Pete Aguilar

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the president of Stater Bros. Markets, Mr. George Frahm, who will retire at the end of October, after more than 47 years of service. Under George's leadership, Stater Bros. has become the largest privately-owned supermarket chain in my district and a staple in our community for thousands of employees. George began his career as a clerk's helper and janitor before rising to management and eventually being named the company's president. In addition to his work in the community, he went on to lead the California Grocers Educational Foundation, helping to secure college scholarships for students throughout our State. George will leave a legacy of hard work, vision, and service, and he will be missed by his Stater Bros. family. I would like to thank him for his tireless service to the Inland Empire community and our families, and I wish him all the best as he begins his retirement.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. In our democracy, we should actively be seeking ways to involve more people rather than shutting them out of the process. Some States have done this by making voting accessible for homebound voters and others who have trouble physically getting to the polls and allowing an absentee voter to designate anyone of their choosing to drop off a marked ballot. This policy allows for greater participation in elections because some homebound voters have no family or individuals to delegate that role to. They should not be disenfranchised by our laws. Ballot drop-off laws are, in and of themselves, perfectly appropriate election administration laws. If your aunt or uncle is a physician of an H1B visa holder, if you are working a double shift and you hand your ballot to someone who is a Dreamer, if you are married to an individual with TPS status, this would require you to report that individual to the Federal Government. The House Administration Committee is already reviewing the foreign influence on American elections as the chairwoman mentioned, and we welcome the minority working with us in this regard. We know, from a Washington Post story published earlier this year, in which Members here in this Chamber are quoted as developing a strategy to engage in that practice themselves. In fact, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle were quoted as being laser focused on ballot collection in the 2020 elections. So they will have to forgive me if I don't buy into the argument they are making today that their favorite examples of potential problems with the system are actions of a political operative on behalf of a Republican candidate who illegally changed and threw away ballots. This is a suppression tactic. It is the height of hypocrisy that our Republican colleagues would be creating a new Federal standard after this entire debate they had been railing against the same. They will forgive us if we feel that that is a little disingenuous. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat this motion.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, the House Appropriations Committee has the distinction of being the only congressional committee enumerated in Article I of the Constitution. It is our job to allocate funding across the Federal Government to best serve the American people. To put it more simply, it is our job to solve problems. That is why I wanted to take an opportunity to call attention to some of the problems that the committee has worked to solve over the past few weeks. The gun violence epidemic has devastated communities across our country, including my own. And that is why I am proud that the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for the upcoming fiscal year has set aside funding for the first time for $25 million for the CDC to study and develop solutions for this epidemic. The bill also makes meaningful investments in combating the opioid crisis that has torn far too many families apart, increasing funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It also ramps up funding to protect title X family planning, helping low-income families access the healthcare that they need. These are only a few of the ways that the House Appropriations Committee has worked to provide real, tangible results to lead to better health outcomes for the American people. I am proud of the work the committee has done, and I look forward to our continued work.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion. With the approach of the 2020 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau needs a strong infusion of resources to ensure a thorough and accurate count. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, my colleague knows that the funding level provided for the Census Bureau in this bill is more in line with recent revised budget costs and estimates. This bill also supports critical funding of the Bureau as it embarks on the most technologically advanced Census in its history, including $1 billion in infrastructure that includes IT funding to enhance the Bureau's cybersecurity efforts and protect respondents' personal data and information submitted to the Bureau. Every dollar can be tied to an original plan, a cost estimate, or a recommendation submitted by the department. There appears to be a growing attack on the Census out of fear of a demographically changing country and a concerning effort by the other side to skew the results in their favor. We need every dollar in this Census because the administration is fear-mongering, because they are trying to force an undercount with the inclusion of the citizenship question, and, in reality, we are recommending a funding level consistent with what they indicated they need for a fair and accurate count. Any proposal to decrease this amount increases the risk of undercounts of minority and hard-to-count communities, including rural parts of this country that lack broadband services. Such an undercount would cause these areas to lose out on political representation and Federal funding. Reduced funding for the Census also increases the risk of cyber intrusions and the release of protected personal data. This bill already provides a strong increase for immigration judges, as the gentleman mentioned, consistent with the administration's request, an increase of over $110 million over the fiscal year 2019 level that provides for an additional 100 judge teams, which my colleague acknowledged in his remarks. I am not aware of a Census slush fund, but I am aware that these are vital resources that will help count our communities, help ensure that this is done fairly, and help ensure that hard-to-count communities are counted. The Justice Department is not able to hire any faster than that, as the gentleman acknowledged. Mr. Speaker, I urge rejection of this motion. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Vargas) for his advocacy for decades on behalf of immigrants and his community. It has been nearly 2 years since the Trump administration arbitrarily ended the DACA program, throwing the lives of these thousands of young people into turmoil. Despite bipartisan efforts to provide Dreamers with a path to citizenship and the certainty that they deserve, the Trump administration has done all it can to block progress on this issue. Earlier this year, we learned about Republicans' latest efforts to deny these young immigrants access to the American Dream. For years, FHA-backed loans have made it possible for borrowers with little savings and a low downpayment to become homeowners, giving young families a chance at building generational wealth. This critical resource helps to build our middle class, invigorates local economies, and gives families security to control their own future. Under the Trump administration, HUD has instructed lenders to deny this opportunity to DACA recipients by declaring them ineligible for FHA-backed home loans. Let me be clear: This new and cruel policy shift takes away a key tool to help Dreamers succeed in this country, allowing the President's anti-immigrant agenda to seep into our Nation's housing policy. DACA recipients are every bit as American as anyone in this Chamber today. They grew up in this country. They have started businesses and careers in this country. They are raising families in this country. If our government will not take the necessary steps to allow them to live freely as citizens in this country, the least we can do is to make sure that they will be successful here. That is why I am proud to support the amendment by Mr. Vargas, which would give Dreamers the opportunity to use FHA-backed loans to become homeowners and to build their futures in the only country that they have ever known. Mr. Chair, again, I thank Mr. Vargas for this amendment.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the TELACU Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that has empowered talented Latino students and professionals in my district and throughout the country to achieve success for more than 36 years. TELACU is one of the largest and oldest Community Development Corporation in the U.S., celebrating 50 years of service just last year. As part of its commitment to service, advancement, empowerment and self-sufficiency among its constituency, and in response to crisis- level dropout rates for Latino students, in 1983 TELACU created the TELACU Education Foundation. This year marks the Foundation's 36th anniversary of shattering barriers to academic and professional success for thousands of first- generation Latinos from underserved communities. In addition to providing critical educational services and resources for veterans, TELACU's Continuum of Education--comprised of the College Readiness and College Success Programs--annually propels approximately 2,000 TELACU Scholars from high school through graduate studies, equipping them with the academic credentials and professional tools needed to successfully enter the increasingly technical 21st Century workforce. Historically, approximately 98 percent of high school TELACU Scholars graduate and nearly all pursue higher education; more than 99 percent of college Scholars earn a Bachelor's degree, with an increasing number going on to seek advanced degrees. Since TELACU Scholars are predominantly Latinos from some of the most economically- depressed communities in Southern California, their attainment of high school diplomas and college degrees directly benefits disenfranchised communities. Program graduates become self-sufficient, well-educated professionals and role models who inspire and invest in the next generation of Latino leaders. Their attainment of higher education, increased earning power and dedication to service leads to the socioeconomic empowerment of their local communities, and betters our country as a whole. Madam Speaker, in recognition of the thousands of students, families and communities they have served and empowered, I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating the TELACU Education Foundation on the occasion of its 36th Annual Building the Dream Gala, and in celebrating their inspiring TELACU Scholars.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairwoman for her leadership throughout this process. It has been 3 weeks, colleagues, since the end of the longest shutdown in American history--35 days--where we saw friends and neighbors who hurt, where this body didn't do enough to push back against a shutdown that hurt our communities and hurt individuals throughout this country. This is a compromise bill, and we are here today to reflect that good will and that good faith effort of Democrats and Republicans negotiating together to find compromise. But let's talk a little bit about what this bill would do. This bill protects our national security. This bill works to improve the only true crisis that we have at our southern border, which is the humanitarian crisis. This bill invests in technology and in ports of entry. This bill ensures that we have the resources to protect this country. This bill also unlocks the other appropriations bills that will fund the Environmental Protection Agency, make investments in the Census, and make investments in transportation. What this bill will not do is this bill will not fund the President's wall from sea to shining sea, a wall that he said Mexico would pay for. So we tried another path. We tried a bipartisan path of working together to iron out our differences and to come to an agreement, to keep government open, to protect our national security. That was the focus of the conferees, and that is what we sought to accomplish. But we also did two important things in this document. We ensured that the congressional intent was there when it comes to topics that we don't always agree on; and we will ensure, this body will ensure, that we will hold the administration accountable, that we will provide oversight that hasn't been provided, and that we will ensure that national security is protected.

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger for their leadership throughout this process, for Chairwoman Roybal-Allard and for Ranking Member Fleischmann. And I would like to thank all of our staff members on both sides of the aisle who worked day and night to make sure that this document was in front of us in a timely manner and that ensured that we didn't have another shutdown. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this joint resolution.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, we are now in day 34 of the longest shutdown in American history. Over the course of this shutdown, I have heard from hundreds of people in my community who are being hurt by this reckless shutdown. Today, I would like to share the story of Graciela, who wrote to me from my hometown of Redlands. Graciela has worked for the IRS for over 40 years, and her Federal job allows her to care for her daughter, who is suffering from thyroid cancer. Graciela wrote to me and said: ``Each missed paycheck is another 2 weeks that my daughter will go without medication and treatment.'' It is outrageous that, in the face of this type of suffering, real human suffering, our President can remain so callous. We have voted 11 times to reopen this government, but instead of working with us to end this shutdown, the President and Leader McConnell continue to move the goalpost and insist on funding for their ineffective and wasteful border wall and cuts to legal immigration. Our country deserves better than leaders who are willing to hold their people hostage. Graciela concluded her message to me by saying this: ``The President's misconceived notion that this country needs a wall more than its own citizens need to go back to work or to be paid for the work they are doing is mind-boggling.'' Madam Speaker, Americans are suffering and deserve better.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 346.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. Many communities have larger-than-life figures, people who dedicate themselves to the service of others and change countless lives for the better, leaders who touch so many lives that their legacies outlive them. For my community in southern California's Inland Empire, that figure was Jack H. Brown. Jack was the executive chairman of Stater Bros. Markets, one of the Inland Empire's largest employers. But he will be remembered for far more than his successes as a local community member than as a business leader. Jack poured himself into our community using his time and resources to make the Inland Empire a better place, especially for children. He helped establish the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino to give the children of our community a safe place to learn, live, and grow. He served as the founding chairman for the Children's Fund of San Bernardino County, a nonprofit organization that has provided assistance to more than 1.4 million children in our region since its inception in 1986. But Jack's commitment to his community didn't stop there. Each time our region has been rocked by earthquakes, wildfires, floods, or acts of terror, like on December 2, 2015, we knew that Jack Brown would be there for the community and for the brave first responders who ensured that loss of life didn't continue to grow. When we lost Jack Brown in late 2016, we lost a constant presence in our community. That is why I offered this bill to designate the U.S. Post Office at 390 West 5th Street in San Bernardino as the Jack H. Brown Post Office Building. While I can never truly repay Jack for all that he did for our community, I am hopeful that honoring his name in this way will restore that constant presence and remind the Inland Empire of the contributions of this truly great man. Jack and I had a great relationship. Although he liked to tell me that I was his mayor in Redlands, Jack was sure to remind everyone that San Bernardino was his hometown. I am proud that this bill will memorialize his name at the center of the hometown that he loved so much. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to ask every Member who believed in bipartisan, open debate on DACA here in the House to vote ``no'' on the previous question. Every one of the 216 Members who signed the discharge petition should join me. Why? Because a vote against the previous question is a vote for queen-of-the-hill rule, and because if we defeat the previous question, we will immediately offer the queen-of-the-hill rule and finally start this debate. There will be no more waiting for the last two signatures on the discharge petition to materialize. There will be no more waiting until the next discharge Monday comes up in the calendar. There will be no more waiting. We will end this process and vote on queen of the hill now. Today, Republicans are bringing up two partisan, anti-immigrant bills. Democrats were completely cut out of the process that produced these bills, and, as a result, they will not get any bipartisan support. It is questionable if either of these bills can actually pass this House. If that is the case, then what is the point of all of this? Is the goal to have a fake debate on DACA and have everything fail so we are in the same place as the Senate? What good does that do? Dreamers are still left wondering when and what Congress will do to help them stay in this country. Let's end this charade and actually have a bipartisan debate, and let's pass a bipartisan bill to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Mr. Speaker, this has been a crazy week for sure. But one thing is clear: If we want to pass a fix for DACA, then we need to come together and pass a bipartisan bill. This previous question vote gives us the chance to do just that. Vote ``no'' on the previous question and bring up the queen-of-the-hill rule.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, I don't have any notes in front of me. I just want to speak a little bit to this body about a topic that has been in the news, even as of this evening, and to just let folks know and to remind folks again about why we are pushing so hard to solve a problem that appears so easy to solve: the issue of the DACA population and the importance of comprehensive immigration reform, but more importantly, of solving this problem for this population of young people who know of no other country but the United States as their home. Now, the public might hear terms like ``queen of the hill'' and ``discharge petitions,'' and, Madam Speaker, those terms may mean things to you and me, but for the general public, I just want to crystalize what it is we are fighting for. What we are asking for, a bipartisan group of Democrats and Republicans, we are asking for an opportunity to vote on immigration measures that would offer a solution to these young people. Now, the measure that I support and that many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle support is one that would offer an earned path to citizenship for those individuals who work, go to school, or serve in the military. That doesn't seem like a stretch for the American public. The American public, over 80 percent, support a solution for these young people. But in this body, it becomes a little more difficult; and in this body, sometimes things get in the way. So I don't know the outcome of special meetings this evening or outcomes among discussions that colleagues have in the majority, but what I would remind folks again at home and my colleagues is that there are Democrats and Republicans underneath this dome who are working hard every day to try to offer a permanent solution to these young people-- not a temporary solution that punts this down for another day, but a permanent solution that would allow these young people to come out of the shadows, to continue to work, continue to teach, continue to live in our neighborhoods without fear. So we don't have a lot of time left, Madam Speaker, and based on what I know today, I don't believe that there are any more signatures signing the discharge petition this evening. But I think what my colleagues and I want to underscore is that, to those young people who feel that this institution let them down once again--or maybe they feel that I let them down--that we are going to continue to work, that we are going to continue to offer our ideas and solutions, that we are going to continue to offer a path to citizenship for those who belong here, who were raised here, who know the United States as their home. That is our responsibility. It is what the Constitution allows us to debate and discuss. It is unfortunate that, on the other side of Capitol Hill, the Senate had this debate and had this discussion and voted on four bills, some authored by just Republicans, some authored by a bipartisan group. They had an opportunity to debate and discuss what should transpire. We haven't had that opportunity. Madam Speaker, I know it might not surprise you to know that the last time immigration was discussed on this House floor was in 2010, and it was when the DREAM Act passed, in a bipartisan way, in a lameduck session in December. So the stakes are incredibly high, and what I would tell folks is that that just shows this isn't easy. The last time immigration was discussed was 8 years ago on this floor. Since then, folks have felt that burying their head in the sand was a solution enough or just offering a partisan bill was a solution enough. That is why we decided to engage in discussion and debate and to try to force this Chamber to have a bipartisan discussion and to try to force this Chamber to vote on three or four bills, some a little more conservative, some a little bit more left of center, right of center, but to have an opportunity to vote for one or multiple bills. It is just unfortunate, Madam Speaker, that there isn't enough political will, that there isn't enough strength in this Chamber among the Members to have that conversation. Now, we could be dejected. We could be upset, and I know folks in our communities will be, but we are going to continue to work. We are going to continue to find a solution. We are going to continue to work in a bipartisan way, as we have done for the past 9 months since the President ended the DACA program. I feel that we owe it to our communities, we owe it to our constituents, we owe it to each other as colleagues to allow this place to do what it should do: debate and discuss bills. I don't have much more to offer, Madam Speaker, but, I hope that folks at home understand how important this is and that there are some of us who are going to continue to engage in this discussion. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham).

Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments and her time. There are few people in this Chamber who have dug in deeper than the gentlewoman from New Mexico, Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham, who actually, when the story of this discussion is told at some point in the future, it was her efforts that really highlighted and started to push us in a bipartisan way when we had conversations among Democrats and Republicans. And one of those early individuals who stood up and said, I am willing to have a real conversation with you if this can genuinely be a bipartisan effort, was the gentleman from Texas, who I have learned a lot from and gained a lot of respect for throughout this process. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd).

Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, not only for calling our attention to the Wired article, but also for his comments about solving this problem in a bipartisan way. He has been a true friend throughout this process, and I think we have all learned a lot from each other. One of the things that he highlighted on as well was: How do you--how do we--I will speak personally, how do I have a conversation about border security? My district doesn't touch the border. I can have conversations with individuals. I can go and do my due diligence and talk to Border Patrol, stakeholders, and advocates in the community. But it is going to take having conversations with those Members who represent the border, those Members in Arizona, New Mexico, California, and my colleague in Texas, who has the most mileage of any Member in Congress along the southern border. We are going to continue to have these conversations because that is the only way we learn, that is the only way we grow, and that is the only way we can chart a course forward, is to do it in a bipartisan way. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to address this body, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the full committee and the ranking member for their hard work in developing this product. Mr. Chairman, our nuclear triad and the strategic deterrence it provides helps protect our Nation from the existential threat of nuclear war. However, the age of its elements must give us pause. Our B-52s, of which we have over 70 in current use, are over 50 years old. Our Ohio- class submarines' lifespan has been extended from 30 years to 42 years, and the first Minuteman III ICBMs were deployed 40 years ago. With the number of nuclear-related threats increasing around the globe, a credible, safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent is vital to our national security. But just because the modernization is necessary does not mean that we should fail to track how much this modernization process will cost. Over the next 30 years, we will be replacing our bombers, ICBMs, and ballistic missile submarines while also sustaining and modernizing our nuclear bombs and warheads. Additionally, the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review called for the development of low-yield nuclear weapons, a nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, and continuation of the Long Range Standoff cruise missile. Our old requirements, in combination with these new initiatives, make cost estimates even more important if we hope to balance our conventional and nuclear force investments. My amendment would require the DOD to include a 20-year estimate of the projected lifecycle costs of each type of nuclear weapon and delivery platform in an annual report they already produce. A CBO report released in October 2017 estimated that over a 30-year span the sustainment and modernization of our nuclear forces will cost $1.2 trillion, which, of course, didn't take into account delays, changes to the weapons systems, or understated estimates. If Congress hopes to provide proper oversight of these modernization efforts, we must have up-to-date estimates that accurately reflect any updates and changes that impact our nuclear bombs, warheads, and delivery systems. I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for his comments. We have had this discussion a number of times. I served on his committee and have a lot of respect for him. But he called this a bad idea. He said that it is a bargain if we just continue the status quo. Mr. Chairman, the Department of Energy asked this exact question. The Department of Energy produces a fiscal year stockpile stewardship and management plan. It is a 25-year plan with long-term costs. It is required in Federal code. We are doing this analysis in other areas. Why isn't the Department of Defense doing this? The majority seeks to say: Why even ask the question? We have to ask ourselves, what is oversight if we don't ask hard questions? Now, I think that there is a reason why folks like the National Taxpayers Union, who have supported this amendment and have said that they are going to score this amendment, have signed on to support it. It is because we need to ask these tough questions. If we are going to genuinely offer oversight, we need to ask how much these programs cost, we need to plan, and we need to budget. It seems like a reasonable step to take. I appreciate my colleagues' concerns, and I would ask an ``aye'' vote of my colleagues. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, we have a choice today. I want to compliment the work that the committees have done to reach an agreement on these funding levels. I am not here to quibble with those funding levels. What I am here to ask for is a chance. If this is the people's House, we deserve an opportunity to address these issues. I have never said this is a bad deal. I have just said this is an incomplete deal. It is incomplete because we haven't had the commitment that we need to address critical issues that are important to our communities. We have addressed some in this: opioids, community health centers. Those are important issues in all of our communities. But we haven't addressed issues that are important to everyone. Like Leti Herrera who was my guest to the State of the Union who lost her sister in December, who is scared, who wants to know when her priorities are going to be our priorities. She wants to know when we are going to bring up these issues. And I can tell her, the Senate has a commitment; they are going to talk about these issues. But the people's House has not said that we are going to talk about these issues. We are going to say, well, when the President signs off, then we will have a conversation. He doesn't have a card that votes in these machines. He has a voice. He should be consulted. He doesn't have a voice in the people's House. He doesn't have a vote here with me and you. All we want is a commitment to bring up a bipartisan, bicameral bill that addresses these issues. All we want is a chance. All we want is an opportunity to address these issues that are important to our communities. Please, please, please give us that opportunity to have that conversation.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, today it is my distinct privilege to pay tribute to the life of Frances Grice. Frances was a beloved member of my community who committed her life to the people of the Inland Empire. Frances believed whole-heartedly that every person, regardless of skin color, religion or economic status, deserved to be treated equally, and with respect and compassion. A civil rights leader and longtime advocate for racial equality, Frances led the charge to desegregate public schools in San Bernardino, California. As a cofounder of the Community League of Mothers, Frances became a voice for the African-American community in the San Bernardino region, and used her tenacity and compassion to represent the interests of one of the area's most under-represented populations. Frances later founded Operation Second Chance, a training program to help young people in the Inland Empire gain work experience and become economically independent. Her students still remember her fondly, and her dedication to those who were in need made a lasting difference in the lives of countless young people across the Inland Empire. Sadly, Frances passed away last month. I speak on behalf of the entire Inland Empire community when I say our region is devastated by this loss, and that her contributions to making our community a better place to live will never be forgotten.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, far too often our brave servicemembers return to civilian life only to find that the skills they have gained in military service do not easily transfer to the job market. These brave men and women who have worked tirelessly to keep their country safe deserve to know that they can thrive here after their service is complete. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Jobs for Our Heroes Act. Among other critical initiatives to help our servicemembers find civilian employment, this legislation contains my bill, the ADVANCE Act. The ADVANCE Act will allow Active-Duty servicemembers, reservists, and National Guardsmen to access the same unique testing standards for commercial driver's licenses granted to veterans by the latest surface transportation bill. This commonsense legislation will allow those serving our country to begin the process of finding civilian employment before they finish their term of service, allowing them to hit the ground running upon reentering civilian life. Our Nation's heroes deserve to know that the process of transitioning out of the military will be seamless, and this bipartisan legislation will help ensure that is the case. I want to thank the ranking member, the chairman for their leadership. I also want to thank Senators Warren, Cornyn, and Tillis for guiding this bill through the Senate. I urge my colleagues here in the House to vote in favor of this today.

Mr. AGUILAR

Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, today I must ask a question of this Chamber: What makes America great? Do we measure greatness by the strength of our economy or by the size of our military? Is greatness defined by export prices and profits of corporations? You see, Mr. Speaker, I don't think that is the case. I believe that we are a nation built upon a set of unshakable values. It is our ability to uphold these values, not the rise and fall of the stock market, that will ultimately define our greatness. One of our values is this: if you work hard, set goals, and refuse to give up, you can fulfill your dreams. As Americans, this value is engrained into all of us. We repeat it each and every day, and we tell our kids to follow their dreams, or tell them that they can be anything that they want when they grow up. We say these things, Mr. Speaker, because we believe them. We believe that hard work pays off. We believe that dreams can come true. Yet, on September 5 of this year, President Trump ignored these American beliefs when he ended the DACA program. That decision told nearly 800,000 young people in this country that their hard work didn't matter and that their dreams of pursuing success might not pay off in the end. These young DREAMers, who are as American as any of us, go to school here, they have jobs here, they raise families in our communities, and they serve in our military. This is why each and every day we fail to pass the Dream Act, we call the values that make our country great into question. If we fail to pass this bipartisan legislation, then we are no longer a nation where hard work pays off. I will be forced to explain that to DREAMers in my district. I will have to tell Minerva, who paid her way through college, that she will have to give up her dream of medical school. I will have to explain to Leticia that, despite becoming the first in her family to attend college, she will not be able to fulfill her dream of serving others as a social worker. You see, Mr. Speaker, these are real young people with real dreams. They deserve a real answer. They put in the work, they have done everything they can to build lives in this country, and we need to come together to make sure that we uphold our values and allow them to continue those lives here. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against the previous question so that we can bring the Dream Act to the floor for a vote immediately. This country is great because we uphold our values. Mr. Speaker, it is time that we prove that.