John Garamendi

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Lou Batchelor as a woman of the year. She is well-known in Solano County as a community leader, activist and public servant. Serving two separate terms as the President of the Soroptimist International of Dixon, Mary Lou Batchelor has worked tirelessly to advance the status of women and girls, continually advocating for equality and opportunity. She also served as chair of the Soroptimist's countless events, programs, local projects, and fundraisers. She has been instrumental in bringing positive and significant changes to her community. She is especially devoted to generating financial support for cancer survivors and for the families of those who have lost their battle with cancer. Mary Lou was also a former President and is the current Treasurer of the Women's Improvement Club of Dixon, and as an active member of Dixon Advocates for Seniors, Mary Lou was recognized as the 2017 Dixon Senior Citizen of the Year. Her passion for volunteerism in the community is evident in her role at the League of Women Voters, helping to encourage and engage women in the community to become informed voters. She currently is involved in the city of Dixon's Volunteer Program in which she will be assisting agencies such as the Police Department, Fire House, or City Hall when needed. Mary Lou is hard-working, responsible, compassionate, and an effective community leader who truly cares about her community and embodies all the qualities of a true public servant.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Verneal Brumfield as a woman of the year. She is committed to serving her community and devotes her time to help further the development of Solano County. She retired as a Correctional Administrator with 28 years of service to the State of California, where she was responsible for thousands of inmates and staff over the years. She has gone on to become actively involved in many community service organizations where she advocates for causes she believes in. She has served in leadership positions with the National Council of Negro Women, the Tri-City NAACP, the Solano County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and Democratic Women in Action. During her time as President of the Solano County Chapter of Links, Inc., she worked to secure a large grant which funded a STEM collaboration benefitting Solano County students. She also worked with the National Council of Negro Women and Campfire Girls of America to put on an event providing a holiday meal and gifts to underserved children in her area. Throughout her years of service to her community, Ms. Brumfield has been an integral part of many such projects benefitting the people of Solano County. She is always willing to serve wherever there is need and consistently does so with kindness and compassion.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Raphael ``Rae'' Turnbull as a woman of the year. She is a mother, grandmother, author, teacher, artist, and gallery director with an exceptionally wide range of personal and professional experience. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, where she met her husband, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Alongside her husband, Mrs. Turnbull raised two accomplished children who excel in their work, volunteer in their communities, and devote time to their families. She taught her children by example. For 20 years she wrote a syndicated poetic essay column which appeared in major newspapers throughout the country. Her essays and short stories have also appeared in popular magazines, and she ultimately published several books of her collected essays. Mrs. Turnbull is also an educator whose career has spanned 60 years. She has taught at a wide variety of schools across the country and within the California State University system. She had the honor of being featured as a Multiple Year Honoree in the national edition of ``Who's Who Among America's Teachers.'' She also devotes time to her community by serving as the Chairwoman of the Orland Arts Commission and the Gallery Director for the Orland Arts Center where she uses her many artistic talents to teach others. Mrs. Turnbull is an accomplished woman who has put her education, artistic gifts, and hard work towards a long and distinguished career. She is an outstanding and inspirational example of talent and dedication for her family and people throughout her community

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Natalie Audage as a woman of the year. She is committed to serving her community through her career as a Child Abuse Prevention Coordinator for Yolo County Children's Alliance. Her down-to-earth and engaging personality and commitment to professionalism enable her to bridge divides and affect positive change in social service sectors in Yolo County. Through her work, Ms. Audage produces a guide of resources that aims to prevent child abuse by providing parents and caregivers with skills that encourage healthy interactions with their children. As a coordinator of Yolo County Children's Alliance's Family Strengthening Network, she spearheaded the effort to train collaborative providers on the World Cafe model, an initiative which brings parents, leaders, educators, agency staff, and students together to pursue improvements in county systems. This model ensures that people of all communities are reached and offered the opportunity to reach their potential and thrive. Ms. Audage also worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, where she researched and produced resources related to violence prevention and the adverse effects of child abuse across the lifespan. She brings this expertise to her work fighting for families in Yolo County. She is a passionate and dedicated advocate for children and is leaving an indelible mark on Child Abuse Prevention in Yolo County. I commend Natalie Audage for her passion and commitment to keeping children safe and in healthy family environments.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Maryah Stoots as a woman of the year. She is a parent advocate with a heart of service and a strong desire to help others. She is Vice President of the Williams Parent Teacher Organization where she fundraises for school spirit wear and educational programs. She was instrumental in the introduction of Learning Dynamics, an early learning reading program designed to promote childhood and family literacy. She is also a parent representative on the elementary school Site Council, a coalition of teachers, parents and employees who work closely with the school principal to develop, review, and evaluate school improvement efforts. She has been successful in securing funding from the Colusa Board of Supervisors for playground improvements and bringing the National Archery in School Programs to Williams Unified Schools. Above all, Ms. Stoots played a very important role in advocating for the implementation of a bullying prevention program to the elementary school in Williams. Outside of work, she volunteers for the Little League where you will often find her working the snack bar, pounding nails on the bleachers, or assisting with maintenance efforts. In 2016, Ms. Stoots was elected President of Citizens for a Better Williams, a non-profit focused on promoting community improvements. Whether she is fundraising for childhood education programs or volunteering in the community, Maryah Stoots exemplifies the qualities of selfless service and embodies the qualities of a public servant

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Heidi Shelton as woman of the year. She is a caring community advocate with a passion for providing resources to those in need. As the co-owner of NorCal Assets Solutions, a business founded, owned, and operated by women, Ms. Shelton is integral to providing seniors and families of the Yuba- Sutter area with information about a range of services, from Medicare planning and long-term care alternatives, to PG&E's Medical program, and safe retirement planning. Always willing to lend a helping hand, Ms. Shelton's history of service includes involvement with community groups such as United Way, the Alzheimer's Association, the Alliance for Hispanic Advancement, and the Salvation Army. She has also worked with 14 Forward, an organization that seeks to assist the homeless with temporary housing and can be seen regularly leading a variety of free workshops throughout the community. As a result of her diligent work and demonstrated ability, she has been a frequent recipient of awards for her service and ability to elicit effective outcomes for the seniors who seek out her expertise. Throughout her many years of service, Ms. Shelton has aided the people of Sutter County with fairness and dedication, proving her willingness and ability to provide quality and exceptional service.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jayne Williams as a woman of the year. She has dedicated her life to mentoring others and is an outstanding example of service to the community. Over the years she has given her time and talent to organizations aimed at helping people get through tough times, such as after-school programs for low- income children and families, a recovery group for those battling addiction, and Shoulder to Shoulder, a mentoring organization serving young men lacking positive male role-models. She also worked as a Sacramento Court Appointed Special Advocate, Sacramento County Sheriff's Chaplain for Grant High School, and consultant to Northern California teachers for the Anti-Defamation League. Since moving to her current community of Esparto, Ms. Williams has used her mentoring expertise in co-founding All Leaders Must Serve, a non-profit organization helping young adults pursue fulfilling careers. As Executive Director of All Leaders Must Serve, she has helped young adults as they leave high school and enter the workforce to focus on job readiness, soft skills, goal setting, and self-sufficiency. Through this program, students gain a vision of the career they want along with the tools and confidence they need to pursue it. It has been Ms. Williams' vision that has allowed the organization to grow in its ability to serve young adults in Yolo County and make the biggest impact it can for students in the program. Her skilled, passionate, and dedicated approach to mentoring others has left a positive impact on countless individuals throughout her community

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Irmalee Schumacher as a woman of the year. She is a sensational educator and dedicated volunteer who has long devoted herself to the betterment of Colusa County. As a teacher for Williams Elementary School and Colusa Preschool, Ms. Schumacher's passion for shaping young minds has been an inspiration to her students and fellow educators. Over the past 21 years, she has led and coordinated the Super Seven Awards Program which recognizes the top seven 11th and 12th grade students from Colusa High School for their outstanding scholastic achievement. Ms. Schumacher takes the time to write each student a highly individualized biography to present to them at their awards dinner where her attention to detail and light-hearted touch always manage to bring the event to life. Furthermore, Ms. Schumacher has been instrumental in coordinating and executing the Colusa County Office of Education's Scholastic Appreciation Day, known as the 3+ Club. This year alone, she awarded over 275 children from across the county while also securing donations, promoting the event, and organizing a vast cohort of volunteers. Ms. Schumacher also generously co-funds a scholarship for Williams High School graduates who might otherwise not be able to move into higher education. In short, her cheerful personality, encouraging words, and leadership skills are of endless value to the students and residents affected by her work

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Katherine Laddish as a woman of the year. She is committed to serving Winters as an advocate, organizer, volunteer and committee volunteer. Demonstrating incredible dedication to her community, Kate Laddish is an inspiration in so many facets of life in Winters. She contributes to the community through volunteerism and contributes to the environment as a steward and a leader. She is an advocate for healthy communities, and as an In- Home Supportive Services advisory committee volunteer member she inspired others to find their best selves in order to help those in need. Ms. Laddish has been an indispensable advocate for smoke-free, low-income housing and was successful in getting many low-income properties to go smoke-free. Outside of her public advocacy, Ms. Laddish has been a volunteer at The Palms Playhouse in various capacities since 2001; she also volunteers writing for the Winters Express as an Entertainment Correspondent. Despite facing a range of physical challenges, Ms. Laddish enjoys entertaining at local community events as a member of the Crawdads, a local jazz band ensemble. Playing such an involved role in her community's affairs has established her as a pillar of her community. Kate Laddish is generous, passionate, and dedicated to all the causes she devotes herself to. An inspiration to all who know her, Kate has a heart of service and exemplifies all the qualities of a consummate community activist and devoted public servant

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sue Heitman as a woman of the year. She has been a dedicated volunteer for over 20 years. Her commitment to serving her community is evident by her participation on a multitude of non-profit boards of directors. She has continuously dedicated her time to lifting up communities and improving the lives of others. In her 19 years at Yolo First 5, she helped grant over 30 million dollars to worthy causes benefitting children under 5 in Yolo County. She helped found and has spent 18 years working with Capay Valley Vision, an organization dedicated to preserving the heritage and community of Capay Valley as the region grows and changes in pursuit of a better future. For 10 years she has served as a board member of the New Seasons Community Development Corporation helping to revitalize downtown Esparto through community development projects. Ms. Heitman has excelled in all of her volunteer roles, earning awards from the Yolo Community Foundation, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and Sacramento Positive Options Family Services. She has also been generous with her time in a way that few people are by serving as a foster parent for special needs children for over 10 years. She has fostered 27 special needs children and continues to do so to this day. The impact of Ms. Heitman's volunteer work can be seen throughout her community, and the personal impact she has had on the lives of her foster children will last for years to come.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sheila Tucker as a woman of the year. She is committed to improving her community both through her career and volunteerism. Ms. Tucker has served The Leaven organization faithfully as Vice President since 2014. Through her leadership the Leaven has become a national award-winning program providing after-school and summer tutoring for children living in underprivileged communities. The Leaven began with one center and has grown under Ms. Tucker's leadership to nineteen centers serving eight cities and will expand to twenty-five centers by the end of this year. Her work helps the Leaven to further its mission of supporting communities and inspiring neighborhoods to take on their challenges together. Ms. Tucker dedicates her time, talent, and expertise to an organization working to provide children with early education intervention and make a positive impact on their family and community for years to come. Outside of her work, she donates her time to such organizations as the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce, the Soroptimists of Central Solano, the Napa/Solano Girl Scouts, and the Solano County Library Foundation. She is continuously generous with her time in service to her community and the positive difference she has made cannot be overstated.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sylvia Gomez Garcia, better known as La Maestra, as a woman of the year. She is a dedicated teacher at Beamer Elementary School and lifelong resident of Woodland, California. Ms. Gomez Garcia's exceptional passion for teaching has created a positive setting for learning and growth for each one of the students she teaches. Ms. Gomez Garcia teaches children in both English and Spanish at a dual immersion school where her positive teaching methods create an environment of equity where students feel safe to learn. Many of her students are recent immigrants, some children are from families with established residences in Woodland, and many are from families who are underserved. Ms. Gomez Garcia's bilingual teaching methods place all children on an equal footing where each come out with bilingual proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. Beyond her skills and acumen, Ms. Gomez Garcia is an exceptional mother and dedicated wife, a humanitarian and active community member. The positive impact she has had on the lives of her students cannot be overstated.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sara Sealander as a woman of the year. She is an artist, educator, and activist. She taught both Art History and Studio Art classes fulltime at Yuba Community College for 38 years and continues her work teaching as an adjunct professor of Art History. She has long been the leading voice for women in the arts in her community. She created the curriculum for the Women in the Arts classes she teaches, and which are now taught in other schools. She has mentored a whole generation of artists and art instructors in her community and remains passionate about the role of arts in education and society. Ms. Sealander's skill and passion for the arts goes beyond her work into activism. Fueled by threats to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts, she organized public protests to educate the public about the importance of the NEA to society and its impact in our local community. She also founded a local chapter of Guerilla Girls, an international group of feminist activist artists who use their artistic talents to make social commentary. Ms. Sealander's activism works to promote the importance of art to community and society. She continues to be an inspiration to young artists and the next generation of arts instructors at all levels of education in the Yuba-Sutter community. She generously gives her time to curate an annual Art Faculty Art show and has devoted many hours to the Yuba College Fine Arts Alumni group. She makes time to mentor graduates, ensuring that the value of art in her community will never be lost. She has devoted her career to promoting the arts and without her devotion to the importance of art, the artistic community of the Yuba-Sutter area would not be what it is today.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Salina Edwards as a woman of the year. She is an unflinchingly energetic and optimistic advocate for her community. A reliable source of determination and persistence, Ms. Edwards has always made it a priority to better the lives of those around her by asking the tough questions and delving into the minutia of an issue before determining the best possible course for the citizens she serves. After a distinguished fourteen-year career with the Glenn County Superior Court, she still had a desire to serve and decided to run for office. In addition to her role as Councilwoman, her wide range of duties and responsibilities for the city include the Waste Management Board, the Glenn County Local Agency Formation Commission, the Orland Library Commission, the Glenn County Transportation Committee, and the Glenn County Regional Transportation Committee. Ms. Edwards is a caring and mindful public servant devoted to every aspect of her community, when she isn't focused on fulfilling her duties as a Councilwoman, she can be found pitching in for the Orland Bee City Committee and the Orland Queen Bee City of North America. Her unfailing enthusiasm and dedicated spirit make her a highly visible presence in the community, whether volunteering for local Kiwanis club events or pitching in at the Orland Food Pantry. Ms. Edwards is devoted community servant whose positive impact cannot be overstated.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Vera Correa as a woman of the year. She is a dedicated advocate and volunteer who gives her time generously in service to her community. As the Vice President of the Alliance for Hispanic Advancement she works to further the organization's goal of improving the quality of life for people of Hispanic heritage. Through community involvement, educational enhancement, and economic promotion, she and the AHA have worked to represent and serve the Hispanic community. She also gives her time organizing numerous community events such as the Kiwanis Italian Night, Hogs & Hula, the Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival, the Mexican Independence Day Festival, the Day of the Dead event, and the Binational Health Week Fair. Whether it is through her work as Vice President of the Alliance for Hispanic Advancement, or in her many volunteer roles in her community, Ms. Correa has demonstrated a true commitment to improving the lives of others. She is a community leader and activist who never stops working for those in need of a helping hand. Her dedication to her community provides inspiration for others to follow in her footsteps as leaders and volunteers. Ms. Correa is generous, passionate, dedicated, and her contribution to her community is truly worthy of recognition.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rochelle Sherlock as a woman of the year. She is passionately devoted to improving her community both through her career and volunteerism. Ms. Sherlock co- founded the Senior Coalition of Solano County, a volunteer based group which advises the Solano County Board of Supervisors on how best to serve the senior community. She has also been an invaluable part of my Senior Advisory Group where she has played an essential role in increasing my awareness and understanding of the critical issues facing seniors in our community. As co-founder of the Solano Commission for Women and Girls, she advanced the goal of improving the economic status, health and social welfare, and overall quality of life for women and girls in Solano County. She is also a founding member of 100 Women Who Care, a philanthropic organization which provides financial support for local charities doing important work. She also co-founded the first Solano County Volunteer Center and is a member of the Volunteer Center of the Bay Area Board. Ms. Sherlock has done extensive volunteer work in service to her community while maintaining her role as the founder and CEO of Potentiate, a consulting firm for private companies, government, and non-profit organizations. She also does pro- bono consulting work for dozens of local non-profits and civic leaders that has greatly enhanced their ability to more efficiently serve the needs of our community. The significant positive impact Rochelle Sherlock has had on this community cannot be overstated, and she is extremely worthy of this recognition.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sally Serger as a woman of the year. As a dedicated educator who is passionate about her family and community, Ms. Sally Serger has devoted over 25 years of her life to teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing special-needs children in Oroville for the Sutter County Office of Education. With her persistence and positivity, she has been able to touch the lives of countless children who otherwise might not receive the patient care and instruction so critical to their development. It is a point of pride for Ms. Serger when she has the opportunity to interact with the students who she has seen grow into successful young adults throughout her career. Ms. Serger also spends time volunteering in myriad other capacities throughout her community. She is a member of the California Women for Agriculture, the La Porte Snowmobile Club, and has served for over 30 years as a project and community leader for the renowned 4-H Program. When one considers that 4-H seeks to engage youth in reaching their fullest potential, it is no surprise to learn that Ms. Serger has chosen to spend her time with this organization. In addition to her work as an educator, Ms. Serger has been a consistent force in improving the western bank of the Feather River, and by diligently advocating for her community, she became instrumental in securing local funding for the strengthening of Sutter County levees. Ms. Serger's passion, dedication, and diligence in all facets of her life are truly worthy of recognition.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tejinder Kaur as a woman of the year. She has dedicated her career to promoting literacy in her community. Through her work at the Sutter County Library Literacy Services Department she has helped a large immigrant population learn to speak, read, and write in English. Most impressively, Ms. Kaur played a pivotal role in building Sutter County Library's Literacy Services Citizenship Preparation class which has helped students pursuing United States Citizenship. The program has assisted students in the completion of 6,386 applications for Naturalization, 740 applications for Certificates of Citizenship, and 4,000 fee waiver requests. Thanks to Ms. Kaur's work, her students had a guide through the overwhelming process of applying for citizenship and were able to achieve a smooth transition into American culture. Her service to her community goes above and beyond the requirements of her profession. For the past 14 years she has organized the Multicultural Women's Dance which draws women from all different cultures in the Yuba-Sutter area. She coordinated with the Sutter County Public Health Department to ensure the event would be a healthy learning experience as well as a valuable cultural exchange. Her work has played an important role in bringing her community together to build relationships across cultural barriers. Ms. Kaur's devotion to her work and dedication to her community has had an immense positive impact throughout Sutter County.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Suzanne Lawry-Hall as a woman of the year. She is passionate about the work she does and the communities she serves. For 11 years she has worked with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources program in nutrition education. As the Community Education Supervisor II for the Butte County University of California Cooperative Extension she oversees the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program in five counties. This demanding work helps UC CalFresh to advance its goals of improving the diet, nutrition, self-sufficiency, and overall health of CalFresh recipients and their families. Under her supervision the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program has made significant gains in its outreach and education to low-income families, increasing youth participation by 10,104 and adult participation by 1,872. These impressive results demonstrate Ms. Lawry-Hall's commitment and dedication to her work. She also helped improve outreach through community events, newsletters, and social media, ensuring that individuals throughout her community know about the valuable resources available to them. Ms. Lawry-Hall consistently goes above and beyond the expectations of her position, often delivering presentations at statewide conferences and workshops to share her knowledge and expertise with professionals throughout the state. She plays an integral role in the important work of CalFresh, helping the organization in improving the health and nutrition of low- income families through outreach and education. She is generous with her time, passionate about her work, and dedicated to the communities she serves; she is an inspirational example of public service.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Chair, who doesn't want to export natural gas? I suspect we all do. We like to do it in the proper manner, and this is the debate to be had over whether it should be done with or without this exemption from the normal process. But there is another issue at hand. Clearly, natural gas is a strategic national asset. Both sides would agree to that. I don't think there is any debate whatsoever--a strategic national asset. And it is certainly going to be to the benefit of certain parts of this Nation that happen to have shale gas available. It is also going to be a benefit to the petroleum industry and those that are able to extract the natural gas--all good. But why don't we use this strategic national asset to support another strategic national asset, our maritime industry? It used to be when the north slope of Alaska opened up that all of that oil that was exported from Alaska had to be on American ships with American sailors. Over the years, that disappeared. But we have an opportunity right here with this piece of legislation to really enhance the benefit that comes from this strategic national asset. I am all for the Caribbean. Good for them. Good for us. But what if that was shipped on American ships, built in American shipyards by American workers, and the steel was American steel? What if we made it in America? What if we used this natural gas export, LNG, for the benefit of the broad American economy, not just for a few places that are fortunate enough to have the gas in the ground and those that extract it? Why not require that a small percentage--1, 2, 5, 10 percent--of that gas be on American-built ships with American mariners? Spread the benefit of this extraordinary natural resource, this strategic national asset to the broad width of America, the shipyards of America located on our coasts, the steel mills of America, the engine manufacturers. Americans throughout could benefit.

Mr. GARAMENDI. Well, let me wrap this up very, very quickly in the next 60 seconds. A strategic national asset, natural gas, coupled with another strategic natural national asset, our mariners, our shipyards, our steel industry, our manufacturers of pumps and motors, take a small percentage. By the way, we have a bill to do this, bipartisan, bicameral, Senator Wicker, Senator Casey, good men and women in California, in the legislature here on this side, all of us supporting this. So why don't we amend this bill in the process? In the meantime, I will vote it out of here, but let's remember, this asset could be for the benefit of all America, not just a narrow portion of it.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, before I launch into the major subject matter of this evening, I want to call attention to the horrific fires that have occurred in California over the last month. It is extremely early in the fire season. Normally, fires of the size that we have seen in California during the month of August occur in late October/ November. Climate change is real, and what we are seeing is a 365-day-a-year fire season in California. In my own district of Lake County, the largest fire ever in California's history is still burning, mostly under control, but it will probably burn for another month until the rains come. Just to the north, in the Redding, California, area, more than 1,000 homes were lost and 4 people lost their lives. We saw last year the huge fire that occurred in southern California, in the Santa Barbara- Ventura County area, followed by horrific mudslides that, again, claimed the lives of dozens of people. My heart goes out to all the victims of the fire, and my gratitude, along with the gratitude of the communities of California, goes out to the brave firefighters and first responders who met the challenge of these very fast moving, very, very dangerous fires. It should bring to the attention of all Americans the need for us to address the new issues that confront our Nation as a result of the ever-warming climate and, also, the need for this Congress to carry on what is now in place in law, and that is to allow the U.S. Forest Service to have two accounts: one account for fighting fires and a separate account for managing the forests. The health of our forests is in doubt. As one of my colleagues often says, we can take the trees out in an orderly way and remove some of the vegetation, providing the necessary firebreaks and forest thinnings, or it will come out in a fire. Now, if I might, Mr. Speaker, go to the other subject matter that I would like to spend a few minutes on. I often start my Special Order hours with some words from a very well-known American, a fellow who had four terms as President of the United States. If you haven't figured it out already, it would be FDR. In the past, as I have used this to set the tone and to set the value of my conversation, or the values of my conversation, I didn't really appreciate how pertinent these words would be here in September, the day after Labor Day, of 2018. So I want to draw your attention to what FDR said in the 1930s. He said: ``The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.'' I want to say that again, because this really should be our goal. It should be the principle value of our legislative process here. ``The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.'' So, what to make of this. Yesterday was Labor Day, a tradition that goes back to the 1880s, when there was a real crisis, when there was child labor, where there were no workplace safety laws, where there was the advent of what became known as the robber barons and the era of the golden few. Yesterday, Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, wrote an op- ed laying down some thoughts that all of us ought to pay attention to. He said that working people are crying out for change that would bring about a political system that lifts up our voices, an economy that treats us fairly, and a society that values labor. He also said a few other things. He said: ``For decades, corporate interests have been hell-bent on chipping away at our most fundamental rights and freedoms. They have corrupted our public institutions and rigged the economy to work for the few at the expense of the many.'' Well, it seems as though he may have been channeling FDR, and it wouldn't surprise me that he would. In December, Congress passed and the President signed the largest tax scam in America's history. Our friends on the Republican side sold the tax bill to the American public as relief for middle-income families. President Trump went further to say that working families could expect a $4,000 to $7,000 raise due to the lowering of tax burdens on companies. I should repeat that: President Trump said that working families could expect a $4,000 to $7,000 raise due to the lowering tax burden on companies and corporations. Hmm. Let's test those words. Let's test those words against what has happened since December of 2017 when the largest tax scam in the Nation's history actually passed. So, what have the workers of America found? The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Department of Labor has shown that workers' real wages, accounting for inflation, have decreased slightly since the signing of the tax bill. This means that the average worker's salary buys less today than it did before December 2017. By the way, that tax bill cost the Federal Treasury, that is, reduced the tax receipts to the Federal Treasury, by nearly $2 trillion over the next decade. Well, not the next decade. We are now 9\1/4\ years ahead. Two trillion dollars. All that sold on the premise that the wages for working Americans would increase. No. Didn't happen. Not likely to happen. There were some modest increases in wages, but they have been negated, wiped out, by rising inflation. Since the great recession of 2009 and '10, there really was real wage growth, adjusted for inflation, every year until the current year. Now, undoubtedly, there are some here in Congress--and perhaps the President--who would point out that some corporations have actually used their windfall for employee bonuses. Let's just take a look at what that windfall is. Yes. Here it is. Well, I'm afraid this number is wrong. We now know it is actually going to be close to a $2 trillion reduction in taxes. So where is it going? Well, let's see. Mr. Speaker, 83 percent of all of that near $2 trillion winds up in the hands of the top 1 percent and American corporations. Everyone else can share 17 percent of that number, $2 trillion. So, how many Americans saw a windfall as a result of the tax cut, as promised by the President, the $4,000 to $7,000 bonus coming to you as a result of the tax bill? Well, there are 155 million employees in America, doing every conceivable kind of work, including some of the folks here in the dais behind me. Only 6.8 million of the 155 million actually received wage increases or bonuses since the passage of the tax scam. Their 5.9 million employers, a very generous 411 of the 5.9 million employers, provided their employees with a bonus or a significant wage increase. Publicly traded companies across America are spending 101 times more money on stock buybacks, $712 billion in the first 8 months of 2018, than employee raises or bonuses, which are $7.1 billion. Shall I say that again? Probably ought to. Publicly traded companies have spent $712 billion on stock buybacks and $7.1 billion on bonuses and raises. Interesting. The New York Times reported on this on July 13, and the headlines read, ``Paychecks Lag as Profits Soar, and Prices Erode Wage Gains. Corporate profits have rarely swept up a bigger share of the Nation's wealth, and workers have rarely shared a smaller one.'' I suppose, if I wanted to play economist, I would put up something like this: How is corporate America spending their tax cut, the Trump tax cut? Well, here you have--oh, this was April. This blue line, that was April. In April, corporate stock buybacks were $238 billion, in April of 2018. We are now in September. That was April. Mr. Speaker, $238 billion in stock buybacks, $6.5 billion for bonuses and wage increases. We are now in September, 4 months later, and stock buybacks are $712 billion, a number that I said just a moment ago; and wages and bonuses have increased $7.1 billion. Half a trillion dollars. A half a trillion dollars of the stock of the tax cut has been spent, increased, from April to September. No doubt in everybody's mind why the stock market is roaring ahead. There has been $712 billion spent on buying back stocks since January 1, 2018. That is three-quarters of a trillion dollars. No wonder the stock market is roaring ahead. Unfortunately, the wages of Americans have actually, in real dollars, declined. A few other things for those of you who like to play economist. You have to love these graphs. The employee pay as a share of the national income, in 1970, it was about, I don't know, 66\1/2\ percent of the total wealth of the total national income that was for wages. Here we are in 2018, and it has fallen to 62 percent. Well, how about corporate profits as a share of national income? Well, in 1970, it was down here around 9 percent of the total national income that was corporate profits. Here we are in 2018, and it is 13 percent. We would say that would be wonderful for corporations, if somehow that corporate wealth would actually be shared with employees. Now you can kind of understand why Mr. Trump was so agitated on Labor Day yesterday when he was talking about income inequality. There is one other way to see this, and let me put this up. This is corporate tax rate, individual and corporate income taxes as a percentage of all the Federal revenue. That is all the tax revenue the Federal Government collects. Well, let's see, way back in 1934, about 10 percent. Both corporate and individuals paid about the same amount, and that went on until 1939, 1940, and then it began to shift. In that period of time, since the 1940s, early 1940s, until today, corporate taxes, as a share of the burden of taxes paid in America, has declined from 40 percent in 1939--that was the build up to World War II--to, well, somewhere down around 7.8 percent today. Pretty good for corporations. Pretty good for people who own stock. Who does own stock? Eighty-four percent of U.S.-traded stock is owned by the top 10 percent of Americans. Whoa, now that is an interesting statistic. So the stock market roars as more and more of the tax cut is poured into stock buybacks, and the benefit goes to the top 10 percent of Americans. We ought to pay attention to that. Oh, by the way, individuals have continued to pay more and more of the total burden of funding our Federal Government. All of this is a result of tax policy over time. So what are we going to do about this? Before I go to what we are going to do about it, let me just pick up one more thing. Do you remember all the talk about bringing American corporations back to America, end the offshoring? Surely, you remember that. Well, I remember the talk here on the floor. The great tax bill is going to end the offshoring of American jobs. We are going to Make America Great Again. We are going to bring American corporations back home. Well, it didn't happen. Why didn't it happen? Well, because the way the law was written, there is actually greater incentive today to offshore jobs than there was prior to the great tax scam of December 2017. American corporations can actually have a lower tax rate by offshoring, by investing offshore. I am sure you remember the great ballyhoo about Harley-Davidson. They were concerned about the President's tariffs and said that they were going to manufacture their motorcycles in Europe as a result of the tariff on steel and aluminum. Well, there is another known issue about Harley-Davidson. They utilized the tax break given to American corporations for offshoring jobs to open a facility in Thailand after the tax bill was passed. They laid off 800 workers in their Kansas City facility and opened a new facility in Thailand. They not only did that, but what did they do for the remaining workers in America? Well, if those workers happened to own Harley-Davidson stock, I suppose they did okay, because Harley- Davidson decided to spend $700 million to buy back 15 million shares. Interesting the way in which tax policy actually works, to the benefit of whom? Hardworking American families? No. The top wealthy Americans? Yes. What did FDR have to say about all this? This isn't ancient history. This is America today. This is America today, and we ought to pay attention to what FDR has said when he said American progress is not whether the wealthy do better, but, rather, whether the working men and women of America, the poor, the people who are struggling to put food on their table, the people who are trying to get their kids an education, trying to deal with the ever-increasing cost of higher education, FDR said it very clearly when he said it is our test, that we are judged by what we do for those who have little. So here we are today. Here we are just days ahead of a new election in which this issue is going to address every American. This election is going to be about whether the policies so starkly laid out here in the tax legislation, the policies of adjusting the American wealth so that those who have much get more versus those who are working day in and day out are struggling just to stay ahead and failing to do so. There is a stark difference here in policy. Let there be no doubt that, for us, as we go into this election, we go into this election keeping firmly in mind that our task is to provide A Better Deal for the people, A Better Deal for the people of America. The wealthy have done fine. The top 10 percent are doing terrific. We are not against them, but we are for the people. We are for the working men and women of America who are trying to put food on their table, pay rent as housing prices soar, as rental rates go through the roof, working men and women in the families of America who are struggling every day just to keep up with inflation, and far too many not able to do so. Yes, there is no doubt that, in America today, the unemployment rate has dropped. Yet, there are still millions of Americans who have not been able to get into the labor market, who have not been able to adjust to the changing economy of America, who are unable to have the skills to fit into that new economy, who are on the outside. But I will tell you this: We care about them. We think it is our responsibility to care about every American, not just the wealthy, as some do in this hall, but every working man and woman and for those not able to work. So we offer A Better Deal for the people, and I am just going to lay out four specific issues in the next remaining minutes. First of all, it is about healthcare. I came to this Congress in 2009 with the determination to work for a healthcare system that provided quality insurance for every American. We made a major step toward that, not because I arrived but because the American public was crying out for a quality health insurance program. Too many Americans were on the outside. Too many people were excluded because they had a preexisting condition. Too many Americans couldn't afford it, and more and more American companies were eliminating healthcare insurance as part of the benefits. So we, the Democrats, without one Republican vote, put forward the Affordable Care Act. And guess what? More than 20 million Americans within 3 years had insurance that wasn't previously available to them, and it was a good insurance policy. All the while, from January 2011 to this moment, our Republican colleagues have been trying to reverse that progress. More than 60 different bills passed the House of Representatives in those years that would eliminate the basic health insurance for 27 million Americans. That was their policy. That is not ours. Our policy is to provide universal health insurance for every American. We have not given it up. We have seen erosion in the years with the new President who rails against insurance for everybody. And we see specific programs put forward by our Republican colleagues to carve away protections for those Americans who have preexisting conditions. How cruel is that? How wrong is that, that this Nation would set up a system that would remove the protection that has been in the law since 2010, the protection that insurance companies cannot discriminate in the provision of insurance because of preexisting conditions? What is a preexisting condition? For a young female, it is that she might get pregnant. Yes, they consider that a preexisting condition, being a female. You have high blood pressure? That is a preexisting condition. You had measles or chickenpox in the past? That is a preexisting condition. It goes on and on and on. I know this issue. I was an insurance commissioner elected in California to protect Californians from the abuses of insurance companies, and I saw time after time after time insurance companies discriminating, harming individuals, terminating their health insurance because they forgot to write down that they had chickenpox as a child. Now here we are in this era of Trump, this era where, once again, the majority and the President would impose upon Americans, once again, insurance discrimination. You have a preexisting condition? Good luck. We are going to fight that. As we have seen the wages of Americans stagnate under the pressure of insurance and the pressure of the tax scam, as we have seen that, we have also seen the inevitable increase in the cost of prescription drugs. Who does that hurt? The super wealthy? The 10 percenters who have done so well in the last year? Or does it hurt everyday working Americans? I will tell you this, it is our plan to put in place policies that would give the Federal Government the opportunity to negotiate prices for prescription drugs so that Medicare and Medicaid recipients don't have to endure the enormous out-of-pocket costs associated with that and to give other Americans who are not yet of that age the opportunity to be able to get their prescription drugs at a reasonable price just as the rest of the world, or at least that part of the world that has advanced economies, is able to get. What about education? I was back home in my district, as were all the rest of us over this last month. How many times did I hear from parents whose children are about to graduate from high school, saying they can't afford it, that they can't afford to go to college. And if they do, they will be saddled with such student debt that they will never be able to buy a home. They will spend the first 10, 15 years of their postgraduate life paying off the student loans. This is not a small matter for Californians. This is not a small matter for citizens of every other State. It is an epidemic in America, the cost of higher education, the burden that is placed upon young men and women who are struggling to get an education, having to go out and get a student loan just to be able to continue, and then paying that off in the years ahead. It occurred to me somewhere along the way that, as I received the inevitable mail about refinancing my home mortgage, maybe students ought to be able to refinance their student loan. But, oh, no, not in America. You can refinance your home mortgage, but you can't refinance your student loan at a lower rate? That is wrong. So I, and others, have introduced legislation that would at least allow for a refinancing of student loans at a lower rate. But that is not enough. That is just one piece of a solution to a problem that is endemic and an epidemic in America. We are going to spend $1 trillion in the next decade rebuilding every one of our nuclear bombs and our basic mechanisms to deliver those bombs. What if we spent like one-tenth of that on allowing American children to get an education without being saddled with a student loan for the first 10 to 15 years of their postgraduate life, to be able to have a free community college education the first 2 years? Some States are trying to do that, New York among them. Why not the Federal Government? But, oh, no. The Secretary of Education is going exactly the other direction, trying to eliminate the protections that were put in place by the Obama administration to protect students from loan scams, from bogus education programs, such as the Trump real estate education program. Did I mention that loudly enough? Such as the Trump real estate program. So his Secretary of Education wants to allow him, when he terminates his career as President, to go back and rebuild the scam that harmed thousands of Americans and, along with that, maybe many, many more. American families need to be concerned about what is going on here. For the people, are our policies for the people? I was traveling across California in my district, 200 miles one side to the other, the great Sacramento River Valley, more levees than anywhere in America, including Louisiana. The roads are filled with potholes. The levees are in need of repair. The airports are crowded. We just heard a lot about that in the previous session. The bridges are collapsing, not just in Italy, here in America. I think we have some 60,000 bridges that are in need of serious repair. I noticed one of them across the river here in Washington, D.C., under repair, and that is good for Washington, D.C. But what about, I don't know, Missouri? What about our infrastructure? We have lead contamination in the communities of Michigan and other contamination in the water of cities in California. We have shore lines that are collapsing. We have water lines that are not working properly. American infrastructure was built decades ago and has not been repaired in the intervening years, and we have a $1 trillion backlog just to keep pace. Travel to Europe, travel to China, travel to other countries, Japan, and others, and you will see modern infrastructure, but not in America, not in America. So what are we going to do about it? I will tell you what we want to do about it on our side of the aisle. We want a real infrastructure program, not a bogus one like ones proposed earlier this year by our President, but a real, solid infrastructure program that has real money, that has the real opportunity to be able to rebuild our existing infrastructure to bring about what we have called for, for more than a decade: good repair of all of it, whether it is a water system, sanitation system, a levee, a highway, or an airport. That is what we want to do, and we want to build the infrastructure for tomorrow. We know that international trade is going to increase. Well, maybe not. Maybe I have to change that, given the trade war that is now underway, brought to us by the President. So we will see how it turns out. But right now, maybe we are not going to see an increase in international trade as tariffs are imposed. But maybe that will pass, and we will get back to fair trade, real opportunity to grow our economy by trading internationally. To do that, we are going to need better ports. We are going to need better infrastructure to move goods into and out of the ports. We need to have deeper ports. All of these are infrastructure projects. How are we going to do it? Well, I suggest that we are going to do it with a real infrastructure program that has real money. If we were to go back to one of those charts I had there that showed the share of American corporations, their share of the total tax revenues is declining, decade by decade, to the lowest level since the imposition of a corporate tax rate. We are going to try to retrieve some of the mistake that was made in the tax bill of December 2017, retrieve some of those incentives that were in the bill, replace those incentives with real legislation that encourages American corporations to bring those profits back into America. I bring to your attention a bill that Mr. Lloyd Doggett of Texas has put forth, a bill that would terminate the unfair, unjustified provisions of the 2017 tax bill that encourages further investment by American corporations overseas. Reverse that. Bring that money back home. If we were to pair that with another bill by Mr. Delaney, we would see the opportunity for a rea infrastructure program, setting up an infrastructure bond and banking program where we can use that money coming back into America from the kind of tax reform that Mr. Doggett has put forth and Mr. Delaney has put forth to build our infrastructure, having American corporations that enjoy the benefits of this Nation pay their fair share and not hide their profits overseas, as so many have done and will do even more because of the tax program. A final point about our program, which we call A Better Deal for the People, America knows the level of corruption that is taking place here in our Nation. They hear it; they see it on television. There has never--well, ``never'' is a long time. In the memory of living Americans, there has never been such a corrupt administration as we have today: EPA Director; questions raised about the Commerce Secretary; people resigning left, right, and center, just ahead of the cops; and, of course, the President. We need to pay attention to this. It erodes the foundation of our democracy. Campaign financing, Citizens United, is allowing secret, dark money to invade our election process. We don't know the full extent of Russian involvement. We know hacking. We know that they are out there using social media. We don't know the full extent of foreign money coming into our election. We are not ever likely to know, under the current laws, because there is secret money allowed in our democratic process, eroding the very nature of our democracy. Maybe some of it is foreign. There is evidence that it is. Maybe--no, not maybe. We know about millions coming into the campaign. There is not a Member in this House of 435, less those who have left for various issues of corruption, not one of us wakes up in the morning without concern that secret money, millions, will be dumped into their campaign in the 65 days, 62 days until the next election. We don't know. We can't know. It is out there. It is wandering around out there, millions upon millions of dark money, secret money. It could land on any of us. Given what I have been saying about the President, it may land on me. Fine, we will deal with that. This is a problem. It is a problem for America when that kind of money buys elections, buys candidates, buys Members of Congress and more. Citizens United and all the rest needs to go. We need to know who is financing me, financing my colleagues here. We need to be able to report that so that the people can make up their minds what they want to do. I will give you one example, and then I think I have said enough for the night. There was an election in California a few years ago that had Pacific Gas and Electric, one of the major corporations, utilities-- well, the largest in the Nation, trying to carve a special favor for itself, eliminating all competition. They got it on the ballot. They collected signatures, got it on the ballot. They were required, under California law, to disclose where the money came from in support of their campaign and all of the ads, all the television, all the written mailers and so forth paid for by PG&E. The opposition to this, which was basic citizen groups, said that this is wrong. There were editorials written. Maybe $20,000, $30,000 was spent opposing PG&E's effort. It went down 2-1 for one simple reason: PG&E was required to disclose that they were paying for the ads, and people go, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. So disclosure works. Unfortunately, Citizens United and a couple of other decisions have made it impossible for the American people to know who is financing Members of Congress, Senate, President, so forth. So, here we are. A better deal for the people, healthcare, infrastructure, jobs, wages, corruption. You are going to hear a lot about this. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), who is joining me this evening.

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman so very much. 124 Labor Days for the working men and women of America. We should keep that in mind, and certainly I know the gentlewoman will and I, and I am sure my colleagues, at least on the Democratic side of the aisle, will also. Mr. Speaker, I want to end once again with FDR: ``The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GARAMENDI

Mr. GARAMENDI. That should be enough for Mr. DeFazio, the ranking member of the committee, to share his views on this legislation. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?