Nanette Barragán

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo told his mother that he could no longer feel his face. He was losing feeling in his arm, and he was scared. He was inside an ICE detention facility despite having a valid work permit. Edwin suffered from serious medical conditions, but ICE denied him care and the medications he needed. Edwin died on August 1 after just 6 weeks in ICE custody. He was only 41 years old. He was a father. Edwin's story should stop us in our tracks because he is not alone. People are dying in ICE detention. People have been killed during immigration enforcement operations. The people the Trump administration is going after are not serious criminals or the worst of the worst. In July, more than one-half of the people arrested by ICE had no criminal convictions and no pending criminal charges. These are workers, parents, and caregivers. They are people who have lived in our communities for years, yet the administration is stripping away legal protections to detain and deport them. Look at Haitian families with temporary protected status. For years our government told them: You can come live here, and you can come and work here. They built their lives here. They pay taxes. They cared for our parents and our grandparents. In Florida alone, an estimated 93,000 Haitian workers with TPS spent years caring for Holocaust survivors. Some had worked there for over two decades, and then this administration got rid of their protections. Scores of people lost their jobs. Those caregivers were not here illegally. The government changed their status so they could send them back to a country where their lives are in danger. Then, let's look at what happened to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Lorenzo was a 52-year-old father of three with no criminal record, and he had applied for a legal work permit. Lorenzo had lived in this country for nearly 35 years and built his own construction business. Yet, in July, ICE agents killed him while looking for another person. One of Lorenzo's sons, Ronaldo, watched the video of his father and said: ``My father was always a strong man and never wanted us to know if he was in pain. He never complained . . . but it hurt my heart to hear his scream.'' Two fathers: One killed by ICE in the street; one dead after 6 weeks in ICE custody. This abuse does not stop with immigrants. U.S. citizens are being rounded up and deported. When the Supreme Court allowed ICE to profile people racially during enforcement stops based on their race and their language, Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh wrote that if you are a U.S. citizen, you are going to be free to go after just a brief encounter. That is not what happened to Brian Jose Morales Garcia. He is a U.S. citizen who was deported to Mexico after a traffic stop in Texas, even though he repeatedly told the ICE officer he was a U.S. citizen and asked to get the proof of citizenship at his home. They ignored him. They deported him. For 4 months, Brian was stuck in Mexico. Imagine this: an American citizen stuck in Mexico for 4 months, separated from your work and family before you are finally allowed to come back to this country and having to hire a lawyer. Since Trump returned to office, more than 50 people have died in ICE custody. Others, including U.S. citizens, have died during immigration enforcement operations. Congress must stop this out-of-control agency and hold them accountable for every death at the hands of ICE. People are dying. Americans are less safe because of this rogue agency that is out in the streets with masks and no identification. Mr. Speaker, this administration and Republicans in Congress continue to kill innocent people and make us less safe. This must stop.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on August 31, 2026. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 284, and YEA on Roll Call No. 285.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 228 and YEA on Roll Call No. 229.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, it is Immigrant Heritage Month. This month, we celebrate what millions of Americans have been cheering: The remarkable success of the United States men's national soccer team at the World Cup. Across our country, families have gathered in living rooms and restaurants to watch Team USA compete on the world's biggest stage. As our national team inspires our country, the Trump administration has chosen a different message. Just days ago, the Department of Homeland Security posted social media messages featuring members of Team USA alongside slogans such as ``Defend the Homeland'' and ``Built the Wall.'' Think about that irony. The administration pushed anti-immigrant messaging by using the very images of a team whose success shows the very value of immigration. Many of the players on Team USA are immigrants or are children of immigrants. Several players were born outside the United States or hold dual citizenship. Their stories span continents, cultures, and generations. This is not a weakness of America. That is America. One of our team's star scorers, Folarin Balogun, is a perfect example. He was born in Brooklyn while his Nigerian parents were temporarily living in New York. Under the Constitution of the United States, he became an American citizen at birth. Today, he wears our Nation's jersey. He scores goals for our country. Yet, the same administration celebrating our players is trying to end birthright citizenship, the very principle that made Balogun an American in the first place. Now, this issue extends far beyond soccer. The Trump administration has pursued policies that make it harder for people to come here legally, harder for families to reunite, harder for refugees to find safety, and harder for talented students and workers to build their futures in our country. Across the country, communities continue to experience ruthless immigration enforcement actions that separate families, create fear, and leave children wondering whether a parent will come home at the end of the day. We should ask ourselves simple questions: Who are we losing? Who never gets the chance? Maybe it is the next star striker who would score the winning goal for Team USA. Maybe it is the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who would discover a cure for a devastating disease, like Katalin Kariko, who immigrated from Hungary to the United States for a postdoctoral fellowship. Her research made the COVID-19 vaccine possible. Maybe it is Omar Yaghi, an immigrant born to a Palestinian refugee family living in Jordan, who immigrated to the United States at 15. Professor Yaghi, of UC Berkeley, received a Nobel Prize in chemistry last year. Maybe it is the entrepreneur who would launch the next great American company, like Sergey Brin, a Soviet Union refugee at age 6. Sergey went on to cofound Google. History teaches us that immigrants have helped build every chapter of America's success. That has driven innovation in medicine, science, technology, and industry. That is why Immigrant Heritage Month matters. It is a reminder that our diversity is not something to fear. It is one of our greatest competitive advantages. We should not be turning our backs on the very people who help make America more dynamic. The lesson of Team USA is that America succeeds because, generation after generation, people from around the world have come here, contributed here, and become part of our national story. That story is still being written. During Immigrant Heritage Month, let us reject division, and let us embrace an immigration system worthy of the Nation we aspire to be, a nation wise enough to recognize that immigrants are not a threat to America's future. They are helping to build it.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say I dissent. I strongly dissent. I join Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in their dissent in Louisiana v. Callais, a decision that seeks to demolish the Voting Rights Act. As Justice Kagan stated: ``the Court's decision will set back the foundational right Congress granted of racial equality in electoral opportunity.'' Make no mistake, this is an attack on fair representation. Republican-led southern States have wasted no time to redraw their districts to eliminate any Democratic representation. In some extreme cases, they have canceled elections that already started. Just last week, the Supreme Court allowed Alabama to eliminate a whole majority Black district, essentially reversing its previous opinions. Whether you are in a majority Black district or not, this impacts all of us. Right now, they are targeting Black representation in the South, but tomorrow it could be a blue district in any State. This is about fair representation, and it is about our democracy. Justice Sonia Sotomayor stated in her dissent, the Court ``debases the democratic process'' and ``corrodes the rule of law by rewarding Alabama's gamesmanship and outright defiance of Court orders.'' Republicans know they have to rig the maps in November to win because they cannot run on their failed policies, policies which have led to high gas prices and made life more expensive. People shed blood and some died for the right to vote for fair representation. We need to come together now to fight for our voting rights. Black, Latino, Asian American, White, and all communities need to unite in one mission: to protect democracy. We must guarantee that every American has an equal voice in our democracy and an equal opportunity to elect Representatives who represent their constituents' interests. When Democrats regain the House, we will work to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore voting protections to guarantee fairness and equal representation in our elections. This is about preserving the promise of American democracy itself. I call on every American to organize, to educate your friends, neighbors, and colleagues on what is at stake and to vote. As we head into November, House Democrats will work with the civil rights and voting rights advocates, legal experts, and grassroots organizers to defend American democracy. When people come together to fight for justice, history shows us that justice ultimately wins, and Democrats will never stop fighting for it.

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, families are struggling to pay for groceries, gas, rent, and healthcare. What are Republicans doing? They are bringing a budget to the floor this week to give ICE and Border Patrol another $70 billion blank check--no guardrails, no oversight, no accountability. Not a single dollar in this bill covers the cost of living for Americans. Not a single dollar makes life more affordable for working families. Instead, Republicans are spending billions to bankroll Donald Trump's cruelty and corruption. At the same time, they are letting Trump keep a $1.8 billion slush fund that can be used to reward political allies and advance his own agenda. This is not fiscal responsibility. This is the betrayal of the American people. We have already seen where these priorities lead. Republicans cut healthcare. They cut food assistance for children, for seniors, and veterans, all while protecting giveaways for the wealthy. Now they want Americans to pay for more masked ICE agents to brutalize our communities and violently target law-abiding immigrant families. Communities across the country are demanding accountability. Instead, Republicans are writing another blank check. House Democrats are fighting to lower costs and make Americans lives safer, healthier, and more affordable while holding this administration accountable. Congress should be lowering costs. We should be helping working people. We should be holding this administration accountable, and that is why House Democrats reject this reckless budget. Fighting Back Against the Dismantling of the Voting Rights Act

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, President Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion. Now President Trump is settling the lawsuit with the very Justice Department that he controls. What is in the settlement? There is a provision that says the IRS can never investigate or bring claims against the President or his family for past tax issues. Imagine that, Mr. Speaker, imagine the American people getting the same deal. It would never happen. This is corruption. It is special treatment for the President and his family. On top of that, the President asked for a slush fund of $1.8 billion paid for by you, the taxpayer, for what? It is to pay out his friends and January 6 rioters. What message does this send to the American people? It is that if you are rich and powerful enough, Mr. Speaker, the rules do not apply to you. This is wrong. Trump and Republicans are doing this while cutting healthcare and food assistance for families and raising costs for everyday Americans. It is BS. The American people deserve better.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, do you know what the price of a gallon of gasoline costs today? It is too much. In Toledo, Ohio, it is $4.56. In Gainesville, Florida, it is $4.43. In Salt Lake City, Utah, it is $4.57. That is too expensive. Do you know what President Trump said about it? He basically said that it is tough luck. He said that he doesn't think about Americans' financial situation. His priorities make that clear. Do you know what is a priority for Trump and Republicans? It is billions of your tax dollars to fund a fancy ballroom for Trump and his billionaire buddies, while at the same time giving ICE $70 billion to continue terrorizing our communities. What Americans need right now is relief from higher costs. Gas is more expensive; groceries are more expensive; healthcare is more expensive, all because of choices made by Trump and Republicans. Trump and Republicans have taxed Americans thousands of dollars a year on everyday items with their tariffs on items like phones, soup, and shoes, and cut billions of dollars in programs that would help make healthcare more accessible. The pain that Americans felt was not enough for Trump and Republicans. As costs were already rising, Donald Trump launched us into this reckless war of choice on Iran that has skyrocketed gas prices. That pain is felt by every American. As of Monday this week, the average price of gas was $4.52 a gallon. That is a parent deciding whether to fill the tank or buy groceries. That is a worker wondering if they can afford the commute to their job. Everywhere I go--in townhalls, community events, and neighborhood meetings--I hear the same thing: Congresswoman, prices are too high. We can't keep up. People are frustrated. Trump promised to lower costs and end foreign wars. He lied. The American people are paying the price, and Trump says their pain is ``worth it.'' In my district, Marianna, a Wilmington resident, thinks twice before using her car. Why? She is afraid that she can't afford the price of gas. She now relies on online shopping just to get what she needs so that she doesn't have to use gas to drive to a store. Even Amazon online buying is costing consumers more because of higher fuel costs. David, a small business owner of a local trucking company, has jumped back into driving his trucks to make ends meet because he can't afford to hire another driver. While families are struggling, Big Oil companies are cashing in record profits, windfalls built on people struggling. If oil companies are making billions off of a crisis, then working families deserve a return for their money. Instead of investing in solutions, the Trump administration has cut them. They have cut support for electric vehicles, cut funding for public transit, and cut funding for clean energy sources that would give people a choice. Yet, that is backward. We need to invest in affordable, clean energy of the future so that families aren't stuck riding this roller coaster every time oil prices spike. President Trump chose this path, and Republicans backed it. Big Oil is profiting from it. Meanwhile, the American people are left holding the bill. That is unacceptable. We need relief now, and we need to end the war to bring prices down.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on April 30, 2026. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 155.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Garcia for his leadership on this. Americans are struggling. They are struggling with the high cost of living because of Republican policies that are doing nothing to bring down prices. The cost of gas is too high. Americans are paying more for gasoline this year because of Trump's war of choice against Iran. Americans have seen the price spike in the last month, and the average household is expected to spend an extra $740 on gas this year because of Trump's war of choice against Iran. Groceries cost more. The average family paid over $300 more for groceries last year. They are paying more this year, whether it is for bananas, coffee, and other basic goods. We can thank Republicans and Trump's tariff war for that along with the war on Iran. Trump's tariffs cost families more than $2,500 extra this year. Utilities bills are also soaring through the roof. Since Trump took office, electric bills have gone up as much as 13 percent nationally while residential natural gas prices have increased by 12 percent. Mr. Speaker, do you remember when Donald Trump and Republicans promised to lower costs on day one? That was a lie. The cost of everything is going up, squeezing every penny from American families. As costs continue to rise, this administration is doubling down on the wrong priorities. The President's latest proposed budget not only does nothing to lower the cost, it puts Americans last. At a time when energy bills are rising, they want to eliminate energy assistance programs to help keep the lights on for many families. At a time when food prices are high, Trump and Republicans want to cut programs that would put food on the table for mothers and children. At a time when housing is unaffordable, they are cutting programs to help keep a roof over people's heads. At a time when families are struggling to get by, they are proposing massive increases in defense spending and pouring billions of dollars more into wars of choice overseas. Americans were forced to pay an extra $1,600 on everyday expenses last year because of Trump's and Republicans' policies, and Trump's budget will force many of them to pay even more. I have heard from people in my district. Erica from my district is a single mother of two. She worries about how to plan meals for her children because she can't buy as many groceries. She takes them to free parks and pools because she can't afford extracurricular activities. A restaurant owner, Ralph, in South Gate, had decided between making payroll or paying the electricity bill. He paid his staff. His electricity was cut off, and it cost him thousands of dollars more to have it turned back on. A nonprofit in my district told us that families are calling for help because they are forced to choose between paying for food or paying for basic expenses like electricity and water. Working people can't keep up with rising costs, and many are falling behind. Mr. Speaker, Americans deserve a budget that works for them, not one that burdens Americans with higher prices while taking resources away to keep families afloat. Americans deserve better. They deserve to be put first. Democrats are using every available tool to fight back against Republicans' dangerous agenda and fight for the American people.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans continue to enable Donald Trump's costly and disastrous war of choice against Iran, all while refusing to lift a finger to help working families as their bad policies drain Americans' wallets. We need Republicans to act, to rein in this dangerous President and help Americans have a shot at getting ahead in Trump's economy. This district work period, I traveled around my district to hear directly from people. I heard the same thing over and over again: Everything costs more and families are struggling. Gasoline prices have skyrocketed. Grocery bills have gone up. Cost of shoes? Up. Let's be clear about why. It is Trump's war of choice that is costing American families, and it is his tax through tariffs on American families. Due to the war, oil prices and gas prices have jumped dramatically. When gas prices go up, everything goes up. Jessica Hernandez is a driver who transports people with disabilities in a wheelchair-accessible van. She serves people in communities in California like Lynwood, South Gate, Long Beach, and Lakewood every single day. However, now, because of rising costs, she works longer hours to cover the cost of getting her passengers to where they need to go while making sure she can still feed her family. Think about that. She is working harder, longer, and still falling behind because of Trump's reckless war in Iran. Jessica was not the only person I heard from. I also heard from a truck driver who said the rising diesel gas prices have caused the price of delivering goods to go up. It also means hiring fewer drivers. If that is not enough, if you order your goods through Amazon, they just announced a price increase because of this reckless war of choice that Trump and Republicans support. I also spoke to a small business owner in Carson, Monica Jordan. She is the general manager of a small family business, a restaurant. Her suppliers have raised their prices. When we met, she showed me just one of the letters she received from a vendor saying that costs had increased 13 percent, and they had to pass on at least half of the cost to her small business. The result is higher prices for her business and customers. This story is not unique to this business. We are hearing these stories from businessowners across the country that they are experiencing higher costs, fewer customers, and some are having to close their doors. Then there is my constituent Marysol Arellano, a single mom with two kids in San Pedro. She used to take her kids out every Sunday for a family meal, a moment to bond. Now she can't afford it. What used to be a simple family meal is now a luxury. That is what this cost-of-living crisis looks like. It is people working longer hours. It is small businesses barely hanging on. It is families losing the moments that matter most. Instead of addressing the rising costs, President Trump has slapped tariffs on many products that enter the United States, and that is a tax on our working families. Trump's war with Iran is costing Americans billions. While Americans pay up to $7 for just a gallon of gas so they can drive to work or drop their kids off at school, the U.S. spends at least $2 billion of their hard-earned taxpayer dollars a day firing missiles and dropping bombs. When Americans are struggling, these are the wrong priorities, and Trump shows no sign of focusing on Americans first. His latest proposed budget calls for cuts to programs like energy assistance and affordable housing that would help Americans get back on their feet but asks for huge increases in military spending instead. That tells you everything you need to know; billions for war overseas but nothing to lower costs here at home. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better. They deserve leaders who are focused on bringing costs down, not driving them up. House Democrats are fighting to lower costs and make life affordable for working families.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, Trump and Republicans are the party of mass deportations and family separations. That is right, Republicans are the party of putting children in prison, 3-year-olds and 5-year- olds, inflicting lifelong trauma on our children. What happened to family values? Mr. Speaker, let me tell you about 5-year-old Gael, whom I met in Dilley, Texas. He was totally bloated. He hadn't gone to the bathroom in 8 days. He went to the medical center. They pretty much dismissed him, saying, ``Oh, here are some laxatives,'' and let him go, a 5-year- old in pain and suffering. This is how they are treating our children. It is disgusting, and it needs to end. We need to end these child prisons.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, prices are too high. Under Trump's economy, Americans are paying more. Just the other day, Trump said he is very proud of this economy. Americans cannot afford this Trump economy. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation has said that under the watch of Trump and Republicans, the U.S. has had the largest tax increase as a percent of GDP since 1993 because of tariffs. These tariffs are a tax on the U.S. and Americans. They are estimating that U.S. households are paying a thousand dollars more in 2025, and it is going to go up in 2026. Let's talk about electricity prices. Families across the country are opening their electric bills and asking: Why is my bill so high, and is anyone doing anything to bring down these prices? The Trump administration promised Americans they would cut costs, including energy costs. They promised cheaper power. Instead, families are paying more right now. While fossil fuel companies take in record profits, families are afraid to use the air-conditioner during dangerous heat waves because their electricity costs will spike. Seniors are turning off the heat on frigid winter days. Prices jumped sharply last year, far faster than paychecks. Last year, there were 43 different electricity rate hikes across the country, totaling over $11 billion in new costs for ratepayers. Millions of households are saying they cannot afford this. They are already behind on their utility bills, and more and more households have had their electricity shut off by utilities. This is not an accident. This is a choice by Trump and Republicans. Clean energy, like wind and solar paired with battery storage, is the cheapest power we can build. If we build more of it, we can lower electricity prices, which means American families will be able to turn the heat on in the winter or the AC on during dangerous heat waves, but the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are doing everything they can to stop clean energy that will help lower costs for the American taxpayer. They are rolling back programs that help build low-cost power. They are making it harder to build new wind, solar, and transmission projects. Projects that were already planned, financed, and under construction to deliver cheaper electricity are now stalled or scrapped. The result: higher prices for working families. House Democrats are fighting for affordable clean energy. We believe energy policies should make life easier, not harder. Mr. Speaker, we believe the way to lower prices is to build more clean, affordable power, not less. We believe that no senior should have to choose between heat and medicine and no family should have their power shut off, while fossil fuel companies make more money than they have ever seen in the past. Americans deserve better than broken promises and rising bills. We must deliver lower costs including lower energy costs for American families.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on February 2, 2026. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 49, and YEA on Roll Call No. 50.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, the Trump administration continues to take away access to STEM education from students across the country, including hundreds of middle school students in my district. For years, the Long Beach Public Library's Youth SEED program delivered hundreds of workshops in science, technology, engineering, and math to students in Long Beach, California. Educators, mentors, and community partners in these programs spark students' curiosity and help them build real-world skills. It is a place where students dream of developing the next cure or the latest cutting-edge technology. These funding cuts mean less investments in American innovation, less opportunities for kids to pursue STEM careers, and less investment in the next generation. Don't cut programs like SEED. Expand them so every child has a fair chance to thrive and excel.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, Americans should run away as far and as fast as they can from Republicans' last-minute mess of a healthcare plan. Under the Republicans' plan, millions of Americans will not be able to afford health insurance because Republicans don't provide money for Americans to pay for the healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. Americans don't have an extra $1,000 or $2,000 in their pockets every month to pay for health insurance. They shouldn't have to choose between being able to afford a doctor's visit or feeding their family. House Democrats' discharge petition will extend the tax credits that lower costs and help Americans buy health insurance. Mr. Speaker, four Republicans just joined our efforts. We welcome more. Speaker Johnson should bring the bill to the floor immediately. Don't send Congress on holiday without making sure that we protect healthcare for over 20 million Americans.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on December 16, 2025. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 342.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 342. personal explanation

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished service of Mario Cordero, a visionary leader who has served on the Federal Maritime Commission and also as a member of the Long Beach Harbor Commissioners, and he currently serves as the CEO of the Port of Long Beach since 2017. Under his guidance, the port achieved record cargo movement and advanced modernization projects, but what distinguishes his leadership is not only growth, but it is the values behind it. Early in his service, Mr. Cordero proposed the Green Port Policy, a transformational shift that made the port an environmental leader. Twenty years later, the port has dramatically less pollution and a landmark commitment to zero-emissions operations. Mr. Cordero's story is uniquely American. The son of immigrants from Mexico and the first in his family to attend college, he embodies the promise of opportunity when service meets purpose. His leadership will have a lasting impact. Mr. Speaker, today, we recognize Mario Cordero for his extraordinary service, congratulate him on his retirement, and wish him fulfillment in the years ahead.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life and legacy of an environmental champion in my district, Jesse Marquez. Jesse was a passionate leader who fought tirelessly for environmental justice. As a student at Banning High School in Wilmington, California, he was a record-setting track athlete. Tragically, disaster struck his neighborhood when explosions occurred at a refinery across the street from his family's home. Fortunately, Jesse survived the fatal incident, which injured over 150 neighbors. It led him to establish the Coalition For A Safe Environment in 2021, a community-based organization that successfully advocated for stronger rules to protect residents from pollution and chemical disasters. Jesse also established the first community-led air monitor network in Wilmington, California, and he successfully prevented the expansion of highways and rail yards next to homes and schools. I thank Jesse for his tireless advocacy for safer, healthier communities. Rest in power. Payouts to GOP Senators

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Thomas A. Parham, president of California State University, Dominguez Hills, as he retires after an extraordinary career in higher education. Affectionately known as Dr. P, he has been a visionary at Cal State Dominguez Hills since 2018, elevating academic excellence, expanding opportunity, and strengthening community partnerships across the South Bay and beyond. Dr. Parham has inspired generations of students through his commitment to equity, empowerment, and educational success. Under his leadership, California State University, Dominguez Hills, has become more than a university. It has been a launching pad for dreams, empowering students to succeed academically and personally. As Dr. Parham embarks on his well-deserved retirement, his legacy will continue to uplift the Toro community and the broader higher education landscape for years to come. On behalf of California's 44th District, I congratulate Dr. Parham and wish him continued success, happiness, and fulfillment in this next chapter. Remembering Jesse Marquez

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, Republicans in Congress shut the government down for 43 days to avoid spending a dollar on healthcare for hardworking Americans. When they finally voted for a partisan spending bill, it lined the pockets of eight Republican Senators with millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. This is corruption, plain and simple. If anyone else in government gave themselves millions of dollars in taxpayer money, they would go to prison. It also speaks to the misplaced priorities of Republicans who cannot be bothered to support affordable healthcare for Americans, but they can find money to reward Senators over taxpayers. Senators may not like to be treated like everybody else, but subpoenas and nondisclosure orders are a routine part of grand jury investigations. No one has an absolute right to be notified that their call records have been subpoenaed. No Senator should have a guaranteed right to self-deal themselves a million dollars if a lawful search happens. Now, the American people may hear House Republicans say they will pass a bill this week to undo what they voted for last week, but talk is cheap. They could have stopped this corrupt provision before it became law, and they didn't. That was the action they took. It is now the law, and unless the Senate is going to take up whatever the House passes, if it does, the vote this week will have all been for show. It is to save face, but it doesn't save taxpayers a dime from the payday coming to Senate Republicans. The Republican Senator from South Carolina said he is already preparing to sue so he can cash in. Republicans did this at the same time they threw Americans off their healthcare. Imagine that, doing this at the very same time. While Republicans take away the lifesaving care you need and deserve, they are getting rich with your hard-earned tax dollars. House Democrats will keep fighting to protect your healthcare and make life more affordable.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I oppose the Republican spending bill that makes healthcare more expensive for hardworking Americans. While Republicans were on their 7-plus week vacation, all of our constituents were receiving notices of premium increases. A constituent of mine, a lifelong educator, has been told that her premiums will jump from $383 to nearly $1,000. Meanwhile, Trump and Republicans can find money for a fancy ballroom. They can give tax breaks to billionaires. They even included millions of dollars in cash payments in this bill for eight Republican Senators. If anyone else in government gave themselves millions in taxpayer money, they would go to prison. For Americans trying to afford healthcare? Not $1 in tax credits. House Democrats are united against this corrupt bill and will keep fighting to protect America's healthcare. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this bill.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to dissent. This week, six members of the U.S. Supreme Court decided to allow ICE raids in Los Angeles that are rooted in racial profiling. This is a direct assault on our Constitution and on the very idea of equal justice under law. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said it best when she wrote: ``We should not have to live in a country where the government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage job. Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.'' I agree and join that dissent. These raids are not about law and order. They are about targeting immigrants because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, the neighborhoods they live in, and the jobs they hold. I dissent. ICE is not chasing criminals. It is chasing families. I dissent. Nationwide, 71 percent of those in ICE custody at the end of July had no criminal convictions. Let's think about that. Tens of thousands of lives upended, children left without parents, families torn apart not because of what people did but because of who they are. That does not make us safer. It makes us weaker. It destabilizes our schools, our neighborhoods, and our workplaces. It harms industries that keep our economy running--construction, agriculture, hospitality--all while wasting taxpayer dollars on cruelty instead of real public safety. I dissent. Families across this country now live in fear because their very existence has been criminalized. This is not justice. This is persecution. I dissent. Six members of the Supreme Court may have turned their backs on equal justice, but Congress cannot. We must defend the Constitution, protect immigrant families, and ensure that no American community is left to live under the shadow of racial profiling in immigration enforcement. For those reasons, I join Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and I say: I dissent.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, I rise because Donald Trump and House Republicans lied to Americans when they promised to lower costs. Now, they are even trying to rebrand their so-called big, beautiful bill with a new name about working families. No matter what label they slap on it, the facts don't change. Trump and Republicans' big, ugly law makes the cost of healthcare go up and takes away healthcare from working families. Republicans hand out an average of $80,000 in tax breaks to every millionaire. Where do they get this money from? Each millionaire tax cut is paid for by taking away insurance from four people. Republicans are stealing from the American people to fund these tax cuts. What does it mean when four people lose their coverage? It means a mom with diabetes may have to skip her insulin or a dad ignores chest pains because he can't afford the ER visit. It means your child missing their asthma treatments and struggling to breathe in class. These are real lives on the line. Overall, the big, ugly bill will take away healthcare coverage from 16 million people. When people lose coverage, they get sicker, there are longer wait times, hospital visits rise, and costs skyrocket for families and the entire system. House Democrats are fighting for a different vision. We are fighting to make sure that if you work hard, you and your family should have healthcare and should be able to afford to see a doctor, fill a prescription, and get the care you need without going bankrupt. While Republicans protect tax breaks for billionaires, Democrats are working to protect affordable coverage, lower prescription drug costs, and expand access to healthcare for working families because in our America, healthcare is not a privilege for the wealthy few. It is a right for every American.