Raul Ruiz

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, this is an unprecedented crisis that requires an unprecedented, bold response. The HEROES Act will support workers, families, hospitals, and cities in my district struggling to get by with: direct payments for families; extended unemployment benefits; vital funding for police, firefighters, teachers, cities, and Tribal governments; and investment in testing, tracing, and treating coronavirus so we can safely get our country back to work. The American people can't wait for their savings to run dry and their businesses to go bankrupt. Vote ``yes'' today for the HEROES Act to bring relief to American families as we mitigate this health crisis.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, the coronavirus has upended life as we know it. Healthcare workers need personal protective equipment and hospitals need supplies. Small businesses and small farmers need financial security to weather this storm. America needs a national testing regime to safely and efficiently get this country back to work. Underserved rural communities need doctors and increased access to care. The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act will provide much-needed relief to millions across the country and help save lives.

Mr. RUIZ. Because of the urgency, I urge you to vote ``yes.'' However, State and local governments and Tribal nations across the country need funding, too, to provide essential services for our essential frontline workers: paramedics, law enforcement, firefighters. We must include the Coronavirus Relief Act, $250 billion for local government for populations less than 500,000 in the next act because small cities' firefighters and paramedics in my district matter, too.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The coronavirus has changed our lives. Hospitals are being overwhelmed, businesses are closing, and the American people are anxious of getting COVID-19 or losing a loved one to the disease. Workers are asking: When will I be able to go back to work? How will I be able to pay my bills? Small business owners are asking: can my business stay afloat? In my own community, California's 36th district, I have heard from single mothers who are worried about how they will pay their rent, workers who have been laid off and wondering how will they put food on their table, and small business owners who cannot afford to pay their employees or even their rent. That is why we must pass the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act immediately. The bipartisan CARES Act will help American families, workers, and businesses through this uncertain and tumultuous time by: providing $1200 in direct payments to individuals and $2400 for families, and $500 for every child; expanding unemployment insurance benefits to match the average paycheck of laid off or furloughed workers; providing $377 billion dollars in relief for small businesses; investing $200 billion in our hospitals, health care infrastructure, and research, among other things. By passing this bill, we are telling the small business owner that help is on the way. We are telling the health care workers that we support you. We are telling the single mother who is now unemployed that you are not alone, that we are fighting for you, and that together, we will get through this. The American people need a comprehensive, whole-of-government response to keep our nation safe. That is why I urge the House to immediately and unanimously pass the CARES Act to help fight the spread of the virus, provide financial security to American families and businesses, and ultimately, save lives.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, this week, members of the Hemet and Palm Springs Fire Departments gathered in Washington, D.C., for the International Association of Firefighters' annual legislative conference. I met with several of them in my office and want to express my personal appreciation for their unrelenting service that so often goes above and beyond their call of duty. Last December, tragedy struck in my district when three children and their father died in an apartment complex fire in Hemet, California. Despite the dangerous and grim circumstances, Hemet first responders worked heroically and helped save lives. Days later, the Hemet Fire Department, in a demonstration of kindness, joined with community members to give financial support for the victims' family and everyone affected by the fire. They simply said they were closing the loop. From fire to getting them back on their feet, they saw it as their responsibility to help those who were afflicted. This act of compassion shown by the first responders is just one example of the selflessness in which they live their lives every day. Mr. Speaker, I thank the firefighters from Hemet and Palm Springs, and I thank first responders everywhere. Their heroism is as inspiring as it is impactful.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Riverside County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Juan Zamora and celebrate his decades- long career. Sergeant Zamora is a devoted public servant, a great father, a caring husband, and my good friend. We both grew up in the Coachella Valley; we both graduated from Coachella Valley High School; and we are both the proud sons of farmworkers. In fact, it is in the fields where Sergeant Zamora gained an appreciation for honest, hard work, and it is that very same appreciation that fueled his desire to serve his community and drove him to become the first in his family to go to college. In 1997, he joined the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, rising through the ranks and serving as public information officer before his appointment to sheriff's sergeant in 2010. As the recipient of the Lifesaving Award and the Unit Citation Award, he has received recognition for all that he has done to protect and inspire our community. I thank Sergeant Zamora for his years of service. I wish him a long and happy retirement filled with many more fond memories and plenty of that barbecue shrimp he loves. I am proud of him; our community is proud of him; and I know that Carmen, Matthew, and Nicholas are proud of him, too.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I am an emergency physician trained in humanitarian disaster aid and a public health expert, and I represent California's 36th Congressional District. As a doctor, I am all too familiar with the devastation that addiction to nicotine can cause, devastation such as strokes, heart attack, COPD, and patients coming in with 100 percent oxygen because they can't breathe without it. I have seen, firsthand, the health decline in patients who tried nicotine as teenagers, who got addicted and never quit. When we talk about vaping, we need to make sure we identify three different problems: One is the problem of the acute respiratory distress syndrome, that caused by open containers where they can mix different types of chemicals, including THC, that have the vitamin E oils that can cause severe lung damage that requires lung transplant. That is one issue. Another issue is whether or not there is a public benefit or whether or not vaping is safe. It is not. That is a general conversation. This bill addresses the third issue, which is that kids using these products are getting addicted at an alarming rate. The number of kids using these products is disturbing to me as a Member of Congress, as a physician, and as a parent of two young kids. From 2017 to 2019, e-cigarette use doubled among high school students and tripled among middle school students. There are 5 million kids using e-cigarettes today, an increase of 3 million in just 2 years, and the health effects of these are real and dangerous. Cigarettes, no doubt, are the deadliest form of tobacco. No tobacco product, however, is safe. Vape aerosol contains some of the same chemicals found in cigarette smoke: chromium, formaldehyde, lead, nickel, and tin. Nicotine use changes an adolescent's brain cell activity affecting attention, learning, behavior, and memory function.

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, research shows that you are more likely to start smoking cigarettes if you vape, and using nicotine at an early age means you are more likely to be addicted for life. So we need to address and pass H.R. 2339, the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019, because it will help us reach the objective of reducing the youth vaping epidemic. This bill also contains my bill, the NO VAPE Act, which will crack down on retailers who sell these products to underaged youth. It is my job as a public health expert and it is our job as Members of Congress to ensure measures are put in place to prevent more Americans from getting hooked on nicotine at an early age. So I urge a vote on H.R. 2339, Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019, for the sake of our children and our public's health.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tribal leaders from around the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the National Congress of American Indians' 2020 Winter Executive Session. NCAI was founded in 1944 with the mission to protect and enhance the sovereign rights of Tribal nations and to secure a prosperous future for Native communities. In fact, initially, NCAI had to fight against many restrictions and injustices perpetrated by this very body. It is this complicated and challenging history that is the backdrop of the work we do here today. It is important, then, that the United States Government works to honor Tribal sovereignty, promote self-determination, and fulfill the trust responsibility to Native Tribes. We must also pass advanced appropriations for the Indian Health Service and provide resources to upgrade the roads, schools, and internet access across Indian Country. Madam Speaker, I urge the House to take up these issues immediately and do our part to support our Tribal partners.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, block-granting Medicaid will increase out-of- pocket costs, limit patient care, and take away health coverage for millions of Americans across this country. Block-granting Medicaid is just another way of cutting Medicaid. To reduce costs, States will cut eligibility, cut payments to doctors and hospitals that care for the poor, and cut coverage for seniors and medicines. These cuts will raise out-of-pocket costs for Americans, result in fewer hospitals and providers for Medicaid recipients, and increase barriers to care for low-income, rural, and vulnerable patients. It will harm people in underserved areas with physician shortages, like Desert Hot Springs, Eastern Coachella Valley, and Hemet in my district, people in rural areas, low-income seniors, children, people with disabilities, our neighbors and families. Put simply, Medicaid block grants hurt the very people Medicaid is here to help. That is why I urge this body to vote for H. Res. 826 and make a strong statement to protect healthcare for millions of Americans.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. As labor goes, so goes America. When workers' rights are diminished, our middle class struggles. This economy has made millions and billions for millionaires and billionaires, but middle-class families feel left behind. Their wages fail to keep pace with inflation, and workers struggle for better conditions. That is why I urge the House to vote for H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, to strengthen and protect workers' right to organize so they can negotiate higher wages, fight for better benefits, and protect themselves from abuse. It was labor that first stood up for workers' rights; it was labor that built America's middle class; and it is labor that continues to fight to bring fairness to our economy and improve the lives of hardworking middle-class families. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support workers across the Nation by voting ``yes'' on the PRO Act today.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address one of the most pressing health threats facing veterans across this Nation: exposure to burn pits. Burn pits are literal pits, sometimes 10 acres large, used by the military to burn trash, medical waste, jet fuel, batteries, even human waste. As you might imagine, this creates large plumes of toxic black smoke, which can have terrible health effects for anyone exposed. Our servicemembers and veterans who were exposed to burn pits are developing severe, debilitating pulmonary diseases like pulmonary fibrosis and constricted bronchiolitis, leaving them oxygen dependent. And young veterans are dying from rare cancers of the brain, pancreas, blood cells, and other organs. This means that many of our servicemembers survived the battlefield but only become delayed casualties of war at home, dying due to lung and pulmonary illnesses, from cancers, from autoimmune diseases from their burn pit exposures. If we don't act now, they will be resigned to the same fate as our Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, who waited up to 30 years to get the help they needed. For many, it was too late. Our veterans cannot wait. It is my objective to end the use of toxic military burn pits once and for all and give servicemembers and veterans the care they need. That is why, today, I urge a vote on two bills that would go a long way to address this critically important issue: H.R. 4574, the Veterans' Right to Breathe Act, which would establish presumption of service-connected exposure to burn pits for nine evidence-based pulmonary diseases, including chronic bronchiolitis and others; and H.R. 4137, the Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act, which would make veterans exposed to burn pits eligible for low-cost healthcare through the Priority Group 6 under the Veterans Health Administration. These bills are part of the comprehensive plan to end the use of burn pits, educate physicians and veterans on their health effects, get veterans and servicemembers exposed to burn pits the healthcare and benefits they need, and continue research to fully understand the health impacts posed by burn pits. We cannot let burn pit exposure become this generation's Agent Orange. We must act now for veterans and for their families. CBP Directive Falls Short

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because children and families in CBP custody continue to be without basic humanitarian standards of care. Late last year, Customs and Border Protection put out a directive outlining its ``enhanced medical support efforts,'' with the objective of mitigating risks for people in CPB custody along the southwest border. But their directive for addressing medical needs falls short of even basic humane treatment to prevent the heartbreaking conditions I saw when I visited the southern border: people piled on top of each other in cold, windowless, concrete rooms, crowded with so many bodies you couldn't even see the floor; open toilets in crowded cells; and visibly sick children coughing on one another. The conditions I witnessed were inhumane and inconsistent with our American values and our moral conscience, and the CBP directive does nothing to address them. The directive does not include, for example, pregnant women, the elderly, or disabled individuals as vulnerable populations who need priority screening. The CBP medical directive does not address humanitarian standards for water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, or food and nutrition, nor does it even set standards for private, safe, clean, and reliable toilets with proper waste disposal. Last year, I wrote the House-passed H.R. 3239, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in CBP Custody Act. This bill sets basic public health standards for people in CBP's care, such as health screening priorities, nutrition, food standards, water, sanitation, hygiene, and reporting requirements. It makes sure individuals have essentials, such as toothbrushes, diapers, and baby formula. Because this bipartisan bill was blocked from consideration in the Senate, these standards of care for children and families are not currently law, and the recent CBP medical directive falls short. It fails to outline proper humanitarian standards of care. This is why the Senate must take up and pass the bipartisan bill, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in CBP Custody Act, to ensure CBP's treatment of children and families is consistent with our American values and the principles of basic human dignity and prevent children from dying under the custody and responsibility of CBP.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor my constituent, City of Coachella Fire Department Captain Marcos Machuca, for his years of service to California's 36th Congressional District. After 42 years of exceptional service to our communities, Captain Machuca retired on November 30, 2019. Captain Machuca fulfilled his childhood dream to serve his community when he joined the City of Coachella Fire Department in 1977. Over his decades' long career, he accumulated a wealth of leadership experience and made a difference in the lives of our friends, families, and neighbors. Every day, Captain Machuca answered the call to defend our community. For example, when a semi-tractor caught fire in Oasis, he rescued the driver from his truck before it engulfed in flames. This is just one instance of how Captain Machuca's bravery saved a life and prevented tragedy. Captain Machuca is more than a courageous first responder--he is also a skilled educator. As Fire Captain, he has instilled valuable lessons in the young firefighters he mentored, and he played a key role in growing Coachella's volunteer force. As a two-time recipient of the Firefighter of the Year award, Captain Machuca exemplifies the qualities of our community's firefighters who work tirelessly to keep us safe. His selflessness, courage, and dedication to public service are inspiring, and his legacy will be felt in Coachella for years to come. On behalf of our entire community, I thank Captain Machuca for his exceptional service and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to tell the Nation about the life and legacy of Petra Ruiz of the Coachella Valley. Petra Ruiz was an organizer, activist, and leader who used her life to stand up for farmworking women across California. As the son of farmworkers in the eastern Coachella Valley, I am all too familiar with the social, economic, and political hardships the farmworking community faces on a daily basis. The struggles can often be so great that you have to have someone or something to look to for inspiration. For me, and for so many of us in the Coachella Valley, Petra Ruiz was one such inspiration. Petra was a fierce and loving leader who was held in high esteem, even by the people who didn't agree with what she had to say. But it was hard not to agree with what she had to say. You see, Petra believed in helping farmworking women across California advocate for themselves, for their families, and for their communities in the struggle for equality and their basic human rights. Petra got involved in the union movement in the 1970s and was a warrior for justice and equality within the farmworking community through her final days. A phrase that I have heard repeatedly in talking with members of the community and with her family is ``she was always there.'' Petra was always there. Even as a mother and a grandmother to a big family, she worked with the United Farm Workers of America to advocate for the rights of the farmworker community. Petra led marches; she attended meetings; she would even go door-to-door with flyers making sure that farmworkers knew their rights. Petra was a remarkable woman, revered, admired, a mover and shaker, an effective leader who led with her actions as much as she did by her words. She inspired me to never say no to my dreams, to pursue justice at every turn, and to always believe I could make a difference. Madam Speaker, while she is missed dearly, Petra's legacy didn't end with her passing. Her impact is felt today and will continue in the lives of generations to come.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to remember and recognize the incredible life of Enedina Celiz Rapan, who passed away this month at the age of 93. I was raised in a farmworker community with farmworker parents in the eastern Coachella Valley, where, for many of us, hardship and injustice can feel like the norm; and if it weren't for women like Enedina Rapan, many of us would still believe that it is true, and we would not be standing where we are today. Enedina came to America at a young age to work hard, earn her living, and give her children a better life. And while she was working away in the fields, sweating in 120-degree heat with calloused hands, she witnessed the mistreatment of her fellow farmworkers and she saw their suffering. If there is one thing about Enedina, it is that, when she saw injustice, she would speak up and get to work to fix it. So, when she saw farmworkers laboring for hours on end with no bathrooms nearby, she fought to bring restrooms to the fields. And when she saw seniors in the community going hungry, she organized, asking for donations and cooking meals so they could have dinner to eat. And Enedina devoted her life to standing up for people who were mistreated, discriminated against, and vulnerable. There was no voice too soft that Enedina didn't hear and elevate. Enedina was a giant for our community, serving as a co-founder of Mujeres Mexicanas and Lideres Campesinas while working with the United Farm Workers of America and Cesar Chavez to stand up for the rights of farmworkers. She used her tireless will and unmatched strength to pick people up, fight for what is right, and make the Coachella Valley a better place for everyone who lives there. I am better off because of Enedina's work. My family and the entire farmworker community of the Coachella Valley, we are all better off because of Enedina's work, And she would not be happy with me for being up here talking about her, because she was so humble. A woman who elevated everyone's voice around her, she would never seek this type of recognition. Madam Speaker, today, I want to make sure the country knows Enedina's story. I want to make sure you know about her contributions to our community and her unrelenting pursuit of justice. Enedina will be sorely missed, but her presence will be felt and her life, an inspiration for years to come.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I am proud of the growing Iranian American community in my district, California's 36th. I have spoken with members of the community, and I have watched the protests in Iran. I am increasingly concerned and outraged at what we are witnessing from the Iranian regime. The violence, the oppression, the internet blackouts, the large-scale incarcerations--these are egregious human rights violations. Over 7,000 Iranians have been arrested and, tragically, over 1,000 killed by Iranian security forces since November of last year. This shameful use of violence by the state security forces, sweeping internet shutoffs, jailing of journalists and protestors, these are just the most recent examples of merciless attempts of censorship by a regime with a long, abhorrent history of oppression and violence against its own people. We must support the protestors seeking nothing but their fundamental human rights and civil liberties such as the freedom to assemble openly, speak freely, and have an open and free press. That is why I stand with my Iranian American constituents in support of bipartisan H. Res. 752: to support the rights of the people of Iran to free expression and to say, forcefully, that we condemn the Iranian regime for its violent tactics to oppress its legitimate protestors. To the Iranian people seeking freedom, democracy, and human rights: I stand with you. The United States Congress stands with you. The American people stand with you. We will continue supporting you as you fight for your basic rights, freedom, and democracy. That is why I urge my colleagues to pass H. Res. 752 here today.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor my constituent, Stephen Thomas Covington, who passed away on December 21, 2019. Steve was an incredible activist who sought to better our community from the ground up. With his creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Steve worked to fulfill his vision to positively impact the community of Hemet. As the owner of the Downtown Deli & Coffee Company, Steve sought to rebuild Hemet's historic Downtown District. Since the Downtown Deli opened its doors in 2014, it quickly became a local favorite and neighborhood landmark, as well as one ofmy favorite lunch spots. With Steve's passion for his community and his excellence in his craft, he fostered a warm and welcoming atmosphere that celebrated Hemet's history and culture. Steve's presence in the community transcended the Downtown Deli. As a board member of the City of Hemet's Traffic Commission, Steve served as a local leader committed to uplifting Hemet. He constantly gave of himself to better the lives of his neighbors as he worked with numerous local community initiatives, such as the Ramona Bowl and Tinsel Triathlon and the restoration of Hemet's Historic Theater. A devoted family man, Steve was known for his passion, honesty, and loyalty by friends and loved ones. As the Hemet community grieves his loss, my heart is with wife Karen, his mother Diana, and grandparents Tom and Sally. Steve's legacy will be felt for years to come, and his memory will live on in the hearts of the lives he touched.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember and recognize the incredible life of Enedina Celiz Rapan, who passed away this month at the age of 93. I was raised in a farmworker community with farmworker parents in the eastern Coachella Valley, where, for many of us, hardship and injustice can feel like the norm; and if it weren't for women like Enedina Rapan, many of us would still believe that it is true, and we would not be standing where we are today. Enedina came to America at a young age to work hard, earn her living, and give her children a better life. And while she was working away in the fields, sweating in 120-degree heat with calloused hands, she witnessed the mistreatment of her fellow farmworkers and she saw their suffering. If there is one thing about Enedina, it is that, when she saw injustice, she would speak up and get to work to fix it. So, when she saw farmworkers laboring for hours on end with no bathrooms nearby, she fought to bring restrooms to the fields. And when she saw seniors in the community going hungry, she organized, asking for donations and cooking meals so they could have dinner to eat. And Enedina devoted her life to standing up for people who were mistreated, discriminated against, and vulnerable. There was no voice too soft that Enedina didn't hear and elevate. Enedina was a giant for our community, working with the United Farm Workers of America, Cesar Chavez, and Lideres Campesinas to stand up for the rights of farmworkers. She used her tireless will and unmatched strength to pick people up, fight for what is right, and make the Coachella Valley a better place for everyone who lives there. I am better off because of Enedina's work. My family and the entire farmworker community of the Coachella Valley, we are all better off because of Enedina's work. And she would not be happy with me for being up here talking about her, because she was so humble. A woman who elevated everyone's voice around her, she would never seek this type of recognition. Mr. Speaker, today, I want to make sure the country knows Enedina's story. I want to make sure you know about her contributions to our community and her unrelenting pursuit of justice. Enedina will be sorely missed, but her presence will be felt and her life, an inspiration for years to come. Recognizing the Life and Legacy of Petra Ruiz of Coachella Valley

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell the Nation about the life and legacy of Petra Ruiz of the Coachella Valley. Petra Ruiz was an organizer, activist, and leader who used her life to stand up for farmworking women across California. As the son of farmworkers in the eastern Coachella Valley, I am all too familiar with the social, economic, and political hardships the farmworking community faces on a daily basis. The struggles can often be so great that you have to have someone or something to look to for inspiration. For me, and for so many of us in the Coachella Valley, Petra Ruiz was one such inspiration. Petra was a fierce and loving leader who was held in high esteem, even by the people who didn't agree with what she had to say. But it was hard not to agree with what she had to say. You see, Petra believed in helping farmworking women across California advocate for themselves, for their families, and for their communities in the struggle for equality and their basic human rights. Petra got involved in the union movement in the 1970s and was a warrior for justice and equality within the farmworking community through her final days. A phrase that I have heard repeatedly in talking with members of the community and with her family is ``she was always there.'' Petra was always there. Even as a mother and a grandmother to a big family, she worked with the United Farm Workers of America and as a member of Lideres Campesinas to advocate for the rights of the farmworker community. Petra led marches; she attended meetings; she would even go door-to- door with flyers making sure that farmworkers knew their rights. Petra was a remarkable woman, revered, admired, a mover and shaker, an effective leader who led with her actions as much as she did by her words. She inspired me to never say no to my dreams, to pursue justice at every turn, and to always believe I could make a difference. Mr. Speaker, while she is missed dearly, Petra's legacy didn't end with her passing. Her impact is felt today and will continue in the lives of generations to come.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Chair, there was an excellent question posed by a nonphysician as to why it would be safe for a medical device to exist within the baby and approved by the FDA, and I think it is important to understand the physiology of what is the pathophysiology of these chemicals in the human body. The danger with these chemicals is when they actually cross either the air-blood barrier or are deposited into tissue, whether they are ingested, inhaled in a specific form, that then gets deposited and accumulates over time. When they are packaged in a specific device, they don't necessarily start to get absorbed or within a certain amount to prevent certain illnesses. But when you break them down into chemical reactions to actually get deposited, then that is when you come up with illnesses. That is why it is so dangerous, because in terms of the tissue, in terms of the route of ingestion, in terms of the different forms of the way it is accumulated, it can have dire effects. Ninety-seven percent of Americans have or have had harmful PFAS chemicals in their bloodstream. They are known as forever chemicals because, once consumed, they take years and years and years to leave your body. We eat these chemicals when our foods are stored in PFAS-containing packages. And, like I said, there is some leakage there. We drink them when they accumulate in our drinking water in their most basic form. And PFAS can also be passed along during pregnancy and breastfeeding when they are in their smallest form as well. Even small levels of exposure to PFAS have been shown to harm people's immune systems. Again, this is through the medical-scientific literature. The medical-scientific literature has shown that small levels of exposure to PFAS have shown harm to people's immune systems, increase their risk of certain types of cancer, and affect thyroid function.

Mr. RUIZ. Even small levels of PFAS can be harmful to the public's health. The PFAS Action Act of 2019 will help address this public health issue by establishing a maximum contaminant level for PFAS in drinking water, provide funds to help communities remove PFAS from their drinking water, and require continuing monitoring of PFAS. It also provides millions specifically for disadvantaged communities harmed by PFAS-affected water systems. Having clean water to drink is a common good for everyone, not a privilege for the few. I urge everybody to vote ``yes.''

Mr. RUIZ. I do not know the answer.

Mr. RUIZ. What I can answer is that PFAS can be harmful to one's health even though they may have a utility for a medical device.

Mr. RUIZ

Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, I rise to recognize California Highway Patrol Assistant Division Chief Laura Quattlebaum for her years with the California Highway Patrol and congratulate her on her retirement. Assistant Chief Quattlebaum is a shining example of the selflessness and courage our Nation's law enforcement possesses. She is truly an amazing woman, full of passion, character, and integrity. I am humbled to have worked alongside her in our community, and I am honored to call her my friend. For more than 30 years, Assistant Chief Quattlebaum has served as a dedicated public officer for my constituents, as well as countless other Californians. After graduating from the CHP academy she went on to act as public information officer for the city of Indio. From this critical position to her current role as California Highway Patrol assistant chief, she has answered the call to defend our public safety many times. Throughout her career, Assistant Chief Quattlebaum has been recognized on numerous occasions for her outstanding work. As lieutenant in the Indio area, she received the Commissioner's Commendation for Leadership and Cultural Awareness and Racial Profile training. Six years later, Assemblyman Brian Nestande awarded her the 2013 Women of Distinction award, and in 2014, Assemblyman Manuel Perez presented her with the Woman of the Year award in recognition of her service to the people of California. Assistant Chief Quattlebaum is known to her colleagues as a hardworking and selfless leader. Her commitment to bettering the lives of others is reflected in her tireless advocacy for those she served alongside and for peace officers throughout the country. I have witnessed this commitment firsthand on multiple occasions, notably, when we worked together to more than double our Nation's funding for mental health services for our local law enforcement agencies just last year. Assistant Chief Quattlebaum's career in public service is a true testament to her devotion to community, country, and public safety. Her unwavering dedication to the people of California is admirable. On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, I thank Assistant Chief Quattlebaum for her years of service and thank all of our law enforcement agents who work tirelessly to uphold the safety of our communities. I congratulate Assistant Chief Quattlebaum on her retirement. We must carry the spirit of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day with us every day by showing our gratitude for our public safety officers year- round. Conflict with Iran