Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate over 70 years of the Azteca Wedding Plaza as the Torrez family heads into retirement. Founded in 1950 by Adolfo and Kay Torrez, their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren have kept the family business thriving over the decades.

Family has been at the center of everything at Azteca. For generations, the Torrezes have proudly served Phoenix families through quinceaneras, weddings. and many other special moments. To be part of memorable occasions and serve their community has been their motivation and constant goal throughout the years.

Prolific entrepreneurs, Adolfo and Kay's first business was Mexican restaurant in downtown Phoenix. From there, they opened a bar, flower shop. furniture store, and eventually grew into Azteca Wedding Plaza-- an entire city block dedicated to the bridal industry. Azteca has been a mainstay in Phoenix's Latino community, providing a welcoming environment for generations of brides and grooms.

Now, as a family, they have determined it is time to retire Azteca. Reaching this conclusion has not been easy, but their decision was fueled by one factor--family. Now, their plan is to spend more time with friends and family and to watch their community grow and prosper.

I would like to congratulate the Torrez family on over 70 years of business and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and mourn the loss of Frank Barrios, a third generation Arizonan and proud Mexican American who dedicated over 50 years of service to the people of Arizona. I want to express my gratitude for Frank's remarkable service to the 3rd Congressional District, to our community, and to all of Arizona.

Frank spent his career in hydrology, utilizing his engineering degree to ensure the sustainability of Arizona's water supply. Without these efforts, Arizona's growth and success over the past decades would not have been possible. He began his career with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. From there, he transitioned to the Arizona Water Commission, later called the Arizona Department of Water Resources, serving as a director for both the Pinal and Phoenix Active Management Areas. After retiring from Colorado River Planning in 1998, Frank was appointed to the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board of Directors, where he served for 3 years.

But Frank's impact and his legacy go far beyond his career. Frank served as President of 7 boards, won numerous awards and accolades, and published several books. He was passionate about preserving the history of Mexican Americans in the Valley, fighting to restore a historically Latino burial ground in downtown Phoenix and archiving photographs and stories. Thanks to his work, the contributions of Latinos to Arizona history will not be erased.

My thoughts are with Frank's family and friends during this difficult time. Although he will be greatly missed, his legacy will be carried on through the countless lives he touched in his decades of service to the people of Arizona.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3371, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act, introduced by my colleague from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson).

This legislation is an important step to honor Lakota lives lost at Wounded Knee and honor the Lakota for generations to come.

In particular, this bill would place approximately 40 acres of land located within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation into restricted fee status for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. This is the land believed to be the site of the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre.

In the late 1880s, Tribes began holding ghost dances for the renewal of stolen land and in protest of the U.S. Government, a government that prohibited American Indians from practicing their religious freedom.

In December of 1890, the government sent U.S. Army 7th Cavalry troops to disarm the Lakota near Wounded Knee Creek. A struggle occurred, and the 7th Cavalry brutally massacred over 350 American Indian men, women, and children near Wounded Knee Creek.

The Wounded Knee Massacre was one of the most atrocious acts in our Nation's history. The healing is still continuing today.

In 2022, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe purchased this land and signed a covenant to hold and maintain the land as a memorial and sacred site.

Representative Johnson's bill affirms that covenant and would allow the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to hold, maintain, and protect the land as a memorial and sacred site without any development.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, the duck stamp, or Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp is the only Federal conservation revenue stamp. This means 98 percent of the sale price is used to purchase conservation easements and to acquire wetland habitats for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The duck stamp also provides an opportunity to showcase wildlife art, with the Fish and Wildlife Service hosting an art competition each year, and a winning piece selected for next year's design.

Sportsmen and women, artists, and conservationists purchase duck stamps as a collectible to cover entry fees to any National Wildlife Refuge System unit, as a hunting license, or as a donation to conservation. Millions of stamps have been sold in recent years, contributing tens of millions of dollars toward conservation each year.

This bipartisan bill will modernize government stamp services by allowing online access to the Federal Duck Stamp. This improvement will save applicants and agency officials time and money and make it more accessible for hunters, conservationists, and collectors to purchase duck stamps and support wetland conservation. It is a good bill, and I am happy to support it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 663, the Native American Child Protection Act.

American Indian and Alaska Native children have the highest rate of child abuse in the United States, at a rate of 15 cases for every 1,000 children. This can have devastating impacts on a child's cognitive, emotional, and neurological development, and can last them well into adulthood and even their entire life.

On top of this crisis, the Supreme Court recently heard a case attempting to gut the Indian Child Welfare Act, which protects the rights of Native children and families. That is why passing the Native American Child Protection Act today is so timely.

My bipartisan bill reauthorizes and revises programs that give Tribes the tools to treat, prevent, investigate, and prosecute child abuse and family violence involving Native American children.

The programs in this bill were originally led by another Arizonian back in 1990 through John McCain's Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act. That bill was part of a promise to answer for the tragic abuse that happened at federally run Native American boarding schools, but the programs had never been fully funded, were never authorized, and eventually

expired. This is a failure by the Federal Government and a continuation of centuries of broken promises.

By passing H.R. 663, we will take a step to right this wrong. We will create a national Indian resource and family service center to help Tribes and urban Indian organizations with training and program development. We will develop new intergovernmental agreements between Tribes and States to prevent, investigate, treat, and prosecute family violence, and will encourage culturally appropriate treatments and services for children who have been impacted.

In a place where we see a lot of partisan bickering, it is heartening to see so much bipartisan support around Tribal issues, including my Republican counterpart and co-lead on this bill, Representative Newhouse.

I also thank Natural Resources Committee Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Raul Grijalva, as well as Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee Chairwoman Hageman and Ranking Member Leger Fernandez for their support.

The Native American Child Protection Act is another chance for us to work together to fulfill our promise to help this vulnerable population.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support final passage of H.R. 663, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I missed a vote on final passage of H.R. 4366--Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2024, because of the birth of my child. Had I been present on the House Floor, I would have voted NO. As a combat veteran myself, I believe it is our duty and responsibility to ensure all veterans are provided the care and resources they have earned. This year, however, I would not have been able to vote for this bill in good faith.

Speaker McCarthy allowed the most radical members of his party to hijack a bill meant to support our veterans. House Republicans passed amendments that do the opposite, including provisions that restrict access to medically necessary gender-affirming care, discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community, and eliminate efforts to combat climate change.

Although there were dozens of amendments that I would have opposed, I want to highlight 5 where I would have cast the following individual votes:

1. NO on Ogles Amendment No. 2, which would transfer $3 million from NATO's Security Investment Program to the Spending Reduction Account at the end of the bill.

2. NO on Greene Amendment No. 3, which would cut the $73 million increase in funding for the NATO Security Investment Program.

3. NO on Greene Amendment No. 34, which strikes funding for the Office of Resolution Management, Diversity, and Inclusion.

4. NO on Bost Amendment No. 35, which prohibits the VA from using funds to submit a beneficiary's name to the NCIS list based on VA's appointment of a fiduciary.

5. NO on Roy Amendment No. 40, which prohibits funds in this act from being used to carry out President Biden's climate change executive order.

Instead of passing bipartisan legislation that treats ALL veterans with respect and honor, House Republicans chose to discriminate against those who have sacrificed so much for our country. This is a major step backwards, and I cannot support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I missed a vote on Amendment No. 10 to the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, H.R. 3935, because of the birth of my child. Had I been present on the House Floor, I would have voted AYE. The amendment strikes Section 546, which weakens the current training requirements for people applying for airline transport certificates. The 1500 Hours of Pilot Training Time Rule is a critical piece of aviation safety for both passengers and crew. Allowing for additional simulator time in lieu of real-world, in-flight experience unnecessarily degrades air safety standards. For that reason, I oppose Section 546 and support Amendment No. 10.

Mr. Speaker, today I missed a vote on H. Con. Res. 57, Expressing the sense of Congress supporting the State of Israel, due to the birth of my child. Had I been present on the House Floor, I would have voted YEA in favor of this resolution. Israel is our most important ally in the Middle East, and remains a crucial partner in combatting terrorism, countering Iran's malign influence, and promoting democracy in the region. I firmly and indisputably reject efforts to question Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and will continue to strongly advocate on behalf of a stronger U.S.-Israel relationship.

Mr. Speaker, today I missed a vote on final passage of H.R. 2670--National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 because of the birth of my child. Had I been present on the House Floor, I would have voted NO. As a combat veteran and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, helping to develop the NDAA is one of the most important parts of my job. This year, however, I would not have been able to vote for this bill in good faith.

While I voted in favor of reporting H.R. 2670 out of the House Armed Services Committee, Speaker McCarthy allowed the most radical members of his party to hijack what was a bipartisan effort to protect our Nation and support our troops. Instead, House Republicans passed amendments that do the opposite, including provisions that restrict access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community, and eliminate efforts to ensure that Americans from all communities that want to serve know they will be supported and succeed.

Although there were dozens of amendments that I would have opposed, I want to highlight 5 in particular where I would have cast the following individual votes:

No on Jackson Amendment No. 377, which seeks to reverse the Defense Department's policy that safeguards access to abortion and other reproductive health care.

No on Rosendale Amendment No. 194, which seeks to prohibit coverage of gender-affirming care through TRICABE.

No on Norman Amendment No. 30, which seeks to prohibit gender- affirming care for dependents through the Exceptional Family Member Program.

No on Norman Amendment No. 1464, which seeks to ban the pride flag from Defense Department facilities.

No on Boebert Amendment No. 1386, which seeks to prohibit Defense Department schools from having books that espouse ``radical gender ideology.''

Instead of passing the bipartisan annual defense bill that I supported in Committee, Speaker McCarthy chose partisan politics over national security. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to address these harmful provisions through the Conference process.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and applaud the life and work of Mr. Roberto Reveles. Throughout his career, Mr. Reveles has served tirelessly as an advocate for Latinos and Arizonans both at home and on Capitol Hill, and I would like to express my gratitude for his service to our state.

Mr. Reveles grew up in Miami, Arizona and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Following his graduation from Georgetown University, he has had a successful career, including here on Capitol Hill, as a champion for civil rights and immigration reform. Mr. Reveles was the president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, founding president of Somos America/We Are America, and co- founder of Unidos en Arizona. In 2006, he helped to lead a march of 200,000 people, the largest in state history, to the Arizona State Capitol in protest to H.R. 4437, which would have made it illegal to offer any kind of aid to an undocumented immigrant.

Mr. Reveles is a compassionate and principled activist and serves as a mentor and role model for young Arizonans and Latinos to this day. He has dedicated his life to serving others and working towards improving the communities that he calls home. At 90 years old, he continues to be active and engaged in organizations and issues in Pinal County and throughout the state. I am inspired by Mr. Reveles' steadfast commitment to social justice and know that his legacy will live on in the robust advocacy organizations and movements that have flourished in Arizona, standing on the shoulders of his work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a friend and proud Marine, Zach Benjamin Merrill.

I served with Zach in Iraq, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, as part of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. We were among the survivors of a 7-month tour where our battalion suffered among the worst casualties of the conflict. During the chaos of war, Zach showed immense courage and selflessness in responding to enemy action. Unfortunately, the war followed Zach home. On March 23, 2023, at the young age of 37, he passed away after a courageous battle with Leukemia caused by the toxins we were exposed to in Iraq. Even as he fought his final battle, Zach always made everyone around him smile, regardless of the circumstances.

Zach's legacy is that of service, honor, and sacrifice. His memory will forever live on in the hearts of his family, and the hearts of every Marine he served with. I am praying for his wife, Andrea, and his children, Zachary, Julien, and Jaden.

Zach was cherished by those who knew him and will be deeply and sincerely missed. May he rest in peace.

Semper Fidelis, Zach Benjamin Merrill.

Mr. Speaker, on March 24, 2023, I was unable to cast my vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 161 in opposition to the so-called Parents Bill of Rights Act, H.R. 5.

The bill is just another example of extremist attacks on public schools. It does nothing to meaningfully support the engagement parents already have with their children's education and imposes unfunded and burdensome mandates to already underfunded schools. It sows

unnecessary distrust in educators and librarians and will only lead to more teacher shortages and book banning.

Further, there are specific provisions that would make already marginalized children feel less safe. It requires school staff to ``out'' trans and queer youth, even if it would put that child in great personal danger, and it prohibits school mental health professionals from doing a mental health evaluation without active parental consent, even if that means delaying lifesaving intervention or if the child is experiencing abuse in their own home.

This harmful bill puts politics and extremist, right-wing talking points over parents, students, and educators. That is why I am opposed to H.R. 5.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah, who passed away on March 7, 2023.

Peterson Zah served as Chairman of the Navajo Nation from 1983 to 1987 before serving as the Navajo Nation's first elected President from 1991 to 1995. Zah graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in education. He was committed throughout his life to making a difference in Navajo people's lives, particularly through creating higher education opportunities for Native Americans at ASU and other institutions. The President was recognized for his work in education with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Indian Education Association and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Servant Leadership Award. As leader of the Navajo Nation, Zah focused on government accountability and established the Navajo Nation Permanent Trust Fund.

Chairman Zah's impact on the Navajo Nation will be remembered for many years to come. His humility, compassion, and commitment to bettering his community have served as an inspiration for many. I extend my deepest condolences to President Zah's family and join all those who knew him in commemorating his service and leadership.

President Peterson Zah was cherished by those who knew him and will be deeply and sincerely missed. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of the Honorable Jack C. Jackson, Sr., who passed away on March 5, 2023.

Jack C. Jackson, Sr. served as a member of the Arizona Legislature as well as a Navajo Nation Council delegate. Jackson was born in Leupp, Arizona on the Navajo, and went on to become an educator at Window Rock High School and Dine College. Jack strongly believed in the importance of education for Navajo children. Throughout his time in both the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate, he was a tireless supporter of tribal educational institutions and helped establish Arizona Indian Legislative Day, an opportunity for Arizona's 22 tribal governments to make their voices heard. Jack was a strong advocate for the preservation of Dine culture, language, and traditions for future generations of the Navajo Nation.

Jack C. Jackson, Sr. has had a tremendous impact on the Navajo Nation and Arizona. We are all better for having experienced his leadership and wisdom. I extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Jackson's family and join all those who knew him in commemorating his lasting contributions. He tirelessly fought for his community, and his legacy will live on as an inspiration to us all.

Jack C. Jackson, Sr. was loved by those who knew him and will be deeply and sincerely missed by the Nation he served so honorably. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one-n-ten, which celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year. I am incredibly excited to celebrate this wonderful organization and their outstanding work supporting LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in my community.

Since its founding, one-n-ten has been helping LGBTQ+ youth learn self-acceptance, leadership, and life skills so that they can reach their full potential and be the future community leaders Arizona needs. Thanks to one-n-ten programs, these youth have found a space to come together, support one another, and learn from each other. The organization also provides critical social services for LGBTQ+ youth in Arizona, including housing programs, wellness programming, and workforce readiness classes.

I have long advocated for full and equal rights for LGBTQ+ people, and one-n-ten is an invaluable ally in this mission. I'd like to thank everyone at one-n-ten, including Executive Director Nate Rhoton, for their tireless work supporting Arizona's LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, and I can't wait to see what they accomplish in the decades to come.

Again, congratulations to one-n-ten on a remarkable 30 years and I look forward to seeing how they continue to positively change our community.