What Mark Takano said, and what was done

“Madam Chair, let me conclude by saying that trans servicemembers are honorable. Trans servicemembers are truthful. Trans members are disciplined. Trans members are heroic. Trans members have sacrificed for our country.”

“Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment. Once again, my Republican colleagues are moving forward with a sweeping ban on necessary healthcare, including mental health care for children.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment. This amendment's language opens the door to invasive, degrading, and humiliating physical examinations of children, children who simply want to play softball or join a basketball team.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 90th birthday of a community pioneer and legendary advocate for youth in my district, Mr. Adrian ``Dell'' Roberts. Known to most simply as Dell, he began his 38 years of public service as a football coach at Riverside Poly High School in 1965, quickly gaining recognition by the principal for his kindness and patience during student conflict.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. August 6, 81 years ago--which will happen in a couple of weeks--the first instance of a nuclear weapon being deployed against a civilian population occurred.”

“So the gentleman is saying that a Secretary who backed away from changes to disability ratings in terms of medication--the intent was to say that if veterans take medication or get some sort of treatment, that if their conditions improve, that their disability ratings could then be lowered.”

“The time is mine. I am reclaiming my time. Mr. Speaker, there has been no public statement by the Secretary. There has been no named official from VA today.”

“Mr. Speaker, there is overwhelming opposition to cutting veterans' disability benefits to offset the cost of this bill. Major VSOs, like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, along with numerous others, all oppose this bill due to the offset.”

“There are thousands more just like this from veterans in each of our districts telling us to vote ``no'' on this bad bill. If my colleagues won't listen to my concerns here, I urge them to listen to the veterans, dependents, caregivers, survivors, and advocates in their districts.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Alvin Stephens, a distinguished Army veteran, pioneering pharmacist, entrepreneur, mentor, and devoted family man whose remarkable 59-year career exemplified public service, leadership, and excellence.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the conclusion of Pride Month. Pride is, and always has been, a protest. From the Stonewall Uprising to the neighborhood parades, Pride is about both standing up for equality and celebrating our authentic selves.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Stansbury. Happy pride. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Bell), my colleague from the Show Me State and my good friend.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Bell. Happy pride. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a group of people who have been on the front lines of the fight for LGBTQI+ equality: the litigators who are challenging this administration's antiLGBTQI+ policies and, more broadly, fighting to protect our rights, the rights of all Americans.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Adelita Grijalva for her remarks and wish a happy Pride to her and all the people of the great State of Arizona. Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kathy Eiler's nearly 30 years of service to the University of California system as she retires as Senior Director of Federal Relations at the University of California, Riverside.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor David Stacy's service to the LGBTQI+ community as he marks the end of his current chapter as Vice President of Government Affairs at the Human Rights Campaign.”

“I thank Congressman Jackson for yielding. I thank him for that wonderful introduction. I won't claim to be the first Japanese American in Congress. There were many that came before me, such as Senator Inouye, Senator Spark Matsunaga, and many others such as Bob Matsui in the House of Representatives.”

“Members being people of color, our legislative body is the most reflective of the country's population than it ever has been. The Supreme Court has taken a wrecking ball to that progress in its decision in Louisiana v.”

“Mr. Speaker, yesterday I proudly voted to pass an Iran War Powers Resolution to rein in this unraveling President. This was the fourth attempt by Democrats to assert our authority as a coequal branch of government and to say: No more to this war of choice.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jacob Tierney for his significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout his career, he has helped bring diverse LGBTQ+ stories and characters to audiences, contributing to greater awareness, empathy, and representation.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two award-winning actors who have proudly and relentlessly advocated for the LGBTQ+ community--Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin. Lisa Rinna built a career in television, notably on the soap opera Days of Our Lives and the reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today during AANHPI Heritage Month to honor the contributions of Dr. Tai-Heng Cheng, particularly his work with the National Museum of Asian Art. In 2022, a gift from Dr.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amended bill. I was a proud cosponsor of the bill, as introduced. Yet, instead of moving the bipartisan text, Republicans have hijacked this bill to give President Trump complete and total authority over the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum's location.”

“Let me just cite a few examples: Lewiston, Maine; Thousand Oaks, California; Sutherland Springs and Fort Hood, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Jasper, Georgia; and countless others. The absolute tragedy of veteran suicide remains persistent.”

“Mr. Speaker, let me address this issue of who is actually in the fiduciary program. Let's talk a moment about the population that this bill is intended to cover, those who are actually in the fiduciary program.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Georgia. Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I will vote ``no'' on this egregious bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.”

“Mr. Speaker, I spent 24 years as an educator, as a classroom teacher, and as an adviser to my school's Gay-Straight Alliance. During that time, I knew children who suffered physical violence at the hands of family members who found out that they were gay.”

“Mr. Speaker, I will note that 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBTQI+ largely because they have been rejected by their families. Of course teachers should involve parents in their child's education, but a teacher also has a professional duty to ensure a child's safety.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I just want to reiterate that if we move forward with this bill without my amendment, 100 percent of the very much-needed money, the $1 billion to help our catastrophically disabled veterans who deserve our help--it is long overdue, but we are paying for it 100 percent with other veterans' money.”

“President Trump and Secretary Collins, at the urging from Chairman Bost and Chairman Van Orden, ended the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase program, otherwise known as VASP. The VASP program was a lifeline offered to veterans by President Biden that served as the last-resort option for veterans before foreclosure.”

“Mr. Speaker, no one in this Congress can say with a straight face that there is a material difference in someone inheriting $14.5 million in property tax-free and $15 million tax-free.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today during AANHPI Heritage Month to honor the contributions of Dr. Tai-Heng Cheng, specifically regarding his work with the National Museum of Asian Art.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Darren Cronkite on an extraordinary milestone of 30 years of dedicated business leadership in Riverside, California. In 1996, Darren opened Back to the Grind, which quickly became more than a coffeehouse.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise with a profound sense of pride and a touch of sadness. After 13 years of service to this body as a chief of staff, Richard Kirk McPike is leaving my office.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an individual whose steady leadership, unwavering integrity, and unmatched expertise have strengthened the fiscal health of California's public education system. For more than four decades, Michael Fine has served as a guardian of public trust, ensuring that schools, county offices of education, and community colleges are positioned to make sound, transparent, and equitable financial decisions for the benefit of every student.”

“School District. These roles shaped his understanding of how governance, community expectations, and financial stewardship intersect, and they helped build the pragmatic, student-centered approach that has defined his leadership.”

“Mr. Speaker, our country's history is complicated. Our country's history is at times uncomfortable to confront. That does not make it divisive or offensive to preserve and to learn from.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Congressman Espaillat, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, people across the country and in the Inland Empire are scared that they could join the roughly 50 individuals who have died under Donald Trump's and Kristi Noem's brutal immigration crackdown, such as Renee Good, Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, Alex Pretti, and many more.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I recognize United States Air Force veteran, public servant, and champion for equitable and humane urban planning, Professor Edward James Blakely, who passed away last year at the age of 87.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a friend and a pillar of Riverside: Roger Ransom, who died on December 28, 2025, at the age of 87.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in vehement opposition to giving one more red cent to ICE and CBP until we see accountability and reforms in this DHS funding bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 659, the Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025. It is clear to me from the words on the floor from the ranking member of the House subcommittee, Julia Brownley, that this bill is wise, it is warranted, and it is well-thought-out.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding. Mr. Speaker, once again, my Republican colleagues are selling Americans on a bill with a flashy title and hoping that they don't read the fine print.”

“Under this bill, hotel housekeepers, valets, manicurists, and other workers could see their tips used to offset what their employers owe them, rather than serving as an occasional boost in take-home pay for a job well done.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, this bill is yet another effort to chip away at the protections guaranteed at the Federal level and take money out of the American worker's pocket.”

“Childcare and dependent care assistance should be more accessible and far more affordable for working families, but this Republican proposal merely incentivizing employers to provide assistance will not solve that issue and cutting down already low levels of overtime pay will not do that either.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my California colleague for yielding to me and thank Congresswoman Rivas for co-hosting, and I thank Congresswoman Emily Randall from Washington for also co-hosting this important Congressional Progressive Caucus Special Order hour.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this hateful legislation. The so-called Do No Harm in Medicaid Act prohibits Medicaid from spending funds on medically necessary care like puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormone treatment for transgender individuals under 18.”

“Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. There are not words strong enough to express my disgust. I will respond to the gentlewoman from Georgia.”

“Madam Speaker, jailing doctors and, in some cases, parents for following best medical practices is backward, ignorant, and dangerous. My colleagues who support this bill are not vested with the power to say that someone does not deserve medically necessary care.”

“Mr. Speaker, no President, Democrat or Republican, can declare war without Congress. Congress is the branch of government vested with this solemn responsibility. President Trump has not requested or received any authorization for the use of military force against Venezuela.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. My Republican colleagues have tried and failed to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act more than 70 times over the past 15 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and Representative, the gentlewoman from Connecticut, Representative Hayes, for yielding time. I also thank her for putting together this Special Order hour.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and courage of Ralph Lawrence Carr, the 29th Governor of Colorado, whose birthday we celebrate today. He was in office when Executive Order 9066 was issued, the order that permitted the mass incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans, including my grandparents and parents during World War II.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to recognize Native American Heritage Month. Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to not only honor the rich cultures and history of Indigenous peoples across North America, but to recognize the continued leadership of Native Americans in each of our communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our veterans and their families by supporting this legislation. On the heels of Veterans Day, when we honor those who have served and sacrificed for us, I urge every American to rededicate themselves to uplifting the veterans in all communities across this country.”

“Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on S. 2392, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Moreno Valley Unified School District for the opening of its new Health and Wellness Center, and to commend the district's leadership for their unwavering commitment to supporting students and families in need.”

“Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend from the State of Oregon on what will become the passage of her first bill. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers.”

“Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 3494, the VA Hospital Inventory Management System Act, as amended. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 3481, the Delivering Digitally to Our Veterans Act, as amended. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2701, the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act, as amended. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2034, the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, in closing, once again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2721, the Honoring Our Heroes Act of 2025, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3767, the Health Professionals Scholarship Act of 2025, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1860, the Women Veterans Cancer Care Coordination Act of 2025, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1107, Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, I join the global community in celebrating the remarkable achievements of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, which now include the 2025 Templeton Prize. Patriarch Bartholomew has long been a voice of spiritual clarity and moral courage.”

“Mr. Chair, Americans understand that trans people do exist and that transgender servicemembers have served our country with distinction and honor for almost a decade. They were able to do this openly.”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I do not understand why my colleagues across the aisle are so triggered, triggered by a piece of cloth.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the ranking member of the Rules Committee, Mr. McGovern, for yielding. I thank him and the CPC for organizing this very important Special Order hour.”

“Growing up, we would go to his niece, my second cousin or I don't know how to kind of appropriate the right sort of familial designation of who is a cousin, a second cousin, but Kikue Takagi was my grandfather's niece who married an American and lived in Anaheim and worked at Disneyland.”

“I said earlier that one of the most troubling factors in this whole topic is the lack of urgency here in Congress. We don't talk about this. We are not pushing for arms control.”

“Mr. Speaker, we passed this bill in the House last Congress, only for the Senate to run out of time. I am hopeful that this year the Senate acts quickly to send this bill directly to the President's desk.”

“While use of those incentives has been overwhelmingly successful, VA did make some initial missteps in oversight and utilization of the awards for senior executives. These missteps were corrected during the last administration.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my shock and outrage over the killing of Saif Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian American from Florida who was visiting his family in the West Bank.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for organizing this critical Special Order hour to shed light on the horrors inflicted on immigrant communities by the Trump administration. I am proud to represent the Inland Empire of southern California just east of Los Angeles.”

“Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding me time. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3944, the fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.”

“Mr. Chair, if that wasn't bad enough, this bill continues the harmful Kennedy amendment rider. This shortsighted, dangerous provision prevents VA from protecting beneficiaries and those around them from potential harm, beneficiaries with debilitating mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, dementia, and bipolar disorder.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the incredible contributions of one of the most dedicated staffers in Congress, Benjamin Hong Starr. Ben first came to my office as a Victory Institute fellow, before joining my staff officially as a staff assistant.”

“Mr. Speaker, in just 1 week, this administration has conducted raids into my community to meet arbitrary deportation quotas. They have unnecessarily sent National Guard and marines, which have only inflamed peaceful protest, and they have thrown down to the ground a U.S.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this big billionaire payout. We are voting in the dead of night, out of sight of the American people, because the Republican majority knows that the public will be outraged after they find out what is in this bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 1578, the Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Fletcher led the passage of the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022 into law. This law allowed veterans to upgrade their vehicles every 10 years and authorized the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer mobility improvements to vehicles for the purposes of attending medical appointments.”

“Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2201, the Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act of 2025, as amended.”

“At that moment, action was still critically needed. Our veterans would have lost their homes. The VA could no longer offer a partial claims program because, of course, the national emergency was ended, so President Biden instituted a second foreclosure moratorium to give VA more time to offer a solution.”

“Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 1286, Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Ms. Stevens and Mr. Subramanyam, for hosting this Special Order hour. Their leadership is much needed, and I appreciate them. Madam Speaker, I rise today because something is deeply wrong.”

“Mr. Speaker, we gather on the floor of the House of Representatives to pay tribute to two United States marines who died in service to our Nation. Lance Corporal Albert A.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Kim A. Wilcox on his tenure as the ninth chancellor of UC Riverside. Since 2013, he has led the university through a remarkable transformation, turning UCR into a national model for student success and social mobility.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the House for a Special Order hour with my Congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues. I do so on the 100th day of the Trump administration, and I note that this is a day when we received the news that our economy has contracted and that we are witnessing confusion, chaos in our markets, and uncertainty about our economic future.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Escobar for her comments. I am outraged to hear that Republicans on the Judiciary Committee would not protect citizens from deportation. We are talking about citizens.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for his principled remarks about the importance of the rule of law in our country and his enunciating that political dissent in our country is not a crime.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Ansari. I want to thank her for traveling with three other of our colleagues to El Salvador last week. I know that she traveled at her own expense.”

“Mr. Speaker, the sign behind me says ``9-0.'' ``9-0'' is the order of the Supreme Court. They ruled 9-0 that Kilmar Abrego Garcia must be brought back or must be facilitated back into the country.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Rivas for her comments and bringing to light the tragic stories of children who are citizens with cancer being deported from our country.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tonko for his comments. I agree with the gentleman. This is a red line that cannot be crossed. We cannot permit a President to defy a 9-0 order of the Supreme Court.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Watson Coleman for informing the Nation about what happened earlier today with that family in Oklahoma. It strikes me that we are witnessing this evolution of this administration's policies that began with: We are just going to deport criminals.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for standing up for the rule of law. Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleagues that, in this country, under our Constitution, no one is above the law, not even the President.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tokuda for her comments. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu), my fellow colleague from southern California and good friend.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Chu for bringing to light the story of an individual who has contributed much to his community. I am very disappointed, alarmed, and, frankly, terrified by the actions of this administration.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia) for the purpose of a colloquy. Representative Garcia, I had not heard the story about your request to the Ambassador to do a welfare check.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this partisan Republican spending bill because it guts the Honoring our PACT Act and abandons veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution. I am here as the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to represent the interests of our Nation's veterans when they are callously being targeted.”

“Mr. Speaker, Black history has shaped our country, and I am proud to celebrate Black History Month with my Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus colleagues. The coalition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, and Black Americans has worked hand-in-hand for generations to advance racial equality.”

“Madam Chair, as the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I rise today in complete opposition to the Republican rip-off budget resolution. Let's be clear: This is a tax break for billionaires like Elon Musk paid for by working people, including millions of our veterans.”

“Mr. Speaker, if you were approached on the street by a stranger and asked for your Social Security number, your home address, or your bank account information, you would say no.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment from Moreno Valley and their participation in the Rose Parade on January 1, 2025. This marks the second time that the Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment has participated in this iconic event in California.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the actions coming out of the White House are shocking, alarming, and unconstitutional. We have seen an unelected billionaire attempt to lay off, fire, and purge Federal employees from across the executive branch.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave firefighters who have stepped into the breach to take on the fires raging across southern California. Their bravery has been on full display these past weeks, including in my own district, where they have valiantly and swiftly responded in Jurupa Valley to the Clay fire.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong, unequivocal opposition to H.R. 28, the Republican child predator empowerment act. This bill lets politicians in Washington dictate to parents, school districts, and athletic associations across the country who can and cannot participate in their local sports leagues.”