Issues of the Day
Floor Speech
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Mr. KILEY. Foxx), who is the chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee. Recognizing Marcus Smith
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the ongoing collapse of one of the world's most beautiful cities.
San Francisco has been deteriorating for years, but it is now in a state of total free fall. In just the last few weeks, Nordstrom announced it is closing its San Francisco stores, which Westfield Mall is blaming on the ``lack of enforcement against rampant criminal activity.''
Whole Foods Market is closing its flagship mid-market location citing the safety of employees after 568 emergency calls in 13 months.
T-Mobile just announced it is permanently shuttering its flagship location, and Anthropologie and Saks also announced closures this month.
My district starts about 100 miles inland from San Francisco. I have many memories of visiting San Francisco as a child. Tens of thousands of my constituents used to visit every year, visiting Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, riding the trolley cars, going to Giants games, and countless other forms of art, entertainment, and culture.
By and large, that is not the case anymore. People have learned to stay away, and that is because, as the San Francisco Chronicle put it, the city is on ``the verge of collapse.''
Mr. Speaker, let's zoom out for a moment and look at the State of California as a whole. The census recently reported new population estimates for 2022. We lost residents again, dipping below 30 million people. Over the last 3 years, California has lost a net 871,000 people to other States. That is unusual in our history. In fact, prior to 2020, it was unprecedented. For every year on record, going back to 1900, our State's population grew.
Over decades, the Golden State forged an identity of historic significance and was at the leading edge of social, political, and technological progress. Ronald Reagan, in his inaugural address as Governor, said California should never take second place. We were the State where anyone could get ahead.
Now, sadly, we have become the State many can't wait to leave behind. We do lead the Nation, but in all of the wrong ways: Poverty, inequality, taxes, regulation, income stagnation, and, yes, departures.
The decline of California matters not just for people in our State. It is a grave national concern. Beyond being the most populous State in the Union, the identity of California is central to the identity of America. A loss for one is, by definition, a loss for the other.
California's problems are becoming America's problems in a larger sense as well. California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, has touted California as a ``model for the Nation.'' President Biden is taking him at his word. From crime to immigration, to education, to economic and workforce policies, this administration's governing motto might as well be: As California goes, so goes the Nation.
If California offers a preview of where our country is headed if we don't change course, San Francisco offers an even starker warning. Indeed, before he was Governor of California, Newsom was mayor of San Francisco. Fittingly, it was during his red State tour last month, where he left his post as Governor to lecture other States on how to govern themselves, that Newsom's own home city reached the point of total collapse.
Upon his return, Newsom had no choice but to recognize how dire the situation had become, taking the extraordinary step of sending the National Guard into San Francisco. His model for the Nation is one that requires military intervention just to maintain order.
San Francisco is the part of our State where failed policies, radical politics, and public corruption are in their most advanced stage, and where residents are most rapidly fleeing.
In an article headlined ``San Francisco Falls Into the Abyss,'' UCLA economics professor Lee Ohanian writes, ``No major . . . city has failed at the same level as Detroit, whose population dropped from 1.85 million people in 1950 to about 630,000 today. Move over Detroit, here comes San Francisco,'' he writes, ``which lost 6.3 percent of its population between 2019 and 2021, a rate of decline larger than any 2- year period in Detroit's history and unprecedented among any major U.S. city.''
The reasons for this are not a mystery. They are readily apparent, just by visiting and walking around the city. Foremost among them are crime, drug addiction, homelessness, waste, unaffordability, and failing schools, all as a result of failed governance.
Starting with crime, California has essentially legalized many forms of it, making theft of merchandise below $950 a misdemeanor as well as the possession of even class A drugs. In practice, this means offenders are rarely, if ever, prosecuted, and businesses have stopped even reporting losses.
San Francisco's anti-law enforcement policies have dramatically compounded these problems. Under former District Attorney George Gascon, crime rose significantly across the board, including aggravated assault, sexual assault, carjackings, retail theft, and much more.
Gascon's successor, another so-called progressive prosecutor, elected through substantial outside funding, was so reckless in not prosecuting crime that dozens of his own prosecutors quit, and the voters of San Francisco overwhelmingly recalled him from office.
To make matters worse, in 2020, San Francisco defunded the police, shifting $120 million away from law enforcement.
Last year, the Castro Merchants Association, representing 125 businessowners, wrote a scathing letter regarding the city's failure to address the lawlessness around them. One member said: We are just seeing constant vandalism, constant drug use in public, people passed out on the sidewalk, people having psychotic breakdowns, and it is just not something a small business owner should have to deal with.
One facet of the crime problem, drug use, is now ubiquitous to the sights and sounds of the city. Walking through San Francisco, you will see open drug use and drug dealing, with an open-air drug market that even Gavin Newsom is now sending in the National Guard to disrupt. While California has among the highest rates of illegal drug use in the country, San Francisco is well above the State average. Tragically, the number of overdose deaths has skyrocketed in recent years, from 222 in 2017 to 647 last year.
This only got worse during the COVID shutdowns, as far more people in the city died from overdoses than from COVID. Facing among the most punishing lockdowns in the country, emergency room mental health visits increased substantially, especially for young people.
It certainly doesn't help matters that the supply of drugs is so abundant, thanks to the crisis at our border, and San Francisco declared itself a sanctuary city even before California became a sanctuary State.
Very much connected to the crises of crime, drug use, and mental health is the explosion of homelessness in San Francisco. Once again, while California leads the Nation in homelessness, San Francisco is worst of all. Between 2005 and 2020, the number of homeless increased from 5,404 to 8,124. During that same period, homelessness declined significantly nationwide. Within the 3-year span, complaints of homeless encampments to the city's 311 line increased from 2 to 62 per day, and the share of the homeless population that is unsheltered has also gone up significantly in recent years.
Another feature of the San Francisco landscape that contributes and is a sign of the continuing deterioration is the appearance of waste. Between 2014 and 2018, calls about human feces doubled to 20,933. $100 million was spent on street cleaning in 2019 alone. In a 3-year span, the city replaced 300 lampposts corroded by urine. The overall condition of many areas is something no American should ever have to experience, especially kids, while they are on their way walking to school.
Speaking of schools, San Francisco Unified has the second widest achievement gap of any school district in California with over 5,000 students. A CalMatters investigation from 2017 found that San Francisco had the highest Black student achievement gap of any county in California. Just 19 percent of Black students in San Francisco passed the State's reading test compared to 31 percent statewide, and this was before COVID.
While California was last in the Nation getting students back to school, San Francisco was again worst of all, keeping schools closed not only in 2020, but through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. While they refused to actually operate schools, the district instead spent time on a commission to rename them, even proposing taking Abraham Lincoln's name off of an elementary school. The district then came up with a scheme to scam the State by pretending to open for the last 2 weeks of the school year in order to get millions of dollars in extra funding. Predictably, after these school closures, test scores have since plummeted even further. The citizens of San Francisco responded by recalling three of the school board members from office, each by over 70 percent of the vote.
As if these basic quality of life issues weren't enough, the city has also become completely unaffordable. A survey from The Economist Intelligence Unit found that San Francisco is one of the 10 most expensive cities to live in in the entire world. Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is over $3,500. According to data from the California Association of Realtors, a San Franciscan needs to make nearly $400,000 to buy a median-income home. The cost of utilities, groceries, and other goods is also well above the national average.
At the root of all of these problems is uniquely bad governance. The San Francisco Chronicle put it this way: ``San Francisco's bureaucracy isn't just incompetent and comically inefficient, it is a corrupting force in our city life. Spiritually, yes.'' They wrote, ``But also literally.'' They called it a ``corruption born of needlessly complicated government bureaucracy.''
To take a few examples, it costs an estimated $100,000 to build one tiny home for the homeless in San Francisco. That is 10 times more than even other places in the bay area. It costs almost $1.2 million to build a single unit of affordable housing. It can take 87 permits, 1,000 days of meetings, and $500,000 in fees to build residential housing projects. Recently, San Francisco politicians boasted they had ``brought home the bacon'' by securing $1.7 million in taxpayer dollars for a single toilet.
The public transportation system is a model of mismanagement, with Bay Area Rapid Transit facing a $1.1 billion deficit over 5 years, with trains that are dangerous to ride and that rarely ever show up on time. No wonder ridership has plummeted. The city itself, by the way, is projecting a $728 million deficit over just the next 2 fiscal years.
I don't want to see California, and San Francisco in particular, continue to decline, and I certainly don't want its problems to continue to spread to the rest of the country. The Federal Government provides an abundance of Federal funding to San Francisco, and it must start treating this jurisdiction for what it is: A failed city. With all of this Federal funding going to San Francisco, those funds are often being used in ways that seem to do more harm than good. For future funding, it is important to give extra scrutiny and oversight to how these funds are being used, and the funding should be accompanied by conditions that will stimulate reform.
I believe it is not too late to turn around this city or our State. For proof, you can look at the communities of my district. While California as a whole is declining in population, the vast majority of my district is growing. Placer County and Folsom, for instance, are growing as much as anywhere in California. Our communities are rated among the best in California to live, raise a family, and retire. While California as a State leads the Nation in U-Haul departures, Roseville is the second-place city in the entire country in U-Haul arrivals.
Many of the people leaving San Francisco are coming to my district for safer communities, a more manageable cost of living, better schools, and an overall better quality of life. During the COVID-19 era, we kept our businesses and schools open, got them open earlier than anywhere, avoiding much of the damage experienced across the State, and we also had among the State's best public health outcomes.
We still face the headwinds of misguided policies enacted at the State level, but we strive to use tools of local governance and community partnerships to do what is best for our citizens. This is the model that our State should strive for, and it is the model that many other States are already following. It is the model for our country to reverse the policies that have gotten us so off track in recent years.
In this way, the collapse of San Francisco is a wake-up call, a warning to the Nation about the need for a course correction. I look forward to working with people of good faith on both sides of the aisle to save this beautiful city and to prevent the rest of our country from going down the same path. Recognizing Brave Law Enforcement Officers
MR. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer congressional recognition to the brave law enforcement officers who work tirelessly and at great personal sacrifice to keep our communities safe. From keeping our schools secure to apprehending violent criminals and protecting our children and citizens from the scourge of drugs, every single American benefits daily from the tremendous dedication and commitment to community exhibited by the men and women who protect and serve.
Unfortunately, in recent years, our police have come under often baseless and sometimes callous criticism that has made an already daunting job all the more difficult to accomplish. In fact, I have personally heard from numerous police chiefs, sheriffs, and other law enforcement leaders from my district in California that these unwarranted attacks and charged rhetoric are directly posing recruitment challenges in our community and endangering public safety.
This is all the more jarring considering the extent to which our police selflessly give up things you and I regularly take for granted. These individuals are regularly willing to insert themselves into life- threatening situations to protect the life of others, actively pursuing violent felons and other hardened criminals that threaten our most fundamental rights and freedoms, spending evenings and weekends away from their families to serve us. In fact, multiple officers have made the ultimate sacrifice, given up their lives in the line of duty to keep the people of California safe.
Although we can never truly repay the debt we owe to these individuals, at the very least, we owe it to them to do everything in our power to correct the record and shift the public paradigm to return to giving law enforcement the level of respect and honor that they have undeniably earned.
In that spirit, I would like to propose a national congressional police honor roll. Each Member of Congress would accept nominations from local law enforcement leaders in their community and select a handful of outstanding officers, detectives, and sheriffs to recognize on the House floor during National Police Week for their service, sacrifice, and dedication to community.
My office has been receiving nominations for such an honor roll. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the time to recognize the individuals I have chosen for the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll.
Mr. Speaker, I offer congressional recognition to Officer Wesley Collins of the Lincoln Police Department.
Officer Collins began his law enforcement career as an explorer in 2001 with the Placer County Sheriff's Office. In 2003, he became a full-time correctional officer with the Placer County Sheriff's Office. He then worked for the Grass Valley Police Department as an officer from 2004 to 2006. In 2006, he joined the Lincoln Police Department, where he has served since that date.
While assigned to the patrol division, Officer Collins assumed the role of range master, providing tactical training to sworn staff and overseeing compliance requirements for the department.
In 2020, Officer Collins applied for and was selected for the assignment of school resource officer. His assignment required him to be a presence at Lincoln High School, interacting with students and assisting staff with a variety of topics. Though the basic needs of the assignment were simple, Officer Collins observed a number of areas that could improve student safety at the school.
Since that time, and primarily in 2022, Officer Collins accomplished the following for Lincoln High School and other schools in the district.
First, he worked with district administration and school staff to assist with school site threat assessments.
Second, he assisted the district in overhauling the school safety plans. This included painting large numbers on the roofs of all buildings for easy identification by air ops and added and will be adding dozens of new security cameras, fencing, and bullet-resistant 3M window film to all sites.
Third, he created a school response binder that contains updated maps with important contact information for all district staff and school locations, along with master keys to all school sites.
He worked with district administration to show the need for STOP THE BLEED kits. He assisted in obtaining over 500 STOP THE BLEED kits for the school sites using COVID medical funds. Every classroom and high- risk area in the district was equipped with a kit, and Officer Collins assisted in training the entire district staff on the use, philosophy, and prepping of the kits with the district's RNs.
He worked with the Lincoln Kiwanis Club to raise $1,000 to purchase STOP THE BLEED kits for John Adams Academy. The kits were delivered to the staff and have been dispersed around the school site.
He created and trained the LPD staff on active-shooter response in 2022, with the assistance of city and school staff.
He worked on creating and teaching the combined active-shooter response training for 2023 with the Lincoln Fire Department to be conducted at LHS.
He built close working relationships with the district staff, from the superintendent down to line staff, and helped rebuild the SRO program. This includes adding a third SRO position for the 2023-2024 school year, which was fully funded by the school district.
He assisted district administration with establishing reunification sites for students and families around the district and city in case of critical incidents.
He gave a comprehensive presentation for the WPUSD board to update them on all the school safety updates that have been accomplished and ones that are being worked on.
He actively conducted youth development network trainings with city and district staff and was given an award by the Lincoln Kiwanis Club for his work with the youth of Lincoln.
He also has become an informal liaison between the LPD and the district and has built relationships with the staff and the school wellness centers to identify and help students with mental health needs. The early intervention and relationship building has created an environment where students can approach him or the staff so they can guide students to help before a true mental health emergency occurs.
I should note that the accomplishments I mentioned are outside of the basic requirements of Officer Collins' assignment. He has a heart for serving the youth of the Lincoln community and has gone far beyond what has been expected of him in this position. He has become a critical asset between the Lincoln Police Department and the school district and has dramatically filled the safety void our district was experiencing.
On a near-weekly basis, he attends meetings, functions, or other school-related events outside of his regular workday. He is a model school resource officer who other school resource officers should strive to emulate.
For these reasons and more, I am honored to include Officer Wesley Collins of the Lincoln Police Department in the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll. Congressional Recognition of Sheriff Mike Fisher
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer congressional recognition to Sheriff Mike Fisher of the Sierra County Sheriff's Department.
Sierra County is the second smallest county in California, with a population of about 3,000 individuals. Sheriff Fisher has lived in Sierra County most of his life and has had a significant positive impact on the community.
Sheriff Fisher began his law enforcement career as an explorer from 1986 to 1990 and served as deputy sheriff from 2001 to 2007 and as a detective from 2007 to 2018. He was elected as sheriff in 2018 and has served in that position since.
Sheriff Fisher has a long history of service in Sierra County, and residents showed their appreciation and approval of his work by electing Mike as sheriff for a second term in 2022.
He is truly a hands-on sheriff. In addition to the administrative duties that come with running the sheriff's office, he goes on patrol and EMS calls, bailiffs when needed, and assists with high school senior projects, including a recent Every 15 Minutes program and a mock trial. He recently took over as the Office of Emergency Services supervisor for Sierra County, as well.
Sheriff Fisher has extensive training and experience in locating and eradicating illegal marijuana grows in Sierra County and is skillful in doing overflights to spot the illegal grows and obtain search warrants. He has a pilot's license and is a drone operator.
Since taking office, Sheriff Fisher has made significant improvements, including extensive training for deputies, new radios, and new vehicles.
He is also very organized and levelheaded. Sierra County had its first murder in 20 years in July 2020, which required assistance from outside agencies. He was able to coordinate numerous agencies, and the suspect was successfully apprehended.
Sheriff Fisher is familiar with all areas of our rural county and is able to supervise our somewhat frequent search and rescue activities.
Our county is known for outdoor activities and is home to the Downieville Downhill, a mountain bike race. We also have a few mountain bikers who go off-trail, and Sheriff Fisher seems to know where they are. In addition, he is an avid fly fisher and knows all the great spots for fishing.
Sierra County also has a marine patrol, off-highway vehicles, including snowmobiles, and a new canine unit, which was implemented during Sheriff Fisher's first term.
For his dedication to Sierra County, organizational leadership, and selflessness in helping his neighbors, I am honored to include Sheriff Mike Fisher of the Sierra County Sheriff's Office in the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll. Congressional Recognition of Sergeant Dave Scobie
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer congressional recognition to Sergeant Dave Scobie of the Bishop Police Department.
Sergeant Dave Scobie was promoted to his current rank in March 2022. Sergeant Scobie began his career in the Mammoth Lakes Police Department in 2004 and also worked for the Mono County Sheriff's Department prior to joining the Bishop force.
Sergeant Scobie is married with two children. When not working as a member of the Bishop Police Department, he is active with the local Boy Scouts.
Sergeant Scobie has also been involved with the Eastern Sierra Shop with a Cop program since 2012 and has taken charge and spearheaded the annual event since 2015. This event provides holiday gifts to local children and their families from Mono and Inyo Counties. Since the inception of the program, there have been over 500 children and their families who have participated in the event. Despite the restrictions of the COVID pandemic and the loss of the only department store in Bishop, Sergeant Scobie still managed to ensure the Shop with a Cop program was successful.
For going above and beyond to deliver results for the Eastern Sierra, I am honored to include Sergeant Dave Scobie of the Bishop Police Department in the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll. Congressional Recognition of Detective Ken Nakamura
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer congressional recognition to Detective Ken Nakamura of the Roseville Police Department.
Detective Nakamura began his law enforcement career in 1999 with the San Jose Police Department. He worked for SJPD for 2 years, assigned to their patrol division.
In 2001, Ken Nakamura began his employment with the Roseville Police Department. Detective Nakamura began his career with RPD working in the patrol division until 2005 and during this 4-year timeframe was awarded numerous awards, along with the 10851 pin, which is the Stolen Vehicle Award for apprehensions and stolen vehicle recoveries.
In 2005, Detective Nakamura was assigned to our crime suppression unit and worked in CSU until 2010. Detective Nakamura was a driving force of the unit and vital in the team's mission to make Roseville a safer place for its citizens.
Detective Nakamura was a gang investigator and worked hundreds of cases that resulted in arrests of violent felons and drug dealers. The impact that he had while working in CSU is still unmatched to this day.
From 2010 to 2013, Detective Nakamura worked in a uniform patrol capacity. He was assigned as a field training officer. In that capacity, he was able to instill his experience and work ethic in our newly hired officers.
From 2013 to 2018, Detective Nakamura was assigned to our investigations unit. He worked both property and crimes against persons cases, and his tenacity with his investigations led to hundreds of arrests during his tenure in investigations.
From 2019 to the present, he has been assigned as the Roseville Police Department's threat assessment detective. As a threat assessment detective, he is assigned cases of high priority that usually involve persons that are a high risk to society.
Detective Nakamura's caseload varies but includes the following: stalking cases, domestic violence, threats to the public, and threats to schools and places of worship.
While working as a threat assessment detective, he saw the need to form a threat assessment committee of law enforcement agencies in Placer County. Detective Nakamura was the leader and the driving force to start this threat assessment committee. The TAC is a committee formed in cooperation with the Placer County District Attorney's Office. This allows all law enforcement agencies to meet on a regular basis to discuss individuals that are of concern and a threat to the community.
The TAC is a tremendous benefit to all agencies in Placer County since we know that criminals who pose risks to the public do not commit crimes within a geographical boundary.
Detective Nakamura developed a plan and process as to why the TAC would be beneficial to our county and held a meeting to propose its formation to allied agencies in the county. The stakeholders from around Placer County agreed with him and saw the need for the TAC, which was founded in 2021.
I commend Detective Nakamura for bringing the TAC to reality and working with stakeholders of multiple disciplines to make this happen. Since its inception, it has grown into something that all agencies are now participating in, in Placer County.
Detective Nakamura has made countless arrests during his time as a threat assessment detective. His investigations have made the public safer by taking dangerous criminals off the streets, folks that commit acts of violence.
Detective Nakamura was also the driving force to bring behavioral threat assessment management to the Roseville Joint Union High School District. This process was presented to all district employees in 2022 and will help all RJUHSD employees identify threats to individual high school campuses, making our kids who attend these schools safer.
Detective Nakamura was an instructor and presenter of the BTAM when it rolled out in 2022. In addition to being a BTAM instructor, Detective Nakamura is also a certified master trainer for the Department of Homeland Security regarding behavioral threat assessment and management.
For these reasons and more, I am honored to include Detective Ken Nakamura of the Roseville Police Department in the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll. Officer Chad Quirarte Congressional Recognition
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer congressional recognition to Officer Chad Quirarte of the Roseville Police Department.
Officer Quirarte started his career with the Roseville Police Department in 2019 and was assigned to the patrol division. Officer Quirarte was a very proactive officer and made countless arrests for property crimes, DUIs, drug arrests, and violent crimes, as well. While working in our patrol division, Officer Quirarte received several commendations for his efforts.
In 2021, Officer Quirarte was selected to work as a school resource officer assigned to Adelante High School, which is now called Pathways High School.
The student population at this school includes the kids who did not meld well with a comprehensive campus site. Students at Pathways have not had access to sports equipment and sports programs, so Officer Quirarte has been a champion for this effort by raising money for the students to compete in high school sports events. During his tenure, Officer Quirarte has also had a significant impact at Adelante.
To take one example, Officer Quirarte saw the need for a sports program on his high school campus. It was driven not just by the need for physical activity for the kids, but also as a way to get the students engaged in school and do well academically. This approach built a great relationship between Officer Quirarte and the students at his school with a segment of students who might have otherwise had issues with law enforcement.
Additionally, Officer Quirarte's goal was to have flag football, basketball, baseball, and softball on campus starting in 2021. However, there was no funding for these sports programs. Officer Quirarte worked with Bayside Adventure Church, and they donated $5,000 to the school, which fully funded the sports program.
From the beginning of the sports programs through that year, Officer Quirarte could see a change in the athletes as people, and there were positive changes in their academics as well.
In 2022, Officer Quirarte received the California Continuing Education Association PLUS School Resource Officer of the Year award. The school staff at Adelante High School nominated him for this award due to his unique approach to his duties as an SRO.
These duties included developing a new sports program, securing funds and transportation for sporting teams, organizing games, and most importantly, helping to include kids from all walks of life in the sports program so they can feel a sense of belonging and achievement.
What is even more amazing is the associated statistical data regarding student grades. Since the sports teams were developed, Adelante staff noticed better student performance and a rise in student GPAs.
In December of 2022, Officer Quirarte worked with Tilton Pacific Construction in Rocklin on a year-end Christmas charity fund drive for a local charity. Tilton Pacific knew of the need for additional funding for the sports programs at Pathways High School. Due to Officer Quirarte's efforts, they raised $22,000 for the sports programs at Pathways High School, which will fund these programs for the next couple of years.
Officer Quirarte has had an impact on his campus outside of athletics, as well. He has helped several students on and off campus that have been in mental health crisis. Due to Officer Quirarte's efforts, these students were able to receive services for their individual issues. In one case, Officer Quirarte worked with a local business to get mattresses delivered to a student's house because the student did not have a bed to sleep on at night.
Officer Quirarte has the most challenging students in the district that attend his high school. Due to Officer Quirarte's efforts, he has made an impact on campus and has changed lives in a positive manner.
For these reasons and more, I am honored to include Officer Chad Quirarte of the Roseville Police Department in the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll.
Mr. Speaker, I should note that in addition to the five law enforcement officials recognized, there were several others that were chosen for the Third District of California's Police Honor Roll that, due to the sensitive nature of their work, would not be appropriate to recognize in a highly public setting.
On behalf of the Third District of California, I extend my most profound thanks and gratitude to the officers included in this inaugural Police Honor Roll.
Additionally, I invite my colleagues to join me in the future to expand the Congressional Police Honor Roll program. Welcoming Bosch to Third Congressional District of California
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I would acknowledge some very noteworthy individuals, organizations, and occasions in my district.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome a groundbreaking investment in our community's economy by tech and consumer goods manufacturer, Bosch.
Bosch recently acquired the Roseville-based chipmaker, TSI Semiconductors, and announced plans to invest $1.2 billion into the existing Roseville facility.
This major investment will significantly expand their production of silicon carbide chips, create good-paying jobs and opportunities throughout the entire region, and position Roseville as a regional leader in receiving investment from a rapidly growing business sector producing cutting-edge technology.
I had the pleasure of meeting with Bosch's leadership prior to the investment announcement and now wish to publicly convey a warm welcome on behalf of California's Third Congressional District.
In choosing to invest in Placer County, Bosch has selected a community where local government is strongly supportive of creating jobs and opportunities for investment, where citizens enjoy a high quality of life, and where private sector investments in the economy have a strong track record of paying off for both businesses and the broader region.
I will continue to encourage businesses to choose to invest in the people of California's Third Congressional District to help grow our economy, create more middle-class jobs, and expand opportunities for our residents. National Teacher Appreciation Week
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to recognize the outstanding educators of California's Third Congressional District.
The communities I represent offer both outstanding public and private school education to our students due in large part to the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of our community's teachers.
On behalf of our community, I thank you for all you do to position our students to succeed in the workforce and participate in our democracy as active and informed citizens.
As a former high school teacher myself, teaching 10th grade English, I understand the unique challenges our educators face and the level of passion and dedication it can take to help students succeed. In fact, from those experiences, I am committed to supporting educators in every way I can.
Most recently, I partnered with the Library of Congress to host a special townhall for educators in order to bring the vast resources, collections, and curriculum materials the Library offers to local teachers in California.
If you are an educator, I encourage you to reach out to my office or visit Kiley.house.gov for Federal resources available to local teachers.
Mr. Speaker, again, on behalf of the Third Congressional District of California, I thank educators for their commitment and dedication to positively impacting our youth. Celebrating the 100th Annual Portuguese Holy Ghost Festa
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to celebrate the 100th Annual Lincoln Portuguese Holy Ghost Festa. The Portuguese Holy Ghost Festa is a celebration cherished by the community and looked forward to by all who call Lincoln home.
For 100 years, with the exception of World War II and the COVID years, the Associacao Portuguesa do Divino Espirito Santo--APDES for short--has hosted the festa in accordance with the rich history and tradition of Portugal. The multifaceted, weekend-long festa kicks off on the 5th weekend after Easter with a candlelit procession from a designated member's home. After a weekend of festivities and ceremony, it concludes with a parade, sopas served to all at McBean Park, and a dinner consisting of the traditional Portuguese dish, bacalhau.
Every year, the members and volunteers of the APDES work tirelessly to make this festa happen. Without their love and dedication, Lincoln's festa would not have been sustained throughout the past century.
I wish to express gratitude and thanks on behalf of the Third Congressional District of California for the hard work and dedication of the APDES in enriching our community with this cherished event. Celebrating the 130th Anniversary of City of Rocklin
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to mark and celebrate the 130th anniversary of the city of Rocklin.
For generations of Californians, Rocklin has offered a strong quality of life for residents and welcomed visitors from all walks of life.
As a Rocklin resident myself, I personally know what a special, tight-knit community this truly is. From a friendly business environment to world-class parks and recreation, stellar schools, and exceptional local services such as utilities, transportation, and public safety, Rocklin is a place over 70,000 residents are proud to call home.
It is also no accident that Rocklin has become a place that so many people want to move to. I thank the outstanding community members who work tirelessly to ensure Rocklin continues to maintain a high quality of life as well as the current and past leaders of Rocklin that have shaped the city into what it is today.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize the city of Rocklin's 130th anniversary. Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the Auburn Symphony
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to mark and celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Auburn Symphony.
For decades, the Auburn Symphony has served as the premier community orchestra of Placer County and has engaged and enriched Auburn and the broader region with the gift of music for over 35 years.
The symphony originally began as the dream of local musician Monroe DeJarnette, who, despite the immense challenges of forming a community orchestra in a small town, partnered with Bruce Cosgrove of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce to make that dream a reality.
From there, the orchestra continued to grow and benefit the community. In fact, its programs have reached over 100,000 students in Placer County over the years.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize the Auburn symphony for 35 years of benefiting our community.
Recognizing the Orangevale-Fair Oaks Community Foundation
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize the Orangevale-Fair Oaks Community Foundation for their Big Day of Service.
Last Saturday, I personally witnessed the foundation bring together hundreds upon hundreds of community members to work on 50 different service projects in the Sacramento area.
As someone who was raised in Orangevale, it was especially heartening to see individuals who exhibit the kindness, generosity, and selflessness that unites our community to prioritize the needs of others and coming together to serve their neighbors.
Even in just one weekend, their work made a profound and noticeable impact by completing many necessary regional projects. It is the active and engaged citizens, like the volunteers I spoke with, and the leaders of the foundation, who make the Sacramento region such a great place to call home.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize the Orangevale-Fair Oaks Community Foundation for their hard work and dedication to our community that was exhibited throughout the Big Day of Service. Recognizing The Alliance: Defending the Cause of Kids & Families
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize The Alliance: Defending the Cause of Kids & Families for their contribution and dedication to creating a supportive network of care for youth and families.
The Alliance is a group of churches, nonprofits, professionals, and agencies working to ensure all kids grow up in a safe, loving family.
For years, The Alliance has served countless foster youth, adoptive families, single parents, families in crisis, children who have experienced trauma, and refugees resettling locally in the Sacramento area.
In fact, for their efforts, The Alliance was recently recognized by the Sacramento District Small Business Administration as the 2023 nonprofit of the year.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize The Alliance for their hard work and dedication to our community. In Recognition of Don Ashton on His Retirement
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize retiring El Dorado County Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton for his years of service to El Dorado County.
Don has served the people of El Dorado for more than a decade, most recently as CAO, and never wavered from his goal of making the county a better place.
Throughout Don's tenure, El Dorado County endured department head shakeups, COVID-19, and a series of catastrophic wildfires, most notably, the Caldor fire and recent Mosquito fire.
No matter the challenge, Don provided steady leadership to help the county weather every challenge it faced. Don also achieved many long- term county goals over the years, including financing and constructing the new sheriff's headquarters, improving various parks, and acquiring facilities on the West Slope and in South Lake Tahoe that will bolster the county's ability to serve the public.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize Don Ashton for the steady, stable leadership and years of service he has provided to the people of El Dorado County. Recognizing Sergeant Eric Dollar on His Retirement From Rocklin Police Department
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize Sergeant Eric Dollar of the Rocklin Police Department.
Sergeant Dollar has served the people of California for almost 30 years as a law enforcement officer, with the last 23 in Rocklin.
Throughout his career, Sergeant Dollar took care to mentor younger officers, served many special assignments, including crime scene investigation and narcotics, and was continually recognized by the department for his leadership. In fact, he was among the first five individuals promoted to corporal in Rocklin's century-long history. After decades of service and sacrifice, Sergeant Dollar has made the decision to retire from the Rocklin Police Department.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize Sergeant Eric Dollar for his dedication to the community and the years of service he has provided to the people of Rocklin. Recognizing William Jessup University Nursing Program
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate William Jessup University for the successful launch of their Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program.
This past weekend, over 100 community members gathered at William Jessup's campus in Rocklin to honor this achievement. Jessup's program is especially noteworthy considering the nursing shortage in our community.
This new program provides state-of-the-art education and training facilities, including an innovative simulation lab with mannequins that talk and breathe for live simulation with their students that will equip the next generation of nurses with the tools they need to deliver exceptional care to individuals in need.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize William Jessup University for the service provided to our community through their new program.
Congratulating Tina Basich Haller, Local Snowboarding Legend
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I take this moment to celebrate and congratulate local snowboarding legend, Tina Basich Haller, for her official induction into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Along with her longtime friend Shannon Dunn, Basich Haller is the first female snowboarder to receive this honor and serves as an inspiration and role model to countless young women in Nevada County and beyond.
Throughout her snowboarding year, she won the 1998 X-Games by landing the first 720 in competition and served as a snowboarding pioneer in that sport's infancy.
Her commitment to her community, including giving back to the Nevada Union Snowboarding team and cofounding Boarding For Breast Cancer, is also truly inspirational.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize Tina Basich Haller for her groundbreaking accomplishments and commitment to Nevada County.
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