Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the tremendous contributions of Dr. George Berci, a beloved American and resident of California's 33rd Congressional District. With decades of work as an inventor, engineer, professor and author, Dr. Berci's innovative genius and generous spirit has impacted not only the world of medicine but also laid the foundation for future advancement in surgical technologies.

Born in Hungary in 1921, Dr. Berci's family immigrated to Vienna where he studied the violin. They returned to Hungary in the late 1930's when the rise of Nazi Germany forced thousands of Jewish people to emigrate from Austria. He re-learned Hungarian, graduated from high school, and studied mechanical engineering for three years.

In 1942, Dr. Berci was conscripted into a forced labor camp in his native Hungary. Near the end of the war, George escaped a Nazi march toward Auschwitz and returned behind German lines to Budapest to find his mother. He joined the underground where he used his German language skills to save many still in the ghetto.

In war ravaged, communist-controlled Hungary, Dr. Berci attended Medical School and completed his surgical residency. During this time, he was arrested for confronting the Communist Party, wrote his first research papers, and escaped during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution to Melbourne, Australia. Following his escape, he was awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship in surgery in Vienna, Austria. After working many years in a laboratory, Dr. Berci became an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Melbourne.

Dr. Berci performed a one-year fellowship at the University of Seattle and in 1970, accepted the position of Director of Surgical Endoscopy and Surgical Research at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and later Cedars-Sinai Medical Center under the chairmanship and mentorship of the great Leon Morgenstern. He was later named Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.

In his 70-year career, Dr. Berci changed the face of surgery and anesthesiology by pioneering many endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques that provide the basis for virtually all minimally invasive surgeries performed today. George's many major contributions to the science and medical communities include his notable leadership as a part of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons' laparoscopic safety and efficiency training programs. Through this program he developed the first miniature endoscopic video camera, creating a video intubation scope and invented the VITOM surgical video microscope. George also developed other endoscopic instruments and procedures used in urology, gynecology, general, and thoracic surgery, operative laryngology, office laryngology, and pediatric surgery--where his miniature endoscopes allowed endoscopic surgery in children.

Dr. Berci has been widely recognized for his work, having been awarded 21 major prestigious awards, including: the Glissan Prize (Australia) and the American College of Jacobson Innovation Award. In addition, Karl Storz Endoscopy endowed a Chair in Surgery position in his honor, the University of Hungary awarded him an honorary PhD, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center presented him with their 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.

As a prolific speaker, writer, and researcher, Dr. Berci has delivered hundreds of lectures, published 12 books and 238 publications in peer reviewed journals worldwide. His revolutionization of the field of minimally invasive surgery, and his impact as a mentor to a generation of surgeons, has made a lasting mark on the entire medical community.

At 100 years of age, Dr. George Berci continues to serve the medical community at Cedar-Sinai's Hospital in Los Angeles, teaching residents at the Women's Guild Simulation

Center for Advanced Clinical Skills, while continuing his lifelong work creating surgical advancements in the laboratory. He is truly a pioneer in the medical field and a great American.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Colonel Richard ``Dick'' Littlestone, United States Army retired--a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and dedicated advocate for veterans from California's 33rd Congressional District. Colonel Littlestone passed away on May 15, 2021 at the age of 97.

Colonel Littlestone was born on September 23, 1923 in Evanston, Illinois and moved with his family to California at a young age. He attended and graduated from Los Angeles High School and was drafted into the Army a couple years later. While there, he was chosen to go to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he graduated in 1947.

Colonel Littlestone married his wife Doris in 1948. They moved to the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1972 and raised three children, Richard, Nanette and Mark. They resided in the Palisades for 49 years. Doris and Dick were married for almost 73 years.

Colonel Littlestone was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He served in the United States Army for 33 years and received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and more than a dozen other honors.

Through the G.I. Bill, he earned several advanced degrees and said that as a result, he had a wonderful career in the Army.

After his time in the service, Colonel Littlestone taught at West Point for several years and later served as Chair and Professor of the Department of Military Science and Associate Director of the Computers and Information Systems Research Program at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Colonel Littlestone believed deeply in duty, honor, and country, but went beyond that to serve his community and when he retired, this became his passion. Colonel Littlestone dedicated his time towards advocating for local veterans and fighting for improvements in his community. He said it was his service in three wars, and all the Army provided him, that drove his continued involvement and advocacy.

Colonel Dick Littlestone was the driving force behind the creation of the Los Angeles National Cemetery's new and expanded columbarium, a 4.4-acre project on the West Los Angeles VA Campus that would go on to house the remains of over 90,000 veterans and their family members. For 22 years he championed this cause to ensure more veterans in the region could be laid to rest closer to their families and homes. The process was a labor of love and he prodded and cajoled several Secretaries of Veterans Affairs for years, knocking down one hurdle after another. His final achievement was to see the completion and dedication of the columbarium at the Los Angeles National Cemetery, which took place in October 2019.

Colonel Littlestone was honored in 2015 with the first-ever Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors' Veterans Lifetime Achievement Award. He was more recently recognized for his service to the country when named Los Angeles Veteran of the Year in 2020 by Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin. Bonin said, ``Throughout his decades of service to both his country and his community, Colonel Littlestone has consistently combined his passion for the military with education.'' Bonin added, ``Colonel Dick Littlestone is an extraordinary example of patriotic duty and service--to his country and to the City of Los Angeles.''

Colonel Dick Littlestone believed deeply in duty, honor, and country. His dedication to veterans and his service to his country and community is a shining example for all of us to follow. May his memory be a blessing.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Mr. Richard Bates, who passed away outside Washington, D.C., on December 31, 2020. He was a beloved husband, father, and community member.

Mr. Bates was born in Washington, D.C., on September 2, 1950 to Can and Sylvia Bates. In 1978, he married his best friend and the love of his life, Rose Bates. He served as executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee before joining the Walt Disney Company, where he worked for 30 years. He opened Disney's first Washington, D.C., office, and served as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations.

Richard's loved ones, friends, and colleagues remember him for his compassion, sense of humor, and kindness. He was a passionate advocate for the creative industries and was well-respected for his skill and knowledge in his field. In 2018, he was elected to the board of trustees of an advocacy organization fighting for free speech and working in communications policy issues, the Media Institute. Most importantly, he was dedicated to his friends and family, and inspired those around him to do what they love and follow their dreams.

Richard is survived by his wife, Rose; two sons, Ricky (Noelle) and Chris; brother, Robert (Judith); and other relatives. He will also be missed by his canine-granddaughter, Betty.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill H.R. 711, the West Los Angeles VA Campus Improvement Act of 2021. This legislation is critical to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) efforts, together with community partners, to address veteran homelessness in the Los Angeles area. In addition, it helps VA use already available funding streams for certain homeless veteran programs, thus reducing the need for taxpayer funds.

I represent the West LA VA, a 388-acre campus that serves thousands of veterans in Southern California and across the state, including offering temporary housing for homeless veterans, legal aide, training, and other services. The land was deeded to the federal government in 1888 and for decades thousands of veterans lived there. Unfortunately, following damage from a major earthquake in 1971, the VA began transitioning the land away from housing, costing Los Angeles County a crucial node in the battle to fight veteran homelessness. On top of that, fraud and general neglect of the campus before my tenure led to some of the campus falling into a state of disrepair. Finally, the VA settled in a suit alleging that many enhanced use leases on campus were not principally benefiting veterans, but instead serving other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, a year after I took office, Congress passed my West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016, a law intended to clean up the campus and which directly led to the end of most non-veteran related leases. The law has also helped spur the redevelopment of the property into a true home for veterans. The VA is now implementing a plan to build at least 1,200 new subsidized apartments, which is composed of 23 projects that range from renovating existing structures to developing and building new units.

This progress is encouraging. But there is a serious problem that was brought to my attention recently by veteran advocates. A drafting error in the 2016 legislation prevents the West LA VA from using funds from enhanced use leases (EULs) for the purposes of housing construction. The VA can only use such funds for ``renovation and maintenance'' of the campus which means money is lying stagnant that could be used to build housing but instead, because of a technical error, cannot go toward helping the VA fight homelessness. This legislation fixes that error.

Second, as a result of fraud on campus, the VA was supposed to get several million dollars in asset forfeiture funds. But instead, such funds go back to the general fund at the Treasury Department to be dispersed around the country, for any purpose at all. Veterans at the West LA VA are doubly harmed--first, by the initial fraud, and second, by the theft of funds that are supposed to make them whole. My legislation fixes this problem by making it clear funds from settlement money and asset forfeiture resulting from any past or future fraud on campus go to veterans at the facility that was harmed. It's just common sense.

Finally, my bill increases the life of enhanced use leases on the campus from 75 to 99 years. Increasing the length of the leases would reduce the financing costs for new housing, further helping the VA and its partners tackle homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on the House Veterans Affairs Committee for their support, including Chairman Takano, who has been a tireless champion for our nation's veterans and specifically veterans in Los Angeles. I am grateful to Members on both sides of the aisle who passed this bill out of Committee on May 4th by voice vote, bringing us one step closer to ensuring the VA has the legal authorities it needs help our veterans. Let's not let technical errors stand in the way of housing our nation's heroes.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Ms. Anita Idiculla, who passed away on March 7, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. She was a beloved daughter, sister and aunt and valued community member in West Los Angeles.

Anita was born May 21, 1981, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Drs. Alexander and Anne A. Idiculla. She grew up in Philadelphia until moving to California in 1999 to attend Stanford University. She received her bachelor's degree in 2003 and continued her education, receiving her master's degree in education in 2004. Anita's career began at Tollin/Robins Productions and she spent several years working at notable companies such as Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc., and Nickelodeon.

While living in Los Angeles, Anita continued her education at the University of California, Los Angeles' Anderson School of Management and attended the London Business School International Exchange Program before receiving her MBA in 2013. After graduation, Anita joined Mattel Inc. as a Senior Marketing Manager for their Games Global Brand Team. Anita's career was singularly focused on creating content and products that could be enjoyed by children and families alike. She allowed her passion for creativity and tenacity to flow freely which in turn brought joy to her family, friends, and colleagues. Anita's spirit and aspirations were limitless, and from an early age, it was clear that she could achieve any goal she set her mind to. Her family and friends were her entire world, and her love of being a kid at heart never faded away.

She was an active member of Bel-Air Presbyterian Church and dedicated years of service to the church's youth programs. Anita was a voracious reader and co-founded a literary society in 2007. She was an avid pop culture aficionado, karaoke legend, and a genius meme creator. She was a strong advocate for women's rights and loved animals, with her favorites being unicorns and kittens. Anita spent every moment she could attending live music concerts and traveling the world. She was loved by so many people and touched so many lives with her thoughtful spirit and caring heart. Anita's smile was infectious, and her loss will be felt by her friends, family, and the many communities she has affected.

Anita is reunited for eternity with her father Dr. Alexander Idiculla who passed away in 1982. She is survived by her mother, Anne; brothers, Rajiv and Anil; sister-in-law, Elizabeth (Loughran) and nephews, Alexander and Kellan. May her many contributions to her community, family and friends live on.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Jeffrey Scott Frankel who passed away on April 3, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Frankel was a dedicated community member on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the South Bay of Los Angeles County, who left an indelible mark on the region as a dedicated father, volunteer and school board official.

Mr. Frankel was born on November 24, 1962 in London, Ontario, Canada and was raised in Baldwin, New York. He attended the State University of New York College at Buffalo and had a successful career as a marketing consultant with King World Productions, SharkNinja and other notable brands. In recent years, Mr. Frankel steered his career towards education, scaling back his consultancy and working as an impassioned volunteer for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.

Jeffrey had an undying passion for advocacy, service, and education, and displayed such interests as a member of the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District's Parcel Tax Oversight Committee and the Superintendent Special Education Parent Advisory Group. Jeffrey became interested in education policy as he supported his daughter, Jillian, who had special needs and was the light of his life. He sought to make a difference in her life along with other students. He made it his mission to ensure that every student, including those with special needs, reached their full potential. Mr. Frankel was elected to the Palos Verdes Peninsula School Board in November 2020 and was a shining example of a community partner who proudly assumed the role of a civic leader and change agent.

Jeffrey loved the Grateful Dead and fast food gave him much delight. He has left an indelible mark on the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, the South Bay community, and to all who knew him. He is survived by his mother, Gloria Frankel, his siblings, Karen Rozen and Mark Frankel, his niece Mindy, his nephews David, Louie, and Kevin, and his beloved daughter, Jillian. For all his success, he will forever be known as a man of generosity, humility, and kindness. May his memory be a blessing.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Rabbi Morley T. Feinstein, who passed away on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Rabbi Feinstein was a pilar in Southern California's Jewish community and worked tirelessly to serve the people of our region and to spread good will to all those who he had known.

Rabbi Feinstein grew up in West Los Angeles, attended Beverly Hills High School, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Berkeley in 1975. Driven to serve those in need, he was ordained in 1981 at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rabbi Feinstein served as the assistant and then first associate rabbi of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, Texas from 1987 to 2002. Later, he took the role of Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth-El in South Bend, Indiana where he received the state's highest citizen honor--the Sagamore of the Wabash--for his efforts to promote peace and justice.

Later, Rabbi Feinstein served as a Senior Rabbinic Fellow of Jerusalem's Shalom Hartman Institute where he was known for his love of music, fervor for learning, and zeal for the Torah. He taught at the summer camps at Union for Reform Judaism and Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) for over thirty-four years. Rabbi Feinstein formally retired in 2019, but his commitment to serving his community always remained steadfast.

Rabbi Feinstein was affectionately referred to by his colleagues as a ``Rabbi's Rabbi.'' He believed in the purity of the human spirit and appreciated the traditions of community building. He transcended faith and knew what it meant to be a steward of God and to those in need.

Rabbi Feinstein's impact will forever be remembered by those who loved him and to those he had a profound influence on. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Margarete Myers Feinstein, their twin daughters, Eliana and Renata, his first wife Nancy Lichtenstein, and their two sons, Aaron and Ari; and their three grandchildren; his brother Dr. Barney Feinstein and his sister, Sheila Merewitz. May his life be an honor and a blessing.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Mr. Russ Thyret, who passed away at the age of 76 on February 12, 2021 at his home in Valley Village, California. Over the course of thirty years, Russ rose through the ranks at Warner Bros. Records culminating in his serving as the Burbank-based label's Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 2001. His wife, Rebecca, said that Russ' message for his Warner family and for all who he had known over the years, ``he wants us all to be happy and to be good to each other.''

Mr. Thyret, the son of a Glendale, California policeman, began his career in the music industry managing an independent retail store on the Sunset Strip. He joined Warner Bros. Records shortly thereafter, working at the company's Burbank home office in a national sales role during the time Warner/Elektra/Atlantic (WEA) Corporation opened branch operations throughout the country. In the mid-70s, Russ was selected to serve as Vice President and Director of National Promotion during the time Warner Bros. dominated the charts and became the dominant record company on the West Coast.

Russ was named Board Chairman at Warner Bros. after a period of uncertainty after the departure of several senior executives. He sought to strengthen the record label with his unique business strategy and his undying passion for music. During his years heading the company's promotion department, Russ led a small army of promotional personnel who worked to ensure records were played on the air on local, national, and international airwaves. Mr. Thyret and his staff delivered countless hits by legendary artists such as: Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, Randy Newman, James Taylor, Alice Cooper, Chaka Khan, R.E.M., ZZ Top, Depeche Mode, k.d. lang, John Fogerty, Madonna, and Prince.

``Thyret was a man of great instinct and heart,'' as stated by Jackie Sallow with Warner Records. Russ will always be remembered for his personable spirit, tenacious mindset, and kind heart. In 2001, Mr. Thyret ended his tenure after the completion of the AOL Time Warner merger. He summed up his time with the company stating, ``My strongest ambition has always been to serve the artists well, and I leave Warner Bros. hoping I have accomplished that. I was in awe of Warner Bros. Records the first day I walked in the door, and in so many ways, I leave even more in awe. It will forever be a magical memory.''

Mr. Russ Thyret will also be remembered for his love of his family, horses, fishing, and his great Labrador Retriever. He is survived by his wife Rebecca Alvarez and his son Russ Thyre, Jr.

Good afternoon. I am Congressman Ted Lieu. My colleague Congresswoman Dean went through President Trump's efforts to overturn the election through the courts and, when that started failing, his deeply disturbing attacks on State and local officials.

I am going to walk through President Trump's extraordinary efforts remaining until January 6, when he tried again to overturn the election.

I first want to highlight Representative Raskin's question to all of you today: Is this America?

Like all of you, I love this country. I am an immigrant. My parents came to Ohio, and we started off living in the basement of a person's home. We were poor, and they went to flea markets to sell gifts to make ends meet. Over many years, they built a small business, opened six gift stores, and achieved the American dream.

That is one reason I joined the United States Air Force on Active Duty. I believe America is an exceptional country. I was trained as a prosecutor at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, and I remain in the Reserves because we are the greatest country in the world.

But how did our exceptional country get to the point where a violent mob attacked our Capitol, murdering a police officer, assaulting over 140 other officers? How did we get to the point where rioters desecrated, defiled, and dishonored your Senate Chamber, where the very place in which you sit became a crime scene, and where National Guard troops still patrol outside wearing body armor?

I will show you how we got here. President Donald J. Trump ran out of nonviolent options to maintain power. After his efforts in courts and threatening officials failed, he turned to privately and publicly attacking Members of his own party in the House and in the Senate. He would publicly bait Senators, naming them in social media.

For example, on December 18, President Trump named ``@senatemajldr and Republican Senators,'' telling them they ``have to get tougher'' or they ``won't have a Republican Party anymore. We won the Presidential Election, by a lot. FIGHT FOR IT. Don't let them take it away!''

President Trump was suggesting to Members of this Senate that if they didn't help him try to overturn the election, there would be consequences. On December 24, President Trump wrote:

I saved at least 8 Republican Senators, including Mitch,

from losing in the last Rigged (for President) Election. Now

they (almost all) sit back and watch me fight against a

crooked and vicious foe, the Radical Left Democrats. I will--

And in all capital letters he wrote--

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 23, the Inspector General Protection Act, a straightforward, bipartisan bill to protect the role of our inspectors general, Since Congress passed the Inspector General Act of 1978, inspectors general have played a crucial role in our democracy.

These government watchdogs root out waste, fraud, mismanagement, and abuse at all levels of government--saving the American taxpayer billions of dollars annually and ensuring government programs benefit the People. One Government Accountability Office study concluded that the 73 Offices of Inspectors General saved taxpayers $43.3 billion in 2009, marking roughly an $18 return for every dollar invested in our nation's inspectors general. By making inspectors general independent from the agencies they oversee, Congress signaled the importance of nonpartisan oversight that defines their role today. Our legislation, the Inspector General Protection Act of 2021, ensures the independence and integrity of our nation's inspectors general by combating two threats to these offices,

First, H.R. 23 requires notification to Congress in advance of an inspector general being placed on paid or unpaid non-duty status, or incurring a change in status. This ensures Congress is aware of any potential attempts to improperly sideline an inspector general. Second, the bill requires the President to report to Congress if an inspector general has not been nominated within 210 days after a vacancy occurs for the position, including the reasons a nomination has not been made and a target date for doing so. This reasserts Congress' oversight role and allows Members to question--on an informed basis--the decision of any future administration to leave core offices vacant, which has historically been an all-too-common practice among presidents of both parties.

I would like to express my gratitude to several individuals for this legislation. First, to the late Elijah Cummings, the kind and generous former Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, who worked tirelessly to ensure the United States Government worked for all people, including by doggedly rooting out waste and fraud. He first passed the Inspector General Protection Act through the Oversight and Reform Committee two years ago. Since then, the House has signaled its support for this legislation by passing the bill in numerous forms, including as part of the HEROES Act in May 2020.

Next, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Jody Hice from Georgia, for joining me in co-leading this bipartisan, commonsense legislation. Congressman Hice has been a valuable partner on numerous oversight initiatives, including our recent Oversight.gov Authorization Act, which was signed into law as part of the omnibus package last week. I thank him and his staff in the personal office and on Committee for their continued partnership. Finally, my thanks to Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney for her tireless work to hold those in power accountable to the people--including by supporting our many initiatives to strengthen our inspectors general.

Chairwoman Maloney is an invaluable leader in the fight for good government. I urge my colleagues to support this narrowly tailored yet crucial legislation to protect our nation's inspectors general, saving the taxpayer billions of dollars and ensuring the government works for the people.

Madam Speaker, I am an immigrant; I am a person of faith; and I served on Active Duty in the United States military because I love America.

Yet, throughout my life, I have had people tell me to go back to China or Japan or North Korea. And like many immigrants, when I get that ``go back'' insult, it is hateful. It makes me feel like I don't belong here in this country.

And make no mistake, when people tell me to go back where I came from, that is a racist insult that is based on race. If I were White, they would not tell me to go back to China. I experience that insult because my race happens to be Asian.

But the good news is that Americans, at record high levels, support immigrants. We are not going anywhere. America is our home. And I will still be standing here long after the occupant of the White House leaves.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer amendment No. 23 as the designee of Representative Gabbard.

Mr. Chair, I rise to speak in support of the amendment offered by Representative Gabbard of Hawaii on the limitation on the use of funds from the Special Defense Acquisition Fund for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

This fund allows the U.S. military to preorder weapons for sale to foreign militaries and is intended to reduce wait times for weapons or related services.

While this is normally a good way to prevent a long and detrimental wait for our allies to use weapons in self-defense, is it unconscionable that it be used to kill and wound civilians in an unjust war.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have, since 2015, been bombing schools, hospitals, buses, and other civilian targets.

As of March of this year, nearly 18,000 people have been killed or injured by this bombing campaign since hostilities began in 2015, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Thousands more have been displaced by the fighting, and millions are faced with starvation, hunger, and disease.

This has created a humanitarian crisis, destroyed water supplies, and created shortages in food and medical care.

We have already passed a resolution seeking to end U.S. involvement in this slaughter, only to have the President veto it, while he continues to supply Saudi Arabia with U.S. missiles and bombs.

This amendment will prevent the military from speeding supplies to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and will do much to alleviate the suffering of the people of Yemen.

Mr. Chair, I ask that all Members support this amendment and end our involvement in this shameful war, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Chair, I don't have any philosophical objection to supporting our allies.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are still America's allies. But what I object to and what many of us in Congress object to is the bypassing of Congress in selling arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

On May 24, the Trump administration, through Secretary Pompeo, notified Congress that it was declaring a fake emergency to bypass congressional review of 22 arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

How do we know this was a fake emergency? Because there is no emergency to the United States or to UAE or to Saudi Arabia regarding the war in Yemen.

It is a horrific humanitarian problem. The Saudi-led coalition has killed countless civilians. But it is not an emergency that would justify weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE that bypasses congressional procedure.

And, in fact, it has been recently reported that the UAE is now pulling its troops out of Yemen. What kind of emergency is this that would require the bypass of Congress to sell arms to UAE and Saudi Arabia?

In addition, we had a hearing in the Foreign Affairs Committee where the Trump administration official admitted that many of these arms would not even be ready for months, if not years, in order to be sold.

So, it is unacceptable that the administration is trying to bypass Congress.

What this amendment will do is simply say you cannot declare a fake emergency to bypass Congress to sell these arms. If you want to sell these arms to Saudi Arabia and UAE, you have to do it through the normal process.

Mr. Chair, I request an ``aye'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Mr. Chair, I agree Iran is a malign influence in the Middle East, but that doesn't mean the administration gets to bypass Congress in selling arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chair, this issue has bipartisan support, and I request an ``aye'' vote on the amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chair, the President ran for office on a promise of draining the swamp. He, in fact, personally has done exactly the opposite.

My amendment is very simple. It simply prevents the President from profiting off of his own trips to his own properties.

As you can imagine, when the President travels, he brings a large staff with him--for security, for press, for logistics, for other reasons--and then the American taxpayer ends up paying for the meals and lodging expenses of everyone associated with that trip.

Up to this date, President Trump has spent 270 days at properties that he owns. Every time he does that, he or his family profits. That includes 99 days at Mar-a-Lago, 21 days at Trump International Hotel in D.C., 74 at Trump National Hotel Bedminster, and 59 days at Trump National Hotel Potomac.

The General Accounting Office reports that the President spends an average of 3.4 million in taxpayer dollars every time he travels just to Mar-a-Lago.

Not content to profit from the American taxpayer, the President has also, in fact, raised prices at his properties, at Mar-a-Lago and at Trump International Hotel in D.C. So, now, taxpayers are paying even more for lodging expenses associated with his staff.

My amendment limits the use of Department of Defense funds at Trump- owned properties, and it also includes a waiver where the President can still stay at these properties; he just has to reimburse the Treasury for the amount that the taxpayer is paying for his staff to stay there.

Mr. Chair, with that, I respectfully request an ``aye'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, the gentleman across the aisle has mischaracterized this amendment.

All of his staff can still travel with him. The President just has to reimburse the cost if it is at his own property, or he can choose to stay at a Ritz Carlton or a Holiday Inn or any other commercial property that he does not own.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin).

Mr. Chair, I yield the gentleman from Maryland an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Chair, Department of Defense employees should not be staying at high-priced hotels.

I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).

Mr. Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the softball team from the University of California, Los Angeles, which took home the 2019 NCAA championship on the 4th of June against the University of Oklahoma.

This year's championship is the program's 13th national championship and 118th overall NCAA championship earned by a UCLA Bruins team in any sport. With 12 NCAA Division I titles, UCLA softball has the most championships of any school since softball became an NCAA sport in 1982 and one of the most successful teams on campus.

Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez and the team should be proud of their accomplishments, winning a Pac-12 championship along the way and losing only six out of 62 games this season. Bringing a national title back to Easton Stadium is a fitting end for the collegiate careers for the seven graduating seniors on this year's team. I would also like to commend pitcher Rachel Garcia for being named Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and receiving the Honda Cup on June 24.

I would like to sincerely congratulate the UCLA softball team once again on winning the national championship and wish them best of luck next season.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to give you some facts about healthcare.

Right now, the Trump administration is suing to eliminate the law that guarantees preexisting conditions healthcare coverage for Americans.

You might wonder what constitutes a preexisting condition. Well, I am going to give you some examples. Cancer, which affects over 22 million people is a preexisting condition.

Depression, which affects over 16 million people has been deemed a preexisting condition.

Alzheimer's, which affects over 5 million people has been deemed a preexisting condition.

Epilepsy, which affects over 3.4 million people has been deemed a preexisting condition.

If you, or a family member, or a friend have a preexisting condition, you are in deep trouble if the Trump administration succeeds in their lawsuit.

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the career of Mr. Douglas Prichard, the City Manager of Rolling Hills Estates in Los Angeles County. Douglas is retiring after 34 years of service to the city.

Douglas was born on December 28, 1957 in Newport Beach, California to John Prichard and Eleanor Farmer Prichard. He earned his Bachelor's in Social Ecology in 1980 and Masters in Business and Public Administration from the University of California, Irvine in 1981.

Douglas' first job in civil service was as an administrative assistant for the City of Bellflower, where he eventually rose to Assistant to the City Administrator. In 1985, Douglas moved to the Palos Verdes Peninsula to become the Assistant City Manager for Rolling Hills Estates. He was promoted to City Manager in 1990, where he oversaw the day to day municipal functions of the city and its $9 million budget. Douglas maintained a balanced budget, even through the Great Recession, with little to no deterioration in services for residents.

Under Douglas' remarkable administration, Rolling Hills Estates saw an expansion of the city's green space, with careful partnerships crucial to the creation of Highridge Park and the Chandler Preserve. Douglas also aided in the development of the old Chandler Quarry, construction of the western portion of Palos Verdes Drive North and the Peter Weber Equestrian Center Stables, and establishment of the Peninsula Holiday Parade of Lights, an annual community-wide celebration of the holiday season.

I wish Douglas a happy retirement full of surfing and music, as well as quality time with his wife, Kathy, and his children, John and Michael. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for his dedication to improving city services and programs for the residents of Rolling Hills Estates.