate is all about.

It is about people, about relieving a person's pain and suffering, about giving a person a chance to live a healthy and happy life. It is about Max Page. Maybe you will remember him. Max was the mini Darth Vader from a Super Bowl commercial in 2011 who captured our hearts.

Max was born with tetralogy of Fallot, a rare and deadly congenital heart defect. Throughout his 12 years, Max has had more than 10 heart surgeries under the loving care at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. He lives every day with a pacemaker and an artificial pulmonary valve. Open heart surgeries are complex and very serious surgeries. They are tough on patients, with often a long recovery, and grueling for the family.

Max stopped by my office a few days ago to talk about his experience, and he told me: ``I am going to have my condition all my life. I am going to have surgery as a constant commotion on my life. I just want to be covered. I don't want to have to worry about insurance and how I am going to pay these bills. I just want to focus on keeping myself healthy and not having to sacrifice everything for a surgery.''

Max wants to play baseball. He loves Harry Potter, and he dreams of being an actor. Earlier this year, Max was in the hospital for treatments for an entire month. His mom, Jennifer, described how they were feeling bummed one day after such a long and arduous hospital stay. They decided to take a walk, and on their walk they met a boy Max's age named Will. Will is still in the hospital today. He has been there 9 months waiting desperately for a heart transplant.

Max told me how Will has spent every holiday and even his birthday in the hospital this year. Max wanted to do something for Will, so they had these bracelets made. He named them ``Will Power.'' They have Max's favorite verse on them. Max and Will connected. They developed a bond bound by compassion. Their hope for a normal life gave them strength and friendship, and Max promised Will he would bring the bracelets to Congress when they came.

Philippians 4:13: ``I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.''

Max and Will, that is my favorite verse, too.

Max is fighting to protect other kids like him and Will, people with a preexisting illness, from losing coverage and having to pay more from facing a lifetime path on coverage.

He came to tell the stories of so many other children he knows from his many hospital visits. His message is simple: ``Children's healthcare needs a bipartisan solution.''

Max and Will and all the friends they have made in the hospital aren't rooting for Democrats or Republicans. They are fighting for their life and rooting for each other. They are children who want to get healthy, who want to stay healthy and care for one another.

We can all learn from Max's and Will's selfless courage to help others. Stop the hyperpartisan fight to score political points and start fostering a bond through compassion.

Let's find a way to protect healthcare for Max and Will. In the midst of this healthcare fight, we should take a moment to pause and remember that goal. Let's be like Max and think of others as we come together to find a bipartisan solution to address what isn't working, and remember Max's message: Children's healthcare, all healthcare, must and should be a bipartisan issue.

Mr. Speaker, our constituents sent us here to discuss our differences honestly and openly and come together to pass bipartisan legislation addressing our Nation's most pressing issues.

Every year I have been in Congress, I have voted in favor of bipartisan, clean funding bills to give our troops a pay raise and fund our military in the VA. I took those votes proudly, working with Democrats and Republicans.

Today, I am outraged Republican leadership played politics with this critical funding. To include a poison pill rider that wastes $1.6 billion in taxpayer dollars on an ineffective border wall is just shameful. We all know this wall will not make us any safer. Even law enforcement officials oppose this funding.

I am very disappointed GOP leaders would link President Trump's divisive campaign rhetoric with what should unite all Americans: supporting our troops and veterans.

Because of procedural trickery, debate was not allowed. That would have allowed a bipartisan agreement on a clean bill supporting our troops and our veterans.

Shameful.

Mr. Speaker, many health insurance executives say they are raising premiums and leaving exchanges because of uncertainty and the threat of not paying the cost-sharing reductions and not funding them.

Brad Wilson, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina told The Washington Post in May: ``The failure of the administration and the House to bring certainty and clarity by funding CSRs has caused our company to file a 22.9 percent premium increase, rather than one that is materially lower.''

We need a bipartisan solution to stabilize exchanges. We need to stop threatening not to pay the CSRs.

I introduced the Marketplace Certainty Act, which provides stability by permanently funding and expanding eligibility for these subsidies. This is pragmatic, commonsense legislation to stop premiums from skyrocketing, keep insurers in exchanges, and help people struggling to afford healthcare.

I urge Republicans and Democrats to put people over partisanship and solutions above ideology by working together, by sponsoring my bill, and helping American families afford healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, how many of us here have had an aging parent, a grandparent, an aunt or uncle who could no longer stay in their home alone? Seniors with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other special needs, someone to watch over them at home so they don't get lost or injure themselves or leave the stove on and injure others? Seniors with Parkinson's who need help to walk, to move, to get out of their chair, seniors too frail to care for themselves, or need long-term rehabilitation after a fall and an injured hip or an injured femur?

How many of us have worried about where they would live and how they would get the care that they need? And oftentimes, the real question is: How are they going to pay for that care?

Most people work their entire lives, save for retirement, pay into the system, yet still find themselves struggling to afford the care that they need. Both parents in middle class families have to work to barely make ends meet; no money and nobody home to care for their parents or grandparents.

I understand the tough decision. You want to keep your loved one close, you want to care for them yourself, but you have to work and make ends meet to barely keep going. That is why most of the 1.4 million people across the country living in nursing homes rely on Medicaid.

For Americans in nursing homes, Medicaid is a lifeline. That is why TrumpCare's Medicaid cuts would devastate our Nation's seniors, leaving the 64 percent of nursing home residents who depend on Medicaid out in the cold. In fact, nursing homes account for 42 percent of Medicaid spending.

Under TrumpCare, many seniors will lose their nursing home care, grandmothers with disabilities would find it harder to be cared for, harder to walk, harder to eat, harder to bathe. Nursing homes give patients a safe and caring place to recuperate when they are weakened by disabilities but don't need to be in a hospital, and they provide families peace of mind knowing that their loved one has a safe and caring place to get around-the-clock care.

That is why we must stop TrumpCare. We cannot allow these deep cuts to Medicaid threaten the health of our seniors. We cannot rip these services away from the most vulnerable among us.

We must put seniors first. We must give voice to vulnerable seniors. Let's put people above partisanship, and solutions above ideology.

I oppose TrumpCare, and I will continue to fight to protect care for seniors and for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained today for rollcall vote No. 317. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize the extraordinary contributions Dr. Alice Chen has made to the health and well-being of all Americans as Executive Director of Doctors for America. Throughout her career, she has been an exemplary physician, taking on her medical vocation with a sense of duty and strength of character that is needed to accomplish such a noble calling.

As a medical student at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, Dr. Chen volunteered for the American Red Cross and provided assistance to the director of the largest service center after September 11, 2001. Dr. Chen also shared her passion for medicine as the co-director of Big Buddies, a mentorship program that connected Cornell medical students with underserved youth.

Dr. Chen earned her M.D. in 2005 and completed her internal medicine residency at UCLA in 2008. She then joined the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor, and became the co-director of the Resident Elective in Malawi, Africa for the UCLA Department of Medicine and Program in Global Health.

In 2009, she joined Doctors for America, a coalition of physicians and medical students who have joined together to advocate for the improvement of our health care system. Her dedication and advocacy efforts for health reform led her to become the Executive Director from 2011 to 2017. Since then, Dr. Chen has strived to address gun violence prevention as a public health issue, advocate for affordable health coverage and prescription drugs, protect women's reproductive rights, and battle against racial disparities in access to health care. Today, I am elated to honor her stellar achievements, and I am honored to call her my friend. She is truly an inspiration.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize and honor Dr. Alice Chen. On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, it is with deepest respect that I commend her for a remarkable career dedicated to health advocacy. I wish her and her husband Vivek all my best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the outstanding service and accomplishments of Dr. Vivek Murthy, who served as Surgeon General from 2014 to 2017. His dedication to protecting the public health of our nation is an inspiration for us all. The lives of millions of Americans across the country are better because of his public service. Throughout

his career, Dr. Murthy has served with humility and passion, and I want to recognize his lifelong advocacy for all Americans.

Dr. Vivek Murthy's social entrepreneurship started as a freshman at Harvard University, when he co-founded the non-profit VISIONS Worldwide to educate people on HIV/AIDS issues in the U.S. and India. Upon graduating Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in 1997, he formed Swasthya Community Health Partnership with the mission to train women to provide health care in rural areas in India.

In 2003, Dr. Murthy graduated from Yale University receiving both an M.D. and an M.B.A. in Health Care Management. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in 2006, where he continued to work as an attending physician and an instructor of medicine. In 2009, he co-founded Doctors for America (DFA), a coalition of physicians and medical students who have joined together to advocate for the improvement of our health care system. He served as president of DFA until his confirmation as U.S. Surgeon General in 2014.

Becoming the first Surgeon General of Indian descent is truly a historic achievement. His department released the first Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health; promoted prevention and treatment of opioid epidemic; started a national conversation on healthy eating habits and food insecurity; and emphasized the importance of vaccines. Under his leadership, his department assisted Americans during the Flint water crisis, hurricanes, and the Ebola and Zika outbreaks. I am proud to honor his extraordinary accomplishments as Surgeon General. His distinguished career is an example of what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and service.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Dr. Vivek Murthy and honored to call him my friend. On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I congratulate him for his exceptional commitment to public service and look forward to the significant contributions he will continue to make in service of others. I wish him and his wife Alice all my best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Howard Marguleas, a talented businessman, incredible father and friend, and blessing to those who knew him. He made a tremendous positive impact on so many lives, including my own. His list of achievements and contributions to our Nation is long.

Sadly, he passed away June 1, 2017. His spirit of service and leadership will live for generations to come.

As a business leader, he took the produce industry by storm as the principal founder of Sun World International. He brought many new products to American consumer markets, like the delicious new seedless watermelon, various new types of grapes, and the Hawaiian pineapple.

Sun World International became a powerhouse produce company under his watch, one of the largest in the Nation. His business leadership was well recognized.

He served on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture as a key adviser to Governor Pat Brown on issues important to the many farmers, ranchers, and consumers in California. He was named as one of the most influential produce leaders of the past 100 years by the industry publication, The Packer.

Mr. Marguleas was a genuinely good man. His incredible heart of gold was shown through his generosity as a philanthropist.

He championed healthcare access and education, issues near and dear to my own heart. He was vice chair at the University of California at Riverside, and served as a trustee at the Eisenhower Medical Center for more than 15 years.

He also helped found the Coachella Valley Boys and Girls Club, which has grown to five clubhouses serving thousands of children across the valley.

This is just a small part of the incredible work he did as a philanthropist and community leader throughout his life.

Mr. Marguleas was very special to me and my family in a very deeply personal way. He gave my father, Gilbert, the chance in life that transformed our entire family. He gave my dad, who didn't finish high school, a good job working at Sun World packing in Thermal and a ticket to the middle class.

He promoted my dad to eventually manage the plant. That allowed my family to move from our trailer and into our home in Coachella.

He used to give us Angels and Dodgers baseball tickets and giant Hershey chocolate bars for Christmas. For a kid who loves chocolate, those giant bars were like a gift from God Himself.

What really moves me is that he paid for a full year of my undergrad studies at UCLA, when my dad couldn't afford it. Imagine that. He helped a boy from a trailer park, son of farmworkers, achieve his dreams to be a doctor and serve the community. He did so without fanfare, headlines, or public recognition. He did it because he cared for

my dad, my family, and me. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today.

The amazing thing is that I am not the sole person touched and transformed by his kindness. There are so many more. His generosity and kindness are an inspiration.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Ardith, his four children, and nine grandchildren. I know that Howard's legacy will live on because his work touched so many across California and the Nation.

So on behalf of the people of California's 36th Congressional District; my wife, Monica; my girls, Sky and Sage; my mother, Blanca; my brother, Robbin; and my sister, Star, thank you, Mr. Marguleas. You will forever be in our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, the new American Health Care Act CBO score released yesterday reinforces that this bill is devastating to the American people: 14 million more will be uninsured within just one year, and 23 million more will be uninsured over a decade.

This analysis paints a dire picture. It confirms that TrumpCare will shift the burden of costs onto our seniors, millions of hardworking families, and patients with preexisting conditions. Those hit hardest are exactly the people who need care the most, all while giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires.

What is more, this analysis debunks the gimmicks Republican leaders tried to sell us, saying the bill would do no harm to those with preexisting illnesses. In fact, patients with preexisting conditions will have less coverage, be forced to pay more, and even be priced out of the market, just as we expected.

This is far too great a toll on the American people, and we must do better.