Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a resolution recommending the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to one of America's bravest soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, Sergeant Rafael Peralta.

Sgt. Peralta's story is the epitome of what makes America great generation after generation. After immigrating as a teenager with his family from Mexico to San Diego, Sgt. Peralta joined the Marines the first chance he was able to--the morning he received his green card. According to his mother, Rosa Peralta, Sgt. Peralta ``really loved this country'' and loved being a Marine. In fact, he passed along his love for the Marines to his brother, Ricardo, who kept a promise he made at his brother's funeral by enlisting in the Marines Corps in 2010.

In 2004, Sgt. Peralta was killed during a house-clearing mission in Fallujah, Iraq. According to news reports, during a firefight with insurgents, a fragment from a friendly-fire bullet ricocheted and struck Sgt. Peralta in the back of his head. According to eyewitness accounts from fellow Marines who were at the scene, Sgt. Peralta, despite his mortal wound, pulled an enemy grenade under his body and absorbed the ensuing blast. By doing so, he saved the lives of an estimated six of his fellow Marines.

Each of the armed services has provisions for judging whether an individual is eligible for the Medal of Honor--which permit no margin of doubt or error. Historically, the individual's action must be supported by incontestable evidence of at least two eyewitnesses. In Sgt. Peralta's case, seven eyewitnesses confirmed that he smothered the grenade blast with his body. Even though a pathologist report questioned whether Sgt. Peralta could have deliberately brought the grenade to his body due to his wound, separate analyses by three neurologists opined otherwise. His Navy Cross citation, the second highest American military decoration that can be awarded to a Marine, says it all: ``Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, Sergeant Peralta reached out and pulled the grenade to his body, absorbing the brunt of the blast and shielding fellow Marines only feet away.

Sgt. Peralta exemplified and lived the values Americans hold dear: honor, duty, and dedication to his country. In a letter written right before his death, Sgt. Peralta told his brother, ``I'm proud to be a Marine, a U.S. Marine, and to defend and protect the freedom and Constitution of America. You should be proud of being an American citizen.''

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution and recommend the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to a true American hero, Sgt. Rafael Peralta.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the legacy of a great American, Ambassador Raymond Telles, a true pioneer in international and civic leadership.

Ambassador Telles passed away on March 8, 2013 at the age of 97 in the company of those who loved him. He is survived by his daughters, Dr. Cynthia Telles and Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin and their families. His life was the very definition of a trailblazer. Ambassador Telles was America's first ambassador of Latino descent, the first Latino to be mayor of a major American city and a decorated U.S. Air Force Colonel.

Born September 5, 1915 in El Paso, Texas, Ambassador Telles began his career at the Department of Justice before being drafted into the United States Army Air Force where he admirably served as the Chief of the Lend-Lease Program for South and Central America. In honor of his distinguished work, he was awarded the Mexican Legion of Merit, the Order of the Southern Cross from Brazil, Columbian wings, and the Peruvian Flying Cross. Later Ambassador Telles served as a military aide for President Harry S. Truman and General Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II.

After being recalled as the Executive Officer of the 67th Tactical and Reconnaissance Group during the Korean War, Raymond Telles was elected Mayor of El Paso, Texas in November 1957. While in office, he encouraged fire and police departments around the city to diversify their workforce. Following a close first election, he went on to win a second term unopposed. After his tenure as mayor, President John F. Kennedy appointed him as U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica. In 1967, President Richard Nixon called on Ambassador Telles to serve as Chairman of the U.S.-Mexican Border Commission. He would later be appointed as Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission where he served in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

Although Ambassador Telles will be known in many political circles as a tireless public servant, he will eternally be remembered by those closest to him as a caring father, loving husband, and mentor who paved the way for others to succeed long after his passing. As someone who advised so many young emerging leaders, he can rest comfortably knowing that the light of his legacy will shine for several generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, we are truly fortunate to live in a country which gives every one of us an opportunity to make our dreams come true. A few remarkable Americans achieve a level of service to country that opens the door not just to their dreams but to ours as well. Many of us, therefore, have a profound desire and abiding obligation to look up to the sky to say to Ambassador Raymond Telles, ``Thank you!'' Surely, he is smiling upon us now as he surveys the countless dreams he brought to life. May Ambassador Telles rest in peace and may his family celebrate the life and memory of a dear family man and American patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Smithsonian American Latino Museum Act, a bill that supports the creation of the Smithsonian American Latino Museum and whose genesis began 20 years ago. I first introduced this bill, with my colleague Rep. Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, in the 112th Congress.

While the wonderful museums and monuments on the National Mall provide a sense of America's history and treasures, many have felt that more must be done to ensure that the contributions of all Americans, including those of Latino descent, are better represented.

The 2010 Census revealed that there are over 50 million Latinos in the U.S. plus an additional 3.7 million citizens of Puerto Rico. Even with the large and growing Latino population in the our country there is still no real significant, permanent representation of Latinos in our nation's capital.

The Latino community first moved to address this issue in 1993. But, it was not until 2008 that the Commission to Establish the National Museum of the American Latino Act was passed by the House and Senate and signed into law. A panel of 23 bipartisan commissioners was appointed by President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, House leaders Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner, and Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell.

That Commission dedicated itself to creating a comprehensive report and a singular vision--one that would reflect the hopes, opinions, cultural values, recommendations and insights of Americans of diverse origins and geographic regions of the U.S. In 2011, that Commission presented its report, Illuminating

the American Story for All, early and under budget, to the President of the United States.

Since that time, the notion of a Smithsonian American Latino Museum has continued to gain support from a diversity of people and places. Despite that long-standing support and almost 20 years later, we are still not there yet, but we are getting closer.

To move forward in our effort, the House and Senate must pass the Smithsonian American Latino Act. Our bill would do 3 things:

Designate the now-vacant Arts and Industries Building (AIB) within the Smithsonian Institution as the location of the museum, including an annex that would be constructed underground and adjacent to the AIB. The bill requires that the planning, design and construction of the museum be harmonious with open space and visual sightlines of the National Mall.

Provide the Board of Regents 18 months to conduct a study to determine the best way to plan, design, fund and construct the Museum of the American Latino, taking into account the Commission's report.

Authorize private fundraising to begin for the planning, designing and construction of the museum.

Upon the bill being passed by both chambers and signed into law by the President, the Smithsonian American Latino Museum would be on its way to becoming the 20th museum within the Smithsonian Institution, forming part of the world's largest museum and research complex.

Many may ask: at this moment in time how can we afford to create a new museum? The better question is how can we not?

These are challenging times. And in these times, the arts, culture and humanities have a distinct role to play in helping unite us during episodes of adversity and prepare us to share in the prosperity to come. Cultural and historical institutions play a critical role in investigating, educating, sharing, celebrating, preserving, and convening the American people--as we are doing today--to show that we are in this together.

Mr. Speaker, the Smithsonian Institution was created for the purpose of helping increase and diffuse knowledge. It is in that same spirit that we seek to advance the Smithsonian American Latino Museum effort. Just like the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the American Indian, The National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Air and Space Museum, and others, the future Smithsonian American Latino Museum will help display America in its full bloom.

I thank the leader for yielding.

My friends, every single day in America, three women die at the hands of domestic violence. Yet this Congress allowed the Violence Against Women Act to expire more than 500 days ago, every one of those 500 days three women dying at the hands of domestic violence.

There's been a balanced bipartisan solution passed in the Senate by a vote of 68-31 that has been sitting on the table for almost a year to reenact the Violence Against Women Act. The failure or reluctance of this House to do its work for the American people seems to have now become business as usual. This should not be the new normal.

The 113th Congress has now been in session for 56 days in 2013, and it is only now that a debate on an up or down vote on the bipartisan Senate bill will have an opportunity to be had.

Every woman in America deserves a clean bill to come before them to reenact the Violence Against Women Act, and those three women in America who today desperately seek to beat the odds and live to see another day deserve a vote. We must defeat the Republican substitute amendment and pass the Senate bipartisan bill.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

If you buy a house, you pay your mortgage--well, at least under this bill, for 3 or 4 months. If you want your kids to go to college, you take out student loans, and you'll tell the bank, well, you'll pay for 3 or 4 months, and then we can talk again. If you want to buy a car, you go in and tell the dealer, Love that beautiful new car. You take out a loan. You pay for 3 or 4 months, and then you tell the dealer, Let's talk in about 3 or 4 months about what we do with the rest of the debt.

This simply creates more uncertainty, another fiscal cliff and yet another economic case of sabotage against the American public. The party that voted for tax cuts for the wealthy, two wars, and a massive new prescription drug benefit program and that put all of the costs of that on a credit card doesn't believe it's important now to honor those obligations of paying those bills and maintaining the full faith and credit of the United States of America. Now, with this new Congress, we have a chance for a fresh start--an opportunity to find common ground, not more conflict. Instead, our Republican colleagues are threatening three strikes against the middle class, against small businesses and the U.S. economy--the U.S. default, a government shutdown, and sequestration.

Let's start talking about what really matters to Americans, the biggest deficit we face--a jobs deficit. Let's get to work putting Americans back to work. Let's be problem solvers, not problem makers. It's time to get America moving again.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

If you're in the middle class, shouldn't it feel like you're in the middle of America? Yet the politics of extremism is pushing the middle class to the very edge--the very edge.

Our House Republican colleagues continue to ignore the calls from the American people to extend middle class tax cuts now. That politics of extremism is threatening to raise taxes on the middle class by the amount of about $2,200 starting January 1.

Republicans should, once and for all, join with Democrats and the American public to bring the bipartisan, Senate-passed middle class tax cut bill to a vote on the House floor. Passage of the bipartisan middle class tax cut bill ensures that 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses don't see a single tax increase next year.

Democrats and two-thirds of the American people agree with a growing number of Republicans who are telling their Republican colleagues, Take the 98 percent deal; take the 98 percent deal.

My friends, this is not the time to put a foot on the brake of our economic recovery that we're beginning to experience. It's time to get our work done.

Remember, colleagues, where we were 4 years ago. Four years ago, November 2008, our country was hemorrhaging 800,000 American jobs. This November, we got the news, 146,000 new jobs. It's time to continue that progress.

Let's stop abiding by these pledges to special interests and start abiding by our pledge to the United States of America and to the people who elected us to serve the interest of all Americans, not those of special interests. Let's pass this middle class tax cut bill now.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote 604. If present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 604.

Mr. Speaker, when the Wall Street banking crisis of 2008 hit, causing the worst recession since the Great Depression, it was the middle class that took it on the chin. More than 8 million Americans lost their job through no fault of their own. And as millions of Americans were losing their jobs and their homes, the big banks received bailouts and CEOs continued to receive million-dollar payouts.

While too many middle class Americans are still out looking for work, this Congress is voting again to give over $160,000 a year in tax breaks to the richest 2 percent of Americans while the average American will be lucky to get about one-100th or maybe two-100ths of that. Can anyone in this Chamber blame the middle class for thinking the system is rigged against them?

Mr. Speaker, we all admire financial success, but when we give away trillions in tax cuts that we cannot afford to those who need them the least, it's the middle class who has to make up the difference. To pay for these tax cuts, our Republican colleagues have voted to end Medicare and would force seniors to pay $6,400 more for their own care. On top of that, Republicans propose changing Social Security, slashing its budget by over $800 million. It's an ideological agenda that chooses millionaires over the middle class. Regular folks pay more so that folks like Donald Trump and Mitt Romney can get yet another tax break.

Einstein is credited with saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Eleven years after the Bush tax breaks became law and drove us deeper into deficits, let's not repeat these mistakes. Rather than having these debates about whether the richest 2 percent of Americans deserve extra breaks, we should stand with the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, this should be an all-hands-on-deck moment. America works best when the middle class in America is working. Let's start talking about how we can get all Americans back to work and strengthen our economy.

I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and support the Democratic alternative, which is focused on the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Los Angeles' greatest landmarks, Dodger Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2012 season marks the 50th anniversary of Dodger Stadium.

It ranks as the third oldest, continually-used park in Major League Baseball and still one of the most attended and highly regarded stadiums in America. Dodger Stadium has hosted more than 143 million fans since it opened its doors in 1962. The club topped the 3.85 million attendance mark in 2007, which stands as the all-time franchise record.

Ever since Brooklyn Dodger President Walter O'Malley decided to move his team to Los Angeles in 1958 and bring Major League Baseball to California for the first time, this stadium has been home to some of the most memorable events in Dodger history. Many Dodger fans still recall Sandy Koufax's perfect game in 1965, the rise of Fernandomania, and Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

Since opening its gates, Dodger Stadium has hosted eight World Series and the Los Angeles Dodgers have won four World Championships, eight National League pennants, 11 National League Western Division crowns and two National League Wild Card berths. From 1992 to 1996, the Dodgers set a major league baseball record with five consecutive players being named Rookie of the year: Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo and Todd Hollandsworth.

Dodger Stadium has awed spectators with a breathtaking view of downtown Los Angeles to the south; green, tree-lined Elysian hills to the north and east; and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond. Walter O'Malley and architecht Emil Praeger designed the 56,000-seat stadium, the second privately financed ballpark in baseball history. Its wavy roof atop each outfield pavilion, cantilevered grandstands and unique terraced-earthworks parking lot behind the main stands make Dodger Stadium one of the most innovatively designed baseball stadiums.

Besides being home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the stadium has played host to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1980 and the Olympic Games' baseball competition in 1984. The eight-team competition during the 1984 Olympic Games marked baseball's greatest involvement in the Olympic Games to that point. The Olympic spirit returned to Los Angeles again in 1991, as Dodger Stadium hosted the Opening Ceremonies for the United States Olympic Festival. In 2004, the Olympic Torch relay in Los Angeles concluded at Dodger Stadium as Rafer Johnson lit the cauldron at Chavez Ravine.

Dodger Stadium has also been the site of numerous non-baseball major events. On September 16, 1987 Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at Dodger Stadium to a crowd of 63,000 people. Entertainers from around the world have performed here as well, such as Madonna, The Beatles and Michael Jackson. Dodger Stadium also staged one of the world's greatest entertainment events in 1994, when internationally-renowned tenors Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti reunited for a spectacular concert performance ``Encore--The Three Tenors'' with conductor Zubin Mehta.

Without a doubt, Dodger Stadium is one of America's treasured venues. It continues to be a major part of the history and tradition of the Dodgers. It has been the home of one of professional sports' most storied franchises, a destination for a worldwide fan base and an enduring monument for a bustling, multicultural city. For 50 years in the heart of Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has truly been a home for both a team and a community. I am honored to have such an organization and landmark in the 31st Congressional District of California.

Mr. Speaker, it is with deep pride that I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the ``Golden Anniversary'' of one of America's great landmarks, Dodger Stadium.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall votes 499 and 500. If present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall vote 499 and ``nay'' on rollcall vote 500.