Tony Cárdenas

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and friend for yielding the time, and also for her leadership, my colleague, Ms. Schakowsky. And also to my colleague, Congressman Kinzinger, I thank him for introducing this legislation. It is my honor to work with the gentleman, and especially across the aisle on something that we all agree on and realize that this is something that we need to take responsible steps in harnessing here in this country when it comes to the issue at hand. Today, financial service companies are undergoing another profound era of change. In the United States alone, there are 85 million millennials, a generation considerably more open to nontraditional financial services than past generations. This is almost the same amount of Americans who have little or no relationship with a bank. That means no checking or savings account for those people. We also know that there are more than 1 billion smartphones worldwide, with more than 200 million in the U.S. alone. People today have 24-hours-a-day mobile access to financial services providers, regardless of how far they are from the nearest bank branch. The fintech revolution can bridge the gap between those who are banked and those who are not. Anyone with a cell phone should also be able to save, invest, transfer, and improve their financial experience safely. For example, our society has an unprecedented amount of choices when purchasing or selling products in person and/or online. Blockchain technology, the system behind bitcoin has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the way we think of not just currency exchanges but also health care, energy, and intellectual property. Of course, every new system must incorporate safeguards against those who want to take advantage of it. Finding the balance between the development of new technology and the protection of our personal information is not only necessary but critical. That is why Representative Kinzinger and I introduced H. Res. 835, the bipartisan financial technology resolution. It is time Congress recognizes and encourages innovation, while setting the tone for security and transparency. This resolution underscores fintech's ability to improve a consumer's experience when it comes to managing their finances online. It also states that fintech could help increase financial literacy rates across the U.S. by creating new opportunities for the nearly 25 million households in the United States that are still unbanked. Let it be known: identity theft is a real concern for all Americans at all levels. But the good news is that many within fintech are committed to improving security through increased transparency and verifiable trust mechanisms. Not only does fintech give small businesses and consumers an alternative way to bank, it also offers the possibility of a safer, more convenient financial experience while creating U.S. jobs. Seeing as the United States is the world leader in software development and technology, it is in our best interest to develop a national policy. We must drive innovation, boost economic growth, and ensure the protection of every American's personal information. Fintech not only makes products and services more accessible to the consumer, but it can also make these services more affordable. It is needless to say that fintech has great potential in our future. We need to do what we have to, as government, to unleash the creativity, convenience, but more importantly, its responsible and safe environment for these technologies, all the while, seeing to it that we stay out of the way of getting in the way of the billions and eventually trillions of dollars that will be manifested through this new industry; and that means, jobs, jobs, jobs right here in America. If we don't harness this policy, if we don't work with the industries, if we don't do our job as making sure that we set the tone, not only for this country but for the world, we may find ourselves missing out on this tremendous opportunity on behalf of the American public and the American worker. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 835, the bipartisan fintech bill.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, in the United States, the Zika virus is spreading faster and infecting more people every single day. We are staring down the barrel of a new Flint water crisis, yet we fail to act because we are arguing over a price tag while Americans are truly paying the price every day. The March of Dimes estimates that the cost of treating one child with microcephaly may be more than $10 million over that person's lifetime. Right now, according to the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, over 14,000 people have been infected with the Zika virus right here in the United States so far, and 20 babies have already been born with birth defects. Like Flint, the longer we wait, the more this will cost the American public. Congress must act immediately. We must get ahead of this epidemic and slow the threat of the Zika virus across the United States. Whether you are White, Black, man, woman, a doctor, or a child, the virus does not discriminate. No one is immune.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it fills me with great pride to congratulate Yoli D. Ortega Hernandez, Anne J. Bana, Andrea Cardoza, Luis E. Maya, Marisol Ahumada, and Tamara M. Herrador from James Monroe High School in my district. I want to congratulate them for participating in the National Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB). The James Monroe High School team participated at the championship competition here in Washington, D.C., last month. During the two fast- paced preliminary rounds, the Vikings Cadets were tested on their knowledge of current events, leadership values, and leadership skills. More than 1,370 Army JROTC teams competed from around the world, with James Monroe's cadets earning top scores. James Monroe's JROTC team is one of only forty Leadership Bowl teams in the nation to advance to the National Leadership and Academic Bowl. It is thrilling to see the promising young men and women from our very own San Fernando Valley schools come to the table with such great talent. You should all be proud of yourselves for making it this far; it is a huge accomplishment. Congratulations, Vikings!

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Spectrolab, located in Sylmar. Spectrolab was founded in 1956 by Mr. Alfred E. Mann, a noted entrepreneur, inventor, and philanthropist. Spectrolab is the world's leading manufacturer of solar cells and solar panels for space. Having manufactured more than 6.5 million solar cells, Spectrolab has powered more than 600 satellites and exploration vehicles. The technology and products developed by Spectrolab have been a part of our nation's first ventures into space, including Pioneer 1 in 1958 and Explorer 6 in 1959. Its solar panels were placed on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. In 2004, Spectrolab received NASA's George M. Low Award for Supplier Quality and Excellence and had multi-junction cells inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame by the United States Space Foundation. Spectrolab's solar cells power the International Space Station, the largest spacecraft in orbit. They recently set a new record with its advanced solar cells, powering Juno, NASA's interplanetary probe, on a mission to Jupiter. With more than 80 percent of all law enforcement aircraft and helicopters in the United States using Spectrolab's Nightsun searchlights, this Sylmar Company has also made a difference in cities across the country. Spectrolab's contributions to the San Fernando Valley and the space industry are truly commendable. I applaud the record of unparalleled accomplishments in space exploration, illumination, and solar cell technology and satellite development.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to try to do justice to a beautiful poem that won a national contest by Eliana Jaffee. And the contest is ``Why I'm Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants.'' And Eliana Jaffe's poem is ``Why We're Here.'' ``That morning when the sun had risen, my shores, my seas, my hopes freed from prison, the poor, the rich, and all the forgiven came to me. ``Go, ask that girl to compare, a life of despair to a breath of free air, ask her: Why are you here, not somewhere over there? ``She'd say to you, that long ago, her ancestors came here, through hail, sleet and snow. Sunrise and sunset, they stayed there until the end, and when my job was finished, their hearts all had mends. ``I have been many things, and most are quite clear, a haven, a refuge that people hold dear. ``These waters of mine, so brilliant, so light, with hopes of tomorrow, a future, so bright. Coming from places of sadness and fear, I open my arms, and welcome them here.'' By Eliana Jaffee, a fifth grader at the Pardes Jewish School in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. I appreciate the opportunity to speak. Mr. Chairman, I stand to strongly oppose this amendment. This amendment would block Federal rules aimed at protecting wolves, wolverines, black bears, grizzly bears, and lynx from some of the most egregious hunting and killing methods. These methods include shooting defenseless, swimming caribou from motorboats; using airplanes to scout and shoot grizzly bears; luring grizzlies with rotting meat and pet food to get a point-blank kill; killing wolf, black bear, and coyote mothers and their dependent pups and cubs at their dens; and the trapping of grizzly and black bears with steel-jawed leg-hold traps and wire snares. These methods are inhumane and contrary to our values here in this great country. We should support the scientists, rangers, and wildlife managers in the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service in their efforts to maintain healthy ecosystems. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' and strike this poison pill rider from this bill. These are egregious things that we should not tolerate, and we should not codify them in law.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, once again, we are on this floor, many of us just asking--just asking--Congress to do its job, just asking Congress to act. Just a few minutes ago, an American woman was standing right here on the steps of our Capitol--your Capitol, America--and she was talking about how she has never talked publicly about the incident that took her 10-year-old daughter's life, about a man who should not have been able to buy a gun. He went online and bought a 9-millimeter handgun. He came to her home, broke into the backdoor and said that he was going to kill her. She ran for her 10-year-old daughter to flee from this man, and in the process, she was shot, and so was her daughter. She told the gruesome story about how her daughter died in her arms--her 10-year-old little girl. But, ladies and gentlemen, that is the story of 32,000 families every year in our great Nation. Many of you may be thinking: Well, I live in a small town somewhere where everybody knows each other; that is not going to happen. I am sorry. It happens everywhere. Some people might think: Well, that just happens in the big cities like Chicago. I am sorry, ladies and gentlemen, it happens in every ZIP Code around the country. We are less safe today, ladies and gentlemen, than we have ever been in America. Today, there are more weapons--firearms--in America than there are people. More than 320 million Americans live in our great Nation, and there are more than 320 million guns across America. There are reasons why we are less safe today than we have ever been before in America, and it is not because of terrorists. It is because Congress refuses to act. Let me give you an example. In 1996, the United States Congress banned the Centers for Disease Control from studying gun violence and also said that you will not--you shall not--give our best minds in our greatest universities the grants they would need to actually find out why are so many people dying. What are the reasons why that is happening? So Congress refuses to be informed. Congress literally, on this issue, has chosen to remain ignorant on purpose, and that contributes to 10-year-old little girls who die because a man went online and bought a gun and there were no background checks. Most Americans believe that, for God's sake, a background check is sensible. Why not? But yet Congress refuses to have a vote on the floor of this House so that we could debate that issue and then vote it up or down. Every Member of this House who runs for office utters the words, ``public safety is my number one issue.'' I do, and so does every person who runs for office. Every person who gets elected to this House of Congress gets elected for a 2-year term. That means that, in the time that we get sworn in on the floor of this prestigious House, by the time we run for office--and if we are fortunate enough to get elected again--more than 60,000 Americans will die due to gun violence in those 2 years. That doesn't make sense. I would hope and think that we are electing people to do sensible things, to do things the right way, and to do things that are right for America that will keep us safe. All we are asking for, ladies and gentlemen, is to have a vote on sensible laws that would help keep our streets safer. I announced on this floor that I am now a grandfather. It is such a beautiful feeling. But in my lifetime, my children's lifetime, and now in my grandson's lifetime, our streets are not safer. Ladies and gentlemen, let's demand that our Speaker allow a vote on sensible gun legislation in this House.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I am beyond heartbroken from the circumstances of Orlando. I mourn with my fellow Americans the 50 lives lost, 53 people maimed and damaged by this preventable tragedy. 32,000 American lives are lost each year from gun violence. Every elected congressional Member has promised America that the safety of the people is what we or she or he will work on. We as a Congress do nothing to make our country safer. Why? Because you, Mr. Speaker, refuse to consider any legislation tied to gun violence. Why won't you allow a hearing, a committee discussion on the issue of gun violence? My moment of silence resolution is waiting for your signature. It would require this House of Congress to hold a hearing on the tragedy in Orlando. It is time to act. The people are waiting on us to do our job.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honor the life and legacy of Helen Chavez, who passed away on Monday, June 6, 2016. Helen was a civil rights icon in her own right, and the widow of one of my heroes, Cesar Chavez. Throughout her life, Helen Chavez faced many challenges, yet she had a fierce determination and always kept moving forward. When she was just 12 years old, Helen's father passed away. In order to help her mother support her five siblings, Helen began working in the California fields. Later, Helen went on to meet the love of her life, Cesar, and became a caring mother to their eight children in East Los Angeles. However, it was her passion for Cesar's initiative to bring justice to farm workers that inspired her to return to Delano to work in the fields. Helen devoted her life to civil rights by bringing awareness to the cause. She inspired people to join the initiative to fight for farmworker rights. Helen and Cesar formed the United Farmworkers Union where Helen worked tirelessly running the credit union put in place for the workers. And when times were tough, Helen did not back down. She turned to her faith for words of encouragement. She never gave up. With Helen's encouragement and unconditional support, Cesar went on to inspire a labor movement of farmworkers that would go on to level the playing field in the conflict over the right to form a union. This led to the most powerful and significant alliance between unions and communities in the modern day labor movement. It is clear that Helen was more than a mother and a wife. She had an essential part in the accomplishments of her husband. Helen Chavez is one of this country's greatest advocates. She helped bring human rights to the forefront. Her quiet resiliency drove the heart of this movement. As the son of farmworkers from the Central Valley, her work and Cesar's initiative have made it possible for me to become a Congressman. The outcome of my life and the lives of millions of Americans who come from farmworkers and families in the labor industry are forever changed because of their fearless pursuit of justice. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the life of Helen Chavez. Her legacy is a testament to the greatness that is these United States of America.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Speaker, at what point do we stop playing games with women's health? Zika is becoming an epidemic, and American women across the country are helplessly watching as Congress refuses to act. Every day this disease spreads faster and impacts more men, women, and especially newborn babies. It is unbelievable that so far the best response to stop the spread of this dangerous infection is to tell American women: Don't get pregnant. That is unacceptable. We can do better. Have Republicans learned nothing from the response of the Flint water crisis, where they focused on the price tag instead of on protecting Michigan's children from getting lead poisoning? We cannot wait one more minute for Congress to act. We must do something now to prevent further spreading of the Zika virus. I am outraged we do not have a solution to something that can hurt an entire generation of our children. Because of Zika's serious debilitating impacts, Americans are afraid to travel, Americans are afraid to go outside, and Americans are now terrified to grow their families. I urge leadership to schedule a vote on H.R. 3299. This bill incentivizes the development of a vaccine to protect us from this disease.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, Norma and I became grandparents. Our daughter, Vanessa--with our son-in-law, Brian, present--delivered a healthy baby boy, full of life and full of possibilities. His name is Joaquin Cruz de la Rosa. From the moment I first learned I would soon be a grandfather, I was excited to welcome our grandson into this great world. I am grateful that Joaquin was born in the greatest nation in the history of time, these United States of America, a country that strives to live the principles of hard work, persistence, and equality. He was born to a nation of native Americans and immigrants whose foundation and future relies on the grit and determination of millions of people who will persist so their family can achieve that American Dream. We were elected to the House of Representatives to serve all of our constituents and put our country first. Joaquin's arrival has encouraged me to reflect on what we do here. He has made me think about how Congress' words, actions, and obstructions are affecting the livelihood of all Americans. I want Joaquin to live in a nation where his right to love whomever he chooses and to marry the person he falls in love with, regardless of gender, is respected. I am grateful that he was born healthy and in a safe, clean hospital full of skilled doctors, nurses, and technicians. I am also grateful Vanessa and Joaquin Cruz received top notch health care, care that until recently was out of reach for many families. The Affordable Care Act has allowed countless pregnant women and newborn infants to see a doctor without risking bankruptcy. This sets them on the path of a healthy, productive life here in America. Now that 20 million more Americans have true access to health care, Congress must stop the efforts to repeal the healthcare law. Instead, we must come together to make sure we expand access, ensure the marketplace is working, and keep health care affordable for all Americans in this great country. Every Member of Congress has a responsibility to the next generation and the one after that. We are responsible for their future. We face a short 12-week session in this 114th Congress. What will we accomplish during this time? Will we vote on partisan bills that will go nowhere? Or will we face the challenges affecting our Nation and the world? Or will we, once and for all, think of the children and ensure future generations inherit a nation that remains the global leader, full of opportunities? We hold the power to make things better for our kids and grandkids. For my grandson, and all grandchildren, I will fight for a future where a quality education doesn't put students and families into 6-figure debt. Every child deserves a world-class education that provides them with the knowledge and skills to achieve their dreams and uphold our place as a global leader in innovation. For my grandson and grandchildren of his generation, I will continue to be a vocal advocate on the need to create a just and equal criminal and juvenile justice system that is worthy of our Nation. We spend $12,000 to educate a child in America, but we are willing to spend more than $150,000 to imprison that child for 1 year. And yet every year funding for education ends up on the chopping block. How can we justify that? My grandson was born into a great country, but sometimes, Mr. Speaker, this Congress does not live up to the potential that this Nation deserves. A child in the United States is less likely to die from a disease than from a gunshot. We are better than that, Mr. Speaker. It is our responsibility to address this reality. We must work together for my grandson and all the children of his generation to make sure our parks are greener, our air is cleaner, to cure the sickness that is taking our climate, to make sure that a father or mother, no matter what their economic circumstances, does not have to worry that their child's bathwater is poisoned. This is our job. It is our job to be leaders, and I will work with my colleagues every day to live up to what our grandchildren deserve. Far too often I hear elected officials spew the same line: ``We are mortgaging our children's future.'' Our parents and grandparents invested in our Nation, and we have reaped those benefits. It is time that we do the same for future generations. That is what has made us the greatest economy in the world: investing in our roads and bridges, investing in schools and hospitals, in forward-thinking legislation that will serve others for generations to come. Now more than ever, I understand just how important it is that we work together and create solutions so that our children will live a better life.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I rise to honor the life of a much loved community and spiritual leader, Apostle William T. Broadous, who passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at the age of 71. Apostle William T. Broadous was born on December 1, 1944 in Portland, Oregon to Dr. Hillery T. and Rosa L. Broadous, who founded Calvary Baptist Church in Pacoima in 1955. Apostle Broadous overcame challenges throughout his life, defying the odds, going on to found schools, lead missionary trips to Africa, and be a voice for the community. Apostle Broadous continued the strong family tradition of social justice, service and commitment to Pacoima and the San Fernando Valley. He was a strong supporter of community empowerment programs such as the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the NAACP and the Boys and Girls Club, as well as the Alicia Broadous-Duncan Senior Center in Pacoima. After going to school at Bishop College in Dallas, TX, and spending nine years as the Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church and director of several community centers, Apostle Broadous returned to the Valley. Upon his return, he joined his father at Calvary Baptist Church and embraced his new role as Pastor after his father's passing in 1982. Apostle Broadous dedicated his life to his community and his congregation, preaching at Calvary Baptist Church up until the day of his passing. Apostle Broadous will be sorely missed in the San Fernando Valley. He is survived by his wife, Pastor Gloria L. Broadous, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and siblings, nieces and nephews. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Apostle William T. Broadous. Although Apostle Broadous is no longer with us in person, his legacy will continue for generations to come.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, last night we voted on the National Defense Authorization Act, and today we voted on a military construction and Veterans Affairs bill. Both contain provisions that are harmful to immigrants and America. I proposed two amendments to the NDAA, and I am disappointed that they were not given a chance to be voted on. The NDAA bill that passed prohibits the use of unused military grounds to house unaccompanied immigrant children while their asylum case is being processed. My amendment would have allowed the Office of Refugee Resettlement to increase its shelter capacity by temporarily housing unaccompanied children in unused DOD facilities. I also offered an amendment that would guarantee DACA recipients with in-demand skills to enlist in our military through the MAVNI program for as long as the program exists. To deny brave and dedicated men and women the opportunity to defend this great Nation is just un-American.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, today is a day that is a very emotional day for my family and me. Many years ago, there was a beautiful young woman who grew up in Pacoima. She was the daughter of immigrants, and I was lucky enough to meet her and lucky enough for her to accept a date. Some years later, we got married, 24 years ago today, and I just wanted to take an opportunity to thank her for having a moment of lapse and accepting that date and eventually for us getting married. We have four beautiful children that we have raised. I don't take it for granted, ladies and gentlemen, that as her parents are from Mexico and my parents are from Mexico, from another country, we now have been able to provide a better life for our children that previous generations could not. So I stand before you as a proud American and a very happy man to know that I am married to a wonderful woman, born Norma Sanchez and now is Norma Cardenas. She is the mother of our children and someone that I miss very much. So to you, Norma, I am sorry I couldn't be home. I am thousands of miles away. But thank you for understanding. I look forward to seeing you to celebrate with you soon.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it fills me with great pride to congratulate students from my San Fernando Valley district at North Hollywood High School for winning the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Science Bowl Regional Competition. This academic competition tests students' knowledge in all areas of science, quizzing them in a fast-paced question-and-answer format. These science bowls challenge and prepare our Nation's students to become researchers and engineers of the future. As an engineer myself, I know that there is an ever-growing demand for talent in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields right here in America. It is thrilling to see the promising young men and women coming out of our San Fernando Valley schools with such great talent. You should all be proud of yourselves for making it this far, as it is a huge accomplishment. The entire San Fernando Valley and I will be cheering you on as you compete in the national finals here in Washington, D.C. Congratulations.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Scott for working so hard and tirelessly to fight for those young little voices and those families that need food in their children's stomachs every single day. It is a tireless battle; and once again, today, we are trying to make people aware of the disingenuous, misguided efforts that are in this bill. I rise today to express concern over harmful provisions included in the so-called Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016. In 2014, more than 17 million American households were at risk of going without having food, including 3.7 million households with American children. We should make every effort possible to help American children access the proper nutrition that is vital to their growth, development, and success in school and beyond. The provisions outlined in this bill are doing just the opposite by tampering with programs that have been working well, such as the Community Eligibility Provision, the process that ensures that meals can be served to American children in schools. The provisions in this bill will cause too many American children, especially low-income children, to lose access to these vital programs and to have healthier meals. The Community Eligibility Provision allows high-poverty school districts to offer universal school meals to all students. This bill raises bureaucratic red tape. It will only lead to fewer schools qualifying for the program and more low-income American children going hungry every single day. Why add burdensome paperwork on school districts and each and every family in them? Instead, Congress should focus on improving and expanding direct certification, an approach that has been shown to improve program integrity. What this bill should be doing is addressing the barriers faced by eligible families who are currently not even accessing the benefits of the results of these programs because of the lack of awareness. This bill will freeze the progress that we have made on reducing the intake of salts for American children in their food diets. It would allow junk food to be an acceptable snack, which would undermine our children's health and their entire future. We must do more to improve school nutrition, attack undernourishment, and combat hunger for millions of American children because, otherwise, we are robbing them of the opportunity to reach their full potential both physically and academically. Once again, I want to thank my colleague from the great State of Virginia for all the wonderful work that he has been doing and for being so tireless in his effort to make sure that the voices of these families and these children are heard not only in the Education and the Workforce Committee, but beyond. Thank you for bringing the attention of this to the floor. I am glad to be a partner in this effort.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize April 17 as World Hemophilia Day and to bring awareness to Hemophilia, a genetic bleeding disorder that affects about 20,000 Americans. All races and ethnic groups are affected by this genetic disorder. In the United States, most people with hemophilia are diagnosed at a very young age. Based on CDC data, the median age at diagnosis is 36 months for people with mild hemophilia, 8 months for those with moderate hemophilia, and 1 month for those with severe hemophilia. And all too often, this vulnerable patient population is put into jeopardy by the financial hurdles obstructing access to the intensive care needed for combatting such a pervasive disease. According to the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California, in that region alone an estimated 1,800 people are affected by Hemophilia with 31 percent of those affected being Hispanic. Having a chronic disease, such as a bleeding disorder, often means spending much time and effort negotiating. Too many American families are faced with the daunting challenge of tackling the financial burden of hemophilia--a burden that can grow to a quarter of a million dollars per year--alone. It is important to acknowledge the financial burden, make care and treatment more accessible to Americans with Hemophilia, and provide comfort to those affected by the financial burden.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Swalwell for bringing this issue to the floor. It is incredibly important not just for millennials, but as our colleague, Norma Torres, pointed out, for people who are at retirement age, people who want to retire but can't because they have these generational issues that are costly and they can't move on and then follow through with their version of the American Dream in different phases of their life. What I am hearing is that this is not just an issue of young people who are in college. This is an issue of entire families wondering whether or not their children can afford to do that and whether the family can come together for that bright individual who wants to succeed and wants to get that education, and yet they are doubting themselves as to whether or not that is the path for them. That is unfortunate because the fact of the matter is that the United States of America for many, many generations has been the place for hope and expectation of a brighter future for generations. Yet, at the same time, because, in my opinion, Congress is not doing enough to make sure that we can right the situation, we can make sure that we can right size the environment of making sure that when a young bright person in America wants to get an education, that there are ways in which they can afford to do that, regardless of where they come from, regardless of whether their parents are farm workers, like my parents, or whether their parents live on the other side of town where they can afford to do that. Our environments and the universities shouldn't be left only to the individuals who have the affluency to be able to be in that environment. One of the reasons why we have created these wonderful universities that have 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 people there is so that they can be an eclectic environment, so people can learn to become friends with people that otherwise they might not have rubbed elbows with. What I am hearing is that people are afraid. Too many Americans are afraid. I am hearing that too many bright individuals are doubting whether or not they can afford to get that degree, not that they can't do it, not that they are not bright enough. The problem that I am hearing from my constituents and people around America is that it is tough to make that decision because too many young people now have examples that they are in debt $100,000, $200,000, $300,000. And then on top of that, they can't find a right size job to fit their skill set. And then on top of that, they have got this mounting debt. That is something that too many people are afraid to enter into. That is unfortunate. It shouldn't happen in our country. I am glad that Mr. Swalwell is bringing this issue up. Let's continue to try to do many, many things about righting the ship that we have about our young people being too afraid to incur the kind of debt that they are forced to do in order to get an education.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. I thank the gentlewoman. To my colleague, Norma Torres, thank you for bringing up this very, very important opportunity for awareness of this issue on the floor of the House of Congress. Mr. Speaker, yes, it is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, but it is really important for us to understand that, in America, everything starts with us--the individuals. I will just add to this dialogue that it is up to all of us to keep our communities safe. If we do that well, maybe we won't need so many 911 operators. We have heard so many times and too often of those frantic calls when someone is calling 911 because the action has already started, because the atrocity has already begun. As Americans, we should be vigilant and understand that we all have a collective responsibility to be the safe keepers of our communities so that we minimize the number of 911 calls any one individual in our neighborhoods or in our communities across America would ever have to make. I take this opportunity to mention someone, Krystal Blackburn, who is the assistant supervisor at the Harrodsburg Police Department. She has been a 911 operator for some time now, and I quote one portion of what was mentioned on the House floor this afternoon: 911 has changed my life. It has shaped me, and I have grown into a role that I wasn't even sure I wanted in the beginning. It has become a way of life that I wouldn't change for any reason. I am 911. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, I think it is important for us to take the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the eclectic responsibilities that friends and neighbors have in every community across America. In every situation, let people take on that professionalism so as to be the solution--to be the go-to person--when we need them most. It is important for people to understand that our dispatchers at 911 and that our safety community around America deserve our support and deserve our recognition. Most importantly, they deserve our thanks. I thank the gentlewoman for giving me the opportunity to express my thoughts on this very important issue.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to talk about my youngest daughter's future and the future of young women across America. My daughter, Alina, will be graduating high school next month and building a career very soon. My eldest daughter will be graduating with her master's degree next month. Ten days later, she will be giving birth to her first child. The point I am making is that women across America make 79 cents for every dollar that a man makes for doing the same work. Minority women suffer most when Congress is inactive about making the proper changes to create inequity in our country. Minority women earn as little as 55 on the dollar when they perform the same work that a man does. I pose this question to my colleagues: When we act to close the pay gap, who does this hurt? And the answer is simple: No one is hurt. America benefits. I am proud to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, along with 193 members of the House Democratic Caucus, and I look forward to working with the rest of my colleagues in the House so we can work to implement it in the San Fernando Valley and across the United States of America. Let's work together to correct this inequity.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you to remind us of a great American, Cesar Chavez. Born in Yuma, Arizona, he dedicated his life to making sure that he fought for workers in America and around the world. He only had an eighth grade education, but he served our country honorably in the military as well and risked his life and served the people of America honorably. One of the key tenets of his life was nonviolence. That is something that is timely for us to remind ourselves of, as Americans, at this time when we choose who our leader is going to be, that we do it respectfully, honorably, and nonviolently. So, with that, I would like to commemorate the opportunity to remind all of us to speak from our heart, to work from our heart, to be kind to our brothers, sisters, and our neighbors, and to do things and make change for the better nonviolently in honor of our fellow American, Cesar Chavez.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Madam Speaker, today Congress voted to make it easier to import killed polar bears and ivory into our Nation. The SHARE Act is a piece of legislation most closely resembling George Orwell's novel ``1984,'' riddled with doublespeak and nightmarish visions. The Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act, part of this bill, would encourage the further hunting and importation of polar bears as long as they follow the rules. The African Elephant Conservation and Legal Ivory Possession Act, another title, would encourage the needless and malicious slaying of innocent and endangered animals for their tusks. And for what? So that gun owners can have a shiny grip on their Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum made of a tusk that once was part of a beautiful, majestic elephant. Have we really come to this place in our history in which the ivory trimming on a gun is more important than a life? I urge the Senate and the President to reject this ethically reprehensible and morally repugnant bill.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, mothers and children from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador come to this Nation for protection. They are running from certain death, rape, and persecution in their own country. This administration has deported more immigrants than any other in the history of the United States. We were told that violent criminals would be targeted. Yet, mothers and children are being deported. Not only do these raids tear families and neighborhoods apart, they waste taxpayer dollars that should be used on other priorities. We spend $14,000 per mom and $14,000 per child when they are chased down and deported. Some are sent to their country to their death. So let's focus on real threats to our Nation. Let's focus on working with all of our Western Hemisphere neighbors and work to solve the Central American refugee crisis together.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a privilege to be a Member of this House and to be elected in a wonderful, beautiful economy in the greatest Nation on the Earth. The year 2015 has expired. We have just begun this session in 2016. But the question, ladies and gentlemen, is: What are we going to do to serve the public? What are the things that we are going to focus on to make sure that our constituents are safer so that we continue to provide a democracy that is an example for other countries? We have heard just in the first few minutes of these speeches about how we need to make America safer. Well, one way that we can do that is to do our job so that the executive of our country doesn't have to try to do whatever he can to extend his responsibilities because we are not doing enough. There are too many moments of silence, ladies and gentlemen, where 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 Americans are killed through senseless violence, and we have done almost nothing about it as a Congress.

Mr. CARDENAS

Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to praise our Nation, a Nation of hundreds of years of immigrants. Since the Mayflower landed full of pilgrims seeking religious liberty, we have been a land built by immigrants. Today in this great country 5 million immigrant kids and their parents know no other country. They are working hard building our Nation, their Nation. They are our new Plymouth Rock. They are the foundation on which we will build the next generation of our country. Now three Justices have decided to block that generation, but if our Nation stays true to itself, that won't last long. One year after our President took action, I urged the Supreme Court to approve President Obama's immigration policy. If you want to work hard and help keep building this great Nation of ours, this Nation of immigrants, you are welcome.