Juan Vargas

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Maria Eugenia Osuna of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), San Diego Region. Mrs. Osuna served as the Outreach Coordinator for this organization for ten years. She is currently retired and is a resident of the Castle Park community in the City of Chula Vista, CA. Mrs. Osuna has been recognized for her long years of service with NAMI, during which she founded and organized various support group programs throughout San Diego County to help minority parents who have children with mental illness. Before for her professional career with NAMI, Mrs. Osuna served as a volunteer for the organization, because her son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia at the age of 17. Both her father and brother were diagnosed with mental illnesses, and both committed suicide. Mrs. Osuna did not want her son to suffer the same fate. After realizing that resources for minority families with mental illness were limited, Mrs. Osuna took NAMI's 12-week program to learn more about her son's illness, and she began to assist other minority families with similar situations. Through her time and commitment, Mrs. Osuna was formally offered a position with NAMI. Mrs. Osuna created and organized support groups for Latinx parents who have children with a mental illness. Her support group programs were the first in San Diego County to be held in Spanish. Mrs. Osuna's goal has always been to provide education, support, and advocacy to minority families, as well as to dispel misconceptions and stereotypes on mental illness. Mrs. Osuna is to be honored as the 51st District Constituent of the Month, particularly during National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, for her outstanding commitment to supporting minority families with education and advocacy on mental health awareness, as well as all her service and efforts that have helped those in need build a brighter future.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, thousands of young people brought to the U.S. at a young age fought for and have benefited from DACA. This gave recipients and their families a little peace and resulted in economic gains for our country, but the program falls short of a pathway to citizenship. DACA was a significant achievement for many immigrants, but it is by no means a substitute for fixing our broken immigration system. Since its inception, DACA has been under attack by far-right politicians. The reality is that DACA has gone back and forth in the courts, leaving DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth in a state of limbo. This continued legal threat leaves the lives of DACA recipients, DACA-eligible youth, and their families in uncertainty and dread. Congress introduced and passed H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, more than a year ago, but it is stuck in the Senate. We must end the filibuster and pass a real solution for the millions of people who call the U.S. home.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise on International Women's Day to honor the life of Ms. Dorothy L.W. Smith, a dedicated educator and San Diego community leader who passed at the age of 82 on February 16th. Ms. Smith was a native of Capleville, Tennessee. She attended the Historically Black College, Philander Smith College, and later received her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California. In 1969 Ms. Smith and her husband Carl moved to California where she began her career as a teacher. After moving to California, she taught at Long Beach City College, Grossmont Community College, and later San Diego City College, where she was a professor for 24 years. While teaching at San Diego City College she designed various courses, including one entitled ``Black Women in Literature and the Media.'' This course has now been taught in the San Diego Community College District for more than 45 years. She also lectured at San Diego State University, where she taught courses in teacher education, rhetoric, and writing. She also lectured at San Diego State University where she taught courses in teacher education, rhetoric, and writing. In 1981, she was elected to serve on the board of the San Diego Unified School District, becoming the first African American woman to be elected to the board. She served on the school board for eight years and twice was the President of the board. In March of 2019, she was recognized and elected to the San Diego Women's Hall of Fame in the Trailblazer category. Today, we celebrate her life and her commitment as an educator and mentor to future teachers.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Aurora Soriano Cudal-Rivera of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), San Diego and Imperial Region. Mrs. Cudal-Rivera has served this organization and many others as a community organizer and social justice advocate for the last several decades. Mrs. Cudal-Rivera has been recognized for her long years of service as an inductee to the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame in 2013 and California Legislature Woman of the Year in both 1999 and 2016. During her professional career in the Philippines, Mrs. Cudal-Rivera served in public health education in both government and non-government institutions for 40 years. She was the first woman from Asia to receive a UNESCO Fellowship on ``Problems Related to the Use of Drugs,'' which granted her a four-month travel to Denmark, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. She has volunteered for the United Methodist Church, and was elected as the World Secretary of the World Federation of Methodist Women at the International Assembly of Methodist Women in 1991. Mrs. Cudal-Rivera came to retire in Chula Vista, California in 1992. Now an octogenarian, she is still active with NaFFAA, Council of Philippine American Associations of San Diego County, San Diego Executive Lions Club, Filipino American Women's Club, Committee on Social Responsibility of the Community Congregational Church of Chula Vista, and the Congregational Tower Resident's Association, an independent living facility where she currently resides. Mrs. Cudal-Rivera is to be honored for all her service to the community, her church, and her mentorship to the younger generation-- making a positive and long-lasting difference.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, we rise today--my colleague, Congressman Peters, and myself--in honor of Father Joe Carroll, our San Diego's Mother Teresa. Father Joe was born in the Bronx, New York, on April 12, 1941, and had seven brothers and sisters. He moved to California in his twenties, where he completed his studies at the University of San Diego and was ordained as a priest in 1974. He was assigned to St. Rita Catholic Church with a concurrent assignment to work with St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic organization known for helping the poor, especially the poorest of the poor. From 1982 to 2011, Father Joe led St. Vincent de Paul, growing the organization to 500 employees and a budget of $40 million. In 2015, the organization was renamed ``Father Joe's Village'' in his honor. On July 10, 2021, just a few months after his 80th birthday, Father Joe passed. Father Joe Carroll was a heroic man who helped his community with the entirety of his heart and soul. He helped the poor, the hungry, and especially the homeless, and he had a gift for bringing all people together in his mission to serve. Father Joe was loved by many and influenced so many of us. His accomplishments and contributions to the community were profound. He will be sorely missed. Many of us expect that one day he will be named a saint in the Catholic Church.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Corporate Governance Improvement and Investor Protection Act. I particularly thank Chairwoman Waters for her support of the environmental, social, and governance metrics. Her efforts have been heroic, and I appreciate it very, very much. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about investors, we are not only talking about large, wealthy institutions. We are talking about teachers. We are talking about people who are working hard for their money. We are also talking about nonprofessional investors who have found in the stock market a way to build their savings toward, for example, homeownership, college tuition, and retirement. When we are talking about investors, we are also talking about pension funds that hold many hardworking Americans' retirement savings. When a company engages in practices that put its business at risk, it also risks the funds these investors have entrusted with it. That is why the SEC requires public companies to disclose material information, meaning information that a reasonable investor needs in order to make a voting decision or decide whether to continue investing in that company. Mandated and standard disclosures of environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, metrics would provide improved insight into long-term business performance and areas of potential future risks. These metrics are material to investors and central to their protection. Together, I and my colleagues have worked to write legislation that would ensure such protection. My bill--the first in the package--requires the SEC to mandate standard ESG disclosures. My colleagues' bills require reporting on specific ESG metrics that investors have been advocating for over many years. I applaud Representatives Foster, Velazquez, Casten, and Axne for their legislation. Additionally, I thank Chair Gensler for his advocacy that investors' voices are central to materiality. I have to say, climate change is real, and we have to take it seriously. It is not a Member of this House or the other House taking a snowball, throwing it, and saying: See, there is no climate change. Climate change is real. Look at what happened in Texas this summer. They were begging for energy because they were not prepared because of climate change. They were melting snow in their bathtubs so they could flush their toilets. If you take a look at what is happening out in the West today: drought, the unfortunate reality that we face the risk of catastrophic fires. All of this is climate change, and it is about time that we take this very, very seriously as a country. Some companies already do this. They already disclose the ESG metrics. That is why it is important to have an equal playing field where all companies disclose. Again, I thank Chairwoman Waters for her heroic efforts here. I also thank my colleagues. I urge my colleagues on the other side: Take climate change for real. Accept that it is happening. It is real, and it is catastrophic. And we must take it seriously.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the COVID-19 Emergency Medical Supplies Enhancement Act, H.R. 3125, because I agree with my good friend from Arkansas that we don't want to get caught at low tide with no bathing suit. In fact, that is a very bad idea. The administration has been extremely effective in using the Defense Production Act to help produce vaccines and PPE. Following these efforts, cases and deaths have declined significantly. My bipartisan bill will support the current use of DPA and facilitate its use in the future to save lives. This bill amends the DPA to explicitly include public health emergency preparedness as a core activity for national defense, as was mentioned by my good friend from Arkansas. It also provides guidance to create an outreach representative who would act as the point person for Federal and private engagement to increase production of medically necessary materials. It also requires the administration to provide a much-needed report clearly conveying the Federal contracts awarded under the DPA authorities. Finally, it requires additional reporting on the percentage of contracts awarded to small businesses. I urge the administration to disaggregate data on small businesses awarded the DPA contracts. We need to clearly see the number of contracts going to individuals from underserved communities, including communities of color, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. I am proud to have introduced this bill with my good friend from Arkansas, Representative Hill; and also my colleagues as cosponsors, Representatives Taylor, Ryan, and Gonzalez-Colon. In a bipartisan manner, we have recognized the importance of public health emergency preparedness, including PPE and vaccine production. (English translation of the statement made in Spanish is as follows:) I also want to say that too many people in our Latino communities have died due to this virus. So, please, now that the vaccine is available, protect yourselves and protect our community--get vaccinated today. Tambien quiero decir que demasiadas personas de nuestras comunidades Latinas han muerto por este virus. Entonces, por favor, ya que la vacuna esta disponible, protejanse y protejan a nuestra comunidad-- vayanse a vacunar hoy.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support my good friend, Representative Hill's, SAVE Act, H.R. 3146. As my good friend from Arkansas said, I am proud to be the lead cosponsor of this bill. The tailored focus on this bill on the supply chain portion of the Defense Production Act will help us in future preparedness for public health emergencies. Among other things, it requires a detailed plan from the President to secure the medical material supply chain. Additionally, it amends the DPA, the Defense Production Act, to include medical materials among critical materials for which the supply chain must be secured. As my good friend knows, we need to be prepared not only for this pandemic, unfortunately, for other medical emergencies that may come. We have heard that we may be entering an era of pandemics and we must be prepared. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Arkansas for his leadership, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill's passage.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 131.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of a resolution promoting COVID-19 vaccine equity among communities of color. Communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, highlighting longstanding health, social, and economic inequities. The resolution calls for the prioritization of areas with a high Social Vulnerability Index, SVI, for COVID-19 vaccination efforts and working with trusted community partners to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies, among other efforts. The resolution is going to be introduced during this month of April, during the National Minority Health Month to promote the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minority communities and to underscore the need for these communities to get vaccinated. Vaccinate, vacunen. It is very important that they get vaccinated, es muy importante que se vacunen. Madam Speaker, vaccinate yourself. It is very important. I am so proud to support this resolution.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, to honor San Diego leader Dr. Willie Blair. As a San Diego community leader, Dr. Blair left a legacy for those demanding social justice and equity. He served his country as a Vietnam combat veteran; a former congressional staffer; and locally as a leader of Black American Political Association of California-San Diego chapter, or BAPAC. From 2008 to 2017, Dr. Blair served as board chairman for BAPAC, an organization that strives to ensure the Black community in San Diego County remains a relevant economic, social force in southern California. In 2017, he was elected as BAPAC's president, where he continued his work in civil and human rights and used his stature to promote quality leadership in the community. Dr. Blair is survived by his daughter, U.S. Air Force officer Deborah Smith; his siblings Janet, Trece, and Roger; and several nieces. We are very lucky to have a leader like Dr. Blair, who paved the way for future changemakers. All of us who knew Dr. Blair loved him and respected him dearly. We are saddened by his passing.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, to honor Dr. Willie Blair. A Vietnam Combat veteran, former congressional staffer, and leader of the Black American Political Association of California-San Diego Chapter (BAPAC). Dr. Blair was born in 1951 in Knoxville, Tennessee and was one of eight children. He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Maryville College in 1973, attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island and was commissioned as a U.S. Naval Officer. Dr. Blair served as a Naval Officer for eight years, including a tour of duty in Vietnam as a small boat leader, where he participated in the evacuation of Saigon and Cambodia in May of 1975. After being honorably discharged in 1981, Dr. Blair moved to San Diego and earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a subsequent Doctorate in Humanities and Arts from Point Loma Nazarene University. Dr. Blair was a special assistant to former Congressman Bob Filner, focusing on veterans' issues, including veteran homelessness, retiring in 2013. As a San Diego community leader, Dr. Blair left a legacy of social justice and equity. From 2008 to 2017, he served as board chairman for BAPAC, an organization that strives to ensure the Black community in San Diego County remains a relevant economic, social, and political force in Southern California. Dr. Blair strongly believed in the mission of BAPAC: to work for the maximum effective representations of Black people in the political, economic, and educational systems of San Diego County and find solutions to issues related to jobs, education, and healthcare. In 2017, he was elected as BAPAC's President where he continued his work in civil and human rights and used his stature to promote quality leadership in the community. Dr. Blair devoted his life to bridging the achievement gap for ethnic and minority groups and elevate the positive educational outcomes of disenfranchised communities. Dr. Blair devoted his life to mentoring leaders in the black community ensuring status within the Democratic party and in other institutions and he was passionate about reaching common ground among Latinos, Asians, and other ethnic and minority groups. Dr. Blair is survived by his daughter, U.S. Airforce Officer Deborah Smith, siblings Janet, Trece and Roger, and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Manuel ``Memo'' Cavada, community leader, artist, and Purple Heart recipient, who passed away on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at the age of 76. Memo was born in National City, CA in 1944. He attended and graduated from Kimball Elementary School, National City Junior High, and Sweetwater High School. He later graduated from Sacramento City College and the Glen Fishback School of Photography. Memo served honorably in the United States Air Force for four years as a Crew Chief for 552nd Air Force Squadron in Sacramento, CA. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal, and numerous other medals, for being wounded in action during the Vietnam War. Among his many accomplishments, Memo was the lead photographer of ``100 Portraits, Pioneers, Visionaries & Role Models,'' a 1994 collaborative, travelling photographic exhibit and book (published in 2001) that highlighted the contributions of San Diego's Mexican- American community. He recruited nine other Latino photographers to work on this project. During a ten-year period, Memo travelled with a backpack and his camera gear and visited numerous villages in Mexico to capture the Mexican culture and its people. The beautiful exhibit was also displayed at the State Capitol for a month. As a community leader, Memo owned and operated Creative Images Photography Studio in National City, CA for over 45 years, and he taught photography at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park. One of Memo's most honorable accomplishments was that he developed one of the first programs for the prevention of alcohol abuse among the youth in the community. The program used puppetry, as a revolutionary form of entertainment, to convey the message of health issues to the children of the National School District in National City, CA. Additionally, Memo served Sweetwater High School for 25 years as a resident photographer. Along with working on the school yearbook, he devoted his time to career counseling high school seniors. At the average of 600 seniors per year for 25 years, Memo served 15,000 Sweetwater High School students. In 2012, the National City Chamber of Commerce honored Memo as the volunteer of the year, and he was recognized not only for his service to the organization, but also for his contributions to helping others succeed in business and community affairs. In 2015, Memo was honored as a ``Latino Champion'' by the San Diego Union Tribune. He shared the stage with two other honorees, Roberto Pozos and Daniel Hernandez, two of his dear friends and community activists. Memo will be remembered for his long history of selfless commitment and service to the community. He is survived by his three children, Stephanie, Jennifer, and Martin. For his contributions to the community and for his countless achievements, I would like to honor Manuel ``Memo'' Cavada and his family.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of International Women's Day. Throughout our past, many men have been recognized for their impact on our society; however, it is extremely important that we recognize the many women who fueled social change. Helen Fabela Chavez was one of these women. Helen was born on January 21, 1928, in Brawley, California, a city in my district. Like many Chicano children in the early 20th century, Helen began working in the agricultural industry at the age of 7. After marrying Cesar Chavez in 1948, Helen left the workforce to take care of her husband and their eight children. However, after 10 years, Helen returned to the workforce as the breadwinner for the family while Cesar Chavez began to establish the National Farm Workers Association. Helen and other Chicana members contributed greatly to the success of the union, and she later became the treasurer for what became the United Farm Workers. I want to honor Helen Fabela Chavez, a woman who both raised and financially supported her family while also changing history from the grassroots up.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Barrio Station in recognition of the 50th anniversary of their creation. Barrio Station is a community-based organization in the Barrio Logan community of San Diego, California. It was established in 1970 by Ms. Rachael Ortiz to provide underserved youths and their families with resources that they need to succeed. This organization has continuously provided youth with access to individual counseling, referrals to vocational and higher education, and exposure to scholarships. Barrio Station has worked toward revitalizing the community by pushing for the development of low-income housing and opportunities there. Families and senior citizens are assisted with completing forms which give them access to the benefits that they have earned. For over 50 years, Barrio Station has provided resources to approximately 3,500 youths, families, and seniors every year. I thank Barrio Station and, especially, Director Rachael Ortiz, for their exceptional dedication to the youth and families of the 51st Congressional District and all of California.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today with what little voice I have to honor the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper in recognition of their 60th anniversary. San Diego's Voice & Viewpoint is the largest African American newspaper in San Diego and is a core piece of our community. This newspaper's success was the result of a dedicated couple's hard work. Though the newspaper began in the 1960s, John Warren and his wife, Gerri Warren, took over the publication in 1987. The couple was deeply involved in the African American community and showed their leadership skills in publishing. Their efforts have resulted in a nationally award-winning publication. The newspaper has highlighted the perspectives of the San Diego African American community and provided a great service to the city. In fact, the publication is in all the zip codes of San Diego and has a readership of over 60,000. I would like to honor the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint for its dedication and lifelong commitment to the African American community and the San Diego community.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper in recognition of their 60th anniversary. The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint is the oldest and largest African American newspaper in San Diego. Its publisher, Dr. John Warren, and his late wife and co-publisher, Gerri Warren (emeritus) took over the Voice & Viewpoint in 1987. The couple worked diligently in the community to make the publication a nationally award-winning publication. From small church gatherings to major political campaigns, for six decades, the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint has faithfully reported the news for African American communities in San Diego County. As San Diego's largest African American publication, their news features have highlighted people and events in a more comprehensive manner, while commentators have argued from different points of view in the lively op-ed pages. The Voice & Viewpoint has grown over the last decade to over 350 newsstands and outlets in convenience stores. The publication can be found in all 89 zip codes of San Diego and has readership of over 60,000. I would like to honor San Diego Voice & Viewpoint for its dedication and lifelong commitment to the African American community within California's 51st Congressional District.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Tracy ``T- Dog'' Rascoe, who was recently recognized by California State Assembly Member, Eduardo Garcia, as California 56th Assembly District Veteran of the Year for 2019. Tracy served as a Surface Sonar Technician in the U.S. Navy for 10 years before joining the U.S. Navy Reserves. There, he served for two years before transferring to the U.S. Army Reserves. In the Army reserves, he served as a Human Resource and Training noncommissioned officer (NCO) with the 104th and 95th Infantry Training Division where he helped train drill sergeants. After Tracy's U.S. Navy active duty service, he joined the renewable energy industry in wind power. There, he utilized his training and managerial background and became a Technical Trainer and Training Manager for major leading organizations within the industry. Recognizing the potential for the industry's future growth in the U.S. and the job opportunities it could provide veterans and others, Tracy became a director of wind energy technology for both a community college and a for-profit school. During his term as a director, he volunteered to lead the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Education Work Group. Here he worked diligently for two years with middle and senior members of the industry, colleges, technical schools, the Department of Energy and the Department of Labor to create skill sets for Wind Energy Technicians in the U.S. The skill sets were approved in 2010 and have resulted in the creation of official U.S. job codes for Wind Technicians. Currently, he serves on the AWEA Veterans Employment Committee, which focuses on attracting additional veterans to the wind industry. In 2012, Tracy left the Pattern Energy Operations Headquarters in Houston Texas, to become an Operations Manager of their wind farm in Ocotillo, CA. As a veteran, Tracy and his wife (Dawn), were determined to be of service to others alike and transferred their American Legion memberships to the Boyce Aten Post located in El Centro. There, they quickly identified the need to revitalize the Post for the good of its members and the local community. While serving two consecutive years as the Post Commander, Tracy rose through the elected ranks in the 30th District (Imperial County) as 2nd Vice Commander, 1st Vice Commander and then Commander. As the 30th District Commander, his successful leadership and hands on approach helped revitalize the district posts. One of the posts under his leadership was severely struggling and on the verge of closure. As a result of his leadership, the post was not only able to remain open, but it successfully achieved 135 percent increase in membership and has remained stellar in various performances to date. His leadership helped the 30th District achieve 3rd place in membership in the entire state of 30 districts. As a result, the district received great respect and admiration within the American Legion Department of California 5th Area, which comprised of 107 American Legion Posts with over 25,000 members in Imperial, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego and Riverside counties. This past year, he was elected and served honorably as the American Legion Department of California (DOC) Vice Commander-Area 5. During his one-year term, he again earned great respect and admiration from leaders within the DOC. As a mentor, Tracy continues to strive to improve. Last year he and Dawn completed the California American Legion College. They supported one another as she serves as an Auxiliary Unit 25 President and was recently elected as the Auxiliary 30th District President. Tracy presently serves as Jr. Past Vice Commander-Area 5, 30th District Judge Advocate and as an Executive Board Member for the Boyce Aten American Legion Post 25 and Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) No. 9305, in El Centro, CA. In addition, he was selected to be one of only seven members of the newly formed American Legion Department of California Training Committee. There he drafted the approved Annual Training Budget and is leading the development of Post Finance Officer training to assist the 442 American Legion DOC Posts. Tracy continues to demonstrate his dedication to our community, veterans and patriotism. This can be easily seen by his roles and active participations: Co-Founder and President of the Imperial Valley Patriotic Planning Committee, member of the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Committee, member of the Vietnam Moving Wall 2020 Ceremonies Committee, Advocate and active participant for the Imperial County Veterans Advisory Council and Veterans Employment Committee, member and Secretary of the Imperial County Continuum of Care Council and Point- In-Time Count Committee. Tracy is a Cold War and Gulf War Veteran. In the past year, he alone raised several hundreds of dollars to help support California Veterans through the American Legion's CALVAR Helmets for Heroes program. He has also provided multiple patriotic ceremonies to the community and served as the Master of Ceremony for the Boyce Aten Post 25's 100th Anniversary. Tracy is known and highly respected by many of the elected leaders within my district and Imperial County. I thank Tracy for his service and congratulate him for being selected as California 56th Assembly District's 2019 Veteran of the Year.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Navy Junior Reserves Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) program at Calexico High School. This is the only NJROTC program in the Imperial Valley, CA. Calexico High School established a Navy National Defense Cadet Corp (NNDCC) program in August of 2016. The establishment of a NNDCC program at Calexico High School included coordination with the Naval Service Training Command and the NJROTC Director. On September 23, 2019, the Secretary of the Navy, approved Calexico High School's request to advance from an NNDCC unit to an NJROTC unit. There were 181 students enrolled as NJROTC cadets at this time.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Lorena L. Lacar's professionalism and dedication to the Veteran community. Lorena L. Lacar entered employment as an extra-help employee with the County of Imperial on April 7, 1993. She then transferred to the Imperial County Veterans Service Office on January 27, 1995, where she served for over 20 years. During Ms. Lacar's tenure, she helped over 20,000 veterans, dependents and widows claim their benefits which amounted to over $13,449,000 in retroactive payments, $1,678,032 in monthly award payments and over $112,447 in lump sum payments, thus allowing veterans to enjoy an increased quality of life owed to them for their service. Ms. Lacar's exemplary professionalism and diligence has earned her the love and respect of the Imperial Valley's veteran community. She has developed a vast array of resources and professional relationships to help enhance the quality of life for veterans. She has also devoted herself to assist veterans in need of shelter, subsistence, and has generously volunteered her time after hours to assist veterans in need of crisis counseling or dependents in need of emergency services. Although Ms. Lacar is not a veteran herself, she has dedicated her career to assisting veterans in her community. Ms. Lacar has portrayed the highest degree of compassion and care for veterans and their families. She ensured that the Imperial County Veterans Office was able to maintain uninterrupted service for veterans. It is with great appreciation that I recognize Ms. Lorena L. Lacar.

Mr. VARGAS

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Unions created the middle class in our country. And all of the things that we enjoy, the safety that we have in our manufacturing, the 5-day work week, all the opportunities that women have, and people of color, all those came because unions stood up for these rights. My amendment strengthens the opportunity for people to choose to become a union. I ask for an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Unnecessary delays in union representation elections enable employers to have more time to campaign against unions through lawful or unlawful means. Once the NLRB determines that an election should go forward, the details of the election must be settled expeditiously so employees understand their rights as quickly as possible. Employers engage in all kinds of tactics designed to scare employees out of supporting the union, from holding captive audience meetings, to issuing threats to specific employees. Unnecessary delays only provide more time for employers to undermine employees' free choice. The choice of whether to join a union belongs to the employee. The PRO Act prevents employers from interfering with employees' freedom of association. Moreover, the provisions of my amendment apply except under extraordinary circumstances. When the NLRB created this rule initially in 2014, it found the details of the election, included in the notice, would often be resolved either in a pre-election hearing or in an agreement between the union and the employer. If there is still an issue with the details of the election after the pre-election hearing, and at the time the regional director issues the direction of election, these would count as ``extraordinary circumstances.'' Minimizing these delays preserves employee free choice by ensuring that their vote is untainted by employer interference. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. VARGAS. Madam Chair, I rise to offer an amendment to improve the efficiency of the union election process. This amendment will reverse an antiworker rule adopted by the National Labor Relations Board several months after the PRO Act was marked up in the Education and Labor Committee. The PRO Act strengthens workers' rights to a free and fair union representation election. It does so by preventing unnecessary delays. If we allow these delays to occur, then we are allowing employers more time to engage in antiunion campaigns designed to erode support for the union. Democracy in the workplace should be a right, not a fight, and the workers who request a union representation election should not be denied their right to vote through unnecessary delay. In 2014, the National Labor Relations Board, the NLRB, updated its union election procedures by enacting reasonable deadlines and preventing employers from stalling elections through frivolous litigation. The PRO Act codifies many of those requirements, including the timelines for pre- and post-election hearings. The 2014 election rule protected the integrity of the union representation process and was upheld in every court where it was challenged. However, on December 18, 2019, the Trump NLRB rescinded parts of the 2014 rule, burdening the employees with unnecessary delays and giving employers more opportunity to stall a timely election with frivolous litigation. One important change in the 2014 election rule was that, once the NLRB's regional director decides that a representation election should be held, the director must ordinarily issue the notice of election at the same time as that decision. The notice of election must be posted in the workplace. It is crucial to informing employees of the time and details of the voting process. However, the Trump NLRB changed this policy to allow delay before the regional director issues a notice which details the election. This amendment removes the delay by requiring the decision directing an election and the notice of an election to be issued at the same time, unless extraordinary circumstances warrant otherwise. In doing so, my amendment provides clarity to employees so that they may know the details of their election as soon as possible. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.