Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I stand before the House to thank the people of Nevada's Fourth Congressional District. It has been the honor of my life to serve as a Member of Congress and represent my constituents in the 115th Congress. I have worked tirelessly on their behalf every single day to make Nevada a great place to live and raise a family.

As many of my colleagues know, I was not born in this country. I don't come from a wealthy or politically connected family. My family emigrated from Mexico when I was 8 years old. My parents, a housekeeper and a former farm worker, came to America because they knew that, if they worked hard and sacrificed, in America, they could achieve the American Dream.

Less than 30 years later, thanks to the wonderful opportunities that only this country has to offer, their son is standing before you as a Representative of the United States of America. That is the American Dream.

There are still so many people who have hopes and aspirations of achieving that American Dream. Unfortunately, under this administration, immigrants have been denigrated. Before even being given a chance, they are labeled as criminals and murderers.

But America is a Nation of immigrants and the land of opportunity. As the first Dreamer and one of the first two former undocumented immigrants to serve in Congress in our Nation's history, I have used my personal experience to fight for other Dreamers so that DACA recipients are able to remain in America and thrive.

I have fought to ensure that our asylum process is upheld and that young, innocent children are not separated from their families at the border. I have advocated for comprehensive immigration reform.

My Democratic colleagues and I have also fought relentlessly to protect people's healthcare and the Affordable Care Act, especially as Republicans have tried time and time again to get rid of preexisting conditions.

I was proud to announce my support for the Medicare for All Act because healthcare is a human right, and all Americans deserve quality and affordable healthcare.

I joined my union brothers and sisters in championing workers' rights, fighting for a $15 minimum wage, the right to join a union, and equal pay for women.

I fought against the unconstitutional travel ban, fiercely defended funding for Planned Parenthood, and stood side by side with our LGBTQ community in the fight for full equality.

As a member of the Financial Services Committee, I have fought to keep people in their homes and advocated for affordable housing and the immediate need to address homelessness in America.

I was proud to join the Nevada delegation in standing strong to fight against efforts to bring nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain. Yucca Mountain is not safe and should remain closed forever.

I introduced the STEP for Veterans Act, which would provide grants to community colleges to train veterans with the job skills that employers need in their communities. Although we can never do enough to thank our veterans for their sacrifices, I am proud of the work that I did to help them get the resources they need and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, one of the worst days of my life and in many of my constituents' lives was last year on October 1, 2017, when Las Vegas became the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. In total, 58 innocent lives were lost.

While they are gone, I wanted to make sure that their memories were not lost. That is why I told each of their 58 stories here on the House floor, so that their precious and vibrant lives would be remembered and never forgotten.

I am optimistic that the House will finally pass meaningful legislation next year to prevent more tragedies from happening.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I thank my team who worked tirelessly day in and

day out to deliver services to hundreds of Nevadans. I relied on them every day to do my job, and I couldn't have done it without them. I am profoundly grateful and forever grateful to each and every one of them.

Thank you to my colleagues for making my time as a Member of Congress unforgettable. I made so many friends here, friendships that will last a lifetime.

Thank you to all the staff in the House of Representatives, including the floor staff, the cleaning crew, the kitchen staff, all of you whom I enjoyed many great conversations with.

Thank you to my family and friends for all of your unconditional support.

Thank you, once again, to my constituents for putting your faith and trust in me. I am blessed and honored to serve you and grateful for the opportunity to give back to the State and country that has given me and my family so much.

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:)

Thank you to the people of Nevada for your support and the

opportunity to serve you in the U.S. Congress. I will always

fight for you.

Muchas gracias a toda la gente de Nevada por su apoyo y por

la oportunidad de servirles en el Congreso de los Estados

Unidos. Simpre luchare por ustedes

Mr. Speaker, may God bless Nevada and may God bless the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to share the story of Shalynne Vilela, the loving daughter of Amy and David Vilela.

At just 22 years old, Shalynne was a smart, ambitious, and dedicated young woman who loved her family. She was working hard to become a registered nurse.

In 2015, Shalynne was admitted to the ER with symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, a highly treatable condition, if treated in time.

Upon arrival to the ER, Shalynne told the hospital staff that she did not have insurance, and she was advised to leave the hospital without being given proper care.

Three weeks later, Shalynne died of a pulmonary embolism caused by a blood clot that originated in her leg.

It is unacceptable that, in one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world, a tragedy like this can still occur. Everyone in the United States of America should have access to quality and affordable health insurance. Access to healthcare is a basic human right, and no one should ever be denied medical care because of their inability to pay.

This is why, Mr. Speaker, I have recently pledged my support to the Medicare for All Act, which provides universal coverage to all those living in the United States of America.

My deepest condolences go out to the Vilela family. And, Shalynne, this one is for you.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the life of my friend, Loretta McKinney Harper.

Ms. Harper was a high school counselor at Desert Pines High School, where she counseled thousands of students over her 17 years there. But Ms. Harper was more than just a counselor. She was a friend, a mentor to her students, and an inspirational community leader.

Ms. Harper cared deeply for her students and auctioned off personal memorabilia to assist her undocumented students with their DACA filing fees.

Ms. Harper attended Know Your Rights training sessions so she could stand up for them when they were unable to do so for themselves.

Ms. Harper instilled in her students a sense of civic duty and bragged about her students who registered to vote as soon as they became eligible to do so.

Ms. Harper was a true patriot who loved our democratic process. During elections, Loretta devoted countless hours to voting registration, volunteering on campaigns, and getting out the vote. Her energy inspired others.

Sadly, on September 18, 2018, Ms. Loretta Harper passed away.

Today, I stand here to honor Loretta as a shining star of community service. Ms. Harper was driven by her love of her community and a burning desire to make it better.

Mr. Speaker, as I reflect on her contributions to our community over so many years, I can attest that she left her community in a better place. I will miss my friend.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5036, the Financial Technology Protection Act, would strengthen our efforts to deter terrorist and illicit uses of financial technology. Although financial technology has potential benefits to the economy, there are pressing concerns about the digital currencies facilitating terrorist financing and money laundering.

For example, in August 2015, a Virginia man was sentenced to prison for providing material to support terrorists and admitted to using Twitter to advise others on how to use bitcoin to mask terror financing. Also, in July 2018, Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for hacking into the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 presidential election. The hackers used cryptocurrency to purchase the servers and other equipment necessary for the email breaches and used bitcoin to help fund their activities.

This bill would establish a public-private sector task force, a grant program, and a reward program to counter such terrorist or illicit uses of digital currencies. Also, it would require the government to identify how state and nonstate actors and foreign terrorist organizations evade sanctions, finance terrorism, or launder money using these currencies.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Budd and Congressman Lynch for introducing this bipartisan legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Massachusetts such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill; I urge my colleagues to support it as well; and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6332, the Improving Strategies to Counter Weapons Proliferation Act, which aims to better inform congressional oversight of FinCEN's counter-proliferation finance efforts.

With proliferation threats growing from countries like North Korea and Iran, the reports prescribed by this bill will tell Congress more about the terrorist financing and anti-money laundering work that FinCEN is doing to combat the financing of the manufacture and delivery of weapons of mass destruction.

This bill will require the director to report on the intelligence FinCEN generates from the Bank Secrecy Act filings on suspected proliferation finance transactions; the agency's efforts to maximize the use of collected data; and the advisory notices issued to financial institutions related to the financing of chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons.

Prior to the Financial Services Committee vote, the ACLU expressed some concern, in part because the bill's report doesn't include details on the efficacy of FinCEN's data collection or its impact on privacy and civil liberties.

That said, I understand that the ACLU does not actively oppose the bill.

Given the legislation is focused on how FinCEN uses the data it currently collects, it does not expand the data collection. I think that that bill is appropriately scoped, and I support it.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I ask for a ``yes'' vote, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Mr. Speaker, 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 H.R. 4753, the Federal Reserve Supervision Testimony Clarification Act. I thank Mr. Lucas for this piece of legislation, which provides for the Chair of the Board or their designee to offer testimony in place of the Vice Chairman for Supervision, should the Vice Chair position be vacant.

It makes good sense to codify who at the Board will testify before Congress on the status of the Fed's supervisory efforts, regardless of whether there is a person confirmed for the Vice Chair for Supervision or not.

Until Randal Quarles was confirmed, the position was vacant since its creation in 2010, so this bill is a commonsense measure.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, when Congress passed S. 2155, it included a section 309, a bill sponsored by Senators Tillis and Warren, entitled the ``Protecting Veterans from Predatory Lending Act of 2018.'' That provision put new requirements in place to protect veteran borrowers from aggressive and deceptive marketing tactics of lenders pushing mortgage refinance deals.

One of the new requirements included was a loan seasoning requirement that mandated a certain period of time before a VA borrower could refinance their loan. This new requirement was very similar to the loan seasoning requirement that Ginnie Mae had already implemented administratively prior to the passage of this law.

However, slight differences between the old and new requirements, and the immediate ban on securitization of loans that did not meet the new requirements, resulted in an estimated 2,500 loans that were boxed out of Ginnie Mae securitization simply because they were in the process of being refinanced or securitized when the law became effective.

The sponsors of the legislation, Senators Warren and Tillis, have weighed in with Ginnie Mae, stating that it was not their intention to orphan these loans, and they have urged Ginnie Mae to address the issue. However, Ginnie Mae believes legislation is needed.

I believe H.R. 6737 is a reasonable attempt to address what was clearly an unintended consequence of previous legislation, and I am pleased to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for a ``yes'' vote. I support the bill and urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, this legislation requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress every 6 months a list of the licenses it issues to financial institutions to provide services to countries and persons subject to certain U.S. sanctions. It also provides Congress with information about foreign financial firms that similarly provide support to those same countries and persons.

I very much support the goal of this bill because I believe it is a disclosure requirement that will serve as a useful oversight tool for Congress. For example, today, when the Office of Foreign Assets Control, OFAC, issues a specific license to a company or other entity that allows them to engage in activity that otherwise would be prohibited by the U.S. sanctions, those licenses are not currently disclosed by OFAC.

I also support the bill's other reporting requirement related to foreign financial firms. These lists of foreign financial institutions can provide a useful basis around which to discuss with the administration its overall strategy with respect to its sanctions programs; and these lists can also provide Members the opportunity to press the administration to impose restrictions on these institutions to change their behavior, if warranted.

The bill allows for the classification of these disclosures to Congress, which is important because I think it will be counterproductive to have this information revealed publicly. For example, OFAC licenses often contain commercially sensitive information, so if these licenses were publicly released, potential market competitors could gain an unfair competitive advantage; and if companies could no longer expect licenses to remain private, they would be less likely to apply for them, which, generally, would not be a good thing.

With respect to the lists of foreign financial institutions, it is important to remember that these institutions are not bound by U.S. sanctions or other designations, and they haven't necessarily violated any particular laws or prohibitions.

While Congress should know about how these sanctions are being implemented, including how effective they are at stopping the financing of activities, I don't think the public identification of these foreign firms would serve a useful policy purpose and could otherwise move legal activity into a shade of gray.

The bill does allow for a classified annex with the reporting requirements, and, as I said, I think this is a good bill

that will increase congressional oversight of U.S. sanction activities appropriately.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill and urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), the sponsor of this important legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H.R. 3834, the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor Act of 2017. This bill reestablishes the original 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor to be given to the families of those heroes--the firefighters, police officers, and EMTs--who have since died as a result of their exposure to toxic chemicals on that fateful day.

Though we have honored those who passed away on September 11 with the original 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor, the casualty list has continued to rise since then as a result of the debris and chemicals that so many were exposed to. I am proud to support this piece of legislation which honors the men and women who have made such a tremendous sacrifice in serving our country.

I thank my colleague, Mr. Crowley, for his tireless work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).

Mr. Speaker, 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 H.R. 754, the Anwar Sadat Centennial Celebration Act.

This legislation gives the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress to the third President of Egypt who served from 1970 until he was assassinated in 1981. Under his leadership, he established lasting peace between Israel and Egypt by expunging previous hostilities towards Israel and being the first Arab leader to recognize Israel as a nation-state.

Additionally, President Sadat and former Israeli Prime Minister

Menachem Begin negotiated the peace treaty that came to be known as the Camp David Accords in a series of meetings arranged by then-President Jimmy Carter at Camp David. President Sadat's leadership and commitment to peace provided a resolution of conflict that has endured nearly 40 years after its inception.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of this bill to honor President Sadat and his commitment to peace and the national security of this country, as well as the stability of the Middle East.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the life of Christopher Elijah Harnum.

On November 13, 2010, Chris was a victim of gun violence, a 14-year- old boy shot through the stomach as he played with his friends.

Chris spent over a year in the hospital recovering from his injuries. As he recovered, Chris devoted his life to serving others. Chris worked to become an EMT so that he could help those in need.

In the aftermath of the October 1 shooting in Las Vegas, Chris formed Vegas Out of Ashes, a nonprofit devoted to helping those victims. Chris personally collected donations, purchased water and goods, promoted blood drives, and visited local hospitals.

Through it all, Chris struggled with PTSD and depression from his own trauma. The events of October 1 reopened Chris' wounds, and as he worked tirelessly to help those suffering around him, Chris suffered himself.

On August 19, 2018, Chris lost his battle against depression.

Today, I honor Chris as a fighter, who rose from his own ashes to put the needs of others above his own, who exuded love through his own pain and who embodied the best of what it means to be a Nevadan, a Las Vegan, and an American.

Mr. Speaker, it has been 297 days since the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

On October 1, 2017, 58 people were senselessly murdered at the Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, in my hometown, and more than 500 people were injured.

I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember going to Sunrise

Hospital and seeing 194 victims who had been shot or injured.

Since October 1, I have come to the House floor 58 times to honor each of the victims and to share their stories. For the last 9 months, my colleagues have listened to 58 separate speeches, and have looked at the pictures of the 58 victims. These stories have been met with silence by the majority.

Since October 1, members of the Nevada delegation have asked to, at least, hold a hearing on bump stocks, the device that contributed to the massive carnage in Las Vegas. Our letters have been met with silence by the majority.

Since October 1, Democrats, and a few Republicans, have introduced no less than 30 bills to combat gun violence in our country, yet these bills have been met with silence by the majority.

Since October 1, there have been more mass shootings in the U.S., including at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas; at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. These mass shootings have been met with silence by the majority.

At what point are my colleagues in Congress going to stop being silent?

At what point are they going to say: We have to do something; we have to take action?

The United States is in the middle of a gun epidemic. Every day, 96 Americans, Mr. Speaker, are killed by gun violence. Americans are 25 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than people in other developed countries.

Americans can no longer feel safe at churches, concerts, movie theaters, work, military bases, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping malls, grocery stores, baseball fields, congressional baseball fields, and, even worse, our children are no longer safe at school.

Since 2009, there have been 288 school shootings in the U.S. Today, little kids are afraid to wear light-up shoes to school because a gunman could see them when they have to hide for their life.

From the time of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook to the mass shooting at Parkland, the House of Representatives has held more than 40 moments of silence related to gun violence. However, in that same time, the majority refuses to consider any real piece of legislation, hold any hearings, or take any action that could reduce this gun violence epidemic.

And despite bipartisan support in this body to ban bump stocks, implement universal background checks, limit high-capacity magazines, or ban assault weapons, my colleagues say that nothing can be done to prevent gun violence in America. If that is true, why is the United States the only developed country that has this problem?

The truth is we can do something. We can take action. My Republican colleagues can put the American gun lobby first and the NRA and gun manufacturers, but the American people come first. We have to listen to the American people. We can pass bipartisan and commonsense solutions to prevent more shootings and to save more lives.

To my fellow Nevadans and Americans, I want you to know that, despite these roadblocks, we will keep fighting. Every day there are people here in Congress working tirelessly to make our country safer. Every day we are moved by your rallying cries and your stories; and every day, we will fight to end the gun violence epidemic in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember the life of William ``Bill'' Wolfe, Jr. Bill attended the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas on October 1.

Bill and his wife, Robyn, had two kids together, Ethan and Trevor. Bill worked as a senior project manager for Dewberry Engineers, Inc.

Bill lived for his community. He enjoyed being a wrestling coach with the Shippensburg Elementary wrestling program and a coach for a Little League team.

Although he loved coaching, he loved being outdoors more. Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, camping, gardening, and jogging.

Bill and Robyn had traveled to the Route 91 festival to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their wedding. Unfortunately, they were separated when the gunfire erupted, and Robyn later found out that Bill did not survive.

Bill is remembered for being very smart and always being willing to help others. He was passionate about everything he did and was loved by many.

I would like to extend my condolences to William ``Bill'' Wolfe, Jr.'s family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the whole country grieve with you.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember the life of Michelle Vo. Michelle attended the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas on October 1.

Michelle was a very hard worker at her job as a financial adviser with the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce. During the month before her death, she had been named the top producer of her company.

Michelle was passionate and would religiously donate blood every 2 weeks. In her free time, she enjoyed volunteering with the Red Cross, rock climbing, and golfing. Everything Michelle did, she did with 150 percent effort. Michelle is remembered as being fun, charismatic, brave, and vibrant.

I would like to extend my condolences to Michelle Vo's family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the whole country grieve with you.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember the life of Neysa Tonks. Neysa attended the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas on October 1.

Neysa was a single mother to her three kids: Kaden, Braxton, and Greysen. She worked at Technologent in Las Vegas and was known as being a fireball from the minute she woke up to the minute she went to bed.

Neysa was spontaneous, adventurous, and full of life. She loved waterskiing, ziplining, hiking, jumping off waterfalls, and traveling. She had even competed in a Tough Mudder with very little training.

Despite her many adventures, she would always save time in the winter to carry out her tradition of packing hundreds of backpacks with supplies and delivering them to the less fortunate with her sons.

Neysa was compassionate and had plans to retire early so she could spend more time with her boys.

Neysa enjoyed going to concerts, laughing, and trying new things. Neysa is remembered as always being the life of the party.

I would like to extend my condolences to Neysa Tonks' family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the whole country grieves with you.