[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 99 (Wednesday, June 7, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2772-H2773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LEAD IN CHILDCARE CENTERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Porter) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, in 2018, a State law required licensed 
childcare centers to test their water for lead every 5 years. Last 
month, we got the results and they are grim for California's children.
  One in four California childcare centers has dangerously high levels 
of lead in their drinking water. Lead exposure seriously harms 
children's health, damaging their brains and nervous systems.
  Frighteningly, children exposed to elevated levels of lead are often 
asymptomatic, but the damage is irreversible. Many of the worst 
facilities for lead levels are in low-income areas or communities of 
color.
  Congress took a step in the right direction when we passed the 
bipartisan infrastructure law, which invested $15 billion to remove and 
replace lead service lines. But there is more work to be done.

[[Page H2773]]

  Children are our future, and we owe it to every American to protect 
all kids' safety and well-being.


                 Honoring the Service of Randy Cammack

  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate labor champion and proud 
Californian, Randy Cammack. This month, Randy will retire from his post 
as president of Teamsters Joint Council 42, where he fought alongside 
some 200,000 working members and retirees for 14 years.
  Randy's time in organized labor began in 1967, when he started as a 
delivery driver in Los Angeles, California. From there, he went on to 
spend 42 years as a business agent, becoming a member of the Governor's 
freight advisory committee and serving as a vice president of the State 
labor federation.
  Randy is also a proud U.S. Air Force veteran, and I join millions in 
thanking him for his service to our country.
  I am honored to celebrate Randy on the House floor today and extend 
my deepest gratitude to him for his many years advocating for 
California's workers.


                Innovation in Orange County, California

  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the innovation happening 
in Orange County and across California.
  Last year, I was proud to celebrate NASA's successful Artemis I 
mission. Nearly a dozen businesses in my district played a direct role 
in suppling the necessary components to make Artemis I possible. With 
dozens of contributing businesses across Orange County, and over 500 
companies employing 16,000 people statewide, California had more people 
working on Artemis than any other State.
  Orange County has a storied history in the aerospace industry. It has 
been home to several of NASA's most critical partners for over 60 
years, dating back to the Apollo missions.
  I am proud that Orange County and California continue to advance 
science, strengthen our economy, and push the limits of what is 
possible.


                Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Orange County 
leaders for their recent decision to establish an Office of Immigrant 
and Refugee Affairs. At our Board of Supervisors' April 25 meeting, 
they unanimously approved the establishment of this new office, which 
will provide resettlement resources in the form of housing assistance, 
language programs, legal support, and other vital services.
  As Orange County welcomes immigrants and refugee families, we need to 
empower these new members of our community with what they need to 
thrive. The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs will fulfill this 
mission by strengthening outreach and building on successful 
partnerships with community organizations.
  Honoring our diversity is a California value and an Orange County 
value. I look forward to the development of the Office of Immigrant and 
Refugee Affairs and to new families calling our community home.

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