J. Correa

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1238, the Securing our Agriculture and Food Act. Mr. Speaker, U.S. agriculture and agriculture-related business represents about 6 percent of our gross domestic product as of 2014. Protecting this industry, which contributes $985 billion to our economy, from international and naturally occurring biological events is critical not only to the stability of our national economy, but also to the security of our national food supply and our human health. This bill would clarify the responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security's Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs as they relate to the DHS' responsibilities under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, entitled: ``The Defense of U.S. Agriculture and Food.'' The bill includes language offered by Representative Donald Payne, Jr., my colleague on the committee, directing the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs to coordinate with all departmental components with responsibilities related to food and agriculture security and screening procedures. Such coordination will include Customs and Border Protection, which has historically struggled to maintain agriculture inspection staffing levels at ports of entry. Mr. Speaker, agriculture and agriculture-related businesses constitute a major portion of California's economy. Agriculture plays an integral role in industries ranging from transportation and warehousing to finance and insurance, to accommodation and food services. The cascading effects of national and international outbreaks compromise agriculture, food, and could have devastating effects on the State's economy. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill to ensure the integrity of our agriculture industry and food supply. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Securing Our Agriculture and Food Act passed the House in September of 2016, and the Senate companion bill was reported out of committee last week. Passage of this measure will send a strong message about our commitment to protecting our Nation's food and agricultural sectors. As such, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1238. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1365, the Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act. When the Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002, it was understood that the mission of safeguarding the American people would be a complex one. Today, 15 years later, the ever-changing nature of the terrorist threat and its landscape has demanded that DHS be more innovative. In the past 3 years, the Department has actively worked to carry out its procurement process in new and innovative ways. The Acquisition Innovations in Motion program, launched in 2015, is a framework for coordinated industry engagement in which opportunities, challenges, and strategies are discussed to identify acquisition solutions and foster greater efficiency and effectiveness. A key component of this program is a Procurement Innovation Lab called PIL. PIL is a virtual testing environment that experiments with innovative techniques to assess whether they can be effectively integrated into DHS' procurement process. To date, PIL is credited with reducing award times, the integration of existing flexibilities that are in use in other portions of the Federal Government, and improved acquisition training. Results, case studies, and lessons learned from the PIL process are regularly shared throughout DHS through webinars and the internal web portal. These activities facilitate a continuous learning culture that enhances the DHS mission of support. I introduced this bill, H.R. 1365, to institutionalize DHS' acquisition innovation efforts by authorizing such activity by the Under Secretary of Management. Specifically, my legislation authorizes robust testing, development, and distribution of best practices and acquisitions throughout the Department, as well as performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of such efforts. Enactment of this bill will help ensure that this successful acquisition management technique continues. This bill was unanimously approved by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month. Mr. Speaker, DHS' approach to acquisitions not only accommodates the Department's unique mission, but it supports our responsibility to the management of taxpayer dollars. This bill codifies a pathway to developing and implementing innovative approaches that serve the Department's acquisition challenges through collaboration and efficiency. To that end, it is vital that DHS continue to drive towards a more effective procurement process in support of its vital mission. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 1365, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1302, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017. Every day, communities across this country are confronted by evolving threats. Since the beginning of the year, we have seen a number of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers. A year and a half ago, a 21- year-old White gunman hoping to start a race war opened fire at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine of its parishioners. The year 2015 went on record as the year with most threats, reports of harassments, and vandalism against mosques in the United States. In light of the emboldened White nationalist, anti-Semitic, and antigovernment movements, as well as ongoing threats from abroad, we must ensure that our first responders are prepared to respond to the evolving threats to our great country. This bill will direct FEMA's national exercise program to design scenarios that include emerging terrorist threats. To be clear, the legislation does not require FEMA's national exercise program to focus exclusively on terrorist threats, but, rather, seeks to ensure that FEMA continues to develop exercises that are responsive to threats as they may emerge. The bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out exercises related to terrorist threats domestically and abroad. H.R. 1302 was passed unanimously and approved by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month and the full House in the last Congress, in July 2016. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1302 is commonsense legislation that will prepare first responders, as well as State and local government partners, for the challenges that lie ahead. At this time, when first responder programs are slated for the chopping block under the administration's budget blueprint, it is more important than ever that Congress stand together to support them. Exercises like the ones authorized under this legislation contribute to our preparedness. As such, I urge Members to support this bill once again. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday we will vote on the future of health care for America. We need to do what is right for our district and for our constituents. We need to protect the Affordable Care Act. The ACA works, but like America's other great healthcare program, Medicare, it needs a little time to get there. Today, Medicare covers over 55 million Americans and is a staple for our seniors; but back in 1965, people had a very negative opinion of Medicare. Today, 52 years later, Medicare is one of the most efficient healthcare systems in our country. I urge my colleagues: Do not repeal the Affordable Care Act. If you do, 24 million Americans will lose their coverage and older Americans will pay higher premiums. I ask my colleagues to keep the ACA. Let's do the right thing.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, tonight at the President's address, I will be joined by a young man, Eliel Aguillon, a new American, in the great tradition of this great country. Eliel grew up surrounded by poverty, yet he found his path to the American Dream through hard work and education. Eliel is my neighbor. He attended the same public high school that my daughter attends. He is the first person in his family to attend college, and his goal is to earn a Ph.D. in engineering and to address our Nation's affordable housing crisis. Today, Eliel encourages young students to pursue careers in science and math. Eliel is a DACA student. Let me repeat. Eliel is a DACA student. He and his family left Mexico when he was 7 years old to pursue the American Dream through hard work and dedication. We must ensure that Eliel and hundreds of other hardworking DACA students stay in America, the only home they have known, so that they can also contribute to the greatness of our great country. DACA students are our new Americans. Let us help our great Nation stay great. Let us do the right thing. Let's give our DACA students and other hardworking taxpayers in our Nation a pathway to citizenship.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Act. This legislation will provide funds for legal services to protect DREAMers, immigrants, and refugees from President Trump's Executive Order. Last week, I held an immigration town hall. Scores of my constituents attended because they were afraid for their families and communities. This was before the Executive Order was released. When I was at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Saturday, I saw this fear escalate. Immigrants and refugees were unjustifiably detained and denied access to counsel at airports across our country. President Trump's Executive Order directly challenges the right to due process, which is guaranteed under our Constitution. My legislation will guarantee that DREAMers, immigrants, and refugees have access to legal aid. I am deeply concerned about the actions taken by the Trump Administration. The refugees that have been granted status by the U.S. Government undergo an intensive security screening process that takes an average of 18 to 24 months. The security screening is performed by multiple federal agencies, including the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI Terrorist Screening Center, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the Department of Defense. The security screening that refugees undergo is the most intensive of any individual entering the United States. It is sad that the Trump Administration would detain individuals, who fear for their lives in their home countries and seek refuge in the United States, with the intent to deport them back into harm's way. These actions are a misrepresentation of our American values. Our country has always stood up for the oppressed and welcomed the persecuted. It is un-American to turn our backs on those that need our help the most. If we wish to remain a beacon of freedom to the world, we must stand up for the immigrants and refugees looking towards the United States for hope. We cannot just claim we are the greatest nation in the world. We actually have to act like it too.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the DREAMers, Immigrants, Refugees--or DIRe--Legal Aid Act. This bill will fund legal services to protect them from the recent executive orders. In my district last week, I held an immigration town hall. The place was packed with people who were afraid for their neighbors and afraid for our communities, and this was before the executive order was released. When I was at LAX this past Saturday evening, I saw the fear escalate. President Trump's executive orders directly challenge the due process rights that are guaranteed to all of us under the Constitution. My legislation will help DREAMers, immigrants, and refugees have access to legal representation. Refugees are already vetted by the State Department, and the State Department does a very good job. If we want to do extreme vetting, let's do it right, and let's do it legally. If we wish to remain a beacon of freedom to the world, we must stand up for immigrants and refugees who look to America as a place of hope. We can't just claim we are the greatest Nation in the world--we have to be the greatest Nation in the world.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 724, which would rescind President Trump's refugee ban in light of mothers like Ran Chauhan, who arrived in the U.S. 5 years ago and is going through the naturalization process, but is separated from her sister and two children who are set to arrive in mid February.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to protect the Affordable Care Act. Today I urge you to give the Affordable Care Act the same chance we gave America's other great healthcare program, Medicare, way back in 1965. Today Medicare covers over 55 million Americans and is a staple for senior care. But let's go back in time and remember what people were saying about Medicare in 1965. The American Medical Association said Medicare is an ``invasion of the voluntary relationship between the patient and the physician.'' The then-Republican leadership said the bill will cost too much. It will never cover enough seniors. It will make taxes too high, and we will be broke within 2 years. Those are some of the quotes from The New York Times in 1965. Today, 52 years later, Medicare is one of the most efficient healthcare systems in our country. Why? Because we gave it a chance to flourish. Mr. Speaker, when we come together on behalf of the American people, we get things done. I ask my colleagues today: Do not repeal the Affordable Care Act. Instead, let's move past the politics of repealing the ACA. Let's learn from five decades of Medicare. Let's give Americans the healthcare coverage they want and they deserve, because in 60 years, it won't really matter whose name is on the program. But what will matter is that we came together and stopped the repeal. What will matter is that we fixed the ACA and made it work for every American. The American people deserve good health care. If folks have issues with the ACA, then let's fix those issues. Let's make the ACA better. But to rip coverage from 30 million people, to destroy 2.6 million jobs, and to add $350 billion to our deficit is not a good thing. I ask my colleagues today to keep the ACA.

Mr. CORREA

Mr. CORREA. ``. . . to borrow money on the credit of the United States; ``To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; ``To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; . . .''