Raul Ruiz

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Joanne Leinow on her retirement after 28 years of service with the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program, whose mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Throughout her nearly three decades of service, Ms. Leinow has been involved in with BBBS in both large and small communities, all across the country including Cincinnati, Ohio, Los Angeles, California, and most recently here in our desert. From her contribution in 1960, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to her work with the Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters in Los Angeles in the 1990s, and finally her most recent service over the past 9 years with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert, Ms. Leinow has made a tremendous impact on thousands of youth in our nation. In 2002, Ms. Leinow was hired at the BBBS of the Desert to develop a site based mentoring program. Unfamiliar with the region, Ms. Leinow performed her BBBS ``magic.'' In 2006 she was promoted to Partnership Development Director for her incredible job recruiting new volunteers, developing community and business partnerships, and making sure that the Coachella Valley community knew BBBSD was the ``go-to'' agency for mentoring. From the time Ms. Leinow became the Partnership Development Director in 2006, BBBSD has seen a 108% increase in the number of children served, increasing from 333 children in 2006 to 555 in 2010. Ms. Leinow's hard work and passion for public service does not go unnoticed. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Skip Walsh Award in 2011, which honors BBBS professionals who excel in the qualities of education, enthusiasm, and generosity. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Leinow's commitment to public service and particularly to stimulate children to overcome hardship through mentorship is an act of human kindness. On behalf of all those who have benefited from BBBSD, and the residents of California's 36th Congressional District, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks and congratulate Ms. Leinow for her exceptional commitment. I wish her well in her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize the extraordinary contributions Fred Deharo has made to the health and wellbeing of residents in the Coachella Valley, making a real difference in the lives of the people I serve. There is a dire need for quality health education and health care in the Coachella Valley. As an Emergency Physician myself, I know how critical it is for this population to have access to health care and education, and have seen first-hand the impact of Mr. Deharo's work. For the last 35 years, Mr. Deharo has dedicated his life to expanding and improving public health. Upon graduating from UCLA with a Masters of Arts in Health Education-School of Public Health, Mr. Deharo was hired by ``El Progreso Del Desierto,'' a farm worker health clinic in Coachella, to run their health education program, and eventually became their Executive Director. Mr. Deharo's genuine passion for our country's medically underserved populations steered him toward his next professional endeavor. In 1993, he began consulting and grant writing, and was instrumental in the opening of the health clinic ``Clinicas Del Pueblo'' in Mecca, CA. Mecca, primarily a farming community, lacks access to basic health care and health education facilities. Continuing with his service to underserved communities of Southern California, Mr. Deharo returned to the Coachella Valley in 1998 and in collaboration with another passionate health advocate, Rosa Lucas, they contributed to the opening of another clinic ``Santa Rosa Del Valle'' in Coachella, CA. Currently Mr. Deharo is Chief Contracts Officer for Borrego Community Health Foundation. And soon will be the Director of Contracting and Business Development for Clinicas Del Camino Real, Inc. in Ventura County, Ca. Mr. Deharo recognizes the urgent needs that medically underserved communities struggle with on a daily basis. As a resident of the Coachella Valley, and as a Doctor, I thank Mr. Deharo for his life's work to provide better healthcare access to the rural and underserved communities of the Coachella Valley. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the thousands of families and children who have access to a Doctor through the health clinics that Mr. Deharo helped make possible, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to Mr. Deharo, and look forward to continuing to support his legacy.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mrs. Deharo on her well-deserved retirement as Director of Migrant Education, after 35 years of educational service in various capacities in Coachella Valley, especially on behalf of migrant farmworkers families and children in Riverside County. For more than thirty years, Mrs. Deharo dedicated both her career and her life to improving the lives of hundreds of migrant children and their families. In the face of adversity, and despite a chronic lack of resources, Mrs. Deharo has successfully helped students graduate from high school and attend college, enhancing not only their lives, but their community as a whole. Mrs. Deharo's involvement with students goes beyond the classroom. She routinely participated in countless student and family events, from after-school tutoring and summer college institutes, to home visits. Mrs. Deharo vision to bring services to students in their communities became a reality when she fought and received funding for a bookmobile, which helps migrant children and families by strengthening their literacy skills through computer training, story time, arts and crafts and free books. In her long and successful career, Mrs. Deharo, worked as a teacher for ten years at the Coachella Valley Unified School District, she was a School Facilitator for three years, Bilingual Coordinator for three years, and a Principal for 9 years. Mrs. Deharo also served as the Riverside County Office of Education Director of Migrant Education for 11 years. As proof of her achievement and leadership, county offices and district from across the great state of California have requested her assistance with their migrant education programs. Mrs. Deharo understands firsthand the difficulties that these children face. Having someone like Mrs. Deharo by our side is a blessing and an inspiration to achieve the American Dream. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all the thousands of children and families that had the opportunity to work with Mrs. Deharo, and the residents of California's 36th Congressional District, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks and congratulate Mrs. Deharo for her passion and pride for educational excellence. I wish her well in her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from California, Norma Torres, for her remarks in support of the bill. I would like to thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to again thank Representative Paul Cook for his support of this legislation. I would like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their work to bring this noncontroversial bill to the floor before the end of the summer. I look forward to working together in the future on additional legislation to provide our tribal nations with the tools to create their own economic opportunity through self-determination and self-governance. I urge my colleagues to come together, once again, and pass this commonsense bill that will create jobs and spur economic development for the Morongo Tribe and the city of Banning. Vote ``yes'' on H.R. 387. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This is a clear example, as Representative Paul Cook said, of two neighboring districts from different parties coming together for the benefit of economic development, for the betterment of our tribes, and for the betterment of our counties. At this point, Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank my colleague, Representative Paul Cook, for his support of this legislation, as well as to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for their work to bring this non-controversial bill to the floor before the end of the summer. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres), my friend and colleague, who also sits on the Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am proud to rise in support of my bill, H.R. 387, the Economic Development Through Tribal Land Exchange Act. This non-controversial, bipartisan bill passed unanimously out of the House Natural Resources Committee and is supported by the Department of the Interior. The bill would aid economic development in the city of Banning, California, through a land swap that is supported by all of the parties involved. Currently, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and a private landowner, Mr. Lloyd Fields, would like to exchange two parcels of land which are nearly identical in size and value, but they are restrained from doing so because one of the parcels is currently held in trust by the United States on behalf of the tribe. My bill facilitates an equitable land swap between the Morongo tribe and the landowner to provide more consolidated reservation land for the tribe and commercial development opportunities for the landowner, the city of Banning, and Riverside County. This bill serves as a model for how land use issues can be addressed by communities coming together while upholding the sacred government- to-government relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes. I would like to thank Chairman Robert Martin of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the city of Banning for bringing this issue to my attention. I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Paul Cook from California, for being an original cosponsor, and Senator Boxer from California for introducing the bill in the Senate. I would also like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva for expediting this bill through committee so that we could bring it to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, this is the type of bill that we can all support for the simple reason that it benefits all parties involved and spurs economic development and job creation. We passed this bill unanimously on the floor last year. Let's move it once again. I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 387. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, today, it is my honor to recognize and congratulate Roberta Gianfortoni, assistant dean for professional education at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, as she retires after 26 years of service. Assistant Dean Gianfortoni has been an inspirational leader and adviser in the School of Public Health for more than 4,000 graduates, including myself. Her guidance and mentorship during my time at Harvard opened my eyes to new issues and innovative solutions, inspiring me to think outside the box to address our public health challenges. The students she mentored have gone on to become doctors, professors, national and international leaders, and advocates all working to improve public health conditions right here at home and across the globe. Her contributions to our Nation's public health will last for generations. I cherish my time and the lessons I learned from Assistant Dean Gianfortoni. After 26 years of service, I congratulate her on her retirement. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor District Chief Daniel J. Felix as he retires after more than 30 years of firefighting service to our nation, the majority of those years dedicated to protecting the beautiful mountains of San Bernardino and San Jacinto, located in California's 36th District. In 1983, Mr. Felix started his firefighting career as an intern on the Superior National Forest Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. After obtaining his Masters of Science in Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin--Madison, Mr. Felix volunteered for the Superior National Forest. Mr. Felix was later hired on by the Superior National Forest in Minnesota and the Olympic National Forest in Washington State. Two years later, Mr. Felix came to the San Bernardino National Forest Heart Bar Station, where he spent his first year fighting fire with the Forest Service. In 1997 Mr. Felix was promoted to Captain at the Kenworthy Station of the San Jacinto Ranger District. He went on to be promoted to Battalion Chief of San Jacinto Ranger District in 2001, promoted to Forest Fuels Officer on San Bernardino National Forest in 2007, and in 2010 promoted to District Fire Management Officer in the San Jacinto Ranger District. Mr. Speaker, Chief Felix's dedication to the protection of our forests and the safety of our residents deserves acknowledgment. On behalf of all the mountain communities and the residents of California's 36th Congressional District, I would like to thank and congratulate Mr. Felix for his service and wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to recognize California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) President, Dr. Tomas Morales on his appointment to serve as National Chairman of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). Dr. Morales has led a life of distinguished service as an Educator and University President, and has held senior positions at three of the largest public universities in the nation, including California State University (CSU), The State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY). Among his many contributions to higher education, Dr. Morales has also served as Co-Chair of the National Task Force on College Readiness for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, creating a roadmap for K-12 school systems to prepare students for college upon graduation. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York, Dr. Morales knows firsthand the struggles our youth face as they strive to achieve the American Dream through higher education. Growing up, Dr. Morales worked hard by delivering newspapers and cleaning apartment floors before realizing his own dreams through education. Overcoming adversity, Dr. Morales went on to earn a bachelor's degree in history from SUNY New Paltz and a master's degree and doctorate in educational administration and policy studies from SUNY Albany. I am proud to recognize Dr. Morales' nearly four decades of service and look forward to seeing the vision and leadership he will bring to the National Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and their mission to promote the development of member colleges and universities to improve the access to and the quality of post-secondary educational opportunities for Hispanic students. For his work on behalf of aspiring students, I congratulate Dr. Morales on his appointment to serve as the President of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and look forward to his future success.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to recognize Health Education Program Specialist, Valerie S. Velez for her tireless efforts to preserve the Peer Leaders Uniting Students (PLUS) program that engages student leaders to address the social issues in their community. This year they have chosen to focus on eliminating social disparities in tobacco use in the local community of Hemet, California. Ms. Velez has been working as a Health Education Program Specialist at the Hemet Unified School District (HUSD) since 1992. She earned a Master's degree in Public Health from U.C. Berkeley and B.S. from U.C. Davis in Applied Behavioral Sciences. In addition, Ms. Velez has been responsible for coordinating a wide variety of programs, including health education and safe school climate programs for HUSD; federal initiatives from the U.S. Department of Education, and the State Tobacco Use Prevention Education grant. The PLUS program engages middle and high school students as peer leaders promoting mutual understanding and respect on their campuses, working toward innovating solutions that create more welcoming, positive and connected school environments in which students can thrive socially and academically. In 2014, almost 100 students from the HUSD began collaborating with the Hemet Community Action Network and the California Department of Public Health to improve social disparities in tobacco use in the local community through youth advocacy. Students also made a presentation to the City Council to demonstrate the detrimental health effects of second hand smoke and tobacco waste. Soon after, the City Council adopted a landmark ordinance for the City of Hemet that bans tobacco use in parks. I am pleased to recognize Ms. Velez for her service and for being a champion for the PLUS program, in the face of budget obstacles. For her work and on behalf of the HUSD students, I applaud Ms. Velez on her dedication to make our community better and look forward to even more accomplishments in the future.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize Mr. Joshue Leyva, a mature young pre-medical student. Joshue's talent, integrity, dedication and passion for community service are indications that he unquestionably will fulfill his goal of becoming a doctor and serve the underserved communities of the Coachella Valley. Joshue, a second generation immigrant, is a shining example of how migrant families contribute to and make our great nation stronger. When Joshue's family arrived in the U.S. in 1980, they came with nothing, searching for a new beginning and a better life for their children. Overcoming hardship through hard work, their son Joshue became the first in his family to graduate from a university, my own alma mater, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Despite his young age, Joshue has an extensive list of accomplishments. He was one of the first student participants in the Future Physician Leaders (FPL) mentorship program, created to address the physician shortage crisis in our communities. In 2011 Joshue showcased his leadership, becoming the founder of ``A Healthier Future,'' a community outreach program to provide health education and medical screenings to the most vulnerable populations in the Coachella Valley. He was also a lead research and volunteer coordinator for the Coachella Valley Healthcare Initiative. Joshue's dedication to community service also crossed national borders when he became a volunteer for the Ministerio de Salud, a program that every year gives free medical care to vulnerable populations in the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. Joshue Leyva has been an integral and essential part of my District staff, committed to excellence in public service for the betterment of our communities. As he leaves my office to pursue his dreams--an American Dream--I wish him well and look forward to reading about his future accomplishments.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, as I was summoned to serve on jury duty in my district, I was unable to be present for votes on the House floor on May 12, 2015. Below is an explanation of how I would have voted and why. I would have voted for H.R. 606, the Don't Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act, which excludes benefits paid to survivors of public safety officers killed in the line of duty from federal income tax. While such federal survivor benefits are generally exempt from taxation, this bill would ensure that the grieving families of brave officers who give their life in the line of duty do not also bear an unexpected income tax burden. I would have voted for Rep. Edwards's amendment to H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which aims to address criticisms of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule defining ``Waters of the United States.'' This amendment would have clarified that the new definition does not expand the scope of EPA's authority under the Clean Water Act, and provided specific exemptions that help prevent spikes in the cost of water in our desert communities. However, I would have voted against final passage of H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which would prevent the EPA from finalizing a proposed rule clarifying which bodies of water are subject to the Clean Water Act. This bill would undermine the EPA's ability to safeguard our water supply, and invalidates the thousands of public comments submitted on the proposed rule without even seeing the final product.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, I thank Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur for their leadership and hard work on this bill. I urge my colleagues to come together in a bipartisan fashion and support my amendment to ensure the Bureau dedicates essential resources towards projects that will help keep American-made food on the table and prevent a dangerous rise in food prices across the country, again, just taking money from taxpayer-subsidized research that they can afford on their own and putting it to combating our drought. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chairman, before I begin, I thank Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur for their hard work and collaboration on this important bill. I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 2028, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act, that provides additional, critical resources for the Bureau of Reclamation to undertake projects that address the historic and severe drought conditions across the West. Mr. Chairman, one of the worst droughts in modern history is ravaging our Nation's crops, choking our fragile economic recovery, and placing our water supply in unprecedented jeopardy. Last year, more than 60 percent of the contiguous United States suffered drought conditions, and the West continues to bear the brunt of this burden. In the Olympic Mountains of northwest Washington State, the snowpack contained just 7 percent of the average. In California, the drought is the worst to hit the State since record-keeping started in 1895. 2013 was the driest year on record, and 2014 was the hottest. The impacts of this severe drought are harsh and far-reaching, threatening public health, degrading the environment, increasing the risk of wildfires, and hampering a wide range of industries. In 2012, California's agriculture industry contributed over $45 billion to the United States economy. Last year, because of the drought, hundreds of thousands of acres were left fallow because sufficient water was unavailable. According to a University of California study, this cost the State $2.2 billion in direct economic output and the devastating loss of 17,100 seasonal and part-time jobs. These effects will be felt by Americans across the country. This year, the price of fruits and vegetables is expected to rise 3 percent, in part due to the severe drought conditions in California. Furthermore, continuing to draw down groundwater supplies in California will have dangerous public health impacts. In rural communities, where residents rely on wells for drinking water, reduced groundwater levels result in higher concentrations of contaminants, including dangerous nitrates and arsenic. Stagnant pools have also created breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The California Department of Public Health announced in April that the State had a record-breaking number of deaths related to the mosquito- borne West Nile virus in 2014. In addition to West Nile, the arid conditions could also increase the number of cases of valley fever, a potentially fatal disease caused by a fungus called Coccidioides that can grow in the soil and becomes airborne if the soil dries out. While the majority of people exposed to the spores do not exhibit symptoms, people who start to develop the disease can have cough, fever, headache, and, in rare cases, it can lead to death. It is time for action at all levels of government to address the dangerous economic and public health impacts of ignoring this drought. Back home in the southern California desert, local water agencies are working to help residents, businesses, and municipalities convert their lawns and landscaping into water-efficient desert landscapes. At the Federal level, the Bureau of Reclamation is investing in public-private partnerships to help improve the delivery of water for agricultural users, which in turn allows them to invest in more water- efficient irrigation techniques, such as drip irrigation. The Bureau can also help communities whose wells have run dry due to excessive groundwater pumping install relief wells that provide, in some cases, the only source of freshwater for an entire town. And through one of the most successful water conservation grant programs, the WaterSMART program, the Bureau has helped local water agencies, tribal governments, irrigation districts, and State agencies implement water conservation techniques that have conserved over 860,000 acre- feet of water since 2009. For these reasons, Mr. Chairman, my amendment would simply shift funding away from taxpayer-subsidized fossil fuel research that benefits the wealthiest oil companies that can pay for the research themselves and redirect it toward critical Bureau of Reclamation activities to address the impacts of this devastating drought and help mitigate future droughts. We must put the American economy, our constituents, and the public's health above politics and Big Oil. I urge my colleagues to come together to support my amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chairman, I will start off by saying thank you to Chairman Dent and Ranking Member Bishop for their hard work on this appropriations bill. I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 2029, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2016. This amendment is for the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country, our veterans. California is home to almost 2 million veterans, and I am proud to represent more than 54,000 veterans in my district alone. There are 40,000 veterans expected to return to California every year for the next several years, including the fastest growing group of returning veterans, women. As our troops come home and assimilate back into civilian life, it is critical that we do not abandon our veterans when they put down their weapons; instead, we must ensure they have timely access to the critical benefits they have earned and deserve. Unconscionably, thousands of veterans who have sacrificed for our country are struggling to access benefits they have already earned. Due to the lingering claims backlog at the Veterans Health Administration, veterans across our Nation are waiting for pensions, prescription drugs, and even lifesaving medical care. Veterans are still waiting for the VA to process 448,000 benefit claims, and 176,000 of those veterans have been waiting longer than 125 days for a decision. Our work to clear this harmful backlog is not finished, and we owe it to these courageous men and women to do so as soon as possible. These figures are staggering, but the people this is affecting are not mere statistics. They are men and women like retired Air Force Master Sergeant Andrew Walker and his family from Beaumont, California. Mr. Walker and his family waited years on end without receiving the critical health care he was promised, earned, and desperately needed. While I am heartened that I was able to help resolve Mr. Walker's claim, the backlog remains an enduring nightmare for too many veterans across the country. Reduced to a claim number and a seemingly endless line, veterans experience pain, frustration, hopelessness, and despair. Although the backlog has shrunk since Congress last passed a similar appropriations bill, we must not lose sight of the importance of getting veterans like Andrew Walker their hard-earned benefits as soon as possible. As a member of the VA Committee, I am fighting to change the culture at the VA from the inside out. By focusing on veteran-centered care and ensuring that the VA continues working to eliminate this backlog, we can take much-needed steps in keeping faith with our veterans and getting them the benefits they have earned. That is why I am offering this amendment to advocate for an additional $5 million to fund the digital scanning of health and benefits files to reduce the backlog by redirecting funding within the general operating expenses account of the Veterans Benefits Administration. This amendment simply directs funds toward the digital scanning of health and benefit files that will reduce the claims backlog without any new spending. As an emergency medicine physician, I understand the importance of efficiency in health care, and I know how dangerous such tribulations can be for a person with PTSD or depression. By committing resources to digitizing health and benefits files, we will further increase VA's capacity to tackle the claims backlog, ensuring veterans receive the benefits they have earned in a timely manner. Let us continue to bear in mind that these men and women have served this country and they have put their lives on the line. We must service them by making certain that Congress focuses on eliminating the claims backlog for good. I encourage my colleagues to stand up for veterans and support my pragmatic amendment to reduce veterans claims processing times. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize the extraordinary work of the Riverside County Child Care Consortium and their partners on the success of the 5th Annual Day of the Young Child/ Dia de los Ninos celebration. The cities of Cathedral City, Coachella and La Quinta are proud participants of this important celebration. The planning committee of the Week of the Young Child (WOYC) in 2015 served our communities tirelessly and devoted themselves to raising awareness about the needs of young children and their parents and the importance of early childhood programs. The Coachella Valley is home to more than 10,000 children under age six. More than half of these children are involved in Early Childhood Programs for at least part of their day in the over 4,300 licensed child care spaces in the Coachella Valley. WOYC's annual celebration event is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This is the nation's largest early childhood association, with almost 80,000 members and over 300 affiliates, including Riverside County. This event celebrates the contribution of organizations, community members and parents who support the well-being of our children and the future of our nation. I would like to thank WOYC committee, the cities of Coachella, La Quinta, Cathedral City and the Riverside County Child Care Consortium for their efforts this year in making our community a better place for future generations.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Eileen Packer on her retirement after 9 years of service as the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Health Assessment Resource Center (HARC). During her tenure, Ms. Packer was instrumental in founding HARC and seeking the organization's nonprofit designation. She designed the organization's triennial needs assessment and was critical to building strong support for the organization across the community. As a physician and a native of the Coachella Valley, I commend Ms. Packer's work to assess the health and wellness of Coachella Valley residents and improve access to critical health care services. To date, the data from these surveys has helped generate over $7.1 million in funds for much-needed programs and services to improve the wellbeing of residents in our community. As a Registered Dietitian and Certified Association Executive, Ms. Packer worked in the Los Angeles area as Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Tarzana Regional Medical Center. After 11 years there, she led as CEO of the 7,000-member California Dietetic Association located in Los Angeles. As a volunteer, Ms. Packer currently serves on the Riverside County Office on Aging Advisory Council and is a member of the Gilda's Club Medical Resource Council. Previously, she served as President of the Southern California Society of Association Executives. Mr. Speaker, Eileen's dedication to public service and health education is a true testament to her great work ethic and leadership. On behalf of all those who have benefited from HARC, the medical community and the residents of California's 36th Congressional District, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks and congratulate Eileen for her exceptional commitment. I wish her well in her well- deserved retirement.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council (MCFSC) of Idyllwild, California for their tireless dedication to keeping the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountain communities safe from devastating wild fires. Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council of Idyllwild is the local chapter of more than 125 Fire Safe Councils of California. Since 2002, volunteers and staff from the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council have helped raise awareness among residents about the dangers of wild fires and helped residents take action to protect their land and property. MCFSC has organized members of the community to reduce hazards that can spread the devastation of wildfires in our mountains. MCFSC volunteers known as the ``Woodies'' are the heart of the organization. These selfless volunteers donate their time, tools and equipment to decrease wildfire hazards and reduce fuel storage on properties owned by elderly, disabled and low-income residents. Since the organization's inception, MCFSC volunteers have contributed more than 915 cords of firewood to the Idyllwild Help Center, and volunteered more than 24,107 hours. In 2009, MCFSC received a U.S. Forest Service grant and worked to remove fuels from the areas surrounding structures in the Silent Valley Campground. Their extraordinary work in promoting fire preparedness and adaptation before the devastating 2013 Mountain Fire was credited by the U.S. Forest Service for reducing the severity of the fire and aiding firefighters. I congratulate the extraordinary volunteers of the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council on their efforts and dedication to protecting our mountain communities.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, due to the birth of my first children--twin baby girls named Sky and Sage--I was unable to be present for votes on the House floor the week of March 23, 2015. Below is an explanation of how I would have voted and why. I would have voted for H.R. 360, to re-authorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 and for other purposes, because it provides housing assistance to Native Americans by allowing tribes to determine their own low-income housing needs, including housing for Native American veterans who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. I would have voted for H. Res. 162, which calls on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, because an independent, democratic and prosperous Ukraine is in the national interest of the United States, and that Russia has engaged in political, economic and military aggression that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine. I would have voted for H.R. 216, the Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning Reform Act of 2015, which I also supported in the Veterans Affairs Committee. This bill requires the VA to plan ahead, annually submit a five-year budget plan for the agency to meet its commitment to veterans, including the resources necessary to meet those needs, and will assist Congress in holding the VA accountable for its obligation to our veterans. I would have voted against the Ellison Amendment to H. Con. Res. 27, the Congressional Progressive Caucus substitute budget. While I support some of the provisions of this alternative budget, I oppose raising America's tax burden by $6.9 trillion over the next decade. This budget would not do enough to reduce the deficit and trim wasteful government spending, and does not reflect the best course for the nation at this time. I would have also voted against the Butterfield Amendment to H. Con. Res. 27, the Congressional Black Caucus substitute budget. While this alternative also contains many worthwhile measures, I cannot support a budget that adds $2.7 trillion in new taxes over the next 10 years. My district's priorities dictate a more fiscally responsible approach. I would have also voted against the Van Hollen Amendment to H. Con. Res. 27, the Democratic Caucus substitute budget. While I support many of the priorities in this budget, it also increases the deficit and burdens American families with more $1.8 trillion in additional taxes. This budget does not do enough to trim unnecessary government spending, and is not right for the 36th District at this juncture. I would have voted against the Stutzman Amendment to H. Con. Res. 27, the Republican Study Committee substitute budget. This extremist, destructive plan would render Medicare unrecognizable from the current, successful program. It would keep seniors from enrolling in Medicare until age 67, and then give them a voucher that would raise their out- of-pocket costs substantially. It would keep seniors from receiving Social Security until age 70, and result in millions of individuals, families, and children losing Health coverage. There is no place in Congress for radical, extremist agendas that distract us from genuine solutions for hardworking Americans, and I would have vehemently rejected this alternative budget. I would have strongly opposed, spoken on the floor against, and voted against the Price Amendments to H. Con. Res. 27, the House Republican budget resolution. Once again, House Republican Leadership seeks to balance the budget on the backs of middle-class families and seniors, undermine our economic recovery, and end the Medicare guarantee. This disastrous Republican budget puts an end to Medicare as we know it, turning it into a voucher program that makes health care more expensive and less accessible for seniors. Thousands of seniors in my district rely on Medicare, and this backwards budget proposal threatens the retirement security of seniors living in our desert and across the nation. Our priority should be to strengthen Medicare by reducing health care costs and improving patient outcomes. Instead, House Republican Leadership has shifted the cost of Medicare to seniors, prioritizing more tax cuts for billionaires and big business. We must work together to protect and preserve Medicare, reduce our deficit, and decrease health care costs. This budget would do the opposite--jeopardizing Medicare and threatening the well-being of our seniors. In addition, this budget would remove more than 16 million Americans from their health plan, swelling the ranks of the uninsured while callously removing consumer protections for women, young adults, and those with pre-existing conditions. Worse yet, this budget would not even offer economic benefit in return for eviscerating the health care system. In fact, independent studies estimate the Republican budget would grind economic growth to a halt, costing Americans almost 3 million jobs by 2017. The House Republican budget would end Medicare as we know it, ask seniors and families to pay more for less health coverage, and decimate economic growth for the middle class, all to give huge tax breaks to wealthy corporations. This is not a serious effort to work across party lines for the good of the country, but a reflection of the extreme, upside-down priorities of the House Republican caucus. Finally, I would have voted for H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. This long-overdue legislation abolishes the flawed SGR formula and replaces it with HR a bipartisan agreement to provide stability for Medicare beneficiaries and providers alike. By providing a reliable, value-based payment system, this bill will protect seniors' access to Medicare and preserve their established relationships with their doctors. Additionally, this bipartisan bill will extend the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides crucial health coverage for low-income children, extend vital funding for Community Health Centers and other safety net providers, and avoid premium spikes or doctors dropping Medicare patients. As long as I have been in Congress, I have advocated for a long-term SGR fix for our seniors and physicians. I co-sponsored the bipartisan framework that forms the foundation of this bill, and I have written to House leadership multiple times asking for this solution to be brought to the floor. This bill is a practical solution that will protect and preserve Medicare for our seniors and provide stability and relief for our nation's health care providers, and I am proud to support it.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, due to the recent birth of my twin daughters, I was unable to be present for votes on the House floor the week of April 13, 2015. Below is an explanation of how I would have voted and why. I would have voted for H.R. 1259, the Helping Expand Lending Practices in Rural Communities Act, which creates a process for areas to be considered rural to allow otherwise prohibited balloon payments in qualified mortgages. This bill aims to improve access to financing for borrowers in rural, underserved areas, which will help families nationwide achieve the dream of home ownership. I would have voted for H.R. 1265, the Bureau Advisory Commission Transparency Act, which requires advisory committees established by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to adhere to federal ethics and conflict-of-interest laws. Government transparency is essential to holding administration officials accountable, and this bill will help ensure that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau conducts their crucial work out in the open. I would have voted for H.R. 1480, the SAFE Act Confidentiality and Privilege Enhancement Act, which would provide confidentiality protections to financial services regulators when they access information in the national mortgage licensing and registry system. This bill will provide financial regulators the confidentiality protections they need to protect consumers and eliminate fraud in the mortgage industry. I would have voted against H.R. 650, the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act, which reduces regulatory restrictions on high-cost mortgages in the manufactured housing industry to increase the maximum interest rates manufactured housing vendors can charge. This bill would hamstring Dodd-Frank regulations designed to protect consumers from predatory lending practices in the manufactured housing industry. The bill seeks to reduce the regulatory restrictions on high- cost mortgages in the manufactured housing industry by increasing the maximum interest rates manufactured housing vendors can charge. I would have voted for H.R. 685, the Mortgage Choice Act of 2015, which seeks to clarify conflicting definitions under current law concerning affiliated and unaffiliated title companies, and could help keep interest rates on mortgage loans affordable. I would have voted for Rep. Van Hollen's Motion to Instruct Conferees on S. Con. Res. 11, which would instruct conferees to recede to the Senate budget resolution accommodation for legislation to improve workplace benefits, including paid sick leave. The motion would also instruct budget conferees to reject the House-passed budget's provision to turn Medicare into a voucher program. Our seniors depend on Medicare, and I will reject any attempt to end the Medicare guarantee and increase out-of-pocket health costs for seniors. I would have voted for H.R. 1562, the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2015, and H.R. 1563, the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2015. H.R. 1562 would generally prohibit individuals and companies with seriously delinquent tax debts from receiving federal contracts and grants, and H.R. 1563 would make individuals with seriously delinquent tax debt ineligible for federal employment if they fail to accept a payment plan within nine months of enactment. Corporations and individuals with serious tax delinquencies should not receive taxpayer-subsidized benefits over those who fulfill their tax obligations. I would have voted against H.R. 622, the State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Fairness Act, which would permanently allow taxpayers to deduct state and local sales taxes in lieu of state and local income taxes, without offsetting the cost. This bill would increase the deficit by $42 billion and encourages states to raise taxes, pressuring the federal government to increase taxes to account for the difference. California does not benefit from the state and local sales tax deduction, so this bill would push more of the nation's tax burden onto hardworking taxpayers in my district. Finally, I would have voted against H.R. 1105, the Death Tax Repeal Act. This bill repeals the federal estate tax, which currently affects only estates valued at $5.4 million or above ($10.8 million for couples). This bill would add $269 billion to the federal deficit, and the entirety of those benefits would go to the wealthiest 0.2 percent of estates. The federal tax code should expand opportunity for everyone, rather than stacking the deck against middle-class families.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 642, a bill that would help the men and women in our armed services who are victims of sexual assault get access to the care that they need. Sexual assault is not acceptable anywhere in our society. It is not something many people like to talk about, but it is a very real problem. According to the Department of Defense, 20,000 servicemembers said they had experienced at least one incident of unwanted sexual contact in 2014. In my time as an emergency medicine physician, I have seen the deep, longstanding, and brutal psychological trauma that results from sexual assault, and I know how critical it is that victims receive the treatment they need and perpetrators are brought to justice. Mr. Speaker, this bill takes much-needed steps to ensure that treatment options are more accessible for our veterans who were victims of sexual assault by helping to pay for travel expenses for those who need to seek care outside of the VA system. Mr. Speaker, this is a medical need and a moral imperative. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 642 and ensure servicemembers who are victims of sexual trauma receive the care they need.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, due to a death in my immediate family I was unable to be present for votes on the House floor the week of February 9, 2015. Below is an explanation of how I would have voted and why. I would have voted for H.R. 719, the TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2015 because the bill requires Transportation Security Administration Criminal Investigators to spend at least half of their time investigating individuals suspected of committing a crime. I would have voted for H.R. 720, the Gerardo Hernandez Airport Security Act of 2015 to ensure the Transportation Security Administration has adequate emergency plans in place to handle a shooting attack at an airport. I would have voted for H.R. 431, to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Foot Soldiers who participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or the final Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March in March of 1965, which served as a catalyst for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I am a cosponsor of the bill. I would have voted against S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act because the bill allows a Canadian company to be exempt from paying its fair share into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which could leave taxpayers on the hook for an expensive clean-up in the event of an oil spill. Furthermore, the current planned route for the pipeline runs directly over the Ogallala aquifer, putting at risk a critical freshwater supply. I would have voted for H.R. 644, the Fighting Hunger Incentive Act of 2015 to encourage donations to charitable organizations. The bill would expand tax deductions for food donations, property conservation donations, and charitable foundations. I would have voted for H.R. 636, the America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 because the bill is designed to help small businesses grow and create new jobs. This bill would facilitate investment in new equipment, new property, and technology upgrades for small businesses. Providing tax relief will help level the playing field for small businesses, which will stimulate economic growth and create jobs across the country.