Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3475.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3475) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Columbus, Georgia, as the ``Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic''.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Pappas for sharing the testimony of Landon Marchant. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton), a Congressman who himself is a Marine veteran, to share the story of Air Force veteran Hanna Tripp.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1281) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Gaylord, Michigan, as the ``Navy Corpsman Steve Andrews Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Clinic''.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4172) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Aurora, Colorado, as the ``Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley VA Clinic.''

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 189) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2021, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of a generous and fearless leader, Chairman Mike Hong. Chairman Hong was a beloved member of the AAPI community, who had a sincere devotion to serving a variety of communities and causes. He mentored countless young people and believed in the importance of Asian Americans being politically engaged. He exemplified the immigrant who, by dint of talent, persistence, and faith, blazed a trail to success and then ensured many others would share in his blessings, and they did. I am especially proud that he helped finance a memorial of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, a revered Korean independence freedom fighter, in the downtown mall of my hometown of Riverside, California. Chairman Hong dedicated his life to the service of others, and that will never be forgotten. To the Hong family and all those who knew, loved, and respected him, I offer my deepest condolences.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs' Home Loan Program. For a century, this loan assistance program has helped veterans and their families realize the American dream of homeownership after returning from their service to our country. The Farm and Home Loan Program was created on May 30, 1921, to thank California veterans for their service and sacrifice in World War I. This program identified homeownership as a foundational step towards transitioning to civilian life, establishing credit, and building a strong financial future for veterans and their families. Over the course of the last hundred years, the Home Loan Program has aided veterans throughout times of war and economic crisis, including the Great Depression, the Great Recession, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. During its existence, the program has distributed more than $8.5 billion in loans to over 425,000 veterans and expanded to serve a growing and diverse veteran population. Today, the Home Loan Program is renowned for some of the lowest foreclosure rates in the country, personalized service, and a comprehensive homeowners insurance plan; and continues to deliver exceptional customer service to veterans who would otherwise not qualify for a loan. Madam Speaker, I am proud that my home state has been a pioneer in assisting veterans to secure housing and I congratulate the California Department of Veterans Affairs on their exceptional work throughout the decades. The Home Loan Program has been a lifeline to thousands of veterans over the past 100 years, and I know that it will continue to help veterans achieve homeownership for the next 100 to come.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding. I am pleased to join my colleagues in supporting this en bloc, which includes a symbolic amendment in support of the Office of Technology Assessment, otherwise known as OTA. The reestablishment of OTA has been a top priority of mine since I first came to Congress in 2013. Since then, debates around emerging technologies and concepts have caught this Congress by surprise as we struggle to legislate on complex issues of technological and societal importance. Before OTA was defunded in 1995, the office served a critical role in providing Members of Congress and staff with nonpartisan and expert advice on complex scientific and technical issues. OTA served as a model of good governance and innovation in government, and believe me, we could use OTA now in this environment of dissembling and shading of the truth around vaccines. Today, OTA would be invaluable as we debate issues related to cryptocurrencies; nonfungible tokens, or NTFs; cybersecurity; artificial intelligence; and other developing technologies throughout our society. We understand the importance and value of CRS and GAO when it comes to researching and understanding complex issues. That is not up for debate. Yet, OTA is necessary to ensure Congress is informed and knowledgeable on some of the most complex issues facing our society today. Staff who will work alongside CRS and GAO to provide this expertise will help this legislature not only catch up with the rest of our economy but truly understand how these new forms of technology affect our economy in everyday life. The foundation of good policy is accurate and objective analysis, and the reestablishment of the Office Technology Assessment is how we will pass new and forward-thinking laws for our country.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1910) to authorize major medical facility projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2021.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 1910, the Major Medical Facility Authorization Act of 2021, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on S. 1910.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Senator Tester's S. 1910, the Major Medical Facility Authorization Act of 2021. I also thank my good friend and a valued member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Representative Colin Allred, for introducing the House companion to this vital and important piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, each year, the Department of Veterans Affairs submits an annual budget request to Congress, and then it is our job to authorize and appropriate the funding that VA needs to care for America's veterans and their families. Within that larger funding request is VA's request for funds to replace and modernize its medical facilities. This year's major construction request totals just over $2 billion and will build a much-needed spinal cord injury center in Dallas, Texas; erect a community living center and renovate domiciliary and outpatient facilities in Canandaigua, New York; construct an outpatient clinic and a national cemetery in Alameda, California; and allow for the construction of a new specialty care building in American Lake, Washington, among other things. Mr. Speaker, this Congress, our committee has highlighted VA's aging infrastructure. It might surprise some Members to learn the median age of VA medical centers is 58 years old. In the private sector, it is about 11 years. Delivering 21st century healthcare in buildings that were built during the latter half of the 19th century is far from ideal and certainly not what our veterans deserve. Despite outdated facilities, RAND and other academic entities have found VA provides better care than private options, in most cases. That is right. The VA provides better care even though it is working from outdated facilities. Imagine what those findings would look like if VA was competing with a modern infrastructure. During our oversight efforts, the committee has learned that in order to fully recapitalize the Department's portfolio, VA would need roughly $100 billion. The Biden administration's $18 billion proposal to enhance VA's physical infrastructure is a downpayment in ensuring veterans have access to the most advanced healthcare and most robust infrastructure that we can provide. My colleagues across the aisle may argue that potentially spending $18 billion on VA's infrastructure is premature because it fails to consider existing reform efforts already underway, alluding to the AIR Commission. They will argue that we should wait for the Commission's findings. Given the severity of underfunding as it relates to VA's capital assets, we cannot afford to wait until the AIR Commission provides recommendations to Congress and the White House. Life safety and seismic issues across the portfolio must be addressed now. Regular maintenance should not be delayed because of budgetary concerns, nor should we delay retrofitting facilities to meet the needs of VA's fastest growing population--women veterans--or delay addressing the lessons learned from this Nation's first pandemic in more than 100 years. If we are going to build back better, if we are going to build back trust in VA, we have to start making serious investments in the outdated infrastructure meant to serve them, and nearly three-fourths of Americans agree. Mr. Speaker, that is why I support S. 1910, and I thank Senator Tester, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for prioritizing and passing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Allred), my good friend and a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where he is an active member of the Subcommittee on Health. (Mr. ALLRED asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 957) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that certain medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs have physical locations for the disposal of controlled substances medications.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on S. 957.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are bringing up to the floor Senator Kennedy's bill, S. 957, the DUMP Opioids Act. I also want to commend Congresswoman Miller-Meeks and Congressman Trone for their work in introducing a House companion to this legislation. We have all seen reports of a dramatic increase in accidental and intentional overdose deaths during the pandemic, both among veterans and nonveterans, in our communities. While addressing the factors that lead to substance misuse, we must also act immediately to lower access to controlled substances for those in distress. I applaud my colleagues for advancing this legislation as one piece in our lethal means safety approach to suicide and accidental death prevention. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been a leader in decreasing prescribing of opioids and in developing nonopioid forms of pain management. This is vitally important given what we know about the health risks that even prescription opioids pose for veterans and others in our Nation. At the same time, chronic pain is a challenging, significant, and ongoing concern for many veterans and there are times when opioids are appropriately prescribed and monitored. We need to make sure, however, that people have safe ways to dispose of opioid medications when they are either no longer needed or when they could be used unsafely in a home. This bill ensures that veterans and members of the public may safely dispose of unused controlled substances in special repositories on VA properties on days specifically designated by VA as public take- back days. The Secretary of the VA has the authority to set appropriate guidelines for safe disposal by members of the public. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the DUMP Opioids Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 957, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember an Inland Empire resident and an excellent public servant, Lois Carson. Lois was a beloved member of my community and a passionate advocate for childcare, education, and welfare reform. Lois served as the president of the San Bernardino Community College District Board of Trustees while I served on the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees. I have fond memories of working with her at trustee conferences where we would collaborate on improving the lives of Inland Empire students. During her 30 years as the executive director of Community Action Partnership of Riverside County, Lois provided services for low-income residents. Under her leadership the agency ran successfully and received the first public sector Community Action Agency award for excellence in 2005. The Inland Empire was fortunate to benefit from Lois Carson's many talents, and I am honored to have known her and believe that her legacy will live on in the many lives she touched.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Bowman for yielding, and I fully appreciate an opportunity to be in partnership with a fellow teacher for the cause of climate change. Climate change is infrastructure. Our buildings, roads, and transportation are directly impacted by the impending climate crisis. In this 1 year, we have seen our oceans on fire; a pipeline broke in the Gulf of Mexico; our bridges are crumbling; our buildings are collapsing; wildfires and heat waves have been paired with rolling blackouts in my district. Unfortunately, my constituents and I have experienced this for decades without much progress, but we cannot continue to accept this as a reality, a continuing reality. In addition to losing power in my district, some of the worst air quality in the country exists in my district. Despite California leading the Nation in investing in renewable energy, we still are not doing enough. As co-chair of the Congressional Energy Storage Caucus, I know how critical it is for us to invest in renewable microgrids that are powered by solar and wind energy and backed by battery energy storage. Congress must provide municipalities, businesses, and residents with the ability to purchase and build their own energy grids that are resilient to our frequent natural disasters. We have the technology to catch up to the modern industrial world. We cannot afford not to use this technology. We must invest.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a member of my staff, Dayanara Ramirez, who dutifully served for three years in my office as Communications Director. Dayanara is leaving Congress--for now--to join the Biden Administration after an incredibly successful 5- year tenure in the House of Representatives. Dayanara first joined Team Takano in July 2018 and quickly became integral to my office's role as a progressive voice in Congress. Her tenure could be defined by her ferocious defense of equality and progressive values, and her energy helped foster a creative and industrious environment on her team. Dayanara worked diligently to expand our communications team and grow our social media footprint across every major platform into what it is today. In addition to her official duties in Congress, Dayanara made it a point to contribute to the institution and its people through her generous volunteerism. Dayanara served as a member of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association and the Democratic Digital Communications Staff Association, and most recently as the President of the LGBT Congressional Staff Association. Dayanara has been a loyal member of my staff who has not only helped me to stay ``woke,'' but also helped me to improve my own Spanish speaking skills in the service of my constituents of CA-41. Madam Speaker, it has been a privilege to have such a dedicated public servant as Dayanara on my staff. I have every confidence that Dayanara will continue to excel in her future endeavors and fully expect her to eventually return to Congress with even more experience to defend progressive values across our country.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a constituent and dear friend, Andy Melendrez, on his retirement from the Riverside City Council. Mr. Melendrez has served as a council member for Ward 2 for four consecutive terms. During his first term as council member, he focused on enforcing public safety. He has also always been a strong advocate for Riverside's youth. Mr. Melendrez brought the first youth opera program to the Cesar Chavez Community Center-Bobby Bonds Park and other social service programs for youth that would provide them with mentoring, workforce development training, and other opportunities to improve their lives. Mr. Melendrez's dedication to improving the lives of families in Riverside is admirable. There is no doubt of his dedication and commitment to public service. Riverside was lucky to have him as a local leader, and I wish him the best in his retirement from the city council.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank my fellow Californian for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the INVEST in America Act, a $547 billion infrastructure bill that will invest in communities across the country. This bold piece of legislation includes $20 million in contract authority to fund the I-15 northern extension project in my own community in Riverside County. This investment will create jobs in the Inland Empire; it will meet our basic infrastructure needs; and it will improve our freeways and better connect our region. The INVEST in America Act will put us on the path to finally modernizing our Nation's roads, bridges, rails, and water systems, while keeping in mind the urgency to fight climate change. I do not hear from my colleagues across the aisle language that speaks to the future; I hear language instead that clings to the past. On this side of the aisle, we speak about a transition to a cleaner, more green future. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and invest in our communities.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman McGovern for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 503, to establish a select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol. On January 6, 2021, Americans watched as the U.S. Capitol was overrun by a violent mob of Trump supporters on a mission to stop the certification of the electoral college votes. Lawmakers were in this very Chamber carrying out their constitutional duty when this mob, incited by then-President Trump, forced them into lockdown. Many feared for their lives. Our democratic process came to a halt, and, unfortunately, a Capitol Police officer lost his life. Madam Speaker, this was an attack on our democracy. We must shine a light on the truth to prevent something like this from ever happening again and to hold those responsible for inciting this insurrection accountable for the damage they have caused. For the sake of our democracy, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to establish the select committee.