What Luz M. Rivas said, and what was done

“Madam Chair, I missed three votes during a vote series today. Had I been present, I would have voted NO on Roll Call No. 255, NO on Roll Call No. 256, and NO on Roll Call No. 257.”

“Mr. Speaker, for 1,000 days, Armenian prisoners of war and civilians have been held in unlawful detention. Detainees are reported to have suffered from torture and abuse while being denied fundamental legal rights.”

“Mr. Speaker, just moments ago, the Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump's illegal attempt to end birthright citizenship and ruled that 4 million children born in the United States, including many across the San Fernando Valley, have a place in this country as American citizens.”

“Mr. Speaker, the San Fernando Valley mourns the loss of Nancy Oda. Nancy was born in the Tule Lake Segregation Center during World War II, where her family was persecuted for their Japanese heritage.”

“Mr. Speaker, today, we celebrate the life and service of Salvador Torres from Pacoima. Salvador was born and raised in Pacoima with his 12 siblings. After serving our country in Vietnam, Salvador came back to the valley where he worked at General Motors as a line worker to support his wife and three children, Marco, Fabiola, and Flor.”

“Mr. Speaker, last September, the Trump administration announced that it would roll back the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, or the GHGRP. I led 29 of my colleagues urging the EPA to preserve the GHGRP.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate North Hollywood High School for placing fifth in the National Science Bowl. Led by North Hollywood teacher and coach Altair Maine, Connor Zhao, Connor Chang, Mingao Guo, Suzuko Ohshima, and Charles Huang, this team proudly represented Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley in a nationwide competition of 65 high school teams.”

“Mr. Speaker, the San Fernando Valley congratulates Sylvia Fajardo on her retirement as principal of Pacoima Charter Elementary School. After decades of service, leadership, and dedication, Sylvia is a true champion in our community.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Garcia and assistant Democratic leader Neguse for holding this important conversation on Trump's budget request for 2027. We are here because Trump and Republicans led us to a cost-of-living crisis that is making life more unaffordable for working families.”

“Mr. Speaker, the San Fernando Valley mourns the loss of Belinda Barragan. Belinda was a proud, lifelong resident of the San Fernando Valley, graduating from St. Genevieve High School in Panorama City.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding to me and for his continued leadership on the Energy and Commerce Committee, especially on environmental justice. Mr. Speaker, I oppose the Republicans' RED Tape Act because it guts the Clean Air Act and strips the EPA's ability to inform the public of potential health concerns that they will face because of Federal projects.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Dexter and Congressman Tonko for hosting this conversation that shines a light on ICE's cruelty. I have seen firsthand the cruelty of ICE in my district, the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am here today because we have yet to see a bill offered on the floor during my time in Congress that would make life more affordable for working families.”

“I draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the poster behind me. This is a real photo that my staff took of a gas station in Los Angeles. It is a real photo.”

“Mr. Speaker, before I close, I want to once again take a moment to mourn the lives that have already been lost to this conflict. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the 13 servicemembers who have been killed in this war.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to deliver over $2 million in Federal funding to the city of Los Angeles' Crisis and Incident Response through Community-Led Engagement program, or CIRCLE.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to secure over $1 million in Federal funding for the CSUN's Autodesk Technology Engagement Center. This center will be a tech hub where students and our community will be able to explore their curiosities in STEM through hands-on learning opportunities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to deliver $1 million in Federal funding to Los Angeles Valley College for a new cybersecurity center. This funding will provide the latest software and training for our current and future cybersecurity professionals to engage with.”

“Mr. Speaker, just over a year ago, I was part of a talented and diverse group of 33 freshmen Members of Congress. We were veterans, doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, small business owners, and State legislators who were sent by our constituents to make their lives better.”

“Mr. Speaker, over the past year, Republicans have chosen to focus on nearly everything except addressing the affordability crisis. One of those items includes renaming the Gulf of Mexico.”

“Mr. Speaker, in July, Republicans voted to betray our values as a Nation and turn their backs on children, working parents, veterans, and our most vulnerable. Under direct orders from the President, the big, ugly bill ignored the concerns of a majority of Americans to instead cater to billionaires.”

“Mr. Speaker, the work we do in Congress should improve the lives of our constituents, not focus on vanity projects for an egomaniac or line the pockets of people who don't need it.”

“Mr. Speaker, the San Fernando Valley mourns the loss of Stephen Botsford. Steve passed away on January 11 at the age of 75 after living a life filled with love, generosity, and impact.”

“Mr. Speaker, as a Member from California, I yield to my colleague from the great State of Utah, Congressman Blake Moore, so they can continue honoring Congressman Doug LaMalfa.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott). Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say Doug was a kind and gentle giant.”

“Mr. Speaker, my condolences to the family of former Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be here on the floor today to lead this important discussion with my Congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues about protecting healthcare for millions of Americans.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues who participated in this Special Order hour on the ACA tax credits. The Affordable Care Act tax credits are why our country has a record-high number of insured people.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Randall for sharing those stories. We are hearing these stories from all over the country, not just blue States, but also red States, everywhere.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Randall and thanks again to my other colleagues who spoke tonight. Today's vote will help keep healthcare affordable for millions of Americans, but our work isn't done.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sister Mary Jesus Ochoa of the Order of St. Francis in San Fernando. This week, she celebrated her 100th birthday. Sister Mary Jesus is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who entered religious life in the 1940s.”

“Mr. Speaker, here we are in the first voting week of 2026, and Republicans are bringing up bills on showerheads. They are not doing anything to address the affordability crisis, ICE terrorizing our communities, Trump's illegal and unconstitutional actions in Venezuela, or other states of emergency.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding to me. Republicans have been in the majority and in control for this whole year, yet they have not put forward a bill that helps working families with the rising cost of living or to prevent hardworking Americans' healthcare premiums from skyrocketing in price.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the bill we are debating today is a bad bill. It is a bad bill that will harm vulnerable children, do nothing to fix our immigration system, and embolden Trump to continue wreaking havoc in our communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, for months I have been sharing the story of Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, a constituent of mine who is a senior in high school. He was detained by ICE in August while walking his dog.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Congresswoman Ramirez for organizing today's important conversation on the Trump administration's cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrant communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, we are at a unique moment in our history. A technology straight out of science fiction is now becoming an increasingly ubiquitous aspect of daily life.”

“Mr. Speaker, 3 months ago, I shared the story of Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, a senior at Reseda High School, who was detained by ICE while walking his dog. Benjamin is an older brother, a loving son, and a valued member of the community.”

“Mr. Speaker, happy birthday to the greatest State in the Union. Mr. Speaker, 175 years ago, California was admitted as the 31st State in the Union. For 175 years, California was built by people from across the globe who came in search of a better life.”

“Mr. Speaker, ICE is out of control. Everyone needs to know the nightmare that is unfolding for my constituent and his family. Last month, ICE detained Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz while he was walking his dog.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am a proud Angeleno. Los Angeles will always be home to me. However, instead of putting a resolution on the floor that helps Angelenos address the cost of living, save their Medicaid, or protect our city's immigrant communities from the Trump administration's cruelty, Republicans are putting forward a resolution that targets Los Angeles, our home, and Californians.”

“Mr. Speaker, Americans watched today in horror as the Trump administration assaulted a United States Senator. Senator Alex Padilla is not only the senior U.S. Senator in California, but he is my childhood friend, my mentor, and the Senator to my constituents of the 29th Congressional District in California.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce California's 29th District's winners of this year's Congressional Art Competition. In third place, from Ulysses S. Grant High School in Valley Glen, we have Daniel Graciano's ``Whispers of the Woods.'' Daniel's piece shows a lonely cabin sitting quietly by the water's edge, embraced by towering pines and deep shadows.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Leader Jeffries and Chair Ledger Fernandez for hosting this important discussion on the disastrous impact Republican cuts to Medicaid would have on women and children across the country.”

“Mr. Speaker, as we speak, House Republicans are finalizing an extreme budget plan that includes the largest cut to Medicaid in our country's history. This is an outright assault on the healthcare of nearly 14 million Americans, including over 370,000 people in my district, California's 29th.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, there are many issues that we could be talking about today, like lowering the cost of living, protecting Medicaid and Social Security, or protecting immigrant communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Takano for recognizing me and for hosting this important discussion in front of the American people. Our country was founded on the values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but who are we as a country if we backtrack on those founding values?”

“His policies are also unpopular across the country, and the polling proves it. After 100 days, Donald Trump has the lowest approval rating of any President in at least the past 80 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am here today to speak against H.J. Res. 87, which will illegally stop California's efforts to work toward a greener and cleaner future through zero-emission trucks.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal scientist from California who, in their words, was fired by President Trump and Elon Musk. They wrote: I was a Pathways student intern at the EPA.”

“Mr. Speaker, just 5 days into my tenure as a Member of the House of Representatives, several large wildfires broke out across Los Angeles County: the Palisades fire, the Eaton fire, and the Hurst fire, which broke out in Sylmar on the northern end of my district.”

“Mexico who have been working nonstop to put out these fires. I met with community leaders, including the brave men and women of Fire Station 87 in Granada Hills.”