Julia Brownley

Ms. BROWNLEY

Ms. BROWNLEY. Madam Speaker, all across the country, including my home district in Ventura County in California, Americans continue to feel the overwhelming burden of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I regularly hear from small businesses fighting to keep their doors open; from parents struggling to put food on the table after losing their jobs; and from people who live in fear of being evicted from their homes. It is imperative that we invest in our communities and help our neighbors now. With money specifically dedicated for vaccine development and distributions, testing, the production of PPE, more relief for small businesses, and additional aid for the unemployed and struggling families, passage of the American Rescue Plan is critical to ensuring economic recovery, getting our kids back to school, providing relief to small businesses and, most importantly, saving lives. My Republican colleagues went big when it came to massive corporate tax cuts. It would be incomprehensible that we nickel and dime working families and small businesses during the worst pandemic in over a century.

Ms. BROWNLEY

Ms. BROWNLEY. Mr. Speaker, today is a defining moment in our history. Congress was attacked by a mob directed by the President of the United States. It was a horrible, terrifying situation. But we all know, deep in our hearts, that it could have been much, much worse. We simply cannot let it stand. We cannot let it stand for the very soul of our democracy. We cannot let the President of the United States leave office without acting. We are the oldest constitutional republic in the world, and our Capitol is a sacred symbol of our great democracy. To my colleagues across the aisle, I appeal to your sense of service and duty to our Nation and to the oath we all swore to uphold. Before we are Democrats and Republicans, we are Americans. Let us come together to fulfill our oath by voting for the resolution before us and by defending, preserving, and honoring our democracy.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3798, the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act, my bill to ensure that women veterans have access to the same contraception coverage as women currently serving in the military and on the same basis of women who receive private healthcare. I thank the chairman for working with me to advance this legislation, and I am proud that my bill passed the committee with broad bipartisan support. As you may know, because of the Affordable Care Act, all women using civilian health insurance may access basic contraceptive services, like the pill or an IUD, without a copay. Last year, the Access to Contraception for Servicemembers and Dependents Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support as part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act to ensure that TRICARE also provides this basic health benefit to servicemembers and their dependents. While this was an important step, women veterans currently do not receive this benefit from the VA. Clearly, we need to make sure all women who have served our country receive the same care. My bill will fix this inequity. The benefits of contraception are widely recognized. Choosing when or if to have a family is essential to women's health and to their economic security. Today, there are 2 million women veterans living in the United States, and women comprise the fastest growing subpopulation of both the military and veteran populations. Yet, many of their health needs go unaddressed in a VA system that has not evolved to equitably serve a rapidly changing population. As the chairwoman of the Women's Veterans Task Force and chair of the House Veterans' Affairs' Subcommittee on Health, members of the task force and I have worked to identify disparities in healthcare for women veterans and, where necessary, introduce, advocate for, and pass legislation that eliminates those gaps. Mr. Speaker, our veterans have sacrificed so much for us and our country. It is way past time that we address this inequity and fix this glaring gap in care of our women veterans. I urge my colleagues to support our women veterans and vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3798. Mr. Speaker, before I conclude, I, too, would just like to publicly acknowledge my gratitude to Dr. Roe. When the Speaker says the ``gentleman from Tennessee,'' I believe he truly is a gentleman in the eyes, I think, of all Members of Congress and, certainly, particularly mine. He is a great storyteller that underscores the point that he is making at all times. There is no question that his leadership and his advocacy for our veterans, both men and women, are untouchable and unwavering. I would say how much I have enjoyed working with him on the Committee of Veterans' Affairs, and I know that he will be missed by the entire House, but sorely missed within the Committee of Veterans' Affairs and our daily work there. I thank him for all that he has done. Whatever his next chapter is in his life, I hope that he and his new bride enjoy every minute of it.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, in December 2017, the Thomas fire destroyed over 280,000 acres, with almost all of it in my district in Ventura County. It is the second largest wildfire in all of California's recorded history. The day it started, my constituents Trisha and Jed received a terrifying call. Evacuation orders were just issued. A wildfire was fast approaching their home, and their children were put in a car and whisked away. It was an unbearable week for Trisha and Jed. They couldn't stop thinking of what might have happened to their children, all while mourning the loss of their home that was burned to the ground, including the invaluable keepsakes Jed had just moved to the house after his father's passing. Natural disasters like these are becoming all too common, not only in Ventura County, but throughout California and the Western States. Floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, from Texas to Florida and all along the East Coast, are increasing with alarming frequency. Glaciers in the Arctic are melting faster than ever before. Ocean temperatures have increased in the last three decades at a pace greater than recorded history. Sea level rise is accelerating. Atmospheric temperatures are also on the rise. These are facts. They are destroying homes. They are taking lives. They are wreaking havoc on our communities and communities across the planet. Over the last year and a half, the Select Committee on Climate Crisis has been tasked with finding bold and transformative solutions to tackle this global emergency. This report, the most comprehensive report on the impact of climate change and how to address it in the history of Congress, lays out policies, legislation, and a roadmap that will put the brakes on global warming while creating equitable, good-paying jobs of the future, and, at the same time, putting American innovation and ingenuity first. The select committee has written a report that identifies 12 pillars on which Congress can make actionable changes and sets the U.S. on a path of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The report takes a deep and wide dive into all the sectors of our economy that contribute to climate change, from agriculture and transportation to how we build our buildings; to water, electric, and telecommunications infrastructure; to energy production, manufacturing, tax policy, and national security. The impact of climate change is broad, and it can be addressed only through comprehensive and bold solutions. I am very proud that the select committee offers up so many of those solutions, and where solutions don't exist, it lays out the challenge that American ingenuity can and will overcome. Today, we face what appears to be an even more imminent crisis: a pandemic that has crushed the global economy and taken almost 130,000 American lives and half a million lives worldwide. We are struggling with long, deep racial injustice and how to address it. But we will rise from this darkness, and how we rise from it will impact everyone on the planet, not only alive today, but for generations to come. I hope that we will search for solutions that draw on the ideals that created this great Nation: equity, justice, and ingenuity. As we rebuild our economy, let's do so by investing in the technologies, practices, and methods for the future and with the urgency of now that our changing climate demands. As we seek to right injustice and inequity, let's not forget the role the rise of American industry played in creating some of that injustice and inequity, as it did with the climate crisis we have before us, and let's choose a path forward that rights that ship. We are suffering now, but we should, we must, rise up with a clearer vision for a better future. Climate change provides the greatest existential threat to human existence, but it also offers the greatest opportunity for mankind and womankind to meet that threat and to beat it. I know that everyone in this Chamber came here to make their mark, to better their communities, to strengthen our Nation. We must seize this moment. We must seize it for Trisha and Jed. We must seize it for their children. We must seize it for their children's children. We must show the Nation that Congress is up to the task that is before us now. We must and will act now.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I am unable to vote on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Had I been present, I would have voted AYE.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on Roll Call 102, passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Had I been present, I would have voted AYE.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, over 275 bipartisan bills are piled up on Mitch McConnell's desk because he refuses to bring them to the Senate floor for a vote. Three of those bills are my bills, each of which passed the House with over 400 votes from Democrats and Republicans alike. H.R. 95, the Homeless Veterans Families Act, will keep veterans and their families together and off the streets in safe and adequate housing. H.R. 840, the Veterans' Access to Child Care Act, will ensure veterans have access to childcare to attend critical medical appointments. And H.R. 3224, the Deborah Sampson Act, aims to address the inequities and barriers that women veterans face when accessing VA care and benefits. I urge Majority Leader McConnell to allow the Senate to vote so our veterans will have the support and care they have earned and deserve.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the remarkable life of Dr. Manuel ``Manny'' Lopez and his over 50 years of public service to the City of Oxnard. During his time as a dedicated public servant and throughout his career, Manny exhibited outstanding leadership, innovative community interaction, and distinguished professionalism, and he paved the way for future leaders to continue his unparalleled legacy of service to the community. Manny was born in Oxnard, California on June 1, 1927 to immigrant parents who fled the Mexican Revolution. A son of farmworkers, Manny would graduate from Oxnard High School and Ventura College before finishing his undergrad at San Diego State University. It was shortly after that he attended the University of California Berkley School of Optometry. In 1962, Manny opened the first bilingual optometry practice in the community and served patients for over 50 years until his retirement in 2016. In 1978, Manny became the first Latino to be elected to the Oxnard City Council. He served as a member of the Oxnard City Council until 1992, when he became the first elected Latino Mayor of Oxnard. He served as Mayor until 2004. After serving as the Mayor of Oxnard for over a decade, Manny took a four-year break from public service. Manny returned to local government in 2008 when he was elected as the Commissioner to the Port of Hueneme five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners. He served as a Harbor Commissioner until his passing in 2020. Manny devoted his time to giving back to the community and served on many local boards including the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce Board, Oxnard Community Relations Commission, City of Oxnard Redevelopment Agency, Oxnard College Foundation, Oxnard Planning Commission, Tri- County Optometric Association, and the Boys and Girls Club of Oxnard. He dedicated his life to helping those around him and was a founding member of several service-oriented and philanthropic groups including the CSUCI Foundation, Sister City Oxnard-Ocotlan, Ventura County Community Foundation's Destino Fund, and the Ventura County Community Foundation Women's Legacy Fund. Throughout his life, Manny embodied the spirit of giving back, and his more than five decades in public service is evidence of his passion for making Oxnard a thriving community for everyone. I personally knew Manny to be a kind soul, who was a loving father, wonderful husband, and respected leader throughout our community. I will especially remember Manny for his big heart and thoughtfulness. He often provided me with words of advice and wisdom that continue to guide my work in public service. For these reasons, it is with great honor that I offer Dr. Manuel ``Manny'' Lopez my heartfelt appreciation for his years of outstanding service to the City of Oxnard and unwavering dedication to our community during his exemplary career. On behalf of the people of Oxnard and a very grateful community, whom he served with distinction, I express my sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to all who knew him.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for bringing this important public lands bill to the floor. H.R. 2546 incorporates a bill I helped introduce along with Representative Carbajal, the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act. The Central Coast Heritage Protection Act sets aside more than 40,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest as wilderness. It also designates the Condor Trail within Los Padres as a National Recreation Trail. Both of these actions have long been priorities of my constituents, and so I am pleased the House is taking action on them today. We in Ventura County are so fortunate to be surrounded by gorgeous public spaces, including the Los Padres National Forest. Designating these lands as wilderness will strengthen environmental protections in our region and preserve this important part of our natural heritage for future generations to enjoy. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman, again, for bringing this bill forward.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, during National Gun Violence Survivors' Week, I stand before you to call attention to the tragic impact of gun violence on our Nation. On November 7, 2018, Ventura County was forever altered by the Borderline shooting, which took the lives of 12 individuals. Telemachus Orfanos, a U.S. Navy veteran, survived the Las Vegas shooting only to be killed 1 year later at Borderline. Tel died a hero, rushing to save others when gunfire erupted. Today, I am joined by his mother, Susan, whose presence is a reminder of the far too many families grieving the loss of their loved ones. Since the Borderline shooting, an estimated 45,000 people have died from gun violence, and the Senate still refuses to act. Tel and all victims of gun violence deserve better. They deserve much better. The Senate must act. The lives of every American depend upon it.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in support of my bill, the Women Veterans TRUST Act, a bill that aims to address the need for women-specific programs that treat veterans with drug and alcohol dependency. The over 2 million women veterans who live in the United States face unique challenges that far too often are not appropriately addressed. Women veterans have higher rates of post-traumatic stress that can lead to substance abuse. Tragically, women veterans with substance-use disorders often have higher rates of suicide than their nonveteran peers. To address this crisis, women-specific programs make all the difference. As chair of the Women's Veterans Task Force, I have heard how critical these treatment programs are to saving lives. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to cosponsor this important bill to ensure our Nation's women veterans have the resources and programs they need to thrive.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, after 31 years of public service, Palmdale City Manager James ``Jim'' Purtee announced his retirement effective at the end of 2019. Jim began his diverse career in public service with the City of Simi Valley in 1988. He spent over 27 years working for several city departments in Simi Valley and was involved in improving access to affordable house, ensuring continued economic development, and contributing to city planning efforts. In addition, Jim spent his free time doing community services. In July 2012, Jim was named as the City of Simi Valley's Assistant City Manager, where he was responsible for intergovernmental relations and served as the City's public information officer. While serving as the Assistant City Manager, Jim obtained S&P rating upgrade of AAA for the City of Simi Valley. He sponsored a $5 million citywide investment in replacing technology services and turned a $2.4 million budget deficit to a $2.4 million budget surplus in just three years. Jim took the lead on working with city departments to complete a biogas fueling project for the City's transit buses and implement a $15 million energy savings and production project. During his time in public service, Jim managed a $160 million investment portfolio and increased investment returns by 400 percent over the benchmark and earned an additional $9.7 million on City funds over a six-year period. Jim was instrumental in securing $780,000 in grant funding to invest in citywide energy efficiency programs and oversaw countless affordable house programs to benefit thousands of families. In October 2015, Jim became the City Manager for the City of Palmdale. While serving as City Manager in Palmdale, Jim amassed a number of significant achievements and successes. As City Manager for the City of Palmdale, Jim obtained an S&P rating upgrade to AA- and engaged in community partnerships, which contributed to reducing the City of Palmdale's Part 1 crime rate by over 40 percent in just 5 years. Under Jim's leadership, the City of Palmdale was named as the 44th Safest City in the US, was ranked in the top 15 percent of fiscally responsible cities in California and as a top 25 city in the U.S. to Live the American Dream. Jim implemented initiatives to assist thousands of families in obtaining safe, decent, and affordable housing. He carried out fiscal and legislative actions that provided over $100 million in positive fiscal impacts to communities and worked on cutting edge sustainability projects such as waste to energy, groundwater recharge, and acquisition/conversion of 18,000 Streetlights to LED. During his career, Jim served on multiple boards governing water, transportation, medicine, and regional planning. He served on the League of California Cities Fiscal Transparency, Revenue and Tax, and City Manager Committees. Jim supported the success of Air Force Plant 42 through maintaining strong relationships with all stakeholders. Jim worked tirelessly to ensure Palmdale, California will be California's High Speed Rail connection to the Western U.S. and partnered with academic stakeholders to educate and train the next generation of aerospace employees. Jim obtained over $300 million in grants, tax credits, and other financial resources to invest in transportation, housing, water, energy, and quality of life improvements for the City of Palmdale. He oversaw the development of strategic plans for increasing access to public arts, encouraging economic development throughout the city, and restoring air service to Palmdale. While serving as City Manager, Jim invested in local parks, building the City of Palmdale's first dog park, developing new City parks, and improving existing parks. Jim was honored by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the premier local government leadership and management organization, at its annual conference in Baltimore earlier this year for his significant contributions and achievements in the advancement of local government administration for 30 years. An avid supporter of military veterans, Jim has volunteered countless hours with local veteran organizations. He is also an advocate for supporting mental health programs, especially with our local youth population, and has also served on the Board of Directors for Palmdale Regional Medical Center. Jim holds both a bachelor's and master's degrees from California State University, Northridge, and is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education for senior executives in state and local government program. Jim has been happily married for the past 33 years to Tina, whom he has known since high school, and they are the proud parents of four children: Erika, Elyssa, Ariana, and Ethan.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, as the chair of the Women's Veterans Task Force, I see, every single day, the immense sacrifice our women veterans and all of our Nation's veterans have made in service to our country, in service to our Commander in Chief, our Constitution, to protect our democracy, and for every single man, woman, and child in our country. When the President of the United States used $400 million meant to protect our national security in order to cheat in our elections, he not only abused his power, he turned his back on the sacrifices our veterans and their families have made for all that we hold so dear. That abuse of power is reprehensible, and it is exactly what impeachment was designed to prevent. We have a solemn duty to protect our Constitution, to protect our democracy, and to honor all those who have laid their lives on the line for these United States of America.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, his name was Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez. He was 16. He was sick with the flu, so sick with the flu that he passed out. He was being detained by U.S. Border Patrol. He laid on the floor of his cell for hours without a single person coming to help him. He spent hours, until he died, on the floor alone. When CBP detained him, they were responsible for his well-being. We were responsible for his well-being, and we failed him. Some say we must create a deterrent from children fleeing their home country. I ask, Mr. President, is this deterrent enough for you? Our country was founded on the principle that human rights are universal rights. It is at the very core of our Constitution, our democracy, and it is why this democratic experiment endures. Without it, we are nothing.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, this past week I had the privilege to join Speaker Pelosi and several of my colleagues at the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Madrid, commonly known as COP25. Our visit sent a message: No matter what the current President says or does, the American people stand behind the international fight to combat climate change. We are still in. Our only chance to stop the climate crisis is for the entire world to come together on solutions to stop pollution, protect public health, and build a clean energy economy. I was greatly encouraged and reinvigorated by the world leaders I met in Madrid who were deeply passionate and understand the urgency in finding ways forward on this global crisis. I pledge to bring that passion back to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis as we continue our work to put together an action plan for both Congress and our country.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, the Federal Government is the Nation's largest purchaser of electricity, yet it buys renewable energy at a rate that is far less than the rest of the country. With a climate crisis threatening our planet and our way of life, this is not acceptable. We can and must leverage the resources of the Federal Government to accelerate the technological innovation needed to transition to a green and clean economy. That is why, earlier this week, I introduced the Green Energy for Federal Buildings Act. My legislation would require the Federal Government to increase the share of electricity it gets from renewable sources. Under current law, the Federal Government is required to utilize only 7.5 percent renewable energy for its electricity needs. My bill would up the ante, raising the requirement to 35 percent by 2030, 75 percent by 2040, and 100 percent by 2050. This crisis is upon us. We must have the strength and the foresight to act decisively, creatively, and boldly. There is no time to waste.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing my bill, the Deborah Sampson Act, to the floor. And I thank the ranking member for his support as well. In 1782, Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man so she could serve in the Revolutionary War to protect and defend our democracy. She was wounded in that war. Her forehead had a gash from a sword, and she was shot in the leg. But serving as a man made her invisible. Too many decades later, Congress finally granted her petitions for the benefits she deserved, and she became one of the first American women recognized for her military service. Women have served on land, air, and sea in every conflict in our Nation's history, yet their remarkable and brave service is often overlooked. Through my work as chair of the Women Veterans Task Force, I have met with countless women veterans across the country who, like Deborah Sampson, feel invisible. Their service often goes unnoticed, while veteran men around them are always thanked. Sadly, women veterans are often harassed when they go to the VA for help. This denies them the equitable access to the benefits and care they have earned and deserve. On a recent visit to VA's only women-centric residential substance abuse rehabilitation program, an Army veteran told me the program saved her life. When women-focused resources exist, women veterans use them, and they thrive. That is why this bill is vital for America's 2 million women veterans. It will ensure that women have consistent access to comprehensive, gender-specific care and services. It will help stop harassment and ensure that women veterans are fully recognized for their service. In 1836, John Quincy Adams stood on the House floor and called Debra Sampson's ``heroism, fidelity, and courage'' of the ``very highest and noblest order.'' Congress recognized Debra Sampson's service and, in doing so, ensured that she was no longer invisible. To America's women veterans of today, I stand here to say: We see you, and you are invisible no longer. I would like to thank Representatives Allred, Brindisi, Correa, Cunningham, Delgado, Levin, Lee, Pappas, Rose, Underwood, Velazquez, and Wild, who contributed to this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3224 to fully recognize and honor women veterans' service.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, providing housing to our Nation's homeless veterans is an essential first step and critical to everything in a veteran's life, including getting the healthcare they have earned, taking advantage of veteran education benefits, getting a job, and having the quality of life they have earned and deserved--and what our country has promised. Passage of this legislation will benefit veterans of all eras and their minor children who are struggling and suffering with homelessness. My bill has over 300 cosponsors, which is indicative of the bipartisan support for addressing this important and time-sensitive issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I thank the chairman for bringing my bill to the floor.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding this afternoon, and I thank the ranking member of the committee for his support of a very, very important bill for our veterans, the Homeless Veteran Families Act. As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I believe that it is absolutely critical that veterans and their families receive the housing support they need simply to get back on their feet. Since 1994, the VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program has provided homeless veterans with community-based transitional housing and supportive services. This program funds community agencies that provide such services to homeless veterans. In fiscal year 2017 alone, the VA funded 600 community sites that provided housing to more than 23,000 veterans through the use of over 12,000 transitional housing beds nationwide. Unfortunately, many homeless veterans with children are unable to obtain transitional housing and the support assistance they need under the homeless grant program because housing providers only receive payments from the VA for the veteran but not for any minor dependents with their families. Because housing a family requires more resources and beds, many housing providers have been unable to house homeless families without additional financial support. This problem has resulted in the lack of access to very needed supportive housing and services for veterans with children because the veteran is forced to choose between getting their own housing assistance and services or caring for their minor dependent child or children. The VA has previously stated that approximately 8 percent of veterans who entered grant per diem housing programs, and who had a full assessment completed within 30 days prior to admission, had either full or partial legal custody of their children. This was estimated to be 2,500 children in fiscal year 2017. No veteran should be forced to choose between housing and much-needed services or caring for their children. However, current law limits the VA's authority to reimburse housing providers for the additional costs associated with sheltering the dependent children of our homeless veterans. My bill, which we are voting on today, would provide for a partial per diem for each minor child who is receiving services through this program. This partial per diem would be an amount equal to 50 percent of the daily cost of care. This would ensure that veterans and their children are able to obtain the housing and services needed to help them achieve residential stability; give them the opportunity to increase their skill level and income; and, ultimately, obtain greater self-determination and self-worth.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S.J. Res. 54. The President's declaring a national emergency in order to deliver on a failed campaign promise is a gross misuse of power and sets a dangerous precedent. Not only is the President's fake national emergency unconstitutional, but he is choosing to undermine actual military readiness by diverting construction funding to the border wall. For instance, President Trump is targeting critical military projects, including a California Air National Guard flight simulator, which is intended to train C-130J pilots who put their lives on the line every day fighting wildfires, among many other missions. Based in Ventura County in my district with over 1,200 highly trained and talented National Guard personnel, the 146th Airlift Wing has been called up to respond to many of our Nation's true--true--true--national emergencies, including the Mendocino Complex fire and the Thomas fire, the largest fires ever recorded in California's history. The 146th Airlift Wing also responded to the Camp fire, one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in U.S. history. Across the country, the 146th Airlift Wing has been a critical component of Federal disaster response and humanitarian relief efforts, including in Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria, in Florida in response to Hurricane Irma, and in Texas in response to Hurricane Harvey. Stealing the funds for this critical flight simulator will harm readiness and delay necessary training for our Air National Guard members who risk their lives to save the lives of others. The fact that President Trump is willing to undermine military readiness, California's firefighting capabilities, and our Nation's emergency response efforts is unconscionable. We are talking about potential lives lost. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for S.J. Res. 54 and end this made- up crisis and fake emergency. What I am talking about here today is a real emergency.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, recently, it was reported that a seventh person has died from a vaping-related illness in the United States. In response, the CDC recently announced that it has activated its emergency operations center to investigate what is quickly becoming a public health crisis. It is becoming abundantly clear that e-cigarettes are causing harmful health impacts among both teens, approximately 2.4 million students, and adults who use them. While more research is needed, I believe this public health emergency requires swift action by Congress to prevent the marketing of these products to young people. That is why I have introduced the Stop Vaping Ads Act, which will close the loophole in current law and would ban e- cigarette advertisements on broadcast media. I invite my colleagues to join me in support of this commonsense bill that will help curb the onslaught of harmful and dangerous e-cigarette ads.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the continued injustices at our southern border. Recent reports have continued to highlight the conditions at DHS detention camps are deplorable, inhumane, and abusive to children. Current and former Border Patrol agents have attested to the horrible conditions these children are being subjected to. Now that we have provided emergency funding, we must stop this abuse by the Trump administration in its tracks. We need far greater accountability, we need to set required standards for medical care, we need to strictly limit the time spent in detention facilities, and we need to institute protocols to ensure compassionate processing of children and families. What is going on at our border does not reflect our values. It does not reflect who we are. And the impact on these children will last a lifetime. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to work with us to stop this stain on our great Nation's long history of compassion, refuge, and inclusion.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, yesterday was Women Veterans Day in my home State of California, also home to 145,000 women veterans. Seventy-one years ago, President Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948. This law recognized women's enduring and critical service to the Nation and made them permanent members of the United States Armed Forces. As chairwoman of the Women's Veterans Task Force, I am working with 66 of my colleagues in the House, as well as in the Senate, to increase visibility of women veterans. We are promoting inclusivity and equitable access to healthcare, benefits, education, and economic opportunity, particularly in the Department of Veterans Affairs. I ask all Americans to join me in recognizing the 2 million women who have served our country in uniform. To these women veterans I say: Thank you for your service to our great Nation.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Madam Speaker, climate change is an existential threat that requires the entire international community to solve. The Paris Agreement was a monumental achievement, rightly praised across the world and in Congress. The President's impulsive decision to pull out of the agreement was one of the most dangerous acts of his Presidency. My district, Ventura County, knows all too well the devastating economic and human toll of climate change, which has increased the frequency and severity of deadly wildfires in our community. Climate change is also a threat to our national security and military readiness. I am the proud Representative of Naval Base Ventura County, and I know that climate change will increase problems with coastal corrosion at our Navy base and other U.S. military installations worldwide. In Ventura County, the Army Corps of Engineers must replenish sand regularly or we will lose land for military exercises, and buildings on the base could literally fall into the sea. As sea levels rise and the severity of coastal storms increase, these problems will only grow more acute. Fortunately, House Democrats have recognized these threats, and we have developed plans to address them through the creation of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, on which I proudly serve. The Climate Action Now Act is our pledge to the world that many in the United States Congress want our Nation to be a global leader in solving this crisis. I urge my Republican colleagues to vote to protect our children's and our grandchildren's future and our national security. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and on the bill.

Ms. BROWNLEY of California

Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, my favorite three words in our Constitution are the first three words, ``We the people.'' The will of the people is the basis of our entire democracy. But for far too long, special interests and big money have rigged that system against everyday Americans. This week, we take a major step to change that. We are voting on H.R. 1, transformational legislation that will finally put the power back in the hands of the American people, by toughening Federal ethics laws, fixing the broken campaign finance system, and strengthening voting rights, including two bills that I have worked on with my colleagues to end partisan gerrymandering and requiring same-day voter registration. I encourage everyone to support H.R. 1 this week, because it is long past time we return our government to one that is of the people, by the people, and for the people once again.