Alex Padilla

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. For the information of the Senate, rollcall votes are possible during Tuesday's session.

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 20, and that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session for the consideration of Executive Calendar No. 972, R. Russell Rumbaugh, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy; further, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Health Enterprise Zones Act of 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the severity of inequities in the U.S. healthcare system. Latinos and African Americans experienced the highest death and infection rates during the pandemic. But inequitable access to quality, affordable healthcare is not unique to the past 18 months. Centuries of structural and systemic racism continue to result in poorer health outcomes in communities of color. Historically, these communities are underserved by health professionals, which both causes and further exacerbates health disparities. That is why I am proud to introduce The Health Enterprise Zones Act of 2022, which uses a market-based approach to incentivize increased health provider participation in structurally disadvantaged areas. This bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to designate health enterprise zones based on measurable and documented health disparities in areas with poor health outcomes. These zones would be eligible Federal grants for projects to reduce health disparities and provide healthcare providers employee tax credits, a 10 percent Medicare reimbursement bonus, and student loan repayment. I want to thank Representative Anthony Brown for introducing the House companion, and I look forward to working on this bill into the next Congress. I hope our colleagues will join us in taking this key step to achieving health equity.

Mr. PADILLA

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of the Senator from Georgia.

Mr. PADILLA. I yield the floor.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the bill that I introduced today to help ensure the financial stability of smaller credit unions. Congress created the Central Liquidity Facility in 1978 to improve the general financial stability of credit unions by serving as a liquidity lender to credit unions experiencing unusual or unexpected liquidity shortfalls. Unfortunately, under current law, smaller credit unions often do not have access to the critical tool that could help them address liquidity shortfalls, especially amid higher interest rates. That is why I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Cramer to allow corporate credit unions to buy Central Liquidity Facility capital stock for a chosen subset of its members rather than all of its members for the next 5 years. This would provide greater flexibility for smaller unions to use the Central Liquidity Facility's services. I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this bill to meet the needs of our Nation's 5,000 credit unions and the communities they serve.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the bill that I introduced today to help ensure the financial stability of smaller credit unions. Congress created the Central Liquidity Facility in 1978 to improve the general financial stability of credit unions by serving as a liquidity lender to credit unions experiencing unusual or unexpected liquidity shortfalls. Unfortunately, under current law, smaller credit unions often do not have access to the critical tool that could help them address liquidity shortfalls, especially amid higher interest rates. That is why I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Cramer to allow corporate credit unions to buy Central Liquidity Facility capital stock for a chosen subset of its members rather than all of its members for the next 5 years. This would provide greater flexibility for smaller unions to use the Central Liquidity Facility's services. I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this bill to meet the needs of our Nation's 5,000 credit unions and the communities they serve.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Energy Security and Lightering Independence Act of 2022. This bipartisan bill would allow foreign crewmembers of lightering ships to obtain a visa for a time period consistent with the duties of their work in the United States. This bill would amend the C and D visa categories in the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow foreign crewmembers who are involved in ship-to-ship liquid transfer to be granted nonimmigrant visas for up to 180 days. This affects those crewmembers who are involved in moving oil from one ship to another and then transporting it into the interior of the United States. The bill also clarifies that these crewmembers are engaged in foreign trade and are not considered to be performing labor within the United States. Many vessels carrying crude oil or liquid natural gas are too large to enter U.S. ports, so lightering crews transfer these imports onto smaller vessels capable of entering U.S. ports. Crews may also transfer oil and liquified natural gas from smaller vessels to larger ships to consolidate exports bound for foreign ports. Approximately 74 percent of all U.S. exports and 44 percent of all U.S. imports of crude oil or natural gas are conducted by lightering. Currently, crewmember visas are granted for 29 days, which is an insufficient time for lightering crews to get their work done. Customs and Border Protection must parole crewmembers into the United States on a case-by-case basis, which is administratively burdensome on the Agency. In fact, it is estimated that this bill could save CBP $250,000 and 6,000 man-hours per year. I want to thank Senator Cornyn for joining me in this effort, and I urge my colleagues to join us in passing this technical fix as quickly as possible.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Energy Security and Lightering Independence Act of 2022. This bipartisan bill would allow foreign crewmembers of lightering ships to obtain a visa for a time period consistent with the duties of their work in the United States. This bill would amend the C and D visa categories in the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow foreign crewmembers who are involved in ship-to-ship liquid transfer to be granted nonimmigrant visas for up to 180 days. This affects those crewmembers who are involved in moving oil from one ship to another and then transporting it into the interior of the United States. The bill also clarifies that these crewmembers are engaged in foreign trade and are not considered to be performing labor within the United States. Many vessels carrying crude oil or liquid natural gas are too large to enter U.S. ports, so lightering crews transfer these imports onto smaller vessels capable of entering U.S. ports. Crews may also transfer oil and liquified natural gas from smaller vessels to larger ships to consolidate exports bound for foreign ports. Approximately 74 percent of all U.S. exports and 44 percent of all U.S. imports of crude oil or natural gas are conducted by lightering. Currently, crewmember visas are granted for 29 days, which is an insufficient time for lightering crews to get their work done. Customs and Border Protection must parole crewmembers into the United States on a case-by-case basis, which is administratively burdensome on the Agency. In fact, it is estimated that this bill could save CBP $250,000 and 6,000 man-hours per year. I want to thank Senator Cornyn for joining me in this effort, and I urge my colleagues to join us in passing this technical fix as quickly as possible.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. PADILLA. In order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to further proceeding.

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk that is due for a second reading.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., on a lifetime of service to his community and a career of caring for others. Bishop Blake has served as pastor of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ for 53 years--53 years as a pillar of Crenshaw and South Los Angeles. While it may be hard to believe, there was a time before the name Blake was synonymous with Crenshaw. Charles E. Blake, Sr., was born in Little Rock, AR, into a family of faith. His father was a preacher and well-respected leader in the Pentecostal faith. Both Charles and his brother, J.A., would go on to preach in the Church of God in Christ. After his family moved to California and notably after his first sermon at the age of 16, he attended California Western University and subsequently earned his master's degree at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. It was there--as student body president, surrounded by Black students and faculty, and as a leader of student civil rights marches in Selma and Montgomery--where he began to see the strength of Black community power. In 1969, he became senior pastor of West Angeles Church, where his powerful sermons from a pulpit in South Los Angeles grew his congregation rapidly and brought together the community. By 1999, what had once been a 300-person church on 5th Avenue and Adams Boulevard had grown to require the construction of the ornate, 5,000-seat West Angeles Cathedral. Bishop Blake's unwavering faith and exalted message of devotion earned his election as presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ four times, representing millions of worshippers around the globe. It also led to his appointment by President Obama to the Inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. But to countless families in South Los Angeles, whether attending a Sunday service or watching the Crenshaw corridor grow around them, his commitment to his community is what is most memorable. Over his decades of leadership, he brought to Crenshaw affordable housing, a performing arts theater, and a K-12 school; encouraged economic growth and businesses that provided jobs to Angelenos; created programs to lift up Black men with educational and financial literacy resources; and secured invaluable attention and resources for neighborhoods in South Los Angeles. He invested in the Crenshaw corridor when it needed it most, and we thank him for his faith and service. All of California wishes him and his wife, Lady Mae L. Blake, well in retirement, and we wish his son, Charles E. Blake II, luck in his new role as senior pastor.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Father Greg Boyle on 50 years of service as a Jesuit priest and as a compassionate leader for families in East Los Angeles. For over three decades, Father Boyle has served as founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang rehabilitation and re- entry program in the world. Based in Los Angeles, Homeboy provides an off-ramp for thousands of former gang members and at-risk youth. Born in Los Angeles in 1954, Father Boyle first joined the Society of Jesus in 1972. After being ordained as a priest in 1984, he went on to serve Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, where he saw the severity of poverty and violence in Los Angeles that condemned generations of Angelenos to hardship, incarceration, and--all too often--the loss of loved ones. But he didn't shy from the dangers before him or ignore a community in need of care. Guided by the tenets of his faith--of nonviolence, of love, of care for others--he brought together his parish and community leaders to found what would later become Homeboy Industries. At its start, the organization focused on providing educational resources and employment services. It would soon grow into a haven for hope for thousands of people in East Los Angeles, throughout the region, and beyond. Through Homeboy Bakery, Homeboy Diner, Homeboy Merchandise, and more, hundreds of people find job training and a reason to get up and get better each and every day. And once inside their doors, surrounded by people who have been through similar challenges, Angelenos are provided support for substance abuse, mental health services, and legal and educational resources. Each month, Homeboy Industries also provides free tattoo removal services for nearly a thousand Californians to remove gang-related tattoos, removing a common barrier to finding work, and providing safety from visible signs of gang affiliation. Father Boyle has lived his faith through action. Over five decades of service, he has believed in the goodness inherent in each of us. He has had the compassion to give second chances when others wouldn't. And for those who needed a little light, true to his Jesuit mission, he has the persistence to ``go forth and set the work aflame.'' In the ``lethal absence of hope,'' as he describes it, Father Boyle has brought love, understanding, and a bright future to thousands of Angelenos, and we are grateful for his service.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act to improve efforts at the Department of Justice to hold polluters accountable and to build capacity at State, local, and Tribal governments to do the same. The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act builds on the recent announcement by the Department of Justice to launch a new Office of Environmental Justice. My bill would make this new office permanent and authorize $50 million in grant funding to assist State, local, and Tribal governments with their own environmental enforcement efforts. It would also create a new Section for Environmental Justice within the Environment and Natural Resources Division to bring cases for violations of environmental laws in low-income communities and communities of color burdened by pollution. Environmental hazards like air, water, and land pollution disproportionately affect communities that have been historically marginalized, such as Tribal communities, low-income populations, and communities of color. Many of these communities have been further neglected by decades of underinvestment in housing, transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and healthcare. The codification of a permanent Office of Environmental Justice will ensure that DOJ coordinates with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies to advance environmental justice and will give communities a seat at the table where decisions impacting their communities are being made. Further, a permanent Environmental Justice Section will help ensure that environmental justice is at the forefront of DOJ's enforcement work while improving enforcement of title VI of the Civil Rights Act to investigate civil rights complaints related to environmental justice. Finally, the new grant program this legislation would establish would improve the capacity of State, local, and Tribal agencies to launch their own environmental enforcement efforts--which is necessary for a whole-of-government approach to reversing environmental injustice. Enforcement of our Nation's bedrock environmental laws cannot be something that ebbs and flows between administrations but must be a constant commitment from the Federal Government to protecting the communities most over-exposed to pollution. Enacting this legislation will guarantee a long-term commitment by the Federal Government to advancing environmental justice and to building healthier, cleaner communities. I am grateful to Representative Barragan for leading this effort in the House of Representatives, and I am thankful that the Department of Justice is willing to prioritize defending environmental justice. I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact this bill as quickly as possible.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act to improve efforts at the Department of Justice to hold polluters accountable and to build capacity at State, local, and Tribal governments to do the same. The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act builds on the recent announcement by the Department of Justice to launch a new Office of Environmental Justice. My bill would make this new office permanent and authorize $50 million in grant funding to assist State, local, and Tribal governments with their own environmental enforcement efforts. It would also create a new Section for Environmental Justice within the Environment and Natural Resources Division to bring cases for violations of environmental laws in low-income communities and communities of color burdened by pollution. Environmental hazards like air, water, and land pollution disproportionately affect communities that have been historically marginalized, such as Tribal communities, low-income populations, and communities of color. Many of these communities have been further neglected by decades of underinvestment in housing, transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and healthcare. The codification of a permanent Office of Environmental Justice will ensure that DOJ coordinates with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies to advance environmental justice and will give communities a seat at the table where decisions impacting their communities are being made. Further, a permanent Environmental Justice Section will help ensure that environmental justice is at the forefront of DOJ's enforcement work while improving enforcement of title VI of the Civil Rights Act to investigate civil rights complaints related to environmental justice. Finally, the new grant program this legislation would establish would improve the capacity of State, local, and Tribal agencies to launch their own environmental enforcement efforts--which is necessary for a whole-of-government approach to reversing environmental injustice. Enforcement of our Nation's bedrock environmental laws cannot be something that ebbs and flows between administrations but must be a constant commitment from the Federal Government to protecting the communities most over-exposed to pollution. Enacting this legislation will guarantee a long-term commitment by the Federal Government to advancing environmental justice and to building healthier, cleaner communities. I am grateful to Representative Barragan for leading this effort in the House of Representatives, and I am thankful that the Department of Justice is willing to prioritize defending environmental justice. I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact this bill as quickly as possible.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the life of Carmen Ramirez, a relentless advocate for Oxnard, CA; a champion for the environment; and a dear friend to so many. Born in Oklahoma--but a true daughter of California--Carmen grew up in the community of Pico Rivera in Los Angeles County. She attended the University of San Francisco and California State University, Los Angeles, before graduating from Loyola Law School. Her passion for improving the lives of others eventually brought her to Oxnard. Beginning in 1978, Carmen served as a legal aid attorney working to represent low-income Californians of La Colonia. Among her many legal and professional accomplishments, she later served as president of the Ventura County Bar, president of the Women Lawyers of Ventura County, a trustee for The Colleges of Law for Santa Barbara and Ventura, a member of the board of governors for the California State Bar, and a member of the executive committee of the California Bench Bar. But what drew Carmen into public service was her passion for the environment. In 2007, she joined the fight to oppose a liquefied natural gas project proposed near the beaches of Oxnard, and she fought successfully to protect her community. She would go on to become a staunch advocate in our fight against the climate crisis and to promote renewable energy, always leading with kindness, compassion, and composure. She was elected to the Oxnard City Council for 10 years, where she served for 8 years as Mayor pro tem, promoting the causes of social and environmental justice. She went on to serve as the first Latina on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors in 2020. Carmen cared deeply about her community. And in turn, her community cared deeply about her. Just ask one of the hundreds of Californians who crowded Plaza Park to pay tribute at her vigil. Remembered that day in tearful embraces, cutting through the sounds of the mariachi, and echoed in shouts of ``Viva Carmen Ramirez!'' we can see the lasting memory she leaves behind. While she was taken too soon from family, friends, and her community, we will always have the example she set--defined by moral leadership and a fundamental care for others--to follow. ``Viva Carmen Ramirez.'' Oxnard, Ventura County, and all of California mourns her loss.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to recognize Didar Singh Bains, a community leader in California, who passed away on September 13, 2022, at the age of 84. Didar embodied the pioneer spirit of the Golden State. He left a small village in his native Punjab, India, for America with almost no money to his name. Didar found agricultural work in the Imperial Valley before eventually working his way to Yuba City in the northern part of the State. Through hard work he tapped into California's fertile soils and rich agricultural bounty to build a farming empire that spanned California, Washington, and British Columbia. His particular gift for cultivating peaches earned him the moniker of ``Peach King.'' But Didar was much more than a farmer; he was a philanthropist, a pillar of his community, and a beacon of hope for Sikh immigrants across the country who were often fleeing violence in search of a better life. A man of great faith, Didar raised money to build a Sikh temple in Yuba City, and he became the youngest president of the Stockton Gurdwara Sikh temple in 1965. He also founded the World Sikh Organization in 1984, which has donated millions of dollars to philanthropic causes around the world. After Sikhs became targets of discrimination and violence following the September 11 terror attacks, he worked with community leaders to meet with President George W. Bush in hopes of educating the Nation on the Sikh community. The nearly 100,000 Sikh Americans who travel from across the country each year to Yuba City's annual Nagar Kirtan festival have Didar Singh Bains to thank. Didar was a champion for Yuba City and the surrounding region. His legacy is felt to this day by the businesses that now line the largely rural area. It can be seen in the political gains for Sikh Americans, exemplified by his nephew winning mayoral office in 2009 and becoming the first Sikh American elected to lead a city in United States history. And it can be told by the countless number of immigrants whom he helped achieve the American dream. My deepest condolences to his family, community, and Sikh Americans everywhere.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I submit the following statement to the record in recognition of the lifelong career of Jaime Jarrin, the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers en espanol for over half a century. A native of Ecuador, Jaime moved to Los Angeles in 1955 at the age of 19 and worked as a news and sports director for KWKW, a Spanish language radio station that is now the Spanish radio home for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soon after, in 1959, Jarrin called his first Dodger game, launching what would become an over six-decade career with the Dodgers that would make him the longest tenured announcer in Major League Baseball, second only to the legendary Vin Scully, and earning him the respect of generations of Angelenos whose fandom will forever be measured by Jarrin's play-by-play and home run calls, ``Se va, se va, se va, y despidala con un beso. Se fue de cuadrangular!'' Among his long list of accomplishments from a lifetime in baseball, some of his most impressive include his streak of nearly 4,000 consecutive games called between 1962--84--spanning 22 seasons without missing a single game. And they include any number of games he has called that read like headlines straight from baseball's history books: he has called three perfect games--Sandy Koufax in 1965, Tom Browning in 1988, and Dennis Martinez in 1991--as well as 22 no-hitters, 30 World Series, and 30 All-Star Games. In 1998, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award for ``major contributions to baseball,'' becoming only the second Spanish- language announcer to achieve the honor. And during ``Fernandomania,'' the young Dodger pitcher Fernando Valenzuela's rise to become the first and only player to win both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in one season, Jarrin was there side-by-side, introducing Valenzuela to Los Angeles and to the world. ``Fernandomania'' also helped introduce Jarrin to an English-speaking audience--not only in Los Angeles, but across the country--helping bridge communities through a shared love of the game. Through years of hard work, dedication, and passion for the game he loves, Jarrin will have gone on to call games for 64 years in the booth after he retires at the end of this season. Five of those years were alongside his son, Jorge Jarrin, forming the first father-son duo to broadcast baseball on MLB Spanish-language radio. Jaime truly brought Dodger stadium to life inside the homes of Californians each and every night. He has become a legend in his own right, and the entire baseball community will miss his voice once he retires this year. Outside of baseball, it was clear that Jaime was listening to the community that supported him. With the love and support of his late wife Blanca Jarrin--who is survived by Jaime's sons Jorge and Mauricio, three sisters, and three grandchildren--they launched the Jaime and Blanca Jarrin Foundation committed to serving and supporting educational and athletic programs in the Los Angeles area. On behalf of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area and the worldwide baseball community that listened to Jaime's voice for decades: thank you Jaime, ``y gracias,'' for your lifetime service to the Dodgers and to the beautiful game of ``beisbol.''

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022. This legislation would ensure that noncitizen service members have access to the information and resources they need to apply for citizenship in the United States and avoid deportation from the country they have promised to protect and fight for. The Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022 would implement important changes to ensure that servicemembers as well as their spouses and children are not removed from the United States after leaving the military because they were never provided support and resources to help them adjust their status. Specifically, this bill would require the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to create a program to help ensure that servicemembers and their families have a pathway to naturalization. The program would also include training for JAG officers and recruiter training on the naturalization process for servicemembers. The bill would also create a Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee that would provide recommendations to DHS on whether a noncitizen who has served in the military or their family members should be granted a stay of removal, deferred action, parole, or be removed from the country. Finally, the bill would require DHS to establish a program that allows removed veterans and their family members to be admitted back into the United States as lawful permanent residents and directs DOJ to reopen their removal cases. Our noncitizen servicemembers have risked their lives in service to our country. For over a century, the United States has recognized the contributions that noncitizens make in the military. They deserve a clear path to citizenship for themselves and their spouses and children. Over the past several years, programs to help facilitate these processes have diminished, and this lack of support from Federal Agencies has made it more difficult for noncitizen servicemembers to become U.S. citizens. Veterans who are unable to naturalize are at risk of deportation if they commit certain crimes and are forced to leave the country they promised to defend. Many believe that they are citizens already due to their service and are shocked to learn years later that they are not. It is imperative that we work to protect our noncitizen veterans from deportation and that we bring back those veterans who were removed from the United States. These veterans have shown nothing but loyalty to the United States, and they deserve to stay here, receive their benefits, and live fulfilling lives alongside their family members.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022. This legislation would ensure that noncitizen service members have access to the information and resources they need to apply for citizenship in the United States and avoid deportation from the country they have promised to protect and fight for. The Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022 would implement important changes to ensure that servicemembers as well as their spouses and children are not removed from the United States after leaving the military because they were never provided support and resources to help them adjust their status. Specifically, this bill would require the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to create a program to help ensure that servicemembers and their families have a pathway to naturalization. The program would also include training for JAG officers and recruiter training on the naturalization process for servicemembers. The bill would also create a Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee that would provide recommendations to DHS on whether a noncitizen who has served in the military or their family members should be granted a stay of removal, deferred action, parole, or be removed from the country. Finally, the bill would require DHS to establish a program that allows removed veterans and their family members to be admitted back into the United States as lawful permanent residents and directs DOJ to reopen their removal cases. Our noncitizen servicemembers have risked their lives in service to our country. For over a century, the United States has recognized the contributions that noncitizens make in the military. They deserve a clear path to citizenship for themselves and their spouses and children. Over the past several years, programs to help facilitate these processes have diminished, and this lack of support from Federal Agencies has made it more difficult for noncitizen servicemembers to become U.S. citizens. Veterans who are unable to naturalize are at risk of deportation if they commit certain crimes and are forced to leave the country they promised to defend. Many believe that they are citizens already due to their service and are shocked to learn years later that they are not. It is imperative that we work to protect our noncitizen veterans from deportation and that we bring back those veterans who were removed from the United States. These veterans have shown nothing but loyalty to the United States, and they deserve to stay here, receive their benefits, and live fulfilling lives alongside their family members.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to discuss and explain the matter we just took action on. It is relative to wildfires. All across the Western United States, historic wildfires continue to grow both more frequent and more severe. Every year, in recent years, entire communities have been destroyed by wildfires in a matter of hours. We have seen this in California, New Mexico, and Colorado. Families are forced to flee with only the belongings they could quickly pack into their vehicles. Last year, I visited the incident command center in Quincy, CA, to see firsthand the real-time response to the devastating Dixie fire. Separately, I met with local leaders in Santa Rosa, CA, to hear about problems with recovery from previous catastrophic wildfires. So my bill--the bill we just took action on, the FEMA Improvement, Reform, and Efficiency Act or the FIRE Act--will help ensure FEMA better addresses the unique and increasing danger of wildfires. FEMA's current procedures and requirements don't always work for postwildfire recovery needs. And this bill will close those gaps. I give a lot of credit to FEMA. They have gotten pretty good at anticipating and responding to other types of disasters. We are seeing it, as we speak, with the hurricane impact in Florida. They do the same with tornadoes, floods, other disasters. In all these scenarios, we know that it begins with preparation. The FIRE Act will begin the process of allowing FEMA to predeploy resources during times of extremely high risk. In the West, we know it as red flag warnings. When it is hot, conditions are dry, and the wind kicks up, it is a recipe for disaster. And so to have FEMA be able to deploy in advance-- just as they do already during hurricane warnings, as we are seeing in Florida at this very moment--is a smart thing to do. Then, as communities rebuild after a devastating wildfire, this bill will work to ensure that FEMA takes wildfire-specific issues into account, like melted infrastructure and burned trees. It will also help local governments work with FEMA to more effectively relocate critical infrastructure away from fire-prone areas. Now, in the aftermath of a fire, the bill will help provide better housing assistance, case management, and crisis counseling for survivors with a focus on equity for underserved communities and Tribal governments. Oftentimes these underserved communities and Tribal governments suffer the disproportionate impact of these wildfires. So with the FIRE Act, we will be able to better prepare for and respond to the unique challenges of wildfires in California and throughout the Western United States. The FIRE Act passed out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by a voice vote on February 2 of this year. And I want to take a moment to thank both Chairman Peters and Ranking Member Portman and their staffs who contributed to this bill, as well as our partners at FEMA. This is an overdue, commonsense bill to help communities on the frontlines of our wildfire crisis. And I thank my colleagues for joining me in supporting it. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 482, S. 3092.

Mr. PADILLA

Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 Act. There are currently 11 million noncitizens in the United States. It is not feasible or productive to remove all them. The vast majority of these noncitizens have established roots in the United States and are law-abiding citizens. They have made contributions to their communities and have served as essential workers during the pandemic. Leaving them without a path to permanent residence denies them the opportunity to become full participants in our society. This legislation would ensure that long-term residents who have lived in the United States continuously for at least 7 years are able to apply for lawful permanent residence. The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 Act would amend the existing registry statue in the Immigration and Nationality Act by establishing a rolling cutoff date of 7 years prior to the date that an immigrant files an application to register permanent or adjusted status. This bill would ensure that long-term residents already in the United States who have been waiting for a visa number to become available for over 7 years can immediately file an application to register permanent or adjust status. This legislation also provides a much needed pathway to a green card for Dreamers and forcibly displaced citizens, such as TPS holders, who have been in legal limbo for many years. Finally, the bill would preempt the need for further congressional action by making the eligibility cutoff rolling, instead of tying it to a specific date, as it is now. Advancing the registry date is not unprecedented. Congress has updated the registry in a bipartisan fashion four times since it was first codified in 1929. As a result of the 1958 changes, the registry mechanism became available to immigrants who had entered the country improperly or who had overstayed or who violated the terms of a temporary period of entry. With this change, Congress intended the registry to be a mechanism for noncitizens to adjust to lawful permanent resident status. Currently, the eligibility cutoff date is January 1, 1972, more than 50 years ago. Fewer and fewer immigrants are able to meet this cutoff entry date requirement, rendering this provision all but useless. From 2015 to 2019 only 305 individuals were able to adjust their status based on the registry, down from 58,914 from 1985 to 1989. It is imperative that we provide immigrants who have been living with uncertainty about their futures a path to permanent residence status.