Alan Lowenthal

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the life and memory of my constituent Onassis Tamayo Yumul, known by most as simply Oni, and to celebrate his life. Oni was born on a cold Saturday night, on May 10, 1975, in Quezon City, Philippines. The youngest of five children, he was the apple of his parent's eyes, and he was doted on by everyone, especially his paternal grandmother. He was a quiet boy who loved to play with his Legos and as early as 4 years old he began to express creative artistic skills. Growing up, Oni made a lot of friends, both his age and older, due to his easy-going attitude in life. He liked to enjoy life as much as he could with what he was given. He received a Catholic school education and was active in a religious organization called ``Days With The Lord.'' Oni began his work career with his family's business, expressing his creative skills designing furniture. His impressive aptitude of the arts earned several awards in school leading to his graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Advertising. Oni landed his first professional job as a compositor and graphic designer for the largest media company in the Philippines, ABS-CBN. Due to the recognition of his work at the station, he soon earned a Creative Director role for a travelogue where he was able to use all of his talents in arts, video editing and post-production. In 2013. Oni joined his three sisters and moved to the United States. He was married shortly thereafter to Jeff LeTourneau, a long-time LGBTQ and Democratic Party activist. For approximately the next 8 years, Oni was active as a member of Men Alive, the Orange County Gay Men's Chorus, while working with his husband for LGBTQ rights at the state and local levels. Professionally, Oni continued his professional career as the Marketing Director of the Bicycle Hotel and Casino in Bell Gardens where he was loved and respected by his many co-workers. Sadly, Oni passed away on December 1, 2022 after a long battle with colon cancer. He was loved and respected by his husband, family members, friends and co-workers. The world is certainly a lesser place without him and he will be missed by all who had the honor of knowing him.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, just over 30 years ago, I made the decision to run for the Long Beach City Council because I felt that my councilmember really didn't listen to the constituents and to my neighbors and myself. This journey of public service has taken me from the Long Beach City Hall to the California State Capitol and now to our Nation's Capitol for the last 10 years. When I began this journey, I did so with a commitment to listen to my community and to use all of my abilities to help make my constituents' lives better. Over the years, with the help of my family, my colleagues, especially with the help of my staff, and, yes, my constituents themselves, I hope and believe that I have met that commitment. For this help, I will always be grateful. Their help has led me to be a champion for the environment, to promote conservation of our wildlife and natural spaces, to clean up our ports and maritime industry, to address the growing plastic pollution and climate crisis, and to promote clean energy. For my constituents, I have remained a dedicated advocate for human rights, introducing the International Human Rights Defense Act, securing the release of numerous prisoners of conscience and also Americans who have been detained unjustly abroad, and serving as a critical voice for the Vietnamese and Cambodian communities across our Nation, all while working to hold corrupt and autocratic elites abroad accountable for their actions. My constituents have demanded a better future, and in their name, I have championed a strong and sustainable freight infrastructure network with the National Multimodal Freight Network Improvement Act and key provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure act, all critical issues, as we have seen in the wake of the supply chain crisis. As a Jewish Member of Congress, I was proud to be a leading voice on the passage of H. Res. 326, a reaffirmation of our commitment as a Nation to a two-state solution and peace in the Middle East. Throughout this journey, my constituents have remained the stars which have guided me. I have been deeply touched by their support over so many years, just as I am deeply honored by the trust and faith they have placed in me time and time again to represent them. But as I said while announcing my retirement a year ago, just as every journey has a beginning, so does it have an end, and it is now time to pass the baton. During this journey, I have been blessed with having the pleasure of raising two fine sons, who have blessed me with four grandchildren, whom I adore. I now look forward to spending time with them and watching them grow and flourish into wonderful people like their parents. It is also a chance for me and my wife, Debbie, who has been my rock and partner throughout this journey, to even more deeply enjoy our lives together. However, as Robert Frost wrote, there are miles to go before I sleep. I believe deeply in the innate goodness of our Nation and our people. I have seen us live up to that potential so many times and, in doing so, move our Nation and the world forward, but progress must be earned. It remains up to each of us to continue that struggle. While I am stepping away from the front lines of that struggle, I will continue to be at your side, fighting for what is right, for what is just, and for what makes us better as both a people and a Nation. It has been a distinct honor and a true privilege to serve the people of California's 47th District during my time in Congress.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5093) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer certain National Forest System land in the State of Washington to Skamania County, Washington, as amended.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5093, the Wind River Administrative Site Conveyance Act. This bill would authorize the U.S. Forest Service to convey a 23.4-acre portion of the Wind River Nursery to Skamania County, Washington. Congress authorized a land exchange that included a large portion of the Wind River Nursery in 2001. The conveyance authorized by this legislation will complete the transfer and place the entire Wind River property under the stewardship of the county. This legislation will allow the Skamania County Board of Commissioners to continue rehabilitation of the buildings and the grounds in the Wind River Historic District. The bill also includes important and routine safeguards so the property will continue to be managed in a manner that ensures the preservation of its historic characteristics. I thank the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Herrera Beutler) for introducing this important legislation and championing this bill on behalf of her constituents. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7283) to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to make certain activities eligible for grants from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7283, the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act, or the STREAM Act, introduced by our colleague, Representative Cartwright of Pennsylvania. The STREAM Act makes a technical correction to existing Federal law so that States and Tribes can use a portion of the $11.3 billion that Congress has already appropriated for abandoned coal mine cleanup to restore streams that are polluted by acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage is heavily polluted water that flows out of abandoned coal mines into streams, making them toxic to all wildlife and often turning them a bright and unnatural orange. Acid mine drainage renders streams biologically dead. They become unusable, undrinkable, unfishable, and unswimmable. It also severely limits a region's potential economic growth. Thankfully, we know how to clean up this type of mining pollution, and we know that doing so will bring enormous benefits to impacted communities. Investments made by existing Federal law for cleaning up abandoned coal mines are expected to create over 4,000 jobs a year over the next 15 years. That is 60,000 new, good-paying jobs in communities left behind by the coal industry. Cleaning up acid mine drainage also restores natural areas and brings back wildlife. Under the existing Abandoned Mine Land Program run by the Department of the Interior, eligible States and Tribes can set aside 30 percent of their annual funding allocations to cover the long- term costs of operating acid mine drainage treatment facilities. Unfortunately, newer Federal law passed in this Congress does not currently give States and Tribes the same authority for the $11.3 billion in supplemental funds. The STREAM Act corrects this situation, giving States and Tribes the same flexibility to treat this devastating issue with legislation that has been passed in this Congress that they have had under the standard program for years. I want to emphasize that this legislation does not--I repeat, does not--affect funding levels for any State. It simply changes the way that States may choose to use funds, depending on their individual needs when it comes to acid mine drainage. The STREAM Act has strong bipartisan support. This legislation passed out of committee with strong bipartisan support and is endorsed by Governors, environmental groups, and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission. I include in the Record some testimony in support of the STREAM Act from the Interstate Mining Compact Commission and letters of support from Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio, Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Trout Unlimited. Office of the Governor, Columbus, OH, April 25, 2022. Hon. Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, Natural Resources Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Ranking Member, House Natural Resources Committee, House of Representatives, Washington DC. Dear Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Westerman: I am writing to ask for your support of H.R. 7283, the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act (STREAMS), and its companion bill, S. 3957. These bills clarify that states with acid mine drainage (AMD) set-aside programs can deposit a portion of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Abandoned Mine Land (AML) grant funds into AMD set-aside accounts. The authority to do so will improve our nation's water quality. Ohio has a rich history of mining that began more than 200 years ago when the state was still a territory. It is, in part, thanks to Ohio's miners and coal resources that the industrial revolution grew. During the 19th and 20th Centuries, more than 3.6 billion tons of coal were extracted from Ohio, and, while mining has been an integral part of Ohio's past economic prosperity, the after-effects of coal production still endure. Although laws and regulations on proper mining practices and reclamation exist today, that wasn't the case for the first 100 years of coal mining. Prior to the enactment of our nation's first mining laws in 1977, mines were often left abandoned and unreclaimed as mining companies moved on to the next site. Thousands of abandoned underground mines exist in Ohio and pose significant geologic hazards, as the acids that discharge from mined rock leech into our streams and other waterways. Thankfully, funding mechanisms have been put in place to confront this challenge. The IIJA includes $11.3 billion in new funding for AML reclamation. These funds will significantly increase states' ability to address legacy safety and environmental hazards of coal mining. An important aspect of restoring abandoned mine lands is remediating acid mine drainage (AMD), which is caused by surface water flowing over or through mined rock, making the water highly acidic. AMD is addressed by building water treatment systems to neutralize acidic water and remove dissolved metals that harm water quality in streams and rivers. However, addressing AMD is different than the safety hazards caused by AML, because a safety hazard can be effectively eliminated through a one-time construction project, but AMD requires a treatment system to be operated, maintained, and rehabilitated in perpetuity for it to remain effective. Accordingly, each AMD treatment system that a state builds represents a long-term liability that must be funded. Ohio currently operates and maintains 33 treatment systems with plans to establish more, and unfortunately, the IIJA does not provide the ability to set aside a portion of the funds made available for ongoing AMD remediation. Without this authority, it will be extremely difficult to responsibly build the treatment systems necessary to make significant improvements in water quality that has been harmed by abandoned coal mines. H.R. 7283 and S. 3957 would clarify that states with approved AMD set-aside programs can deposit up to 30% of annual IIJA grant funds into the AMD set-aside account. This legislation is imperative to Ohio, along with 10 other states in the Appalachian and the Midwest regions who are committed to addressing the legacy safety and environmental hazards of coal mining. As the 2021 Chair of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission and former co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, I can attest to the importance of this legislation in addressing water quality issues resulting from abandoned mines in Ohio. The legislation provides the flexibility and long-term financial stability necessary to plan, design, build, operate and maintain critical acid mine drainage treatment systems. Again, I ask for your support of this important legislation. Thank you for your attention to this issue. Very respectfully yours, Mike DeWine, Governor.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Cartwright, for introducing this important bipartisan legislation and working to build such an impressive coalition of support. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7283, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests at this time. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Cao Minh Hung (aka, Anthony Hung Cao), who co-founded the Cau Lac Bo Tinh Nghe Si (Vietnamese Artists Friendship Club) in 2010, a non-profit organization with members from across the United States and is well-known among Vietnamese community overseas for its activities and contributions in cultural and social events. The purpose of the organization is to preserve Vietnamese culture, as well as encouraging and promoting new talents in music, art, and literature. The organization includes a choir of more than 50 members and participates in many community events throughout the years. Dr. Cao Minh Hung practices dentistry in Costa Mesa and Long Beach, California. Besides working as a dentist, he spends most of his time serving the community through his organization. He currently serves as a volunteer producer and host for television talk shows, music programs, and children educational shows such as Hat Mam Viet Nam (Seeds of Vietnam) on Little Saigon TV and IBC TV. In the past 10 years, he has hosted more than 400 television talk shows to promote music. culture, and bring important news to the community. Most importantly, Dr. Anthony Cao Minh Hung founded the Youth Talent Development Program, which has trained and educated nearly 100 young students in the past 6 years. The program includes many aspects from teaching Vietnamese language through music and dance, as well as educating students Vietnamese culture and history through the Trivia Contest Show (aka Do Vui De Hoc), which broadcasts weekly on Little Saigon TV. The Youth Talent Development Program serves youth from 5 to 18 years old with vocal and dance classes every Saturday. This free program educates students about their cultural heritage through Vietnamese songs and dances, as well as guides them to become future leader for the community. In addition, performances on stage help students build confidence in their personal life. During the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Cao Minh Hung remained active and managed his time to produce many virtual shows via Zoom. He also advocated for the community's well-being and actively involved in the American Dental Society and the California Dental Society. Besides composing nearly 60 songs related to Vietnamese culture and history, Dr. Anthony Cao Minh Hung has also authored the book ``My Life and Many Other Short Stories'', which tells his story of hardship and his path to success since arrival in America at the age of 19. The book has inspired many youths. With his passionate, tremendous dedication, hardworking, and extraordinary leadership, Dr. Anthony Cao Minh Hung has made great impacts in the Vietnamese American community. He is known among his peers and members as a great leader in many aspects, particularly on preserving the Vietnamese American heritage and building leadership in the younger generation.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to reflect on and honor the life of Mel Mermelstein, a survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, later a U.S. immigrant who served our country in the Korean War, a pioneering voice in the legal fight against Holocaust denialism, and a proud champion and teacher of Holocaust education and remembrance. Mermelstein died January 28, 2022, at his home in Long Beach, California. He was 95. Mermelstein was born in Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia on September 25, 1926. His hometown was later occupied by the Hungarians and is currently part of the Ukraine. Mermelstein was 17 years old in 1944 when the Nazis rounded him up along with other Jews who had been stripped of their homes, denied education and were relegated to ghettos. They were transported by cattle car to the infamous Nazi camp, Auschwitz, in German-occupied Poland. Mermelstein later recounted in numerous interviews, that upon arrival, his mother who was helping a woman with three or four small children, was immediately ushered to the gas chamber line. His two sisters who had been selected for slave labor, ran to be at their mother's side. They all perished that day in the Nazi death factory. Thereafter, his father and brother were also senselessly murdered by the Nazis, leaving Mel the sole survivor of his immediate family. During his internment at Auschwitz, Mermelstein was forced by the Nazis to work as slave labor. In January 1945, as Soviet Troops advanced, the Nazis began mass executions and evacuations of prisoners from Auschwitz. Mermelstein was forced to march on foot for three weeks in the bitter snow in what has come to be known as the death marches. After surviving the 155-mile forced march to Gross-Rosen concentration camp, he was packed onto a train and sent to Buchenwald, another Nazi concentration camp. On April 11, 1945, U.S. forces liberated Mermelstein and the other surviving Jews from Buchenwald. Upon liberation, Mermelstein was 18 years old and weighed 68 pounds. He remained in the camp while the Red Cross offered medical care and aid. After approximately three months, he returned to Mukachevo. With his entire family murdered and his family home occupied, Mermelstein made a decision to begin a new life in the country that had liberated him from hell. Mermelstein knew he had an uncle and aunt in New York. Although he did not speak English at the time, Mermelstein immigrated to the U.S. through Ellis Island in 1946, where he eventually became a naturalized citizen. In 1950, Mermelstein was drafted into the U.S. Army. Although he was given the ability to forgo service, he proudly served in the American armed forces. After his initial training, and because of his extensive linguistic abilities including seven languages, he was selected to work Army intelligence during the Korean War. He later worked as a translator at the United Nations. After his service to this country, Mermelstein began to pen his experiences in the Nazi camps in his memoir, ``By Bread Alone.'' In 1960, Mermelstein met his wife, Emma Jane Nance, then a schoolteacher in New York. The couple moved to Los Angeles in 1961 to start their family. Mermelstein set-up and ran a successful manufacturing company that made wooden pallets. He went on to employ generations of workers, including his yard manager that Mermelstein employed for 55 years. While running a successful business, Mermelstein, deeply scarred and traumatized by his experiences in the Nazi death camps, began traveling back to Auschwitz and other surrounding concentration camps. In 1967, with the advent of the Six-Day War, the conflict between Israel and seven Arab states, Mermelstein was compelled to make sure evidence of what happened to his family and to the millions of other Jews at the hands of the Nazis was not buried or destroyed. Hearing the rising number of threats being made against Jews and committed to the promise he made to his father, Mermelstein life's work became to ensure that the world would never forget. He spoke to classrooms and school assemblies educating students and teachers of the atrocities he experienced as a teen, warning against man's inhumanity to man. He accompanied students to Auschwitz and spread a message of hope, peace, resilience and reconciliation. His focus was on intellectual curiosity and what can be learned from such a dark period in history. He lives on as an inspiration to many. In the late 70's Mermelstein actively debated Holocaust deniers on the radio and television. In 1980, a Holocaust denier organization claimed the planned extermination of Jews by the Nazis was a myth and offered a reward publicizing it in Jewish newspapers. Mermelstein was incensed and wrote a letter to the editors of various newspapers who published the advertisement expressing his disgust. The Holocaust denier organization turned its focus to Mermelstein and challenged Mermelstein to prove that Jews were gassed in gas chambers at Auschwitz. The Institute for Historical Review, a known hate group ``offered a $50,000 award to prove Jews were gassed at Auschwitz,'' recounted William Cox, a Long Beach attorney. Cox was so moved after reading Mermelstein's memoir, ``By Bread Alone,'' he offered to represent Mermelstein to take on the so-called revisionists pro bono. In 1981, in the Mermelstein v. IHR case, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas T. Johnson took judicial notice of the fact that Jews were gassed in gas chambers at Auschwitz. The ruling was a ``personal vindication'' for Mermelstein, his attorney Cox recounted. In 1985, the IHR and Mermelstein reached a settlement agreement, and Mermelstein received a damage award and a letter of apology from the organization. This became the subject of the movie ``Never Forget,'' starring Leonard Nimoy. Over five decades, Mermelstein returned to Auschwitz and surrounding death camps obtaining artifacts and other items. Mermelstein processed his trauma and pain creating pieces for display in an exhibit which was formerly housed on his business property. Tens of thousands of students toured his exhibit for free over the decades. Currently, Mermelstein's extensive collection of artifacts is being curated for permanent display. Among the physical reminders of the Holocaust he collected are uniforms worn by inmates, pieces of barbed-wire fence and even parts of a Jewish prayer book found buried near an incinerator. In a collaboration between the Auschwitz Study Foundation (a non- profit founded by Mermelstein in 1978) and the Chabad Jewish Center in Newport Beach--the Orange County Holocaust Education Center will house Mermelstein's collection for access by students, teachers and the public. A documentary based on his life, ``Live to Tell'' is slated for release later this year. Mermelstein is survived by his wife, Jane Mermelstein; his children, Bernie, Edie, Ken and David; five grandchildren and one great- grandchild.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the California State University Long Beach (CSULB) Moot Court Program, which for the fifth time and second straight year has produced a national champion. This year, over the January 21-23 weekend, CSULB Seniors Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the American Moot Court Association's (AMCA) Oral Advocacy National Championship. This also makes CSULB one of just four public universities to win a national title for oral advocacy in AMCA's 22-year history. This is CSULB's second national championship in oral advocacy, putting the CSULB team in rarified company with only one other school having won more. CSULB is the only public university to advance to the national finals more than once and the only public university to win the national title for oral advocacy more than once. CSULB has been the national finals three times (third all-time) and to the national semi-finals four times. The competition, which was held on Zoom, featured 100 teams from schools in the United States and Canada. Chaudhary and Romero, the only team in AMCA history to win three regional tournaments, won five of five competitions in 2021-22 and went undefeated on the season. In addition to winning the national title for oral advocacy they finished 4th in the Nation in respondent written advocacy. They graduate as the most winning team in the CSULB Moot Court Program's history. During their run at the national championship, Chaudhary and Romero won eight rounds, including one against 12-time champion Patrick Henry College and three rounds against teams from the runners-up--the University of Chicago. Two other CSULB teams qualified for the national quarterfinals, giving CSULB three of the top eight teams in the Nation. The other quarterfinalists from the team were Aleece Hanson, Celeste Sanchez, Kelton Munch and Georgina Tierney. In addition to the national win by Chaudhary and Romero this year, CSULB won a national oral advocacy title in 2003 and three written advocacy national titles in 2004, 2014, and 2021. The tremendous success of the CSULB Moot Court Program in these competitions speaks volumes about the quality and leadership of the CSULB instructors, led by head coach Lewis Ringel, as well as the dedication and determination of the students in the program. Go Beach.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Doris Topsy-Elvord, an icon in the Long Beach community for more than a half century and the first African-American woman elected to the Long Beach City Council, who passed away on Wednesday, December 15. I was fortunate to not only work with her over her many years of public service, but to also count her as a dear personal friend who provided me with advice and support throughout the decades we knew each other. As Doris told the Long Beach Historical Society in a 2015 retrospective on her life, she was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on June 17, 1931. She and her family moved to Long Beach in 1942, where she attended and graduated from St. Anthony Elementary and High Schools. In 1956, Doris worked as a California Youth Authority counselor, followed by positions in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine. For nineteen years she worked for the Los Angeles County Probation Department as a Deputy Probation Officer II. On June 22, 1988, after 35 years of public service with the California Youth Authority, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's and Probation Departments, she proudly retired. Along the way she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University, Long Beach and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration from Chapman College. In 1988, Doris became a member of the City of Long Beach Civil Service Commission and served one term as president. From November 1987 through November 1989 Doris served as Commissioner of the first Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. In 1992, she became the first African-American female to be elected to the Long Beach City Council. In 1996, she was re-elected and holds the singular distinction of being selected as Vice Mayor of the City of Long Beach twice unanimously. During this time, she successfully organized the Jim Wilson Memorial BBQ Cook-Off Gospel and Blues Festival, the Herb Smith Annual Slowpitch Tournament, and the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Unity Parade and Celebration. Over her lengthy career, Doris received many deserving honors and accolades from numerous organizations and individuals, including being inducted into the St. Anthony High School Hall of Fame in 1991. In 1993, she was named Woman of the Year by the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce and the following year she was honored by the California State Senate as Woman of the Year. In 2003, she was nominated to join the Port of Long Beach Harbor Commission by then- Mayor Beverly O'Neill. Doris became the first African American and only the third woman to serve on the five-member port commission in its nearly 80-year history. During her tenure at the port, which included a year as board president in 2005, she was instrumental in the expansion of the port's Small Business Enterprise Program. Doris also helped to develop the port's Green Port Policy, which helped to reduce the negative environmental impacts of port operations. Doris later called her five years on the commission, ``some of the most challenging and rewarding of my career.'' Doris remained a tremendous force in the community throughout her life. She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Eta Phi Beta Business and Professional Sorority, National Association of Civil Service Commissioners, National Council of Negro Women, and California Probation, Parole and Corrections Association. She also served on the Board of Trustees of St. Mary Medical Center, the Executive Board of the Children's Dental Foundation at Memorial Medical Center, and the Community Advisory Board of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. She co-founded the African American Heritage Society with Indira Hale Tucker and others to raise money for educational materials on African Americans. In 2010, the Micro-Enterprise Charter Academy was renamed the Doris Topsy-Elvord Academy (A Micro-Enterprise School) in her honor. In addition, she was featured in the 1997 book ``No Mountain High Enough: Secrets of Successful African American Women'' by Dorothy Ehrhart Morrison. Doris was one of the Long Beach, California, pioneering dozen, chronicled in a 2015 collection of historical profiles, BREAKING THROUGH Lighting the Way, edited by Sunny Nash with foreword by Carolyn Smith Watts. ``This project introduced our community to local women with a mission similar to that of Rosa Parks,'' said Nash. ``Mother Doris,'' as she was so often referred to by the community, paved the way for Long Beach's diverse city council. She was the city's first black woman councilmember, Vice Mayor, and remains an inspiring parental figure to many. Doris Topsy-Elvord's inspiring life included travels and explorations to every continent except Antarctica. She had a rich family life with husband, Ralph, three sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of the Honorable Margie Rice, long time Mayor and Council Member of the City of Westminster, California, who passed away on Sunday, July 25, 2021, at the age of 92. Mayor Rice served on the Westminster City Council for 22 years, including 12 years as the city's elected mayor. Prior to that, Margie Rice served as a Trustee on the Westminster School District for 17 years. Up until her death, she served on the Board of Directors for the Midway City Sanitation District for 30 years. In 2019, I was honored to join Margie and other board members in celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Midway Sanitation District. Mayor Rice was an active community leader and a public servant. She was passionate, dedicated, focused, hardworking, and above all, outspoken. She was a force to be reckoned with--a force for good for the city and the community she cared deeply about. Margie Rice dedicated her life to advocating for the needs of the community and she achieved many results for the residents and businesses of Westminster. Among her legacy is the building of the Westminster Rose Center Theater, a 16,000-square-foot performing arts center for the whole community to enjoy. It was her brainchild that is now one of the jewels of Westminster. Margie was born in Alabama, but she called Westminster home for more than 60 years. She was married at 16 and had her first child at 17. Together with her husband, they moved to Santa Barbara, California before settling in Westminster, just shortly before the city's incorporation. Margie worked as a grapes picker before finding a good job with a fiberglass manufacturer. She was also a homemaker and an avid volunteer. She volunteered with her children's school PTA, served as the president of the local Little League, and taught at Sunday School. Despite all the things she did and even during her time serving on the City Council, she always made time for her children and her family. Margie Rice lived in her Westminster house for 64 years. She is survived by two of her four children, 19 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren. Mayor Margie Rice was as a pioneer, a public servant, and a community leader who loved and cared for the Westminster community with all her heart. The residents in Westminster along with many people and communities across the 47th Congressional District will remember Margie Rice. She will be dearly missed.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of the Honorable Margie Rice, former mayor, council member, and community leader of Westminster, California, who passed away this past Sunday, July 25, 2021, at the age of 92. Margie had dedicated her entire life to public service, including 22 years on the Westminster City Council, with 12 of those years as the city's elected mayor. She also served as a Westminster School District trustee for 17 years. Up until her passing, Margie served on the Midway City Sanitation District, ending her 30 years of service on that board this past Sunday. Madam Speaker, in 2019, I was honored to join Margie and other board members in celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Midway City Sanitation District. As an active community leader and a public servant, Margie Rice was passionate, dedicated, focused, hardworking, and, above all, outspoken. Margie achieved many results for the residents of Westminster and among her legacy is the building of the Westminster Rose Center Theater, a performing arts center for the whole community to enjoy. Margie was born in Alabama, but she called Westminster her home for more than 60 years. She is survived by two of her four children, 19 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great- grandchildren. I will always remember Margie Rice as a pioneer and a leader who loved and cared for the Westminster community with all her heart. She will be missed.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I missed a vote on Monday, July 26, due to circumstances outside of my control. I would have voted Aye on the Motion to Table the Republican Privileged Resolution, which was considered on the House floor that day.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of Patricia O'Sullivan Sramek, a lifelong resident of Long Beach, California, an outstanding person, and a dear personal friend. Patti passed away suddenly in her home on June 16, 2021. She is survived by her husband Nicholas, her children David and Bridget, her daughter-in-law Mary, her grandchildren Eleanor, Abraham, Ingrid and Levi, and her brother Patrick Burke. She was a sister-in-law to Debbie, Hilda and Kathy. She was a loving aunt to Patrick, April, Tom, Tracy, Alex and Carla. She was predeceased by her parents Patrick O'Sullivan and Marguerite (Margie) O'Sullivan. Patti was born in 1942 in Long Beach, California. She grew up in West Long Beach, where she lived with her family, and attended Poly High School. She met her future husband Nick, whose family lived half a mile away on Delta Avenue. On July 27, 1968 they were married in a small ceremony at St. Lucy's Parish and their reception was held on a rainy afternoon in her parents' backyard--she always noted that the rain was good luck. She and Nick moved to North Carolina where he was enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Bragg. In August 1970 and September 1976, she and Nick welcomed their children into the world at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. Patti held many jobs in her life including making milkshakes at Tom's Burgers on Santa Fe Avenue as a teenager and sewing pockets on pants in a factory in Sanford, North Carolina. She was a champion for the communities of the West Side and served as a Field Deputy for the City of Long Beach's Seventh Council District for many years. She was known for driving the neighborhood daily to spot sidewalks and streets that needed repairs and to visit with neighbors. Along with her brother Burke, Patti helped care for her aging parents Pat and Margie prior to their passing. She later retired and welcomed her four grandchildren in succession--Ella, Abe, Ingrid and Levi. She was a devoted and beloved grandmother who was known simply as ``GG''. Patti was a towering beauty, a one-in-a-million woman, and a force of nature. She was famous for her ability to strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone she crossed paths with. She loved a good martini, big sunglasses, Frank Sinatra, art museums and beautiful gardens. As COVID-related restrictions began to lift, she daydreamed about traveling the English and Irish countryside. She would say that in her life she was most proud of her 52-year marriage, motherhood, and the fierce love she held for her family. She will be greatly missed, but her family takes comfort that she has joined her mother and father whom she adored.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tenure of the City of Stanton Mayor David John Shawver as Chairman of the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) Board of Directors, and his dedication and service to the residents of Orange County in this capacity. Throughout his tenure on the OC San board from December 2018 through June 2021, Chairman Shawver has remained steadfast in his commitment to providing an affordable service to the community, while understanding the importance of keeping with OC San's mission of protecting the public health and the environment. Under his leadership, Chairman Shawver and the Board of Directors understood the financial hardship COVID-19 created for many of our ratepayers. As a result, the Board of Directors forwent the board approved regional sewer service fee increase for the 2020-21 fiscal year, keeping it at $339 for the year, which is less than $1 a day. Chairman Shawver's commitment to affordable water and water use has allowed OC San to move in the direction to recycle 100 percent of its reclaimable flow through the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), a joint project between OC San and the Orange County Water District. Upon completion of this project in 2023, GWRS will produce 130 million gallons of high-quality water every day, which will be enough water for 1 million residents in north and central Orange County. As a former educator myself, I would also like to recognize Chairman Shawver for his more than 40 years of service as an educator in the Long Beach Unified School District, at Long Beach City College, and at Hope International University in Fullerton. On behalf of the residents of the 47th District, I want to thank Chairman Shawver for his years of service and dedication to OC San and to the community he has committed himself to serving.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Judith Mitchell and her career of public service. After 11 years of dedicated public service, Ms. Mitchell will be retiring from public service. Ms. Mitchell served with honor as Rolling Hills Estate Mayor and Council Member for her city, Southland, her state and the nation. Ms. Mitchell showed her fairness, depth of knowledge and dedication to improving the quality of life for all. During her political career, Ms. Mitchell was elected to represent 51 cities in the western portion of Los Angeles County which she represented through the Governing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Ms. Mitchell was then appointed to the California Air Resources Board under Governor Edmund J. Brown, and additionally served as the President of the League of California Cities where she chaired several key environmental committees. Her work on these two agencies, helped to spur technological innovation to create jobs and economic growth in the Southland and across the nation. Ms. Mitchell's legacy for clean air policies and her unwavering support for green technologies has not only helped those most impacted in her community, but these efforts have a direct impact on my Congressional District. These clean air advancements will also assist other States and regions to help meet federal public health standards and build a foundation for the United States technological and industrial leadership. It is with great pride and gratitude that I extend my best wishes to Ms. Judith Mitchell upon her retirement and ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in honoring her.

Mr. LOWENTHAL

Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of impeaching President Donald Trump for the second time. This is not an action I take lightly, but an action I am compelled to take in order to uphold my oath as a Member of Congress. President Trump is a threat to our nation and in full public view violated his duties to the Constitution, to our democracy, and to the American people. For months, the president and his enablers lied about the election, whipping up misplaced anger among his followers. He then encouraged his followers to come to Washington for a ``wild'' rally to support overthrowing the election results. At the rally, the president continued to incite his followers, further encouraging their anger. Then he pointed down Constitution Avenue and told his followers to march to the U.S. Capitol and unleash their anger on Congress. They did, and five people died. Make no mistake, the president set the stage, invited the audience, and lit the match that sparked the deadly insurrection at the Capitol. Just as disturbing was his lack of response while Congress Members were begging for him to help, while Capitol Police were being beaten and killed, and while his followers hunted through the Capitol seeking to do harm to Members of Congress and even his own Vice President. President Trump has abrogated the responsibilities of his office and violated his oath to the Constitution. Every day he remains in office is another chance for him to foment further violence. He must be removed now. The House must do its duty to protect our nation from the president by impeaching him and the Senate must act quickly to convict the president and remove him from office.