Jimmy Gomez

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Nativo restaurant in the community of Highland Park on its one-year anniversary. Nativo first opened for business in November 2020, but temporarily closed its doors amid the rising COVID-19 case count. In February 2021, the colorful Guadalajara-inspired restaurant began to welcome guests again. Nativo has been a local, family-owned operation from day one. Gabriel Paredes, a Highland Park native, draws inspiration from his family roots in the neighborhood and Guadalajara, Jalisco. He remembers walking up and down York and Figueroa with his grandfather selling boots from a beat up old white truck. ``One of my dreams has always been to come back to the neighborhood that has meant so much to me,'' says Paredes. Corissa Hernandez, co-owner and wife, is Nativo's cultural liaison. ``We want to create a platform for people of color, for women,'' says Hernandez. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Gabriel Paredes, Corissa Hernandez, and Nativo on their one-year anniversary. I also extend to all of them my best wishes for many more years of success ahead and I invite my colleagues to stop by Nativos the next time they're in Los Angeles.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Barlow Respiratory Hospital on its 120th anniversary. Barlow Respiratory Hospital was founded in 1902 as the Barlow Sanatorium, a charity hospital for tuberculosis patients. Since then, Barlow Respiratory Hospital has maintained an uninterrupted focus on respiratory care and is among a few of continuously operating respiratory hospitals in the nation. Their award-winning programs include their expertise in ventilator weaning for post-ICU patients who need specialized care. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Barlow Respiratory Hospital physicians have served as clinical leaders. Barlow Respiratory Hospital's tradition of care for patients who are critically ill, often hovering between life and death, now includes care for patients who have survived COVID-19. The clinical care teams work together to help patients begin to recover at Barlow Respiratory Hospital. As the only not-for-profit long-term acute care hospital and the only not-for-profit respiratory hospital in California, Barlow Respiratory Hospital has established a legacy of service to the Los Angeles community. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating the 120th anniversary of Barlow Respiratory Hospital.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Lemon Poppy Kitchen restaurant in the community of Glassell Park on its ten-year anniversary. Lemon Poppy Kitchen opened for business in March 2012 with hardly any money, a couple of handmade tables, and a counter crafted by a friend on the promise of free ice coffee and biscuits. The three owners Katie Kildow, Anca Caliman, and Jack Wilson were the cooks, waiters, and cashiers. From your first interaction with Lemon Poppy Kitchen, you know you are in for a treat. ``We make food from scratch with love,'' says Anca. The team is a compassionate group that is engaged with the Glassell Park community and beyond. During the pandemic, Lemon Poppy Kitchen worked with the Glassell Park Improvement Association to provide 50 cooked meals a day, six days a week, for seniors. They have also helped raise funds for the homeless community of Skid Row in Los Angeles. Once you make your first order at the restaurant you feel the sense of community. ``We wanted to make a spot where everyone wants to be,'' says Katie. Ten years later the Glassell Park community has shown that Lemon Poppy Kitchen is the go-to spot for good coffee, pastries, and meals. ``We are happy we made it [to ten years]. There have been some rough patches, but the people that come here feel like family after a while,'' says Jack. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Katie, Anca, Jack and Lemon Poppy Kitchen on their ten-year anniversary. I also extend to all of them my best wishes for many more years of success. I invite my colleagues to stop by Lemon Poppy Kitchen the next time they are in Los Angeles.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Kathy J. Sackman, a pioneer in the labor movement, as well as a registered nurse and founder of the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals. I had the honor of serving with Kathy when I was her political director for a number of years, and she was a nurse's nurse. She was a frontline nurse who worked in critical care units and saw that the adverse treatment of nurses led to worse outcomes for patients. She started in Pittsburgh and then moved to California, and she was a registered nurse in Fontana. I asked Kathy simply one day, why did you start the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals? And she said simply, I saw that the nurses were being treated very differently, very differently than the doctors. We didn't even have dental, and they did. She said, it seemed small then, but it was something big because it represented just the fact that nurses, people that work in healthcare, didn't even get the proper benefits that they deserved. So they decided to organize. That organization now is 32,000 strong, representing not only registered nurses but also nurse midwives. It is something that she left a living legacy that will continue for years to come. One of the things that we tried to remind people, she told me, is that the wins that we have achieved tend to be forgotten over the years; that the pay for nurses; that the staffing ratio for nurses; that the way nurses are viewed today has always been so. And she said that that was not always the case. And that is why they fought to organize, they fought for their patients. But she also understood that if you don't treat the nurses well, then the patients are not treated well. If you have 10 patients for one nurse, well, there is no way that those patients can get the quality care that they deserve. So she led, as well as other nurses, for the fight for staffing ratios in California that have improved the outcomes for patients across not only southern California, where she started the Nurses Union, but throughout the entire State and the country. One of the things that she was always proud of is that she always put members first, nurses first, the community first, the hospital first because she knew if the hospital did well, that the nurses would do well. If the nurses do well, patients do well. So this is something that was impressive. Quick story: She reorganized a hospital, nurses at a particular hospital. And when we opened up the hospital's books, they were flat broke. Every night a creditor would swipe their bank accounts, take all the money that was owed to them, and they would never have enough money to put into patient care or to keep them whole. So she made an agreement with the nurses; we are going to help save this hospital. She worked with the parent union of this union called AFSCME International, a Republican Member of Congress, a Democratic Senator, to get the bridge funding necessary to help that hospital stay afloat. It was a safety net hospital; and told them that once we get that hospital stabilized, their finances are better, and we can get your raise, then you will be pay more dues. At that point, they were only paying $5 in dues. That is unheard of. But that is because she knew that in the end you had to get that hospital to a place that was financially stable; that was stable for the patient; and was stable for the people that worked there. In the end, she helped save a hospital that was in a low-income community. It was a working-class community and the community that I grew up in, Riverside, California. She will always have a lasting legacy as long as we continue to fight for patients, for nurses, and for our communities. Madam Speaker, I just want to also mention that she is survived by two sons, Monty and Michael, and an extended family.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of a constituent of mine, Sarah Louise Hodge. She was a mother, a grandmother, an educator, a union rep, and also my mother-in-law. She died on the evening of January 20 in Los Angeles, with my wife at her side, as well as her caregiver, Patricia. She was born in Macedonia, Ohio. She is the daughter of two teachers, and she was the youngest of three and the only girl, but she was raised as a tomboy through and through, and her brothers taught her not to take any crap from anyone. She became a teacher, a kindergarten teacher for over 40 years, 38 years at the same school. She was an educator through and through. She would make sure that each student had their own curriculum, their own box, and then made sure that any time that she found a new student that didn't feel welcome, she would find a way to connect with them. When I met her, she just had a student that enrolled that was from Latin America. She thought he was Mexican, but I think he was Salvadoran, but close enough. She wanted me to go and get to know him, so we went to the Cleveland Zoo so she would feel more comfortable. I got to speak a little Spanish to that student. Like many teachers, she always went out of her way to give out of her own pocket to the students that didn't have much, and that is one of the things that she did. She was an educator even with her own daughters. When they would go on summer family trips to Virginia and the different areas around here, she would play the Civil War songs that were being played on a tape, and then she would go to the different historical sites for the daughters to know about our history. She was an educator through and through, but she was also a tough advocate for teachers. She was a union rep. Her daughters would often go and sit in the union meetings where they would plan out strikes, and they would participate in everything that a union does. She was soft spoken. She was quiet, but I learned my lesson when I tried to debate her once at Thanksgiving where she didn't let me get a word in edgewise. I knew at that moment that if I helped her run for office, she could have become a Member of Congress, no problem. She was fit for the position. She was very adventurous except when it came to food. Back in the 1960s, she traveled around the globe on a cruise ship, and she went to India and different countries. This is different because she had a disorder where she couldn't eat any spices, so tell me how do you go to India when you can't eat spices? But that is what she did. She went around the globe because she wanted to travel, learn about different cultures, no matter if she couldn't eat spices. She was a very interesting and tough woman. There are different people you meet throughout your life, you think there is coincidence in life. One of them for me is that she had an uncle whose name was Laurence Woodworth. Most Americans don't know who he was, but he was the director of Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation, which I find interesting because I am from California, the son of immigrants, and I married her daughter, and I end up coming to Congress, and what committee am I on? I am on the Ways and Means Committee, which is the main taxation committee that interacts with the Joint Committee on Taxation. So you never know how lives from different parts of the country are going to intersect. She had a profound impact on my life, not only through her daughter, but also just kind of being a calming force when I ran for office the first time. She was one of my first max-out donors, even after she retired from teaching, and that is impressive because retiring on teacher's pay and then being able to give a max contribution was a big, big deal, but she believed in me enough. She started losing some of her personality, it felt like, because of the stroke she had in 2014, but she got to come here to Congress when I got sworn in and got to meet Speaker Pelosi. Speaker Pelosi gave her Ghirardelli's chocolate, her favorite. My mother-in-law opened it, ate it, made a face, and gave it back to Speaker Pelosi, so she didn't lose that spirit. She has been a force. I want to just say that she will be missed. She is survived by her two daughters--my wife, Mary Hodge; Felicia Hodge and her two kids, Stacey and Fedrick; her brother, Al Woodworth; as well as the extended family of the Eysters. Sally, you will be missed, and we love you very much. We will see you again soon.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee, Inc. (LACFRC) on 44 years of service to the district. LACFRC is a non-profit organization composed of a group of volunteers who donate their time and energy to organize and stage events and programs promoting healthy lifestyles, fitness, and cultural awareness to the greater Los Angeles community. This organization hosts the annual Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K Run/Walk which is the largest and longest-running Lunar New Year charity run in the United States. Today, because of LACFRC's dedication it has expanded its events to include a bike ride, kiddie run and paw'er dog walk. All proceeds are reinvested into the community, in support of elementary schools and nonprofit organizations, providing services and programs to those in need. LACFRC has contributed more than $500,000 to local elementary schools and non-profit community organizations. Although, the pandemic prevented an in-person event this year, LACFRC has stood by its mission: ``to promote health and fitness, education, cultural awareness and community involvement'' by hosting virtual events. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee, Inc.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Ms. Tammy Membreno on the occasion of her 30 years of service as Executive Director of Barrio Action Youth & Family Center. As an immigrant from El Salvador, Tammy Membreno, has devoted her life to improving the quality of life for youth and their families because she understands the impact of limited economic resources and education on low-income families. During her college years, she began volunteering at Barrio Action and in 1991 she embraced the opportunity to become their Executive Director. Barrio Action was established to empower young people to succeed both academically and socially, working with people of all ages, with a special emphasis on helping high-risk and at-risk youth, young adults and their families. Today, because of Tammy Membreno's persistence and advocacy, the organization has grown from three staff members to one with over twenty-three employees and multiple programs serving over 20,000 children and families in Northeast Los Angeles. Thanks to Tammy Membreno's vision, Barrio Action has a permanent home in the community of El Sereno. Barrio Action is the only youth and family center in El Sereno, a community of over 54,000 residents. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Tammy Membreno.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Congressman Esteban Torres. Congressman Torres was a Los Angeles icon, a beloved public servant who proudly represented East Angelinos here in the People's House for nearly two decades. He was a trailblazer who paved the path for someone like me--the son of working class, Mexican immigrants--to stand here in this chamber today. A Decorated Korean War veteran and labor organizer, he never stopped fighting to lift up the working class and advance immigrant rights. He stood for all that is good and just, and his legacy should be a model for all those who serve in this body.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate Korean-American Day. I am proud to represent the largest Korean-American population of any congressional district in the country. Tomorrow we recognize the 119th anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States, and the recognition that they have contributed to the life and well-being of the people of the United States for so many years. One person that is an example of that is Erin Pak, who leads the Kheir Center, a community health center in Los Angeles. During the pandemic, they kept their doors open, taking care of anybody who needed help; everything from testing, to vaccine boosters, to people who are Korean, Latino, it didn't matter their background. But their doors were open during the toughest times. It is with that kind of commitment that Korean Americans have really made not only L.A. a better place to live, but the United States a better place to live. So I urge my colleagues to support my resolution to recognize the ideals of Korean-American Day and the essential contributions of Korean Americans to American life.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Bowman for organizing this Special Order hour. I like to describe the student loan debt crisis as a boot on the neck of the American Dream and on the neck of millions of Americans who make that American Dream a reality. And that is because higher education is the one way that we achieve the American Dream. It is what I did. I am the youngest of six of immigrant parents from Mexico. My two parents never made it past third grade. Both could read but not really write. One of the things that they knew is that coming here would give me that opportunity to change my life. I was fortunate enough to be born here. My brother Javier and I were born here, and I was one of the first to graduate from college. It allowed me to believe that I could do more, to believe I could be part of this country, and about that American promise. You come here, you believe in our values, you work hard, you give back, you are going to have a place, and you are going to succeed; and the next generation, your kids and your grandkids, are going to do even better. I am fortunate. I got to go to a community college after I worked at Subway and Target, and then I transferred to UCLA, graduated in the top 10 percent of my class. Then I got my master's of public policy from Harvard University. I ended up walking away with $15,000 in debt from undergrad, which wasn't bad. I thought it was a lot of money. When you graduate, and you are only getting paid $24,000 a year, it was a lot of money. And I walked away with a little bit over $65,000 from the Kennedy School for my master's degree. And don't forget, a lot of students also have credit card debt on top of that. But you know what, I am fortunate that I got to go to school. I am fortunate that I have been able to change my life. I am fortunate that I have been able to get jobs that provide me health insurance for the first time in my family's history, and that my debt isn't as crippling as the current generation's debt. The current generation's debt after the Great Recession ballooned to historic proportions. That is why you have trillions of dollars in student loan debt on the backs of 47 million Americans. You know what? These are dreamers; these are people who believe in the American Dream, that say, you know what, I have been told, go to school, work hard. And you know what, it doesn't matter, if you get into the best school possible, take out that debt because it is going to come back tenfold. In the past, that was the case. But we don't see that now. We see that the debt that has been put on the backs--because we underinvested in higher education, we underinvested in K-12--is crippling people to living their version of the American Dream. It is so severe, and it pains me and it depresses me, that people are actually are deciding, I would rather not go to college because I don't want to have debt. Think about that. That is the decision people are making now, I would rather not have the best opportunity to achieve the American Dream because the amount of debt will prevent me from living that American Dream once I graduate. I think that is shameful because these are the folks that are renewing this idea to live a more just and perfect Union, to refresh that idea generation upon generation. And it is unfortunate because who does it impact? It often impacts immigrants, people of color, Blacks, Latinos, single mothers, single parents. They are the ones that are taking on higher and higher burdens of debt. Then when they graduate, they sometimes get jobs that don't pay them that well because they want to give back. They care about their communities. We saw in a recent New York Times article that graduates from a school of social work were graduating with $112,000 in debt but getting paid $50,000. This is something that we see time and time again. If people want to believe in the American Dream, then they have to care about canceling student loan debt; to refresh the potential of millions of Americans to buy their first house, to raise children, to start a business, to grow our economy. I believe that this is something that Americans from all sides of the aisle could agree on. Madam Speaker, I am calling on the President to cancel $50,000 of student loan debt in the next year.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I am here today to honor The Wall Las Memorias, a community health organization in California's 34th congressional district that is dedicated to serving Latino, LGBTQ+, and other underserved residents. This World AIDS Day, The Wall Las Memorias will rededicate their AIDS Monument to commemorate 40 years of the HIV epidemic and to celebrate the monument's renovation, which includes the addition of more than 1,000 new names of community members we have lost to AIDS. The Wall Las Memorias AIDS Monument is the only publicly funded AIDS monument in the country. Its rededication marks a momentous occasion in my district, honoring the community members we lost to the HIV epidemic and highlighting the efforts of those who have fought to end it. Today, we stand with our local and international community and show our support to the people living with HIV. It is estimated that over 38 million people worldwide are living with the virus, which means that there is still work to be done to advance awareness, prevention, inclusion, and equity to ensure better health for all people affected by HIV and AIDS. I would like to thank The Wall Las Memorias Project for rededicating this monument on World AIDS Day as well as providing resources and support to those that are disproportionately affected by the virus. Let us continue to remember those we have lost to AIDS and support those currently living with HIV. May our community find comfort in celebrating life on World AIDS Day.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a second-generation American. I am the son of Mexican immigrants who came here in pursuit of the American promise; a promise that if you work hard and follow the rules, you will succeed, and your children and grandchildren will build on that success. Unfortunately, the promise has eluded far too many Americans, particularly the working class and people of color. Although some of them feel America has given up on them, they have refused to give up on America. That is why we must pass the Build Back Better Act to make historic investments in our people and our planet and put the American promise within reach of an entire generation for the first time. Through the Build Back Better Act, we have an opening to invest in children and families by expanding the child tax credit and universal pre-K, give millions of families an affordable place to call home, and tackle climate change while creating good-paying jobs. We have a chance to redefine our commitment to the American people and to move toward a more just, equitable, and perfect Union.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I share that the city of Los Angeles lost another angel earlier this year. Her name was Ruby de Vera and she was a community leader, an activist, and a fierce advocate in Northeast Los Angeles. Ruby was a remarkable person who worked tirelessly as a champion in both City Hall and out in the community. She was a role model and a true public servant who epitomized the best qualities including courage, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Ruby's lifetime of dedication and service will be remembered and greatly missed by all whom she encountered and all those who were impacted by her leadership. May it bring comfort to her family, friends, and loved ones that so many are celebrating the life she led and praying for them at this time.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise because I have had enough of the games. I have had enough of the bad faith arguments and enough of the hypocrisy when it comes to the debt limit from the other side of the aisle. Increasing or suspending the debt limit enables us to fulfill our existing financial obligations, and part of that includes the Republican Donald Trump tax cuts from 2017, the tax cuts that went to the top one-tenth of 1 percent and the largest corporations. That shows who they prioritized, by giving corporations permanent tax cuts while giving tax cuts to the middle class that expire in 2025 and were so small people didn't even notice that they were given a tax cut in their paychecks. So, we are trying to fulfill the obligation of their tax cuts, and it does not authorize new spending. It doesn't authorize new spending. It doesn't authorize new spending. What it does is helps pay for that previous spending that has already occurred. I know my colleagues over here love to talk about the Pinocchios, but I want to say that they sit on a throne of lies, based on the arguments they have been making not only in the Ways and Means Committee but the ones they are trying to fool the American public with today. If we default, it ruins the creditworthiness of the United States. It causes our credit rating to be downgraded, interest rates to increase, and will make things a lot more expensive. But for them, it is okay as long as they score their political points and put the blame at the feet of the Democrats. But that is not something that we should be playing with, and that is for both Republicans and Democrats. Do not play with the full faith and credit of the United States. It is irresponsible, and it is beneath you to do that.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, on July 29, 2021, I am not recorded on Roll Call vote No. 253. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the IG Independence and Empowerment Act. This comprehensive legislation would ensure inspectors general have the tools needed to conduct thorough investigations without fear of political retaliation. Many of these reforms have had strong bipartisan support for years, in particular, my bill, the IG Subpoena Authority Act. This provision grants IGs the authority to subpoena testimony from former employees and contractors as a tool to better undercover waste, fraud, and abuse. Currently, the absence of such authority hinders the ability of OIGs to conduct complete oversight in matters of corruption and injustice. I know my Republican colleagues claim this authority has no protections from abuse, but that simply is not true. This bill includes safeguards to ensure that this authority is not abused by requiring that an IG must have a subpoena approved by a panel of three other IGs. Additionally, I understand my Republican colleague may introduce an amendment that would strike the subpoena authority provision from this bill today. I find this interesting and confusing because the IG Subpoena Authority Act was first introduced in the 115th Congress by Republican Congressman Steve Russell with the support of then-Chairman Towns and Ranking Member Issa, and it passed the House by unanimous consent. This bill has not changed substantially since the 115th Congress. What has changed is the political context in which we are trying to pass this reform. If a reform was good for government then, it is a reform that is good for government now. Nothing has changed. Madam Speaker, we need to make sure that the IG Subpoena Authority Act is included and passed today. That will help strengthen the integrity and maintain the accountability in our Federal agencies. I thank Chairwoman Maloney for its inclusion in the IG Independence and Empowerment Act. It is a step forward for good government, and I strongly encourage an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of Juana Sequeira Solis who passed away on April 6, 2021 at the age of 94. She was born in 1926 in Nicaragua and was the eldest of five children. In 1945, at the age of 18, she immigrated to the United States in search of a better life. In 1950, she moved to Los Angeles where she met her late husband, Raul S. Solis, while taking citizenship classes. The couple then married in October of 1953. Mrs. Solis and her late husband raised seven children in the unincorporated area of La Puente, California. She enjoyed cooking for her family and friends and was an avid gardener. The family was her focal point where she taught her children to give back to their community; stressed the importance of achieving a higher education; and preserving the environment. Mrs. Solis was a devout Roman Catholic. Mrs. Solis worked hard to provide for her children and was employed for over 20 years as an assembly line worker at Mattel Inc. until her retirement in 1991. She was an active union member with the United Rubber Workers. Mrs. Solis is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Raul S. Solis, who was a proud Teamster and her beloved daughter, Beatriz M. Solis, who served as the Director for Healthy Communities at the California Endowment. She is survived by her children: Irma Rincon, Raul Solis, Jr., Hilda Solis, Victor Solis, Anna Solis, Leticia Solis and their spouses; 10 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren. She will be remembered for her kindness and fighting spirit. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Madam Speaker, I ask that Members in the House Chamber please join me for a moment of silence to honor the life of Juana Sequeira Solis.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Juana Sequeira Solis, who passed away in April at the age of 94. Juana was the mother of former Congresswoman, former Secretary of Labor, and now L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis. Juana was born in 1926 in Nicaragua, the eldest of five. She immigrated to America when she was just 18, in search of a better life. After moving to Los Angeles, Juana met her late husband, Raul Solis, while taking citizenship classes. They raised seven children and taught them the values that define who we are as Americans: the importance of community, education, and respect for our environment. Juana spent over 20 years on the assembly line at Mattel and was an active union member with the United Rubber Workers until her retirement in 1991. Let us always remember Juana for her kindness, determination, and fighting spirit.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, I believe some of my Republican colleagues, and one in particular, wish harm upon this legislative body. I am not saying this for shock value; it is the conclusion I drew after a Member of Congress advocated violence against our peers, the Speaker, and our government. It is what I believed after this Chamber was turned into a crime scene just 10 weeks ago. It is how many of us felt, sheltering in this room, as the Capitol was breached. Some Members called their loved ones to say good-bye. Others prayed to their God. And I asked myself if this would be the day our democracy died. I take no joy in introducing this resolution, but any Member who incites political violence and threatens our lives must be expelled, and I will do everything I can in my power to protect our democracy and keep all of my colleagues safe.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 86.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, I represent Los Angeles, California, considered by many as one of the epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic. In my district working families are struggling to pay bills, small businesses are trying to stay afloat, and countless others are doing everything they can to keep a roof over their heads. They need us to pass the American Rescue Plan. Throughout California, essential workers, many of them Black and Latinos, are keeping our economy running. Frontline healthcare workers are exhausted from caring for their patients day after day, month after month during this pandemic, and local organizations are distributing food every single day to those in need. They need us to pass the American Rescue Plan. Across the country people are terrified that they or a loved one will get COVID-19 before being vaccinated and end up in the hospital or dead. They are scared that the American Dream is drifting further and further away. They need us to pass the American Rescue Plan. That is why 75 percent of Americans support this plan. Democrats, Republicans, independents from red States and blue States, they are urging us to pass this plan, and they are urging their Representatives to listen to them. They are urging my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle to not turn a deaf ear to their cause and do the right thing and vote with Democrats to pass this bill.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, we don't have any time to waste. By the time I am done with this 1-minute speech, roughly 10 people in L.A. County, home to my district, will have tested positive for COVID-19. And in another 5 minutes, someone in my county will die of COVID-19. And while I am sure our healthcare heroes and frontline workers appreciate our thanks, words alone are not enough. Our gratitude needs to be expressed with funding and resources. Our appreciation needs to be in the form of benefits and assistance. Our Black and Brown communities, those being disproportionately impacted by this pandemic, aren't going to get through this crisis with platitudes. They need action. They need access to vaccines, money in their pockets to pay their bills, help getting their kids back in the classrooms, and support putting food on their tables. Madam Speaker, that is why I am going to vote to pass the American Rescue Plan, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. This is our chance to stop the spread of this virus, rebuild our economy, and give every American, regardless of their background or ZIP Code, the opportunity to turn the page on this dark chapter of our country's history and come out stronger in the end.

Mr. GOMEZ

Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, as an example, today, the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a statement reaffirming their devotion to the rule of law and affirming that Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States.

Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, we are here tonight because a violent mob, incited by the President of the United States based on a lie, laid siege to Congress to overturn a Presidential election. We have to ask ourselves, what would have happened if that mob succeeded? Why stop at one election? Why not two? Why not make Donald Trump President for life? Thank God that did not happen and they did not succeed. However, even after that terrible day of January 6, 2021, Donald Trump is still using the lie of a stolen election to turn American against American for his own selfish ends. I believe even with only a few days left in office that Donald Trump is still a danger to our Republic and must be removed immediately.