Tulsi Gabbard

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory and in celebration of my friend and mentor, Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka, who took his final breath exactly 1 week ago today. I was in Hawaii and woke up very early to a text message from one of his children, who let me know that he had passed away around 5 o'clock that last morning. We all took that day to remember him and his life and to think back on the memories that we have of how he dedicated his life to serving the people of Hawaii and our country. From his service in the U.S. Army back during World War II, to his years that he spent taking care of our ``children,'' ``keiki,'' as a public school teacher and a principal, his work in the State, and then serving more than 36 years in the United States Congress. He was the first Member of Congress to serve of Native Hawaiian ancestry and made history in many different ways. He is known throughout Hawaii for so many reasons, but when you say the word ``Akaka,'' it is synonymous with ``aloha,'' because that is what he represented throughout his life. And the warmth and the fondness, the love and the kindness that he shared with everyone, made it so that he was not known so much as Senator Akaka so much as Uncle Danny. He did all of this with his wife, Millie, by his side. Mother of five children, Auntie Millie herself is a force of nature. She was ever- present here in Washington, with Senator Akaka in his travels, and expressed aloha in her own way. In everything he did, Senator Akaka put service before self. He truly walked the talk. He carried the spirit of aloha with him in his heart and at the forefront of his actions. Now in the last week, the people of Hawaii, many people across the country, many of our colleagues here in Washington have been sharing their own personal stories about how Senator Akaka touched and inspired their lives, talking about the legacy that he left behind and the example that he set with his life. And the central theme in each of these stories that I have heard all comes back to aloha. ``Aloha,'' which means kindness, respect, and love for others, regardless of any differences that we may have, whether they be by race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, or anything else. To this day, here in the Capitol, sometimes I will bump into some of his former colleagues in the U.S. Senate, even here people he served with in the U.S. House, and as soon as you mention his name, you can kind of see their shoulders fall, their stress fall away, and they get a smile on their face as they think about the time that they had serving with him. They will have little stories about a codel that they went on with him or a committee that they served on with him, and they always talk about how kind he was. No matter who you were, no matter what was going on around you, he always took that moment to share the warmth of his own heart with yours. This even came from those who disagreed with him. This even came from those who fought him hardest on the signature bill that he tried to pass, the Akaka bill. Even if they opposed his policies, none of them had anything ill to say of him. This speaks to the impact that he left on the United States Capitol, on Washington, on this country, and on Hawaii. And it speaks to the legacy that he leaves behind that will continue to inspire leaders of our country and leaders in our community, people everywhere, to serve in their own lives in that same spirit of aloha and respect for everyone. After I returned from my first deployment to Iraq with the Hawaii Army National Guard, I had the privilege of being able to work in Senator Akaka's office as a legislative aide. He was chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee at the time, and coming back, this was a great opportunity, I felt, to be able to help him in that service to help make reforms and changes to our VA and our country's policies and how our veterans are cared for, in particular the post-9/11 veterans, in particular the large number of National Guard and reservists who were being activated to serve in the Middle East, and who were not being treated with the kind of respect and honor and dignity that they had earned through their service. This included everything from the GI Bill to VA services and qualifications that they earned. I was able to experience firsthand on a daily basis the impact that he made, his example of aloha. Taking the time as he was rushing to a committee or rushing to vote to stop and say ``hello'' to the janitor who was mopping the floor; to stop and say ``aloha'' to visitors who were coming from Hawaii or from other States; to stop and talk to the staff and ask how they were doing, how was their family, how were things going. He invested in building lifelong relationships. He spent that quality time, whether it was short or long, because he understood how important every individual is, and how he wanted to take advantage of that moment to share his aloha, recognizing that only by working together, only through aloha and bringing people together, can we make real positive change. For those of us who had the opportunity to work with Senator Akaka, either in his office in Washington, in Hawaii, on one of his campaigns, or in some capacity, we have bonded over the years; and every year we got together with Senator Akaka, his wife, and his family to celebrate his birthday in September of every year. During this last year, this past September, I was able to spend some time with him and chatted a bit. And as he always does, he asked: How are things going in Washington? And he expressed his sadness about how divisive things have become, how the kind of collegiality and respect that existed when he was serving in the U.S. Senate for so many years that allowed people to disagree without being disagreeable, that allowed people to debate strongly their disagreements on issues but come together at the end of the day to find a solution, that that has largely been lost. And as a result, we are seeing the gridlock and the divisiveness and the lack of results, the lack of delivery to our constituents, in large part, because of no aloha. This respect has largely been lost. He has always spoken about how aloha is the solution. So as we remember Senator Akaka's legacy of service and aloha, the best way that we can honor his life is by doing our best to live aloha in his example: serving others; doing our best to protect our planet; finding common ground where we can; seeing that even though we may disagree on certain issues, there will be others that we agree on; fighting for justice; fighting for equality; and fighting for peace. He was a courageous leader. I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve my constituents in Hawaii in the same congressional seat that he once held, and I will forever be inspired by his friendship and the life that he lived. ``Thanks very much,'' ``Mahalo nui loa,'' to his wife, Auntie Millie, and to his entire family for sharing him with us, and thank you to Uncle Danny for sharing your aloha with the world. You will be missed. ``Until we meet again,'' ``a hui hou.''

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, it has been 1 month since the tragic shooting in Parkland, and today students in Hawaii and all across the country are joining hands and raising their voices to honor the 17 lives lost on that day and the 7,000 children whose lives have been lost since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook. They are walking out today to demand action that will help to prevent these horrific tragedies and improve the safety and security of our schools. Later today, we are going to be voting on a bill that I have cosponsored, the STOP School Violence Act. This bill or any other single bill is not going to solve everything, but it will help prevent school violence by implementing measures developed after Sandy Hook that support training for teachers, students, school personnel, and local law enforcement to better identify early warning signs of violence and increase coordination between schools and local law enforcement. In addition, we also need to take action on things like closing the gun show and online loopholes and requiring universal background checks for anyone seeking to purchase a gun. These are provisions that have overwhelming bipartisan support both here in Congress and across the country. The time for action is long overdue. Let's bring these bills to the floor for a vote.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the students, faculty, staff, families, and community around Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who lost 17 of their own 3 weeks ago today. I rise to join the entire community of Parkland and millions of Americans all across the country, Democrats and Republicans, who are saying enough is enough. The time for action is now. We cannot allow partisan politics to get in the way of taking meaningful action in areas where both parties agree and that have the support of most Americans across this country. Here are a few examples: Both Democrats and Republicans support legislation I have cosponsored to ban bump stocks. Both Democrats and Republicans support legislation to close the loophole exploited by the Sutherland Springs, Texas, shooter last year. Both Democrats and Republicans support legislation to uphold Second Amendment rights and strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Now is the time for us to come together and to take meaningful action towards responsible, commonsense gun safety reform.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that 21 State electoral systems were targeted in the 2016 election, revealing vulnerabilities and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections and our democracy as people lose confidence that their vote matters and that it will actually and accurately be counted. In 2016, DEF CON, the world's largest hacking conference, revealed startling vulnerabilities in our election's infrastructure. We must take action now to safeguard our electoral infrastructure and ensure that each and every American vote is counted accurately. I am introducing the Securing America's Elections Act, which will not only provide the American people with a voter-verified, reliable, and independent paper record of their votes that can be implemented before the 2018 elections but will also address the effectiveness and security of our electronic voting software. We must act now to secure our elections and renew our citizens' faith in the integrity of those elections.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Waters for her leadership in opposing this bill and standing for the protection of everyday Americans. We can't forget that it was only 10 years ago that millions of hardworking families watched their life savings entirely wiped out. They lost their homes. They couldn't afford to send their kids to college. And all of this heartache, this pain, this suffering that they went through was the direct result of risky predatory lending practices and too-big-to-fail banks that did not have sufficient capital in place to support and absorb their financial losses. It was in the aftermath of this financial disaster in 2008 that Congress passed protections to prevent this from happening again, but here we are today where these big banks now believe that we should simply forget the past mistakes that they made and, instead, only evaluate their current activities to determine certain capital requirements. I guarantee you those families that have suffered have not simply forgotten about what they went through and what they are still struggling to overcome and recover from. By ignoring critical indicators of past activities, this bill would allow big banks, like Wells Fargo, for example, who defrauded the American people just in the last several months by opening millions of fake accounts, to get away with a slap on the wrist. And the American people are set up to take the fall for their actions. Now, supporters of this bill claim that current capital requirements stifle lending and hurt our banks and the economy, but the facts say otherwise. In 2016, bank profits reached an all-time high, and today business lending is up 75 percent since 2010. Our country's banks added more than $700 billion in capital to absorb potential losses and protect Americans and our economy from financial disaster. Higher capital requirements don't restrict lending. They simply ensure that big banks that are even bigger today than they were in 2008 can absorb their losses without depending on taxpayers for a bailout. The American people deserve a financial system that works for them and their families, not one that bets against them to boost Wall Street profits. We need to pass legislation that increases these capital requirements of banks with assets greater than $50 billion and continue to enact and strengthen reforms that will protect our economy and American families from another massive collapse. That is why I am strongly urging our colleagues to reject this dangerous bill and, instead, work together towards efforts to build a financial system that serves the American people, not special interests or Wall Street banks.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Speaker, over 120,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated on American soil during World War II. On the annual Day of Remembrance, we are reminded of the brave men, women, and children who lost everything. They lost their homes, their belongings, their businesses, really keeping only what they could carry with them. But their spirits were not broken. Countless stories of bravery, courage, and resilience defined an entire generation, including the Nisei-only ``Go For Broke'' 442nd Infantry Regiment, becoming the most highly decorated unit in Army history. The anniversary of this shameful blight on our history remains a powerful reminder of the fragility of civil rights and the threat that prejudice and divisiveness and bigotry continue to pose to our way of life today. We must follow in the footsteps of those Japanese Americans who volunteered to serve this country, even with their loved ones incarcerated on American soil, and find the light and love of the Aloha spirit to stand up and fight against intolerance, bigotry, and hatred.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Speaker, too often when we think about human trafficking as a tragedy, we think about it as something that goes on in someone else's country, in some other place other than our home. Most people are surprised to find out that thousands of men, women, and children right here in the United States are enslaved by human trafficking every year. In my home State of Hawaii, an estimated 1,500 to 2,500 victims are impacted each year with girls as young as 10 and 11 years old recruited and kidnapped from malls, beaches, and schools. So as we work to confront and stop perpetrators of human trafficking, we also need to change the way that we treat survivors of this heinous crime. Because even after the horrors that these individuals go through of rape, physical abuse, kidnapping, and so much more, these survivors are too often charged as criminals themselves, thrown in jail, and shackled with a criminal record that follows them wherever they go. We need to end this cycle of criminalization and give survivors an opportunity to heal and move on with their lives by passing the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. Madam Speaker, as Human Trafficking Awareness Month comes to a close, I urge my colleagues to join me, to pass this important legislation and empower change for those who need it the most

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, Hawaii has long enjoyed a special and unique relationship with Japan, and Hawaii's Japanese-American community has been integral in shaping our history and collective story. I rise today to recognize three special leaders: Stephanie Ohigashi, Mildred Okuda, and Tom Fujita, three members of the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui, who, for decades, have been dedicated to preserving Japanese culture and heritage in the County of Maui. These three leaders have gone above and beyond working to strengthen ties between Hawaii and Japan and their service to Maui's community. They have worked to create a sister-city relationship between Maui County and Fukuyama City, organize cross-cultural and educational opportunities, cultivate the stories and history of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii, and so much more. In recognition of their many contributions and legacies, they have each been selected for awards from the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui. ``Thanks,'' ``Mahalo,'' to Stephanie, Mildred, and Tom for your service to the people of Hawaii.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, since 2001, the civil liberties of the American people have been trampled on under the blank check of section 702, a program that exists to allow our government to surveil foreigners on foreign soil, but which also allows our government to collect, retain, and search communications of everyday Americans without a warrant and with blatant disregard for our Fourth Amendment constitutional rights. Now, we have a very important responsibility here in Congress to strike a balance between national security and keeping the American people safe while also protecting our constitutionally protected freedoms. I urge my colleagues to vote for our bipartisan USA Rights amendment today, which maintains necessary authorities to keep the American people safe while also, simultaneously, protecting our civil liberties. Now, unfortunately, opponents of this USA Rights amendment are pushing fear tactics and misinformation. Don't fall for it. Let us make this critical choice. Vote to keep our country safe. Vote to uphold our constitutional rights that so many have fought and died to protect.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the American people need and want real tax reform, but rather than passing a strong, inclusive bipartisan bill focused on helping hardworking middle class families, today Republicans passed a bill filled with massive corporate giveaways and loopholes for the ultrawealthy. For example, the top 1 percent in our country will receive over 82 percent of the entire tax benefit in the bill they passed today. As long as Congress continues to pass legislation for partisan political reasons that seriously serve special corporate interests instead of the families that are struggling just to get by every day, where lobbyists have more input in the writing of this legislation than many Members of Congress, the American people lose. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this legislation today. It is a disappointment and a huge lost opportunity to actually help so many struggling families all across the country.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, in 3 days, the internet as we know it could change forever. On December 14, the FCC will be taking a vote on whether or not to get rid of net neutrality protections that keep the internet open, fair, and equal for everyone. Repealing these protections will allow internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T to control the levers of the internet--stifling access, deciding which websites you and I can visit and use, and making it virtually impossible for small businesses to compete against industry giants. It will hurt our students, entrepreneurs, working families, and all who rely on the internet for things from education to healthcare to employment as a level playing field of opportunity. The FCC must protect the people it is supposed to be serving, not big corporate interests, and make sure that the internet remains a place where everyone has a seat at the table.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, my heart is in Hawaii today as we commemorate the 76th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a day that forever changed Hawaii and our country. We remember those who paid the ultimate price on that fateful day and the millions of Americans who answered the call to serve in the months and years that followed, including two of our former U.S. Senators, Inouye and Akaka. We remember the famed ``Go for Broke'' 442nd Infantry Regiment and other units made up of young men who, despite seeing their friends and family members be sent off to internment camps, still stood up and volunteered to serve, putting their lives on the line for this country. They served bravely, sacrificed greatly, and became the most highly decorated unit in all of the U.S. Army's history. We must never forget what happened at Pearl Harbor, the lessons learned, and the sacrifices of those who served. There is no question that the stories of the Greatest Generation will live on forever in the hearts of a grateful nation.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, for too long, survivors of sexual harassment and assault have been isolated, shamed, and bullied into silence, while their abusers walk away scot-free with the privilege of anonymity and with no personal or financial accountability. This has been happening right here in Congress, in media, in many sectors in our society. No one, whether it be a Capitol Hill staffer, a Hollywood actor, a schoolteacher, a soldier, or anyone in any profession, at no time should they have to choose between their job and personal safety. Congress needs to act now to end the practice of taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements, expose perpetrators of sexual harassment and assault, and provide a fair and transparent path to justice for survivors. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Congress or in our society. It must end.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, female veterans represent the military's fastest-growing population with an estimated 2.2 million women, including 14,000 in my home State of Hawaii, who have served our country. Yet, when these women come home or transition to civilian life, they are still facing a VA that was created by and for men and is ill-equipped to understand and serve their unique needs. Women veterans have lower rates of access to the VA than men, but face higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual assaults, unemployment, and homelessness. We have a responsibility to take care of all of our veterans when they return home, and to make sure that they are getting the best care and benefits that they have earned and deserve. In recognition of Veterans Day, we must fix this and pass the Deborah Sampson Act to eliminate barriers and improve quality of care and services, and empower our female veterans alongside our male veterans. I urge all of my colleagues to pass this legislation to address the glaring gender disparities at the VA and to ensure that our women veterans receive the services that they have earned and deserve.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my fellow veteran and friend and colleague from Minnesota for being such a strong advocate on this issue. I also thank our friends on the other side of the aisle who have been pushing this issue forward constantly year after year, as we will continue to do so until this issue is resolved. So many of our servicemembers have selflessly put their lives on the line to protect and defend our country. Our country owes them a debt of gratitude, something we are often reminded of every year around this time as we head into Veterans Day. Unfortunately, too often, our fellow servicemembers are coming home and they are being prevented from receiving the care that they have earned through their service. They bear the brunt of the human cost of war with an average of 20 veterans committing suicide every single day. Their families carry this sacrifice and this cost throughout their lives. The rate of mental health and substance use disorders has been steadily rising since 2001. This legislation is bipartisan and would require the VA to provide urgent mental healthcare services, including an initial mental health assessment to veterans who have participated in combat operations or who have survived sexual assault or harassment. It would also expand those services to those who received a discharge under certain other than honorable conditions who haven't received the character of service or discharge determination yet. We have heard already about the high numbers of veterans who fall into this category and about how negatively this discharge has affected their lives. When they come home, they are working on their transition to a successful civilian life. This discharge takes away their access to healthcare. It takes away their access to services and benefits that they have earned through, many times, multiple deployments, services that are in place to help set our veterans up for success upon their return home. In addition, this bill would require the VA to provide services at non-VA facilities for veterans who live in rural or underserved communities. I can't state enough how important this is because it affects those veterans in my district, and on different islands in the State of Hawaii, who are separated literally by a body of water from the VA clinic. The Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act would also mandate the VA to provide additional information for mental health services for veterans and to ensure that they provide annual reports to Congress on those services that they have been providing to our veterans. This is such an important piece of legislation. I urge all of our colleagues to stand up and support its passage and see it through to its enactment. We cannot afford to leave our men and women in uniform behind.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Speaker, this year marks the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the internment of over 110,000 Japanese Americans on U.S. soil during World War II. Our country will never be able to undo this grave miscarriage of justice or relieve the pain and suffering that was inflicted upon our fellow Americans. So we must remember this dark period in our Nation's history and ensure that this dark shadow of prejudice, bigotry, and hate never occurs again. However, sadly, as we look around us, today we see that this divisiveness and bigotry persists far too much. We cannot give into hate and intolerance. We must confront it and defeat it with the light and love of the Aloha Spirit. We must learn from this dark stain on our past and vow to never repeat it again.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, the Children's Health Insurance Program, which is also known as CHIP, provides low-cost health insurance to nearly 9 million children all across the country, including over 25,000 children in my home State of Hawaii. Together with Medicaid, these programs have reduced the Nation's uninsured rate for children to a record low of 5 percent. Republicans in Congress let CHIP expire back in September, jeopardizing the healthcare of millions of children. At the current pace, my home State of Hawaii will exhaust all current CHIP funding by the end of this year, leaving thousands of our keiki unable to visit a doctor for routine checkups and to receive immunizations, prescriptions, or more. We must act now to reauthorize this CHIP program to ensure that our children have access to the healthcare that they need. We cannot neglect those who need help the most by failing to act and reauthorize this legislation. We must act now.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, for far too long, Big Pharma has played by its own rules, benefiting from skyrocketing drug prices on the backs of our most vulnerable populations. Back in 2003, legislation was passed establishing Medicare part D to make prescription drugs more affordable for people, but Big Pharma lobbyists influenced those policies and made it so there is a provision included that would ban the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating lower prices directly with pharmaceutical companies, something that the VA can already do today. Over 42 million Americans who are enrolled in Medicare part D continue to face rising costs on brand name drugs, fewer generic drugs, and higher premiums, making it difficult, if not impossible, for many to fill their prescriptions. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act to take back our healthcare from pharmaceutical companies and allow the Secretary of HHS to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers to secure affordable, lifesaving medication for millions of Americans.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, our country is forever grateful for the service and sacrifice of the over 200,000 Filipino and Filipino- American soldiers who bravely served our country during World War II, heroes like Sixto Tabay, the last living Filipino World War II veteran on the Island of Kauai, whom I had the good fortune to meet with recently, people like him who fought bravely and sacrificed greatly. So many made the ultimate sacrifice alongside our American troops in that war, yet their service for decades has gone unrecognized by our country. Because of legislation that we passed, today, a very special day, these warriors were finally receiving the recognition that they earned and deserve, joining the heroic ranks of the likes of the Tuskegee Airmen and Hawaii's own 442nd 100th Infantry Battalion, as we honored them in the U.S. Capitol with the Congressional Gold Medal, our Nation's highest civilian honor. To Major General Antonio Taguba, the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, and all of our World War II Filipino veterans and their families who worked so hard and were so patient in making today a reality, ``thank you very much to all of you,'' ``maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.''

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, the Iran nuclear deal is far from perfect. There are outstanding issues, like ballistic missiles, that are and should be addressed outside the nuclear agreement. Ultimately, the goal of this deal was to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon and averting all-out war. This is exactly what it has done. Now, President Trump is threatening to pull out from the deal and break our commitments to Iran and our allies, with no evidence to prove that Iran has not complied. In fact, the IAEA and our U.S. military and intelligence sources unanimously agree that Iran has remained compliant to the agreement. Walking away from the Iran nuclear agreement that, so far, is working will likely cause Iran to restart its nuclear weapons program, eliminate the possibility of diplomatic negotiations to denuclearize North Korea, kick off a nuclear arms race, and greatly increase the chances of nuclear war. If President Trump breaks our commitment to the Iran deal, the American people have everything to lose and nothing to gain. For the peace and security of the American people, we must uphold our commitment to this nuclear deal.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, domestic violence often hides behind closed doors and drawn curtains, but the problem is very staggering. In my home State of Hawaii, 575 domestic violence survivors reach out to local organizations seeking help every single day. Their stories are heartbreaking and, too often, even if they are temporarily removed from the abusive environment, they are often returned to their abuser. Survivors can seek legal protection from their abusers, but they aren't likely to do so or be successful unless they have a lawyer. Just 32 percent of victims successfully obtain a restraining order without legal representation. I call on my colleagues to support the POWER Act, which requires every State's U.S. attorney to promote and expand pro bono legal services specifically for domestic violence survivors. We all need to be more conscious of this problem because it is happening in our communities. As we observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month, let us have the courage to confront the pervasiveness of this crime and take action to help provide survivors with the safety and security they need.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, right now, 3.5 million Americans, our fellow citizens, are facing a humanitarian crisis. In Puerto Rico, the majority of people still lack basic electricity, clean drinking water, and medicine, the bare basic necessities just to stay alive--not to speak of the basic resources they need to begin the great task of rebuilding their lives and their communities. It has been days since the hurricane passed over Puerto Rico leaving death and destruction in its wake. The people of Puerto Rico are literally crying out for help. There are far too many, especially those in rural communities, who still have not been reached by those bringing aid. As a Representative from an island State in Hawaii, I can only imagine their frustration and desperation. I urge the administration to dedicate all available resources to helping the people of Puerto Rico. Work with Congress to pass an emergency aid package to ensure that those delivering aid have what they need to help the people of Puerto Rico and save lives.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, Josue Fuentes was brought to Hawaii from El Salvador when he was 13 years old, where he was escaping rampant gang violence and domestic abuse at home. He went to high school in Honolulu, made friends, got a job. But no matter what he did, he couldn't escape the dark shadow cast on his future because of his immigration status. Josue describes DACA as a weight lifted from his back. He was empowered to apply for college. He bought a home and pursued opportunities that any of us would want for our children. Today, he is a small business owner. He owns a landscaping company, he volunteers at his local church, and continues to give back to the Kaneohe community that he calls home. I urge my colleagues to sign a discharge petition to bring the Dream Act to the floor for a vote so we can pass a permanent solution for Josue and millions of DREAMers across the country. Our Nation made a promise to these young men and women. We must uphold that promise.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this package and an amendment that includes additional funding for the Native American CDFI Assistance Program. The CDFI Fund's Native Initiatives program seeks to level the economic playing field by providing awards to organizations that make credit, capital, and other essential financial services available to underserved and impoverished Native communities. In the past, this program has provided funding to organizations like Lei Ho'olaha, which provides financial training and loans to charter schools and community centers in Hawaii to help make them creditworthy. It also provides funding to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, which helps provide access to capital for people living in Native Hawaiian communities to help them purchase affordable homes, start new businesses, and to help drive commerce. We must build upon this progress in Native communities and increase the funding for the CDFI Fund's Native Initiatives to build businesses, create jobs, empower these Native communities, and spur economic growth. Please support this amendment.

Ms. GABBARD

Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Chairman, the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution exists to protect the citizens of this country from being deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. In practice and principle, adoptive forfeiture is a violation of that Fourth Amendment. I urge my colleagues to support it.