California Leads the Nation
Floor Speech
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, the United States Census Bureau has just announced that California once again leads the Nation in poverty. It has the highest poverty rate, according to the widely accepted supplemental measure, of any State in the country: 15.4 percent.
The Public Policy Institute of California, when you expand this definition to include those living at or near poverty, estimates the number to be at 31.1 percent. To put that in perspective, an adult with one child living in San Francisco, one study found, would have to work 22 hours a day, 7 days a week just to cover basic living expenses.
This is significant not only because it means life is more difficult than it needs to be for millions of people in our State but also because our Governor, Gavin Newsom, has said that California is a model for the Nation. Another Californian, Vice President Kamala Harris, has said that California is a role model for what can be done around the country.
Newsom even recently put out a press release titled: ``10 Ways California Leads the Nation.'' That is the title of his press release: ``10 Ways California Leads the Nation.''
The items on this list range from the meaninglessly vague, like belonging and unity, to the downright farcical, like transportation, with Newsom citing high-speed rail, even though The New York Times estimates that the California High-Speed Rail won't be completed this century. Even if it is completed, it will be the slowest and most expensive high-speed train in the world.
Of course, what wasn't on Newsom's list of the 10 ways California leads the Nation is poverty, even though California has held that dubious distinction for many years running. So, I thought I would take a moment this morning to go through a few other things that were not on Newsom's list. That is, a few other ways in which California leads the Nation yet he neglected to include on his press release.
In addition to poverty, California also leads the Nation in homelessness. In fact, it was just announced our homeless population grew again to 186,000 people. At this point, over half the unsheltered homeless in the entire country are in California.
California also leads the Nation when it comes to crime. On the list of cities with the worst retail theft problems, California is by far the most represented of any State in the country, and that is one of the reasons businesses are closing left and right, especially in our major cities like San Francisco.
If you are a business trying to operate in California, especially a small business, California leads the Nation in many ways. California leads the Nation in terms of having the worst business climate, routinely rated as having the most business-unfriendly set of regulations. California, also for that reason, leads the Nation in business departures.
California also leads the Nation as being the number one judicial hellhole--that is the technical term that is used--and California rated as having the most frivolous lawsuits of any State in the country.
If you are a worker, California also leads the Nation. For most of this year, we have been number one out of the 50 States in unemployment. In the last few years, California has been number one out of the 50 States in wage stagnation. That is, worker wages have gone up less in California than in any other State.
California is also number one when it comes to restrictions on worker freedom, being rated as having the most onerous and arbitrary restrictions on the right to earn a living, including, most egregiously, Assembly Bill 5, one of the most notorious laws in the history of the United States.
If you are just trying to get by and raise a family, California leads the Nation in all the wrong ways when it comes to the cost of living.
We have the highest gas prices of any State in the country, about $1.50 above the national average. We are routinely in the top five when it comes to the cost of energy and electricity. We are number two in the country when it comes to water bills.
We are number two when it comes to the cost of housing and number one in the continental United States. Only Hawaii has higher housing costs than California does.
Largely, because of all this, we are routinely in the top few States in the entire country when it comes to inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient. Progressive California is leading the Nation in inequality.
If you are a citizen expecting a basic standard of service when it comes to public services, California also leads the Nation in dubious ways. We have the highest taxes of any State: highest income tax, highest gas tax. We have not only the largest budget but, by far, the largest budget deficit. This last year, California had a $68 billion budget deficit. Many other States were running a surplus.
California also leads the Nation in debt for our hundreds of billions of dollars in unfunded liabilities. Yet, despite all of this spending, California leads the Nation in terms of the disrepair of our roads, usually being in the top few States rated in terms of the lowest quality of our roads.
Our schools are also rated as among the worst in the country. We lead the Nation in illiteracy. That is, we have the lowest literacy rate in the United States. We also lead the continental United States when it comes to achievement gaps in our schools. Our education outcomes for students living in poverty are worse than any other State in the continental U.S. Only Alaska does worse in the whole country.
This Newsom leadership was compounded during COVID-19. California led the Nation in school shutdowns. It was the slowest of any State to get our kids back to school. Also, it led the Nation, first out of any State, in business shutdowns and church shutdowns.
California led the Nation in mandates by, for example, being the only State, Newsom being the only Governor, to announce a student vaccine mandate. Yet, California was also the slowest State in the country in actually getting therapeutics to people who wanted them.
There is one group for whom California's leadership--Gavin Newsom, specifically his leadership--might be viewed favorably. That is illegal immigrants. Currently, the San Diego border sector has the most illegal border crossings of any sector in the country. That is the first time that has been the case since the 1990s.
California also leads when it comes to the amount of money spent on illegal immigrants, being the only State in the entire country to offer free healthcare to everyone in the State illegally.
Now, as a result of all of this, California finally leads the Nation in one other way, and that is in U-Haul departures, U-Haul rentals on a per capita basis. California has now led the Nation 4 straight years when it comes to out-migration, the number of people leaving.
The effect is particularly pronounced in Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris' San Francisco, a city that, as it was put in the newspaper of record, the San Francisco Chronicle, is literally on the verge of collapse and, in fact, has been losing population faster than any major city in U.S. history, faster even than Detroit when it went bankrupt.
A former Governor of ours, Ronald Reagan, in his inaugural address as Governor, said that California should never take second place, but this was not what he had in mind, us leading the Nation in all the wrong ways.
So, when Gavin Newsom says California is a model for the Nation, when Kamala Harris says California is a role model for what can be done around the country, we can look at what has happened to our State for what the consequence of taking that playbook national will be.
It will mean more poverty. It will mean more homelessness. It will mean more crime, more inequality, a diminishment of economic opportunity, and an increase in the cost of living.
The good news, however, is this: California is not politically monolithic, and in my district in particular, we have established a different model, where we support law enforcement. We have compassionate and commonsense policies when it comes to things like homelessness. We support our workers and our small businesses. We are mindful of how we spend taxpayer dollars in a prudent way.
Because of that, we have maintained a quality of life, fighting against the headwinds of State policy that is much different than in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland. It is why, while people are leaving California as a whole, they are wanting to move into my district. In fact, it is the fastest growing part of California and, in some sense, some of the fastest growing communities in the entire country.
I am very proud of the model that we have established in my communities, and I think that, actually, you are starting to see that spread to the rest of California. That is, while Newsom and Harris say California is a model for the rest of the country, Californians themselves are starting to reject that model in our own State.
We are starting to see, after the Supreme Court's Grants Pass decision, homeless encampments finally being broken up and folks being brought to services, getting to shelters, and getting connected with the services that they need.
We are seeing reckless district attorneys being recalled from office. We are seeing cities that defunded their police departments now refunding their police departments. We are seeing that one of the worst laws in the history of our State and maybe even the country, Proposition 47, which is largely responsible for the increase in crime, homelessness, and conditions of disorder in our cities, is on the verge of being repealed, at least in its major provisions.
There is an initiative, a citizen-led initiative, on the ballot right now that Gavin Newsom has fought tooth and nail every step of the way but that has overwhelming public support. According to a recent poll from the LA Times, it has the support overwhelmingly not just of Republican voters and Independent voters but also Democratic voters by a 19-point margin.
I believe that when this initiative passes, it will be a new day for California, that we will finally turn the page on the failed model of Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, and we can perhaps one day, as Reagan said, start leading the Nation in the right ways again. TART Connect Reaches Million Milestone
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit micro-transit service, known as TART Connect, for providing over 1 million rides in the North Lake Tahoe-Truckee region.
Since its inception in 2021, this free, on-demand, and curb-to-curb transportation solution has revolutionized public transportation in the Tahoe area. In order to participate in the program, residents and visitors simply order a ride from a mobile app and then, from there, can travel to a number of local spots or even connect to a mainline bus system.
Originally implemented in Placer and Washoe Counties, the popularity of this service has led to its expansion throughout the north shore and town of Truckee in the years since.
Recognizing that outdoor recreation and tourism is a main driver of Tahoe's economy, TART Connect provides a remedy to the traffic challenges posed by 15 million visitors per year. Not only has this program improved traffic conditions, reducing congestion and high vehicle volume on the roadway, but it also promotes environmental health and sustainability, protecting the stunning natural beauty of the Tahoe region while meeting the demands of economic growth.
Surpassing 1 million rides is a testament to the success of TART Connect and the vital role it plays in fostering sustainable and acceptable transportation options that enhance mobility and connectivity, enriching the lives of those who visit or live in Tahoe.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives and California's Third Congressional District, I am honored to recognize TART Connect in celebration of this historic milestone. Celebrating 40th Anniversary of Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area for its 40 years of protecting the remarkable ecological and cultural resources of the Mono Basin.
The basin is located immediately east of Yosemite National Park and hosts a diverse range of nature's beauty. From the famed Mono Lake at the heart of the basin to the volcanic Bodie Hills and the Mono Crater volcanoes, this area accommodates a plethora of thriving plant and animal species, some of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Countless advocates devoted their efforts to the preservation of this unique diversity in the Mono Basin, which led to Congress' invention of the National Scenic Area in 1984. Mono Basin is proud to be the first in United States history of these National Scenic Areas dedicated by Congress, and it has continued to be a staple of rich history and wildlife.
Over the past four decades, the Mono Basin Scenic Area has committed itself to supporting natural resource protection and education, which can be found in its initiatives at the scenic area visitor center. Focusing on both the natural and human history of the Mono Basin, there are interactive activities, films, and galleries for patrons to explore.
The Mono Basin and its established centers and areas set a high standard for excellence in the preservation of ecological resources.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to join the United States Forest Service, Inyo National Forest, as well as Tribal, local, and State partners in celebrating the 40-year anniversary of the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, and I applaud their ongoing efforts to maintain the natural beauty and history of the Mono Basin. Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of Rocklin Boy Scout Troop 29
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to mark and celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Boy Scout Troop 29, located in Rocklin, California.
Troop 29 was first chartered in 1924 in the historic Mother Lode region of Alta, Dutch Flat, and Gold Run. Reconstituting itself in 1949 and 1950, Troop 29 made its resurgence as an active force in Rocklin, and the Rocklin Lions Club became their official sponsor.
Since this debut, it has served as a youth-led troop that boasts approximately 60 Scouts at a time, who are focused on learning essential skills through an immersive merit badge system. This program bolsters the Scout values of leadership, citizenship, and responsibility, and works to build character in the next generation of leaders. They engage in a multitude of diverse fields, enriching our communities one project at a time.
Throughout the years, the Scouts of Troop 29, both alumni and current, have provided countless hours of volunteer service and leadership development in our communities. I applaud Troop 29 for their ongoing presence in Rocklin and their 10 decades of commitment to doing good and helping others.
It is because of organizations like Rocklin Boy Scout Troop 29 and the youth who participate that those around them are given a great sense of hope for the future. Their determination, resilience, and commitment to excellence of character is inspiring.
On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize Rocklin Boy Scout Troop 29 for reaching this significant milestone, their centennial celebration. Celebrating Captain Annalisa Sanfilippo
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Mr. KILEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate Captain Annalisa Sanfilippo on becoming the first female fighter pilot assigned to the 144th Fighter Wing in the California Air National Guard.
Annalisa is a graduate of Vista del Lago High School in Folsom, California, and attended the University of Oklahoma in 2020 to earn her bachelor's degree in meteorology. It was here during college that she had the opportunity to shadow Air Force officers in ROTC and ultimately set her sights on flying.
After graduating college, she worked as an air quality specialist in the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District in Fresno, where she focused on forensic meteorology, determining sources of air pollution.
She just recently completed the F-15C fighter pilot training at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base in Oregon and uses her degree in meteorology as an asset in her role as a pilot.
Annalisa will now go on to protect the constituents of California's Third Congressional District and the State of California with the 144th Fighter Wing, which provides air defense for the Western United States. The mission of the Wing is air dominance, a sentiment that Annalisa plans to fulfill and exceed in her position.
Her courage and commitment to her community and commitment to giving back to the place that she calls home is truly inspirational.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I am honored to recognize Captain Annalisa Sanfilippo for her historic accomplishment, as well as for her heroic and invaluable service to our State and our Nation.
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