Harley Rouda

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, once again, I reiterate the previous comments that this bill and the supporting amendments deserve the bipartisan support that we have already seen. I encourage Members across the aisle to reconsider those ideas and support the passage of this bill. Madam Chair, if the gentlewoman is ready to close, I am as well, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Visit Huntington Beach on the celebration of its 30th Anniversary and the opening of a new office. Visit Huntington Beach was formed in 1989 as a destination marketing program and has grown into the only local organization charged with the responsibility of promoting tourism and encouraging its continued growth in the City. Its mission is to use Huntington Beach's Surf City USA brand to maintain the City's status as the quintessential California beach destination. Since its founding thirty years ago, Visit Huntington Beach has successfully lived up to this mission and showed the wonders of Huntington Beach to the country and the world. In 2018 alone, overnight visitors generated $91 million in tax revenue and generated nearly $20 million for the City's general fund. This revenue is vital to funding critical community services, such as police, fire, public works, and parks. I ask all Members to join me in recognizing the extraordinary work and contributions of Visit Huntington Beach and their efforts to ensure a better and more efficient experience for both visitors and residents of Huntington Beach.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Stephanie Winstead for her extraordinary service as the Chair of the Board for the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of Chapman University College of Law, Ms. Winstead has diligently worked to represent her clients' interests while continuing to give back to the Laguna Niguel community. Further, her leadership skills have enabled her to create and implement new programs that have improved the quality of life of our friends and neighbors. Under Ms. Winstead's leadership, she empowered local business leaders to enhance their impact on the community. She also played a key role in expediting the Holiday Shop Laguna Niguel Program to keep sales tax dollars in the city as well as encouraged Board members and staff to seek professional development through programs offered by the California Chamber of Commerce. I ask all Members to join me in recognizing the outstanding work of Stephanie Winstead.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the California delegation to speak about the terrible loss our community has endured and to honor the lives of those who perished on Sunday. We are all heartbroken by the loss of life, as this week our neighbors lost parents, children, friends, coaches, and heroes in a horrific accident: Alyssa, Keri, and John Altobelli; Gianna and Kobe Bryant; Payton and Sarah Chester; Christina Mauser; and Ara Zobayan. They were all connected by a love of the game, a steadfast belief in sports being bigger than a score, more than just an hour or two on the court. The parents we lost knew all too well that the early morning wake- ups, sweaty car rides, and late nights in a gym were worth the lessons they instilled in their children: teamwork, dedication, and faith. Our community lost kids who were overflowing with promise; kids who were great competitors and even better friends; kids you could count on, on and off the court; kids who pushed themselves to be more and who were the best daughters that any parent could ask for. All of us wish they could play another game. Orange County is grieving, but we will find solace and purpose in the example they left behind and the belief in something bigger than ourselves. I ask that in Orange County and across our Nation, we think of the lives lost, in neighborhood basketball courts, school gyms, NBA arenas, and wherever the game is played. May God bless their families, and may our community come together to offer them this support in this trying time. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), my distinguished colleague.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members and guests in the gallery rise for a moment of silence.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California (UVSA) and the organization's tremendous contribution in organizing the highest-attended, longest-running annual Tet festival in the country. UVSA is committed to fostering awareness of Vietnamese culture, civic engagement, and leadership development within the community. Since its founding, it has shown an unwavering dedication to community service and advocacy for social justice, both domestically and internationally. UVSA's volunteers are students, alumni, professional, educators, and community leaders. When not organizing the Tet Festival, UVSA provides grants to other non-profits across Southern California, holds leadership development activities at high schools and colleges, participates in Black April commemorations, and holds inter-collegiate events with their respective Vietnamese student associations. I ask all members to join me in recognizing the extraordinary work and contributions of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I, along with Representatives Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr., J. Luis Correa, Mike Levin, Alan Lowenthal, Katie Porter, and Linda T. Sanchez, rise to recognize the grand opening of City of Hope in Newport Beach, California. This is City of Hope's first Orange County location and it will make a tremendous impact in enhancing the lives of residents by providing highly specialized care and pioneering cancer research closer to home. City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Each year, more than 100 million people worldwide benefit from scientific and clinical discoveries made at City of Hope. For the first time, Orange County residents will have local access to City of Hope's network of world-renowned cancer specialists and groundbreaking treatments. With the opening of City of Hope's Newport Beach location, the organization, which has been named by U.S. News & World Report as the top-ranked cancer hospital in California, fulfills its promise of providing lifesaving treatments to Orange County and launches a new era in cancer care. City of Hope is also developing a comprehensive cancer campus in Irvine, California. City of Hope was founded more than a century ago to address a pressing medical need. Its arrival in Orange County also answers the call of a community where nearly 20 percent of cancer patients have needed to leave the area for advanced cancer care. City of Hope is bringing the latest in personalized therapies, highly specialized physicians, and nationally recognized compassionate care to our local community, which will positively impact patient healing. We ask that all Members join us in recognizing the extraordinary work and contributions of City of Hope and their efforts to eradicate cancer and bring tomorrow's discoveries to the people who need them today, in Orange County and around the world.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize James W. ``Bill'' Oxford, the National Commander of the American Legion, for his service to our nation and his dedication to the American Legion. Mr. Oxford served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was discharged as a sergeant in 1970, and later joined the North Carolina National Guard. He ultimately retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a colonel after more than 34 years of military service. Mr. Oxford, a Legionnaire since 1986, was elected National Commander of the American Legion on August 29, 2019, during the American Legion's 101st National Convention. Orange County is thrilled to welcome Mr. Oxford as he visits our beloved American Legion Post 291, which has been a fixture in the Newport Beach community for nearly 100 years. I urge all members to join me in recognizing Mr. Oxford for his work on behalf of American veterans and legionnaires across the United States.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for yielding 1 minute. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. Earlier this year, Chairman Cummings convened our first Oversight and Reform Committee hearing to examine the impact of soaring prescription drug costs on our constituents. It is fitting we named this legislation to honor our friend who used his gavel to highlight the stories of Americans who are suffering and dying because they couldn't afford astronomical drug prices while living in the greatest and richest country in the world. This bill would institute negotiation for fair drug prices, lower out-of-pocket costs for seniors, improve coverage for Medicare beneficiaries, and invest in innovative new treatment in our fight against the addiction crisis. Madam Chair, I support this legislation because it would improve access to affordable prescription drugs for more than 600,000 of my constituents, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and ensure our constituents have access to lifesaving medication.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I commend my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee and the authors of the bill's various provisions and amendments for their work on H.R. 729, the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act. I am proud to support this critical bill aimed at equipping coastal and great lakes communities with the tools they need to enhance resiliency planning efforts; implement forward- thinking solutions to address intense climate impacts; and ensure a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future. Orange County is ground zero for the climate crisis. Families living on the coast know that rising sea-levels, frequent flooding, coastal erosion, and increasingly severe weather events are a clear and present danger to our lives and livelihoods. This legislation protects and preserves coastline, helps communities create and enact resiliency measures, and improves ocean monitoring and research. Climate change is here, and we must continue to take bold and swift action to protect coastal communities. The first of my two amendments to the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement act authorizes a prize competition to stimulate innovation to advance coastal risk and resilience measures. My second amendment requires the development of a catalog of research on applicable coastal risk reduction and resilience measures to evaluate effectiveness, eliminate redundancies, encourage cooperation, and make research findings available to the public. These amendments strengthen the underlying bill, and I appreciate the opportunity to offer to advocate for the millions of Americans who live and work in coastal communities. I urge adoption of my amendments to this important piece of legislation and final passage of the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak in strong support of the TRACED Act. The bipartisan provision I co-led with Representatives Clarke, Van Drew, Bilirakis, Foxx, and Walberg to address one-ring scams will make the finances of vulnerable Americans--especially seniors--more secure and the lives of all people in Orange County and across the country a little more peaceful. We can all agree that it is time to provide Americans with a greater sense of security when it comes to our phones. We shouldn't have to worry about unsolicited robocalls, and the vast array of tactics bad actors are using to target our pocketbooks and our privacy. This bicameral and bipartisan bill is a big step forward in combating robocalls, and I am thankful for the bipartisan group of legislators who reached across the aisle to protect Americans' bank accounts and their sanity. I urge strong support of this bill.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of resolving the outstanding issues needed to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, before the end of the year. More than 12 million American jobs, including 1.8 million jobs in California, depend on trade with Canada and Mexico. We simply cannot afford to keep the current rules in place if we are to secure our economic future and create better paying American jobs. Addressing contentious issues in a trade deal are always difficult, but I am optimistic that we can come to a productive resolution if the administration continues to engage with House Democrats in good faith. USMCA represents an opportunity to fix fundamental flaws in our trade policy, reverse the failings of NAFTA, establish strong, enforceable labor standards across North America, and promote growth in new sectors of each of our economies. Let's get it right this time. I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Neal, and House Democratic leadership for their commitment to working families and for ensuring USMCA reflects our core values, and I ask for a vote on USMCA as soon as possible.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today for former Representative Katie Hill and the people of California's 25th District. Madam Speaker, 261 days ago, Republicans and Democrats came together in this Chamber to pass meaningful legislation to address our Nation's gun violence epidemic. Madam Speaker, 261 days ago, Members representing cities, suburbs, and rural America did their job and voted to pass commonsense reforms that 89 percent of Americans support. Madam Speaker, 261 days ago, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could have done his job and brought those bills to the floor of the United States Senate, but he did not; and now, once again, we watch shooting after shooting occur across our country. Yesterday, Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California, was added to the lengthy list of sites of senseless tragedy. We fought for the will of the people--89 percent of Americans. We crafted legislation that will save lives. We passed the bill. We did our jobs. It is time for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to do his. Enough is enough. Children are dying.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the agency's Office of Minority and Women Inclusion standards for workforce diversity. The bill already requires the agency's newly established Office of Minority and Women Inclusion to develop standards for equal employment opportunity in the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the workforce and senior management of the agency. This agency, which aims to develop a level playing field for American businesses in the global economy, must be representative of and able to understand all businesses across the country. True diversity includes representation of the LGBTQ community. That is why I have offered this amendment to add consideration of sexual orientation and gender identity as part of the agency's equal opportunity and diversity standards for its own workforce. Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his comments. I also thank the chair for her leadership on this bill. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to add LGBTQ-owned businesses to the United States Export Finance Agency's small business outreach plan. American businesses, specifically small businesses, are the backbone of our economy and a cornerstone of the American Dream. The bill before us today requires the agency to develop a comprehensive outreach plan to ensure small business owners are aware of the financing options available to them through the agency. This plan already includes an emphasis on outreach to businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities. I believe it is critical we include an emphasis on outreach to LGBTQ entrepreneurs as well, who create jobs across the country and contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy every year. My amendment ensures all Americans, regardless of who they are or who they love, can access the tools needed to jump-start their American Dream and contribute to our economy. It is a simple, but meaningful, step to ensure greater equality on Main Streets across the United States. Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his support for the bill, and once again I thank Madam Chair for her extraordinary leadership on this bill. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for its tremendous contribution to enhancing equity in access to healthy foods for low-income families with young children. The WIC program has been an important resource for vulnerable families, providing a critical nutritional safety net for low-income pregnant women, infants, and young children across the United States. WIC's contribution to the health and welfare of Orange County residents is unparalleled. With its continued supply of nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and nutrition- related information, WIC has had a significant positive impact on communities in Orange County. In addition, thanks to WIC programs, many residents have benefited from the substantial cost savings that have been accrued from early investments in maternal and child nutrition. On November 11, 2019, the first wave of WIC sites in Orange County began providing food benefits in a new way--through the California WIC Card. Previously, families served by WIC received paper vouchers instead. This change is expected to greatly improve the WIC participant experience, while also improving the reimbursement experience for WIC vendors to ensure the dollars redeemed in stores in our community are received more efficiently. I ask all members to join me in recognizing the extraordinary work and contributions of California WIC and their efforts to modernize operations to ensure a better and more efficient experience for all who participate.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jane Lois Weller of Huntington Beach for her service to our country during World War II and to honor her recent 100th birthday. Born in Chicago just after World War I and raised during the Great Depression, Ms. Weller bore witness to some of the most tumultuous times in our nation's history. By virtue of this upbringing, and because of what many would call an ambitious spirit, Ms. Weller went on to lead a life dedicated to service, both to her country and to her family. Just one year after graduating from Nursing School at the Evangelical Hospital in Chicago, Ms. Weller enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in December 1942. After completing flight school at Bowman Field in Kentucky, she was stationed at Hickam Field on Oahu, Hawaii. From Hawaii to the Mariana Islands to the Solomon Islands to the Philippines, Ms. Weller bravely risked her life to tend to many soldiers wounded on the frontlines. For her valiant service in active combat zones throughout the Pacific Theater, Ms. Weller was awarded two Bronze Stars. After the war. Ms. Weller graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, continued to serve as nurse in the public sector, and raised her three children. She has always kept an active mind, enjoying hobbies including astronomy, biblical and classical studies, knitting, jazz piano, singing, and more. I ask that all Members join me in recognizing the remarkable life and service of Jane Lois Weller on the occasion of her recent 100th birthday.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the importance of the Surfside-Sunset Beach Nourishment Project to the residents of Orange County, California. Due to flood control measures and other shore protection and harbor works made by the Federal Government, the 17-mile-long shoreline between Anaheim Bay and Newport Bay no longer receives a natural supply of sand. As a result, Congress authorized the Surfside-Sunset project in 1962 to provide for artificial beach nourishment to stabilize affected shoreline. Stage 13 of this project will combat continued coastline erosion and protect coastal property. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has neglected the Surfside- Sunset project in recent years, which has prevented stage 13 from moving forward. This project has not been funded by the Federal Government for 11 years. Let me repeat--11 years. As the Surfside-Sunset project is one of many more Army Corps projects for the people of Orange County, I will continue to advocate for its prioritization by the Army Corps and Congress.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Chair, I thank my friend from Michigan, Representative Levin, for yielding. Madam Chair, preventing foreign election interference is a bipartisan issue. This amendment is proof of that statement. I am proud to support this amendment, a commonsense measure to close a loophole that is allowing illegal political spending by foreign nationals in United States elections. In the 2016 election, millions of Americans saw and engaged with political advertisements paid for by foreign nationals. Last year, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed in sworn testimony before Congress that foreign nationals were purchasing campaign ads and issue ads through American shell companies. As elected officials, we took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America against both foreign and domestic adversaries and threats. That includes the cornerstone of our democracy, free and fair elections. This amendment and the underlying bill seek to end a dangerous and well-documented form of foreign election interference. I thank Representatives Levin and McCaul for offering this important amendment, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to address this critical issue.

Mr. ROUDA

Mr. ROUDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 81 paratroopers of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam whose remains will find a final resting place in Orange County this weekend. These brave soldiers--whose names we may never know--were killed in 1965 aboard an American plane and died alongside 4 American crew members. For the last 33 years, the commingled remains of these paratroopers had remained in Hawaii, their destination unknown. After years of ambiguity, they will be laid to rest in the heart of the Vietnamese community in the United States. This weekend's service reminds us of America's enduring commitment to our allies and partners, to those who stand beside us in the face of great peril to themselves and their families. For too long, South Vietnamese soldiers who fought and died alongside American forces have not received the recognition they earned. I am proud to represent a community that remembers those South Vietnamese fighters who gave the ultimate sacrifice standing alongside American servicemembers. I join the Vietnamese-American community-- especially the ARVN veterans not only in Orange County but across our nation--in remembrance and appreciation for these paratroopers. I urge all members to join me in recognizing the South Vietnamese fighters who fought alongside United States forces during the Vietnam War, especially those 81 who will be laid to their final resting place in Orange County this weekend.