Tony Cárdenas

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of California's 29th district, I am proud to honor one of our most distinguished constituents and homegrown heroes, Colonel Gary P. Goldstone of the United States Air Force. On August 6, 2014, Colonel Goldstone is retiring, after an incredible 26 years and 19 days of active duty service. Colonel Goldstone has served our great country with dedication and honor beginning his military career as a candidate in the United States Air Force Officer Training School. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1989. In the time since then, Colonel Goldstone's career epitomizes leadership and selfless service. He has served his country extraordinarily well as a Commander at the Squadron, Group, Wing, and Installation levels of command. During those challenging command tours he deployed into austere conditions in foreign lands to command flying operations in combat and humanitarian missions. Further, Colonel Goldstone has flown all over the world as a command pilot in a variety of aircraft in service to the United States. Colonel Goldstone attended California State University, Northridge, and graduated in 1987. He went on to earn his commission and the coveted Air Force pilot wings of silver at Laughlin Air Force Base Texas in the Smooth and Easy Class of 1990-07. He has nearly 4,000 flying hours (including over 630 hours of combat time) in the following aircraft: T-37, T-38, C-130E/H, EC-130H, EC- 130J, KC-135R/T, C-17A, and C-21A. Colonel Goldstone's career has taken him to foreign lands and harsh living conditions and to the dynamic environment of the Chairman's Joint Staff in the Pentagon, the Headquarters Air Force Staff in the Pentagon, and the Headquarters Air Mobility Command Staff. Additionally, Colonel Goldstone has held key positions on every staff and concludes his career as Chief of the Strategic Planning Integration Division in the Directorate of Strategic Planning. He also serves as Chief of Staff at the Headquarters Air Force Total Force Task Force and the Total Force Continuum. As testament to his exceptional service, Colonel Goldstone's military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Aerial Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Colonel Goldstone's wife of 25 years, Mary Goldstone, has also supported the Air Force mission, actively volunteering and holding a variety of positions primarily with spouse and family support organizations. Notably, she was instrumental in reactivating the 16th Airlift Squadron spouses group while at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. Through her tireless commitment she expanded the group from approximately 30 spouses to 120 spouses by the time the Goldstones departed in June 2004. During this time she helped sponsor numerous morale-building socials, fundraisers, and welcome/farewells. These activities were vital toward promoting unity of effort and support for families, especially when active-duty members were deployed conducting combat operations. During Colonel Goldstone's tour as the Scott Air Force Base Illinois Installation Commander, Mary shined as ``The First Lady of Scott Air Force Base'' by continuing her steadfast work primarily with families and spouses through groups such as Phoenix Spouses, Heartlink, and Newcomer's Orientations for spouses. She also worked closely with the Airman and Family Readiness Center to restart and revitalize various key programs. Colonel and Mrs. Goldstone have two children, Garrett and Danielle. It is with great pride and honor that I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Colonel Gary Goldstone and his family for all of their sacrifice and service, and wish them well in all future endeavors. Colonel Goldstone has set a truly inspiring example of dedication to the defense of freedom, service before self, and what it means to be an Officer and Gentleman.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I will enter into the Record the story of an 18-year-old Mexican boy who was trafficked into the United States and held by the U.S. Marshals Service so he could testify as a material witness to some deaths that he witnessed. Juan Antonio is an 18-year-old Mexican UAC. He fled severe cartel and criminal gang violence in his home town. His uncle, cousin, and several family members were killed before he fled from Mexico. He was trafficked to the US and initially in the US Marshals custody to testify as a material witness before being turned over to ICE and released to ORR because he was a minor.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, Sunday, July 20th, marks the 40th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus. I would like to express my unwavering support for the reunification of Cyprus. Since 1974, Cyprus has been wrought with conflict and tension between the northern Turkish Cypriot population and the southern Greek Cypriot population. This conflict has left Cyprus divided. Although I am encouraged by the recent support shown for Cyprus by my fellow colleagues in Congress and by Vice President Biden, who recently visited Cyprus and helped facilitate dialogue between both sides, only a Cypriot-led resolution can bring lasting peace to the country and region. Cyprus is an important economic and geo-political strategic partner for the United States. With its recent discovery of offshore gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, a stable, unified Cyprus can be an important economic and strategic ally for the United States and neighboring European countries. As such, it is important for the United States to continue to express its support for a re-unified Cyprus. Moving forward, I hope that Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders can peacefully negotiate a just and enduring resolution to this conflict. I know that it won't be simple. I understand that given the situation's complexity, there is no silver bullet to a solution. A sustainable resolution will require patience and a genuine willingness from both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leadership to seek a secure and stable re-unified Cyprus. However, in spite of these difficult realities, I am confident that a peaceful resolution can and will be achieved.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Chairman, I have owned a business and know what it is like to be a job creator in this country, and I am very proud of it. This week, House Democrats introduced our budget alternative, a budget dedicated to the priorities of the American people: creating jobs, raising new ladders of opportunity, and building an economy that works for everyone. It is in stark contrast to the broken priorities of the Ryan budget. The Ryan budget will take $2,000 more in taxes away from American families--that is working class families--without closing one tax loophole for the corporate rich. The Ryan budget is an attack on seniors, students, workers, and middle class families, all for the sake of protecting loopholes for the wealthy and special interests. The budget will have a devastating impact on jobs. Republicans would lay waste to our commitments to education, lifesaving medical research, clean energy, modern infrastructure, and high-tech manufacturing. The Ryan budget will cripple our growth and surrender the future jobs of American kids to other nations like China, India, and Russia. The Ryan budget devastates our middle class. The Ryan budget even rejects comprehensive immigration reform. The Ryan budget denies people the important bipartisan legislation that would create 120,000 American jobs each year for the first 10 years should that legislation be passed and empower small businesses, spur innovation, supercharge the economy, and reduce the deficit by over $900 billion. The Ryan budget is nothing less than a job-killing recipe. Democrats are strengthening the middle class, embracing economic growth, and we want responsible deficit reduction. Comprehensive immigration reform is investing in the future and creating jobs for our future, creating jobs for Americans.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Speaker, this week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office told us that the bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform legislation in this House, H.R. 15, will reduce the deficit by $900 billion over the next 20 years--$200 billion in the first decade alone. In today's economy, immigration reform is a vital lifeblood. By adding 11 million to our workforce here in the United States, our economy will continue driving our recovery. This influx of workers will increase consumption, pushing businesses to grow and hire more employees to meet their new consumers' needs. Thanks to the Congressional Budget Office's report, we are reminded that bringing 11 million hardworking men and women out of the shadows is not simply a moral battle, it is not only an attempt to legalize millions of hardworking people who are already here in our country, it is an opportunity for us to create employment for our fellow Americans. It will supercharge the economy of this great Nation. I think it is important for all of America to understand that comprehensive immigration reform is the best thing that we can do for our economy. The economists have reminded us of that. But, unfortunately, ladies and gentlemen, what stands in the way is a decision by the Speaker of this House to just offer the opportunity to put that bill on this floor so that we as Members of Congress can vote on this legislation. Should it pass, should it fail, that is the objective as to why we are elected to this House--so that we can debate, so that we can deliberate, so that we can help make decisions that move this country forward. All we are asking is that we have the opportunity to vote on the floor of the United States Congress on a bill, an issue, that will unleash this economy, and that is something that I think every American wants to see happen. We have millions of Americans who are out of work. Some have been out of work for years. This comprehensive immigration reform will unleash this economy and create more jobs for American citizens more than anything that this Congress can do today. I think it is incumbent upon every American to urge your congressional Member to vote on comprehensive immigration reform. Should they choose to vote ``no'' or choose to vote ``yes,'' that is the prerogative of that elected official. Unfortunately, the Speaker of this House will not give us that opportunity. Once again, Americans, the best thing that we can do as a country is to get our economy back on track and allow hardworking Americans the opportunity to go back to work, to have the dignity of bringing home a paycheck for them and their families. Comprehensive immigration reform is that answer. The economists have said so. But, unfortunately, some politicians refuse to face reality and refuse to supercharge the American economy. We are just one vote away, one opportunity away, from doing that.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. I thank my good friend from San Antonio, Texas. Congressman Castro, you are absolutely right. To go back away from the Affordable Care Act means to go back to the old system, and the old system is not the good old days. When we are looking at families who are fortunate to even have insurance, their insurance is going up seven to 17 percent, year over year over year. That is unsustainable. People's income does not go up that high, that fast. People's opportunity to find other ways to find that money somewhere else in their budget doesn't go up that fast, so those were not the good old days. Actually, the best days are yet to come. What we have seen 52 times here is an opportunity--or a tried opportunity to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, and by calling it by another name doesn't make it bad. Yes, the rollout could have happened better, but the bottom line is the good days are yet to come. They are here now. The past are not the good old days. I would like to thank you for this opportunity to speak. I think it is important for us to understand that what we are talking about here is high quality affordable health care, which is something that was denied and out of reach for so many seniors and families in my district in the San Fernando Valley and across the country. One in three people in my district were uninsured, but Covered California is giving those people the opportunity to purchase affordable plans that will give them the care they need when they get sick and the preventative services they will need to stay healthy. While the rollout of the Affordable Care Act hasn't been perfect, Covered California has been very successful in providing a simple, straightforward way to enroll. I feel really bad for those States where their State legislatures and their Republican Representatives have denied them the opportunity to experience good affordable health care. I hope that they can catch up. Last week, Covered California announced that they had enrolled over 1 million people through the State-run exchange. That is in California alone. Their critical work has helped hundreds of thousands of California families, seniors, small businesses to gain access to high quality affordable health care that was once denied to them for too long. My staff and I have been working alongside Covered California to help enroll residents in the San Fernando Valley. Over the last few months, I have been hosting a series of successful enrollment workshops for the Affordable Care Act; and as a matter of fact, we will reach 30 events by this weekend. This is where families learn about the options available to them under the new health care law, including learning about insurance policies that can be purchased through the Covered California health insurance exchange, which has been successful in getting folks enrolled. More than 500 families have taken advantage of these workshops just in my district alone. Wow. Can you imagine, Congressman Castro, if every single one of the 435 Congressional Members rolled up their sleeves and helped people get enrolled? That would be millions upon millions of more American families that would be enrolled in affordable health care. In the last week before the deadline, every Representative should take this opportunity to do the same job that we have been able to do in my district. We must help families sign up for the Affordable Health Care Act. The day will come very soon when the truth will overcome the lies that have scared so many people. Billions of dollars have been spent scaring people away from trying to even enroll in the Affordable Care Act. Let me give you an example. I have met with parents who have come to workshops to sign up, and they have anxiety and fear in their eyes; but thank God, just moments later, their fears go away when they find out that they now have affordable, reliable health care. People with mild asthma that were once denied health care can no longer be discriminated against. They are no longer denied health care, and they can breathe easy knowing that they can now see a doctor, and they can actually get the medicines that they need just to breathe. I met with a gentleman who was sitting there with his wife and his daughter, the sole income earner for that family. I don't know how he does it, but with $9 an hour, he manages to feed a family of three; and he was worried that he couldn't afford maybe $30, $40, $50 a month. When the person turned the computer around and showed him what his eligibility was, he almost came to tears, realizing that, once and for all, himself, his wife, and his teenage daughter can now have health care. I will tell you what. This is serious business. America, it is time that you sign up for affordable health care. Just try it. Don't worry; be happy. Sign up for the insurance that you deserve.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of our friend Ernest J. Reyes who passed away recently at the age of 73. Though Mr. Reyes is sorely missed by friends and family, I know his legacy will endure. He had an illustrious career and was a passionate, hard-working advocate. Mr. Reyes, a native of Madera, CA, was dedicated to the California real estate community. He was a licensed broker since 1972, served on the San Diego Real Estate Board, and founded Network Realty, a real estate brokerage firm. He also tapped into his knowledge of the real estate market to help families thrive and realize the American dream of homeownership. He co-founded the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Under his leadership, NAHREP has become ``The Voice for Hispanic Real Estate'' and proud champions of homeownership for the Hispanic community.'' Mr. Reyes was also Chairman of the San Diego Home Loan Counseling Center, a non-profit serving low and moderate-income families through economic literacy education. Additionally, Mr. Reyes was an exceptional public servant. He was a member of the Hollister Elementary School District Board and served as Secretary. And in 1976, the California Senate Rules Committee appointed Mr. Reyes to serve on the Employment Services Board. He was also appointed by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Administrator Karen G. Mills to Chair the Regulatory Fairness Board, Region IX. And notably, Mr. Reyes served on the staff of the Honorable Leon E. Panetta while he was in Congress. I extend my sincerest condolences to his wife of 50 years, Patricia Pedregon Reyes, along with his children, Denise Johnson and Daren Reyes, and his three grandchildren. Mr. Reyes was an inspiration and I know his loss will be felt by many, including the 29th Congressional District.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and legacy of a very positive man, my friend, Ernest J. Reyes, who passed away recently at the age of 73. Though Mr. Reyes is sorely missed by friends and family, I know his legacy will endure. Ernest J. Reyes was a native of Madera, California. He was dedicated to the California real estate community and used his knowledge to help families thrive and realize the American Dream of homeownership. He cofounded the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and advocated for Spanish language services and documents for Hispanic homeownership. Mr. Reyes was also an exceptional public servant, holding various roles throughout his long career. I extend my sincerest condolences to his wife of 50 years, Patricia Pedregon Reyes, along with his children, Denise Johnson and Daren Reyes, and his three grandchildren. Mr. Reyes was an inspiration, and I know his loss will be felt by many, including the 29th Congressional District.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the twenty-sixth anniversary of pogroms against people of Armenian descent in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, and call for long-overdue justice. On February 27th 1988, Sumgait was the scene for organised anti- Armenian violence, leading to the death of more than thirty Armenians, with hundreds more gravely injured. Armenians were attacked and maimed for three days. Despite Baku's 30-minute proximity to Sumgait, police failed to react, allowing the brutality to continue. This brutality took many forms and was well-documented. On May 22nd 1988, The New York Times reported Armenians being ``hunted'' down and gave an account of a pregnant Armenian woman who had been disembowelled so that the unborn baby could be mutilated. Two months earlier, The Washington Post gave accounts of an Armenian skinned alive and a woman being raped and murdered after her breasts were cut off. These atrocities were highlighted by the Members of Congress at the time, who condemned this state-sponsored massacre against Armenian civilians. The failure to act by the Azerbaijani authorities and our failure to compel action has resulted in a tidal wave of animosity towards the Armenians, which manifests itself in several ways. Azerbaijani forces east of Karabagh continue to disregard the ceasefire established after the Karabagh war in 1994. Ramil Safarov, who decapitated an Armenian Lieutenant while he slept during a NATO-sponsored training program in 2004, returned home as a hero and was held up as ``an example of patriotism for the Azerbaijani youth'' by the Commissioner for Human Rights of Azerbaijan, Elmira Suleymanova. All the while, Ilham Aliyev continues his brazen rhetoric; consistently declaring Armenians as the national enemy in an effort to unite the Azeri public. The hatred towards the Armenians is unrelenting, even at the expense of the freedom of their own people. When 75 year old Alcram Ayslisi-- one of Azerbaijan's most celebrated writers--had the temerity to consider the conflict from an unbiased perspective, he was subjected to a witch hunt that would not have looked out of place in medieval Europe. His books were burnt. He was stripped of his national literary awards, and, most worryingly, a high ranking politician had promised $13,000 to anyone who could cut off his ear. I call upon all of my colleagues and fellow Americans to join me in condemning the continued violence and injustice, and continue efforts to ensure that these atrocities never repeat themselves.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. I thank the distinguished member from Colorado. I would like to explain a little bit about why I believe we have the greatest country on the planet. It is because people like my parents with only a first- and second-grade education, without much opportunity in the country that they were born and raised in, started a new life here in the United States of America, which gave me and my brothers and sisters, all 11 of us, more opportunities here in America than we could have had in my parents' home country. Every day I am in this sacred Chamber serving the American people, I count my blessings. I personally know what comprehensive immigration reform can accomplish, not only for 11 million undocumented people who are already our neighbors and friends but for American businesses and the U.S. economy. I mentioned about my mother and father with a first- and second-grade education and how their children got to go to college. We have doctoral degrees and master's degrees and bachelor's degrees. Every single one of our households pays more in taxes today than my parents ever made in gross income in any given year. I point that out because this country was founded on immigrants. It is that immigrant spirit that today is creating more jobs and American-born citizens. This is a country where people are given hope. This is a country where people come from other parts of the world, and they kiss the ground that they have arrived on and they love our country. They love this country. They love what they have made now their country, and they are contributors to what is great about this country, the greatest economy in the world. House Republicans have a choice to make on immigration reform. Are they going to do what is right for Americans, or will they let anti- immigrant Members of this Congress, who absurdly call good students right here in America, the DREAMers, they call them drug mules, will they let these people be the messengers of their party about immigration reform? That is why the Chamber of Commerce and more than 630 business organizations are urging us, Congress, to modernize our broken immigration system. We must create a less cumbersome path to legal immigration. Improving our outdated system will encourage long-term success. Comprehensive immigration reform will attract young foreign workers who will help reduce the deficit by as much as $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years. That improves America. They will help the economy grow by nearly 5 percent over the next 20 years. They will jump-start housing recovery, adding $68 billion every year to our American construction economy. American wages will increase, and legal immigrants will add more than $100 billion in tax revenue to benefit all Americans. Moreover, attracting the best and brightest talent abroad will cement America's competitiveness in the global economy for generations to come. We need to fix this broken immigration system. We need to stop sending these bright Ph.D.'s who come to love America, who get the degrees, and then we just send them home when they want to stay here and create a company that will employ American citizens, create wealth for American citizens right here on our soil. Forty percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Tech giants like Google, eBay, and Intel were founded by first- or second-generation Americans. These pioneering companies employ millions of Americans. Alongside American-born citizens, immigrants have spurred significant innovation and conducted critical research, pushing the United States forward. I urge Congress to tackle the bureaucratic immigration backlog, reunite families, and supercharge the economy for all Americans. Comprehensive immigration reform must happen, and it must be done well, creating a modern system that is fair and efficient for everyone. A comprehensive immigration reform bill will require people who came here undocumented, yes, to pay fines; yes, to learn English; and will secure our borders even more than they are secured today. That is the kind of comprehensive immigration bill that I think every American wants to see happen. Unfortunately, the leadership of this House of Congress is unwilling to put that bill on the floor. That is why I am here today, to urge commonsense action on the floor of the United States Congress so we can do what is best for the economy of the United States of America, and that is to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring to this floor H.R. 3824 to end Republicans' refusal to extend unemployment benefits that protect families in the San Fernando Valley of which I represent. These individuals deserve the right to eat and should not be tossed out on the street and become homeless.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, less than 2 weeks ago, more than 1 million Americans lost access to unemployment insurance benefits. Another 3.5 million will be impacted if Congress doesn't act. American families will lose that tiny amount of money, that small amount of money that keeps food on the table for millions of Americans. Has unemployment decreased? Well, it has decreased a bit. But unfortunately, unemployment is still too high for the people of the San Fernando Valley and many places around our country. Californians have already lost more than $64 million in unemployment income just in this past week. This is unacceptable. We cannot balance the budget on the backs of Americans struggling to buy food for their families; and, unfortunately, the budget that was passed recently did just that. We must act now and pass an unemployment insurance extension bill immediately. We need to continue the opportunity for these millions of American families to be able to put food on the table. That is the America that we grew up in, and that is the America that we have to figure out how to keep going forward. An extension of unemployment insurance occurred under President George W. Bush, continues under President Obama, but this Congress needs to act to make sure we continue now.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the bipartisan Innovation Act, which makes important reforms to the U.S. patent system in order to curb abusive litigation. I have heard from businesses of all sizes and from all industries in my district about the added burden faced by too many companies at the hands of patent assertion entities, or patent trolls. Resources should be better spent on business expansion, on job creation, on the development of new tools or services, or on improved infrastructure instead of being used to pay settlements or even unnecessary licenses. The enactment of the Innovation Act would go a long way towards solving this problem. We must support American innovation, job creation and economic growth. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act. As a former small business owner myself, one of the things that can hinder job growth in any small business or in any community is unnecessary and frivolous lawsuits.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act. This bill will allow businesses of all sizes and in all industries to devote their time and resources to job creation, research and development, and to continue to support the innovation that makes U.S. companies so competitive in our global market. I have heard from businesses and associations in a cross-section of industries asking for the passage of this bill so they can more fully dedicate themselves to building their businesses and the U.S. economy. I have heard for support for H.R. 3309 from the Motion Picture Association of America and movie studios such as 20th Century Fox who are economic drivers in Los Angeles and all across the country. There are other widespread and bipartisan supporters, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Broadcasters, which shows how essential patent reform is for American businesses and all industries. While we can all agree that this is not a perfect bill, its passage will allow our businesses to fuel the U.S. economic recovery rather than battle abusive litigation. I urge my colleagues to support innovation by voting ``yes'' on final passage of the Innovation Act. Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, Washington, DC, November 20, 2013. Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives. Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Goodlatte: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations, and dedicated to promoting, protecting, and defending America's free enterprise system, commends you for advancing the patent litigation reform debate by introducing and moving to markup H.R. 3309, the ``Innovation Act.'' The Chamber strongly supports the protection of legitimate intellectual property rights. The patent system fosters innovations and economic growth across a wide variety of industries. The ability for legitimate patent holders to defend their intellectual property is vital to keeping U.S. businesses strong and competitive--both domestically and globally. At the same time, however, the Chamber is acutely aware of the problems associated with excessive and abusive patent litigation. In too many instances, elements of the plaintiffs' bar leverage the potentially astronomical cost of patent litigation to force abusive and coercive settlements. The Chamber is particularly concerned by the increasing prevalence of third party litigation financing to fund frivolous and abusive patent cases, the increased use of procedural maneuvers designed to further escalate the cost of litigation and force settlements, and the plaintiffs' bar's use of patent demand letters to extract settlements from innocent users and sellers of a product. H.R. 3309 seeks to address these very real patent litigation problems. While the various concerns raised by elements of the business community with H.R. 3309 will need to be addressed through the overall legislative process, the Chamber is pleased that you are moving this legislation forward. The Chamber views this as a positive development and appreciates your work on this important issue. The Chamber looks forward to working with you, your congressional colleagues, and other interested stakeholders as H.R. 3309 moves through the legislative process in order to ensure that demonstrable patent litigation abuses are addressed appropriately, while preserving America's strong tradition of protecting intellectual property rights. Sincerely, R. Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. motion picture and television industry has broad economic benefits in many districts across the Nation. This vibrant industry supported 1.9 million jobs and $104 billion in total wages in 2011. U.S. film exports enjoy a positive trade balance, with a surplus of $12.2 billion recorded in 2011. However, theft of intellectual property threatens our industry's success, and India is a major source of that threat. India accounts for more than half of all illegal movie recordings in the Asia-Pacific region. These pirated copies are sold online and on the black market, not only in India, but around the globe. India's irresponsible policies need to change. They need to pass anticamcording laws. We want to share our onscreen treasures with the world, but we can't stand by and let them be stolen at the expense of the hardworking Americans who bring these films to life.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I want to just explain some facts to my fellow Americans. I want to remind us that immigrants contribute tremendously to our economy as workers, taxpayers, and consumers. But despite their contributions, immigrants face exploitation and significant barriers to advancement in our country. When we look at how important immigrants are to our economy, it comes as no surprise that when we help immigrants succeed, we help our economy succeed. And one of the things I want everybody to remember, as I speak for the next few minutes, is that at any given time in our great Nation's history, somebody in your ancestry was treated less-than. There was a time where if you were of Irish descent, you were treated badly; if you were Russian, you were treated badly; if you were Chinese, you were treated badly; if you were Eastern European, you were treated unfairly. Unfortunately, what we have had in our country are phases where one particular person who looks a certain way--and especially when you think after 9/11--that people are treated differently. And the problem that I have with that is that that is not the America I was born into, and that is not the America that I want to represent, and that is not the America that is going to make this country prosper. Immigrants make up a critical component of the American labor force. Immigrants accounted for nearly one-half of the U.S. labor force growth since the mid-1990s. Immigrants contribute to innovation, business creation, and job creation. Immigrants are more likely than native-born Americans to start their own businesses. Immigrant-owned businesses employed 4.7 million Americans in 2007 alone. In 2011, immigrant businesses were estimated to generate $775 billion in revenue, $125 billion in payroll, and $100 billion in income. Immigrants also help to slow the aging of our labor force and the corresponding economic burdens that come with that. Immigrants make up a critical component of America's agricultural industry, in particular. That is what brought my father to this country. He worked in the fields in the Central Valley of California so that my mother could stay home and raise, eventually, the 11 children that they had together. About 77 percent of the farmworker labor force is foreign-born, like my father, and at least one-half of the farmworkers are undocumented. Farmworker work is one of the most hazardous occupations in our country and in the world, and many of these jobs would go unfilled without immigrant workers. That is another thing that my father wanted for me. He worked in the fields tirelessly. His hands would bleed so that we, Americans, could have fresh fruits and vegetables on our table. But he dreamed that his children, American-born children, could actually go to college and surpass his dreams, as he only had a first grade education in the country that he came from. With the help of immigrant farmworkers in America, the value of U.S. agricultural exports rose 2.5 times between 1989 and 2009, and exports of high-value agricultural products, including fruits and vegetables, more than tripled. America, it is really important for us to understand, when we don't welcome those hardworking immigrants to be part of our integrated workforce, what happens is that places like Argentina, who would love to compete with us, they laugh at us, and they say, We will sell you our products. We will sell you our oranges and vegetables. They are pretty good, but they are not American-made. Immigrants contribute to our economy through taxes. The State and local taxes paid in 2010 alone by households headed by undocumented immigrants was over $11 billion. And this is according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Undocumented immigrants contributed as much as $13 billion in payroll taxes to the Social Security program in 2010 but only took $1 billion in benefits, creating a net positive effect on our Social Security system that benefits Americans, and this is according to the Social Security Administration. Despite their contributions, immigrants face exploitation and significant barriers to advancement; and again, that is not the America we should feel proud of. We have an opportunity to pass comprehensive immigration reform in this great country on this floor. All we need is the opportunity to put a bill up for a vote. And I believe that the majority of Members of this House will do the righteous thing, the right thing, and welcome those immigrants and integrate them into our system; and we will see the economy of the United States of America flourish once again like we all want it to, like we hope it should, and how we all deserve to see happen. For example, immigrants of legal status earn 10 percent more than those who are undocumented, again, boosting the economy. Comprehensive immigration reform would allow immigrant students--DREAMers, as some of us call them--to gain a greater earning boost as more are able to attend college and become productive members of our labor force. Comprehensive labor reform would allow undocumented entrepreneurs the ability to expand their businesses and hire American citizens. When we look at how important immigrants are to our economy, it comes as no surprise that when we help immigrants succeed, America succeeds. Our country is built on the backs of immigrants from Europe, from Africa, from the Americas, from Canada, from every part of this world. We are the country where dreams come true. We are the country where freedom rings true. But right now, 11 million human beings do not enjoy those freedoms, yet they are here toiling, working, and we are benefiting from that. And that is a shame. We are better than that, America. We deserve an opportunity to see this legislative body vote on comprehensive immigration reform. And I will say it once again: If we don't do it because it is just the right thing to do, let's do it for the selfish reason that it will boost the economy of the United States of America more than we have seen in over 50 years.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Thank you very much for bringing together this important discussion on this floor of our Nation's Capitol. I think it is really important, Madam Speaker, for us to remind ourselves that the only thing that is stopping comprehensive immigration reform is the fact that, Madam Speaker, the leadership of this House is unwilling to allow the vote to take place. Today I am proud to join my colleagues to talk about the need for immigration reform but, more importantly, the cost America bears as Congress does nothing. We were sent to Washington to solve our Nation's problems, but Republican leadership has announced we are done and will not take up immigration reform this year. Madam Speaker, it is November 13. We are not done. We have 6 more weeks to work, just like all Americans. Why don't we just continue doing our job? Members of our Armed Forces don't get the liberty to say when they are done. There are no vacations or timeouts for them. They proudly wear the U.S. flag on their shoulder and continue to protect our freedoms, even when the leadership in our Congress decides that they no longer want to work. As of June 2009, for example, there were over 114,000 foreign-born individuals in our United States armed services serving our country. Over 95,000 of those individuals were naturalized U.S. citizens. They were not born in this country, but they went through the process of becoming citizens and serve our country proudly. More than 10,000 of those servicemembers are not U.S.-born citizens. They stand on the front lines because they believe in what America stands for. Let's get to work, pass comprehensive immigration reform, and earn the honor of their service and their sacrifice. Every day we await action on a comprehensive immigration reform bill, millions of dollars in potential revenue is lost to Americans in our country. Our farms do not have a stable workforce. Far too many high- tech companies are short the workers they need to continue to innovate and grow American jobs. Our schools attract the best and the brightest from around the world, but when they get their degrees and want to stay in this great country, they are sent away, not allowed to start businesses and hire American citizens. In all, the full economic potential of undocumented immigrants as workers, taxpayers, consumers, and entrepreneurs is being lost because they are unable to earn legal status. And when we grow the American economy, we create more jobs for Americans. As many in Congress continue to deny the pressing need for comprehensive immigration reform, the broken U.S. immigration system continues to tear families apart, while simultaneously draining the Federal budget and robbing our American economy. Talking about comprehensive immigration reform is not enough. It is time for Democrats and Republicans to vote together on this floor and pass a solution that will serve all of America. The time for reform is now. The system is broken, and fixing it in an intelligent, bipartisan way is something that a majority of Americans want. Americans understand that deportation, or even self-deportation, is not an option. They support a pathway to citizenship. Even more support a pathway to legal residency. The American people want this solution. With the introduction of H.R. 15 in our House, a bipartisan bill for comprehensive immigration reform, we have reached a significant milestone for commonsense immigration reform. The bill is practical and fair and holds everyone accountable. The bill strengthens the border, strengthens the economy, and provides a pathway to citizenship for people who have lived, worked, and raised their families right here in the United States of America. We cannot wait any longer. It is time for Speaker Boehner to bring a comprehensive immigration reform bill to the floor of this House and let the will of the American people have its way. America deserves a solution. We are ready for a vote. It is time that our House do the will of the people, that we have a comprehensive immigration reform bill come to this floor and allow Republicans and Democrats to vote their conscience and pass that bill.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. I thank my colleague for yielding me this time, and thank you for putting this opportunity together, Congressman Takano. It is a great opportunity to speak here today. I would like to speak to what this is costing my district, and this is just a microcosm of what this Republican shutdown is costing all districts in America, all communities in the United States of America. Recently, some of my colleagues here in the House have chosen to harm America, harm American families, seniors, veterans, and businesses across the country. They have refused to do their job of providing a budget for America, a budget which would simply pay our Nation's bills. Ladies and gentlemen, this is something every family in America has to do. We must pass a reasonable budget. We must reopen our government. Every day we sit on the sidelines, American families and businesses are losing. They are suffering. There is $300 million in economic loss every day. That is $300 million a day, poof, gone. When I am at home talking to the people I am proud to represent, their number one concern is creating well-paying American jobs. This Republican shutdown demonstrates how out of touch the party is with the needs of working-class families who are focused on feeding their families and making ends meet. This Republican shutdown hurts America. In my district alone, the shutdown has stalled the completion of a major project for the Mission City Community Network, a health network that provides medical, dental, and mental health services. Once construction is completed--eventually--they will be able to help 10,000 patients a year going forward. However, this program is stalled because Republicans refuse to allow a vote on a budget. Congress needs to stop the fighting and should focus on growing our economy. The uncertainty about how long the shutdown will last is crippling our economy. The possibility of defaulting on America's bills is having a serious and negative impact on our position as the greatest country in the world. It is important for the government to provide stability and security for the people and businesses in our country, and the world is watching us. This shutdown has sent 800,000 Americans home, telling them don't go to work. For example, in my district, I have a Federal building where hundreds of Americans work every single day serving my community. I went to that building just a few days ago, and it is closed down. The only person that I found working there now is one security guard. American families cannot afford to wait on Republicans who are holding the Nation's economy hostage. For example, even children are affected. Head Start programs in my district are wondering how long they are going to be able to keep their doors open before they turn those children away. Every time we say that those 800,000 people are not going to work, those government workers, just ask the corner grocery store, the restaurants how they feel about this shutdown. It is affecting everybody, public and private businesses alike. I want to bring to your attention that it was just reported to me that the districts around Los Angeles, including the one that I represent, that every day the average amount of money that is lent to small businesses is $360,000 in loans a day from the Small Business Administration. That is more than $7.5 million per month. Last year in our district, more than $84 million in loans were approved. That is the equivalent of 2,400 new jobs last year. That is good government at work. However, now that the Republican shutdown is in full force and in place, zero dollars are being lent out through the SBA in my district. That means zero new jobs every single day that the Republican shutdown is in place. I am very proud to say that I grew up in a family where my mother and father made ends meet to raise us 11 American citizens, and I am very proud that they raised us in a nice, clean, good environment. I have brothers and sisters who have gone to college to get their doctorate degrees, master's degrees, bachelor's degrees; and I am very proud to say I worked with my engineering degree for a while, but then I decided to strike out on my own and run my own business. I know what it is like when a business is trying to grow. And when you don't have access to capital, you don't grow; if you don't grow, you don't create new jobs. I just wanted to make sure that people understand what it means when the Federal SBA stops lending money. When they stop lending money, new jobs stop in communities throughout America. House Republicans must allow us to do the one thing Americans want more than anything else from our Congress, and that is to let us pay our bills, let us act responsibly, and let us put Americans back to work. It is simply that, ladies and gentlemen. Let's get back to work in this Congress. Let's get this government back to work. Let's reinvigorate an economy that was barely starting to get back on its feet but has been shut down.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first thank Congresswoman Sinema for bringing us together so we can speak for at least an hour on this very critical and important issue of supporting our veterans now that they're home. This is something that I shouldn't have to talk about. This is something that none of us should have to bring up, but here we are. Too many of our veterans are taking their own lives. Our soldiers and veterans, who are all volunteers, should not be killing themselves. Too many are, and it is at an epidemic rate. This is entirely unacceptable. While veteran suicide is frequently reported in the press and focused on by the VA, it is rarely mentioned that last year 349 Active Duty service men and women killed themselves. That is more Active Duty deaths by suicide than in all combat deaths combined during the same year, 2012, including the deaths in Afghanistan. Alongside our Active Duty forces, nearly two dozen veterans kill themselves every day. That is almost one every hour. That number is going up, not down. A survey by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America showed that 30 percent of servicemembers have considered taking their own life, and 45 percent said they know an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran who has attempted suicide. The Department of Veterans Affairs has devoted some resources to this effort, but more can be done, and it starts right here in Congress. We fund the VA; the VA does not fund itself. It is important that we let military families of those who have experienced these tragedies know that their experiences matter. We need to provide resources, real support for our veterans and their families. We owe this to the men and women who kept their promise to protect and serve our Nation, because we now know and we can see that constant mobilization and combat does not just impact our Nation as a whole, but it forever impacts our men and women to whom we owe so much. This Suicide Prevention Month, let us make a true effort to provide mental health support for our veterans and their families. Over $1 trillion has been provided and spent on two wars over the last decade, yet we have dedicated too little--very little--to help our veterans when they return home. A trillion dollars sounds like a lot of money. Almost one veteran an hour in this country takes his or her life. What's that price, ladies and gentlemen? What's that value? I believe that we have a backwards system in our country where we can pop off $25 billion, $50 billion, $100 billion, and it keeps going and going and going, and we're creating more and more veterans who come back and who love their country. They would like to come back and feel normal, but they don't feel right. Because of that, they take their life. We should be ashamed of ourselves because we have the answers, we know the answers, and one of those answers is for Congress to dedicate more money to our veterans so that when they come home they won't take their life. We have the answers, ladies and gentlemen, but we're not willing to heed the call. We need to do so. Perhaps what we should consider doing in these Chambers from now on is, every time we spend a dollar to go to war, maybe we should dedicate $1 for our veterans when they come back. Fair enough? We lose count of the money we send to war. But we count every penny that we send to the VA. And we squeeze them, and we tell them there's no more. There's always more money for war, for some reason. Somehow, there's always more money for war, regardless of what the economy is, regardless of how much revenue we have. There's always more money for war. But there's never enough money for us to dedicate to the veterans who need us, who didn't question us, who we--we helped them change their lives forever. And for some, they took their life once they came back home and realized that we are not there for them. I hope that we're all listening, Mr. Speaker. I hope that we're all listening. And I thank you, Congresswoman Sinema, for this opportunity.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to be here on the floor to speak to America and those around the world who watch and understand all that we try to do in this Congress. It gives me great pleasure and honor to speak tonight about a very important issue that faces America but is just as important to people from all over the world. The United States of America is the country where dreams come true. It's not hard to see that citizenship is a cornerstone of that American Dream. We're a Nation of immigrants--and immigration remains one of the great strengths of our great Nation. Yesterday, we celebrated Citizenship Day and were reminded of the important contributions immigrants have made to America--immigrants from all over the world. As Congress continues to delay the passage of comprehensive immigration reform, we're again reminded that the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship is essential to ensuring that all immigrants are able to fully contribute to our economy, workforce, and to our communities. One of the major reasons that we have so many undocumented workers in this great Nation is because our legal immigration system is broken. We should work as hard as possible to ensure that hardworking men and women who simply want to live the American Dream can do so--and that they can do so as American citizens. What happens when immigrants are able to become citizens rather than just seeing their immigration status legalized? The answer is simple. We--all of us in America--will have a stronger and more integrated Nation, a stronger economy, and stronger communities. The economic benefits of citizenship are undeniable. Research shows failure to include a path to citizenship would have significant economic costs in terms of lost opportunity for growth, earnings, tax revenues, and jobs for Americans. Providing only legal status with no pathway to citizenship would result in $568 billion less in national productivity and $321 billion less in total income, 820,000 fewer total jobs would be created, and Federal and State governments would lose out on $75 billion in additional tax revenue, according to outside estimates. Refusing immigrants the opportunity to become U.S. citizens hurts America. It hurts Americans as well. It hurts our economic interests as a country. I want to fix our immigration system and to give those who are willing to work hard for this Nation and sacrifice of themselves an opportunity to do so as Americans. This is why I will continue to work with Democrats, Republicans, and anyone willing to listen to pass an immigration reform bill that is comprehensive and includes a path to citizenship. At this time, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce Congressman Steny Hoyer, the minority whip from Maryland. Maryland is one of the earliest States where immigrants landed. Even your State, Congressman Hoyer, has a flag that represents those immigrants and their contributions to Maryland; correct?

Mr. CARDENAS. Thank you very much, Congressman Hoyer. I appreciate those eloquent words and also the fact that you pointed out that you are definitely a proud American, yet at the same time you are proud to say that you're the son of immigrants. That's a beautiful thing for us to welcome and embrace in this country. I hope and pray that we do, in fact, pass comprehensive immigration reform and pass it soon. So thank you so much for your leadership. Next, Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite to share a few words with all of us my colleague, Marc Veasey, from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area. Congressman Veasey, I know Texas is a State of proud patriots, and they must have been very proud when we read from the Constitution earlier this year at the beginning of our session. That document is the basis of a lot of what makes our country so appealing to those people from all over the world who want to come here and contribute to this great Nation; isn't it?

Mr. CARDENAS. Why don't you tell us a little bit about what being a citizen is like and what it means to you and the folks in your district, many of whom protect and defend our great Nation.

Mr. CARDENAS. Thank you very much, Congressman Veasey. Thank you for sharing those words with all of us. Mr. Speaker, next I would like to introduce Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona. She knows what dreams are made of and what it takes to be a participant in making those dreams come true.

Mr. CARDENAS. Thank you very much, Congresswoman Sinema. Next, I would like to invite to share a few words with all of us Congressman O'Rourke from Texas. Congressman, a lot of us have talked about citizenship and what it means when you raise your hand and swear allegiance to this country, and the many ways that immigrants have contributed to our great Nation. But for you I think it touches a little closer to home. I've heard there's a new American citizen in your district who has made a major contribution to your congressional office. Can you share with us that story?

Mr. CARDENAS. Thank you very much, Congressman O'Rourke. We appreciate the opportunity to hear a perspective from your part of Texas and our great country. Next, I would like to welcome and talk a little bit with Congressman Bill Foster of Illinois, a little bit right now. Congressman Foster, part of the American Dream is owning a home. I, myself, was a real estate broker before getting involved in elected office, and I know that it's tough for those people who want to own a home if they don't have their documentation in order or their citizenship in order. We have a lot of vacant homes around the country, and I know we have some in your district and in my district. Do you think that more American citizens working hard and contributing to our economy would help our home-buying market?