Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand against the tactics used by the House Republicans for their partisan fights. I find it unconscionable that the House Republicans would threaten the funding of the Department of Homeland Security over the President's executive action on immigration. We just saw what happened to our friends in France, and now, they are going to play games with our national security and threaten its funding. This executive action isn't an election strategy or a scheme to grow the Federal Government; it is a moral imperative. The President acted because this House refused to even vote on the bipartisan comprehensive immigration bill. It was widely expected that a vote on that bill would have succeeded. Our broken immigration system has forced millions to live their lives in fear. The President's action is the right thing to do, is the humane thing to do. I oppose the defunding of this executive action, Mr. Speaker, and I oppose the threatening of the funding of the Department of Homeland Security and, by extension, our national security.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. ``The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them. ``Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:--`I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.' ''

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady, the dean of our delegation in California. I come to the floor with tremendous pride and a heavy heart as we say good-bye to two of the greatest liberal legislators California has ever known--Henry Waxman and George Miller. I had the honor of receiving Henry Waxman's endorsement for my very first congressional bid in 1992, but I had been an admirer of his long before that. I believe Henry's career will be judged favorably by history. Going back to his cofounding of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats with Congressman Howard Berman back in 1973, his passion for social justice has long been storied. I have to say, as a Member from the Inland Empire where we suffer from some of the worst air quality in the Nation, I am grateful for Henry's commitment to clean air. He has been a stalwart of progressive values, conducting powerful investigations on water pollution, AIDS, and tobacco, to name a few. Who else could have cajoled executives of tobacco companies to claim that nicotine was not addictive under oath? Only Henry. Let me turn to the other liberal titan, George Miller. George's work on education and labor issues are unparalleled, from leading the effort that raised the minimum wage in 2007 to his commitment to protecting Pell grants and expanding college accessibility for all students. His support of my bid to the Education and the Workforce Committee made one of this teacher's lifelong aspirations a reality. To honor George, I plan on renaming the committee Education and Labor when we retake the majority. George's passion and presence on the House floor and in committee was powerful and will be missed. The commitment that both these men had to the right issues, not always the easy or popular issues, makes them true public servants and examples for the rest of us to follow. While there is no question that both Henry and George have earned their retirement, the House is losing two of its fiercest liberal voices. I am humbled to have served one term alongside these gentlemen, but selfishly wish that I could work with them for many more years. In departing, they are leaving big shoes for the rest of us to fill, but I can safely speak for all of us when I say to Henry and to George: It has been an honor.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Barnett Grier, who lived to be 99 years old and passed away last week. The son of a slave, Mr. Grier grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was a physicist, a businessman, a teacher, and an author. But it was perhaps the title of civil rights activist for which he was best known. In 1951, Mr. Grier published his autobiography, entitled, ``Trek to Equality,'' which detailed his family's struggles in Riverside, California. When his family was transferred to our community to form the west coast division of the Naval Weapons Research Center, the African American families, including Mr. Grier's, did not receive assistance in their move. He continued to work in Riverside and later founded the Habitat for Humanity, created a scholarship for local students, and established an advisory committee on African American students. Barnett Grier affected the lives of countless residents in the Inland Empire. Because of his passion and his dedication to our community, his memory will undoubtedly live on.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 15, a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill to properly address the humanitarian crisis at the border to the floor.

Mr. TAKANO. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the legislation being put forward by the House Republicans, which is an insincere attempt to address the humanitarian crisis at our border. This bill is misguided, unreasonable, and wrong. It does very little to address the actual root of this problem and cuts important funding from the Department of Defense, FEMA, and the State Department's Economic Support Fund. I oppose this legislation and urge my colleagues to return to the drawing board, so we can help these children and fix this issue. (English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:) The proposed legislation is ill-conceived, and does not solve the main problem. I am opposed to this legislation and ask my colleagues to propose a solution that really helps these children. Thank you. La legislacioon propuesta estaa mal planteada, y no resolveraa el problema principal. Estoy opuesto a esta legislacioon y pido que mis colegas propongan una solucioon que realmente ayudara a estos ninnos. Gracias.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, today, I want to remember a stalwart leader in the Japanese American community, Grayce Uyehara, who passed away recently on June 22nd. Grayce was a leading force in organizing and drawing attention to the Redress campaign--with her well-known Action Alerts and grassroots mobilization efforts--during her tenure as the executive director of Japanese American Citizens League's Legislative Education Committee. Her commitment to the Japanese American community, as well as this country more broadly, was a stunning display of courage and dedication in seeking justice for injustices throughout. Her legacy will be one not only of justice and fairness, but of true leadership and perseverance.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dan Bernstein, a columnist for The Press-Enterprise in the Inland Empire who recently retired. Dan began his career thirty-eight years ago in 1976, and has covered business, government, and politics for our community. His column has informed, enlightened, and entertained his readers for decades. His wife, who he calls his ``unofficial editor-in-chief,'' pushed him to write a column in his voice, with his point of view. This established a connection and a bond with his readers that lasted for years, and I'm sure many in Riverside County would agree with me that his retirement from The Press-Enterprise creates a void--as his voice informatively and candidly filled the homes of the Inland Empire. We will surely miss Mr. Bernstein and I congratulate his long- standing career. I wish him the best of luck in retirement.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I'm deeply saddened to have learned that Richard Tegley, a force in our community, passed away earlier this month. Richard lived a remarkable life--first bravely serving his country in the Air Force for 22 years, then on to an illustrious career as a real estate broker in the Inland Empire, where he quickly became a leader in the community. For decades, Richard was an advocate for the people of Moreno Valley and Riverside, whom he cared so deeply for. He was a trusted friend who helped ensure that I would be able to stand here in the House today. I always knew that I could turn to him to get a perspective on the issues facing our community, and I will miss his dedication and passion for others.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report. I want to thank Chairman Miller for the gracious way that he has conducted the committee hearings, and I thank Ranking Member Michaud for his hard work. Principally, I am very pleased that this conference report also includes 1,500 funded graduate medical school education slots at veterans facilities around this country. It was a good thing that we approved access to non-VA care for those servicemembers, those veterans who have been on waiting lists for far too long. But that would not be satisfactory to those areas of the country that are experiencing physician shortages. This is a huge, huge accomplishment for a Congress that is so partisan to approve these 1,500 funded GMEs. I urge all my colleagues to support the conference report.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding. Earlier today, your colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan) released his long-awaited antipoverty plan. This is a bold step for Mr. Ryan because, if you look at the history of the Republican Party, there is a clear and undeniable pattern of implementing policies that help the top 2 percent but that do nothing for those struggling to make ends meet. Of course, they have proposed various ``reforms'' over the years, but those initiatives were never anything other than safety net cuts or ineffective, recycled ideas disguised as reform. I am thinking of a childhood jingle, ``Jack and the Beanstalk''--Fee-fi-fo-fum. I smell the budget of faux reform. That appears to be the case here. Mr. Ryan calls his new plan an ``Opportunity Grant,'' as it would consolidate safety net programs such as food stamps and housing vouchers into a single grant to States. If that sounds familiar, that is because an ``Opportunity Grant'' is nothing more than block grants under a new name, and block grants have been shown to have limited impact in helping to lift people out of poverty. Now, if Mr. Ryan really wanted to lift people out of poverty, he would support a raise in the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage will increase the take-home pay for more than 28 million workers, add $35 billion to the economy in higher wages through 2016, and create 85,000 new jobs as a result of increased economic opportunity. At the very least, I know that my colleague, Barbara Lee from California, is, as I am, undertaking the challenge to live on a minimum wage by living off of $77, the average amount of money left over for full-time minimum wage workers after taxes and housing expenses. I would challenge Mr. Ryan to step inside the shoes of someone who is living on that minimum wage. Although I know I could never fully understand what it is like, this challenge will give me a small glimpse into the lives of many people in my district. So I would like to invite Mr. Ryan to participate in the challenge so he can, for a brief moment, understand what it is like for people in poverty to live on such a wage. Perhaps then Mr. Ryan will understand that the same old recycled ideas will not help those who really are in need.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the humanitarian crisis that is happening at our border. Since October of last year, more than 50,000 children have fled their homes and turned themselves in to the United States Border Patrol. These children are fleeing extreme violence, extortion, and poverty. As they await their hearings, some are being transported to my district in the Inland Empire. Several weeks ago, the first wave of buses transporting these children was scheduled to arrive right outside my district. I was disappointed and disturbed to see some of my fellow Americans curse, spit at, and block one of these buses filled with women and children who have endured traumas many of us will never understand. Mr. Speaker, this is the United States of America. We are a nation of laws and compassion. As this body determines its course of action, we should ensure that every one of these children is taken care of and treated with dignity.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to give praise to the gentleman from Florida, Chairman Miller, for the way in which he has conducted the hearings and conducted the business of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. In no way do we wish to imply that the House has not done its due diligence. As my colleagues have mentioned, the motion before us to instruct the House conferees to accept the bipartisan McCain-Sanders bill--and I want to emphasize it is a bipartisan bill--that passed the Senate by 93 votes, would allow veterans to seek care outside the VA health care system if they face long wait times or if they live far from a VA medical facility. It also allows the VA to hire more doctors and nurses and authorizes leases for 26 new major VA facilities, which I do not believe the House language contains. It improves access to health care for military and sexual assault providers. Finally, it includes several nonhealth-related provisions, such as the provision of in-State tuition for all veterans at public colleges and universities. This is a provision that was authored by my friend, Mr. Miller. The revelation that numerous VA facilities manipulated data with respect to wait times is disturbing. It is even more disturbing to learn that those practices may have resulted in the deaths of dozens of our veterans. Our veterans have sacrificed so much, and we owe it to them to make sure that they receive the best possible care from a system that is accountable and transparent. I urge my colleagues to support the motion to instruct conferees.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of Congressman Farr's amendment that would remove the waiver that would exempt schools from providing even half a cup of fruits and vegetables to their students for lunch. More than 200 education and nutrition organizations oppose the weakening of nutrition standards. While it may be difficult to get kids to eat healthier, it is possible, as 90 percent of schools are already meeting the standards. Rodney Taylor, the food service director at Riverside Unified School District, which is in my district, sent me a letter about the importance of nutrition standards, saying: Children in our district and many others are enjoying meals that meet updated school lunch requirements from the USDA, proving that it is possible to have healthy children and healthy budgets. Letting schools opt out of these standards will not help them move forward and will be detrimental to the children they serve. I thank Congressman Farr for introducing this amendment, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it, so we can move forward in the fight against childhood obesity.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick) for introducing H.R. 2942, which will have an important impact on the lives of our servicemen and -women separating from the military. I also want to extend my thanks to Chairman Miller for the bipartisan way in which he leads our committee. During my time as ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I have seen how transitioning servicemembers can struggle to find employment. Life beyond the military can be complicated, as we found out from employers who attended a March veterans employment roundtable hosted by myself and our committee's ranking member, the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud). These are men and woman who have real work experience, but are still struggling to find steady, meaningful employment. Meanwhile, when they return to their communities, people are shaking their hands and thanking them for their service, when what they really need is a job. Many employers have recognized the skills veterans bring to the table, but there is still so much more work to be done. By passing this legislation, we will be sending a clear message of our respect for military members' service and their experience as professionals. Reestablishing the advisory committee on professional certification and licensure will ensure veterans get the broadest and most comprehensive support to acknowledge the skills they have earned and the experience they have gained while in the military. By supporting this legislation, we will help ensure these men and women can be our next nurse, electrician, or plumber or engineer or any other professional they are qualified to be. Please, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, today I take to the floor to ask Congress to act and pass legislation that will help millions of working families. We need to pass legislation that will raise the minimum wage and reinstates unemployment insurance for the long-term unemployed. We need to pass legislation that will protect future property owners from abusive lenders. We need to pass legislation that will improve our education system to help our children go to college and ensure them a successful future. We need to pass legislation that will fix our broken immigration system, and will include a path towards citizenship. It is our duty to help our communities. I ask the Republicans to support these policies so that millions of people can have the opportunity to realize the American Dream. Senor Presidente de la Camara de Representantes, Hoy, tomo la palabra para pedir que el Congreso actue y pase la legislacion que ayudara a millones de familias trabajadoras. Tenemos que pasar legislacion que aumente el salario minimo y reinstale el seguro de desempleo para quienes han estado desempleados por largo tiempo. Tenemos que pasar legislacion que proteja a futuros propietarios de prestamistas abusivos. Tenemos que pasar legislacion que mejore nuestro sistema educativo-- que ayude a nuestros hijos a ir a la universidad y asegurarles un futuro exitoso. Tenemos que pasar legislacion que arregle nuestro sistema inmigratorio quebrado, y que incluya un camino a la ciudadania. Es nuestro deber ayudar a nuestras comunidades. Pido que los Republicanos apoyen estas polizas para que millones de personas tengan la oportunidad de realizar el sueno americano.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for two amendments I am submitting to the National Defense Authorization Act. The first I am offering would require the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress no later than 30 days after the enactment of this law on the barriers to implementing audit reporting requirements and recommendations in order to ensure reporting deadlines are met. This would ensure that taxpayer money is being well spent. The second, offered by me and Mr. Cook, would create a pilot program to take the California National Guard's Work for Warriors job placement program nationwide. Since the State of California created the program in 2012, more than 2,500 Guard members have been placed in jobs and at only $500 per placement, far cheaper than any other employment programs, which can cost as much as $10,000 per placement. Placing 2,500 California guardsmen in jobs is a great start, but I know that that number can multiply many times over if the Work for Warriors program is expanded nationwide. I urge my colleagues to support these amendments.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my disappointment in the House Republican leadership for blocking the ENLIST Act. The ENLIST Act is the type of legislation that should receive support from both parties, as it allows undocumented immigrants who enter the United States before they turned the age of 15 to join the military. After their service, they would become legal permanent residents and would be eligible to apply for citizenship. This legislation was introduced by a Republican Member and has 24 Republican cosponsors, including House Majority Whip McCarthy. There are thousands of young people willing to serve and potentially die for our country, and the House Republican leadership has no desire to help them become citizens. This shows the depths of the dysfunction of the Republican Caucus. It must stop, and we must allow a path to citizenship to those who want to serve our country.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the enhanced equity, accountability, and transparency measures in H.R. 10, the Success and Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act. This legislation would require charter authorizers, charter management organizations, and charter schools receiving grants through the charter school program to adhere to higher standards and become more accountable. Too often, charter schools are unwilling to take the most at-risk and in-need students, or give up on these students far too soon. That needs to end. With H.R. 10, applicants for CSP grants would be required to describe how they would serve students with disabilities and those who are English learners. It would also require grant recipients to assist sub-grantees in enrolling, recruiting, and retaining traditionally underserved students at rates comparable to public schools. My vote today on H.R. 10 is not a vote in favor of charters. Charter schools are a part of our education system, and my vote is to make them more equitable, accountable, transparent, and of high quality.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. And while these sugar donors are throwing 10s of millions of dollars away on campaign ads in select toss-up districts, regular, hardworking Americans are struggling just to keep their heads above water. For our country to move forward and continue to grow, we must do more for those who need help. President Franklin Roosevelt once said: The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little. To provide enough, we must raise the minimum wage. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so we can bring the minimum wage bill to the floor and get to work growing our economy and helping working families.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding time to debate the rule. Pop quiz. There is a piece of legislation that will give more than 25 million Americans a pay raise, bring nearly 1 million Americans out of poverty, and lower total food stamp aid by $4.6 billion. What do you do? What do you do? If you are the House Republican majority, you schedule a vote for H.R. 627, the National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, and not legislation that accomplishes the items I just mentioned by raising the minimum wage. What is it going to take for my Republican colleagues to do something that will actually help the economy? They came into the majority after the 2010 midterm elections saying that priorities one, two, and three were jobs, jobs, jobs. But this body hasn't seen anything substantive that would show that to be the truth. Since 2011, the House Republicans forced the shutdown of the government, threatened the full faith and credit of the United States, and developed an obsession with repealing the Affordable Care Act. They have done nothing to help the American people. No American working full-time should live in poverty. Raising the minimum wage will increase the take-home pay for more than 28 million Americans. It will add $35 billion to the economy and higher wages through 2016. It will create 85,000 new jobs as a result of the increased economic activity. But make no mistake. Those statistics are not likely to change their minds. No facts likely will because their refusal to give millions of Americans a raise is not about facts or economics; it is about keeping their sugar donors happy--sugar donors like the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would prevent Federal student aid for veterans, including post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, from being used by colleges for marketing and recruiting purposes. A Senate Health Committee report showed that many for-profits used more than 22 percent of their revenue on marketing and recruiting but less than 18 percent on academic instruction. At the same time, many of these schools received more than 80 percent of their revenue from Federal student aid, including post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and other veterans' education benefits. That's a lot of veteran's education assistance and taxpayer money going to for-profit schools to market to and recruit students. It has been well documented that some of these schools use overly aggressive, deceptive, and fraudulent practices to get students to attend their schools. Thirty-eight State attorneys general, the CFPB, the SEC, FDIC, and DOJ are all investigating the practices of for-profit colleges. We need to address this abuse of student veterans' and taxpayer dollars. I urge you all to support my amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, career education programs--programs of less than 2 years that are designed to prepare students for direct entry into a specific profession--too often fail our student veterans. Many of these programs at for-profit schools leave our student veterans with unsustainable debt and worthless credentials. My amendment would ensure that veterans' education benefits are only used for career education programs that qualify students to take an examination required for entry into an occupation or profession or provide them with certificates or licenses that meet State and industry requirements. I have heard time and time again that a key for successful transition from Active Duty to veteran status is gainful employment. And that is why we must make sure that the education our veterans receive is truly helping them enter the workforce. Again, I urge all my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer amendment No. 3.