Lucille Roybal-Allard

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute San Antonio Winery, the largest and longest-producing winery in Los Angeles, as it begins its centennial year celebration. Since its early days, it has been a beloved part of the Los Angeles community, providing a friendly meeting place for business leaders, families, and tourists alike. Not only is it a producing winery, it also boasts a large tasting room, restaurant, and banquet rooms, and offers daily tours and tastings. The winery still operates its original location, a historical landmark in the heart of Los Angeles. While Los Angeles was once home to more than 90 wineries, this site stands as the last remaining vestige of the city's viticultural history. Over the past century, the winery has been owned and operated by four generations of the Riboli family, which originated in Bergamo, Italy. Three generations continue to work at the company, including head winemaker Anthony Riboli. Through hard work, perseverance, and dedication to the community, the Riboli family has grown their business into one of the top thirty producing wineries in the country--and it continues to grow today. The family just celebrated the Grand Opening of a new state-of-the-art winery in Paso Robles, the Central Coast wine region where the majority of their estate vineyards are located, including 800 acres of prime vineyard land in Paso Robles, Monterey, and Napa Valley. San Antonio Winery has received countless awards for its quality winemaking through the years. It currently produces seven different brands, including San Simeon, Maddalena (named for the winery's matriarch), Opaque, Riboli Family Wines, and Stella Rosa, America's number one imported Italian wine. The winery also just received a prestigious nomination from Wine Enthusiast Magazine for American Winery of the Year. The Ribolis have other reasons to celebrate as well. The family just observed patriarch Stefano Riboli's 95th birthday, and Maddalena will be turning 94 in December. Both remain cherished in their community and among their winery's lifelong customers. I hope my colleagues will join me in wishing long life to Stefano, Maddalena, and the magnificent winery they and their family have built into a Los Angeles institution.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate The Arc Los Angeles and Orange Counties (The Arc LAOC) on its 60th anniversary, which is being celebrated on September 24th. Thanks to its advocacy and its array of services, intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals in my district have found new opportunities to participate in community life. I salute this dynamic organization, and all those it serves, on 60 years of hard work, progress, and triumph. The Arc LAOC has a rich legacy of promoting self-determination, dignity, and a high quality of life for all individuals. It was founded in 1956 by a handful of dedicated and resourceful parents seeking educational and employment opportunities for their sons and daughters. Today, its programs and services assist more than 200 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. With the organization's help, these individuals set and accomplish goals relating to learning, living, working, and socializing. The past decade has been a time of substantial growth for The Arc LAOC. Its latest addition, the Community Integrated Training Program (CIT), offers opportunities in the arts, culture education, hobby development, and community experiences to participants aged 22 to 49. Other developments have included the October 2014 opening of the Just- A-Buck store in Long Beach, and the renovation of Downey's Reagan Banquet and Conference Center, named in loving memory of Bennie and Annie Reagan. The organization marked another milestone this past March, when it celebrated its 20th Annual Arc Walk for Independence. The Walk is a yearly opportunity for thousands of people from surrounding communities to gather in support of independence for individuals with developmental disabilities. I hope my colleagues will join me in celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Arc Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Its decades-long record of service and success is a powerful reminder that wonderful things can happen when we offer help and hope to our fellow Americans. Thanks to its strong partnerships with local agencies, leaders, and businesses, I have no doubt that it will continue to evolve as a leading community organization.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for two roll call votes on Tuesday, September 13, 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted in this manner: Roll Call Vote number 496-H. Res. 847--Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives about a national strategy for the Internet of Things to promote economic growth and consumer empowerment--YES. Roll Call Vote number 497-H. Res. 835--Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should adopt a national policy for technology to promote consumers access to financial tools and online commerce to promote economic growth and consumer empowerment--YES.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate South Los Angeles' Thomas Jefferson High School on 100 years of educating and enriching the bright young minds of our community. Jefferson High opened in 1916, making it the fourth oldest public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Many of America's most brilliant and accomplished artists, athletes, and public officials have passed through its doors as students, including: Diplomat Ralph Bunche, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Dorothy Dandridge, the first African-American to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Famed choreographer Alvin Ailey. Iconic singers such as Etta James and Barry White. Innumerable jazz musicians, including the great saxophonist Dexter Gordon. Emmett Ashford, Major League Baseball's first African-American umpire. Olympic gold medalists like runner Mal Whitfield and high jumper Charles Dumas. And a distinguished member of this very chamber, the late Congressman Augustus F. Hawkins. As is evident by the alumni just mentioned, Jefferson High School's tradition of excellence is reflected in its many distinguished graduates--men and women whose years at Jefferson influenced their special interest in contributing to the improvement of our global community. Guided by these alumni's footsteps, each new class of Jefferson students pursues greatness in the classroom, in the community, and on the field. Jefferson High is also notable as an architectural landmark. After the Long Beach earthquake of 1933, the architect Stiles O. Clements rebuilt the campus in a beautiful Streamline Moderne style. The resulting school has become a local artistic treasure. Mr. Speaker, I commend Thomas Jefferson High School on its 100th anniversary, and salute the generations of students, teachers, and staff who have sustained it through the decades. Jefferson High has become an esteemed South L.A. institution, and I am confident that its future graduates will only add to the school's magnificent legacy.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute Guadalupe Duarte Gonzalez, a beloved Angelena who turns 100 years old on September 15th. Lupe, as she is known, has lived in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles since 1958. She is blessed with a sharp mind and good health, and I speak for her family and friends in expressing the hope that she will continue to grace Boyle Heights with her wisdom, energy, and cheer for many years to come. Lupe was born Guadalupe Duarte on September 15, 1916, in the coal mining town of Morenci, Arizona. When she was five, she moved with her parents, Maria Esparza Duarte and Ausencio Duarte, to their hometown of Villa Hidalgo, Mexico. At age nine, she moved again, this time to Aguascalientes, Mexico, with her mother, Aunt Feliz, and younger siblings Panchito and Isabel, while her father worked in the United States. As Lupe grew up, she helped raise her siblings, and supported her family through sewing and factory work. Lupe married Juan Salazar Gonzalez when she was 21, and gave birth to Jose Luis, Rebecca, Juan Jr., and Imelda. Juan had his own business as a carpenter and cabinet maker. When he had every tool stolen from his shop in a robbery, the Gonzalez family moved to the United States, the land of Lupe's birth. After Lupe and Juan both worked at various jobs for a few years, Juan finally secured a permanent position as a cabinet maker. By 1954, their family had grown to eight, with the births of Alicia Maria and Ricardo. Through struggles and sacrifices, Lupe and Juan saw to it that their children could attend private Catholic school. After her children grew up, Lupe served the Boyle Heights community as president of the Saint Isabel Church Senior Citizens Club. In 2004, she lost her beloved 95-year-old husband, Juan, after more than 66 years of marriage. Today, Lupe is the proud mother of six, grandmother of eight, great- grandmother of eleven, and great-great-grandmother of six. When not tending to her family, she is also a voracious reader of history, art books, and novels. Lupe's indomitable spirit, quick wit, and love of life are an inspiration to all who know her. I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Guadalupe Duarte Gonzalez on her first 100 years of a life well lived.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the City of Downey on its 60th anniversary, and I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Downey and its residents on this magnificent milestone. It is my great privilege to represent this distinguished and dynamic city as part of California's 40th Congressional District. The City of Downey, home to more than 113,000 residents, is a diverse community with a small-town friendliness located in the middle of an expansive metropolitan area. Downey, named an All-America City in 2013, was incorporated in 1956 after a lively local debate in which residents campaigned for, and ultimately won, self-governance of the formerly unincorporated Downey community. Since that time, Downey has consistently been known for its quality residential neighborhoods, excellent schools, rich aerospace history, and engaging civic life. From the first Taco Bell restaurant and the oldest operational McDonald's, to the Apollo Space Program and Space Shuttles, Downey embodies its motto, ``Future Unlimited.'' Like the proponents of Downey's incorporation in the 1950s--many of whom are still actively engaged in the community--the successive generations of Downey residents have been committed to making Downey the very best it can be. City leaders continuously strive to improve the high quality of life for which the City of Downey is known, by providing the best possible service to residents, businesses, and each other in a professional, ethical, and responsible manner. Downey has experienced significant developments during the last decade, including the revitalization of its downtown; an arts and culture movement, the city's new branding identity, Discover Downey; and, most significantly, the redevelopment of the former NASA Industrial Plant Site. Today, the NASA site has been transformed from a vacant and blighted eyesore to a new and thriving community asset. On the northern end of the NASA site, the Downey Landing Commercial Center boasts 375,000 square feet of high-quality retail options for Downey residents. Kaiser Medical Center Downey, a new 352-bed hospital, created approximately 3,000 jobs, and has many environmentally friendly features and new medical offices. Discovery Sports Complex provided Downey residents with its first new public park space in more than 30 years. The Columbia Memorial Space Center, which honors the crew of STS-107 lost on February 1, 2003, has been named the official national memorial to the Space Shuttle Columbia by a joint resolution of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The center opened its doors in 2009 and is a popular destination for students and educators seeking to learn about space and science. Most recent is the development of the Promenade at Downey, a 656,000- square-foot shopping center and entertainment district. The Promenade is Downey's newest community gathering spot and tourist destination, merging retail, dining, and entertainment with a one-of-a-kind walk through history. Close to 60 years after incorporation, Downey remains a special place. Downey's indescribable essence of community is why generations of residents remain there, and why Downey continues to be a beacon to its surrounding cities. The relationships between Downey's individuals and institutions--between its community organizations, schools, local businesses, houses of worship, and residents--mean that Downey is uniquely capable of facing the challenges of the 21st century with the same spirit of vigor and commitment that created the city. This spirit will guide Downey as it continues into the ``Future Unlimited,'' ensuring public safety, encouraging economic growth, supporting environmental responsibility, and building on its illustrious past. I hope my colleagues will join me in celebrating Downey's 60th anniversary, and in wishing the city continued prosperity, growth, and happiness in all the years to come.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chair, if a business pollutes, then it is the responsibility of that business, not the taxpayer, to pay for the cleanup. It is that simple and it is morally right and fair. I represent Vernon, California, where a lead-acid battery recycling plant, for years, blanketed families in and around Vernon with lead, arsenic, and other toxins. The plant eventually closed but tragically, its environmental damage remains, leaving an estimated 10,000 contaminated homes. Because there are no clear requirements for financial responsibility, the response to the lead contamination in my district was delayed, and after more than a year, it still has not been resolved. Families living in these areas continue to live in fear for their children while others struggle to care for children who, as a result of this contamination, are suffering from learning disabilities, cancer and other health related issues. To allow section 430 to prohibit the EPA from issuing financial responsibility requirements for businesses that handle hazardous substances which can pollute our communities across the country is madness, Mr. Speaker. We must pass this amendment to ensure that polluters who cheat the system pay the bill, not the American taxpayer.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Jordan Croft, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with my colleagues a Los Angeles Times op-ed by Gabriel Thompson, which describes how my father, the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal, worked with the legendary community organizer Fred Ross to form the Community Service Organization in Boyle Heights. In this op-ed, and in his new book, ``America's Social Arsonist,'' Mr. Thompson describes how residents in and around Boyle Heights mobilized to register local voters so that these voters could make their voices heard in government. There is no right more fundamental, vital, and powerful in our society than the right to vote. The work that my father and Mr. Ross did together helped so many Angelenos exercise that right. I would like to submit the following op-ed: [From the Los Angeles Times, Apr. 18, 2016] How To Register Latino Voters (By Gabriel Thompson) The Spanish-language channel Univision hopes to register 3 million new Latino voters before the November election. The organization Voto Latino is sending volunteers to Mana and Los Tigres del Norte concerts with an app that scans driver's licenses and quickly registers new voters. The National Council of La Raza and the League of United Latin American Citizens are once again staffing their long-running registration campaigns. It's no secret why: ``The rule is no one can make it to the White House without the Hispanic vote,'' said Univision anchor Jorge Ramos. In the 1992 presidential election, Latinos cast 4.2 million votes. By 2012, that number had nearly tripled, to 11.2 million. Now the Pew Research Center estimates that between 2012 and November 2016, 3.2 million U.S.-born Latino citizens will turn 18 and be eligible to vote; another 1.2 million Latino immigrants will become naturalized citizens. These numbers, however, obscure another trend: Since 1992, voter registration rates among Latinos have remained stuck at around 58%. By comparison, about three-quarters of whites and blacks are registered voters. This is crucial, because once Latinos register, they vote. About 82% of registered Latino voters went to the polls in 2012, just five points below the turnout of white registered voters. ``The principal problem is not voter turnout,'' concluded a January report published by CNN en Espanol and the Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies at City University of New York. The report's author, Laird Bergad, didn't see signs the registration rate would improve: ``There is no reason to believe that this will change substantially by 2016, despite many announced voter registration drives.'' Of course, that was before Donald Trump emerged as the Republican front-runner. His candidacy alone may increase Latino voter registration this year. But to seal Trump's fate, and to change the trajectory Bergad documented, Univision, Voto Latino and the other groups should look closely at history. One of the most successful voter registration drives among Latinos occurred in East Los Angeles nearly 70 years ago. In 1947, a Mexican American social worker named Edward Roybal ran for Los Angeles City Council seeking to represent the 9th District, which included Boyle Heights and downtown. About a third of the district's residents were Latino, Roybal's natural base. They were eligible to vote, but few were registered. Roybal finished third in a field of five, winning less than half the votes of incumbent Parley Christensen. After the election, Roybal crossed paths with a community organizer, Fred Ross, who worked for Saul Alinksy. Roybal and Ross formed the Community Service Organization in Boyle Heights, tackling neighborhood issues such as police brutality and evictions. Voter registration was at the center of their work. By the time Roybal ran for City Council again in 1949, the CSO had turned Latinos into a powerful political force. Roybal trounced Christensen in the 9th District, winning more votes in Boyle Heights alone (12,684) than his opponent did in the entire district (11,948). Roybal's final tally--20,562 votes--was a sixfold increase from two years earlier. He became the first Spanish speaker on the City Council since 1881. The key to the CSO's success was a bottom up, face to face, community-based campaign. Ross recruited volunteers who spent night after night knocking on doors. They hosted organizing meetings in their living rooms, where newcomers were signed up to host the next meeting, inviting more friends and family members. ``We can . . . we will . . . we must vote!'' read one CSO flyer. Ross kept a 3x5 index card for each registered voter with a Spanish surname. The collection grew to more than 10,000. He tallied who was bringing in the most voters, male or female volunteers. The local newspaper, El Pueblo, reported the results: Three women registered more than 500 voters apiece, but no one could touch Matt ``Cyclone'' Arguijos: 2,286 registered voters. The success in 1949 proved to be repeatable. In 1968, Ross worked with volunteers from the United Farm Workers on another East L.A. registration drive. They signed up 11,000 voters in 20 days in support of Robert F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. One of those UFW volunteers was Marshall Ganz, who would later help develop Barack Obama's 2008 field campaign. ``That was my school,'' Ganz says of Ross' East L.A. efforts. ``That has always been my basic point of reference for how you do grass-roots political work.'' It's not the number of paid canvassers that matters most, Ganz adds, but ``recruiting people from the community to do the work.'' Canvassing Mana fans at the Forum, and recruiting celebrities for PSAs, can't hurt in 2016. But Roybal and Ross' success in Boyle Heights lends credence to common sense: To empower Latinos, the community is key. It's great to be able to tap a screen to register to vote. It's even better to mobilize a neighborhood to knock on doors, app in hand, until someone answers.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Domenika Lynch for her ten years of service as the executive director of the University of Southern California's (USC) Latino Alumni Association (LAA), and also to congratulate her on becoming the next president and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) in Washington, DC. Ms. Lynch has dedicated years of her personal and professional life to serving Latinos and the greater Los Angeles community. In addition to her work for the LAA, Domenika has been a part of the USC Neighborhood Outreach Grants Committee, has been named a Los Angeles Community Hero by Telemundo, has received an Educational Leadership Award from Saber es Poder, and has served on a variety of scholarship and advocacy boards. A Trojan alumna herself, Domenika has been a thoughtful and successful leader of one of the strongest Latino alumni associations in the country. During her time guiding the LAA, it has continued to invest in student scholarship and mentorship support, while effectively engaging alumni, building campus and community partnerships, and securing philanthropic support. Under her tenure, the LAA, its Board of Directors, its Corporate Advisory Council, and its alumni volunteers have raised over $15 million towards scholarships and other key university initiatives. Today, the LAA is stronger than ever. Its endowment has more than tripled, and its donor base is growing. This type of engagement creates an environment for students to thrive, and encourages these students to remain committed to their USC community long after they have left campus. I am confident that Ms. Lynch will be equally successful in leading CHCI, which has been a trailblazer in developing the next generation of Latino leaders in our nation's capital. As our country writes another chapter in its history, Domenika's guidance will ensure that CHCI continues to increase opportunities for young Latinos, and keeps encouraging greater diversity and equity in the ranks of America's future leaders. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Domenika Lynch for her outstanding record of leadership and service, and in wishing her the very best as she begins the newest chapter of her career.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, this is National Police Week, a time to salute the courageous men and women who serve in our police forces, and to pay tribute to the brave officers we have lost. In my district, we continue to honor and celebrate the life and achievements of Downey Police Officer Ricardo Galvez, who was shot and killed last November. I never had the opportunity to meet Officer Galvez--or Ricky, as he was called by those who knew him--but I have been deeply impressed to hear of his patriotism as a United States Marine, his work ethic, his dedication to service as a Downey policeman, his generosity, and his infectious smile. His memory will live on not just in the hearts of his friends and family, but on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. During National Police Week, it was my privilege to attend Sunday's National Peace Officers' Memorial Service honoring Ricky and the many other police officers who lost their lives in 2015. Also in attendance were Ricky's family and many of his fellow Downey police officers. The ceremony was a solemn event and a reminder of the sacrifice police officers, like Officer Ricardo Galvez, and their families make to keep our communities safe. On behalf of myself and the communities I represent, I salute all our law enforcement officers and thank them for their service.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, today is Equal Pay Day, which symbolizes how many additional days since the beginning of this year a woman had to work full-time to earn the same amount a man earned last year. The sad truth is that equal pay for American women remains a goal, not a reality. It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, women still earn just 79 cents for each dollar a man earns. For women of color, the facts are even worse: African American women earn just 60 cents, and Latinas just 55 cents, for each dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. These pay gaps are appalling, and cannot be justified. Today, mothers are the breadwinners or co-breadwinners in more than half of U.S. households. Like men, their families depend on their salaries to pay for shelter, food, their children's education, and health care. Women merit and deserve equal pay for equal work. Congress must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. This will strengthen America's families and our national economy as well. Let us reaffirm the simple truth that when women succeed, America succeeds.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I led the planting of a tree on the U.S. Capitol Grounds in honor of my father, the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal. The tree, a red oak (Quercus rubra), was planted on the south side of the House of Representatives along Southwest Drive, near the intersection of Independence Avenue SW and South Capitol Street. For helping to make this planting a reality, I extend my most sincere thanks to Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt, Architect of the Capitol Stephen R. Ayers, and all my congressional colleagues who signed the letter in support of the tree planting ceremony. On behalf of my family, I also extend my deep gratitude and appreciation to three congressional leaders who spoke at yesterday's ceremony: Senator Harry Reid, whom my father admired and considered a very dear friend; Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, whom my father often referred to as the gentlelady from California and predicted would one day become a great leader; and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, whom my father respected and proudly served with as a member of the Appropriations Committee. I also want to offer my heartfelt thanks to House Chaplain Fr. Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., who blessed the tree during the ceremony. In celebration of the centennial of my father's birth, I can think of no greater tribute than the planting of this red oak tree on the U.S. Capitol Grounds. Adding to this occasion is that it is also the 40th anniversary of my father's founding of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, better known as NALEO. If my father were alive today, of all the tributes he has received, including the Medal of Freedom from President Obama, the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Clinton, the naming of the CDC Campus in his honor, and many others, this would be among his most cherished, because this tree is being planted between the House of Representatives, which my father truly believed is the people's house, and the Rayburn Building, where he spent much of his 30 years in Congress doing the people's work. The magic of this tree is that it will be a living testimony of my father's work to ignite beacons of hope and opportunity for all Americans. As a poet once wrote, ``A tree is the greatest human service provider. It provides shade while standing, comfort when converted, and fire when burned.'' To all who made yesterday possible, and to those who honored us with your presence and made this occasion even more special, my family and I are extremely grateful, and we thank you.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 639. This bill would allow Speaker Ryan, on behalf of the House, to file an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case on expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). An amicus brief submitted by the House of Representatives should convey the sentiments of the entire House and not just those of the Republican party--a party whose frontrunner in the presidential campaign has maligned our immigrant communities with hateful and demeaning rhetoric. The Speaker and his party do not speak for the whole House on this matter, and they certainly do not speak for me. I support the president's executive actions to expand DACA and implement DAPA. Every president for more than fifty years, regardless of party, has taken executive action on immigration, including Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. President Obama's actions are a step forward in allowing more people to come out of the shadows to participate more fully in our communities. If Speaker Ryan and House Republicans are serious about reforming our broken immigration system, they should not waste time and taxpayer money on partisan political stunts. Instead, I call on the Speaker to bring his caucus to the table to help negotiate a sensible, bipartisan immigration reform package that will enhance our national security, protect the dignity of families, grow our economy, and put millions of immigrants on a path to citizenship.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I was absent due to illness and was not present for roll call votes on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted in this manner: Rollcall Vote No. 106--Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 635--the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 4557--Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act of 2016--``no.'' Rollcall Vote No. 107--Adoption of H. Res. 635--the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 4557--Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act of 2016--``no.'' Rollcall Vote No. 108--S. 1826 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 99 West 2nd Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, as the Lieutenant Colonel James ``Maggie'' Megellas Post Office Office--``yes.'' Rollcall Vote No. 109--Passage of H.R. 4557--Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act of 1016--``yes.'' Rollcall Vote No. 110--Journal--``yes.''

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for one roll call vote on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted in this manner: Roll Call Vote Number 50--Palazzo of Mississippi Amendment No. 7--no.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for one rollcall vote on Wednesday, January 13, 2016. Had I been present, I would have voted in this manner: Rollcall Vote Number 44--H.R. 3662--``no.'' personal explanation

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this tax bill, which is unpaid for and adds more than $600 billion to the deficit, primarily to benefit corporations at the expense of working families. In the future, to address the revenue loss in this bill will require reduced funding for education, health care, and job training programs essential to improving the lives of hardworking Americans. This is completely unacceptable. While there are some positive elements in this bill, including making the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit permanent, the bill does not allow the Child Tax Credit to keep pace with inflation, which means the tax credit will be worth less and less as the years go by. Mr. Speaker, the tax provisions in this bill don't do enough to help families make ends meet, and will force us to underfund programs that Americans need to educate their children, keep their families healthy, and provide for their families' future and well-being. I will vote against this bill because it is a bad deal for American families.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I can attest that Division F of the bill before us today, which provides funds for the Department of Homeland Security, is the result of careful consideration, intense scrutiny, and bipartisan collaboration. I want to thank Chairman Carter for his leadership and his partnership in crafting our portion of the bill. The bill provides significant resources for critical priorities, including funding: to recapitalize the Coast Guard air and marine fleets; to fully fund FEMA's disaster relief activities, including wildfire management assistance grants, and to significantly enhance support for flood mapping and pre-disaster mitigation; to maintain funding for FEMA terrorism preparedness grants, including $50 million in new funding to help communities counter violent extremism and prepare for complex, coordinated terrorist attacks; to allow the Secret Service to continue implementing the recommendations of the Protective Mission Panel; and to enhance cybersecurity across the federal government, along with significant additional funds to help protect DHS's own cyber systems. I am pleased that the bill does not include the harmful immigration policy riders that were adopted during committee consideration of the House bill. I am also pleased that the omnibus incorporates a number of amendments and priorities I fought for during the Appropriations Committee markups. These include my amendment with Congresswoman Lee which creates and funds a comprehensive, non-partisan child poverty study, and my amendment to defund the licensing or relicensing of Class B animal dealers who sell ``random source'' dogs and cats for use in research. It is also important to note that my colleagues and I were successful in preserving funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This funding bill is not entirely what I had hoped for. Many of my colleagues feel the same way, and I share many of their concerns. I was extremely disappointed that provisions to help our U.S. Citizen Puerto Rican brothers and sisters manage the fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico were not included in the bill. The residents of Puerto Rico are suffering, and we have a responsibility to provide them with the tools they need to rebuild their economy. I was also disappointed that on the heels of a historic climate change agreement, the bill includes a giveaway to Big Oil by ending the 40-year prohibition on the exportation of crude oil. This prohibition was set in place to help our country achieve energy independence and to protect national security and economic interests. Lifting this ban will only hinder our goals and harm American refinery jobs, all for the sake of a handout to Big Oil. However, without this omnibus bill, my home state of California and communities across the country would be faced with the uncertain funding level of a continuing resolution, or, in the worst case, the effects of a government shutdown. We cannot risk another government shutdown or another year of flat funding for the critical programs our communities need. On balance, I believe this bill should move forward. For that reason, I ask for an aye vote.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, as the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I can attest that Division F of the bill before us today, which provides funds for the Department of Homeland Security, is the result of careful consideration, intense scrutiny, and bipartisan collaboration. I want to thank Chairman Carter for his leadership and his partnership in crafting our portion of the bill. The bill provides significant resources for critical priorities, including funding to recapitalize the Coast Guard air and marine fleets; to fully fund FEMA's disaster relief activities, including wildfire management assistance grants, and to significantly enhance support for flood mapping and predisaster mitigation; and to maintain funding for FEMA terrorism preparedness grants, including $50 million to new funding to help communities counter violent extremism and prepare for complex, coordinated terrorist attacks. Without this omnibus bill, my home State of California and communities across the country would be faced with the uncertain funding level of a continuing resolution or, in the worst case, the effects of a government shutdown. It is also important to note the bill does not include a number of harmful immigration policy riders that were adopted during the committee consideration of the House bill. This funding bill is clearly not what I had hoped for. Many of my colleagues feel the same way. I share many of their concerns, including the lack of assistance provided to Puerto Rico and the giveaways to Big Oil. However, on balance, I believe this bill should move forward. I ask for an ``aye'' vote.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to focus on child poverty. Before I do, I would like to commend my colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for her long and steadfast commitment to addressing the crisis of child poverty in our Nation. According to the 2015 National Center for Children in Poverty report, in the United States, more than 16 million children live in families with incomes below the Federal poverty level. A new study by the Urban Institute found that almost 40 percent of all American children live in poverty for at least 1 year before they reach the age of 18. America's children, who represent 23 percent of the U.S. population, make up over 32 percent of those living in poverty. Sadly, my home State of California is an example of this human tragedy. Today, 2.5 million Californians live in deep poverty, and 33 percent of them are children whose family income is less than $12,000 a year. In my district alone, 37,000 children live in extreme poverty. The harmful conditions associated with poverty include substandard housing, lack of nutrition, overcrowding, and exposure to violence, all of which can be toxic to a developing child's brain. Research tells us that, even when experienced for a short period of time, many of the negative effects of living in poverty stay with children for the rest of their lives. This includes higher rates of health and developmental problems, poor academic achievement, and lower rates of high school graduation. In addition to the individual tragedy of child poverty, it ultimately impacts all of us, costing our country an estimated $500 billion a year in lost earnings, higher crime-related costs, and increased health expenditures. Unfortunately, there is a deep void in awareness and government accountability for the devastating crisis of child poverty in our country. To address this lack of awareness, this year Congresswoman Barbara Lee and I offered an amendment to the Labor HHS appropriations bill to fund a comprehensive National Academies of Science nonpartisan analysis of child poverty in the U.S. Such a study would enable Congress to better understand the root causes of child poverty in our Nation. It would provide invaluable information on how Congress and service providers can improve the effectiveness and outcomes of poverty-related programs and services. Fortunately, our appropriations colleagues on both sides of the aisle agreed with us and unanimously supported our amendment. We are grateful that it was included in the final House version of the FY16 Labor Health and Human Services bill. Our amendment is now part of a package of bills being conferenced with Senate appropriators. It is our sincere hope that our child poverty amendment will be included in the conferenced Labor, Health, and Human Services appropriations bill for FY16. Mr. Speaker, it is unconscionable that, in the United States, the richest country in the world, child poverty is destroying the lives of millions of our Nation's children. We must address this tragedy now. I thank Congresswoman Lee for organizing this Special Order and for her relentless leadership in the call to action to end child poverty in this country.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report on H.R. 22, The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. This agreement is long overdue, as communities across the country have been clamoring for a long-term funding bill that provides certainty to infrastructure projects across the country, rather than trying to pay for these projects with flat-line funding and short-term extensions. This legislative measure provides $281 billion in guaranteed funding for highway, transit, and transportation safety programs for five years. This funding will keep these programs solvent for the entire five-year period. In addition, the agreement provides $24 billion from the General Fund, including $11.5 billion to be used for transit New Starts projects and $10.4 billion for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail grants. Thanks to this measure, California will receive $19.4 billion in highway funding and $6.8 billion in transit funding over the five-year period. I am also proud to support the four-year reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank included in this conference report. This bank supports millions of dollars in exports by 40th District businesses, and helps level the playing field for American businesses to better compete in today's ever-growing, interconnected economy. I applaud the bipartisan effort which was so critical to including the bank's reauthorization in this agreement, and I look forward to witnessing the bank's further success and its continued support for American businesses. However, this package is not perfect. The reality is our country needs an even more robust investment in infrastructure than what is provided through this measure. I also have concerns about the funding provisions in this bill. For example, it indexes Customs User Fees to inflation and uses them to offset the cost of the bill at a time when these fees are needed for expenses related to staffing at our borders. Nevertheless, I hope that the funding stability this agreement provides will allow us to look ahead to the long-term solvency of the highway and transit programs. Congress should utilize the five-year authorization period to develop a reliable and reasonable funding mechanism to pay for future reauthorizations that eliminates the need for multiple short-term extensions. I believe this bipartisan legislation is a step in the right direction, and I urge all members to support this agreement.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my sister, Lillian Roybal Rose, who made a career of leading nationally acclaimed cross-cultural leadership awareness seminars and workshops which fostered greater understanding between people of diverse backgrounds, and helped lay a foundation for a more peaceful multicultural future. For over 35 years, Lillian taught her workshops to academic, corporate, civic, and community groups. Her ultimate goal was to increase participants' self-awareness and help them establish mutual understanding and respect for others. She did this by creating a safe and supportive environment for participants to learn how internalized oppression affects thinking and attitudes, and how the resulting patterns of behavior affect communication between individuals, within groups, and between groups. When Lillian developed this workshop in the late 1970s, it turned the then-current diversity training model of ``blame and shame'' on its head. Her workshops relied on practical theoretical models based on psychology and ethics, and on interactive and experiential activities that allowed participants not merely to engage their minds but to open their hearts. This workshop approach, coupled with Lillian's ability to see and bring out the best in people, helped participants build powerful frameworks for effective long-term cooperation and communication, and enabled them to reclaim pride in their roots through the exploration of shared experiences. Lillian understood that the key to appreciating others is developing a better understanding of ourselves. When we can define and recognize forms of oppression that affect all of us, we can begin to relate to each other as individuals and build alliances. Over and over again, I have met individuals from across the country who have expressed their gratitude for my sister's work. Those who have participated in her workshops have told me countless times, ``She has changed my life and made me a better person.'' While my sister is retired and no longer presents her workshops, she has been convinced by many of those same participants to give a farewell presentation. On December 12th and December 13th on the campus of the University of California at Santa Barbara, Lillian will present an encore workshop. People from different parts of the country will again be there to experience Lillian's brilliance, compassion, authenticity, and humility as she takes this final opportunity to share her life's work. Lillian has said of the people who participated in her workshops, ``We gave, and continue to give each other support and hope that we can reach a fair and just society, where all can be treated with dignity and respect, have equal opportunity, and where we can love and celebrate our differences. My love and thank you to all.'' Mr. Speaker, I have been blessed to have Lillian as my sister, and I am proud to join Lillian's colleagues and friends for her encore workshop and in honoring her life's work.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. The ESEA was a landmark civil rights bill that boosted the academic achievement of low-income and minority students, and I am pleased to see its much-needed reauthorization, following its previous reauthorization in the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. I must acknowledge, however, that the ESSA is not a perfect bill. For example, this bill does not require student data to be disaggregated for Asian American and Pacific Islander subgroups, and does not require states to act if federal resources are given inequitably to schools. However, the bill is a significant improvement over the No Child Left Behind Act and the ESEA reauthorization that passed out of the House earlier this year. For example, I was heartened to see that the bill includes academic standards that will prepare students for college and careers, requirements for states to intervene in schools in need of government support, removal of No Child Left Behind's most punitive provisions, and increased monitoring, regulation, and focus on the unique needs of English Language Learners. These provisions are critical to helping underserved students achieve academic and lifelong success. I was also pleased to see that the ESSA includes strong language to address violence in our schools and communities. For example, it maintains dedicated funding for afterschool programs and makes violence prevention and trauma support efforts eligible for federal funds, provisions which Congresswoman Karen Bass and I urged in a letter to education leaders last month. For these reasons, I am proud to stand in support of this bipartisan legislation in order to improve the quality of education received by our country's most vulnerable students.

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong solidarity with our brothers and sisters in France. I join them in their grief over the tragic events of November 13, I keep them in my thoughts and prayers, and I hope that their healing will soon begin. In the wake of the heinous attacks in Paris and across the world, I stand here today in strong opposition to H.R. 4038, the so-called American SAFE Act. As the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, my top priority is to keep the American people safe. Toward that end, our nation's current review system for refugees is extensive and rigorous. Refugees are required to wait overseas for at least 18 to 24 months before they can be admitted into our country, and they enter only if they meet all vetting requirements. The current process checks biographical and biometric data against law enforcement and intelligence databases, and there is no waiver for any part of the process. H.R. 4038 seeks to exploit the understandable fear that some Americans feel by effectively shutting down the refugee resettlement program for Syrian and Iraqi nationals, possibly for years, until a new vetting process is established. The passage of this bill will effectively close our doors to people seeking refuge from barbaric attacks like those that were committed in Paris. I support looking for ways to strengthen the screening process our nation currently has in place. However, strengthening our refugee screening process does not mean we must turn our back on some of the globe's most vulnerable people, especially women and children. That would go against our American values and weaken our standing among our allies. This includes France, which, in spite of the horrors it experienced in Paris, has pledged to take in 30,000 refugees. The United States has been built by people of many nations, races, and faiths, who fled hunger and persecution in search of a better life in America. We have a long history of welcoming the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. For centuries, America has been a beacon of light and hope for those in need. Let us not dim that light in the face of fear. Let us not block the refuge that our nation can provide to the men, women, and children who suffer at the hands of extremist regimes. Let us embrace the maxim that our French brothers and sisters have shared with the world, one that exemplifies three universal values of humanity: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. I urge all Members to oppose this bill.