Adam Schiff

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, the past 18 months have been difficult for all of us. But through the hardship, Americans have found solace and serenity in our beautiful public lands. Back home in Los Angeles, the Rim of the Valley Corridor stands out as a jewel of nature. We must preserve this area of striking beauty so that future generations can enjoy all that it has to offer. My amendment will add 191,000 acres of the Rim of the Valley Corridor to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, empowering the National Parks Service and the local community to better protect its natural resources and habitats. This is a cause I have worked on for two decades and one that has overwhelming support among my constituents and those in the region. Let's get it over the finish line. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative DeGette for her extraordinary leadership, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, this amendment clarifies the authority of military commission judges to order court processing at Guantanamo to be broadcast over the internet. This is a straightforward, noncontroversial amendment that the House has passed twice by voice vote. The GAO has studied this issue and concluded there are no technical barriers to broadcasting proceedings on the internet, and it can be done while protecting classified information. This amendment comes down to simply whether or not we believe the American people have the right to observe the military commission proceedings, including against members of al-Qaida who planned the 9/11 attacks. I believe that families of victims, journalists, academics, NGOs, and any American interested should be able to follow the proceedings without flying to Guantanamo, a difficult and lengthy process at best. I also believe this amendment is important because these military commissions have, in fact, failed. After so many years, they have not delivered anything that could be called justice, but their distance hides the extent of their failings. As we work toward closing Guantanamo, which I strongly support, we should cease to hide the legal processes happening there. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I would simply point out that this amendment permits these judges to broadcast the proceedings so that people can witness them. It doesn't mandate that this be done in every case. I think these judges ought to have the discretion to do so. This amendment makes it very clear that GAO has studied this issue and found that it is more than technologically feasible. I think it is important that the American people, particularly the victims of 9/11 who would like to witness these proceedings, be allowed to do so. The victims of 9/11 can't easily travel--many of them can't travel at all--to Guantanamo to review the proceedings. I think that the victims of that heinous terrorist attack should have the ability to face those and observe the proceedings against those who have been charged with those offenses. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment. In June 2020, as individuals came together to proclaim that Black lives matter and speak out against the murder of George Floyd, Donald Trump saw these lawful protests as an opportunity to once again abuse the power of his office. The former President threatened to deploy U.S. military units to cities across the country to serve as de facto law enforcement. The threat only heightened an already tense situation and risked catastrophe had he followed through. The posse comitatus laws protect American citizens against the abuse of the military as a domestic law enforcement agency, but it has loopholes that need to be fixed. My amendment would do so. The goals of this amendment are simple: strengthen restrictions to ensure the mission of the U.S. military cannot be abused and protect the civil liberties of our citizens. Madam Speaker, I urge support of the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, it is not that complicated. The current posse comitatus laws prohibit violation of this rule against using the military for law enforcement purposes but apply it only to two branches of the military, the Army and the Air Force. This would extend it to the other branches of the military. It is as simple as that. It also provides that if you violate the law, you shouldn't use the evidence from the violation of that law in court proceedings. That is a well-established principle of criminal law, and it ought to apply here as well. It is really quite simple. That is what this amendment would do. Madam Speaker, I urge support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I will now close. This amendment is quite simple. It would extend the posse comitatus law to all branches of the military so it is not abused. This is not about defunding the police. That is the usual red herring argument when there is no argument to be made on the merits. So this would simply say that the prohibition against abusing the military and dragooning it as a method of enforcing domestic laws ought to be extended to every branch of the military not just two of the branches of the military. And those who would violate this law cannot use evidence gained in violation of the law against individuals. So that is what this amendment would do. Madam Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Lynn LeMay of West Hollywood, California. Lynn has been a resident of West Hollywood for many years. Her mother was in the United States Army and her father, who served in World War II, was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Lynn was born in San Diego, California, while her father was overseas. For many years, Ms. LeMay was a professional event planner and fundraiser for non-profit, corporate, and political groups. She oversaw numerous events for thousands of guests. Currently retired, Lynn dedicates her time to serve the LGBTQ community, and has done so for more than forty years. She is a steadfast advocate for people living with AIDS. Her compassion for people living with AIDS began in the 1980's when she worked in the interior design industry with renowned designer, Barbara Lockhart. During her extensive nonprofit career, Ms. LeMay worked for Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, and while working for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, helped open three hospice sites for individuals with AIDS. In addition, she volunteered with AIDS Project Los Angeles and with a Master's degree in clinical psychology, was a compassionate resource for those in need. Lynn has been a volunteer with Project Angel Food for many years, which serves medically tailored meals to individuals living with illnesses, including HIV/AIDS. She was one of the first volunteers when founder Marianne Williamson was initially setting up the organization. Ms. LeMay serves as one of Project Angel Food's Telephone Angels, which is a buddy telephone program designed to combat social isolation. She also played a role in implementing Project Angel Food's Feminine Hygiene Program, which conducts outreach to age-appropriate clients. Lynn took part in both programs during the coronavirus pandemic. She felt fulfilled speaking to individuals on the phone to let them know that they were being thought of and there was someone to listen to them. Lynn has a son, Austin, who has followed in his mother's footsteps by being an AIDS activist while he was enrolled at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Lynn LeMay.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Catherine Y. Kim of the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, California. Born and raised in Los Feliz, Catherine is a proud child of Korean immigrants. After attending Lycee International de Los Angeles in Los Feliz, she continued her higher education at New York University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Media, Culture, and Communications and a minor in Art History. After working in New York City in public relations and the fashion industry, Catherine moved back to Los Angeles. While volunteering as a member of the League of Women Voters, Catherine recognized the importance of being involved at the local level to make a difference in the community. With a wealth of experience as the past chair of the East Hollywood Los Feliz Homeless Coalition, and former Vice President of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, where she is currently a member, Ms. Kim cofounded SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition (SELAH). SELAH is a community-based volunteer organization devoted to supporting her unhoused neighbors in Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Atwater Village and East Hollywood. Ms. Kim's passion for helping the community became even more evident when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began. She was instrumental in guiding SELAH to serve those in-need through countless ways, from providing showers, case management/housing navigation, meals, hygiene supplies, and clothing to initiating an emergency food program. In addition, Catherine was instrumental in distributing COVID-19 education material and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the unhoused communities impacted by the closing of regular homeless food and assistance programs. In the Fall of 2020, Catherine joined the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Housing for Health division COVID Response Team as a Procurement Specialist, working during a time of a global supply chain crisis to ensure that county quarantine and isolation sites came online as fast as possible, and that COVID-19 testing teams for individuals facing homelessness were protected with PPE when out in the field. Presently, Ms. Kim is committed to supporting the efforts of Los Angeles County in COVID-19 vaccine education, administration, and outreach in the unhoused community, and also coordinating SELAH's roving and on-site vaccine clinics for areas that are overlooked or hard to reach. Catherine enjoys empowering people to serve their community and encouraging them to partake in civic engagement. She likes painting, visiting museums, scuba diving, attending concerts, hiking in Griffith Park, and walking in her neighborhood. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Catherine Y. Kim.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Woman's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Dr. Barbara Ferrer of the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Dr. Ferrer obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a Master of Arts in Public Health from Boston University, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from Brandeis University. A renowned and respected public health leader, Dr. Ferrer has more than four decades of professional experience as a researcher, philanthropic strategist, community advocate, educational leader, and public health director. Dr. Ferrer has held several leadership positions throughout the years, serving as Director of Health Promotion & Chronic Disease Prevention and Director of the Division of Maternal & Child Health, respectively, at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She also served as Headmaster at a high school in Boston, where she spearheaded efforts to improve high school graduation rates. After working in these capacities, Dr. Ferrer served as the Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. In this role, she directed the city's health department, including managing 1,100 employees, oversaw all Commission programs, and was a senior member of the Mayor's cabinet, advising on health-related issues. Under her leadership, the City of Boston experienced improvements in health outcomes, such as a decrease in the rates of childhood obesity, infant mortality, and smoking. Dr. Ferrer then went on to work for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Michigan as the Chief Strategy Officer, where her responsibilities included developing the strategic direction and providing leadership to the foundation's key program areas, such as community engagement, racial equity, and family economic security. Presently, Dr. Barbara Ferrer serves as Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which prevents disease, protects health, and promotes well-being and equity in Los Angeles County. In this capacity, she oversees a workforce of nearly 7,000 staff, and oversees all operating units, including the Bureaus of Operations Support, Health Promotion, Health Protection, and Disease Control. Dr. Ferrer guided the area's coronavirus pandemic response, collaborating with the County and community-based partners to ensure targeted services and appropriate policies to keep Los Angeles County residents safe during this health crisis. She leads the Department's Incident Command System, incepted at the start of the pandemic to facilitate informed decision-making and implementation of mitigation and response activities, such as safety protocols. The crisis response has included communications with education sectors, residents, and businesses, disease and outbreak management, vaccine planning and administration, development and implementation of health officer orders, and engagement of community leaders and stakeholders in response efforts. Dr. Ferrer's unparalleled and compassionate leadership, coupled with her wealth of knowledge, helped the community navigate during these unprecedented times. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Barbara Ferrer.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Susan Sung Hee Lee of La Crescenta, California. A native Angeleno, Susan has lived in La Crescenta for most of her life, and attended Monte Vista Elementary School, Rosemont Middle School, and Crescenta Valley High School. She served in her church for many years, teaching Bible study to youth, and went on several mission trips to serve in rural cities in Mexico and northern Thailand. After graduating from high school, Susan pursued higher education receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities with an Asian American Studies major from the University of California, Irvine, an Associate's Degree in Nursing from Glendale Community College, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Azusa Pacific University. Susan's mother, who has been a nurse for more than four decades, inspired, supported, and encouraged Susan's pursuit in becoming a nurse. Currently, Ms. Lee is a registered nurse at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in the intensive care unit, where she has been a Relief Charge Nurse for nearly eleven years. She highly values her work as a nurse and strives to care for every patient as if they were a member of her family. As a La Crescenta resident for many years, Susan feels fortunate to be taking care of members of her community and serving in the area where she grew up. Susan's dedication and passion for her job became even more evident during the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic. With the wholehearted support of her family, Ms. Lee worked at least one overtime shift every week and would stay past her 12-hour shifts when there was a shortage of nurses. Further, she volunteered to come to work before the start of her shifts so there would not be a gap in the care the patients were receiving. Susan also credits her work colleagues, who she sees as a second family, for persevering during the pandemic. During the pandemic, Susan used her sewing machine to sew her own scrub caps and provided scrub caps to each of her colleagues, as well as putting her years of haircutting experience from her mission trips to use by giving haircuts to her colleagues when the hair salons and barber shops were closed. In addition, she brought homemade baked goods to share with her colleagues and continues to do so until today. While Susan sees these as simple gestures, she takes pride in knowing that she can provide comfort in the trying times of the pandemic and hopes to be able to contribute in this way throughout her career and personal life. Susan is a loving wife and mother of two young children. She thrives in the outdoors and enjoys camping, hiking, scuba diving and bike riding. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Susan Sung Hee Lee.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our Nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Nareh Manooki of Burbank, California. After graduating from high school, Nareh attended the University of California San Diego (UCSD). During her junior year at UCSD, Nareh started to work part-time for the Boeing Company, joining full time after graduating from UCSD with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, followed by a Master of Science degree in Product Development Engineering from the University of Southern California. At Boeing, she assumed leadership roles in extracurricular groups, including Boeing Women in Leadership and the Amelia Earhart Society. Nareh learned complicated processes and procedures when working on the 787 nacelle, and became lead of the project, receiving awards for her work on the project. Nareh decided to make a shift in her career after the birth of her son. An experienced engineer who never lost sight of her passion for tutoring and helping people, she joined Glendale Community College (GCC) in 2018 as an instructor of engineering, where she currently teaches several classes including Introduction to Engineering and 3D Printing and Modeling. Soon after, Nareh was also hired to teach at Los Angeles Pierce College and Los Angeles City College, where she continues to teach today. In addition to sharing her personal and professional experiences in the engineering industry with her students, Nareh also supports her students outside of the classroom with hands-on opportunities that benefit them and the community, especially supporting underrepresented minorities in STEM. When the coronavirus pandemic hit and everyone was sent home, the work outside the classroom seemed to be at a standstill. While Ms. Manooki was working remotely, she wanted to do something to help frontline workers, and while researching on line, she came across articles about 3D printing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). With the support of the GCC leadership, Nareh brought home the school's 3D printers to test different designs she had found for clinically tested products to donate to hospitals. She also discovered that there were many like-minded college instructors in California, with whom she shared the approved mask designs and learned the agreements and processes they established with local hospitals for donations. Soon, the networking between GCC and local hospitals blossomed, and donation agreement forms were coming in. Nareh was printing with two or three 3D printers in her home from morning until evening, while simultaneously fulfilling her teaching and parental responsibilities. To meet the demands faster, she reached out to colleagues and students for help, who enthusiastically joined her efforts, and together as a team, they donated over two thousand face shields and ear tension straps to the community. Following the success of this effort, Ms. Manooki thought of ways to bring back opportunities for students to have hands-on projects while learning remotely. In May 2020, the Glendale College Foundation approved her proposed program to advise and mentor students on how to learn to operate 3D printers and improve existing PPE designs. The program proved to be a success. Nareh's students designed and created their own prototypes while gaining hands- on engineering technology skills during a pandemic school year. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Nareh Manooki.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Rebecca Berberian of Glendale, California. A native Angeleno, Rebecca Berberian, RN, BSN, MHA, has been a resident of Glendale for over thirty years. She attained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pacific Union College, in Angwin, California, and a Master's in Healthcare Administration from Cal State LA while working fulltime. She began her career in healthcare in 1988 as an operating room nurse at LAC+USC Medical Center and later went on to work as a surgical nurse at Adventist Health White Memorial in Los Angeles. She has worked at Adventist Health White Memorial for more than three decades, and presently serves as the hospital's director of the Risk Management and Infection Prevention departments. In this capacity, Rebecca develops policies and procedures to promote patient safety, collects and analyzes infection data, manages hospital claims, and coordinates with local and national public health agencies. As a mission driven and faith-based organization, Adventist Health White Memorial has encouraged Rebecca to follow her passion. of volunteering and working in several medical missions in underserved regions of Peru, Armenia and Artsakh. Ms. Berberian is wholeheartedly dedicated to her work and to the community that the hospital serves. Her passion for her job became even more evident during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically during the surge periods, she worked long hours supporting the hospital's efforts in responding to the pandemic, including taking part in strategic decision-making about converting hospital units to accommodate high hospitalization rates, contact tracing infections among staff, and securing personal protective equipment. Rebecca demonstrated compassion and empathy towards families during their loved ones' hospital stays and did everything she could to support them. She has also volunteered at the hospital's vaccination clinics. Rebecca is thankful for her colleagues and hospital administration for the teamwork, support, and expertise that was displayed during this unprecedented time. In addition to her career in healthcare, Ms. Berberian is active in the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), which is an international educational, philanthropic, and humanitarian organization. She served as the ARS Western USA Chairwoman and also as Chair of the Los Angeles ARS Maro Chapter, where she is currently a member. In her roles as chairperson, she oversaw the work of the ARS Saturday Armenian schools and led fundraising campaigns. Rebecca continues to work for the betterment of Armenians in the homeland and diaspora. Rebecca is married to her husband, Sarkis, and together they have two daughters, Alique and Lori. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Rebecca Berberian.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Pattee Colvin in the Sunland neighborhood area of Los Angeles, California. Pattee is the founder of Making It Happen, a food and clothing pantry in Sunland whose mission is to help those in need. Ms. Colvin's motivation for founding Making It Happen is truly inspiring. Pattee worked for a local business for many years, but in 1999, when she became disabled, she lost her job and home. For several years, Pattee lived outdoors in the rugged Sunland-Tujunga ``wash'' while also maintaining a job at a local answering service company. As a member of the Chapel of the Hills Church in Sunland since 2002 who lived off the food provided from the church's hot meal program, in 2007, Pattee's life truly turned around, in large part due to the church. She enrolled in the church's Christian Sobriety Program, a program that she subsequently ran for several years and found new employment at Suzuki Insurance Company, a local business where she currently works. Homeless for many years, Pattee bought her own mobile home in Sunland in 2015. In 2013, Ms. Colvin created Making It Happen located at the Chapel of the Hills Church in Sunland. Since its inception, Making It Happen has expanded to include housing assistance and free health clinics. In addition, the non-profit participates in events focused on community assistance, such as the Homeless Connect Days, and supports Sunland- Tujunga schools by sponsoring Back-to-School events and a Family Christmas Celebration for the homeless and underserved children. When the coronavirus pandemic began, there was an enormous increase in demand for food and meals, and their Saturday food pantry attendance grew from about 60 individuals and their families to almost 200 individuals and their families. At the height of the pandemic, their Sunday Hot Meal program increased from 75 people to 200 people. Stepping up to the challenge, the organization began offering a weekday lunch program, which included meal deliveries, and in response to COVID-19 safety protocols, changed the manner in which they serve the needy; from a walk-through pantry and seated dinners to a drive-through and delivery. Along with giving back to the community through Making It Happen, Pattee enjoys spending time with her daughter, family, and friends. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Pattee Colvin.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Mara Leong- Maguinez of Pasadena, California. A native Pasadenan, Mara attended Westridge School, obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies and Ethnicity from the University of Southern California, and received her Master of Public Administration (MPA), Nonprofit Sector Management degree from California State University, Northridge. Ms. Leong-Maguinez's career has been dedicated to helping children and families in the local community. This began with her seven-year employment as Development Director at the Families Forward Learning Center in Pasadena (formerly known as Mothers' Club), an organization that provides two-generation learning programs to low-income families. Mara's experience at Families Forward increased her passion for providing comprehensive services and inspired her to obtain her Master's in Public Administration and dedicate her career to managing community-based organizations. She then went on to serve as Director of Development at the Downtown Women's Center and Chief Development Officer of the Youth Policy Institute. In January of 2020, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic began, Mara began serving as Executive Director of the Ronald McDonald House Pasadena. The Ronald McDonald House Pasadena, located near Huntington Hospital and Shriners for Children Medical Center, is a home-away-from- home for families with critically ill children who are receiving medical treatment, providing these families with a comfortable, caring place to stay, meals and therapeutic family support services at little or no cost to the families. When the pandemic hit, Mara worked to implement comprehensive safety and cleaning protocols and adjust the physical spaces within the House, while simultaneously obtaining funding and gathering support to keep the House open during this crucial time, which was especially important as several families had to stay there for greater lengths of time than usual due to the pandemic. Mara lives in Pasadena with her husband, Roman Maguinez. Along with volunteering for Families Forward, Mara enjoys cooking and bicycling in the beautiful Pasadena area. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Mara Leong-Maguinez.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Dr. Rebecca Crane of the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Born in California but raised primarily in Connecticut, Rebecca returned to California in the late 1980's where she attended the University of California San Diego graduating with a degree in Visual Arts with minors in biology and chemistry. After a year of working on an immunization project in Paraguay and an HIV screening clinic in Los Angeles, she attended Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, where she obtained her Medical Doctor and Master of Public Health degrees. Dr. Crane completed her medical residency in combined internal medicine and pediatrics in Los Angeles and became an attending physician at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, where she worked as a primary care physician, and was a breastfeeding advocate for mothers in the newborn nursery. Rebecca moved to Urgent Care after several years in Family Medicine to accommodate the needs of her family and other pursuits. Acting on her passion to advance women's health, Dr. Crane led a committee at Kaiser to make the hospital a Baby Friendly Hospital. Rebecca and her family moved to Silver Lake in 2008, where her children attended local schools, including Micheltorena Street Elementary School. One of Rebecca's greatest accomplishments has been as an active member from 2008 to 2015 of Friends of Micheltorena, the support group for the school, where she helped to revitalize the school and bring in a dual-language program, in addition to being a founding member of the Micheltorena School and Community Garden. As an essential frontline worker during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Rebecca has been grateful to be able to serve her community through this crisis. She experienced the fear, sorrow, uncertainty, and exhaustion that accompanied most frontline workers at the outset of the pandemic, but the fear subsided after treating her first COVID-19 patient and she settled into the comfort of work, as Kaiser's Urgent Care was adapted into two separate units, with a temporary testing facility in the garage. Earlier this year Rebecca assisted in organizing a three-day event at Kaiser called ``A Time to Grieve, a Time to Heal,'' to commemorate all the patients, family members, and loved ones her fellow healthcare workers had lost during the pandemic, and to honor all the hospital staff. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys spending time with her husband, Jordan and their two children, Lucy and Hollis, in addition to hiking, camping, and gardening. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Rebecca Crane.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Lori Rosales of the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Born and raised in Colorado, Ms. Rosales attended the University of Northern Colorado and received her Master's in Education with Administration Credentials from Loyola Marymount University. With a firm belief that all children need to be educated fairly and are valued, to that end, she has spent nearly two decades in education: as an elementary school teacher, a high school principal, an educational consultant, and in her current position working for the University of California Los Angeles Center X Math Project. It is motherhood and her volunteer career with Friends of Atwater Elementary (FoAE), a parent support group for Atwater Elementary School, that are the most near and dear to Lori's heart. A longtime Atwater Village resident, for the last four years, Lori has served as president of FoAE, bringing her community-building skills to the organization. Under her stellar leadership, she organized and succeeded in the effort to bring the Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program to the school, an effort she considers her greatest accomplishment. In addition, FoAE raised funds for beautification and projects such as the Innovation Lab, the garden program, the installation of new murals, and a bilingual math program. During the coronavirus pandemic, Ms. Rosales organized volunteers to sort and pack books so all the school's children would receive books to read at home, sent 350 stuffed animal bears (Cubby the Bear is Atwater Elementary School's mascot) to the children for emotional support, and fundraised for school supplies for each child in the 2020-2021 school year. Additionally, when the school became aware of a few families who experienced the loss of loved ones or employment loss due to the pandemic, they contacted Lori, who swiftly responded, gathering financial donations from neighbors in the community for those families, enabling neighbors to become directly involved in helping their neighbors. Lori is married to her college sweetheart from Colorado, Craig Rosales, and they have three children: Estes, Tyson, and Vinny. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Lori Rosales.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Dr. Wint Hun of La Canada Flintridge, California. Wint was born in Chauk, an isolated area of Myanmar. Wint's hero and mentor, her father, was a medical doctor who worked in an underserved area and encouraged her to become a physician who would have a positive effect on the community she served. After he passed away, her family moved to Yangon, Myanmar where her mother, now a single parent, raised her and her sister. After her high school graduation, with a film resolve to follow in her father's footsteps and become a physician, Wint enrolled at the University of Medicine in Yahgon, one of the oldest medical schools in South East Asia, and obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree. After Wint graduated, she moved to the United States and continued her studies. She finished her residency in Internal Medicine at NYU Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, and then moved to Southern California, where she completed her Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. Board-certified in Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine, Dr. Hun treats patients in her office and at Adventist Health Glendale, University of Southern California (USC) Verdugo Hills Hospital and Methodist Hospital in Arcadia. Believing that everyone deserves kindness and respect, Wint cares for her patients as she would for her own family, listening to their needs and finding a solution together. When coronavirus became a world-wide pandemic, it struck at the core of Dr. Hun's specialty as an Infectious Disease physician. From the outset of the pandemic, Dr. Hun's fearlessness and expertise emboldened USC Verdugo Hills Hospital's team, giving them courage to battle the healthcare crisis. She was also an indispensable resource to the Infection Prevention team, as it developed rapid isolation and testing protocols to keep patients and staff safe. Dr. Hun is thankful for the opportunity to help so many people and is especially honored to be part of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital's outstanding care team. Dr. Hun and her husband, Victor Chan live in La Canada Flintridge, and they enjoy traveling, gardening, and spending time with friends and family. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Dr. Wint Hun.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Daisy De La Torre of the Elysian Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. A life-long resident of Elysian Valley, Daisy attended Immaculate Heart High School and in 2017, obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from the University of San Francisco. In 2018, she began her vocation as a nurse at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital. As a labor and delivery nurse, Daisy has been an essential frontline worker with coronavirus patients throughout the entire pandemic. New life is normally celebrated daily in her unit, however due to the coronavirus, uncertainty and anxiety developed in this unit, as expectant mothers were occasionally compelled to experience their babies' births alone. In some instances, due to the mothers' COVID-19 positive status, mothers were separated from their babies after they were born. Ms. De La Torre stepped up to the challenge, working overtime as needed and consistently providing kindness, comfort, and compassion to those under her care, often substituting for absent family members, while concurrently welcoming new lives as so many lives were lost nationwide. When Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) became scarce at the hospital, Daisy contacted local Elysian Valley businesses, nonprofits, and friends, such as Waxpaper, LA Mas and Suay Sew Shop who quickly responded with donations of locally made masks for hospital staff, as well as for family members and neighbors. Daisy's leadership extended beyond obtaining PPE and she worked with LA Mas, a nonprofit organization to provide food to families in need in the Elysian Valley area during the pandemic. Daisy was one of the first group of frontline workers to receive a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in December of 2020, and has been a strong advocate for vaccine awareness, assisting in this effort through social media platforms and scheduling vaccine appointments. She is grateful for the opportunity to help people through nursing and for the many blessings in her life. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Daisy De La Torre.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Alycia Belle of Hollywood, California. A compassionate leader, Alycia has selflessly devoted her time to organizations and programs that benefit the Hollywood community. She served as the Director of Development for Blessed Sacrament School, a Catholic School within the Jesuit tradition, which closed its doors in 2021 after being in operation for over a century. Prior to the school's closure, Ms. Belle raised $941,000 for campus improvements and more than $3.5 million for Jesuit Education that provided scholarships to families in Hollywood. She cofounded and implemented a program called Jesuit Alumni Mass, or JAM, to engage alumni from every Jesuit Institution and give them the opportunity to connect while encouraging them to become involved with their Jesuit community in Hollywood. Alycia also positively impacted the lives of children from the Alexandria House, which offers safe housing for women and children who are in the process of moving to permanent housing. The organization holds a special place in Alycia's heart, since she was raised by a single mother. Under Alycia's guidance, the Blessed Sacrament community welcomed several children from the Alexandria House. Passionate about helping people and improving lives, Ms. Belle co- founded The Urban Sanctuary, which offers a safe environment within the sacred space of the Blessed Sacrament Church's nave, where individuals experiencing homelessness may seek guidance and rest. Alycia is also exploring sharing this model with churches that have underused space and homeless visitors. Ms. Belle supports the Hollywood Police Activities League (PAL) and is grateful for their inspiring team-building programs and their dedication to youth. In addition to taking part in their events and encouraging families to participate in PAL's programs, she has hosted their meetings at Blessed Sacrament Church. Alycia also enjoys volunteering for Project Angel Food. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Alycia had the whole Parish Community online with live streaming masses within a matter of days. She also supported moving The Urban Sanctuary outdoors and worked with the Hollywood Food Coalition to provide meals to people in need. Furthermore, Alycia supported the Hollywood YMCA in implementing a shower program for unhoused individuals. IN addition to her extraordinary work in the non-profit arena, Alycia advocates for women-owned businesses. She owns Hollywood Handy Construction, Inc., which is a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). Alycia is married to her supportive husband, Jason, and together they have four children. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Alycia Belle.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, MiMi Aung of La Canada Flintridge, California, who is receiving Special Districtwide Recognition for her trailblazing work on the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. MiMi credits her mother, who was the first Burmese woman to earn a doctoral degree in mathematics from an American university as her inspiration. MiMi's family returned to Myanmar when she was a toddler, where MiMi resided until she moved back to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue her education. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and her Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, with her thesis focus on signal processing and communications, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1990, Ms. Aung moved to Southern California and began working at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), fulfilling her childhood dream of space exploration. She began her career by working on mathematical algorithms for deep space communication with spacecraft hundreds of millions of miles away from Earth, and during her 30 year career at JPL, was selected for various positions with increasing degrees of responsibility specifically in Deep Space Network projects, organizational line management, technology development, and space flight projects. The numerous technical areas she engaged in included spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control; autonomous systems; deep space signal processing and communications; optical communications and multiple-spacecraft formation flying. With Ms. Aung as the Project Manager, worldwide history was made on April 19, 2021, when the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter took its first flight and was the first powered, controlled flight in the planet Mars' atmosphere, and the first such flight anywhere outside of Earth. Believing that young people should pursue what they believe in, and that critical thinking and industriousness play a big role in pursuit of their heart-felt objectives, MiMi is a frequent keynote speaker at various Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) summits and conferences and local area schools. MiMi and her husband, Dr. James Shell and their two children live in La Canada Flintridge. Madam Speaker, for her extraordinary achievements in the science realm, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, MiMi Aung.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the HAVANA Act. I was proud to introduce this legislation in the House, and I appreciate the continued support from Ranking Member Nunes, Chairman Meeks, and Ranking Member McCaul in moving this legislation through the House and to the President's desk. Every day, thousands of patriotic Americans serve our country abroad, representing our values and interests across the globe. They are diplomats, soldiers, intelligence officers, and more. But we must never forget they are also mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and sons and daughters who routinely make tremendous personal sacrifices in service of their country. In return for their service to our Nation, we have a sacred responsibility to make sure that we take care of them. That is what this bill does. Over the past several years, public servants from the intelligence community and elsewhere have experienced symptoms of unknown origins. These cases, which have been described as Havana syndrome or anomalous health incidents, named for the cohort whose symptoms onset in Havana, remain a mystery. But two things are clear. First, we must spare no effort to identify their source and to hold anyone responsible accountable. Second, we must ensure that those who are injured receive the highest quality of care and the benefits that they need as they recover. The HAVANA Act does just that. It would adjust and expand the authority we gave to the intelligence community and the State Department in 2019 to provide compensation for those experiencing these injuries to also include those suffering from traumatic brain injuries. Members of both parties have united behind this critical legislation to provide benefits to afflicted individuals. Even as we pass this legislation, our work is not done. On a bipartisan basis, the Intelligence Committee has continued to provide vigorous oversight of how individuals experiencing these health incidents were treated and how they are being treated today. We will continue to prioritize this issue and put our people first. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Castro and Mr. McCaul, for their efforts.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, an open letter to President Joseph Biden: Mr. President, in just 5 days, the world will mark the 106th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide, the systematic murder and displacement of 1.5 million Armenian women, men, and children by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923. This will be the first April 24 of your Presidency and your first opportunity to follow through on your promise to recognize the genocide and your decades of leadership on this issue. On behalf of hundreds of thousands of Armenian Americans, the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of genocide survivors, I ask you to keep that promise and recognize the Armenian genocide. The facts of the genocide are not in serious dispute. They were recorded in real time by American diplomats who lacked a name for the barbaric and systematic extermination of the Armenian people but knew that it was without precedent in human history. Millions of Armenians were beaten, raped, killed, and marched across deserts by the Ottoman Empire. From the blood and rubble, the Armenian people survived. Tens of thousands of orphaned children owe their lives to the generosity of Americans who created the Near East Relief Foundation. Those children and their descendants crossed the ocean to build lives in Los Angeles and across the Nation. You know these facts well, and you have spoken about them directly, including as a candidate for President. As President, it is now in your power to help right decades of denial and in so doing give meaning to your statement last year when you acknowledged the genocide and said that silence is complicity. As a candidate and now as President, you have spoken of your commitment to human rights. You have spoken of an America who leads not by example of our power, but by the power of our example. If that principle is to have meaning, we cannot waver from it just because it may be inconvenient. The word genocide is significant because genocide is not a problem of the past, it is a problem of today, including in Xinjiang where Uighurs face a relentless campaign by the Chinese Communist Party to wipe out their culture. And it is a danger today in Artsakh where Turkey assisted Azerbaijan in making war on the Armenians again, and in so doing, threaten another potential genocide. What a comfort it would be to the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in the present day if the most powerful nation on Earth could be cowed into silence about the events of a century ago. In recognizing the genocide, you will be joining both the House and the Senate who voted overwhelmingly in 2019 to do so. Mr. President, we must not resort to euphemisms or half-truths. The murder of 1.5 million Armenians was an atrocity--that is surely true-- but it was more than that. The act of seeking to destroy a people and a culture is a different kind of evil, and it was not until Raphael Lemkin coined the term genocide that we had a word to describe it. Millions of Armenians, in Yerevan and across the world, tens of thousands of my constituents, Mr. President, will look to you later this week to see if you will join leaders in France, Germany, the European Union, the Vatican, and in 49 States in recognizing the genocide. It is my deepest wish that you will speak the truth in all of its horror and recognize the Armenian genocide.

Mr. SCHIFF

Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael ``Mickey'' DePalo for his innumerable contributions to veterans and the residents of the City of Burbank, California. Mickey has been a Burbank resident for sixty-five years. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1964, and the following year, began his four-decades-long career with the City of Burbank Parks and Recreation Department. Shortly after graduating from college, Mr. DePalo briefly left the City of Burbank to honorably serve in the U.S. Army for two years during the Vietnam War. As a child, Mickey played many sports, including flag football, baseball, softball and basketball. His love of sports continued into adulthood, and along with participating in Burbank sports leagues, he has generously volunteered his time and knowledge to the sports organizations for decades. He was a volunteer baseball, flag football and basketball coach for the City's Parks and Recreation Department, and a volunteer assistant coach for his son, Michael's youth basketball teams. Additionally, Mr. DePalo was Loyola High School Cross Country Team's volunteer coach and the race director for Burbank's Run for the Hungry for ten years. A staunch advocate for veterans and their welfare, Mickey has been Chairperson of the Burbank Veterans Commemorative Committee and the emcee for the Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies at McCambridge Park in Burbank for over thirty years. Under his leadership, the committee has organized numerous veterans events in Burbank, including one event that Mr. DePalo is most proud of--assisting the City in 1998 to be selected as a site to host The Moving Wall, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. that tours the nation. He also worked on the Hands Across the Battlefield program, which partners with community businesses and individuals to collect and send supplies to our troops, and has raised funds for youth and veterans organizations in his role as Sr. Vice Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8310. A few of the numerous community awards and commendations Mr. DePalo has received include the Burbank Association of Realtors' Citizen of the Year Award, an induction into the City of Burbank's Athletics Walk of Fame, the L.A. County Older Americans Volunteer Service Award, and the Veteran of the Year Award from both Assemblyman Paul Krekorian in 2009 and from Assemblymember Laura Friedman in 2017. It is my honor to call Michael ``Mickey'' DePalo a friend and I want to thank him for over half a century of extraordinary support and dedication to our nation's veterans and the community of Burbank. I ask all Members to join me in paying tribute to this extraordinary American patriot.