Robert Garcia

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to co-lead this legislation with Representative Lisa McClain, and I rise, of course, in strong support of this bill. As has been said, we know that a penny costs taxpayers 3.7 cents to produce, so it makes zero sense to spend almost 4 cents creating only 1 cent. This bill is common sense. It has bipartisan support, and it saves taxpayers money and reduces waste. In 2023 alone, the Mint lost approximately $180 million making pennies. The reality is that the penny now is just out of date. As the cost of living increases for many, with folks tapping technology on their phones or cards to pay their bills, we should not be pouring millions and millions of taxpayer dollars into a coin that is now rarely used. This is not a partisan idea. As has been said, countries from all across the world--Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others--have stopped using and producing low-value coins without any issues or problems for the population. This bill provides clarity by giving businesses the option, not the requirement, to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel when exact change isn't available. It also ensures that existing pennies, more than 114 billion of them, will also remain legal tender. Folks can keep those pennies if they have them at home. Now, the government should stop spending nearly 4 cents to make 1 cent coins. The Common Cents Act eliminates a wasteful, obsolete coin while protecting pennies as legal tender. Let's stop throwing good money after the bad and pass the Common Cents Act.

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 2555.

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, on May 12, 2026, Oversight Committee Democrats convened the first-ever hearing to solicit testimony from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes. The hearing, ``Survivors Fight for Justice: Exposing Epstein's Crimes in Palm Beach and Across the World,'' marked a critical step forward in the fight for justice and accountability. On behalf of all the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes, I rise to include in the Record the testimony offered by Ms. Maria Farmer: My name is Maria Farmer. I am the whistleblower who reported Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, Les Wexner, and others to the FBI 30 years ago in 1996. Today I apologize for my appearance. I was not well enough to attend this hearing in person and have recently been released from the hospital. That's the result of thirty years of fighting. For three decades, I have carried a weight that no survivor should ever have to bear. I reported what I believed were heinous crimes against children, and these individuals responsible were involved in an international pedophile ring. I reported their crimes in real time, and the government continues to ignore me to this day. In 1996, I reported Epstein and his co-conspirators to my local New York City Sixth Precinct. The Commanding Officer told me local police could only address the local arson crimes, and he instructed me to immediately report the whole story, spanning several states, to the FBI. He told me that it was vitally important that I tell the whole story to the FBI, which I did. The FBI asked me questions, said they were familiar with some of the perpetrators I identified, and gave me every reason to believe they would respond. That failure-- that single moment when law enforcement refused to take action--set off a cascade of injustice and grave repercussions to my sisters, my family, and so many others, and to me personally, including my health and well-being. The FBI's decades of failure and inaction led to countless more girls and young women suffering abuse and trauma that could have been prevented. Individuals like Virginia Giuffre, Anouska de Georgiou, Chauntae Davies, Marijke Chartouni, Dani Bensky, Jena-Lisa Jones, Ashley Rubright, and Jennifer Araoz among others. Each survivor represents a life changed forever, suffering that could have been spared if the FBI had done their job in 1996. The failures did not stop there. In 2006, the FBI tracked me down, stating that they searched for me because they knew I had reported Epstein ten years earlier and no one else had. They urged me to testify in a federal criminal trial against Epstein and his co- conspirators, and they promised that they would ``get him'' this time. I trusted them again, relied upon them again, and they betrayed me again. Rather than following through with their promises, the government offered Epstein a sweetheart deal and shielded powerful individuals from accountability, and they persist in granting special treatment to certain people to this day. I have received death threats from Maxwell and her associates--including one instance where they threatened to burn my apartment down--and those threats have not stopped. I have been subjected to more than three decades of ongoing harassment, vicious challenges to my truthfulness, and real danger from internet instigators, trolls and more. Meanwhile, my numerous efforts to obtain my 1996 report from the FBI have been rejected again and again. In 2023, I wrote a letter to the government, asking for an investigation of the government's actions or inactions in response to my 1996 report. The Inspector General replied, saying they were busy with other things but would get back to me, and they never did. I sent multiple FOIA requests for my FBI report records. In January 2025, in response to my most recent request, the government said that they would get back to me in November 2027, a delay of nearly three years. I finally received a letter saying they looked at my complaint, took some kind of action, and the matter was ``addressed,'' but what they did was a secret. With no other choice, I filed an administrative claim against the government and then a lawsuit. Since then, virtually nothing has happened, and I'm left waiting and wondering what is next. With the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, after years of efforts to get my records, an FD-71 form was released for the first time, confirming part of my 1996 whistleblower report and vindicating some of what I had said for years. However, the full extent of what I told the FBI was not in that document, so the release of the Epstein Files provides only partial relief for me. Where is the evidence I provided of my sexual assault, and that of my sister Annie? Why won't the FBI release my full report? The failures of those sworn to protect us have overwhelmed me. Doing my civic duty has cost me dearly. The stress of this trauma, the government hiding and refusing to turn over written confirmation of my 1996 report, along with the ongoing harassment and death threats, have contributed to me developing serious health issues, including Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a brain tumor, and recently Addison's disease. In the last month, I have spent 23 nights in hospitals, including multiple nights in the ICU. Along with my health, it has robbed me of my career. In 1996, I was fresh out of graduate school, and living the life that I had always dreamed, creating and selling art in New York City. When I was assaulted, threatened and held captive, my career was halted, and the trajectory of my life was thrown off course. So many others had their dreams shattered by these crimes, and they could have been prevented. Individuals like Virginia Giuffre, who is the backbone of this case and remains the inspiration behind this fight. She's the reason my sister and I came forward publicly, so we could stand together. She faced also relentless attacks to her credibility, yet she fought. While Virginia may no longer be physically beside us, she has been our shining star and guiding light and remains so today. The rest of humanity owes it to her legacy to continue this quest. We are still walking down the trail that Virginia blazed for us. So let me be direct about what we need. The federal government owes us explanations, accountability for injuries caused, and a promise of systemic change when crimes against children are reported. Accountability should start with the government's acknowledgement and responsibility for their repeated failures to act in response to my 1996 report. The government needs to take responsibility for endangering and injuring girls and young women. The government needs to start telling the truth, face my lawsuit, and be held to account to me and to all others who have been harmed. Had the FBI done their job, thirty years of child sex abuse and trauma could have been avoided. I want my full FBI file, including the 1996 and 2006 reports, including my art. We also need the FBI and the Department of Justice to fully investigate every lead in this case. We need investigation and prosecution of everyone responsible, both men and women. This includes the officials who enabled the 2008 sweetheart deal, the other perpetrators and the many co-conspirators, and anyone who is currently shielding powerful individuals from justice. No more protection for the guilty. There must be no pardoning or commuting the sentence of Maxwell, who sexually abused me, my minor sister, hurt so many girls and young women, and personally threatened to kill me, has shown no remorse, and has demonstrated no basis on which to believe she would ever be truthful. As the Epstein case whistleblower, I have waited three decades for justice. It's a miracle I'm still fighting, especially considering what the stress of three decades of this case has done to my health and well-being. I will keep fighting for justice and transparency, for a better, safer future for the next generation. Thank you.

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 1229.

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Frost for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I also strongly oppose this resolution, which is yet another attack on the rights of over 700,000 D.C. residents. This is the 10th bill that House Republicans are considering to either repeal or amend local D.C. laws. We know that D.C. has more residents than two States, pays more in Federal taxes than 26 States, and more per capita than any State as it relates to paying those taxes. D.C.'s locally elected officials are accountable to D.C. residents, and local leaders should be empowered to address local matters without Congress interfering. I have said this many times before, but issues like this go straight to the heart of representation. It repeals a tax law which the D.C. Council passed unanimously. The act created a child tax credit and expanded the earned income tax credit. These credits will significantly reduce child poverty in D.C. D.C.'s act temporarily paused several provisions of Trump's larger bill from applying to D.C.'s tax code. Now, H.J. Res. 142 will deprive D.C. of $600 million in revenue over the next 4 years. This could force D.C. to cut public safety and education, and certainly impact its ability to serve the community. The threat of a budget crisis will increase borrowing costs for D.C., forcing more of the city revenue to go toward interest payments than actually helping people, as happened when Republicans cut D.C.'s local budget by about a billion dollars last year. H.J. Res. 142 will also cause chaos in the D.C. tax filing season, which has already begun. Trump's Department of Homeland Security is doing horrific things across the country. The DOJ is defying the law to withhold the Epstein files. We are dealing with a cost-of-living crisis across the country. Instead, today, we are debating to vote to actually increase child poverty within the District of Columbia. We strongly oppose this. Instead of actually acting like a super city council for D.C., we should be considering issues like D.C. statehood. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.J. Res. 142.

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Honorable Gene Dodaro, the eighth Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office, Congress's nonpartisan investigatory arm. Mr. Dodaro's fifteen-year term as the Comptroller General ends on December 29 and his service to GAO, Congress, and our Nation has been remarkable. Mr. Dodaro began his career at GAO more than fifty years ago. During his time as the head of GAO, Mr. Dodaro has adapted the agency to meet Congress's needs in a time of extraordinary technological change. While maintaining GAO's stringent quality assurance standards, Mr. Dodaro expanded GAO's work to examine how changes in science and technology affect our government's ability to make sure every federal dollar is spent as Congress intends. A stalwart commitment to GAO's core values of accountability, integrity, and reliability have defined Mr. Dodaro's tenure. During his term as Comptroller General, GAO's work has led to over one trillion dollars in financial benefits. Mr. Dodaro has testified before Congress more than 200 times. A cornerstone of his work is GAO's ``High Risk List,'' which highlights specific challenges in programs that involve substantial resources and provide critical services to the public. GAO's real value, however, goes far beyond what any dollar amount can tell us. GAO's value derives from its ability to independently report the facts and speak truth to power. I ask my colleagues to please join me in thanking Mr. Dodaro for his more than 50 years of service in helping us perform the Constitutional duties of the legislative branch and in wishing him well as he completes his term.

Mr. GARCIA of California

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Protecting America's Workforce Act, which will restore collective bargaining rights for more than 1 million Federal workers. I thank Congressman Golden for all his work to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor and so many Members across our caucus who are supportive. We know this bill is a historic win which overcame opposition from Speaker Johnson and certainly antiworker allies across the government. In March, President Trump signed an executive order terminating collective bargaining rights for Federal police officers, firefighters, nurses, food safety inspectors, and so many more. The nurses who care for our veterans, the flight safety inspectors at the FAA, nuclear power plant safety workers, and countless others lost their right to have representation in the workplace. This is unfair, and it is wrong. Workers deserve the right to make their voices heard with a union. Mr. Speaker, I was the mayor of my city of Long Beach, California, before I came to Congress. I am so proud to partner with our city unions, always making sure that the city and services ran effectively. Our Federal unions are the same. They make sure that our civil service is independent and nonpartisan, serving the citizens and not whichever party is currently in power. They make sure we attract and retain highly talented workers, and they make sure our agencies follow the law. President Trump is targeting Federal unions to further his power grab and to continue to push an agenda which leaves working families behind and, instead, supports billionaires. Unions make our middle class stronger. They make our government stronger, and they make our economy stronger. We should be working every day to strengthen the right to organize and not to undermine it. This bill is a historic victory. Mr. Speaker, I commend Congressman Golden and everyone who has worked on it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Norcross).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), the Democratic leader.

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Randall).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Bresnahan).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Bell).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Walkinshaw).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Tokuda).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Hawaii.

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, like Chairman Comer, I also agree, and I hope that the American public is watching this debate right now. Certainly, what they would see if they are watching this debate is not just Democrats advocating for passage, but Republicans advocating for passage. In fact, this is a bipartisan effort to protect Federal workers in this country. We have heard now from multiple Republicans from the chairman's party who have actually advocated with Democrats to ensure that our President doesn't strip basic protections from our Federal workers. We are talking about our Federal nurses, our firefighters, law enforcement, medical professionals, the men and women who are working across our airports, that are taking care of our nuclear reactors in this country. They deserve the right to organize. I do agree. I hope the American public is watching and listening to our Republican colleagues and our Democrats support our Federal workers. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).

Mr. GARCIA of California. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan.