Grace Napolitano

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 30, 2023, I was absent for Roll Call No. 176. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on the Levin amendment to H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the principals, teachers, board members, staff, students, and families of Glen A. Wilson High School, Mesa Robles School, Los Molinos Elementary, and Wedgeworth Elementary in the Hacienda-La Puente Unified School District (HLPUSD), which all received the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award this year from the U.S. Department of Education. In particularly want to commend the more than 450 students at these four distinguished schools who live in La Puente, Valinda, and West Puente Valley in California's 31st Congressional District: Wilson (197): Mesa Robles (137); Los Molinos (64); and Wedgeworth (55). I also extend my congratulations to Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jimenez, Board of Education President Christine H. Salazar, and the entire district, whose distinguished schools have made a profound and lasting impact on the lives of the students and families in the community. Each year, the Department of Education recognizes the academic excellence and success in closing achievement and opportunity gaps of a select few elementary, middle, and high schools across the nation through the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The Blue Ribbon designation process is highly selective, with only 33 schools across the State of California and 353 nationally, receiving a 2023 Blue Ribbon designation. On behalf of my constituents in California's 31st Congressional District, I want to proudly congratulate and thank everyone who has helped make these four Hacienda-La Puente schools the exemplary institutions that they are today.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great enthusiasm and immense gratitude, to congratulate University of La Verne President Dr. Devorah Lieberman on her retirement. Serving as president since 2011, Dr. Lieberman has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the mission and vision of the University of La Verne, as well as constant dedication to its remarkable students and faculty. Her passion for the University of La Verne is evident to anyone who has ever met her. President Lieberman's vision has loyally supported the university values and mission of delivering quality academic programs at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels. Some of her tremendous accomplishments include: establishing a College of Health and Community Well-Being; instituting the La Verne Experience; raising $128 million in the largest comprehensive campaign in institutional history; significantly increasing funding for student scholarships; fostering growth of the university as a Hispanic-Serving Institution; expanding the international student population; increasing the number of named colleges, endowed deans, and endowed faculty positions; and, significantly increasing the institutional endowment. Dr. Lieberman is the 18th president of the University of La Verne, a nationally ranked and Carnegie-recognized private institution for civic and community engagement. Located in Southern California in the 31st Congressional District, the University of La Verne was founded in 1891 and educates approximately 8,000 students. President Lieberman is currently Chair-Elect of the New American Colleges & Universities (NAC&U), and serves on the Boards of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU), the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU), Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the L.A. County Fair Board, and the LA Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Lieberman has broadly published books and articles in higher education literature on the topics of intercultural communication, faculty development, diversity, and institutional transformation. Awards she received include the Oregon Council for Hispanic Advancement's ``Si Se Puede Award,'' the Carnegie Foundation ``Oregon Professor of the Year,'' the ACE ``Bringing the World into the Classroom'' National award, the Student Union President of the Year, and the Ellis Island Award. Prior to her presidency at the University of La Verne, Dr. Lieberman was Provost at Wagner College on Staten Island and Vice Provost and Professor of Communication Studies at Portland State University. She graduated with her Ph.D. from the University of Florida; with her MA from San Diego State; with her BA from Humboldt State, and her AA from Mt. San Antonio College. After receiving a request from the University of La Verne led by President Lieberman, I was very proud to secure $2.2 Million in FY2023 Community Project Funding for the University of La Verne's Institute of Mental Health. Both my District and D.C. offices have had an excellent working relationship with President Lieberman and her government relations team, which we look forward to continuing as Dr. Lieberman serves in an advisory role to the university. I extend my sincere congratulations to my dear friend, Dr. Devorah Lieberman, and wish her a happy and fulfilling, well-deserved retirement. I thank her, and God Bless.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I was absent for votes due to testing positve for COVID-19. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 236 and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 237.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I was absent for votes due to testing positive for COVID-19. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 233, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 234 and ``yea`` on rollcall No. 235.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I was absent for votes due to testing positive for COVID-19. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 232, passage of S.J. Res. 11.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1, particularly division C, which was introduced in the House as H.R. 1152, and was marked up by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with strong opposition from my Democratic colleagues. The polluters over the people act let polluters off the hook for harmful actions and damaging impacts to our rivers, lakes, and our streams that our local communities rely on for clean, safe drinking water. Division C is an attack on section 401 of the Clean Water Act, which is a key mechanism for States and Tribes to evaluate projects that cross within their borders and have an impact on their waters and environment for decades. Section 401 has been a successful example of cooperative federalism, while preserving State authority to manage their natural resources. Section 401 has been a well-supported, effective tool since the beginning of the Clean Water Act, but the Trump administration found a way to make it a scapegoat for the failure of senseless and harmfully polluting mega-projects. The provisions in the polluters over people act will tie the hands of States and Tribes seeking to preserve stream flow for their water supplies, to prevent runoff and water pollution, and to minimize impacts to flood-preventing wetlands. It goes against the Clean Water Act's rights of States to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution. First, in California, this bill would have huge impacts. For one, limiting analysis to only discharges would mean the State would be unable to consider the impact of the whole project, such as increasing impervious surfaces, or considering downstream effects. Our State is trying to preserve every drop of water we can get. Yet, this bill would stop my State from protecting its water supply from the adverse impacts of projects pursued by out-of-State interests. Second, this bill places arbitrary, and likely impossible timelines on the States to act on permit requests. Despite how complicated or huge the project might be, this bill will severely limit the time allowed for a State to review its impact. My friends across the aisle may not realize this, but this bill may lead to greater numbers of project rejections as the State is pressured to respond without the time to fully analyze the project. This bill is another attempt to gut--really gut--the Clean Water Act and allow pollution and industry to act without repercussion. We must defend human health, our economy, and the natural environment, and oppose the damaging bill that will harm local communities. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record a letter from the State of California, State of Washington, and the State of New York in strong opposition to H.R. 1152, which is the bill that became division C, H.R. 1. February 28, 2023. Hon. Chairman Graves, Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Graves: As the water quality certifying agencies for California, New York, and Washington, we write to underscore the importance of existing law in protecting state waters from water pollution associated with federally licensed projects. On February 24, 2023, Representatives Rouzer and Graves introduced H.R. 1152--Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023, to amend section 401 of the Clean Water Act that would, among other things, revise section 401 to: (1) reduce the scope of states' and tribes' 401 water quality certification authority to apply only to the discharge to a water of the United States, rather than the whole of the activity; (2) narrow states' and tribes' section 401 water quality certification authority to exclude much of what is required to comply with water quality standards and implementation plans under section 303 of the Clean Water Act; (3) remove the states' and tribes' authority to ensure compliance with ``other appropriate requirement[s] of State law''; (4) replace references to an ``application'' for certification with a ``request'' for certification; and (5) impose a time requirement on states and tribes to identify information needed before taking an action on a certification request, (6) make other changes to the law that introduce substantial uncertainty about the scope of section 401 for project proponents and state and tribes. Each of these changes would undermine states' abilities to protect water quality within their states and erode five decades of successful, cooperative federalism. We ask that Congress preserve the existing state authority in the Clean Water Act to substantively review a project's effects on water quality before a federal permit or license is issued. Background Under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, a federal agency may not issue a permit or license to conduct any activity that may result in any discharge into waters of the United States unless a section 401 water quality certification is issued, or certification is waived. The State Water Resources Control Board (``State Water Board'') and the nine California Regional Water Quality Control Boards (collectively, ``Water Boards''), [NY Signatory], [WA Signatory] are certifying agencies pursuant to section 401 of the Clean Water Act. In all three states, the most common federal licenses subject to section 401 are Clean Water Act section 404 dredge or fill permits issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and licenses for hydropower facilities issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. During the five decades since Congress enacted section 401 in the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970, state water quality agencies diligently processed thousands of section 401 requests each year with little controversy. The vast majority of section 401 certifications were issued promptly and most section 401 certifications were granted, with only a handful of denials issued each year. Beginning around 2016, prompted by a handful of high-profile section 401 denials, some project applicants and industry lobbyists began claiming that states were ``abusing'' their section 401 authority. Such claims of abuse are not, and never have been, true. In the handful of cases when project applicants have alleged improper certification decisions or delay by state agencies, they have been fully capable of protecting their rights under section 401 through the traditional framework of administrative and judicial review. Section 401 is a cornerstone of the cooperative federalism principles enshrined by the Clean Water Act Cooperative federalism is a foundational component of the Clean Water Act. As set forth in Clean Water Act section 101 (b), ``[i]t is the policy of the Congress to recognize, preserve, and protect the primary responsibilities and rights of States to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution'' and ``to plan the development and use . . . of land and water resources.'' Section 510 further specifies that except as expressly provided, nothing in the Clean Water Act shall preclude or deny the right of any State to adopt or enforce any standard or limitation respecting discharges of pollutants or any requirement respecting control or abatement of pollution. The section 401 certification program is an embodiment of these cooperative federalism principles. A state certification is the mechanism of ensuring that a federal license or permit is not used as an excuse to violate state or federal water quality standards. As currently written, the language in section 401 acknowledges that states are in the best position to understand their own laws and that additional conditions may be necessary to ensure compliance with state law and applicable Clean Water Act requirements. As the federal permitting or licensing agency is often not an agency primarily tasked with managing environmental issues, the federal agency may in fact be reliant on the certification authority's expertise regarding water quality. To prevent a section 401 certification from becoming a rubber stamp, any revision to the section 401 language must preserve an expansive view of the cooperative federalism principles originally envisioned by the Clean Water Act and repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court. PUD No. 1 of Jefferson Cnty. v. Washington Dep't of Ecology, 511 U.S. 700 (1994); S.D. Warren Co. v. Maine Bd. of Env't Prot., 547 U.S. 370 (2006). The Clean Water Act should continue to protect the whole range of water quality effects resulting from the proposed activity We strongly support the existing statutory language, which gives states and tribes the authority to regulate the potentially water-polluting activity as a whole, rather than being limited to a strict interpretation of effects from only the discharge, because regulation of the activity as a whole protects waters from the widest range of impacts. States should be able to protect water quality regardless of whether the pollution or other water quality impacts would be specifically attributable to a discharge or from some other aspect of the activity being permitted. States should be able to use the certification process to address impacts to groundwater, impacts to isolated surface waters, or impacts from non-point sources, all of which are likely not directly attributable to the discharge to a water of the United States, because these are water quality impacts that would not occur without issuance of the federal permit or license. The problems with limiting certifications to the discharge rather than the whole of the activity would be particularly impactful on the states' ability to protect water quality during the decades long term of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (``FERC'') licenses in the hydropower licensing context. States and tribes must be able to fully address the water quality impacts of such activities as a whole during the 30- to 50-year term of the FERC license to reduce water quality impacts that, depending on the circumstances, may not be attributable to a point-source discharge, but result from the activity's construction, operations, and facilities. Common water quality impacts associated with hydropower activities include changes in turbidity, sediment, siltation, temperature, habitat loss, alterations to stream geomorphology, dissolved oxygen, algal productivity and algal-produced toxins, erosion, barriers to fish passage, alterations to stream geomorphology, and reductions in stream flow. Each of these impacts can have profound, generational impacts on the state's water resources. To prevent or minimize these potential impacts, states have imposed, or considered the need for certification conditions to protect water quality on project activities that fall outside the typical understanding of point-source discharges, such as requirements for minimum instream flows and ramping rates; temperature management; aquatic invasive species management; plans for gravel replenishment, large woody material placement and other habitat measures; reservoir operation plans; erosion and sediment management plans; and monitoring and management of dissolved oxygen, mercury, pesticides, and other constituents of concerns. Previously issued certifications have typically included management, monitoring, and reporting measures to ensure compliance with water quality measures and to identify potential modifications if circumstances change. Revising the statutory language to contradict longstanding interpretations would introduce confusion and invite arguments about the nexus between the discharge and the impact, when a state or tribe's focus should more appropriately be on all water quality impacts resulting from the project. Introducing the concept of whether the activity will ``directly result'' in a discharge in subsection (a)(1) and (a)(4) would inject additional uncertainty and potentially further limit the certifying authority's ability to protect water quality. Although the states would rely on their state authority to continue to preserve robust protection of water quality whenever possible, state authority would not be an available remedy where state law is preempted by federal law. Because the Federal Power Act preempts the field of hydropower regulation absent an express exception to preemption, and FERC project licenses are valid for a fixed period of up to 50 years, water quality certifications for FERC license applications provide the states with a singular opportunity to ensure compliance with the state's water quality standards and other requirements. If the states' ability to regulate FERC licensed projects to the same extent that it has been able to for decades is significantly weakened, other, non- FERC projects would be subject to more stringent requirements to compensate for the failure of FERC-licensed projects to contribute what would otherwise be their allocated responsibility. The Clean Water Act should continue to authorize certifications to implement water quality standards and implementation plans adopted or approved under section 303 of the Clean Water Act Under section 401 of the Clean Water Act a water quality certification implements the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Clean Water Act and any other appropriate requirement of state law. The most important of the enumerated provisions of the Clean Water Act is section 303, which provides for water quality standards and implementation plans. Section 303 requires development and approval of water quality standards, which consist of designated uses, criteria, and anti-degradation policies; establishment of total maximum daily loads, which allocate responsibility for meeting standards that cannot be met solely through compliance with the technology-based requirements of the Clean Water Act; and implementation of a continuing planning process. In 1994, the Supreme Court upheld state authority to set conditions of certification to protect uses designated as part of the water quality standards under section 303. PUD No. 1, 511 U.S. at 700. The Court rejected an argument that certification is limited to implementing the criteria component of those standards. Consistent with the Supreme Court's ruling, states have made effective use water quality certification authority to protect water quality needed for commercial, tribal, and recreational fisheries and other important uses of state waters. The proposed revision to limit ``applicable provisions'' of section 303 to ``requirement of state law implementing water quality criteria under section 303 necessary to support the designated use or uses of the receiving navigable waters'' could strip the states' authority to use their certification authority to protect the uses of waters of the United States designated as part of water quality standards under section 303. By inexplicably omitting any reference to federal requirements that implement section 303, it would also create substantial uncertainty about states' and tribes' ability to enforce water quality criteria, total maximum daily loads, and antidegradation requirements adopted by U.S. EPA. Congress should not remove the states' authority to require compliance with state water quality requirements We strongly oppose the bill's proposed revisions that would limit the certifying authority to ensuring compliance with only specific sections of the Clean Water Act by deleting the existing reference to ``any other appropriate requirement of State law'' set forth in section 401 subsection (d). Such a revision would disregard a state's right to impose more stringent water quality requirements and be contrary to the protective goals of the Clean Water Act. As is accounted for and endorsed by the Clean Water Act, many states have state-based programs and attendant requirements that arguably or explicitly expand beyond the state's Clean Water Act authorities. The Clean Water Act expressly contemplated a state's authority to establish and enforce more stringent state requirements beyond the Clean Water Act. For example, certifications may include monitoring and reporting requirements that arguably go beyond ensuring compliance with specific sections of the Clean Water Act, and instead help determine whether water quality is being degraded or to shape the development of future actions to protect water quality. We urge Congress to refrain from making an unwarranted intrusion into a state's authority to impose stricter conditions to protect the quality of waters within its borders. Section 401 should preserve the certifying authority's ability to define the contents of a request for certification and create submission procedures The bill proposes revising references to ``application'' to be ``request.'' Although the intention behind that revision is not clear, we support language that recognizes that the certifying authority may define the contents of a request for certification and create submission procedures. The state's ability to define what is required for a request for certification is significant because a receipt of such a request is the trigger for the beginning of the reasonable period of time for a certifying authority to act on the request. The bill proposes an addition requiring certifying authorities to ``publish requirements for certification,'' but it is not clear whether this language is an indirect reference to a certifying authority's ability to define required information for applications and submittal procedures. To the extent that ``requirements'' were intended to require the enactment of new state regulations, 30 days is insufficient time to comply with public notice and comment requirements for State Water Board adoption. Section 401 should not impose an arbitrary time limit on the certifying authority's ability to request information The bill proposes revisions to subsection (a)(1) that specify that by 90 days after request for a certification, the certifying authority must inform the applicant if any additional information is necessary for the certification authority to take an action on the request. As explained above, to the extent that the language requires the certifying authority to identify what, if any, information is necessary to submit a complete application for water quality certification, many state laws, including California's, do this. But the revised language may be construed as preventing the states from requesting that the applicant clarify, amplify, correct, or supplement information required in the application, which is permissible under state law. For these reasons, we write to ask that Congress preserve the existing state authority in Clean Water Act Section 401 to substantively review a project's effects on water quality before a federal permit or license is issued, and protect five decades of successful, cooperative federalism. Sincerely, Eileen Sobeck, Executive Director, California State Water Resources Control Board. Basil Seggos, Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Laura Watson, Director, Washington State Department of Ecology.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. In this letter, the States highlight how this legislation will undermine States' ability to protect water quality within their States, and erode five decades of successful, cooperative federalism. Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose H.R. 1, the polluters over people act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I was absent due to representing the United States government at the United Nations 2023 Water Conference. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following way: ``yea'' on rollcall No. 144, suspending the rules and agreeing to H.R. 1159, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 145, suspending the rules and agreeing to H.R. 1159.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong opposition to this resolution of disapproval. Clean water was not always a partisan issue, and no issue has more support among American families than the protection of our Nation's waters. Now is the worst time to lower our guard on protecting clean water as over half of the United States is experiencing drought conditions. Even though we have had rain, we are still in drought conditions. We need to be doing everything to ensure our cities, our businesses, and our farmers have sufficient, safe, and sustainable supplies of water to meet our economic and agricultural needs, our quality-of-life needs, and our day-to-day survival. This is especially true in my home State of California. As the Metropolitan Water District, the biggest in the area, commented at our subcommittee last month, the definition of WOTUS is central to the Clean Water Act's implementation and has significant implications for water agencies' day-to-day operations and for water source protection efforts. That is why I support the efforts of the Biden administration to permanently repeal the previous administration's dirty water rule, a rule that eliminated Federal protections on a minimum of 75 percent of streams and wetlands that have been protected by the act since its inception. These waters and the wetlands are critical to capturing and storing rain and snowmelt to ensure the long-term supply of water and recharge our underground water aquifers. Mr. Speaker, I cannot understand how this resolution, which seeks to undermine and confuse agency efforts to protect our clean water, makes any sense to my constituents who are already making sacrifices to protect our local waters. This resolution would increase levels of pollution in our waterbodies, increase risk of downstream flooding, and make it harder for communities like mine to maintain sustainable sources of drinking water. Worst of all, hardworking American families would have to pay for the horrible impacts of this resolution. The Biden rule provided the best available option to balance the need for protection of waters with the desire for familiarity and workability within the constraints of the law and interpretations of the Supreme Court. This resolution achieves none of those outcomes and is only more likely to make it worse, not better. Mr. Speaker, I very strongly oppose the resolution. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy from the Executive Office of the President on H.J. Res. 27, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Revised Definition of `Waters of the United States.' '' Statement of Administration Policy H.J. Res. 27--Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Revised Definition of `Waters of the United States' ''--Rep. Graves, R-MO, and 170 cosponsors The Administration strongly opposes passage of H.J. Res. 27, a joint resolution to disapprove ``Revised Definition of `Waters of the United States' '' (``final rule''). The final rule's definition of ``waters of the United States'' carefully sets the bounds for what activities are regulated by the federal government under the Clean Water Act. The final rule provides clear rules of the road that will help advance infrastructure projects, economic investments, and agricultural activities--all while protecting water quality. The rule reestablishes critical protections for the nation's vital water resources by returning to the longstanding 1986 regulations with appropriate updates, exclusions, and streamlining clarifications. This pre-2015 approach to ``waters of the United States'' provides regulatory certainty and reflects the agencies' long experience, the best available science, and extensive stakeholder engagement. In comparison, H.J. Res. 27 would leave Americans without a clear ``waters of the United States'' definition. The increased uncertainty would threaten economic growth, including for agriculture, local economies, and downstream communities. Farmers would be left wondering whether artificially irrigated areas remain exempt or not. Construction crews would be left wondering whether their waterfilled gravel pits remain exempt or not. Compared to the kind of uncertain, fragmented, and watered-down regulatory system that H.J. Res. 27 might compel, the final rule will secure substantial and valuable benefits each year in critical flood protections, enhanced water quality, and the treasured recreational activities--fishing, swimming, boating, and more--that fill the lives and livelihoods of tens of millions of U.S. households that depend on healthy wetlands and streams. If Congress were to pass H.J. Res. 27, the President would veto it.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the City of West Covina on being named one of the safest cities in the United States. The announcement of this recognition comes just as the City of West Covina is celebrating its 100th anniversary. According to a MoneyGeek study published last month, West Covina is ranked the 3rd safest among cities with a population over 100,000. MoneyGeek's annual analysis looked at the most recent FBI crime statistics to estimate the cost of crime in 263 cities across the U.S. The analysis paired reported crime statistics with academic research on the societal costs of different types of crimes to estimate the cost of crime for each city. While the national average cost of crime per capita in U.S. cities is $1,836, in West Covina it is $181, and while the national average for violent crimes is over 560 crimes per 100,000 residents, West Covina has a rate around 49 per 100,000 residents. Incorporated in 1923, West Covina was an agricultural community with orange groves and walnut groves that was turned into a bedroom community. After receiving a request last year from the city, I was very proud to secure $7,000,000 in FY23 Community Project Funding for pedestrian handicap accessibility and signal synchronization improvements along Azusa Avenue, a central corridor with the city limits of West Covina. It has been my honor to represent this thriving community in Congress for the past 10 years, and I will continue fighting to deliver federal dollars to meet the needs of the city and all residents. I extend my hearty congratulations to Mayor Rosario Diaz and all distinguished members of the city council, City Manager David Carmany and the rest of the hard-working city staff, Police Chief Richard Bell and the entire courageous West Covina Police Department, and to the wonderful residents of West Covina. May their great city continue to be safe. God Bless.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7832 to rename the post office located at 396 South California Avenue in West Covina, California after the late Congressman Esteban E. Torres, a long-time San Gabriel Valley legislator and beloved community leader. A proud son of immigrants, Rep. Torres dedicated his life to serving his community, our nation in uniform, and working families across Eastern Los Angeles County. I proudly introduced this legislation with Rep. Linda Sanchez so future generations will remember Rep. Torres' legacy and be inspired by his service to our region and nation. Rep. Torres was born on January 27, 1930, in Miami, Arizona. Shortly after finishing high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army from 1949 to 1953 during the Korean War conflict and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant first class. After attending various institutions including, the Los Angeles Art Center, East Los Angeles College, and California State University Los Angeles, Rep. Torres was subsequently elected to serve California's 34th district. He represented the cities of Artesia, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Pico Rivera, parts of Whittier, South El Monte, Industry, La Puente, Baldwin Park, and West Covina for 16 years in Congress. During his first five terms, Rep. Torres served on the House Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs and the Small Business Committees. In 1993, he was named to the powerful Appropriations Committee where he was responsible for delivering millions of dollars for public transit projects in Los Angeles County and throughout the State of California and advocating for U.S. policies that advanced democracies throughout the world. Rep. Torres also served as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and as a Deputy Whip for the House's Democratic leadership. Rep. Torres also was an accomplished artist. His art was featured in the Washingtonian Magazine, at numerous galleries throughout Los Angeles, and admired by his colleagues in Congress, friends, and family. Among his proudest accomplishments was being one of the founders, along with Supervisor Gloria Molina, of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, a world-renowned museum honoring the past, inspiring the future, and recognizing the cultural influence of Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and all Latinx in the greater Los Angeles community. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 7832. Renaming the West Covina Post Office in Rep. Torres' honor will be a small token of gratitude for his lifetime of dedication to his community and country.

Ms. NAPOLITANO

Ms. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and Ranking Member Rouzer in bringing to the floor the bipartisan and bicameral Water Resources Development Act of 2022.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a very heavy heart to honor the life of Chuck Fuentes, my dear friend and confidant, who passed away on September 13 at the age of 70. Born March 16, 1952 in Whittier, CA to Robert H. and Theresa M. Fuentes, Charles Patrick ``Chuck'' Fuentes was raised in the City of Norwalk, CA. He attended St. John of God Catholic School, St. John Bosco High School, Cerritos Community College, and the University of California-Berkeley. Chuck was raised a proud Democrat by his father, Robert H. ``Bob'' Fuentes, a politico of some note. Chuck ran countless campaigns and ran for office himself. He was a shrewd strategist with a keen sense of timing, and he had a knack for connecting a candidate's vision to voters' concerns. Chuck was a ubiquitous presence in city, county, state, and national politics, causes, and committees, and was elected the youngest member of the Cerritos Community College Board of Trustees. He served for 26 years on the Democratic State Central Committee, was elected Vice Chair of the California Democratic Patty in 1989, and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Working at all levels of government, Chuck was at one time my right hand, serving as my advisor on the Norwalk City Council and my Chief of Staff in the State Assembly and the United States Congress. My gratitude for all his years of service knows no bounds. He was instrumental in helping guide me as a public servant but was so much more than an employee. Chuck was family, and his loss is immeasurable. Chuck was also campaign manager for James K. Hahn in his final successful campaign for City Controller and his later successful campaigns for City Attorney and for Mayor of Los Angeles. He served as Chief Administrative Officer for the Los Angeles City Controller's Office and later as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Los Angeles City Attorney. Chuck was City Manager of Pico Rivera and was General Manager at the Central Basin Municipal Water District. A devout Roman Catholic and member of the Knights of Columbus, Norwalk Council 3678, Chuck was an active member of numerous church communities and served as a parish bereavement minister. Chuck is survived by his spouse, Linda L. Unruh; siblings Christine M. Fuentes, Roberta T. ``Bobbi'' Buescher, Andrea Kunkel (Robert), Cecilia C. Fuentes, Robert H. Fuentes III, Christopher Fuentes (Paul), and Joseph A. Fuentes (Amy); and godchildren Ryan A. Kunkel, Jonathan Palomares, Robert H. Fuentes IV, and Ray Morones. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, colleagues, and friends of Chuck Fuentes, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing his distinguished life and public service. Although he is deeply missed, he will forever remain in our hearts.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, achievements, and legacy of Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia, a respected visionary, leader, and advocate, for his lifelong dedication to empowering the Hispanic community to achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social equity. Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia was born on March 29, 1943, in Los Angeles, California to Genevieve Hernandez and Rodrigo Garcia. He earned an Associate's Degree in Engineering from East Los Angeles College, and a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering from California State University, Los Angeles. Rod served as a civil engineer for the City of Los Angeles and worked in Public Works, Building and Safety, and at the Port of Los Angeles. Additionally, Rod Chaired the City of Monterey Park Planning Commission, and served on the Advisory Board for the Dean of Engineering at California State University. Rod was one of the few Hispanic engineers amidst a tech boom in California in the early seventies. Despite being in the minority in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field, he gathered a cohort of fellow Hispanic engineers determined to contribute and diversify the STEM industry. In 1974, Rod founded and incorporated the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) with the mission of ensuring networking and education opportunities for Hispanic students and professionals in the Southern California region. Not too long after and with the collaboration of Administrators, professors, and students at California State University, East Los Angeles College, and the University of Southern California, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers established its first collegiate chapters. The result of five decades of Rod's high-spirited and fearless leadership propelled the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers to reach 13,000 members and 286 chapters nationwide. His unique ability of uniting community partners and leaders around the country will serve as evidence that closing the STEM education gap and increasing the number of Hispanics in STEM can and will be done. Rod is remembered by his colleagues and thousands of current and former SHPE students and professionals for his devotion and service to expanding awareness, access, support, and development opportunities to Hispanics in STEM to realize their fullest potential and positively impact society. His legacy of empowering the Hispanic community to achieve educational excellence, economic opportunity, and social equity will guide many generations to come. Mr. Garcia is survived by his wife, Cynthia Cathy Wong, and his children Marlene Tomasina Zamora, Marianne Pilar Garcia, and Rodrick Fitzgerald Garcia. Madam Speaker, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, colleagues, and friends of Rodrigo ``Rod'' Garcia, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing his incredibly life of service for others.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of the incomparable Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, who proudly served the City of Duarte as Mayor Pro Tem until her passing on June 25 at the age of 49, after a 3-year battle against lung cancer. Born August 8, 1972, in Quezon City, Philippines, Ms. Paras-Caracci and her family moved to Duarte in 1985. She graduated from Duarte High School in 1989 and went on to graduate from the Woodbury University in Burbank before returning home to her beloved city. A trailblazing, dedicated, and caring public servant, Ms. Paras- Caracci was the first Filipino-American to be elected to the Duarte City Council. She served as mayor in 2006, 2011, 2015, and 2019, and was the longest sitting United States Filipino-American municipal elected official in office. Ms. Paras-Caracci participated in many 32nd District Congressional events, always proud to represent her city. She was a member of the National League of Cities Board of Directors, the League of California Cities Board of Directors, and President of the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials. She was also a director for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, a governing board member of Foothill Transit, a board member of the Duarte Community Coordinating Council, and she was also a long-time member of the Duarte Woman's Club. One of her proudest accomplishments was initiating the Mayor's Youth Council to help students become familiar and active with government. Ms. Paras-Caracci is survived by her parents, Lino and Russel Paras; her husband, K.C. Caracci, stepdaughter, Dr. Blake Caracci, and their son, Jack Russell; and her brothers, Bertrand and John Paul George. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, colleagues, friends, and constituents of Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing her life and public service. She will be sorely missed.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7666, the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act. I am honored to have my bill, H.R. 721, the Mental Health Services for Students Act, included in this package. Today is a historic day in recognizing the need for more comprehensive school-based mental health resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of our nation's children and youth and added additional stressors that have significantly strained and continues to strain their mental health and well-being. Children and youth across the nation continue to confront the traumatic challenges of this pandemic, including disruptions to their lives, fear and anxiety about the virus, and the tragic death of loved ones. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health disorders are chronic conditions that, without proper diagnosis and treatment, can lead to problems for children at home and in school, interfering with their health and future development. H.R. 721 acknowledges this problem by providing $130 million in competitive grants for school-based mental health programs nationwide. It expands the scope of the Project AWARE program by providing onsite licensed mental health professionals in schools across the country. H.R. 721 is based on the successful Youth Suicide Prevention Program that I helped establish with Pacific Clinics in Los Angeles County in 2001, after learning 1 in 3 Latina adolescents, age 9 to 11, had contemplated suicide. We need to secure the long-term availability of mental health services to ensure a bright future for our students, which my bill would help accomplish. I would like to thank the many advocates in and outside of Congress who have played an integral role in this legislation. H.R. 721 has 86 bipartisan co-sponsors and has the support of over 50 mental health organizations, as well as local governments and teacher unions. I would also like to thank my co-lead Rep. John Katko, Chairman Pallone and his staff, and my own staff who contributed toward today's passage. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the underlying bill, H.R. 7666, which will help address our ongoing mental health crisis. it is now time to act on this bill and provide the necessary funding and resources to reach children and youth early on in life.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two El Monte police officers, Corporal Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, killed in the line of duty on Tuesday night. The two officers were fatally injured while investigating a domestic violence call. Corporal Paredes started his career with the El Monte Police Department as a full-time officer in July 2000. Prior to being appointed corporal, he worked on specialized assignments. Corporal Paredes is survived by his wife, daughter, and son. Officer Santana began his law enforcement career with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department as a deputy sheriff. After 3 years, he accepted a position as a police officer in the city of El Monte, allowing Santana to serve his hometown. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and twin boys. Our hearts are filled with deep sadness today as we mourn the loss of these brave officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our community. Their dedication will never be forgotten. Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the officers' families and all of the friends and loved ones in the El Monte community.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. DeFazio for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my chair, Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and the subcommittee's ranking member, my friend, Mr. Rouzer, and bring to the floor H.R. 7776, the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. The Water Resources Development Act is our legislative commitment to investing in and protecting our communities from flooding events, restoring our environment and ecosystems, and keeping our Nation's competitiveness by supporting our ports and harbors. Through the biennial enactment of WRDA legislation, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has addressed local, regional, and national needs through authorization of new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects, studies, and policies that benefit every corner of the Nation. We held four hearings in preparation for this bill, including a Member Day hearing. We had a formal process to receive legislative, policy, and project ideas from Members which resulted in 1,500 ideas submitted to us by Members, so that is quite an accomplishment for our staff to go through. I thank all Members for engaging with the committee on this bill and advocating for the needs of their districts. We were able to incorporate most of the requests from Members into the bill. I am particularly thankful that we were able to make a commitment in this WRDA--thank God, the fifth WRDA--to address the needs of Tribal and disadvantaged communities. The bill requires the Army Corps of Engineers to improve outreach to these communities by creating liaison programs in each Corps district region across the country. That is new. WRDA includes provisions to develop technical assistance programs that provide guidance to Tribal communities on water resource projects, identify opportunities and challenges on existing Corps projects, and provide planning assistance for future projects. The bill gives Corps personnel the training and tools to effectively address issues on Tribal lands of ancestral, historic, and cultural significance, including burial grounds. WRDA also continues the effort we started over 10 years ago to improve water supply at Corps dams by addressing managed aquifer replenishment so that dams can hold water for recharge to local groundwater basins. The bill addresses the buildup and removal of sediment in reservoirs to improve operations and capacity of dams. The bill requires the Corps to take a particular focus on infrastructure in the West, to evaluate opportunities to improve water management, water supply, and address the impacts of climate change. Section 116 of the bill continues Congress' goal of improving dam safety by assessing the status of all dams maintained by the Corps and determining the needs for rehabilitation, retrofit, or removal. Section 128 of the bill is bipartisan legislation my good friend, Ranking Member Rouzer, and I introduced titled H.R. 7762, the Army Corps of Engineers Military Personnel Augmentation Act. It amends an outdated 1956 law which is prohibitive against current soldiers who have the technical skills to provide engineering support to the civil works mission of the Army Corps. In 1956 there were not a lot of NCOs with advanced degrees, so it was presumed that only commissioned officers would be properly trained to handle civil works responsibilities. However, since that time and the development of the professional Army, there are many NCOs, National Guard officers, and warrant officers with advanced engineering and technical skills, and it no longer makes sense to exclude them from positions in civil works. This change is supported by the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Engineers, and the National Guard Association of the United States. The bill also provides for hundreds of local concerns throughout the country. I am proud that this bill transfers the authorization of 31 debris basins in my region to the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. These debris basins are locally owned and have been successfully operated and maintained by the County of Los Angeles for decades. This provision will formalize the current operations of these debris basins. WRDA also includes authorization for the development of storm water, sewer, and ecosystem restoration projects in the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles County. This will improve flood protection and boost local water supply at the same time by investing in spreading grounds, dam infrastructure, and treatment operations. Mr. Speaker, I thank the many people who have helped this bill become a reality. I thank the leadership at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-- Assistant Secretary Connor and Lieutenant General Spellmon--and their incredible staff who have worked through over 1,000 submissions that we received for WRDA 2022. I am very fortunate to have some of the best water leaders in the country in my district and southern California who provided valuable input for this bill, including Colonel Julie Balten and David Van Dorpe of the Los Angeles District. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7776.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Richard L. Gutierrez, Sr., who proudly served his country in uniform in World War II and the Korean War. Born August 15, 1925, in East Los Angeles, California, Mr. Gutierrez was the son of Frank F. and Esther L. Gutierrez. He attended Riggin Elementary School, Garfield High School, Compton College, and the University of Southern California. Mr. Gutierrez fought in World War II, enlisting in 1943 as a Navy Seabee, assigned to the 4th Division of the Marines, Platoon 133 Seabee support, Company B. He participated in battles on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima where he earned the Purple Heart. He also served as a Marine in the Korean War, during which, he was recalled to Camp Pendleton and served as a Drill Instructor. Mr. Gutierrez was married in 1948 to Virginia Lopez. This marriage lasted for 50 years. He leaves behind six children: Priscilla, Michelle, Richard Jr., Thomas, Aida, and Michael, who is a dedicated Catholic priest in La Puente; eleven grandchildren; and six great- grandchildren. After his military career and college training, he worked as an aerospace engineer for Douglas Aircraft, North American/Rockwell until he retired. During his professional career he was a team member who developed the Apollo and lead engineer on the command module of the Space Shuttle. Mr. Gutierrez died on March 6, 2022, in Duarte, California. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Richard L. Gutierrez, Sr., and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Gutierrez's service to our Nation.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Corporal Ysabel ``Mac'' Ortiz, who proudly served his country in the Korean War and was missing in action for 70 years. Corporal Ortiz was born in 1931 and raised in El Monte, California. As a third generation El Montean, he attended El Monte High School before enlisting in the U.S. Army at the age of 17. In 1950, Corporal Ortiz was deployed to fight in the Korean War and was assigned to a M- 19 anti-aircraft tank. His tank took a direct hit on December 2, 1950, and his remains were not found for 70 years. In January of 1954, Corporal Ortiz was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for making the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Although he was listed as missing in action, his family never gave up hope that he would someday return home and receive the hero's burial he so much deserved. In 2019, 55 caskets containing the remains of American soldiers were returned to the United States after a summit with North Korea, and DNA evidence provided by Corporal Ortiz's siblings was instrumental in identifying his remains. Over 70 years later, he finally made it home. Corporal Ortiz is survived by his mother Concha Ortiz (now deceased), his father Ysabel M. Ortiz, Sr. (now deceased), his brothers Harold Ortiz (now deceased) and Jose Lucio Ortiz (now deceased), his sisters Esmeralda ``Chata'' Ortiz Ureno (now deceased) and Jennie Sanchez (now deceased), his step-brothers Rudy Ortiz (now deceased), Manuel Ortiz of El Monte, and Joe Ortiz of Bakersfield, and step-sisters Rose Soto of West Covina and Ana Sanchez of Murrieta, Over the next 70 years, both Corporal Ortiz's family and community would work to recognize his sacrifice and to ensure that his memory lived on. Corporal Ortiz is recognized on a bronze plaque honoring our nation's war dead at the El Monte Historical Museum, and his photo also hangs at the La Historia Museum/Museo de Los Barrios veterans' exhibit in El Monte. In 2022, a new 53-unit veterans housing project developed by the Cesar Chavez Foundation is scheduled to be opened in El Monte and will be named Plaza Ortiz in honor of Corporal Ortiz. The housing project will include a monument with a mural and a plaque to commemorate Corporal Ortiz's service to our nation. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of fallen Corporal Ysabel ``Mac'' Ortiz, and I would like to recognize the dedication and years of work shown by his family to finally have Corporal Ortiz laid to rest with full honors at Riverside National Cemetery in California. I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing Corporal Ortiz's ultimate sacrifice for our Nation.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honor the life of Grace Pugh, a West Covina resident who died on April 6, 2021. For over 38 years, Ms. Pugh served as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, and as a Legislative Ambassador with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. She was a three-time breast cancer survivor and saw first-hand its devastating impact. Ms. Pugh lost both her mother and her grandson to cancer, and her two sisters were cancer survivors. This personal experience helped drive her deep and profound commitment to fight back against cancer. As an advocate with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Ms. Pugh used her boundless energy and passion to help build bipartisan support for legislation to help advance the fight against cancer. She traveled multiple times to Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, CA to meet with her elected representatives, and regularly visited their district offices, sent emails, and made phone calls to convey the importance and urgency of making the fight against cancer a top priority. Ms. Pugh devoted countless hours of her time and worked tirelessly to help educate people about prevention and early detection, and support for patients, survivors, and caregivers. She dedicated herself to the American Cancer Society's patient support services, including the Reach to Recovery Program, which provides one-on-one support to those diagnosed with breast cancer. I extend my sincere sympathies to Ms. Pugh's three children, Bud, Kathy, and Ken, her six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and to the extended Pugh family and friends. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join us to honor this fearless advocate.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true champion for veterans, a dear friend, a wonderful employee and colleague, a proud resident of the City of Monrovia, and a dedicated, caring gentleman in Hector Elizalde, our beloved Deputy District Director of the 32nd District, who died on February 7, 2021, from complications due to COVID-19. For the past 11 years, Hector was truly devoted to his job of defending, advocating for, and serving veterans and their families, and tackling any problem that came his way. He was the embodiment of what it means to serve one's nation and one's community, holding true to his pledge to never leave a soldier behind, whether on the battlefield or city street. Hector F. Elizalde was born in Chicago, IL on February 15, 1946. He served in the United States Army from July 31, 1964, until he was honorably discharged on July 28, 1967. Hector later graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He worked for some of America's most recognized companies, such as Anheuser-Busch, Stroh Brewery Company, PepsiCo, and Don King Productions. His career advancements led the Elizalde family to live throughout the country, from 1984, in the states of Michigan, Connecticut, New York, and Florida until his return to California in 1997. Hector could have continued excelling in lucrative professions, but he had a great sense of duty to any and all fellow veterans, and also to his neighbors. From the very first day he entered our office in the spring of 2010 until his very last on this earth, Hector honorably served the veteran community. Whether it was helping a homeless veteran find shelter or escorting the casket of a fallen servicemember at the airport, Hector's compassion for helping veterans touched countless lives. Giving out his personal cell phone number was nothing out of the ordinary, and whenever he did so, he made sure everyone knew that it was a 24/7 number. Hector understood the frustration many veterans felt because of delays in VA benefits and routine health checkups that would take an entire day. He took this personally and vowed we must do better. Under his tenure as Military/Veterans Liaison, we began to hold an annual Veterans Forum, to bring the VA to the San Gabriel Valley, which grew in size and reach each successive year. As a result of Hector's persistence and laser-focus on the mission, the San Gabriel Valley VA Health Clinic was opened in May 2019 in Arcadia, CA. A sharp dresser, but very humble individual, he never sought nor wanted praise. He was there for everybody. He served not only the people of the 32nd District, but all of Los Angeles County, as Chair of the Los Angeles County Veterans Advisory Commission, to which he was appointed by LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Since his passing, the outpouring from people whose lives he touched has been immeasurable, because he was a true believer in public service. From the many hours he spent resolving constituents' casework, to the city council meetings, weekend veteran and community events he would attend; for Hector, the public's needs always came first. Hector is survived by his ex-wife, Elaine, the mother of his two adult children; sons Phillip and Edward; Edward's wife Ingrid; and their two children, Isabella and Aiden. Hector truly loved and was proud of his family, especially his grandchildren. Hector made us all feel like family. He was kind, respectful, thoughtful, and helpful to everyone he met. His charisma and smile will never be forgotten. His laughter and the way he cared for others will forever live on in our memories. It was our honor to be able to work alongside him. The world has lost a hero. Hector was the best of the best, and we are all better people because of him. There is no one else like him and probably never will be, but it is safe to say, our world needs more Hectors.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1811, the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. Today's vote is on the bipartisan, bicameral WRDA agreement by House and Senate Committee leaders. I want to particularly thank Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, Subcommittee Ranking Member Westerman and the Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their important work over the past 2 years on this bill. The Water Resources Development Act is our legislative commitment to investing in Corps projects that help to protect our communities from flooding events, restore our environment and ecosystems, and keep our nation's competitiveness by investing in our ports and harbors. The projects considered in this legislation are truly from Sea to Shining Sea--from the Unalaska (Dutch Harbor) Project in Alaska, to the Yuba River Ecosystem Restoration in California, the Matagorda Ship Channel project in Texas, to the New York and New Jersey Anchorages. Through biennial enactment of WRDA legislation, the Congress has addressed local, regional, and national needs through authorization of new Corps projects, studies, and policies that benefit every corner of the nation. WRDA 2020 is no exception. I would particularly like to recognize Chairman DeFazio for his continued efforts to unlock the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and his partnership in ensuring that all ports receive the tools they need in the future. My region is home to the largest ports in the nation, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. These ports handle over 40 percent of the exports and imports into the United States. Los Angeles and Long Beach have invested billions of dollars of their own money to upgrade their infrastructure for the benefit of the entire nation. But the success of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are only as strong as their partnership with the federal government. As part of this legislation, donor ports like the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will benefit from a greater share of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. Expanded in-water uses that are crucial to the navigation of the federal channel are now eligible. Seismic impacts will also be considered as part of the benefit-cost ratio for navigation projects. I am also proud of the provisions in WRDA that look to study water supply as a primary purpose of the Corps. We in the West are in a continuous fight against drought, and we have remarkable Corps reservoirs that were built for flood control but can be used more effectively for local water supply. The Corps is adapting to these local needs in the West, and this bill will give the Corps more ability and focus on addressing long-term water reliability of arid communities. The bill also includes important assistance to socio-economically disadvantaged urban and rural areas by requiring the Corps to work more directly with local leaders and residents on Corps projects and provide positive impacts to these communities. This will build long-term resiliency for economic development, environmental and health improvements, and clean and safe water resource projects. Lastly, this bill includes language necessary for my district and wildfire prone regions of the country to improve efforts by the Corps to remove unauthorized, human-made flammable equipment and materials from Corps property. This year there was an illegal fire on Corps property in my district that led to a major wildfire evacuating hundreds of residents and coming close to damaging property and harming our community. The language in this bill, in addition to efforts to increase Corps funding, will go a long way to helping the Corps remove these fire hazards. I would like to thank the many people who have helped this bill become a reality: Subcommittee Vice Chair Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, for her leadership on WRDA and especially all things Florida. Thank you to the leadership at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ASA James, General Spellmon, Retired General Semonite, Al Lee and the Senior Executive Service team, and Corps Counsel. I would especially like to thank Corps Futures Team--David Wethington, Laura Powell, and Andrea Busch, for their time and partnership in answering our questions to the nearly 1,100 submissions we received for WRDA 2020. I am very fortunate to have some of the best water and port leaders in the country in my district and Southern California who provided valuable input for this bill, including Col. Julie Balten, Col. Aaron Barta and David Van Dorpe of the Los Angeles District, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella, Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Port Director Gene Seroka, Long Beach Port Director Mario Cordero, Metropolitan Water District Board Chair Gloria Grey, and San Gabriel Basin Watermaster Tony Zampiello. Madam Speaker, I would particularly like to thank the Subcommittee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman for his friendship and collegiality through the hearings, meetings and roundtables which led to this bipartisan accomplishment. And most importantly, I would like to thank the incredible water subcommittee staff, including Alexa Williams, Camille Touton, Navis Bermudez, Ryan Seiger, Victor Sarmiento, Jon Pawlow, and Ian Bennitt. I urge my colleagues to support WRDA 2020.

Mrs. NAPOLITANO

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today regarding the ongoing conflict in Artsakh. Artsakh is a very American story--the victory of a free people over foreign rule. The citizens of this proud Republic embody the words of our own Declaration of Independence--which affirmed for Americans and all the world--that the just powers of government derive from the consent of the governed. To the well-known and thoroughly documented historical role of Artsakh as an integral part of Armenia going back thousands of years, we can add Artsakh's strong legal standing as an independent Republic. But what matters most today--during an ongoing rain of rockets and bombs on Artsakh civilians by Azerbaijan and Turkey and their ISIS allies--is that freedom is not just about honoring history or enforcing the law. Freedom is the only answer left for Artsakh's survival--History- based, law-based, survival-based remedial secession. There can be no going back. Artsakh must not return to Azerbaijan. The path forward is one of liberty, which is why I am today calling for official U.S. recognition of the Republic of Artsakh's independence.