Alex Padilla

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, these past 2 weeks have given the American people a clear window into the Republican mind when it comes to immigration. They can't decide if immigration reform is the responsibility of Congress or if it is the responsibility of the President. They can't decide if the border is in crisis or if they would rather wait until after the election to talk about it or try to do something about it. Today, in this resolution, they are doubling down on declaring an ``invasion'' and vilifying immigrants, while preventing the Federal Government from keeping order on the border. My first message to my Republican colleagues here today is this: Make up your mind. Do you want to get serious about immigration reform or not? They can't do it, and these past few weeks we saw why. Republicans believe that fear of our border translates into turnout at the ballot box. And because they believe that a narrative of chaos and fear would help Donald Trump in November, they are saying the quiet part out loud. They are saying it. They are repeating it. They are amplifying it on social media. It is the same reason that they can greet Secretary Mayorkas at the negotiation table during these supplemental negotiations with one hand, while with their other hand they file baseless impeachment articles against him. Today's resolution is just as unserious as it was the last time that they brought it up. Let's put aside, for a moment, the obvious constitutional concerns, put aside, for a moment, and discuss what giving immigration powers to Governors would look like. Colleagues, the fact is, you don't even have to imagine. Let's look at what is happening in Texas. Governor Abbott has shown us the cruelty and lawlessness of what it would lead to: unconstitutional legislation to terrorize immigrants in Texas, putting them at risk of racial profiling and civil rights violations; razor-lined buoys that have pushed asylum seekers and their families, including small children-- nursing babies, colleagues, nursing babies--into dangerous waters with deadly consequences--you want to know why we talk about humanity; this is happening--and razor wire along the border that prevents Federal officials from doing their job of securing the border; State governments preventing Federal officials from doing their job. Is that what you want? For the self-proclaimed party of law and order, Republicans are acting like anything but. Now, let's not lose sight of the very real danger of this kind of action and this kind of rhetoric. The idea that immigrants are invading has radicalized people in our country to perpetuate terrible violence in the not so distant past, including the 2019 shooting in an El Paso Walmart, where a White nationalist murdered 23 people, Hispanic families who were back-to-school shopping. My colleague from Kansas asked something about being able to sleep at night. Since that day, I have not been able to sleep as well at night for fear of the same happening in my community, to my family. Now, I agree that the asylum system is outdated and in need of modernization. We must have a border that is more secure and more orderly and humane. But there is absolutely not an invasion happening, as our Republican colleagues have tried to portray. People arriving at our borders are seeking protection for themselves and their families, seeking refuge from violence and political persecution from oppressive regimes, exercising their legal right to seek asylum--a legal right to seek asylum that we established back in World War II. Today's resolution would represent a fundamental disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law, and it would undoubtedly lead to more cruelty at the border and throughout the country, for that matter, not just at the border. It is for that reason that I object.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the INVITE Act. This legislation would require USCIS field offices to offer voter registration assistance at naturalization ceremonies to ensure that newly naturalized United States citizens are able to fully participate in our democratic process. This legislation would designate USCIS field offices as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act and require them to support new citizens in registering to vote, including providing the registration application, offering assistance in completing the application, and returning the application to the State election official or agency. It would significantly expand the agency's voter registration efforts to encompass all new United States citizens, not just those naturalized through USCIS administrative ceremonies. USCIS policy currently only requires the agency to ensure that voter registration forms are distributed to new United States citizens at their naturalization ceremonies--not returned to the appropriate State election agency--and also fails to reach new United States citizens who are naturalized at judicial ceremonies or without a formal ceremony. During the recent midterm elections, just 61 percent of all naturalized citizens were registered to vote, compared to 70 percent of native-born Americans, due in part to distinct obstacles, such as language barriers, that new citizens face. The National Voter Registration Act has proven to be an effective tool for voter registration, with departments of motor vehicles accounting for almost 40 million new voter registration applications from 2018 to 2022. USCIS, like the other agencies designated under the National Voter Registration Act, interacts with a significant population of eligible but unregistered voters. In 2022, the agency naturalized more than 900,000 new U.S. citizens. New United States citizens deserve to be supported as they exercise their right to political participation, as guaranteed by our Constitution.

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act. This legislation would provide tax relief for individuals and families who have received compensation for losses and damages suffered during a wildfire. The Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act would exclude from gross income certain qualified wildfire relief payments, including compensation for losses, expenses, or damages, such as compensation for additional living expenses, lost wages, personal injury, death, or emotional distress. This legislation would provide much needed certainty and relief to victims by ensuring that any compensation they receive is not subject to Federal income tax and instead may be fully utilized for its intended purpose. Pacific Gas & Electric, or PG&E, equipment was found to be responsible for three major fires in 2015, 2017, and 2018. In 2019, PG&E and victims of these wildfires reached a settlement that set up a Fire Victim Trust, funded with $6.75 billion in cash and 477 million shares of PG&E stock, to compensate victims for losses and damages associated with these devastating wildfires. Unfortunately, the taxability of funds received from the trust varies based on what type of loss is being claimed, which makes it difficult for recipients to determine what amount of their claims can be used to rebuild their lives or replace their losses. This financial and legal uncertainty is the last thing wildfire victims should be worried about in the aftermath of such tragedy. This specific settlement is unfortunately no longer unique. Last Congress, I joined Senators Feinstein and Hickenlooper as well as our bipartisan House leads in introducing a version of this legislation designed to cover the Fire Victim Trust claimants. The bill introduced today expands protections to anyone receiving wildfire-related disaster aid payments. As the impacts of climate change continue to fuel the frequency and severity of wildfires across the Western United States, it is imperative that Congress enact this legislation and provide certainty to both past victims and those who may be impacted in the future. I would like to thank Representatives LaMalfa and Thompson for leading this bipartisan legislation in the House, and I hope my colleagues will join us in supporting this bill to ensure wildfire victims receive full and proper compensation to help rebuild their lives and communities.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the INVITE Act. This legislation would require USCIS field offices to offer voter registration assistance at naturalization ceremonies to ensure that newly naturalized United States citizens are able to fully participate in our democratic process. This legislation would designate USCIS field offices as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act and require them to support new citizens in registering to vote, including providing the registration application, offering assistance in completing the application, and returning the application to the State election official or agency. It would significantly expand the agency's voter registration efforts to encompass all new United States citizens, not just those naturalized through USCIS administrative ceremonies. USCIS policy currently only requires the agency to ensure that voter registration forms are distributed to new United States citizens at their naturalization ceremonies--not returned to the appropriate State election agency--and also fails to reach new United States citizens who are naturalized at judicial ceremonies or without a formal ceremony. During the recent midterm elections, just 61 percent of all naturalized citizens were registered to vote, compared to 70 percent of native-born Americans, due in part to distinct obstacles, such as language barriers, that new citizens face. The National Voter Registration Act has proven to be an effective tool for voter registration, with departments of motor vehicles accounting for almost 40 million new voter registration applications from 2018 to 2022. USCIS, like the other agencies designated under the National Voter Registration Act, interacts with a significant population of eligible but unregistered voters. In 2022, the agency naturalized more than 900,000 new U.S. citizens. New United States citizens deserve to be supported as they exercise their right to political participation, as guaranteed by our Constitution.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act. This legislation would provide tax relief for individuals and families who have received compensation for losses and damages suffered during a wildfire. The Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act would exclude from gross income certain qualified wildfire relief payments, including compensation for losses, expenses, or damages, such as compensation for additional living expenses, lost wages, personal injury, death, or emotional distress. This legislation would provide much needed certainty and relief to victims by ensuring that any compensation they receive is not subject to Federal income tax and instead may be fully utilized for its intended purpose. Pacific Gas & Electric, or PG&E, equipment was found to be responsible for three major fires in 2015, 2017, and 2018. In 2019, PG&E and victims of these wildfires reached a settlement that set up a Fire Victim Trust, funded with $6.75 billion in cash and 477 million shares of PG&E stock, to compensate victims for losses and damages associated with these devastating wildfires. Unfortunately, the taxability of funds received from the trust varies based on what type of loss is being claimed, which makes it difficult for recipients to determine what amount of their claims can be used to rebuild their lives or replace their losses. This financial and legal uncertainty is the last thing wildfire victims should be worried about in the aftermath of such tragedy. This specific settlement is unfortunately no longer unique. Last Congress, I joined Senators Feinstein and Hickenlooper as well as our bipartisan House leads in introducing a version of this legislation designed to cover the Fire Victim Trust claimants. The bill introduced today expands protections to anyone receiving wildfire-related disaster aid payments. As the impacts of climate change continue to fuel the frequency and severity of wildfires across the Western United States, it is imperative that Congress enact this legislation and provide certainty to both past victims and those who may be impacted in the future. I would like to thank Representatives LaMalfa and Thompson for leading this bipartisan legislation in the House, and I hope my colleagues will join us in supporting this bill to ensure wildfire victims receive full and proper compensation to help rebuild their lives and communities.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, colleagues, today we will have the opportunity to advance the nomination of Kirk Sherriff, President Biden's nominee to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. In doing so, we have a chance to confirm a well-qualified nominee and public servant to fill a vacancy on one of the busiest and most understaffed district courts in the Federal judiciary. I rise to share a little bit more about what makes him so qualified to serve the Eastern District. Mr. Sherriff actually grew up in the Sacramento region within the district. He was raised for several periods of time by a single mother who worked hard to support her family, an experience he says profoundly shaped his appreciation for the opportunities made available in the United States of America. Mr. Sherriff went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and his law degree from Harvard Law School. He began his legal career working as an associate of White & Case, focused on arbitration and civil litigation. He also clerked on the New Jersey Supreme Court for Chief Justice Deborah Poritz. But before long, he returned to California--he came home--to work in the district that would come to define his career. Mr. Sherriff joined the civil division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California. He spent 5 years litigating forest fire, civil fraud, and tort cases before moving on to the criminal division. He worked his way up to serve as chief of the Fresno and Bakersfield offices of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District where he oversaw four Fresno unit chiefs, 20 attorneys, and the prosecution of crimes throughout the southern half of the district. Now, in the course of his career, Mr. Sherriff has developed a reputation in the Fresno legal community for being fair, for being sharp, and incredibly hard-working--all characteristics in high demand at a court with an extraordinarily heavy caseload. But in addition to that, Mr. Sherriff possesses a deep personal understanding of the needs of the many racially diverse and historically disadvantaged communities throughout the Central Valley. Because, for the last two decades, he has been there, serving the Eastern District and engaging in community outreach. Colleagues, by confirming Mr. Sherriff's nomination, we will be confirming a nominee with a wealth of legal experience, with a fundamental understanding and respect for human dignity, and with deep roots in the community he serves and will continue to serve, and who will be filling a vacancy in one of the busiest courts in the country. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in advancing and supporting Mr. Sherriff's confirmation.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. PADILLA. I ask unanimous request that I am able to complete my remarks before the beginning of the vote.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. I yield the floor.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I missed a vote on December 18, 2023. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on rollcall vote No. 347 to confirm Martin O'Malley to serve as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. I congratulate Commissioner O'Malley on his confirmation, and I look forward to his strong leadership at the SSA.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, NEHRP, and improve the Nation's earthquake preparedness. This bill would reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, NEHRP, and authorize a total of $175.4 million per year from fiscal year 2024 to 2028 across the four Federal Agencies responsible for long-term earthquake risk reduction under NEHRP: the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, the National Science Foundation, NSF, and the United States Geological Survey, USGS. Specifically, the NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2023 would authorize $10.6 million for FEMA, $5.9 million for NIST, $58 million for NSF, and $100.9 million for USGS per year from fiscal year 2024 to 2028. This funding would support research, development, and implementation activities related to earthquake safety and risk reduction. In California and across the Nation, earthquakes threaten lives, infrastructure, and communities. NEHRP allows vulnerable communities across the State to better prepare and respond to earthquakes through crucial tools like the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System Program and working to advance the scientific understanding of earthquakes. I want to thank Senator Murkowski for introducing this important legislation with me in the Senate, and I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting this bipartisan bill to improve our nation's earthquake preparedness.

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Emergency Vehicle and Community, EVAC, Planning Act. This legislation would strengthen communities to incorporate emergency evacuation routes in the transportation planning process. Specifically, this bill would direct the Department of Transportation, DOT, in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, to develop and publicly disseminate guidance and best practices for States, territories, Indian Tribes, and local governments to utilize to ensure necessary considerations are taken for evacuation routes during local planning. As we suffer from increasingly catastrophic natural disasters--from fires to hurricanes to flooding--efficient emergency evacuation routes can be the difference between life and death for our most vulnerable communities. The 2018 Camp Fire tore through the town of Paradise, CA, incinerating roughly 19,000 homes, businesses, and other buildings. Eighty-five people perished. But one of the most horrifying aspects of this tragedy was that some of the victims were killed in their cars when flames overtook the backed-up traffic on the only road out of town. We saw similar concerns in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, which resulted in efforts to improve evacuation route capacity, after nearly 100,000 residents were trapped inside the city of New Orleans. And most recently in Lahaina, HI, a lack of evacuation routes contributed to making this the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Press accounts detail the harrowing experience of people finding themselves caught in their cars, jammed together on narrow roads, surrounded by flames on three sides and the ocean on the fourth. In the event of a natural disaster, people need to efficiently access evacuation routes that have been strategically designed to save lives and move people out of the area quickly. Many cities, counties, and Tribal governments--especially those that are rural or low-income--that are the most vulnerable to disaster are also the least likely to have the resources and in-house expertise necessary to develop cornprehensive and efficient emergency evacuation routes. I thank Senators Cassidy, Schatz, and Hirono for introducing this important legislation with me. I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting this bill to ensure communities are equipped with the guidelines and best practices necessary to bolster disaster preparedness and save lives.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Emergency Vehicle and Community, EVAC, Planning Act. This legislation would strengthen communities to incorporate emergency evacuation routes in the transportation planning process. Specifically, this bill would direct the Department of Transportation, DOT, in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, to develop and publicly disseminate guidance and best practices for States, territories, Indian Tribes, and local governments to utilize to ensure necessary considerations are taken for evacuation routes during local planning. As we suffer from increasingly catastrophic natural disasters--from fires to hurricanes to flooding--efficient emergency evacuation routes can be the difference between life and death for our most vulnerable communities. The 2018 Camp Fire tore through the town of Paradise, CA, incinerating roughly 19,000 homes, businesses, and other buildings. Eighty-five people perished. But one of the most horrifying aspects of this tragedy was that some of the victims were killed in their cars when flames overtook the backed-up traffic on the only road out of town. We saw similar concerns in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, which resulted in efforts to improve evacuation route capacity, after nearly 100,000 residents were trapped inside the city of New Orleans. And most recently in Lahaina, HI, a lack of evacuation routes contributed to making this the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Press accounts detail the harrowing experience of people finding themselves caught in their cars, jammed together on narrow roads, surrounded by flames on three sides and the ocean on the fourth. In the event of a natural disaster, people need to efficiently access evacuation routes that have been strategically designed to save lives and move people out of the area quickly. Many cities, counties, and Tribal governments--especially those that are rural or low-income--that are the most vulnerable to disaster are also the least likely to have the resources and in-house expertise necessary to develop cornprehensive and efficient emergency evacuation routes. I thank Senators Cassidy, Schatz, and Hirono for introducing this important legislation with me. I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting this bill to ensure communities are equipped with the guidelines and best practices necessary to bolster disaster preparedness and save lives.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, NEHRP, and improve the Nation's earthquake preparedness. This bill would reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, NEHRP, and authorize a total of $175.4 million per year from fiscal year 2024 to 2028 across the four Federal Agencies responsible for long-term earthquake risk reduction under NEHRP: the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, the National Science Foundation, NSF, and the United States Geological Survey, USGS. Specifically, the NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2023 would authorize $10.6 million for FEMA, $5.9 million for NIST, $58 million for NSF, and $100.9 million for USGS per year from fiscal year 2024 to 2028. This funding would support research, development, and implementation activities related to earthquake safety and risk reduction. In California and across the Nation, earthquakes threaten lives, infrastructure, and communities. NEHRP allows vulnerable communities across the State to better prepare and respond to earthquakes through crucial tools like the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System Program and working to advance the scientific understanding of earthquakes. I want to thank Senator Murkowski for introducing this important legislation with me in the Senate, and I hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting this bipartisan bill to improve our nation's earthquake preparedness.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Local 9-8-8 Response Act. This legislation would boost our continued efforts to improve access to and accuracy of mental health crisis response through the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Lifeline. In an effort to ensure a quick response by a mental health professional for those in crisis, this legislation requires calls and messages to the lifeline to be routed by the call center geographically nearest to the caller rather than by area code. This eliminates an unnecessary handoff, while still protecting user privacy, so users can receive the care they need as quickly and safely as possible. This bill also requires carriers to allow calls and texts to the 9-8- 8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline even if the plan is inactive or the carrier is experiencing service interruptions or failures, just as is done currently with 9-1-1 calls. Further, this bill requires multiline systems like hotel and office phones to support the direct dialing of 9-8-8 rather than requiring a caller to dial 9 or another number before dialing 9-8-8. Significant progress has been made in increasing access to quality mental health care in America. The 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been critical for supporting Americans in crisis. However, the current system routes you to a call center based on your area code rather than where you are actually calling from. This is a huge problem if a call center needs to send a mental health response team to help a caller that might be thousands of miles away in another city. I would like to thank Senator Tillis for introducing this important legislation with me. I would also like to thank Congressman Cardenas for leading this legislation in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the Local 9-8-8 Response Act as soon as possible.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Local 9-8-8 Response Act. This legislation would boost our continued efforts to improve access to and accuracy of mental health crisis response through the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Lifeline. In an effort to ensure a quick response by a mental health professional for those in crisis, this legislation requires calls and messages to the lifeline to be routed by the call center geographically nearest to the caller rather than by area code. This eliminates an unnecessary handoff, while still protecting user privacy, so users can receive the care they need as quickly and safely as possible. This bill also requires carriers to allow calls and texts to the 9-8- 8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline even if the plan is inactive or the carrier is experiencing service interruptions or failures, just as is done currently with 9-1-1 calls. Further, this bill requires multiline systems like hotel and office phones to support the direct dialing of 9-8-8 rather than requiring a caller to dial 9 or another number before dialing 9-8-8. Significant progress has been made in increasing access to quality mental health care in America. The 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been critical for supporting Americans in crisis. However, the current system routes you to a call center based on your area code rather than where you are actually calling from. This is a huge problem if a call center needs to send a mental health response team to help a caller that might be thousands of miles away in another city. I would like to thank Senator Tillis for introducing this important legislation with me. I would also like to thank Congressman Cardenas for leading this legislation in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact the Local 9-8-8 Response Act as soon as possible.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act and the Accelerating Small Business Growth Act, which I reintroduced today. The unprecedented investments provided by the bipartisan infrastructure law offers a major opportunity to leverage Federal resources to help develop women-owned, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses. President Biden set an ambitious goal of increasing the share of Federal contracts going to small, disadvantaged businesses by 50 percent by 2025, which would translate to an additional $100 billion for these businesses. Established in 1970, the Federal Highway Administration's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Program already provides training, assistance, and services to minority- and women-owned businesses to help them develop into self-sufficient organizations that viably compete for federally assisted highway project contracts. Unfortunately, Congress has not allowed this program to keep up with the needs of our underserved businesses. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act would increase this program's annual funding cap for the first time in 50 years from $10 million to $25 million. Additionally, the bill would create similar programs at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. Local, regional, and State agencies have also been leaders in developing innovative programs to prioritize disadvantaged businesses, invest in efforts to create equitable competition, and promote diverse economic development initiatives. The Accelerating Small Business Growth Act would create a new grant program to help transportation agencies across our Nation carry out these innovative programs to help underserved businesses grow and achieve proficiency to compete on an equal basis for contracts and subcontracts in federally funded transportation projects. Agencies that receive funding through this grant program would be required to submit reports to the Department of Transportation evaluating the effectiveness of their activities, which would help inform future Federal procurement policymaking. I want to thank Representatives Pete Aguilar and Jimmy Gomez for coleading these bills with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this legislation to help minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged businesses compete for contracts to develop and build Federal infrastructure projects funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act and the Accelerating Small Business Growth Act, which I reintroduced today. The unprecedented investments provided by the bipartisan infrastructure law offers a major opportunity to leverage Federal resources to help develop women-owned, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses. President Biden set an ambitious goal of increasing the share of Federal contracts going to small, disadvantaged businesses by 50 percent by 2025, which would translate to an additional $100 billion for these businesses. Established in 1970, the Federal Highway Administration's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Program already provides training, assistance, and services to minority- and women-owned businesses to help them develop into self-sufficient organizations that viably compete for federally assisted highway project contracts. Unfortunately, Congress has not allowed this program to keep up with the needs of our underserved businesses. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services Expansion Act would increase this program's annual funding cap for the first time in 50 years from $10 million to $25 million. Additionally, the bill would create similar programs at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. Local, regional, and State agencies have also been leaders in developing innovative programs to prioritize disadvantaged businesses, invest in efforts to create equitable competition, and promote diverse economic development initiatives. The Accelerating Small Business Growth Act would create a new grant program to help transportation agencies across our Nation carry out these innovative programs to help underserved businesses grow and achieve proficiency to compete on an equal basis for contracts and subcontracts in federally funded transportation projects. Agencies that receive funding through this grant program would be required to submit reports to the Department of Transportation evaluating the effectiveness of their activities, which would help inform future Federal procurement policymaking. I want to thank Representatives Pete Aguilar and Jimmy Gomez for coleading these bills with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this legislation to help minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged businesses compete for contracts to develop and build Federal infrastructure projects funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise today to congratulate Bruce Saito, director of the California Conservation Corps--CCC--on a decades-long career spent protecting California's environment, building a climate workforce of the future, and introducing generations of Californians to the conservation movement. Today, the CCC is the oldest and largest conservation corps in the country and stands as a hallmark of California's commitment to the environment. But in 1977, just 1 year into its nascent mission, a young Bruce Saito signed up to serve with the organization as a supervisor and instructor, initiating what would become nearly a half-century of service protecting the beautiful State he grew up in. From the beginning, Bruce worked diligently, earning promotions to become the director of the Los Angeles Urban Center and conservationist supervisor at the CCC Camarillo Center. In 1986, he left the CCC to help found the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, where he would serve for three decades transforming the nonprofit into one of the largest in the country. Thanks to Bruce, over 100,000 trees have been planted in and around Los Angeles, and parks around the city have thrived. In 2015, Bruce would return to his roots when Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to serve as director of the CCC, where he served until October 31, 2023. In his time working there, Bruce has helped countless young Californians, giving young people valuable skills that in turn launched many of their careers and ignited lifelong passions for conservation. California is a leader in the fight against the climate crisis--not just in the United States, but around the world. But that ethos of environmentalism, the culture of care for the community, wasn't always inevitable. California remains the environmental envy of the Nation because of people like Bruce, who not only had the passion to protect our earth but the willingness to bring others along with him. And it is because of people like Bruce that our children's generation has a chance to know the same beauty of the land around us that we grew up with. All of California wishes Bruce well in his much-deserved retirement, and we thank him for his decades of service.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate a historic milestone for this body and for our country. Last week, as many people know, we confirmed the 150th Federal judge nominated by President Biden and the 100th woman nominated to the Federal Bench, all in just the first 3 years of the Biden Presidency. More women have been confirmed to the Federal Bench under President Biden than under any President in the history of our country in their first term. It is a testament to the seriousness with which President Biden and Senate Democrats have taken to not only our role in strengthening the Federal judiciary with highly qualified candidates, but to do so while building the Federal Bench to better reflect the diverse nation that it serves. Today, I want to take a moment to recognize three women recently confirmed by the Senate who I am confident will now serve with distinction. First, last week, the Senate confirmed Judge Kenly Kiya Kato to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Judge Kato was born and raised in Los Angeles. She earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. One of her earliest jobs out of law school was in the Central District Federal Public Defender's Office, where she represented hundreds of clients at the district and circuit court level, helping to realize the constitutional right to counsel regardless of income. After nearly two decades of work in California, in 2014, she was appointed to be Federal magistrate judge. As the daughter of Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II, Judge Kato understands personally the importance of equal justice under the law. Time and again, she has demonstrated her commitment to equal justice as a magistrate judge--a commitment I am confident she will now continue on the U.S. District Court for the Central District. Last week, we also confirmed Monica Ramirez Almadani to the U.S. District Court for the Central District. Born in Los Angeles as the proud daughter of immigrants from Mexico, Ms. Ramirez Almadani is a product of the Los Angeles Unified School District. She went on to earn her A.B. from Harvard University and her J.D. from Stanford Law School. From the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project to the Immigrants Rights Clinic at the U.C. Irvine School of Law, from the California Department of Justice to the U.S. Department of Justice, throughout her career, she has gathered extensive experience across a wide spectrum of civil and criminal law. Since 2021, she served as president and CEO of Public Counsel, the largest provider of pro bono legal services in the country. Whether defending low-income immigrant clients or in her capacity representing the U.S. Government at the Department of Justice, she has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. And now I am confident that she will serve the people of the Central District of the U.S. District Court with distinction. Finally, I celebrate Monday's confirmation of Judge Ana de Alba to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The daughter of immigrants from Mexico, Judge de Alba grew up in a family of farmworkers. A first-generation high school graduate, she went on to earn her bachelor's degree and her J.D. from the University of California Berkeley. After graduating, she built a successful career in private practice in the Central Valley where she focused on complex commercial litigation and maintains a robust pro bono practice. She also went on to establish a workers' rights clinic for low-wage workers to learn their rights and to seek legal advice. In 2018, Judge de Alba was appointed to serve as a superior court judge for Fresno County, where she served until 2022. I was proud to come to the floor in June of last year to urge my colleagues to confirm her nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, which we did on a bipartisan basis. In the time since then, Judge de Alba has more than proven herself to be a qualified jurist, and she is exactly the public servant Americans deserve on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. President, every Member of this body accepts a considerable responsibility when we enter office to advise and ultimately recommend to the President nominees who will make up our Federal judiciary. As a former ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, no one took that responsibility more seriously than our late colleague Senator Feinstein. I had the great fortune of working alongside Senator Feinstein to recommend to President Biden some of the nominees that we confirmed this past week. And today, these three women, these nominees that round out the 150th confirmation of the Biden Presidency, are just as much her accomplishments as they are ours. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act, which I introduced today. America's truckdrivers are on the frontlines of keeping goods and our economy moving. More than 70 percent of goods across the United States are shipped by truck. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting supply chain crisis exacerbated longstanding challenges for truckers, including long hours away from home and time spent waiting--often unpaid--to load and unload at congested ports, warehouses, and distribution centers. As our Nation makes historic investments in our port and supply chain infrastructure through the bipartisan infrastructure law, we should also improve wages and working conditions for essential workers and ensure they are paid for all of the hours they work. However, for more than 80 years, Federal law has denied truckers guaranteed overtime pay benefits that are afforded to nearly all other professions. This means that if a truckdriver experiences delays due to congestion or weather, they are often not paid even though they are working. Requiring overtime will create an incentive for the shippers, receivers, and carriers to get cargo loaded and unloaded--keeping truckers and our supply chain moving. The motor carrier exemption exacerbates trucking workforce challenges. In fact, a February 2022 freight and logistics supply chain assessment by the Department of Transportation urged Congress to repeal this exemption. Additionally, research suggests that when truck labor rates are fair, there is less driver fatigue, fewer regulatory violations, and lower crash rates. That is why I am proud to introduce this bill to repeal the overtime exemption for motor carriers. I want to thank Senator Markey for coleading this bill with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this bill that will ensure that trucker compensation reflects the fact that these jobs are essential.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act, which I introduced today. America's truckdrivers are on the frontlines of keeping goods and our economy moving. More than 70 percent of goods across the United States are shipped by truck. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting supply chain crisis exacerbated longstanding challenges for truckers, including long hours away from home and time spent waiting--often unpaid--to load and unload at congested ports, warehouses, and distribution centers. As our Nation makes historic investments in our port and supply chain infrastructure through the bipartisan infrastructure law, we should also improve wages and working conditions for essential workers and ensure they are paid for all of the hours they work. However, for more than 80 years, Federal law has denied truckers guaranteed overtime pay benefits that are afforded to nearly all other professions. This means that if a truckdriver experiences delays due to congestion or weather, they are often not paid even though they are working. Requiring overtime will create an incentive for the shippers, receivers, and carriers to get cargo loaded and unloaded--keeping truckers and our supply chain moving. The motor carrier exemption exacerbates trucking workforce challenges. In fact, a February 2022 freight and logistics supply chain assessment by the Department of Transportation urged Congress to repeal this exemption. Additionally, research suggests that when truck labor rates are fair, there is less driver fatigue, fewer regulatory violations, and lower crash rates. That is why I am proud to introduce this bill to repeal the overtime exemption for motor carriers. I want to thank Senator Markey for coleading this bill with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this bill that will ensure that trucker compensation reflects the fact that these jobs are essential.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act to permanently increase the pay caps of some of the United States' most hard-working employees, who risk their lives to keep our communities safe and manage the land from severe wildfire. In every State, we rely on Federal firefighters who spend weeks to months away from their families in dangerous conditions. As fire season turns into a year-round issue, firefighters must be compensated for their overtime work that grows each year. The Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act would increase the overtime pay caps Federal wildland firefighters and adjust for the new proposed pay scale. This overtime pay cap increase boost the Federal Agencies' ability to recruit Federal wildland firefighters and avoid firefighters walking off the line midincident or leaving for other opportunities. As it stands, current United States Code limits wildland firefighters' premium pay and hurts Federal Agencies' ability to recruit and retain firefighters. Building off the bipartisan infrastructure law, a bipartisan group of Senators and the White House are working to ensure that our wildland firefighters are compensated appropriately for their intense line of work. The ``Wlldfand Firefighter Fair Pay Act'' complements these efforts by ensuring that any pay bump would not be limited by a pay cap. I would like to thank Senators Steve Daines, Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Lujan, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jacky Rosen, and Jon Tester for joining me in introducing this bill, as well as Representative Zoe Lofgren for championing this bill in the House. Lastly, we owe these efforts to California's Late Senator Dianne Feinstein, who had written the original bill. We must continue Senator Feinstein's legacy of supporting our firefighters and investing in wildfire mitigation efforts across the country by permanently increasing the premium pay cap. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this necessary legislation to improve pay for Federal firefighters.