Teresa Leger Fernandez

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, recently Speaker Johnson and most House Republicans cosponsored a bill that could ban IVF nationwide and criminalize reproductive healthcare. The Alabama Supreme Court's anti- IVF ruling is consistent with these extreme attempts to steal women's freedom to decide when, how, and if to have a family. Trump and the MAGA extremists want a Federal abortion ban. Packing the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade wasn't enough for them. Every State law and constitutional amendment protecting women's reproductive freedoms from New Mexico to Kansas to Ohio could be overturned if Donald Trump and Republicans win in 2024. Criminalizing pregnancies, outlawing IVF and birth control, and forcing pregnancies on children who have been raped--that is the nightmare we face unless women and those that love them act now to defeat this extremism. Women need healthcare, not handcuffs.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor N. Scott Momaday for his remarkable and unforgettable life, a legend to the last word. Mr. Momaday passed away on Wednesday, January 24 in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the age of 89. I offer my sincerest condolences to his family. They are in my prayers to find peace and healing. Mr. Momaday was born in Lawton, Oklahoma on February 27, 1934. After moving to Arizona, his family moved to Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, also known as Walatowa--meaning the ``people of the valley.'' There is no surprise in my mind as to why N. Scott Momaday was inspired by this beautiful place, which was often featured in his brilliant works. Indeed, Mr. Momaday received the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his House Made of Dawn, which is largely credited with igniting a wave of modern Native American literature. He showed us the power of storytelling and the oral tradition--of bringing imagination to life-- and shed light on the Native experience and culture. As he once said, ``Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves.'' Mr. Momaday also reminded us of the importance of the land. He wrote, ``We Americans must come again to a moral comprehension of the earth and air. We must live according to the principle of a land ethic. The alternative is that we shall not live at all.'' Today I say thank you to N. Scott Momaday for these stories that preserve the beauty of our lands so that in a changing world, they remain indispensable to our collective well-being for years to come. Mr. Momaday will be forever remembered across Native America and New Mexico. His writing sparked our imagination and took our hearts to places our bodies have never touched. He had the ability to paint the picture of a story through the finesse of power in his words. He created space necessary for creative culture to follow. For all this and more, we recognize N. Scott Momaday for his indelible influence on the state of New Mexico and to the United States of America.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy) for yielding the customary 30 minutes. Mr. Speaker, Republicans called us into an emergency meeting to consider today's rules several weeks ago. Several weeks ago, it is an emergency. Actually, America does have some emergencies that need to be addressed. Our national security is at risk. Putin, the dictator, may win his war against our ally if we don't surge aid to Ukraine. Putin wants World War III, and Putin-protecting Republicans don't want to address that emergency. Remember, Putin's war caused our energy crisis to rise. I call on responsible Republicans to address our national security emergency. I call on them to address the overwhelmingly bipartisan bill that passed the Senate. America has another emergency. In 5 legislative days--count them. It is a single hand. In 5 legislative days, our Federal Government won't have money to pay its workers, to pay its contracts, to do our jobs. Today should be a day to govern, a day to address America's emergencies. Instead, we are taking up one of the most precious resources we have in Congress, and that is floor time, for an election ploy to help certain New York Republicans win their next election. Last night, New Yorkers told America they were tired of Republicans' failure to govern, didn't they? Now Republicans are using floor time to save the fragile reelection campaigns of some other New York Republicans, but don't let them fool you. H.R. 7160 is simply a Band-Aid for a problem that the twice- impeached, four times-indicted former President Trump and Republican congressional folks caused in the first place. They created this problem that they now want to put a Band-Aid on. They capped the SALT deduction in their tax bill to give tax breaks to the wealthiest corporations and CEOs. As we know, Republicans and Trump seem to care more about the richest Americans. There are real emergencies that all Americans want this Congress to address. The Federal Government could shut down in just 2 weeks, an absolute disaster that these bills don't even mention. That should be our priority. Yet, we have another week of chaos and dysfunction, of dealing with things that are not priorities for the American people. It is another week that Republicans allow small sections of their party to dictate what we see on the floor, based on their reelection priorities. It is another week that extreme MAGA Republicans push partisan political stunts. The other bill in this rule is another one of those stunts. H. Res. 987 is a nonbinding, politically motivated resolution that does nothing, nada, nothing, to lower energy costs or provide effective energy solutions. Like so much of what Republicans do in the House, it is a distraction from the real bipartisan work Congress must do. From the first paragraph, it is wrong. Just yesterday, we got a new Consumer Price Index report which shows energy prices fell last month. They have fallen 4.6 percent in the last year. The United States is producing more oil than ever before, more than any time during the Trump administration. More importantly, energy is not just oil and gas. The Inflation Reduction Act that Democrats passed and President Biden signed into law last Congress created more than 170,000 clean energy jobs in the U.S. so far. Wind, solar, geothermal--these are important elements of our American energy portfolio. The Inflation Reduction Act provided $369 billion in investments for clean energy and for reducing greenhouse gas pollution. This resolution that does nothing is just wrong. It is a do-nothing Congress. It is yet another day in our do-nothing Congress. Let's not take our word for it. In the first session of the 117th Congress, 81 bills were enacted into law; in the first session of the Republican-led 118th Congress, 34 bills. That is all--just 34 bills. It is one of the most unproductive Congresses in modern history. The American people deserve more. They want more. They want us to do our work. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, let's go back to who caused this problem in the first place. It was those Republicans with their Republican tax cut. The Trump tax cut is the one that caused this problem. Let's not forget why we are facing this. Let's not forget, and, hopefully, New Yorkers won't forget as to why they are facing this problem in the first place. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crow), my esteemed colleague.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I remind everybody here that Democrats offered an amendment in the Rules Committee so that we could have fixed the SALT problem not just for tax year 2023, which is when you pay your taxes now in 2024, but fixed it for 2 years. If Republicans were really interested in solving this problem, they would have made sure that it got fixed for the 2 years. Do you know what the Republican vote was? Unanimous. Every single one of my Republican colleagues on the Rules Committee said, no, we don't want a fix that would actually fix it for 2 years. We just want to get past this next election. We want to make sure that when people file their taxes now, as April 15 is coming up, that this is fixed. One year--they could have had it for 2. Every single one of them, even our New York colleague, voted ``no.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Pascrell made a really important point, and that is that this problem arose and impacted middle-class Americans. That happened because Republicans and the Trump tax cuts didn't really much care about middle-class Americans. They didn't much care about working- class Americans. In fact, as we know, the Trump tax cuts mostly benefited the wealthy. The Trump tax cuts highlight the priorities that we see in this Chamber between Republicans and Democrats because they imposed the SALT deduction cap for a reason. They wanted to make sure that they could pass these tax cuts that, as you can see, benefited the richest Americans so much more than they did middle-class Americans. The magnitude is astounding. Their goal of what they tried to do and what they did do back then worked. The top 0.1 percent had an average tax cut of $193,000. What kind of cut did middle-income Americans receive? A paltry $930. If you earned $3 million or more a year, you got to keep an extra $193,000. People who earned $1 billion got to keep even more. Do those millionaires and billionaires really need that help? Do you know who really needed that help? The middle class, which got $930, that is barely $77 a month. These were their priorities. These remain their priorities, except for the fact that there are some election problems happening over there in New York, and they acknowledged it. A few of the New York Republicans helped them get their majority, so this is what they are getting back for 1 year and 1 year only because they didn't want to vote for a 2-year fix. Imagine what a middle-class family would have been able to do if they had gotten thousands of dollars of tax cuts. They would have been able to do some of the things we are talking about: buy a house, send their kids to college, go on a vacation, make sure that they didn't have to worry about the bills. Mr. Speaker, they could have bought 20 years' worth of groceries if we just allowed them to get what the rich got. But that didn't happen. Democrat priorities are that we are always standing with the working class and not the wealthiest corporations and CEOs. We want to lower costs and grow the middle class. H.R. 7160, you know, it is not solving the problem. It is not a permanent fix. It is not even a 2-year fix. When you guys get up and complain that this should not be a problem for us, we wanted to fix it for 2 years. You said no. They just don't want to let us vote on things that are important. They don't want to let us vote on a 2-year fix. They don't want to let us vote on Ukraine funding, on emergency security issues that are about protecting our troops. Let us vote on these issues. Let the House Members have a say. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We have seen the Republicans kill a lot of their own rules. A record number of Republican rules have been killed on the floor of the House. I think it is a little too early to crow about getting this done when you don't know if you are going to get your Republican colleagues to vote for your own rule. There is something else that is in this rule, and that is H. Res. 987. My colleagues like complaining a lot. They have a politics of grievance, but they don't actually solve the problem. They go on and on about various issues, like energy, immigration, other things, but they do not solve the problems. They don't actually pass laws. They don't take up the bills that actually would solve the problem. That is what we are seeing today in H. Res. 987. It is just a bill of complaint. It is also not very accurate. They are complaining about President Biden's energy policies. Let's look at those energy policies. The United States is producing a record 13.2 million barrels of crude oil per day, more than Russia or Saudi Arabia, more than any time during the Trump administration. We are also producing record amounts of natural gas. H.R. 987 itself even notes that the U.S. became a global leader in LNG exports for the first time in 2023, which was under President Biden. Moreover, oil and gas companies are reaping the benefits. In the last 2 years, we have seen record profits, $196 billion one year and $123 billion the next. What we see a lot in this other resolution is complaining but not a good recitation of facts on the ground. The resolution also complains that there isn't enough domestic production of reliable and affordable energy. Let's talk about affordable energy. When Democrats were in control last Congress, we and President Biden took historic action to spur clean energy development right here at home. We know that clean energy helps stabilize prices because we are not subject to international price fluctuations. As we talked about earlier, as Representative Crow mentioned, one of the reasons we saw the surge in gas prices was because of Putin's war, yet we are not taking up the bipartisan security package that passed overwhelmingly in the Senate. If we want to look at ways of making sure that our international markets don't go crazy, let's address Putin's war. They don't want to do that. What we are doing at home is looking at that renewable energy because when we produce renewable energy here at home, we are not dependent on Saudi Arabia, and we are not dependent on Russia. President Biden knows the importance of energy independence, and we are creating independence by weaning ourselves off of those international markets. Let me tell you, we are doing that in New Mexico, because when we build in New Mexico, we bring down costs. What are we doing in New Mexico? Last year, the Inflation Reduction Act created more than 170,000 clean energy jobs and provided $369 billion in investments. Some of that went to New Mexico. I am going to give you a couple of examples from my own beautiful State. It spurred $1.4 billion in funding for clean energy projects to create at least 2,105 jobs. In New Mexico, these clean energy jobs are also bringing to our State manufacturing jobs, like in Belen where we will be building wind towers. For the first time, we are creating manufacturing jobs in the United States. Wind power and solar power are actually the cheapest electricity we can invest in. Our big companies know that, and they are investing in wind and solar. Indeed, I recently met with Chevron representatives, and they told me excitedly about the plans they have to invest in clean energy, to invest in wind and solar. Rather than pass a resolution that doesn't do anything but complain, I invite my Republican colleagues to work with Democrats to pass bills that bring down our energy costs while we invest in America's clean energy future here at home. Help us build on progress we made last Congress so that we can grow the middle class and lower costs for the American people. We can achieve both goals when you put people over politics. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Give me a break, really. Republicans caused this problem. When Republicans were in complete control, they created the problem that that chart just highlighted. Everybody is paying for that. They created a problem where the middle class--I don't use that kind of language, but you know what I would have said--where the middle class really did not benefit, because they were prioritizing the rich. Now they are scolding us? You have to be kidding. In 2019, when Democrats took control of the House, what did they do? They passed a fix to the SALT problem. It went over to the Senate, and Mitch McConnell killed it. The Senate, remember, was 50/50, so we needed 10 Republican votes to get things across. We needed 9 Republican votes. We needed Republican votes to get things over. Republicans were not willing to fix things over there. Our priorities have always been the middle class. Their priorities were the rich, and that is why we have this problem in the first place. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a 2023 Center for American Progress report titled: ``Biden Tax Proposals Would Correct Inequities Created by Trump Tax Cuts and Raise Additional Revenues.''

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, this report details the massive tax breaks that the Trump and Republican 2018 tax bill primarily benefited the wealthiest Americans, and we constantly hear them want to make it permanent. We constantly hear them say: Oh, those were the greatest things, except for when they need to have a couple of their Members get reelected. We are looking for a repeat of what we saw yesterday. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans' fix needs a fix. Really. They are proposing that instead of actually fixing the SALT problem, they keep trying to say: Oh, it is all right for us to do just a teeny, tiny, little bit just as long as we can get reelected, because if they really wanted to fix it, then they would have at least taken it up and raised it in committee, had a good debate, and brought it to the floor with a robust fix that actually makes a difference not just for an election year. I might remind everybody, again, that in the Rules Committee, Joe Neguse, a member of the Rules Committee, proposed that this SALT fix actually go for 2 years so that it would be consistent with the other tax cuts that Trump did. They didn't want that. The other thing that the amendment does was strike $20,000 and half $30,000. They didn't want that either. Every single Republican voted against it. Every single Republican voted against having this goal for 2 years. Why? It was because that wasn't part of the deal. They don't need it after November, I guess. They only need it for this November. Is that it? Once November goes by, their constituents don't need another year of tax relief with regard to this deduction? Why would they vote against that? I have no idea why they would not let the Members on the floor of the House decide whether this bill should go for 2 years. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we just have to keep saying it over and over again: How dare the majority scold us for not fixing a problem that they created. How dare they scold us, and how dare they actually even think about it when they don't want to fix the problem. The majority's fix needs fixing. Let's move on. I was flabbergasted when I heard my colleagues say that the Trump tax cuts, which benefited the wealthy, the superwealthy, the millionaires, and the billionaires, were the greatest stimulus ever. They were actually not. Mr. Speaker, I call Members' attention to a report titled: ``The Biden Tax Proposals Would Correct Inequities Created By Trump Tax Cuts and Raise Additional Revenues.'' Mr. Speaker, what this report shows is that it wasn't the greatest stimulus, indeed, that with the Trump tax cuts, revenue plummeted from the expected. Those Trump tax cuts are the reason we have the deficits, which is what they always usually complain about. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that today's legislative calendar highlights the very distinct differences in priorities and values between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats are committed to putting people over politics. We are dedicated to lowering costs for everyday Americans, to raising the middle class, to growing that middle class, and to investing in our communities. On the other hand, the Republicans don't have much of an agenda other than chaos and trying to win the next election. The SALT Marriage Penalty Elimination Act is a Band-Aid on a wound Republicans inflicted on the American people when they passed the Trump tax cuts. It is not the kind of emergency that should be taking up our time when we don't have a budget, when we can't pay our bills in a couple of weeks, and when we have Putin possibly winning the war in Ukraine. Be that as it may, here we are taking that up and taking up a nonbinding resolution about the President's energy policies that ignore how much we have invested in clean energy, how many jobs we have created in the energy sector, and how we are lowering prices. That is putting people and our planet first. Their nonbinding resolution does nothing. Republicans keep taking up our time doing nothing on this House floor. We should be on the House floor this week talking about funding the government. The American people deserve more than the political stunts and the partisan gridlock that comes out of this wonderful, beautiful people's House. It was in this people's House last Congress that we got so much done. We invested in our infrastructure, we invested in our communities, and we saved America from the economic catastrophe that we were facing coming out of a pandemic. We did so much then, and we have done so little now. What a contrast. Be that as it may, in the face of chaos and dysfunction, I and everybody in my Democratic Caucus remain steadfast in our commitment to progress and prosperity for all Americans. The bills that we will be taking up if this rule passes--if this rule passes, they keep defeating their rules--they won't be doing that. This is a teeny, tiny, little Band-Aid on a big, open wound. This rule is all about politics and not about people. Let's reject the rule and put people over politics. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question and the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, reasonable Republicans and even The Wall Street Journal editorial board have written that this impeachment does not qualify as high crimes and misdemeanors. The board wrote: ``Grandstanding is easier than governing, and Republicans have to decide whether to accomplish anything other than impeaching Democrats. . . . [I]mpeaching him accomplishes nothing beyond political symbolism.'' That is right. It is political symbolism. It is political theater. Our immigration system is broken. We have been saying it, and we have been offering up a bipartisan solution that Republicans have refused to take up. They just blew up a bipartisan deal in the Senate. They refuse to provide Secretary Mayorkas the resources and legal changes he needs to reform the immigration system so our border is secure, our policies are humane, and our country is richer, thanks to the immeasurable contributions of our immigrant workforce. Instead, we have a clown show directed by Marjorie Taylor Greene. If we vote for this sham impeachment in the House, she will have the power to march over to the Senate and stop all their work. She will stop work on a budget that we need to keep our government open. She will stop work on the farm bill, which my rural communities need. She will stop work on policies to lower costs and expand the middle class. Extreme Republicans have answered The Wall Street Journal's question: Do they want to govern? They don't want to govern. They want chaos, chaos at the border, chaos in Congress. They put chaos over people. They always put politics over people. We cannot trust them to reform our immigration system in a bipartisan manner. They continue to use immigration as a political bulldozer to destroy and divide. Their abuse of this solemn impeachment process shows us we cannot trust them with our Constitution. We cannot trust them.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday marked the National Day of Remembrance for Downwinders. The movie ``Oppenheimer'' reminded the Nation that New Mexico is where the government first detonated an atomic bomb. The story that remains untold and the justice that remains unsolved is the explosion's impact on nearby communities. That bomb's radioactive ash showered nearby communities, communities who the government failed to warn or evacuate before the Trinity test. Little girls danced around catching the ash on their tongues, thinking it was summer snow. Those little girls, like thousands of New Mexicans, developed cancer and deadly diseases because of the Trinity test. Outrageously, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act compensated others but not New Mexican downwinders. All downwinders deserve justice. As we remember the downwinders and miners who have already passed and those who still suffer, we must pass the RECA Amendments Act to include them, too.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Eastern New Mexico University's marching band, Greyhound Sound, for their remarkable victory in the inaugural Metallica Marching Band competition. Greyhound Sound's outstanding performance secured the top spot in the college competition for schools in Divisions 2 and 3, earning the school a well-deserved prize of $40,000 in marching band equipment. The Metallica-themed competition, titled ``For Whom the Band Tolls,'' challenged marching bands to create a unique halftime show using Metallica's music. ENMU's entrance was nothing short of electrifying. It delivered a well-executed medley of four of Metallica's most iconic tracks and had spectators at the Portales Campus football field on their feet I take great pride in representing such a beautifully diverse district where we can celebrate various music genres and cultures. The students' creativity is a testament to the supportive environment that ENMU fosters. ENMU's focus on providing affordable education and growth opportunities for students, both music majors and non-majors alike, is remarkable. The dedication and solidarity of Greyhound Sound, under the leadership of directors Dustin Seifert, Sidney Shuler, and Emily Salgado, reflect the character of the great people of eastern New Mexico. Founded in 1927, Eastern New Mexico University has a rich history of producing exceptional individuals, including renowned American author and Academy Award winner, Michael Blake. The victory of this small school in a national competition shows us yet again that small places can achieve big things. As the proud Representative of New Mexico's Third Congressional District, which includes Eastern New Mexico University, I am immensely proud of Greyhound Sound's accomplishments and extend my heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved victory.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor David Norvell for the incredible life and legacy he led serving the people of New Mexico. Mr. Norvell passed away on December 21, 2023 at the age of 88. I want to express my sincerest condolences to his wife, Leader Gail Chasey, and his family. I pray that all who loved him find solace and healing. Mr. Norvell was born in Missouri and raised in Oklahoma. He made New Mexico his home. There, he practiced law in Clovis and then went on to a remarkable career in public service. He touched countless lives in our beautiful state as the youngest Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives and Attorney General. He was a legislative visionary in his fights for a higher minimum wage, a clean environment, and the repeal of the death penalty. As the man who led the charge for the New Mexico Human Rights Act, he created a brighter and more equitable future for all communities in our state. I am confident that Mr. Norvell's legacy will live on through his family and friends and his innumerable accomplishments. His tireless dedication to the people of New Mexico proves how much we can accomplish as advocates for our beloved communities. I'm proud to follow in Mr. Norvell's footsteps and continue working for the people of New Mexico. For that and more, we recognize Mr. Norvell for his invaluable service to the state of New Mexico and to the United States of America.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, today's Republican bills are part of their extreme agenda to create a Federal abortion ban. The first bill, H.R. 6918, would divert Federal funding used to help feed and house poor families and give it to anti-abortion centers. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warned that these centers often mislead women with false medical information and, in the process, endanger public health. It is really endangering women's health because across the country we are hearing stories of women who are dying or nearly dying because of these extreme restrictions on their healthcare. The other bill, H.R. 6914, should be named the student anti-abortion bill and not the Pregnant Students Bill of Rights because the bill restricts pregnant students' rights when Republicans restrict access to information about the full range of healthcare available to pregnant students or the benefits that might help a pregnant woman and her child receive nutrition assistance or Medicaid benefits; benefits, I would point out, that Republicans oppose. They don't want our babies to be healthy. Representative Stevens submitted an amendment to H.R. 6914 that would provide pregnant students information about miscarriages, a devastating loss that affects 1 million women in the U.S. each year. Shockingly, not a single Republican voted for this amendment to give students health information about miscarriages. In fact, Republicans opposed every Democratic amendment intended to make this bill more scientific and objective. Last night, the chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee claimed this bill says absolutely nothing about abortion and was just a students' rights bill. A strange statement, since abortion is mentioned nine times in the bill. ``Mujeres,'' ``Women,'' don't let anyone fool you. Extreme Republicans want to keep us in the dark. We need to keep Congress out of decisions that women deserve to make for themselves in doctors' offices on campuses and everywhere else women have healthcare needs. Finally, the last bill on today's rule is a useless resolution that does absolutely nothing to help the problems at the border. Resolutions like H.R. 957 that distort a real problem we are facing at the border and statements like we hear from President Trump that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our Nation are dangerous. They demonize all immigrants and lead to a rise in white supremacy and hate crimes, and they do nothing to solve our problems at the border. Let me be clear. I want a secure and humane border. Democrats have put forth specific policies that address the root causes of migration, because the best way to stop the surge of migrants is to help them stay in their own countries. We have proposed funding and policy fixes for our broken immigration system, solutions that Republicans keep rejecting. Instead, they provide a resolution that offers no solutions. We need vision, and Republicans are only giving us division. Vision, not division, is what Democrats are about. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and on the bills.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Undersheriff Larry Koren for his service and sacrifice to the people of San Miguel and Mora Counties during the East Mesa Fire on July 16, 2022. Bernalillo County Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lieutenant Fred Beers. and Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison were killed when the agency's helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue Specialist Lieutenant Matthew King of the Bernalillo County Fire Department was also killed in the crash. Bernalillo County Undersheriff Koren was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he lived his life, attended school, and met the love of his life Maria who he married in 1999. Larry will be remembered as someone who loved to learn but also someone who loved to share his knowledge. He was a distinguished leader as a law enforcement officer with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office as well as a qualified aircraft mechanic and helicopter rescue pilot. His love of aviation started in childhood and he pursued his passion and became a renowned pilot and pioneer for the air support unit for Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office. His contributions to aviation have provided an invaluable resource to the State of New Mexico, saving countless lives, fighting fires, and conducting thousands of law enforcement air support missions. Larry was also qualified to teach as a licensed elementary school teacher and college instructor. So deep was the breadth of his giving he learned to save people and to teach them. Larry was a devoted husband and father. The family enjoyed flights in their personal Cessna, camping, hiking, kayaking, and spending time together. Maria was thrilled to walk alongside Larry on their daily walks. Love surrounded them, joy embraced them, and these peaceful memories will rest within her and their sons. Larry is survived by his wife Maria Koren and their sons Justice and Carson Koren. I didn't know Larry personally. But his life has had a profound impact on mine and the communities I serve. I represent the Third Congressional District, which includes San Miguel and Mora Counties. I grew up on the east side of the Sangre De Cristos. Las Vegas and the surrounding area are where I spent my youth. Over the last year, I have seen my communities devastated by fire and the landscapes washed away by flood. These once beautiful lands are where we lost Larry and his colleagues. Each of these men selflessly answered the call to protect the land, the people, and the homes so far from their own. I am devastated by the loss of these men but inspired by their service and their sacrifice. In this sea of grief where we now find ourselves, let's remember they will not be forgotten up north where they breathed their last breath. The places they protected will hold their love and whisper it in our ears as breezes flow through the plains and mountain valleys. May Larry's memory be a blessing. May his service be an inspiration of love in action for us all to remember. Sacrifice and heroism are cornerstones of America's history, and Undersheriff Koren's will never be forgotten.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison for his service and sacrifice to the people of San Miguel and Mora Counties during the East Mesa Fire on July 16, 2022. Bernalillo County Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison, Undersheriff Larry Koren, and Lieutenant Fred Beers were killed when the agency's helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue Specialist Matthew King of the Bernalillo County Fire Department was also killed in the crash. Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison earned his bachelor's degree in Criminology from the University of New Mexico while a member of the New Mexico Air National Guard. He continuously served for over ten years with the New Mexico National Guard, in the 210th Red Horse squadron, as a combat engineer. He joined the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office as a deputy in 2017. In addition to his daily duties, he served on many other assignments: the Emergency Response Team, Gang Recognition & Intelligence Patrol, Field Investigator, Crisis Negotiation Team, Field Training Officer, and the Metropolitan Air Support Unit. Michael lived his life serving his community, country, and family. I didn't know Michael personally. But his life had a profound impact on me and the communities I serve. I represent the Third Congressional District of New Mexico, which includes San Miguel and Mora Counties. I grew up on the east side of the Sangre De Cristos. Las Vegas and the surrounding area are where I spent my youth. Over the last year, I have seen these communities devastated by fire and the landscapes washed away by flood. These once beautiful lands are where we lost Michael and his colleagues. Each of these men selflessly answered the call to protect the land, the people, and the homes so far from their own. I am devastated by their loss but inspired by their service and their sacrifice. In this sea of grief where we now find ourselves, let's remember they will not be forgotten up north where they breathed their last breath. The places they protected will hold their love and whisper it in our ears as breezes flow through the plains and mountain valleys. May Michael's memory be a blessing. May his service be an inspiration of love in action for us all to remember. Sacrifice and heroism are cornerstones of America's history, and Deputy Sheriff Levison's will never be forgotten.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rescue Specialist Lieutenant Matthew King of the Bernalillo County Fire Department for his service and sacrifice to the people of San Miguel and Mora Counties during the East Mesa Fire on July 16, 2022. Rescue Specialist Lt. Matthew King, Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison, Undersheriff Larry Koren, and Lieutenant Fred Beers of the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office were killed when their helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. I didn't know Matt personally. But his life has had a profound impact on mine and the communities I serve. I represent the Third Congressional District, which includes San Miguel and Mora Counties. I grew up on the east side of the Sangre De Cristos. Las Vegas and the surrounding area are where I spent my youth. Over the last year, I have seen my communities devastated by fire and the landscapes washed away by flood. These once beautiful lands are where we lost Matt and his colleagues. Each of these men selflessly answered the call to protect the land, the people, and the homes so far from their own. I am devastated by the loss of these men but inspired by their service and their sacrifice. In this sea of grief where we now find ourselves, let's remember they will not be forgotten up north where they breathed their last breath. The places they protected will hold their love and whisper it in our ears as breezes flow through the plains and mountain valleys. May Matt's memory be a blessing. May his service be an inspiration of love in action for us all to remember. Sacrifice and heroism are cornerstones of America's history, and Rescue Specialist Lt. Matthew King's will never be forgotten.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Fred Beers for his service to the people of San Miguel and Mora Counties during the East Mesa Fire. Bernalillo County Sheriffs Department Lieutenant Fred Beers, Undersheriff Larry Koren, and Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison were killed when the agency's helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue Specialist Matthew King of the Bernalillo County Fire Department was also killed in the crash. Lt. Beers joined the Bernalillo County Sheriffs office in 2009. During his time there, he served in many roles, including in the metropolitan air support unit, field services, CSI, SVU, violent crimes, the honor guard, and several other units within the Sheriffs Office. Lt. Beers passionately believed in the importance of the honor guard. Fred visited all over the state to ensure that every fallen officer was recognized and given proper honors. Often, on his own time, he would travel all over the country to honor fallen officers in other states. Every June, for over the last 10 years, Lt. Beers and other law enforcement officers hiked to the summit of the tallest peak in New Mexico in honor of fallen first responders. Fred was an avid marathoner and even ran the Boston Marathon. He would run over 100 miles a week to keep both physically fit and mentally clear. Lt. Beers was passionate about living a life of service. He served in the United States Air Force as well as in his community as a track and cross-country coach, a Boy Scout leader, a civil air patrol officer, and a volunteer for the Special Olympics. Fred believed in the importance of family. He had many roles in life, but the ones most important to him were husband, father, son, and big brother. I didn't know Fred personally. But his life has had a profound impact on mine and the communities I serve. I represent the Third Congressional District, which includes San Miguel and Mora Counties. I grew up on the east side of the Sangre De Cristos. Las Vegas and the surrounding area are where I spent my youth. Over the last year, I have seen my communities devastated by fire and the landscapes washed away by flood. These once beautiful lands are where we lost Fred and his colleagues. Each of these men selflessly answered the call to protect the land, the people, and the homes so far from their own. I am devastated by the loss of these men but inspired by their service and their sacrifice. In this sea of grief where we now find ourselves, let's remember they will not be forgotten up north where they breathed their last breath. The places they protected will hold their love and whisper it in our ears as breezes flow through the plains and mountain valleys. May Fred's memory be a blessing. May his service be an inspiration of love in action. Sacrifice and heroism are cornerstones of America's history, and Lt. Beers' will never be forgotten.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are just at it again, aren't they? They keep bringing up bills that protect big corporations and banks instead of helping Americans and protecting working families. We saw it when Republicans tried to cut funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. These are agencies that the American people trust and they want because these are agencies that stand with consumers. Our consumers need and want someone in their corner. Republicans, however, keep trying to restrain the Federal agencies who are charged with defending and protecting our consumers, including today, the Department of Justice. H.R. 788 is another attempt to protect those same big banks and big corporations, the ones that pollute our communities and put their own profits over people's ability to stay in their homes. For example, Bank of America made a lot of money by selling subprime mortgages before the 2008 financial crisis. Bank of America hurt regular peoples' ability to buy and stay in a home of their own. So the Department of Justice went after Bank of America, and they entered into a settlement agreement to hold that bank accountable. That settlement required the bank to pay damages to the Americans who were directly harmed by its actions. We know that what the Bank of America and all those greedy corporations did was to more than just hurt the consumers of that bank, it hurt the housing market itself. It made it harder for families to buy homes. Their actions led to the Great Recession. So the settlement that the Department of Justice did made sure that Bank of America had to pay nonprofits to address the larger systemic harm the bank caused. Those settlement funds helped provide resources for housing, counseling, homeownership, and more. In Iowa, nonprofits provided down payment assistance and demolished decaying homes. In Indiana, the bar foundation provided legal aid in foreclosure cases. These are good things. Why would we want to stop them? Apparently, however, Republicans didn't like the fact that the Department of Justice was standing up to bad actors because H.R. 788 would block that help. H.R. 788 would handcuff the Department of Justice so it could not demand a bad actor pay for the harm it caused to our society. I must remind everybody that, just as we heard from our ranking member, we are dedicating a whole week to this bill and some others that would overturn actions that our Americans need to protect them to move us forward in protecting our climate. We are doing all of this instead of what? We are not funding the government, are we? Do any of these bills deal with any of the issues that Americans want us to do? These bills show us that Republicans cannot govern. Instead, they are continuing to put profits over people, and we must reject this rule.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Sheriff Mike Reeves, a stalwart guardian of Curry County in Eastern New Mexico. On December 4, 2023, Sheriff Reeves tragically passed away due to natural causes while participating in training at the New Mexico Police Academy. For over four decades, Sheriff Reeves dedicated himself to serving the residents of New Mexico and Curry County in various law enforcement roles. Those residents elected him as Sheriff and he assumed the office on January 1, 2023. Previously, beginning in 2015, he served as Undersheriff for the Curry County Sheriff's Office. He brought with him a wealth of experience garnered from his tenure with the Aztec Police Department, University of New Mexico Police Department, Clovis Police Department, and New Mexico Department of Public Safety. Notably, Sheriff Reeves specialized in narcotics investigation. He commanded the Region V Drug Task Force in eastern New Mexico for several years. His contributions were instrumental in significant operations that curbed the distribution of controlled substances. They enhanced community safety as they led to the apprehension of numerous dealers and removal of substantial quantities of illicit drugs from our streets. Sheriff Reeves exemplified bravery and heroism. In 2008, he cleared the airway of a choking infant and saved her life. Additionally, his valorous acts following the mass shooting at the Clovis-Carver library in August 2017 earned him a citation for his courageous service. Sheriff Reeves was not only respected but deeply beloved by his community, colleagues, and family. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his mother and stepfather Glenda and James Hileman, sons Collin and Hayden Reeves, daughter Avery Reeves, and his sister and brother-in-law Jamie and Greg Morton. Law enforcement personnel in Curry County and across our beautiful state put their lives on the line daily for the safety and well-being of our communities. Sheriff Reeves dedicated his life to this mission. He left an indelible impact on his family, fellow officers, and the citizens of Curry County. In recognition of his unwavering commitment and service, we honor Sheriff Mike Reeves and his legacy. May his dedication and courage continue to inspire us all.