Jim Costa

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and sacrifice of California Highway Patrol Officer Roger Davis Gore. On April 5, 1970, Officer Gore was one of four CHP officers tragically gunned down in a police shooting near Interstate 5. In remembrance of his sacrifice, a section of State Highway 99 in Merced is being dedicated to him and his colleague, Officer Walter Frago. Born on February 17, 1947 to Max Gore and Bertha M. Staley, Officer Gore was the second born in his family of three in the Merced County town of Snelling, California. He graduated from Merced High School and later attended Merced College before becoming a CHP officer in 1967. Together, he and his wife Valerie were the parents of one daughter, Elyce. On April 5, 1970, Officers Frago and Gore were the first to respond to a suspect who had been reported brandishing a weapon. Upon pulling over a vehicle with two men, a gun fight ensued leaving Officers Frago and Gore, as well as Officers George Aleyn and James Pence dead. This tragedy is one still remembered by the law enforcement community and Merced County residents as Officers Frago and Gore were both born and raised in Merced. In honor of Officer Gore's commitment to duty and sacrifice, the section of Highway 99 between Mission Avenue and Campus Parkway is being dedicated as the CHP Officers Walter Frago and Roger Gore Memorial Freeway. This location is fitting, as Campus Parkway will eventually connect Highway 99 to the University of California, Merced campus. This section of highway being dedicated will continue to ensure our local community and future generations remember and honor the sacrifice of these two young officers, each of whom lost their lives at 23-years-old on that tragic day. The CHP Officers Walter Frago and Roger Gore Memorial Freeway symbolizes the sacrifice these two gentlemen gave for all citizens to help continue building a better future for our community and country. Furthermore, it will help bridge Merced County's past to its present and remind community members of the dedication to duty exhibited by these two fine officers. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the duty and sacrifice of CHP Officer Roger Gore. It is both fitting and appropriate that we honor him as the CHP Officers Walter Frago and Roger Gore Memorial Freeway is dedicated. I wish his family, the California Highway Patrol, and the Merced law enforcement community the best as this section of Highway 99 is dedicated in his honor.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the administration's proposal, its recent attack on some of the most vulnerable Americans, the 38 million people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP. The USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, announced yesterday a rule change to the eligibility for the program. This change would kick millions of Americans--seniors, children, and their families--off a program that provides critical assistance. It is a safety net. This change would weaken our ability to provide support for working people who are struggling to get by month to month. It would have a huge impact in my district. Unfortunately, 25 percent of my constituents depend upon the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program monthly to provide nutrition for themselves and their families. As a member of the conference committee that negotiated the 2018 farm bill, these suggestions were a part of the discussion. We opposed them. We fought successfully to include expanded SNAP eligibility requirements, and Congress agreed. That is why I fought to expand the employment and training programs that we do in SNAP in the Fresno Bridge Academy, to equip recipients with the necessary tools to get back on their feet, to make them self- sufficient. That is what we should be doing. Guess what: The President supported it when he signed the farm bill into law last December. He needs to remain consistent. I will fight for families, for seniors, and for children. The bottom line is this: SNAP is a helpful program to support people in their time of need with achieving self-sufficiency. It is part of America's safety net. We must block this egregious attempt to administratively do what Congress did not do last December. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with me and oppose this attack on some of our Nation's most vulnerable populations. Highlighting the Achievements of the House in the Last 6 Months

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I call to the attention of the House of Representatives what we have achieved in the last 6 months, many of these pieces of legislation on a bipartisan basis. We have passed 10 bills to reduce the price of healthcare; lower prescription drugs costs, which our communities want us to do; and strengthen protections for people with preexisting conditions--reducing the cost of drugs and strengthening protections for preexisting conditions to protect those individuals. We passed the Equality Act to ensure that every American enjoys the same rights and is protected equally under the law. The Equality Act is so important. I fought to improve our water infrastructure, to address the strain on this precious resource brought by drought and climate change to ensure that we have clean, safe drinking water for all of our communities. In the San Joaquin Valley, sadly, we have many communities that don't enjoy clean, safe drinking water standards. I have worked hard to implement the farm bill, to lead education and outreach programs for farm programs to help farmers improve not only their water sustainability, but their ability to market their crops. In immigration, we have passed the funding bills to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis at our border and advanced legislation to secure a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States; our Dreamers, over 800,000, who came here through no choice of their own, and for them America is the only country they have ever known. They need and deserve legal status. I am proud that, in the last 6 months of work, this week we will consider H.R. 3239, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act. Many of us have been to the borders, and we do have a humanitarian crisis there, and we need to do what is right. We need to ensure that those individuals receive good standards of water, beds, and access to healthcare, and that they are treated humanely. That is the American way. These are basic living standards. Finally, the budget deal that was agreed to on a bipartisan basis over the weekend is important, not only as it relates to our discretionary and non-discretionary spending for the next 2 years lifting the budget cap, but in addition to that, to ensuring that we produce a budget on time; that we avoid a government shutdown; that we ensure that our men and women serving in American Armed Forces have the adequate funding that they need; that our veterans get the support and our VA hospitals that we have promised them. These are the things that are part of an overall budget deal. It avoids the kind of circus that we had over the last year where we had a government shutdown, a government shutdown we should never have. We should never have that impact on our economy; our Federal workers to be expected--whether they be in air traffic control or food safety--to go to work and not to receive a check. That is irresponsible. So the budget deal is good. It is a bipartisan effort. It, frankly, gives the sort of discretion that Congress needs to make budget decisions to prioritize our needs in America. So, for that, I thank the Congress.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the continuing humanitarian crisis that is taking place at our border between the United States and Mexico. Despite Congress' recent effort to provide relief to thousands of people in detention centers, children continue to be separated from their families, and people continue suffer from a lack of basic living standards that they need. This is not the American way. What is more, this administration has just announced new ICE raids in major American cities that will solve nothing. We need to do more. Congress needs to act and seek long-term solutions to addressing the problems forcing people to flee their homes and seek asylum, women and children literally moving 2,000 miles, and they are not coming to Disneyland. Congress needs to act. We should be focusing on attacking the problem at its source by increasing support to Central American countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, where the majority of these migrants are coming from. We should not be cutting foreign aid to these countries. That just exacerbates the problem. I asked Secretary Pompeo in a hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs almost 2 months ago: Why does not the President call a meeting with the President of Mexico and bring together the Organization of American States to come up with a comprehensive long-term solution to this problem? I have spoken with the Ambassador from Mexico to the United States. She has expressed to me the problem that they are facing at their southern border with Guatemala. That is what we should be doing, cooperating and working with the Mexican Government and our other neighbors to the south. We must also work to secure a basic standard of living for the detention facilities to provide for immediate relief. That is why I am cosponsoring H.R. 3239, Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in CBP Custody, to provide house screening and emergency care, to improve water and sanitation and hygiene standards, and to improve nutrition and shelter standards. These are things that we are doing in the Middle East with the refugee relief programs for the Syrian refugees. Why would we not do this at our own border, and increase the coordination and surge capacity for the agencies to address what the needs are of these migrants? We really do have a humanitarian crisis at our border, to be sure. I think we all recognize and understand that. But, finally, we need to work together. We need to work together in a bipartisan fashion. That is how Congress should operate to achieve lasting, comprehensive immigration reform. When I first came to Congress, I supported comprehensive immigration reform with the Bush administration and then with the Obama administration. In 2013, we had a bipartisan package that was very close to passage. As a matter of fact, I think it would have passed the House had the Speaker at the time brought it to the floor. Unfortunately, we lost that opportunity. I urge my colleagues to join me in their commitment to working to resolve this humanitarian crisis that we are facing at the border. That is the American way. That is what we should be doing as Members of Congress.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to recognize and honor the career of Gene Haagenson on his retirement. A successful television news reporter for four decades, Gene spent the past 27 years covering stories throughout my home in the San Joaquin Valley for KFSN TV, Channel 30. He had the pleasure of working with so many of us over the years. An adept, smart reporter, he is known and respected for not only his fair reporting, hard-hitting questions, and the embodiment of a true professional, he did his homework. He knew what he was talking about. Gene's professionalism, his commitment to fair and balanced reporting will be missed, but he leaves a robust foundation for future journalists to build upon. He is a mentor, and he is a teacher. I wish him the very best with his family and his grandchildren in his new exciting phase of life. But I will encourage him, as I have before, that he use all these skills that he has honed over the years and teach, teach in our colleges and universities, the future journalists of America, to ensure that we have a vibrant, fair, and free press that is the cornerstone of our democracy. Gene has a lot more to give, and I hope he does so. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Gene Haagenson for his achievements, his outstanding commitment to Fresno, the San Joaquin Valley, and to our country, for always--always-- standing for a free and fair press.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the United States Women's National Soccer Team on their World Cup victory in France. For weeks, America's women's soccer team has captivated the imagination and the enthusiasm of not only America's soccer world, but much of that throughout the entire globe. Their performance over the past few weeks leaves no doubt that they are the best team in the world, but their victory Sunday is a stinging reminder that members of the team are being paid much less than their male counterparts. With four World Cup titles, four Olympic Gold Medals, and a long history of dominance, they are the most successful team in the history of women's soccer--more successful on the world stage than the United States men's, their counterparts. And what we are really talking about here is an issue that has been out there for many years, and that is equal pay for equal work. The highest paid male soccer player makes $200,000 more than the highest paid female player. Over the past 3 years, the women's team generated more revenue and higher TV ratings than their men's counterpart. The gap is a stark reminder of the persistent and frustrating reality that women's sports are undervalued and their stars, simply, are underpaid. That is a fact. But it is not just the playing field where the women's work is undervalued; it is also in the workforce. In the United States, women who work full-time still earn only 80 cents, on the average, for every dollar earned by a man. Today's wage gap robs women of over $400,000 over the course of their working lives. So equal pay for equal work is really, I think, an incredible value that we must pursue in this Congress. It is the fair thing. It is the right thing to do. In March, I joined my colleagues to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will give women tools they need to fight pay discrimination, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pay attention to the strong support for the bill and to ensure that, in fact, we follow up and get it to the President's desk. Also, in March, the U.S. soccer team sued for equal pay, alleging gender discrimination, with the men's team supporting their efforts. This really goes back to title IX that was started decades ago to ensure that, in our collegiate sports, women could have the same access to the same sporting programs throughout our universities. Now, this week, we are going to see parades in New York and in Los Angeles celebrating this great world championship, this victory. But shortly after the final whistle on Sunday solidified these women's efforts in history books, celebratory cheers in the crowd quickly erupted into chants of ``equal pay, equal pay,'' showing their support, as well, for which a groundswell, I believe, is developing. It is time, therefore, that we end pay disparity on the playing field and in the workplace once and for all. Congratulations to the United States Women's National Soccer Team. Go USA and equal pay. In Honor of Gene Haagenson

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the family of Greg McDaniel on Atwater's 2019 4th of July parade. On December 25, 2018, the greater Atwater community lost one of their most dedicated leaders who served as the President of Atwater's 4th of July Committee for over 20 years. In honor of Mr. McDaniel's many years of commitment to organizing this parade, his wife Pinky has been named the Grand Marshal of this year's parade. As President of the Atwater 4th of July Committee, Mr. McDaniel played an integral role in the planning of Atwater's annual 4th of July parade and celebration. Each year he successfully helped raise the necessary funds and oversaw many of the operations that helped make the parade the event it has grown into today. Mr. McDaniel was committed to making each year's celebration better than the year before, which is reflected in what Atwater's 4th of July celebration has become. Atwater's 4th of July celebration is now a day consisting of a morning run, parade, and fireworks that attracts thousands from throughout the City of Atwater and other cities in Merced County. The positivity Mr. McDaniel exuded in this endeavor is now present in the Atwater community members that have stepped up to continue the traditions Mr. McDaniel cared so deeply about. Mr. McDaniel was joined in all he did by his wife of 45 years, Pinky. She was by his side assisting him in all his tremendous community contributions. In addition to planning the 4th of July celebration, Mr. McDaniel spent many years with local youth sports organizations, announced the Atwater High School football games, and served many times as the president of the Atwater Chamber of Commerce, among various other civic engagements. Though he is deeply missed, his wife Pinky, sons Christopher and Jeffory, grandchildren, and residents of Atwater continue to carry on the legacy he left. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the family of Greg McDaniel. It is both fitting and appropriate that we honor them as his wife Pinky is recognized as the Grand Marshal of a parade and celebration her husband dedicated so many years to. I wish his family and the residents of Atwater the best as they celebrated the 4th of July.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, finally, let me say to my colleagues in the House that what is going on at the border between the United States and Mexico is simply not the American way. We can find solutions to resolve the humanitarian crisis that is taking place at our border, but we must work together on a bipartisan basis. We must support the supplemental legislation today that will provide additional funding while working for meaningful changes to take care of people, to not separate children from their families, and to act in a humane way that reflects our values.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk about a challenge that we have in California's waterways. It is a challenge of an invasive species called nutria. Nutrias are commonly known as swamp rats to many. They came from South America decades ago, but they raise havoc wherever they go. They are a problem for California's already challenged water system. They destroy canals and levees, which, in turn, could lead to flooding and threaten water delivery to our farmers and our farm communities. Usually detected in large numbers, they rapidly reproduce, which makes eradication difficult. Last week, I cosponsored legislation with fellow Congressmen Josh Harder and TJ Cox to help fight the nutria population growth. The bill will reauthorize the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 and provide $7 million toward efforts to rid the species from California once and for all. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation for California. Celebrating Portuguese Heritage Month

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize June as National Portuguese Heritage Month. Representative Cox and I have introduced legislation, along with the Portuguese Caucus, to officially recognize the key role that Portuguese Americans have played in the growth of our Nation and highlight their valuable and significant contributions to our society. Portugal was the first neutral nation to establish diplomatic ties with the United States over 240 years ago. They have contributed to every facet of American society, from manning the early whaling ships in New England to the introduction of agriculture throughout the country. They have served with distinction and proudly in our military and have been leaders in government at every level in our country. In 1979, Tony Coelho, my friend from California, was elected as the first American of Portuguese descent to the United States House of Representatives. In addition to lawmaking, Portuguese Americans have made lasting contributions to science, music, and in other areas of business, through people like former Secretary of Energy and nuclear physicist Ernest Moniz and the famous March King, John Philip Sousa, who wrote the iconic song ``Stars and Stripes Forever'' as he headed the Marine Corps band. They are also leaders in agriculture throughout our Nation--in California, most notably in the dairy industry. The Portuguese American story is the American story of immigrants past and immigrants present who have come here through generations to have a better life for themselves and their families. Values that my own parents and grandparents instilled in myself and my sister have never been far from my heart, that family and tradition and that an ethic of hard work are important in our country for all immigrant groups, and realizing that with that ethic, anything can be accomplished in America. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues today to join me in recognizing and celebrating the many ways in which the Portuguese American communities have changed, shaped, and influenced our country through our industries and, most importantly, through their ideals and their love of family and becoming a part of that American Dream. Mr. Speaker, I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize another ethnic group that has made so many contributions to America, the Armenian community, to underscore the importance and the strong relationship between the United States and Armenia. The United States has enjoyed a long history working with the Armenian people toward a shared vision of a free and democratic society. The Armenian community has risen over the past 100 years, after facing one of the most atrocious acts in human history: the first genocide in the 20th century. Notwithstanding that, they have prevailed and continue to grow stronger, not only in Armenia, but also throughout the world. In 2018, we witnessed the Armenian people standing up and peacefully demonstrating for change in their country, and it happened. Nearly 1 year later, the dawn of a new era represents an opportunity for the country and its people to reach their full potential. The United States can provide valuable support and help to empower the Armenian people in this new and exciting chapter in their country. I am pleased, therefore, to support H.R. 452, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with my colleagues to continue to strengthen the bilateral relations between the United States and the Republic of Armenia. Resolve Humanitarian Crisis at Southern Border on Bipartisan Basis

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about our Dreamers and the need for Congress to work together now to protect them and provide legal status. Simply put, Dreamers are Americans, just like you and I, and they should be treated as such. They came here, brought by their families at a very early age: 2, 3, 4 years of age. For them, this is the only country they have ever known. They are our friends, our neighbors, and members of our churches, synagogues, and mosques. They serve in the military and attend our schools and universities. In my district alone, the 16th Congressional District in California in the San Joaquin Valley, there are over 1,200 Dreamers who are attending California State University, Fresno; the University of California, Merced; and thousands more who are attending our community colleges. I have heard their stories, I have looked them in the eyes, and I have consoled them. They have great fear. They fear things that we would not probably think about, like driving to school and driving to work. They are fearful that they might be pulled over because maybe their vehicle has some sort of a violation, only to be pulled over and find out that they are not here legally. The jobs that they have--many of them full-time jobs, good jobs--are threatened by potential audits to the employers who are seeking to determine whether or not they are here illegally or not. Yet, in spite of all of those challenges, they work tirelessly to improve their education and to contribute to the betterment of their families and their local communities. They pay taxes. They give back. After all, isn't that the American way? They are the next generation of leaders in various regions throughout our communities, yet they are living in fear every day that they could be deported. They fear for their families, and they fear for their futures as they wait to see if they will be removed from the only home they have ever known. Can you imagine being in a household where some members of your family are here legally, and some are not, and the notion that your family might be split apart, mother and father, brothers and sisters? How horrific that must be. They have trusted our government to uphold its word that we would give them protections under the DACA program. Now, of course, that is all under a cloud. We must keep our promises. Living with this uncertainty is just not right. It is unfair, it is unjust, and it is not the American way. My grandparents immigrated to this country, and they often faced many of the same challenges that our Dreamers live with every day. Our story, therefore--a nation of immigrants past and present--is their story. Their story, like my family, is the American story. It is a story of immigrants wanting to come here to have a better life for themselves and for their children. So, therefore, I am unwavering in my support that we provide them legal status. We must let our Dreamers know that we stand with them and that we will not stop fighting for them. A majority of Americans want legal protection for Dreamers. Congress must listen, and Congress must act. Hopefully, we will do that today. So, Mr. Speaker, I stand here and say to my colleagues: Vote ``yes'' to pass the American Dream and Promise Act. It is the moral and right thing to do, and therefore we must do it now.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true pioneer in education at the University of California at Merced, the newest campus not only in California but among the newest in the country. Dorothy Leland, our chancellor, is retiring, but she has paved the way for this newest university. Chancellor Leland and her staff have built a community at UC Merced that is very special. More than 44 percent of the faculty are women. Over the past 5 years, the number of graduate students attending the university has increased by nearly 75 percent. Probably most impressive of all, I think, is that nearly 75 percent of the students are the first in their families to attend university, and a majority of these are minorities. It is a majority-minority campus. As a child of Mexican immigrants herself and the first in her family to graduate from college, Chancellor Leland feels a real connection to the student body. She is outspoken about DACA students, with almost 600 DACA students in the university today. She even traveled here to our Nation's Capital to fight on behalf of Dreamers. She is one of the founding members of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a group of more than 200 leaders who support policies that help immigrant, undocumented, and international students succeed at U.S. universities and colleges. In her retirement, she said she wants to work on immigration reform. We can use that help. But her work for the students and the campus at UC Merced does not end there. Arriving in 2011 during the Great Recession, Chancellor Leland immediately went to work on developing the university, because of the importance of this campus to the San Joaquin Valley, with a major construction project. She fought for $1.3 billion in funding to help expand the university, including the construction of new dorm rooms, research labs, a conference center, and an athletic facility. That project has allowed the university to expand from 5,000 to over 8,000 students and doubled the size of the campus. She has also succeeded in graduation rates, which are up by 12 percent during her tenure. I am proud to say that, last weekend, over 1,300 students graduated. UC Merced has achieved impressive levels of academic and research distinction and is developing numerous new patents and leading cutting- edge research. I would also like to take this opportunity to give another shout-out, and that is to President Joe Castro and the faculty and the student body at Fresno State, home of the Bulldogs. This past weekend, Fresno State graduated over 6,000 students, the largest in the school's history. Over 25,000 students are enrolled at Fresno State, ranked by Washington Monthly last year as one of the top 25 campuses in the United States. Most importantly, more than 60 percent of the graduating students are the first in their generation to attend and graduate from university. Both these universities are serving our Nation and doing what, in fact, they should be doing, which is educating and training our Nation's next generation of leaders who will make a difference and who will make America a better place. I am honored to represent such successful universities in my district, and I am proud of both these leaders, the faculties, and the student bodies because they represent the future of America. Go Bobcats, and go Bulldogs. Reconsider Funding Levels for FEMA and California Wildfires

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, let me note that the President's action this week as it relates to funding for FEMA and California's wildfires, as well as the funding for the United States Department of Agriculture in terms of where those moneys go for forestry, is wrong. It is wrong; it is punitive; and it is painful. For the fires in California, 60 percent are on U.S. forestry land. Therefore, to be responsible, the United States needs to do its part when these horrific fires take place. We do the same with hurricanes. We do the same with tornadoes. We do the same with floods. So it seems to me that the President ought to reconsider his actions toward California. We are partners in trying to manage both State and Federal lands not only in California but around the country. Therefore, the President's actions should be reconsidered. It should not be punitive toward California because, through no fault of our own, we have had to deal with these horrific circumstances, just like other regions of the country have to deal with natural disasters that are through no fault of their own. Let's reconsider, Mr. President. Let's not be punitive toward California because of the tremendous devastation that these fires have created.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, regrettably, I was unable to attend the votes series for May 14, 2019. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA to Roll Call No. 203, H.R. 29 Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, and YEA to Roll Call No. 204, H.R. 2379 To reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about healthcare and to ask that my colleagues join me in support of protecting individuals in America who have preexisting conditions. We can, and we must do a better job in reducing costs and improving access to healthcare in America. Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, no provision has had a more significant impact on the health of Americans than protecting those with preexisting conditions. In my district in 2010 in San Joaquin Valley in California, almost 25 percent of my constituents had no healthcare insurance whatsoever, and 17 percent were uninsured. Today, 9 years later, 10 percent of my constituents do not have healthcare insurance, and the ability to provide insurance for those who were underinsured has much improved. Before the ACA, insurers could deny health coverage to many health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or cancer. How many of our families have preexisting conditions in those areas? I submit most of us do. These denials often force families into decisions between paying for a loved one's treatment or keeping the lights on in their house. No family should be faced with such a choice. Protections for preexisting conditions remain one of the popular parts of the ACA. These protections should not be weakened due to partisan politics. Working together in a bipartisan fashion is the only way we are going to get something enacted that will work for all Americans. We can do better for the American people, and we should. That is what the folks in my 16th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley want me to do. They want me to help improve their healthcare. Wildfire Awareness

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to discuss the importance of wildfire awareness. No State knows more about how important the subject is than California. There is no longer a fire season in California. It suffers from fires, sadly, year-round resulting from many factors, including climate change. Just last year California saw the deadliest wildfire in its history. The town of Paradise was decimated with more than 14,000 homes destroyed, and 85 people lost their lives. God bless them and their families. There have been other fires in Santa Barbara, Mendocino, and the Yosemite Rim fire right in my own district's backyard. We need to do more. For the first time in its 110-year history, the Forest Service says they will now dedicate more than half their budget to wildfire suppression efforts, which we have directed as a result of the farm bill last year. To begin with, this requires better managing and caring for our forests. This week, we will vote on an emergency supplemental to help communities affected by wildfires. I ask my colleagues to vote with me and pass this important legislation. Let's do the right thing and help our fellow Americans rebuild their lives and their communities. At the same time, let's be more responsible stewards of our forests. We know how to do it. Let's get started with our States, local governments, and the private sector. Future generations deserve better management of forests throughout our country. I think we can do it if we work together.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Concerned Men Cook on their 25th Anniversary. Since its founding by former Merced County Assistant Superintendent Denard Davis, Concerned Men Cook has provided an opportunity for members of the community to break bread while raising money for scholarship funds for local schools in Merced. As an educator deeply involved in multiple community organizations, Mr. Davis started Concerned Men Cook after participating in the Men's Cook competition in Los Angeles. Using his connections from the multiple organizations he was involved with, Mr. Davis brought together educators, businesses, and community organizations to host a competition to fundraise money for scholarships for Merced County students. Mr. Davis was also a founding member of the Black Businessmen and Black Educators of Merced County and president of an African-American investment group that provided affordable housing to the residents of South Merced. Though he passed away in 2015, the Concerned Men Cook competition is one of many ways his legacy continues to positively impact Merced County. Since its founding 25 years ago, Concerned Men Cook has expanded to consist of five avenues in the competition, all of which are aligned with local men from throughout the community. It is now held on every fourth Sunday of April at the Merced Civic Center and continues to be a successful fundraiser for local scholarship funds. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Concerned Men Cook. It is both fitting and appropriate that we honor them as they celebrate their 25th year. I wish them the best as they continue to bring together members of the community to raise money for our students.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate Madera High School's robotics team for being crowned the world champions. They are the home of the Coyotes, and this hardworking group of 15 students from my district, otherwise known as MadTown Robotics, beat out more than 400 teams not only throughout the country, but throughout the world, in a competition in Houston, Texas, in the last week. They worked long hours on this project, with each student member putting in more than 200 hours, including weekends. The community celebrated their success last weekend with a parade through Madera and a rally at the school gym, which I participated in. I am exceptionally proud of these students, their teachers, and the faculty for their accomplishments. Madera is a wonderful, growing area, which shows that the San Joaquin Valley is not only a world leader in agriculture, but also in innovation, for future generations across our country. Congratulations, Madera High School. Go, Coyotes.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, today I rise to talk about America's healthcare system and the importance of protecting the Affordable Care Act. Residents in my home State of California benefited greatly from the ACA. When it became law in 2010, California was one of the first States to implement it. At that time, 22 percent of my residents had no healthcare insurance whatsoever and 17 percent were uninsured. The ACA greatly decreased that number by less than 10 percent, a big difference, while also providing coverage for those with preexisting conditions, which we all feel strongly about. Now the President wants to strike down those protections and eliminate the last benefits. That is wrong. These repeated attempts to repeal the ACA are irresponsible, especially when there is no real proposal to replace it by the President of the United States or my Republican colleagues. If he succeeds, one in seven people in California will lose their healthcare. That is a fact. Yes, there are improvements that can be made to the Affordable Care Act, and we should address those deficiencies, and that is what I am committed to doing. The Congress and the administration should work together to fix the law and to make it better.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Sikh community in celebrating Vaisakhi. On April 14, Sikhs around the world, including thousands and thousands in California's San Joaquin Valley, will celebrate the Vaisakhi festival. This week, we welcome members of the Congressional Sikh Caucus to the Hill to participate in those celebrations. The festival marks the new year and the beginning of the spring season for the global Sikh community. The date of the Vaisakhi festival has tremendous significance in Sikhism. The festival commemorates the year 1699, when Sikhism emerged as a collective faith in what is now modern-day India. It also celebrates both the birthday of the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and the foundation of the Khalsa Panth, the Sikh brotherhood. Sikhs across the globe celebrate this day with enthusiasm and joy. I know they do in the rich San Joaquin Valley that is home to so many who are farmers, businesspeople, and community leaders. I have the honor to represent them and to celebrate with them. This festival models what all cultures strive for: strong communities coming together to celebrate progress, renew its dedication to helping one another, and peace. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in celebrating this special tradition in the Sikh community. Women Trailblazers

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, every March, we come together to honor trailblazing women who have come before us, who have made a difference throughout the history of our country and throughout the world, and those who continue to pave the way for the next generation, those who have broken the glass ceiling, and those who are role models. The unsung heroines of these courageous pioneering women continue to always make a difference. The role model for me, and one who I must say made the incredible difference, was our mother, Lena Cordoza Costa, a daughter of immigrants, born before the Depression, raised during it, having to quit school as a freshman in high school to help raise her seven siblings because her father had been injured in an agricultural accident. She went on with our father to be--as Tom Brokaw noted--perhaps America's greatest generation, striving with the values of hard work, of teaching us to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves, and values of common sense. As a young boy, learning that, Jim, you know, the truth is the truth, and that you should always never forget those who are less fortunate. After our father passed away, my mother in her mid-70s quietly decided to go back to school and to get her GED. She didn't need to. She was a successful business person; she was an artist, a voracious reader, and a competitive bridge player. And when she got her GED, she told my sister and me. We said, Mom, why didn't you tell us? She says, Well, I wasn't sure I would do well. Our mother did--everything that she did, she did well, and continued to serve as a role model. Later on, the high school in which she had to quit as a freshman, at a 100th anniversary of that high school, asked her to come--with myself--and they presented her her high school diploma. She was so proud of that high school diploma. And today, it sits on my desk. And I show students that you can be whatever you want to be if you have the proper role model and encouragement. It is women who are guiding our Nation towards a more equal future-- like our mother--who make a difference. Today, I am proud to be a Member of the most diverse Congress in the United States' history, with over 102 women in this body, women serving the people's House. We honor their sacrifice, their brilliance, and the strength of their service for our Nation.

Mr. COSTA

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, Mr. Cox, to honor the life of Sardul Singh Sihota, who passed away on March 5, 2019 at the age of 77. Throughout his life, Sardul was known for his contribution to the agriculture industry, his involvement with the Central Valley Sikh American community, and his role in establishing the first Sikh Temple in Selma, California. Sardul was born on May 15, 1941 in Bara Pind, District Jalandhar, India to Assa Singh and Amar Kaur Singh. Sardul immigrated to Yuba City, California in 1961 to start a new chapter in his life and create a prosperous foundation for his family. Having been raised on a farm in India, Sardul moved to Selma, California, where he began to grow raisin grapes and continue his family's tradition of farming. Two years later, Sardul bought his first piece of property in Selma, which his family continues to live on today. As one of the first Sikh Indians to live in Selma in the mid-1960s, Sardul had a desire to help other families immigrate to the Central Valley for a better life. He assisted many families by sharing his knowledge about the immigration process and acclimating to the life in the U.S. As a result, Selma became the new home to thousands of Sikh American families. As the Sikh community continued to grow and flourish, Sardul noticed the lack of temples close by where families could worship, celebrate, and mourn. He worked with his friends to build Selma's first Sikh Temple in 1987. Sardul is survived by his parents, his wife Jitendra, two daughters, Gurdeep Hebert and Harroop, and three sons, Paul, Simon, and Navjot, along with a host of extended family and friends. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that we ask our colleagues to join us in honoring the life of Sardul Singh Sihota and the great legacy that he leaves behind. Sardul will be remembered by his community for his generosity, hard work, and commitment to his friends and family. With all the relationships that he has forged along his journey, his memory will be forever remembered.