Kevin Kiley

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment this morning to examine the biggest fraud scandal in the history of California and probably in the history of the United States, and that was the fraud in unemployment benefits that occurred in California during the COVID years, amounting to a minimum of $32 billion--$32 billion. It is easy to kind of throw these numbers around and lose sight of what they really mean, so just to put that in perspective, that was one-half of the education budget in California at the time, and it is more than the entire State budget of the vast majority of States in the country. Now, the reason that this scandal bears scrutiny right now is threefold. First, a State audit just found 2 weeks ago that this unemployment fraud in California is ongoing to this day continuing to cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Second, the Senate still has not passed a bill that we passed in the House to hold some of these fraudsters accountable by extending the statute of limitations. Third, the Newsom administration, perhaps sensing the political peril following the events in Minnesota, has come out and absurdly tried to deny responsibility for this scheme, for this scandal, and even more absurdly tried to blame the Federal Government for it. I want to go through exactly what happened because I believe it is important to show why taxpayers were so thoroughly defrauded and to assure that this does not continue to happen going forward. The reality is that the fraud that occurred in California took place despite the repeated warnings of the Federal Government, and it was uncovered not by State officials but, rather, by local prosecutors. On November 23, 2020, a group of nine county prosecutors disclosed what they called the most serious significant fraud of taxpayer funds in California history. Now, at the time, they said they could only prove $1 billion. So $1 billion was already the biggest fraud of taxpayer dollars in California history. Now we know that it was at the very least $32 billion. Contrary to what the Newsom administration is trying to say now, at the time, the district attorney of Sacramento County, Anne Marie Schubert, said: ``We have asked and implored the Governor to turn the spigot off.'' She said the Governor's Employment Development Department was not doing commonsense things, like cross-checking claims with prison rolls, something that the vast majority of other States were doing and that the Federal Government had advised. She said this made the scheme ``relatively easy.'' She called the Governor's response slow and nonexistent. She advised Governor Newsom to ``look to other States for solutions.'' The district attorney of Fresno County, Lisa Smittcamp, said: ``(Newsom) did nothing until the elected district attorneys brought it to the media.'' She added that she did not think the State has a handle on it. Those were comments made back in November of 2020. The following January, the State auditor came out with a report that laid forward in very precise detail exactly how significant the failures of the Newsom administration were, specifically with their unemployment office, known as the EDD. A heading in that audit said: ``Significant Weaknesses in EDD's Approach to Fraud Prevention Have Led to Billions of Dollars in Improper Benefit Payments.'' Among the key findings: Despite repeated warnings, despite repeated warnings, EDD did not bolster its fraud detection efforts until months into the pandemic, and it suspended a critical safeguard. The audit goes on to list examples of where suspicious addresses were simply ignored in the claims process. In one case, more than 1,700 claims came from a single address. From one address 1,700 claims, and yet the checks were issued. One of the problems, as mentioned, is there was no crossmatch system to crossmatch the claims against the prison rolls, so you actually had checks that were being sent to State penitentiaries, the State prisons. Here is a timeline of the aforementioned warnings that actually came from the Federal Government. Now, this is significant, again, because the Newsom administration is now claiming somehow that it was California that warned the Federal Government when, in fact, it was exactly the opposite. Other States followed these warnings, but California didn't. In April of 2020, the United States Department of Labor sent instructions for implementing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program and told States to take reasonable steps to deter and detect fraud, including audits. The following month, in May of 2020, there was a second notice from the U.S. Department of Labor, warning the States to maintain the integrity of the unemployment program. Later that month, in May, the U.S. Department of Labor requested data from California, and the Office of the Inspector General warned California that the State was likely to see at least a billion dollars in fraud based on new claims for March and April. During this time, the Newsom administration's EDD office had exactly two staff members who were responsible for reviewing suspicious claims. Newsom's EDD also allowed the backdating of claims until September of that year, so if you were a fraudster, you could simply claim that you had worked a certain number of weeks, previous weeks that had already passed, and there was no verification needed at all. The problem of suspicious addresses got even worse. The audit reports there were 26,000 addresses listed as suspicious, with more than 500,000 associated claims. The audit concludes: Our review illustrates that EDD continues to pay claims despite having evidence that they are very likely fraudulent. Again, this is a finding. This is a talking point. This is not from the Governor's political adversaries or from people on social media, this is a report from the nonpartisan California State auditor in January of 2021 saying: ``Our review illustrates that EDD continues to pay claims despite having evidence that they are very likely fraudulent.'' The audit continues: Between March of 2020 and early January of 2021, more than 2.2 million claimants did not satisfactorily answer requests that they provide identity verification. In fact, there was another problem that then emerged from this that people became victims of identity theft, and then they ran into issues like they had to pay taxes on wages they hadn't actually received. As mentioned, the audit also notes that ``EDD was unprepared to detect and handle the hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent claims associated with incarcerated individuals.'' I mean, how crazy is that? That you had claims coming in from State prisons, and those claims let out hundreds of millions of dollars. As the auditor says: ``As we describe throughout this report, EDD's approach to fraud prevention and detection demonstrates the weaknesses caused by its poor planning and program management.'' Local media reports at the time substantiated all of these claims, including in publications like The Sacramento Bee and the Los Angeles Times. What is even worse is that the criminals who are purloining our State Treasury of these taxpayer funds in many cases were using those dollars--I mean, what do you think they are using them for? We talk about waste, as in this money is just squandered, but it is actually much worse than that because the criminals who get these funds, they are not then giving them to charity. They are using them for further criminal activities. One example from The Sacramento Bee is about how these funds were used to buy guns illegally. For example, a report from The Bee reported that multiple fraudulent EDD cards were discovered along with firearms in the hands of convicted felons, results that law enforcement officials say leads them to one conclusion: Criminals are using funds from the growing EDD fraud scandal to buy weapons. Mind you, this was at a time when violent crime rates were soaring in California and far outpaced the rest of the country. Just to give you a couple examples, the Torrance police found that more than two dozen people had been arrested in the fall of 2020 for alleged unemployment benefits fraud and identity theft. The 27 suspects used stolen identities to obtain over 130 EDD cards. When they recovered these, the authorities also found $150,000 and four handguns, including two without serial numbers. The Glendale police, in early 2021, arrested a man who was in possession of a so-called ghost gun, along with ammunition, drugs, several fraudulent EDD cards, and other illicit items. To summarize, you had the largest fraud of taxpayer dollars, likely in the history of the United States. The nonpartisan State auditor in California, along with nonpartisan prosecutors from throughout California, clearly identified the negligence of the Newsom administration as enabling this fraud to occur which far outpaced anything that occurred anywhere else in the country. You then had the criminal syndicates and other criminals, more run- of-the-mill criminals, who obtained these funds and used them to spawn further criminal activity that victimized even more Californians. Now, 5 years later, the fraud continues. The administration still hasn't learned its lesson. The same State auditor just found that EDD remains one of eight high-risk agencies in California, a number that has doubled during the Newsom administration, finding that the EDD continues to allow millions in fraud, alongside millions that are being lost in fraud in connection with SNAP benefits, with improper Medi-Cal determinations, not to mention community college fraud and fraud basically everywhere you look throughout the California government. Now you have the Governor insisting that no, none of this was his fault. California did nothing wrong. He has even made up bogus numbers like he somehow prevented $125 million in fraud. The concern is this: If the Governor and his administration are unwilling to admit any responsibility whatsoever despite the clearly established evidence of their responsibility, how can we expect this problem to ever be fixed? I will tell you. I am working in a bipartisan way here in Congress to bring accountability for the vast fraud that continues to take place in California so that our taxpayers do not have to see their hard-earned money going to criminals and can finally start getting a reasonable return on their investment in our State government. California Leads Nation in Outbound U-Haul Rentals

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, U-Haul has just released its annual growth index for all 50 States, which is a measure of U-Hauls coming in versus going out. In other words, which States are people moving out of and which States are people moving into. For the sixth straight year, 6 years running, California is ranked 50th. In other words, we rank first when it comes to people leaving the State. This is truly an astonishing fact. The greatest State in the country, the most beautiful State in the country, has become the most popular State to leave. This is reflected in the fact that California lost a Member of Congress in the 2020 reapportionment and we are projected to lose four or five in the 2030 reapportionment. Indeed, for 170 years of California history, our State's population grew each and every year. It was only during the administration of the current Governor that that trend reversed itself and the State continues to lose people. It is a very sad thing when you look at the boundless potential of our State, the unmatched beauty, the incredible people and companies and culture. We have everything. Yet for too many Californians, it has become too difficult to get by in California or it is the crime or it is the homelessness. It is the inability to buy a house. It is the price of gas or electricity or water. It is the fact that our State leads the Nation in unemployment, in homelessness, in poverty, in illiteracy. These are all politically created problems. The good news is there is a coalition for common sense emerging in California, and we have started to see progress in circumventing our State's political class and bringing real change. For example, we passed a measure in 2024, the voters did, to restore some consequences for criminal activity. It passed with almost 70 percent of the vote, despite the Governor and the State legislature's leaders opposing the measure every step of the way. We won a decision at the Supreme Court that has restored the ability of our communities to clear homeless encampments and ensure people get into shelters and don't wither on our streets. As a result, we are starting to see some modest improvements in crime and homelessness in California, but unfortunately, we still have a long way to go in order to make sure that next year California does not, once again, for a seventh straight year lead the Nation in outbound U-Haul rentals. Wealth Tax in California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, there is currently a proposed ballot measure in my State of California to impose the Nation's first- ever wealth tax. In response to this proposal, you are already seeing an exodus from California because, while the measure won't be presented until November and won't take effect until next year, the language of it ensnares anyone who was a resident of California until January 1 of this year. It would actually try to apply itself to former residents. Now, California already has the highest income tax of any State in the country, the highest gas tax, the highest overall tax burden. However, a wealth tax is something unique because a wealth tax is not merely the taxation of earned income, it is the confiscation of assets. They are saying it is just for billionaires. Of course, it starts with billionaires and then they continue to lower the threshold, ensnaring more and more people. Even for billionaires, presenting a 5 percent tax on all of your assets is problematic because, number one, it requires actually having liquid assets amounting to 5 percent of one's net worth, but number two, what you are already seeing happen is entrepreneurs and job creators are simply leaving the State to avoid this unique penalty. Now, we already have the highest unemployment rate of any State in the country in California, so it really doesn't help that now the State is causing even more job creators to leave the State. But what is especially threatening about this is that our State's tax structure is essentially a house of cards. Even the Governor acknowledged in his state of the State yesterday that we have a system that is incredibly volatile, where the top 1 percent of earners account for 50 percent of the tax revenue. If you have this wealth tax that is suddenly going to cause the highest earners not to want to have anything to do with California, the State's finances will collapse. The entire house of cards will come tumbling down. This is not to mention the myriad constitutional problems with this proposal, not the least of which is the idea that they are going to try to apply it to former residents. It also isn't to mention the problems of administrability, which is why if you look to other countries that have tried to impose some form of a wealth tax, they have quickly rescinded the policy because it turned out to be a disaster. I will be fighting against this latest, misguided, insane proposal in every way that I can and that includes using the legislative authority that we have here in Congress under clauses such as the Commerce Clause to prevent a renegade proposal like this from, at the very least, ensnaring taxpayers who have already gone to other States. Mr. Speaker, California has for too long gone down the road of overtaxing its citizens, overregulating its businesses, and overburdening its citizens. This would simply be a bridge too far. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I agree with points that are being made on both sides. The fundamental point of our side is undeniably true, which is that our healthcare system is broken and costs continue to spiral out of control. However, it is also true that suddenly withdrawing premium support from 22 million Americans is going to force those folks into a terrible dilemma: either paying hundreds or thousands of dollars more, so they face hard trade-offs for their families, losing their insurance altogether in a way that will impact the employer-based market of 150 million Americans, or working less in order to remain eligible in a way that will reduce their discretionary income as well as be bad for our economy as a whole. We need a solution to this, but this bill is obviously not a solution. Everyone knows that. It is a political exercise that has been engineered by the minority leader at the expense of pursuing an actual solution. Now, once again, it is falling on the Senate to do the real policymaking, but I am heartened that they seem to be close to a deal that roughly mirrors the compromise bipartisan bill that I have offered with the gentleman from California (Mr. Liccardo) that does a temporary extension with reforms and cost controls to provide runway, so then we can begin the real hard work of fixing our healthcare system in this country.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, today, the Governor of my State, Gavin Newsom, gave his state of the State address in which he declared that California leads the Nation. Now, the Governor isn't wrong. As the residents of our State know all too well, California does lead the Nation. California leads the Nation in fraud. California leads the Nation in unemployment. California leads the Nation in homelessness. California leads the Nation in poverty. California leads the Nation in illiteracy. California leads the Nation in gas prices. California leads the Nation in electricity prices. California leads the Nation in housing prices. California leads the Nation in debt and deficits. Just this week, we learned that for the sixth straight year, California leads the Nation in outbound U-Haul rentals. The greatest State in the country has become the most popular State to leave. That, Mr. Speaker, is the true state of our State during this Governor's tenure.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, Doug LaMalfa was my neighbor. Our districts bordered one another. This was true during my time in the State legislature as well. The region of our State that he represented is an area where people often feel like their voices are not heard in the corridors of power, in places like Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Doug LaMalfa made it his mission to make sure that their voices were heard. He used every opportunity he had to make sure their voices were heard, but he didn't just speak for the communities that he represented. He advocated, and he used every policy tool available to see that their values were reflected in policy here. He was a leader in our delegation and in the whole Chamber on issues like water, forest management, and agriculture, and that leadership, of course, culminated in his chairmanship of the Western Caucus, the second largest caucus in the entire House of Representatives. I know we are all still so shocked and in grief over his loss, but Doug LaMalfa's legacy in the North State will be felt for generations to come.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, the California State auditor, the nonpartisan official auditor for the State, has just released a report that updates its assessment of the State's high-risk agencies. The contents of this report are truly stunning--not really that stunning, actually, for those of us who have experienced the California State government at work. Even given our very low expectations, what the auditor has just reported is truly troubling. This comes, by the way, as our State's Governor, Gavin Newsom, has recently boasted that California is the original DOGE. Newsom held out California government as a model of efficient, responsive, and accountable government. Let's juxtapose that very notable statement, very surprising statement, with the clear-eyed fact findings of the State auditor. In this new report, which is issued annually, the auditor identifies high- risk State agencies. What does that mean? It means they pose a substantial risk of serious detriment to the State or its residents. To be considered high risk, an agency must not only exhibit serious waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement but must also have failed to take adequate corrective action. In this new report, the auditor has identified eight separate California agencies as high risk. Four of those eight have joined the club, this dubious distinction, during the Newsom administration, including the newly added Department of Social Services this year. Among the findings as to why these various agencies are considered high risk are that massive payment errors in our CalFresh program could now cost the State $2.5 billion in Federal funds. With Medi-Cal eligibility, ongoing problems in determining who is eligible, continuing to make payments to people who don't meet the income threshold, or who have left the State entirely, is also putting billions of dollars at risk. Continued fraud and overpayment with our unemployment insurance benefits continue to cost the State billions of dollars. This is after the massive $32 billion fraud in unemployment benefits during the COVID years. Incredibly, the State has missed six straight deadlines for its annual comprehensive financial report, which puts in jeopardy our credit rating, as well as Federal funding. The auditor's report documents IT projects that languish for months, for years, as antiquated systems beleaguer our bureaucracy, this despite Silicon Valley being a stone's throw away. You have State entities that continue to fall short of minimum standards for information security and cybersecurity, putting our State, data, and privacy at risk. Alarmingly, it is more than just cybersecurity. It is also the security of our physical infrastructure. For instance, the auditor finds that there are 49 dams that pose an extremely high hazard to life and property, and it is getting worse. In just the last 2 years, the number of dams rated either poor or unsatisfactory has increased by 73 percent. The quality of government service is also unacceptably low. With the EDD, for example, not only do we have continuing, ongoing massive fraud and overpayments, but the folks who actually deserve to get paid benefits have a heck of a time getting the benefits they are entitled to. The auditor found that, on average, the typical claimant has to call the EDD two to five times per week just to get assistance. The EDD has consistently failed to meet Federal benchmarks for timely payments to those who are actually deserving of benefits, whereas those who are committing fraud against the system seem to have no trouble getting their hands on as much money as they would like. There are other examples in this report that just truly boggle the mind. For example, the aforementioned EDD during the COVID-19 years decided to order thousands of mobile devices, 7,224 to be exact--this is cell phones, hotspots--so that employees who aren't going into work can continue to do their jobs. These mobile devices, even after they were no longer being used because the pandemic was over, the State continued to pay for them, for thousands of them. They continued to pay service fees, costing the State millions upon millions of dollars. Another illustrative example comes from CARB, the California Air Resources Board, that is responsible in many ways for the very high gas prices that the citizens of California have to pay. The report found that there was one particular CARB employee who was paid $171,446 in salary on an annual basis, so a pretty decent salary they are getting paid. Here is the problem: It was for nearly 15 months after the employee had stopped working that they continued to get paid. On top of all of this, the auditor found rampant nepotism at the Department of General Services and Caltrans when it came to hiring. They would hire their family members. They would hire their friends for these State jobs. They would even find instances where managers gave the candidates the questions, interview questions, in advance in order to help them get the job. Now, all of this is in addition to the very well-known examples of just mind-boggling fraud and waste that exist in the California government. We, of course, have the high-speed rail, now estimated to cost $128 billion, which is several times more than initially anticipated, where after nearly 20 years we still haven't seen any track laid. We have homelessness where there was another State audit that found that the State spent $24 billion, lost track of the money, couldn't tell us where it went, and couldn't tell us if it did any good. Meanwhile, the homeless population in California increased substantially to the point to where half of the unsheltered homeless in this country reside in California. More recently, we had the 911 system, where taxpayers were charged on their phone bills for years. $650 million was spent to build out a new 911 system, and then the State had to scrap the whole project because the technology doesn't work. Mr. Speaker, this is absolutely unacceptable. Californians sacrifice so much, paying the highest taxes in the country, and yet our citizens also get the least in return. I will continue to call for accountability for the agencies and, more importantly, the political leaders in California who refuse to reform our State government in a manner that more appropriately and effectively serves our citizens. I will also continue to use every tool we have here at the Federal level to insist upon the State giving our taxpayers a higher return on their investment. I will make sure that everyone is aware that when the Governor says the California government is a model of efficiency and responsiveness, nothing could be further from the truth. Recognizing Folsom High School Football Team

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, they have done it again. I rise today to recognize an extraordinary achievement by the Folsom High School Bulldogs football team, who captured their sixth California State championship with a very impressive 42-28 victory over Cathedral Catholic. This championship run was defined by resilience, preparation, and leadership, none more evident than in the performance of junior quarterback Brody Rudnicki, who stepped into the spotlight and delivered a truly remarkable performance. Brody accounted for six total touchdowns, throwing for two scores and rushing for four more while compiling 117 passing yards and 186 rushing yards. This title marks the second State championship in the last 3 years under the leadership of Head Coach Paul Doherty, whose commitment to excellence has continued to elevate the Folsom football program as one of the premier high school programs in the entire State of California. The Bulldogs' championship capped off an outstanding 14-1 season, highlighted by a 12-game winning streak that showcased consistency, teamwork, and competitive excellence throughout the year. Equally impressive is the program's success in preparing student athletes for the future. Seven senior players have committed to continue their football careers at the next level, earning opportunities at some of the Nation's most well-respected institutions and programs, including the United States Military Academy at West Point, Dartmouth College, Brigham Young University, the University of Southern California, Stanford University, the University of Nevada, and Oregon State University. These commitments reflect not only athletic talent but also academic achievement and character. I had the chance to visit with the team a couple years ago when they won the State championship. When I was in the State legislature, because they won championships back then too, I actually had the chance to recognize the team during a session where they were there in attendance and the coaches were on the floor with us. The team was up in the gallery. That was a lot of fun. I am sorry they can't be here in the U.S. House, though they are certainly welcome to visit anytime. At the very least, I look forward to seeing all of the players and hardworking coaches in person very soon and extending my congratulations, because this team means so much to the city of Folsom and to our entire community. Congratulations, once again, to the State champions Folsom High School Bulldogs. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I will be voting for this measure today because the policy is good, but let's be realistic. It is extremely modest, and it has no chance of becoming law because it was hastily thrown together without, apparently, any bipartisan input, when bipartisan support is necessary to pass any measure like this. However, worst of all, the bill does not address the immediate urgent problem in front of us, which is that 22 million people are about to pay a lot more for health insurance. These are independent contractors, freelancers, gig workers, and Uber drivers. It is small business owners and their employees, and retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare who are going to pay thousands of dollars more in many cases. Some people won't be able to afford health insurance at all. What are we supposed to tell these folks? ``Oh, don't worry, it is Obama's fault.'' Or, ``Oh, no, don't worry, we did a show vote on this Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.'' Is that going to be any consolation? Now, I have been extremely critical of the House Speaker for refusing to put any measure to extend these tax credits on the floor, and I think that criticism right now is more well deserved than ever. We have in the past seen measures come to the floor that divided the Republican Conference but that were able to pass with bipartisan support on continuing resolutions or on foreign aid bills. There is no reason that cannot be done here, and let the House work its will. That, after all, is the best expression of the will of the people. What about the minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries? He has had every opportunity to endorse a compromise measure that has a temporary extension with reforms. There are three bills that have numerous bipartisan coauthors, but instead of supporting any of those, he has directed his Members to only support an uncompromising measure that has zero bipartisan cosponsors. That has already been rejected by the Senate and so has no chance of becoming law. This whole issue encapsulates what is wrong with this institution, where party leaders focus most of their time and energy on trying to blame problems on the other side rather than trying to solve those problems, but it is not too late for action now. I am calling on the Speaker or the minority leader or both to get a bill to the floor. That is what this institution needs. It is what America needs.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, it is frankly crazy that for 20 million kids who rely on free and reduced lunch, they are banned from drinking whole milk as a matter of Federal law. Whatever basis in science or public health might have ever backed this up has long since been debunked. I am glad that we are finally correcting this error today. Why should kids have access to whole milk at school? Well, at least three reasons. Number one is nutrition. The latest science shows that whole milk actually is probably better for you nutritionally than other kinds of milk because it is less processed. As for saturated fats, science shows that the body processes dairy fats differently than other kinds of fats. The second reason is satiation. Whole milk is simply more filling. For a program that is designed to make sure kids don't go hungry, that might be a relevant consideration. Moreover, when kids are not full from their lunch, then they might be more inclined to grab things that are a lot less healthy. The third is taste. A lot of kids simply hate the taste of skim milk. I don't blame them. I hate it, too. I love the taste of whole milk. What is particularly crazy is that while schools can't serve whole milk, they are allowed to serve sugary strawberry and chocolate milks, which are a lot worse for kids. This may not seem like the paramount issue facing the Republic at this moment, but I will say that it touches upon two important issues. The first is health in this country. One of the biggest drivers of healthcare costs and of poor public health outcomes is obesity that begins in childhood that has continued to rise, the rates have, since this ban on whole milk went into effect and now constitutes over 20 percent. The second issue is trust in government. Our public health establishment has given a lot of very bad advice in the past; for example, downplaying the risk of sugar. Even more than that, when kids are seeing the government do stupid and arbitrary things like tell them they can't have whole milk, I am not sure how we are supposed to foster the trust in government on which democracy depends. This is a good bill. I hope we pass it overwhelmingly today.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make a statement about efficiency in government because there was a statement from the Governor of my State that many of us found quite surprising where he recently said that long before there was DOGE, California was already streamlining government to be more efficient, responsive, and accountable. Apparently, California being a model of efficiency, in the Governor's view. This came as a surprise to many of us because, in the course of just 5 years during Governor Newsom's tenure, the State budget increased by $124 billion. That is over a 50 percent increase in spending without really any measurable improvement in government performance when you look at California ranking first in the Nation in homelessness, poverty, unemployment, having some of the worst roads, and some of the worst achievement gaps in our schools. I will highlight just a few examples that I think are particularly revealing when it comes to the low quality of government service that citizens of California are receiving and also, to some extent, the lessons that we can draw from here at the Federal level where I think continuing to improve the quality of government service, giving taxpayers a higher return on their tax dollars remains a vital imperative. Remember, the Governor said that California is a model of efficiency. His exact words: ``California is already streamlining government to be more efficient, responsive, and accountable.'' Apparently, this includes a $128 billion bullet train that still shows no signs of coming into existence. Now, that is the estimated total cost. The amount that has already been spent is somewhere in the neighborhood of $16 billion, $17 billion, but we are now 18 years into this thing and not a single bit of track has been laid despite all of this massive spending. The New York Times has estimated that the project isn't even on track to be finished this century. Another example is that the State auditor in California found that the State spent $24 billion to combat homelessness and completely lost track of the money. They couldn't say where it went. They couldn't say what impact it had on outcomes. There were no metrics. During the time that this spending occurred, homelessness in California absolutely skyrocketed to the extent that the State has about half of the total unsheltered homeless in the entire country. The State also squandered $32 billion at a minimum on unemployment fraud. What is going on in Minnesota is small potatoes compared to what we witnessed in California during the COVID years where the State failed to take basic fraud protection measures that other States had taken, and as a result, fraudsters were easily able to purloin the State Treasury and use those billions to fund further criminal activities. Now, I say that there are lessons for the Federal Government because during the last administration, the labor secretary in California most responsible for that entire fiasco was actually nominated to be the Secretary of Labor here in Washington, D.C., although never confirmed by the Senate, so to some extent the lesson was learned. We have recent reports just in the last couple weeks that this $650 million 911 system that the State has been charging Californians on their phone bill for, for several years now, is being scraped entirely because the technology doesn't work. They spent $650 million building this so-called next generation 911 system--and our system does very much need to be updated--but because the State couldn't manage to get the technology right, it is all going to waste. Those funds will never be recovered and our 911 system remains antiquated as a result. Bear in mind, Sacramento is a stone's throw from Silicon Valley where the technology that is required here is fairly rudimentary in terms of what is needed. I would just mention one final example which is the California State Capitol itself. Our Governor has had a lot to say about certain renovations going on at the White House, yet the California State legislature approved several years ago a $1.2 billion renovation of the State capitol itself. I voted against that measure, by the way, but now the cost of that seems to have ballooned and we don't know even by how much because the State is refusing to say. Despite the persistent efforts of local journalists to get an answer and other legislators as to how much this project is costing our taxpayers, they won't even say how much. However, we have gotten some hints of some of the measures that the project leaders have taken such as shipping stones to Italy in order to be treated and refined. It does not seem that this particular project is exactly a model of efficiency either. Mr. Speaker, I bring these examples up to highlight the need for reform in my home State, to reorient the way our government works toward a paradigm of citizen service, because we see corruption and incompetence and special interests and a whole host of other agendas that stand in the way of the use of tax dollars to actually serve our citizens. Indeed, California is the exact opposite of a model of efficiency as we sacrifice the most and get the least in return. I will continue to do everything I can to change that paradigm in California as well as to find ways to learn from it and to reorient our Federal Government toward a model of citizen service and efficiency, as well. Legislation to Stop Insider Trading

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, this week, I signed a discharge petition to stop insider trading, to ban stock trading by Members of Congress. I have been a cosponsor of this measure offered by my colleague from Florida, Anna Paulina Luna. We have gotten a number of bipartisan cosponsors for it, yet the bill has not moved. It has not been brought to the floor by House leadership. I have signed this discharge petition, which is a legislative mechanism by which the Members of the House can bring a bill directly to the floor without the blessing of leadership. I have not been particularly inclined to sign these petitions in my first couple of years here in the House, but I have come to the view that they have become more necessary given the House's somewhat diminished role in recent months in terms of actually driving policy forward. I have also signed a couple of other petitions related to the healthcare reforms that we are seeking to advance. I was particularly concerned when I heard the Speaker himself suggest that he might try to stop discharge petitions from happening altogether, which would be a terrible idea. It would mean that the House is no longer truly a majoritarian institution. Affirming the value of discharge petitions and bringing to the floor a bill to ban trading by Members of Congress are both important steps toward restoring trust in this institution. Let's face it, Congress is not held in particularly high esteem by the American public right now. I have seen recent polls showing that Congress' approval rating is around 15 percent. In many ways, that reputation is well deserved. This is a simple measure that we can take that would at least restore a little bit of trust and be a step in the direction of good government. I am hoping that it will continue to get the requisite signatures, short of leadership agreeing to bring it to the floor, and then we can get it passed and signed into law. Advocating to End Redistricting War

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to advocate for an end to the redistricting war that has been cascading across the country. I have introduced legislation that would say we should not have mid- decade redistricting. It should not be done in any State. I opposed what happened in Texas to re-gerrymander that State in the middle of the decade, and I opposed what happened in California. I opposed the efforts that are afoot as well in other States, and I applaud the decision by the Indiana State Senate to not move forward with a mid- decade gerrymander in a fairly overwhelming vote yesterday. The fact is that gerrymandering is an affront to representative government and democracy. What we are seeing right now runs against the desires of Members of this body on both sides of the aisle and certainly runs contrary to what is in the interest of the country. I have called upon the leadership in the House for months to bring this bill to the floor or to otherwise reach an armistice in this redistricting war. I believe it was a failure of leadership, frankly, on both sides, to allow this to happen. As I warned months ago, the whole thing is basically turning out to be a wash. If you look at the various election forecasters, they say, yes, you are probably not going to see either side really gain much. All of this effort, all of this money, all of this political capital spent redrawing maps, upending the districts of dozens of our Members on both sides of the aisle, and to what end? Nothing good is coming from it. Maybe if the Speaker--and I cannot let the minority leader off the hook either because he has been actively involved in these efforts--had been more focused on, let's say, healthcare policy than trying to redraw district maps, we wouldn't be in a position where we are now 3 weeks away from Americans seeing a massive increase in healthcare costs. I am again calling for my bill to ban mid-decade redistricting to be brought to the floor for a vote. I am also working on legislation to end gerrymandering in this country, once and for all, by ensuring each State has an independent commission, much like the one that we had in California until recently. I think if we can take that step to end gerrymandering, to have fair maps across the country, then it will restore power where it belongs, and that is to the voters themselves. Need for Higher-Performing Schools

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as chair of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, which covers K-12 education, I like to have the opportunity to go and visit high-performing schools, to see the lessons that we could learn. This morning, I had the chance to visit a KIPP school, the Knowledge is Power Program here in Washington, D.C. There are 20 KIPP schools in D.C. There are many, many more all across the country, including many in California. This is a truly high-performing charter school network that tends to enroll students who are below the poverty level, that operates in underserved communities, and that has outstanding results by any measure--by student test scores, by graduation rates, by the number of students who go to college. They really have just been knocking it out of the park for years, much like Success Academy, which operates in New York City. I had the chance to visit one of their campuses a couple of months ago. If they were considered their own school district, they would literally be the highest performing district in the State of New York. These examples of success are, unfortunately, not the norm when it comes to public education in America today and, in particular, in my State of California. The latest Nation's Report Card showed that student achievement is at an all-time low in this country. We have not bounced back to even where we were prior to the COVID years. We continue to fall behind our peer nations in terms of the level of achievement for our students. In California, in particular, we have seen, over the course of the last several years, almost $40 billion more that is now spent on an annual basis on education. What do we have to show for it? UC San Diego, which is a pretty high-ranking school, recently came out and said that their incoming students are not prepared to do basic math, even the most basic math. They have now had to put one out of every eight students into remedial math courses. They have had to expand the remedial courses they offer to make them even more remedial. That is the result of a State like California that has done everything possible to quash high-performing charter schools, like the ones I just mentioned, Success Academy and KIPP, and instead support and prop up a failing education model: the idea that you are assigned to one school in your ZIP Code, whether it is good or bad, whether it teaches students to read and do math or not. In the subcommittee that I have the honor to chair, we have been focusing on both the problems and potential solutions for public education in America. I think there is a great deal to learn from schools like KIPP and Success Academy, which set high expectations for students, teach literacy and numeracy the way that it is supposed to be taught, have high levels and expectations for their teachers and help prepare them as they need to be prepared when it comes to professional development, and focus like a laser on student achievement, engaging parents, and everything that comes with giving students access to a quality education. Schools like these show that every child in this country can indeed succeed, and we need to make it a matter of great urgency to make sure that every child in America has that opportunity. Assuring Timely Representation in the House

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I will be introducing in the House the Right to Representation Act, a measure that has become necessary in order to assure that districts in this country are not denied representation here in the House. We recently had a period of time in which a newly elected Member of the House from Arizona was not seated as a Member for week after week for what I believe was a record period of time. This was despite the fact that she had won her election, the election had been certified, and the district was going without representation until she was seated. The House of Representatives was not here during that time, which was itself a big problem. The House canceled its sessions for 6 weeks on end while the government was shut down. Nevertheless, this Member, Mrs. Grijalva from Arizona, could have been sworn in during what is called a pro forma session. I think that this is simply wrong. I think it is wrong she had to wait over a month, I believe, after she should have been sworn in to actually have the opportunity to begin representing her constituents. I don't want to see anything like this happen again, regardless of which party controls the House and regardless of which party the Member who is waiting to be sworn in represents. My bill is very simple. It would simply say that after an individual has prevailed in a special election, then they have the right to be sworn in on the next legislative day, whether that is a pro forma session or a regular session. I think this is a commonsense measure and will ensure that what we just saw with the Representative from Arizona doesn't happen in this Chamber again. Congratulating Chief Brian Estes

Mr. KILEY

Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Chief Brian Estes of the CAL FIRE Nevada Yuba Placer Unit and the Placer County Fire Department. He is retiring at the end of this year after an exceptional career of over 35 years in the fire service. In 1991, Chief Estes graduated at the top of his class from the Butte Fire Academy, launching him into a long and successful career. He began working as a firefighter at a station in San Diego County. Mr. Speaker, 4 years later, he joined the CAL FIRE helicopter crew in Tuolumne County, where he stayed for another 4 years. During this timeframe, he held various leadership positions, such as CWN manager and military helicopter manager. He coordinated with the California National Guard as a military liaison officer. In 1988, Brian Estes was promoted to fire apparatus engineer and was assigned to the Amador/El Dorado Unit. Brian climbed the ladder and was promoted through the ranks, becoming captain in 2000 and being promoted to battalion chief in 2005. In the coming years, Chief Estes responded to some of California's most challenging fires, joining deployments and leading 14 Type I incidents across California as Type I incident commander. Brian Estes continued to be promoted, and he served as assistant chief of operations, deputy chief of operations, and then, finally, as unit chief for the Nevada Yuba Placer Unit and fire chief of the Placer County Fire Department. He had the honor of leading over 450 personnel and overseeing a budget of over $100 million across 1.7 million acres of State Responsibility Area. As Placer County Fire Chief, Chief Estes oversaw municipal services across 1,000 square miles and served over 70,000 residents, protecting $80 billion in assets. In these capacities, he has been an outstanding force in protecting the quality of life in our region by leading the front line of defense against the all-too-common California wildfires. Chief Estes is widely respected for his exceptional leadership skills and unwavering commitment to collaboration. Under his guidance, his units operate with greater strength, efficiency, and purpose, reflecting his ability to maximize their potential and bring out the best in those he leads. A lifelong public servant, Chief Estes is truly a pillar of our community. He is defined by his consistent and active engagement and his deep dedication to those he serves, going above and beyond the regular call of duty. It has really been a privilege to work alongside Chief Estes throughout my time in office. It is an honor to represent someone held in such high esteem by his friends, family, colleagues, and community. Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives and California's Third Congressional District, I wish Chief Estes a happy retirement and thank him for his many years of service. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I feel compelled to call attention to an outrageous action that has just been undertaken by the State of California to deprive many, many young people in my district of athletic opportunities. Truckee Unified School District, which is in my district, competes when it comes to athletics in a neighboring school district in Nevada. What is the reason for that? Well, for sports like soccer, these are winter sports in California, but they are quite hard to play in the winter in this part of the State because there is a lot of snow. They are spring sports in Nevada. So in order to allow young people to play soccer and other sports, they compete in Nevada. However, the State of California has just ordered Truckee Unified to compete in California, no longer giving them that option. Why? It is because Nevada doesn't have the same policy of allowing biological males to compete in women's sports. Regardless of what you think of that particular policy, it is something that only affects a few students, and now the State of California is depriving all of these student-athletes of the opportunity to play their sport as well as subjecting them to onerous new travel arrangements. I am urging the State of California to reverse this outrageous action.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, I am very glad and relieved this day has finally come. Mr. Speaker, seven of the counties in my district rely on this program to assure every child has access to a quality education and to provide important public services. Throughout the period in which this fund has lapsed, I have met with many of the leaders in these schools who have talked about the tradeoffs they have had to make. I met with the students who have seen opportunities taken from them, extracurriculars and other programs that have been limited because of this lapse in funding. I thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here today and in the committees of jurisdiction for their tireless efforts in overcoming the inertia of this institution and getting this bill to the floor for a vote today. I look forward to it passing in a resounding bipartisan way and in a way that I hope will assure that, going forward, we don't allow for this sort of lapse to happen again where for 1\1/2\ years these schools and counties were going without these vitally needed payments. This is a measure that has broad bipartisan support. It is a very popular program. It is an important program. There is no reason that Congress should fail to pass its reauthorization in a timely manner. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to this passing on the floor today. We need to make sure that in the future we don't keep our schools and our students in limbo.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1069, the Promoting Responsible Oversight To Eliminate Communist Teachings for Our Kids Act, in order to protect our kids and to protect our country. The Chinese Communist Party is responsible for severe human rights abuses and the suppression of fundamental freedoms, with a long and well-documented history of censorship, oppression, and disregard for human rights. However, it is equally well understood that the CCP aggressively pushes its propaganda worldwide to reshape global narratives in its favor. That effort has extended into virtually every facet of American society, including, unfortunately, American classrooms. Findings from the State Department have revealed that CCP-funded so- called Confucius classrooms have operated in over 500 K-12 schools across the United States. Now, these programs are not about education. They are about influence. The CCP does not act with charitable intent. These programs exist because the CCP expects something in return: control over curriculum and influence over young minds. It is unacceptable that American school districts have entered into financial arrangements with entities tied to the CCP, an adversary of the United States and a regime with one of the worst human rights records in the world. The simple premise of this legislation is that no Federal tax dollars should support schools that partner with the Chinese Communist Party. The PROTECT Our Kids Act puts that principle into law by ensuring that Federal education funds are not available to schools that collaborate with, receive funding from, or otherwise engage in agreements with the Government of the People's Republic of China. This includes partnerships with Confucius classrooms, language programs funded by the CCP, and instructional materials or personnel tied to the Chinese Government. American education should teach American values, not communist propaganda. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and take a firm stand against foreign influence in our children's education.

Mr. KILEY of California

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate JB Harris, JT Chevallier, and the entire team at ECO-CLEAN Solutions for reaching a record-breaking milestone late last year: 1 million square feet of Lake Tahoe shoreline cleaned by the team's beach-cleaning robot, BEBOT. JB and JT, two longtime friends from Las Vegas, were drawn to the Sierra Nevada by the beauty and lifestyle of the mountains. As their connection to the area and the great outdoors deepened, JB and JT witnessed the toll of increased tourism on their natural surroundings. With the motivation to give back to the home that had given them so much, ECO-CLEAN was created to respond to the need for environmental responsibility and sustainability. With the annual number of visitors to Lake Tahoe growing to 15 million people, Tahoe's beaches experienced a surge in waste, particularly during peak travel seasons. JB and JT recognized the problem and set out to find innovative and low-impact solutions to this growing concern. In their search, the team discovered BEBOT, the first battery- and solar-powered beach-cleaning robot on the West Coast. Through funding provided by the North Tahoe Community Alliance, the team was able to successfully deploy BEBOT to the shores of Lake Tahoe, maximizing beach cleanup efforts through advanced technology and in partnership with local volunteers. Through this innovative solution, ECO-CLEAN Solutions and their beach-cleaning BEBOT have cleaned more than 1 million square miles of shoreline, picking up over 38,000 pieces of litter that may have become pollution in Lake Tahoe. In comparison to visible litter items collected by volunteers, BEBOTs detect and remove up to 10 times the number of items hidden under the surface of the sand. They also partner and collaborate with several local organizations, one of which includes the Desert Research Institute, which analyzes the litter taken from the lake to better understand pollutants and proactively address their source. It is an honor to represent exemplary businesses such as ECO-CLEAN Solutions in the United States House of Representatives. They exemplify how American innovation can serve as a solution to the issues that are facing our communities and the Nation at large. Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize JB, JT, and ECO-CLEAN Solutions for reaching this significant milestone and for their ongoing dedication to protecting the beauty of Lake Tahoe's shorelines for generations to come. Recognizing South Tahoe Public Utility District on 75th Anniversary

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize and commemorate the 75-year anniversary of the South Tahoe Public Utility District, a trusted steward of environmental protection and sustainable water management in the Tahoe community. The South Tahoe Public Utility District was formed in the 1950s to protect the ecosystem of the Lake Tahoe Basin while furnishing customers with reliable water and wastewater treatment services. Since then, they have grown into a nationally recognized utility that exemplifies innovation, resilience, and exceptionalism in public service. The district supplies quality drinking water and provides reliable wastewater collection, treatment, and export services to over 14,000 residents and 660 commercial and government sites. Their services play a significant role in the function of the region and have improved the quality of life and experiences for residents, businesses, and visitors. Over the span of more than seven decades, the South Tahoe Public Utility District has achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments, including building the world's first advanced wastewater treatment plant, bringing high-quality Tahoe tap to the community, earning national recognition as the Environmental Protection Agency's Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year, and becoming a 100 percent recycled wastewater operation, just to name a few. These successes reflect the district's deep commitment to protecting Lake Tahoe's environment, ensuring the sustainability of its water resources, and fostering community engagement. Throughout its history, the South Tahoe Public Utility District has faced and overcome many unique challenges. During droughts, wildfires, and even a global pandemic, the district did not falter in its mission. In moments of crisis, such as the Angora, Tamarack, and Caldor fires, the district's personnel displayed courage and determination, standing shoulder to shoulder with firefighters under hazardous conditions and evacuation orders to continuously maintain water flow and wastewater treatment. For three-quarters of a century, the South Tahoe Public Utility District has established a legacy of efficiency, professionalism, and excellence. I have no doubt that that legacy will only continue to grow in the years to come. It has been a privilege to work alongside the South Tahoe Public Utility District throughout my tenure as Tahoe's Representative in Congress. Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives and California's Third Congressional District, I am proud to celebrate this milestone and to commend the South Tahoe Public Utility District for their 75 years of unwavering dedication to the region and to the protection of a national treasure that is Lake Tahoe. Restoration of Healthcare Tax Credits

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge prompt action on a matter that could make life a lot more difficult for millions and millions of people in this country, and that is the expiration of tax credits that could lead to a massive increase in healthcare costs. We are talking about 22 million Americans who will be directly affected, some of them seeing thousands and thousands of dollars in increases in their healthcare costs. That is something that a lot of these folks simply cannot afford. Mr. Speaker, that is the reality of what will happen if Congress does nothing and if Congress fails to act. Since that is not acceptable to me--and I know it is not acceptable to a lot of Members on both sides of the aisle--I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Sam Liccardo called the Fix It Act, which will stop this cliff from occurring and will spare these Americans this massive increase in healthcare costs. Here is what it does: It extends these tax credits for a temporary period of time, for 2 years. That will give us the runway that we need to work on a broader solution to the healthcare affordability crisis in America without forcing millions of Americans to pay the price in the meantime. Mr. Speaker, importantly, our bill not only provides this temporary extension, but it also includes reforms that pay for themselves. In other words, the savings that we get through our reforms are actually greater than the cost of the extension itself. This is according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which analyzed several proposals that are out there and found that the bill that Sam Liccardo and I have introduced is the only one that actually does not increase the deficit and, indeed, actually achieves savings for taxpayers. We do this with sensible cost controls, income caps, to make sure that the tax credits go to those who truly need it. You will still be eligible as long as you are a family of four with an income level up to $192,000. It also includes strong antifraud measures that will save billions of dollars from the fraud that we know is far too pervasive in this program. It enacts reforms to a program called Medicare Advantage that are supported by the AARP because we have seen that insurers have been overcharging in this program to the tune of tens of billions of dollars over the course of a decade. Mr. Speaker, all of those elements not only actually make it so that we are not increasing the deficit or having to raise taxes or increase spending with this extension, but they also make the extension inherently temporary in the sense that, if you have a pay-for, like we do, then any extension will need another pay-for that will entail additional tradeoffs. That is an accountability measure to make sure that this doesn't become just a never-ending series of extensions but truly is temporary. Mr. Speaker, there are a growing number of Members in both parties-- we just had a press conference--who understand what is at stake here. It is not just, by the way, for 22 million Americans who will be directly impacted by utilizing the individual market and benefit from these tax credits, but if you see millions of people who ultimately choose not to get insurance and drop out of the market, that is going to cascade to the employer-provided market, as well. People are going to see increased costs there, as well. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about affordability, which is so important to so many people in this country right now, there is perhaps no single policy issue that will have a higher impact on affordability in this country than doing something about this issue right now. For my colleagues on the Republican side, I simply point out this: When Members look at the 22 million Americans who will be most directly impacted, a lot of these folks are people who Republicans have been fighting for, for a long time. For example, independent contractors, freelancers, gig workers, and Uber drivers. They have been under attack from the likes of Gavin Newsom and the corrupt political class in Sacramento, who have targeted them and made it very difficult for them to practice their professions. The Biden administration actually brought in Newsom's labor secretary, Julie Su, to try to do the same thing, targeting independent contractors on a national level. They are the folks who will perhaps suffer the most if these tax credits expire because they rely on that individual market, and they don't really have any other option. They will be forced to pay thousands and thousands of dollars more when their income is already uncertain. We simply can't let that happen to them or small businesses. Small business owners' employees who rely on the individual market, this will absolutely be devastating to many of them if they are forced to shoulder this cost. Early retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare, millions of them rely on these tax credits. That is why I believe that doing nothing is not an option, and I have made no secret of the fact that I think the House of Representatives has been missing in action in a lot of ways in recent months. The House was literally not here for a period of almost 2 months. The Speaker inexplicably canceled session for 6 consecutive weeks. The House has not been in the driver's seat when it comes to many important policy issues facing the country. The House has even chosen to cede some of its own legislative authority on certain issues. This is extremely troubling to me. I have been encouraging a change of course. Mr. Speaker, this issue right now, which is a matter of urgency and needs to be dealt with before the end of the year, is an opportunity for the House to change course, to reclaim its legislative authority, to actually drive policy in the right way, and to become the people's House again by actually serving the American people in a way that will make a profound difference in the lives of many of them throughout the country. Calling for Accountability

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to present some truly bewildering and completely unacceptable news out of my State, the State of California. I have been very critical of government performance in our State, with giving taxpayers the services that they are paying for. This latest example makes that point very clearly. For the last 6 or so years, Californians have been paying an extra fee on their phone service. This was due to legislation enacted by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor. All of these fees were collected for the purpose of creating a next-generation 911 system, which, honestly, is something we need. The system is quite outdated, antiquated, and not up to the task of serving the many different kinds of emergencies that we get in California. For the last 6 years, these extra fees paid for by California taxpayers, which are in addition to the State budget itself going up over 50 percent during that time period, were used to build out this new 911 system. The State spent $450 million building out this 911 system. Just last week, it was announced that after spending all of this money, the State is scrapping the entire project because the technology does not work. It is absolutely beyond belief. The $450 million that Californians have been paying on their phone bill was absolutely, completely squandered, wasted by the State, which not only wasted all that money, but has now left Californians with an inadequate 911 system because they need to start over from square A. This, Mr. Speaker, is an example of how the failures in Sacramento that have degraded the quality of life for people throughout our State are not a matter of Democrat versus Republican, but simply a matter of competence, of basic government performance, and of serving the people of our State as opposed to serving other agendas. I hope that this latest debacle will be a wake-up call to demand the sort of accountability that our taxpayers are entitled to in California, and for the way the government in Sacramento is run to be completely revisited, to be reoriented in a way that is based on performance, that is based on competence, that draws upon the best practices of the private sector, and that ultimately is geared toward citizen service rather than the other interests and agendas that too often prevail at our capital. Calling for Education Reforms

Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, for years, I have been warning about the declining education outcomes that exist across our country, but in particular, in my State of California. We just received a jarring reminder of just how bleak things have gotten. UC San Diego, which is a rather selective school in California, has recently announced that a large share of its students can no longer even do basic math. The school announced that the number of students who require remedial courses has gone from 1 out of every 100 to 1 out of every 8. This truly jarring state of affairs comes in spite of a massive increase in education funding in California. Indeed, since Governor Newsom came into office, the overall education budget has increased by almost $40 billion. Yet, what is the outcome of that? We have students at a fairly selective university who can't do basic math, and, by the way, the State also has the highest illiteracy rate in the entire country. I have advocated for reforms to our education system in California that would actually close achievement gaps and serve students. As chair of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee here in the House of Representatives, I have advocated for those reforms not just for our State, but on the national level, as well. We have seen that when States and districts take a data-based approach to instruction, they can get tremendous results for students. We see examples like KIPP or Success Academy. These are charter networks that have vastly outperformed other public schools, despite serving students who are well below the poverty level in many cases. If Success Academy were its own district, it would rank at the very top of the rankings in student performance in the State of New York, which is one of the reasons I am sponsoring the High-Quality Charter Schools Act that would make more opportunities like that available throughout the country. We have also held hearings in my subcommittee on teaching literacy appropriately, which California is finally moving in that direction, teaching math appropriately, getting back to basics, utilizing education technology in the right way, without having students be exposed to excessive screen time. We have looked at school choice programs, including, most importantly, expanding charter schools. We have looked at the foundational importance of parental rights. In California, unfortunately, we have an education system that is not about the kids. That is why we have among the highest achievement gaps in the country. That is why we have these jarring statistics that we are getting out of UC San Diego. That is why California had the longest school shutdown in the entire country during COVID-19. I would hope that these latest numbers will serve as a wake-up call to enact the sort of education reforms that have worked well in other States because we are failing our students right now, and we are imperiling our State and, increasingly, our country's future. California by the Numbers