Veronica Escobar

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, my votes were not recorded on September 26, 2019. I am not recorded because I had to attend to a family matter. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 549; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 550; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 551; and ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 552.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2203, the Homeland Security Improvement Act. I would first like to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Thompson for their steadfast leadership and for helping get this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, this moment never would have been possible without Mr. Thompson's perseverance and hard work. H.R. 2203 started at our southern border as a community-driven effort to boost accountability and transparency within DHS. To that end, I would like to especially thank the Border Network for Human Rights, an El Paso-based organization that works tirelessly to ensure migrants and border communities are treated with the dignity and respect that we all deserve. Those of us who live within the 100-mile border enforcement zone have often had our civil rights impeded because some basic constitutional principles don't fully apply to us. Since the creation of DHS in 2003, our government has spent over $300 billion, including two supplemental bills passed this year, on the agencies that carry out immigration enforcement, largely within that 100-mile zone. This enormous taxpayer investment has created a situation where the American taxpayer spends more money on immigration enforcement than on all other Federal law enforcement agencies combined. Unfortunately, especially for those of us who live within that 100- mile enforcement zone, this spending has not included corresponding oversight or accountability measures. This bill seeks to change that with the creation of an ombudsman for border and immigration-related concerns. The ombudsman, in conjunction with the inspector general at DHS, will be charged with establishing an independent, neutral, and confidential process to assist individuals, including personnel, with complaints against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The ombudsman is also responsible for reviewing CBP and ICE compliance with all departmental policies and standards related to the treatment of migrants in custody. This function was a priority for me after learning about child deaths in Federal custody; after having witnessed severe overcrowding in Border Patrol facilities; after hearing in my community, in El Paso, Texas, concerns from agents over and over again about leadership not listening to them and about policies they were forced to enforce; and after interviewing ICE detainees in my hometown who were subjected to force-feeding, an inhumane practice that is tantamount to torture. I have heard countless times from my constituents and other border residents that they need to have a voice in crafting border policies because we are the ones most impacted. H.R. 2203 will allow them this opportunity through the establishment of both a border community liaison and a border oversight panel. Both seek to foster communication and cooperation between DHS and the community by giving border residents an opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations regarding border policies. This panel will also help improve conditions for agents and officers. For example, one responsibility of the border oversight panel is to evaluate policies to enhance their safety. The bill also requires the ombudsman to conduct annual evaluations of all training provided and will examine whether key areas are covered, including community policing, which builds trust; enforcement near sensitive locations; interacting with vulnerable populations; and professional and ethical conduct, such as lawful use of force, LGBTQ sensitivity, and sexual harassment. El Paso has been at the epicenter of much of the humanitarian chaos our Nation has seen, like being the testing ground for the cruel family separation policy that continues to this day. To help speed up reunifications of these families, H.R. 2203 requires the ombudsman, in conjunction with the CBP Commissioner, ICE Director, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, to develop recommendations for the establishment of an electronic tracking number system on a single, interoperable interface. Finally, the ombudsman is responsible for developing a plan for outlining the use of body-worn cameras by Border Patrol agents and ICE officers when engaged in border security and immigration enforcement activities, something local police forces have embraced. The plan must be crafted in conjunction with the CBP Commissioner, the ICE Director, and relevant labor organizations that represent these officers and agents. It must also consider existing State and local body-worn camera policies.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Speaker, it must also consider existing State and local body-worn camera policies and principles developed by major civil and human rights organizations, so that DHS can build upon best practices for each community. This plan further ensures that safety needs are met, and trust is built. All of these features will be invaluable tools to make sure that we address our Nation's immigration challenges in a common sense and humane way. Today, we have the opportunity to come together and begin to make a powerful and well-funded Federal agency more accountable to the Congress and to the people that they serve. The ombudsman's role will fill much needed gaps in transparency, oversight, training, and trust. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of this legislation. It comes right from the communities that are impacted the most. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, there is no one here who better understands what is happening on the southern border than those of us who actually live on the U.S.-Mexico border. There is no one here for whom border security is more important than those of us fortunate enough to live on the southern border. Since the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, American taxpayers have spent over $300 billion on the agencies that carry out immigration enforcement; and the rights of those of us who live within 100 miles of the border, and that is the southern border as well as the northern border, our rights have been eroded. What Congress has not done is create the corresponding transparency, accountability, and oversight needed over these investments. H.R. 2203 will do that. The Republican motion only seeks to divide us. Quite simply, this is a poison pill amendment that has no relevance to what we are trying to do here with this bill. Some of my colleagues seem obsessed with dehumanizing immigrants, casting them as criminals to be feared and even hated. Let me remind Members that the recent massacre in El Paso, Texas, was not carried out by an immigrant, but by a killer, a U.S. citizen who drove 600 miles across the State of Texas to slaughter Mexicans and immigrants. And he did this in one of the safest cities in America. Immigrant communities and border communities remain among the safest cities in America. Enough. And my Republican colleague completely misses the point of the ombudsman, the office of the ombudsman. An ombudsman is supposed to be focused on oversight related to the inner workings of the Department, not on external policy issues. This amendment is a side show that detracts from that mission. Accountability, oversight, and transparency should not be controversial. And much of what is in this commonsense bill is precisely what we have seen embraced by law enforcement, local law enforcement in our communities. Why would we not want to have a well- funded and powerful Federal law enforcement agency adhere to those same values? Instead of pursuing symbols of division, we ask our Republican colleagues to support fundamental accountability and oversight over the hundreds of billions of dollars we have given to DHS and support transparency for a powerful agency. History will not judge us kindly for the way that this administration has treated migrants, agents, and border communities like mine. It will judge us in this Chamber even more harshly if we continue to call for more symbols of division. Let us commit to responding in a way that honors our sacred credo of our country, ``E pluribus unum''--out of many, we are one. Let us commit to responding in a way that honors our mother of exiles, the Statue of Liberty, and our heritage as a nation of immigrants. That is who we are. It is who we always will be. Let's work together and make sure that our response is one filled with common sense and compassion. I urge a ``no'' vote on this motion and a ``yes'' on the underlying bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I invite all Members to join me in the well who wish to stand in support with members of the Texas and Congressional Hispanic Caucus delegations. Madam Speaker, on Saturday, August 3, at a local El Paso Walmart, parents were shopping for school supplies, elderly couples were paying for their groceries, and kids and parents were fundraising for their soccer team. But that day, everything changed. A killer drove over 600 miles to my community. He massacred 22 people and injured another 26. He confessed to driving over 10 hours so that he could target Mexicans and immigrants. It was a horrific act of domestic terrorism fueled by America's gun violence epidemic and the hate epidemic. The killer's screed was filled with bigoted, anti-immigrant language that has been used by people in power and those with the most powerful bully pulpits. El Paso, as usual, rose to the challenge before us. We grieved together; we went to the hospital together; we prayed together; we buried loved ones together. My community has a long journey ahead, and I thank the first responders, healthcare providers, spiritual leaders, and all the community members who have shown tremendous courage during our darkest moment. I thank my colleagues and people from all over the country and the world who reached out to us, sent their condolences, visited with us. El Paso will continue to set the example for the Nation because we will continue to treat all people in our midst with kindness, generosity, and goodwill. We will always be El Paso Strong, and our resilience will guide the way. I ask for your continued support, but more importantly, I ask that this awful event be the turning point that our country so desperately needs and that Americans so desperately want. We must end the hate and gun violence epidemics because, for many of us, these issues have become a matter of life and death. I ask that all Members and guests in the gallery rise for a moment of silence, please.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to have helped craft this year's National Defense Authorization Act. This fiscal year 2020 bill incorporates ideas from both sides of the aisle to deliver essential support and a pay raise to our deserving men and women in uniform. Our bill authorizes $733 billion to provide for a smart and robust national defense, enhances housing and financial support for military families, and addresses operational and budgetary threats posed by climate change. I was pleased to share with my Armed Services Committee colleagues the innovative work happening in districts like mine which are home to some of the military's core training installations. This includes Fort Bliss' leadership on net-zero energy and ongoing partnership with the VA that improves soldiers' medical expertise, while also serving our local veterans. I was proud to support our vibrant El Paso community by advancing a community infrastructure support program and ensuring promising technologies like additive manufacturing, and the unique contributions of our small businesses that always have a place in building our national defense. Finally, our bill enhances diversity and inclusion efforts in our armed services, improves oversight and accountability of DOD support to DHS and, yes, blocks the President from robbing finite military resources for a wall that our military never requested. This is a bill we can all be proud of. I look forward to casting my vote in support. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his leadership, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, the last thing I would want to see is a repeat of the other night when my colleagues on the other side of the aisle laughed and jeered as I described the situation at the border and what is happening to the children in our custody. Madam Speaker, the minority leader earlier asked why are we here again--one word, ``oversight''--``oversight.'' We have seen, as Members of Congress, too often, our desire to provide oversight, which is a fundamental responsibility, a fundamental duty of ours, we have seen it thwarted and we have seen it obstructed. There is no one in this Chamber right now who feels more of a sense of urgency than the Representative from Texas 16, El Paso, where we have had a front row to the atrocities occurring at the hands of this government. And I will tell you, part of the challenge for many of us who have worked with goodwill and charity has been witnessing the fact that Congress has not been able to provide fundamental guardrails for the treatment of these kids. What is the main difference between the Senate bill and the House bill? Ours is far more humane. Ours ensures that money will not be diverted for things that have turned a challenge into a crisis. A few examples include ripping children from the arms of their parents or sending vulnerable populations back into Mexico. In fact, Madam Speaker, in my district, one of the individuals sent back to Mexico under this administration's policy was kidnapped and raped. We have also seen people legally blocked at our ports of entry, sent to more treacherous crossings. That is why Oscar and Valeria died. So oversight is why our bill is the better bill.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Speaker, today I ask that we observe a moment of silence for the migrants who have died as they have tried to reach the shores of the America that they dream of. The photograph that all of us saw this week should tear all of us up, for those of us who are parents, to see a toddler with her little arms wrapped around the neck of her father. There is nothing that we wouldn't do for our children, nothing, to give them a better life. Oscar and Valeria represent tens of thousands of migrants who have died as they have tried to build a better life for themselves, only to find that they are demonized and locked out of the promise that those of us who are natural born citizens are so fortunate to enjoy. In their name, let us never forget their sacrifice and the sacrifice that so many parents make for the most vulnerable among us.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this motion to recommit.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I oppose this motion to recommit because, as written, this motion to recommit would mean that Congress would have absolutely no say over how this money would be used, and we know full well that, without restraint, this administration uses funding for cruelty and chaos. Madam Speaker, I invite my colleagues to focus on the issues at hand: children, sleeping on concrete floors; children, some as young as 8 years old, caring for infants; a toddler, 22 months old, soiled and without a diaper; an outbreak of lice and the flu. This is not a description of a developing nation. This is happening today, on our watch, in the United States of America, to children. It is happening in El Paso, Texas, on the border, our new Ellis Island. There is no doubt, Madam Speaker, that the increasing number of families have presented a challenge at our front door. There is no doubt that the most vulnerable among us, especially those children in U.S. custody, are suffering in misery. But there is also no doubt that draconian hard-line policies, focused on detention only, have turned this challenge into a crisis. We must do something, and we must do something now. And today, we can. Today, we can vote on a border supplemental that allows processing facilities to buy things like food, water, and blankets. It boosts funding for legal assistance for migrants. It funds the necessary work of stabilizing Central America in an effort to address the root cause of migration. It gives Congress the tools for more oversight over facilities like those in Clint, Texas, which have shocked the Nation. It helps ease the burden on overwhelmed Border Patrol agents and Customs officers, who will be one step closer to getting back to the job that they were trained to do. It reimburses communities and nonprofits that have shouldered the burden for too long. And it provides badly needed funding to HHS: money to get those children out of those facilities and into more humane care. I can assure you, gentlemen, this is not a laughing matter for this side of the House. And thanks to appropriators who know how concerned we are about these hard-line policies that turn a challenge into a crisis. They have placed guardrails in this bill, unlike this motion to recommit, in order to prohibit funding from going to any activity not prescribed by Congress, like conducting immigration raids that terrorize our communities. Will this appropriations bill solve every problem or address every concern? Of course, it won't. Do we have much work to do? Of course, we do. And many of us have pieces of legislation and reform that we would love for you to join us in working on. But today, this vote is not about solving every single problem, nor can it be. Vote ``no'' on this motion to recommit and vote ``yes'' on the supplemental.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I thank Congressman Crow for yielding and for his great work on this amendment. Mr. Chair, the Census aims to count each person living in the United States every 10 years. It is important that we get this count right because the information helps determine a vast array of decisions, from the number of congressional seats to the allocation of Federal dollars. For example, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, my home State of Texas stands to gain three congressional seats. These gains will go a long way for Texans and help bring much-needed funds to every community in the State, but we must ensure an accurate count. With the administration's push to include a citizenship question on the upcoming Census and scare Latino communities like mine into not participating, this amendment underscores the fact that no personally identifiable information can be shared. This amendment will give all residents, regardless of their immigration status, the confidence they need to answer the survey questions freely and to know that their data will be kept safe and secure. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. On April 6, 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions unveiled the zero-tolerance prosecution policy, a memo directing U.S. Attorneys along the southwest border to prosecute all improper entry cases impacting thousands of migrants since its implementation. My amendment would end this policy and restore prosecutorial discretion at the Department of Justice. This amendment is necessary because zero-tolerance is the center of the administration's cruel family separation policy. Under zero-tolerance, when an asylum-seeking family crosses the border between a port of entry, parents are placed in DOJ custody while they await their prosecution date. The child is then deemed unaccompanied and placed in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. At least 3,000 families that we know of have been separated. Some children were literally ripped from their parents' arms. At the height of the family separation crisis last summer, the President signed an executive order entitled: ``Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation.'' That was on June 20, 2018, exactly 1 year ago today. However, this executive order does not end zero-tolerance. Instead, the executive order favored family detention-- possibly indefinitely--over release. I have seen the consequences of family separation firsthand in my community. Before zero-tolerance was implemented, the administration used El Paso as a testing ground for these horrific family separations in the fall of 2017. During this pilot program, 281 families were separated. The American Association of Pediatrics tells us that separating children from their parents is highly damaging and can cause long-term health consequences from toxic stress. These children are suffering emotionally and physically as a result of this government. We must put an end to this cruelty and work on reuniting all of those who remain separated. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano).

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Chair, I have no further speakers. I would just urge all of my colleagues to come to my community to see for themselves the impact of this horrific policy. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague and also Congresswoman Speier for their leadership on this critical issue. Madam Chair, I am so disappointed that in 2019 this amendment is even necessary. Our military is strong and capable because of our dedicated servicemembers, including nearly 15,000 transgender troops. This year, the Armed Services Committee held a hearing on the President's policy, and Active-Duty transgender servicemembers testified before the House for the first time. Each one was an incredibly capable, experienced, and decorated leader. The DOD's exhaustive review found no valid reason to ban these patriotic Americans who meet the same criteria as their peers. For 3 years, our military has operated under a de facto inclusive policy where thousands could serve openly with, to quote General Millie, ``precisely zero unit cohesion problems.'' Eighteen militaries already have inclusive policies without incidents or impact to readiness, and the facts reveal this policy for what it is: discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support Ms. Speier's amendment.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Speaker, on May 31, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General published an alarming report that confirms the terrible consequences of the Trump administration's failure to truly address the humanitarian challenges we face at our southern border. Instead of working with Congress and leaders in our hemisphere on addressing root causes and policy that represents America's values of compassion, the administration, instead, chooses cruelty. As a result, agents and officers are overworked, exhausted, and frustrated. Communities like mine are stretched beyond capacity, and migrants are in inhumane conditions. The photos and description of the conditions at the Paso Del Norte Processing Center in my district are beyond disturbing: Migrants standing on toilets to make room and gain breathing space; A cell with a maximum capacity of 35 holding 155 migrants; Detainees wearing soiled clothing for days or weeks; The list goes on. I visited the PDN Processing Center when I was home this weekend, and one thing is clear: Congress must establish, and DHS must abide by, humanitarian standards. Not doing so is immoral and un-American.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019. This bill would provide Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED recipients with the relief and certainty that they and our country need in order to thrive. I would like to congratulate the architects of this bill, Representatives Roybal-Allard, Velazquez, and Clarke, who worked so tirelessly, as well as our Judiciary Committee Chairman Nadler, and our Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chairwoman Lofgren for the tireless work that they put into this. This bill has the potential to help hundreds of thousands of hardworking individuals who are American in every way except on paper. I am so proud that Texas has the second highest Dreamer population in the Nation, including the more than 9,000 Dreamers in the safe border community of El Paso, Texas. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle vacillate between arguments intended to stall this legislation that range from get in line, to build a wall, to painting all undocumented immigrants as dangerous criminals that Americans should fear. One of my colleagues even said that this bill would destroy America. I would like to remind them that America is a nation of immigrants. Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED recipients are our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Some have even bravely served in the military, and others are pillars within communities across the Nation. They have built good lives here, started families, created small businesses, employed thousands of people, paid their taxes, made our country better. I stand with Dreamers and TPS holders and will do all I can to ensure that they are shielded from deportation and have a pathway to citizenship. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to be on the right side of history and support this bill.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an El Paso hero, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Eugene Chisolm, who was inducted yesterday into the 82nd Airborne Division's All American Hall of Fame. Colonel Chisolm, known affectionately as Colonel Bob back home, is a true role model of service to our Nation. A combat veteran of three wars, Colonel Chisolm has a storied past. He made a combat parachute jump into Normandy on D-day and another into Holland, where he would assume command of more than 80 men after higher ranked officers fell, earning him the only Legion of Merit awarded to a noncommissioned officer in World War II. He sustained grave injuries during the Battle of the Bulge and went on to command a company in the 31st Infantry during the Korean conflict. He later led soldiers in the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group in Thailand and as Chief of the War Games Branch at Fort Leavenworth. The All American Hall of Fame at Fort Bragg preserves the legacy of service and the iconic contributions of the 82nd Airborne Division. It is fitting that this courageous, lifelong soldier be honored. To Colonel Chisolm, whom I am so honored to know, we thank him for his incredible, courageous leadership and service, and I offer him my heartfelt congratulations.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I would like to thank Congresswoman Waters for her incredible work and leadership on this bill, which will help restore trust in Federal consumer protections and ensure those protections extend to all communities. I also thank my colleague, Representative Golden, for cosponsoring my amendment. This amendment would direct CFPB to include representatives of military- and veteran-serving financial institutions in their advisory committees. There are over 18 million veterans in America today and nearly 3 million Department of Defense employees. Many in these communities choose to bank with financial institutions that cater to their unique needs. These over 20 million Americans deserve a voice at the CFPB from technical experts who know how to best serve our veterans and military. We know that many military members pick a financial institution and stick with it. That is because these organizations have the skills and experience to help servicemembers with challenging circumstances, like frequent moves and deployments, that the average civilian customer won't face. These organizations help support our veterans and military at critical life moments, providing early capital to help start a business, helping finance a new home, and even partnering with educational institutions to provide technical assistance to veteran entrepreneurs. They know the unique needs and concerns of their clientele, including identity theft during deployments, VA loan issues, and improper credit reflections that occur when the VA experiences administrative delays. And they can share key industry insight to help CFBP ensure vets and servicemembers are protected as they move through financial systems. On a personal note, I share my home, El Paso, with nearly 50,000 veterans and am neighbors with more than 45,000 military and civilian personnel at Fort Bliss. At Fort Bliss, we also train units from every U.S. State and territory, so our amenities end up benefiting many outside our immediate community over time. Communities like ours deserve to be heard, and my amendment will help ensure that that happens. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Chair, I have no further speakers or comments. I urge all of my colleagues to support my amendment and the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ESCOBAR

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, today, we recognize a historic day in our Nation, the 100th anniversary of the House passage of the 19th Amendment, which, once ratified, granted most women the right to vote, bringing them one step closer to equality with their male peers. That ratification was 10 years in the making. Sadly, this pace of progress, this slow pace, is still all too common. Throughout history, women have had to fight for the same rights automatically afforded to men. Today, that fight continues. As we stand on the shoulders of all the women who challenged convention, who fought and refused to quit so that we could be here in a moment where some 68 million women vote in America and the first two Latina women represent Texas in the people's House, our responsibility is to continue that fight against the erosion of women's rights that we are witnessing today and to fight for equal treatment and opportunity for all.