Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, July 16 marks one year of the 988 hotline. This nationwide number is available 24/7 to provide confidential support to Americans facing mental health, substance use, and suicide crises.

Nearly 5 million Americans have called 988 in the last year to talk to someone about an issue they face. As we celebrate this progress, we acknowledge there is more to be done. A recent poll by the National Alliance on Mental Illness found that only 17 percent of Americans are aware of 988. That means more than four in every five Americans are unaware of this resource at our fingertips.

No one should feel alone. Whether it is strangers, friends, and foes alike, we never know what someone is going through.

I am proud to support the 988 hotline that can be a lifeline for those struggling. I will also do my part to promote kinder communities in California's 40th district and across the Nation.

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 298.

Amendment No. 28 Offered by Ms. Tlaib

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Wagner for yielding.

I rise in strong support of my bill. This is a bipartisan bill, H.R. 1548, the Improving Access to Small Business Information Act.

H.R. 1548 is very simple. The legislation would amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to specify that certain actions by the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation are not a collection of information under the Paper Reduction Act.

Currently, the office must adhere to a prolonged process to get approval from OMB on surveys that could help get better information on the capital formation challenges small businesses and their investors face on a daily basis.

Former Director of the SEC's Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, Martha Miller, told our office, ``The office went through a yearlong process just to collect registration information for our annual forum and ask a few basic questions to understand the audience attending.''

So, by the time her office got a response from OMB, the circumstances of the economy had changed, and some of the survey questions were outdated and did not serve their intended purpose.

Rather than answering these unrelated questions to the difficulties facing small businesses, it would have been so much more effective for small business owners and investors attending the forum to be focused on analyzing the substantive issues and share effective perspectives on capital formation policies.

The SEC's Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation is the primary office that looks to advance the interests of the small businesses and their investors at the SEC and in the capital markets.

With the ever-changing economic and regulatory environment, the office is required to adapt quickly to the needs of the small businesses and gather timely feedback to improve capital raising policy.

H.R. 1548 reduces red tape and streamlines access to tools that the office can utilize to gather more effective and timely data. The better information that the office can gather, the better Congress and the public can identify policy gaps and facilitate small business capital formation.

I thank Chairman James Comer and House Oversight and Accountability Committee staff for working with my staff and Financial Services Committee staff to address standing policy on the PRA and get H.R. 1548 through the finish line.

I also thank my colleague and friend, Mr. Gottheimer of New Jersey, for co-leading H.R. 1548, the Improving Access to Small Business Information Act, with me. I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1548.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Otto Frederick Warmbier, who died at the hands of the North Korean regime 6 years ago, on June 19, 2017.

Otto was a dedicated young man. He was a salutatorian of his high school and attended the University of Virginia. He was imprisoned and tortured by the brutal North Korean regime during a school tour.

He died just a few days after his release.

Otto experienced what no human being should ever have to go through. While he is no longer with us, his family carries on his legacy with their advocacy and strength.

As a proud Korean American and as chairwoman of the Indo-Pacific Subcommittee, I will always be a loud voice for global human rights and hold violators accountable.

Madam Speaker, we remember and honor Otto always. In Korean: ``uli- neun Otto-leul yeong-wonhi gieok-hal geos-ibnida.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of U.S. Marine Corps Major Megan McClung from Mission Viejo in my district. She was the first female Marine Corps officer to be killed in the Iraq war. She was also the first woman graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy to be killed in action.

Major McClung's headstone reads: ``Be brief. Be bold. Be gone.''

While she left us too soon, she had a life well lived and made a lasting impact.

If marines didn't know her, they knew of her. She was an avid marathon runner and triathlete. Her contagious personality, tenacity, and fiery red hair are remembered by all.

This week, I introduced a bipartisan bill to rename the Mission Viejo Post Office in her honor.

We can never fully repay our fallen heroes and their families, but I hope this will help preserve her story for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bost for yielding.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 366, the Korean American VALOR Act. I thank Ranking Member Takano for his leadership on this very important issue.

During his joint address to Congress, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol highlighted that during the Korean war, ``Korean and American soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder and fought bravely.''

However, the Korean war was not the last time Korean soldiers fought alongside American troops. They fought side by side in the Vietnam war, sharing the same physical and mental scars from that conflict.

Many of these Korean troops eventually immigrated to the United States and became proud naturalized American citizens. I personally know several of these individuals, and I am eternally grateful for their service.

Unfortunately, because the United States does not currently have a reciprocal veterans' healthcare agreement with the Republic of Korea, these Korean Americans cannot access veterans' healthcare benefits. The Korean American VALOR Act will create a pathway for an agreement to be reached and for these veterans to receive access to VA healthcare. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Police Week, I rise to honor the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe across California's 40th Congressional District and their families.

In Congress, I will always be a loud voice for our local law enforcement and am working to ensure that they have the resources they need to do their jobs and to keep us safe.

We also honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Unfortunately, we are again reminded of the tremendous sacrifice of our local law enforcement as we honor Riverside County Sheriff Deputy Brett Harris, who was killed in the line of duty on Saturday.

I join in praying for his wife, mother, father, his twin sister, and brother.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, I rise to celebrate Michael Short on his retirement after 44 years of inspiring students in music in Orange Unified School District.

A Chapman University and Cal State Fullerton graduate, Mr. Short has been involved in Orange Unified School District music since the mid- 1970s, from elementary and middle schools to Orange High School, to Santiago Canyon College, and much more.

He has directed several musicals, led choirs, and received several awards for his work as an outstanding music educator.

Mr. Short has inspired generations of students in California's 40th District across Orange County and beyond.

I thank Mr. Short for his dedication and his outstanding career to the community, teaching and inspiring students through music.

I wish him the best in his retirement, and much enjoyment spending time with his family; his wife, Vicki, his kids, and his grandkids.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank and celebrate the 50th birthday and retirement of Ernesto Mendoza for his dedicated service to our community, to protect and to serve the people of Los Angeles.

Ernesto served our great country in the United States Army overseas in Germany and then came home to serve in the Los Angeles Police Department, with a combined total of 30 years of service.

He consistently operates with integrity and honesty and has established strong, trusted leadership, retiring as a detective III through various LAPD departments, including the 77th Division and, most recently, South Bureau.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ernesto for all that he has done for our community, and I thank him for his service to our country. I hope Ernesto enjoys his 50th birthday with his family, and I wish him a joyful retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 11 a.m. on Monday next.

Mr. Speaker, American families are hurting from high inflation resulting in higher prices of everyday goods from groceries to gasoline. Nearly two out of every three Americans is living paycheck to paycheck.

Unfortunately, in California, everything is more expensive. That is why I am working to bring some common sense to Congress and make life affordable by combating reckless spending and lowering taxes.

Earlier this year, I joined my friend from California, Representative Mike Garcia, to introduce the Inflation Prevention Act to ensure that Congress doesn't pass bills that add to inflationary spending until the year-after-year rate drops below 4.5 percent.

Last week, I introduced the SALT Deductibility Act to repeal the current cap on State and local tax deductions that is unfairly making my constituents pay more taxes.

I will keep fighting to make sure that life is easier for folks in California's 40th District and across the Nation.

Madam Speaker, March is also Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, so I rise in support of all Americans suffering from kidney disease and to highlight the importance of regular cancer screenings and learning about their risks.

According to the CDC, about 37 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease. Unfortunately, kidney disease is among the 10 most common cancers in both men and women, and 1 out of 3 Americans are at a heightened risk for kidney disease.

I also take this opportunity to honor and remember one of our former colleagues and friends, Representative Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota, who tragically lost his life last year due to kidney cancer.

Coincidentally, just recently, I found a letter he sent me just before he passed. As Jim used to say, ``Please visit your doctor regularly and get those annual cancer screenings. Early detection could save your life.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Chris Smith for yielding me the time.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 1107, the PRC Is Not a Developing Country Act. This is a bipartisan bill I introduced with my colleague Gerry Connolly to address the People's Republic of China's exploitation of its status as a developing country in treaties and in international organizations.

The People's Republic of China is the world's second largest economy, accounting for 18.6 percent of the global economy. Their economy size is second only to the United States. The United States is treated as a developed country, and so should the PRC. The United States is also treated as a high-income country in treaties and international organizations, so China should also be treated as a developed country.

However, the PRC is still classified as a developing country, and they are using this status to game the system and hurt countries that are truly in need.

The PRC exploits their developing country status by applying for development assistance and loans from international organizations, despite spending trillions on infrastructure projects in developing countries as part of the debt trap diplomacy scheme known as the Belt and Road Initiative. In fact,

PRC's withdrawal of loans takes away from actual developing countries and helps the PRC finance its Belt and Road program.

We are long overdue to level the playing field. This legislation rights this wrong by requiring the Secretary of State to oppose the labeling or treatment of the PRC as a developing country in any international organization or treaty to which the United States is a party.

It also directs the Secretary to seek mechanisms in international organizations to change the status of the PRC from a developing to developed country.

We cannot let the PRC continue exploiting countries in need and take unfair advantage of international treaties and organizations. It is time that we give developing countries a better chance at participating in programs that are meant for them and not meant for the world's second-largest economy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''