Ami Bera

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the safe, timely, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. The actions that Hamas took on October 7 were horrific and led to the tragic loss of life and displacement of millions. When I talk to the families of victims of the October 7 tragedy who were killed or taken hostage, you can hear the agony and despair in their voices. I also hear that same agony and despair when I talk to my constituents who are Palestinian Americans who have lost relatives in this war. Now, I can't change the prosecution of this war. Israel has a right to defend itself. Israel has a right to make sure Hamas no longer presents a security threat to its civilians. It also has the right to degrade Hamas' ability to be a viable governing and political entity if we ever want to find a lasting peace. That is the horror of war. I can't prevent that. What we can do is prevent what we are watching unfold in front of our eyes right now. I am a doctor, and I am hearing horrific reports of the humanitarian and public health crisis that is taking place--the lack of clean water, the lack of food, and the starvation that is unfolding in front of us. Winter is coming. We must do everything we can to prevent the humanitarian crisis if we ever want to find eventual peace in the region. That is something that we can do. That is not about war. That is about relieving the suffering of individuals and civilians. The folks who are most vulnerable are infants and the elderly. Let's get them that clean water. Mr. Speaker, that is why I am introducing my resolution calling for the safe, timely, and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. This resolution urges the Biden administration to facilitate a scale- up of the safe and continuous flow of aid to civilians that includes medications, food, and clean water. It asks for the ability of humanitarian organizations to deliver this aid in Gaza without impediment or interference. It encourages the distribution of fuel to humanitarian organizations working in Gaza and for the proper oversight to ensure the aid is appropriately delivered and not commandeered by Hamas. Mr. Speaker, I also recognize the urgency of passing President Biden's supplemental funding because it does contain funding for humanitarian aid. We have to get this done. We must do everything we can to pass this funding request to support our allies and prevent this humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Mr. Speaker, in this time when many religions and faiths are reflective, let's do everything we can. We are all God's children here. We can do this. This is not about war. This is about saving lives. This is about allowing humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza on a continuous basis to provide food, clean water, medications, fuel to keep hospitals operating, and energy to make sure we save these lives.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest gratitude and admiration for the exemplary service and dedication of Mr. Larry D. Smith. It is with great honor that we acknowledge his remarkable contributions and years of service to our country and our Military Academies. I thank him for his invaluable partnership over the past decade as this weekend marks his last round of academy nomination interviews that he will conduct in support of my office. Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Mr. Smith's journey is one marked by commitment and achievement. A graduate of Manual Arts High School in 1958, he furthered his education at the United States Military Academy, earning a BS in General Engineering in 1962. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army, Armor Branch, Mr. Smith's military service took him to Germany, the United States, and Vietnam, where he served with distinction in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Transitioning to civilian life in 1970, Mr. Smith embarked on a successful career in Commercial Real Estate, notably with Grubb & Ellis Company, where he served on the Board of Directors and managed offices in the Los Angeles area. His relocation from Southern California to Sacramento in 1979 marked the beginning of a new chapter as a Commercial Real Estate Developer, leaving an indelible mark by constructing the IRS office facility in Sacramento and managing others in Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. His foray into residential home building in 1990 saw the creation and sale of hundreds of homes in the Sacramento area, a testament to his enduring entrepreneurial spirit. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mr. Smith has been an active and engaged member of the West Point community. Currently serving as the President of the West Point Alumni in Northern California, he also holds the position of National Trustee for the Association of Graduates. His involvement in the West Point Admissions Department and his role as the e-mail network moderator for the West Point Parents Net (wpp-net) showcase his commitment to the development and support of future generations. Mr. Smith's family life is equally commendable, having been married to his wife, Maren, for 35 years. His sons, Tom and Mark, have followed in his footsteps, with Tom serving as an officer in the Army and Mark as a legislative aide to a California State Senator. I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking Mr. Larry D. Smith in recognition of his outstanding achievements and unwavering dedication to public service. His legacy serves as an inspiration to us all, and we are grateful for his continued contributions to the betterment of our community and Nation.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize World War II veteran Charles Shumate who celebrated his 100th birthday this past weekend on November 11th and commend his outstanding service to our community and country. Mr, Shumate achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant during his time in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946 and is also a very proud father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Charles enjoyed a long and illustrious career, working numerous jobs across the country. After his time in the Army, he spent time in the Air Force Reserves during which he also began working as a heavy equipment driver in Ohio and then as a factory worker. Charles later worked in data processing where he worked for both the government and in the private sector which took him to Sacramento County, where he eventually retired in 1982. He has resided there ever since. Charles' life of service and dedication is commendable and worthy of recognition. I want to extend both my gratitude and my best wishes to Mr. Shumate for his lifelong commitment to our communities and our country. His commitment to the safety and betterment of our nation is remarkable. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating Mr. Shumate for his outstanding work and wishing him a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor and remember Elwood ``Bud'' John Lee. Bud was born November 6, 1946, in Caledonia, Minnesota. A 10-pound baby, Bud was a gentle giant from the beginning. He graduated from college in December 1965 and then enlisted and served in Vietnam. After discharge, Bud settled in California where he served my State in many ways, eventually as president of the California Association of Catholic Hospitals. In retirement, he continued his lifetime of service. We lost Bud on September 4, 2023, but we will always have his optimistic spirit. Here is to Bud. In his words, today is a good day to have a good day. Be well.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Chair, I missed one vote today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 534. Amendment No. 20 Offered by Mr. Norman

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 404.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fred Teichert and celebrate his retirement from A Teichert & Sons, a construction company that his great-grandfather founded in 1887. In 1990, Fred led the creation of the Teichert Foundation. Through the foundation, he has greatly contributed to what Sacramento is today in his support of nonprofits in Sacramento and throughout California. Fred has been committed to making Sacramento a better place, particularly for our youth. Among his proudest achievements was serving as the founding president of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Sacramento. His participation on the Child Abuse Prevention Council and countless education committees have served as constant reminders of his dedication to helping children succeed both in and out of the classroom. For his efforts, he has earned numerous community service awards over the last 30 years, including being selected as American Leadership Forum's exemplary leader of the year and the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce's Sacramentan of the Year. Mr. Speaker, I extend my congratulations and thanks to Fred Teichert for his lifelong dedication to Sacramento. His commitment to our region will always be celebrated and remembered. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Fred for his work and wish him the best in his next steps.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because of my concern that, in less than 1 week, the United States of America may default on its debt and its obligations. I know we all want to get home for Memorial Day. We want to celebrate and honor our fallen heroes, the men and women who have served our country. The best way for us to honor those heroes and the best way for us to honor the American public is to pass the debt ceiling. That is what we do. We teach our kids to pay their debts, and we teach families to pay their debts. That is what we ought to do. I am all for negotiating spending cuts, but that is what a budget negotiation is for, not a debt ceiling to pay our debt. Let's honor our veterans and honor our fallen heroes at Memorial Day parades. Let's stay here, get this done, and fly home to celebrate and honor Memorial Day and honor our veterans. Let's get this done.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. This should be an easy vote because this is just about science. It is about understanding the origins of this virus that created this pandemic that took at a minimum 7 million lives-- probably many more than that. It is just about science. We are not debating the geography of where this virus originated. We know that. We are debating how this novel virus evolved. This is a brand-new virus, and that should go without question. I hope this is a strong ``yes'' vote by both Democrats and Republicans. I think about this as a doctor and a scientist, someone who has spent a lot of my time in Congress looking at global health security, looking at pandemic preparedness. I am proud to serve on the select committee that is looking at coronavirus and the impact of this pandemic. My colleague, another physician, Dr. Wenstrup, is the chairman of that committee, and the ranking member is Dr. Raul Ruiz. Again, I think if we can take the politics out of this, we can actually understand what happened over these past 3 years, the impact it had not just on the United States but on the entire world. We can work together as Democrats and Republicans and hopefully the global scientific community to prevent the next pandemic. That is what this is about. I don't know if we will ever find those origins if the Chinese Communist Party doesn't work with us. It is in their interests as well because they have suffered greatly. The Chinese people have suffered greatly from this pandemic. They ought to allow the best scientists in the world to go to ground zero, to the hot zone, to Wuhan, and try to understand how this virus evolved. Maybe it was a wet market. Maybe it was a lab leak. It is important for us to understand what it was because that then will allow us to address and shore up the system. If it was a lab leak, we ought to have the highest safety standards in the world if we are doing this kind of research. We ought to look at whether we should do gain-of-function research. That is a legitimate question. There is scientific debate about that, et cetera, but if it was a lab leak, we ought to understand that. We ought to come together as a global community and make sure we have the highest standards. If it was a wet market, if this was a naturally occurring virus that came from an animal into a human, we ought to understand that, as well. We ought to put in the safety and precautions to make sure that doesn't happen in the future. Let's take the politics out of it. Today, we have a chance as the United States Congress to take a big vote, Democrats and Republicans, to say: Let's try to figure out what happened. It affected all of us, and we ought to do everything we can as the United States Congress, Democrats and Republicans, and as a global scientific community to prevent this from happening again in our lifetime and, hopefully, ever again. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to vote ``yes'' on this bill. It will allow us to share information with the public because, again, this affected all of us. I hope we have a strong ``yes'' vote on the COVID origins bill.

Ms. BERA

Ms. BERA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the lifetime achievements of Angelo K. Tsakopoulos. Mr. Tsakopoulos' story is a story of the American Dream. Angelo immigrated to the United States from Greece at the age of 15. He worked hard. He didn't have a whole lot but went into the real estate business to help pay for his education at California State University, Sacramento. He built a real estate company. Angelo helped shape Sacramento over his life. The Sacramento Bee has identified Mr. Tsakopoulos potentially as the most influential Sacramentan since John Sutter. His contributions, not just to our community but to philanthropy, to education, and to the arts are outstanding. Mr. Tsakopoulos also never forgot his roots in Greece. This Monday he will receive lifetime recognition for his service to Hellenism. He established multiple foundations and organizations to celebrate the values and the culture of his homeland. He also, through his family, continues to do public service through his daughter Eleni who is our Lieutenant Governor in California. On Monday, February 6, all of us in Sacramento, the United States, and all Greek Americans recognize the contributions of Angelo Tsakopoulos and his family; contributions to preserving Greek culture. Black History Month

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the first day of Black History Month to recognize the importance of studying African-American history and Black history in the United States. It is incredibly important for us to recognize Black history and teach it not only to our young students from elementary school to middle school to high school, but to all Americans. We have to understand the good and the bad. We have to understand the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration. We need to understand--as I stand her on the floor of the House of Representatives in the United States Capitol, a beacon of democracy and freedom--that this is a building that was built by enslaved people. It is important for us to understand that because we need to recognize that and get better at teaching that to future generations of Americans. We also need to recognize the accomplishments of a few individuals: the moral character of our former colleague, John Lewis, who really was the moral backbone of this institution; the first President that I served under, Barack Obama, the accomplishments, not just as President but as a great human being, father, and husband; my close friend, the first female Vice President, the first African-American Vice President, the first Asian-American Vice President, Vice President Kamala Harris who is a role model for my daughter and future women across the spectrum in the United States; and our good friend, the minority leader of the Democratic Party, Hakeem Jeffries, someone who we are all proud of. Let's understand African-American history. Let's teach it. Let's not try to erase the parts that we don't want to teach. If we don't teach Black history, we will be condemned to repeat some of those mistakes. We need to learn from the past, and we need to get better. Let's teach it to all of our students. Honoring Ken Cooley

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Assemblyman Ken Cooley for his decades of service to Sacramento County and the State of California. Ken served in the California State Assembly for 10 years representing the Eighth Assembly District, which covered the eastern half of Sacramento County. Assemblyman Cooley started his public service career in Sacramento as the chief of staff to the State assemblyman, and later as chief counsel to the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee. He was elected to the Rancho Cordova's first city council in 2002 and twice served as mayor to Rancho Cordova. Ken was a constant presence and continues to be a constant presence throughout our community. I have had the privilege to go to many events with Ken, and he is a close friend. He is an Eagle Scout, as well, and his commitment to Scouting helped recognize youth achievement through the Boy Scouts of America. The City of Rancho Cordova and all of us in Sacramento County are better off thanks to his hard work and determination, and I wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Don Nottoli and celebrate his retirement from the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors after seven terms on the board and a lifetime of service to the Sacramento community. Don started his public service career in 1977 when he was elected to the Galt High School Board of Trustees. I have had the privilege of working with Don over the years. He is a tireless public servant. All of us get to go to Eagle Scout ceremonies, medal awards, and so forth. Don is at every one of those. Our community is a much better place because of the service and the representation that we had from Supervisor Don Nottoli. I extend my congratulations and thank County Supervisor Nottoli for his lifelong dedication to public service in Sacramento County. His commitment to the betterment of our region will stand as an example of public service for years to come. Sacramento County is a better place to live and raise a family because of Don Nottoli's lifetime of service, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Don Nottoli for his work in our community and his service to our country.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the select committee on China and to support this select committee on China. These past two Congresses I have had the privilege of being the chairman on the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and a senior member on the Foreign Affairs Committee. I have worked very closely with my ranking member, Steve Chabot--a good friend whom we are going to miss--but I also served as ranking member when Mr. Chabot was chairman on that committee. We learned a lot on how we should approach China. We have looked at supply chains. We have traveled to the region. We have talked to our partners in southeast Asia and ASEAN. We have understood the vulnerabilities. Our subcommittee had the first hearing on the novel coronavirus back in February of 2020 when we didn't have a name on it. So we understand the importance, as a doctor, of understanding the origins of COVID, where it came and how we can best prevent the next pandemic. None of those questions are ones that we should be looking at and bickering about as Democratic or Republican questions. Those are questions that just make a lot of sense to our security, our economic strength, and where we go from here. So I applaud the Speaker's comments on wanting this to be an American strategy, not a Democratic or Republican strategy. If we look at our own history, what served us well in the Cold War is we had an American strategy. It didn't change every 2 years. It didn't change with the new Presidential administration. We acted on it, we laid it out there, we executed it, and we won the Cold War without going to war. That is what the challenge is that faces us today. I wish China had gone a different direction. I wish they had opened up. I applaud the work that Mr. McGovern does on human rights and addressing the Uyghur genocide. Speaker Emerita Pelosi has been a champion on looking at the human rights abuses and the tragedy that is taking place in Tibet. Those are all issues that we should come together on, not just the United States of America, but with our allies and friends because they have the same concerns. I don't want to say we are in a new cold war, but we are in a real challenge right now. So I support the select committee. Let's make it nonpartisan, and let's work together to create an American strategy.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank my colleague from the great State of Washington, Ms. DelBene, as well as my good friend from Pennsylvania, Mr. Kelly, as well as my fellow doctor, Dr. Bucshon. This was how legislative processes should work. You identify a challenge, you work on it, you work on it in a bipartisan way. But you put the American patient first because that is what this it about at the end of the day. How do we give efficient, quality care to America's patients, and, in this case, America's seniors. I have been practicing medicine going back to 1995. And yeah, I have used a fax machine back in 1995. This is about coming into the 21st century, modernizing the practice of medicine. It is also about letting us do what we went to medical school for, what we did residency for. After 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of medical school, anywhere from 3 to 7 years and longer of residency training, doctors want to be doctors. They want to take care of their patients. Yes, there is a role for prior authorization in limited cases. There is also a role to go back and retrospectively look at how care is being delivered. But what is happening today is a travesty. It wasn't the intention of prior authorization. It is a prior authorization process gone awry. And let me give you some examples. When I talk to my former colleagues, the folks I went to medical school with, they spend up to 40 percent of their time on paperwork, on administrative burden, on doing things that don't enhance clinical care or enhance their ability to take care of patients. We heard Dr. Murphy talk about the delays in care. That adds costs, that adds time, and in some cases, it occasionally will potentially kill a patient. That isn't what this is about. This is about providing America's seniors efficient care, reducing the burden, and allowing doctors to do what we went to medical school for, take care of patients. Let's bring this into the 21st century, and let's start to put the patient central in American healthcare. And that is how we are going to actually lower costs of care, deliver better outcomes, and improve satisfaction. We see a lot of doctors leaving the practice of medicine because of that administrative burden, the hassle factor. That doesn't improve care. That actually makes care worse. So let's move into the 21st century. Let's deliver that care, and let's move forward. This is a shining example of how Congress should work. If you think about it, 320-plus Members of Congress, in a bipartisan way, of the House, support this legislation. All of the doctors in Congress support this legislation. You have got Senate support of this legislation. Over 500 groups of my colleagues support this legislation. It is about good medicine. It is about taking care of the patients. I also want to recognize my prior senior healthcare legislative assistant, Colleen Nguyen, who worked incredibly hard on this, as well as my current healthcare legislative assistant, Harsh Patel. As Congresswoman DelBene pointed out, it is the staff that makes us look good. Everybody should vote for this, and we should pass it unanimously.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I missed the following votes because I was traveling as part of the official Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of the President of the Republic of Korea. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 168, NAY on Roll Call No. 169, NAY on Roll Call No. 170, NAY on Roll Call No. 171, YEA on Roll Call No. 172, YEA on Roll Call No. 173, YEA on Roll Call No. 174, YEA on Roll Call No. 175, YEA on Roll Call No. 176, and YEA on Roll Call No. 177. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Amodei (Balderson) Blumenauer (Beyer) Bourdeaux (Wexton) Bowman (Escobar) Brooks (Moore (AL)) Brownley (Kuster) Bustos (Kuster) Cardenas (Soto) Carter (LA) (Jeffries) Castro (TX) (Garcia (TX)) Cawthorn (Nehls) Cherfilus-McCormick (Jeffries) Cleaver (Neguse) Connolly (Beyer) Cuellar (Garcia (TX)) Curtis (Owens) Delgado (Neguse) DeSaulnier (Beyer) Doyle, Michael F. (Pallone) Evans (Jeffries) Fallon (Nehls) Gaetz (Boebert) Garamendi (Beyer) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Kelly (IL) (Blunt Rochester) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) Lamb (Pallone) Langevin (Lynch) Lawson (FL) (Soto) Lowenthal (Beyer) Mfume (Blunt Rochester) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Ocasio-Cortez (Escobar) Porter (Wexton) Price (NC) (Ross) Rodgers (WA) (Joyce (PA)) Scott, David (Jeffries) Sires (Pallone) Spartz (Miller-Meeks) Stauber (Bacon) Stewart (Owens) Strickland (Takano) Suozzi (Beyer) Tiffany (Fitzgerald) Torres (NY) (Neguse) Walorski (Wagner) Waters (Garcia (TX)) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Neguse) Wilson (SC) (Timmons)

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I missed the following votes because I was traveling as part of the official Presidential Delegation to the Inauguration of the President of the Republic of Korea. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 142, YEA on Roll Call No. 143, and YEA on Roll Call No. 144. In addition, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 145 (Passage of H.R. 7691). As the world's leading democracy, the United States has the solemn duty to demonstrate strong humanitarian principles, democratic values, and good governance. I strongly support the nearly $40 billion in emergency funding provided by H.R. 7691 to support the Ukrainian people in defending their sovereignty and the right to choose their own future.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I rise today during Women's History Month to recognize the contributions and achievements of Mayor Bobbie Singh- Allen of Elk Grove, California. Mayor Singh-Allen has been a great friend and partner in public service for years, when we began working together when she joined the Elk Grove School Board. She has been an exemplary citizen of Elk Grove, a city I have had the honor of representing throughout my time in Congress. She has lived in Elk Grove for over 30 years and been a strong leader in strengthening our public schools. She was appointed to the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees in 2012 and went on to serve as Board President for 2 years. Her work involved maintaining strong financial reserves, supporting robust career and technical education programs, increasing graduation rates, creating a more inclusive curriculum, and enhancing visual and performing arts, Mayor Singh-Allen is also an accomplished attorney, a graduate of Lincoln Law School of Sacramento, and represented the private sector for over twenty years. She has worked with associations representing the hospitality industry, special educators, and affordable housing issues. Her election made her the first directly-elected Sikh-American woman mayor in the country, Mayor Singh-Allen is not only a dedicated servant of Elk Grove and Sacramento County, but she is also a wonderful wife and mother. In 2015, she was selected as ``Woman of the Year'' for California State Assembly District 9 and was recognized for her achievements in front of the California State Legislature. I am honored to call her a friend and ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing her today in front of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a looming crisis that we see in Eastern Europe. Last week, as a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I had a chance to accompany some of my colleagues on a bipartisan delegation to both Brussels and Ukraine. What I saw when we were in Ukraine, as we met with their senior leaders and President Zelensky, was a country that has resolve. They reminded us that they have been at war with Russia for the last 8 years since Russia invaded Crimea and occupied the Donbas territories. So, this is a country that has been fighting Russia. They are prepared to defend themselves. When I went out on the streets with my colleagues and talked to ordinary Ukrainian citizens, there is a resolve. They have no intention of living under Soviet rule. They have tasted freedom. It is important for us as the United States of America to stand with this young democracy. We are the oldest democracy in the world. When I have been asked by the media why the United States should be concerned about what is happening in Eastern Europe, it is because we value the freedoms that we enjoy; we value the liberty; and we value the ability of individual citizens to choose their own path forward. That is what this is about. When we went to Brussels, we had a chance to meet with our NATO allies, with other members of the European Union. Think about what we accomplished working with those countries in the 75-plus years post- World War II. We created peace on the European Continent after two world wars. We created thriving democracies. We created prosperity. That is what is at risk. Think about what Mr. Putin wants to do. He wants to reestablish the Soviet Union. He is an autocrat. That is what is at risk in the 21st century. It is not a given that democracy will win the 21st century. We have to fight for democracy. We have to fight for those liberties. We have to fight for those individuals to choose their path forward. That is why this is important. That is why it is important for us to stand with the people of Ukraine. That is why it is important for us, along with our European allies and our NATO allies, to stand together and speak with one voice and tell Mr. Putin we are not going back to the Soviet era; we are going forward to a peaceful, prosperous 21st century for all people.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Regional Water Authority and congratulate them on their 20th anniversary. A reliable water supply is critical to the Sacramento region as it allows our families to thrive and our businesses to grow. The Regional Water Authority (RWA) was formed in 2001 with a focus on addressing the reliability, quality, affordability, and availability of our region's water supply. RWA is made of up cities, water and irrigation districts, mutual water companies, investor-owned water utilities and community services districts. Over its 20 years of work, RWA has played a critical role in supporting effective management of our region's water resources. From facilitating implementation of our region's conjunctive use program to reduce diversions from the American River during dry water years to preparing the American River Basin Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, RWA has served the Sacramento region well. Its work will continue to be critical as we face a changing climate and work towards a resilient water supply to support our vibrant economy. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking the Regional Water Authority for their 20 years of work on behalf of the greater Sacramento region, and I look forward to working with them over the next 20 years.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I missed one vote on Thursday, July 29, 2021. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on rollcall No. 253. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to present for the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass Amache National Historic Site, Act, H.R. 2497 as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall no. 253. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Aderholt (Moolenaar) Aguilar (Leger Fernandez) Auchincloss (Moulton) Barragan (Beyer) Carson (Butterfield) Carter (TX) (Nehls) DeSaulnier (Thompson (CA)) Fallon (Jackson) Fulcher (Meuser) Gaetz (Gosar) Grijalva (Stanton) Green (TN) (Reschenthaler) Greene (GA) (Gosar) Hagedorn (Reschenthaler) Horsford (Jeffries) Katko (Malliotakis) Kelly (PA) (Keller) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Kuster (Clark (MA)) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Levin (MI) (Raskin) Maloney, Carolyn (Velazquez) McEachin (Wexton) Meng (Jeffries) Nadler (Jeffries) Napolitano (Correa) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Wexton) Pressley (Hayes) Rush (Underwood) Scott, David (GA) (Cartwright) Steube (Timmons) Vela (Correa) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 100th birthday of Gertrude Jackson. Born on May 2nd, 1921, Mrs. Jackson grew up in Prichard, Alabama and left her hometown to pursue a nursing degree at Saint Mary's Nursing School in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated and became a registered nurse in 1944 and moved to settle in Sacramento, California. Mrs. Jackson also served in the U.S. Army in WWII as Second Lieutenant Gertrude Clarke. After she moved to Sacramento and finished her time in the Army, she met her late husband and was married the following year on May 15th. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson spent a wonderful 70 years together. Mrs. Jackson is a very accomplished woman, and her children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren all look up to her. As she began her career in nursing in 1944, she was the second African-American registered nurse in Sacramento, working at Sutter Memorial Hospital. This achievement helped pave the way for women of color in the health care sector, and our community is grateful for her service. Although her 100th birthday was earlier this year, we continue to celebrate this milestone as she reunites with her family for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs. Jackson celebrated her birthday at Elk Grove Regional Park last weekend, and we wish her well this year. I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing a happy birthday to Mrs. Jackson and a profound thank you for her work in our community.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, today we will be considering the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act, or the HERO Act. This has been an unprecedented time of stress and pressure on our first responders: firefighters, police officers, and our frontline healthcare workers. This is a no-nonsense bill that will provide necessary resources to understand first responder suicide and pressure, but also to provide grants to provide peer-to-peer conversation and proactive reaching out to these first responders who are our heroes. So, again, I urge all my colleagues to pass this bill unanimously. It has passed previously. It will make a difference, and it will help save lives and help treat these heroes as they have taken care of us.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the life of Irene B. West. Mrs. West was born on July 3, 1932 in Crowley, Louisiana and she graduated Valedictorian of her high school class. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she met her late husband. Mrs. West received her Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University Sacramento (CSUS) and obtained a Master of Arts degree from the University of San Francisco. Mrs. West, whose older sisters were teachers, was hired as the first black teacher in Elk Grove, CA in 1962. With virtually no representation in the area, she showcased true dedication to her career in education during the era of the Civil Rights movement. During her 27 years in service of the Elk Grove Community, she taught at James McKee and Florin Elementary schools and then served as principal at John Reith and Cosumnes River Elementary schools. As a mother of four, Mrs. West was not only dedicated to her students and their education but raised talented and devoted children while working full time. In fact, The Sacramento Observer named her Mother of the Year in 1963. All her children excelled in their chosen fields of study, and two followed in her footsteps teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Sunday school. We know she would be proud of their future endeavors as her children continue her legacy. Because of her impact as a mother, educator, a wife and a pillar to society, Mrs. West has left a lasting legacy for the city of Elk Grove and will continue to inspire young women of color for generations to come. I want to extend my condolences to the West family, and to everyone Mrs. West positively affected throughout her lifetime. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Irene B. West for her work in our community and her impact on our educational system.

Mr. BERA

Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in support of this budget resolution, and I speak as a doctor. This virus doesn't know whether you are Democrat or Republican. This virus doesn't know the color of your skin, the religion that you worship towards. I commend the Biden administration for wanting to go big and wanting to go fast, because we have to get ahead of the virus, defeat the virus. But then we have to do the efforts to vaccinate the population that are out, to address the food insecurity that we see all across this country. Madam Speaker, I am particularly pleased that this package will have funding in it, as we put it together to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, particularly in hard-hit communities of color--Black and Brown communities. We have to get into those communities, work with community health centers, work with folks in those communities to make sure they get vaccinated. And I am pleased that we have been working with the Biden administration to get this done. Madam Speaker, I fully support going big and fully support this budget resolution.