[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 97 (Friday, June 6, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2522-H2529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TEN RADICAL FAILED POLICIES OF GOVERNOR NEWSOM
(Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Kiley
of California was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the
majority leader.
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, this last week, a local
newspaper published a letter to the editor claiming that by fighting
against Governor Newsom's policies, I was not serving my constituents.
I very strongly disagree with that statement.
The fact is that we have a Governor whose policies have turned the
greatest State in the country into the most popular State to leave.
We have a Governor who believes that because he has a supermajority
in the legislature, he can run roughshod over the rights of
Californians and continue to cause the quality of life in our State to
decline.
Here in Congress, we have tools to fight back. I set out at the
beginning of this year to use whatever tools are available to fight
back against Governor Newsom's most harmful policies, and I believe
that is precisely how I can best serve not only my constituents but all
Californians and, indeed, all Americans because the Governor has
himself said that his failed policies are ``a model for the Nation.''
I will go through the 10 areas, the 10 radical failed policies of
Governor Newsom, which have prevailed in California that we set out to
reverse, to fight to overturn or to, at least where we can, mitigate
the harm.
I will give a progress report on where we are with respect to each of
those 10 items.
Very quickly, the 10 are: Number one, crazy EV mandates; number two,
free Medicaid for illegal immigrants; number three, out-of-control
homelessness; number four, reckless crime policies; number five, the
high-speed rail disaster; number six, the sanctuary State disgrace;
number seven, failing public schools; number eight, manmade water
shortages; number nine, catastrophic wildfires; and number 10, chaotic
elections.
The good news is we have made significant progress when it comes to
each of those 10 items.
When it comes to EV mandates, just about a week and a half ago, the
Senate followed in the House's footsteps and passed my resolution to
overturn Gavin Newsom's ban on gas-powered vehicles.
Any day now, President Trump will sign my resolution into law and
Gavin Newsom's unworkable gas car ban, where he wanted to dictate what
millions of Californians drive, will be reversed and Californians will
be able to drive the car of their choice.
Not only that, we are reversing Newsom's EV mandate when it comes to
trucks, and we have already seen the reversal of his mandates when it
comes to trains, when it comes to buses, when
[[Page H2523]]
it comes to lawnmowers, and when it comes to leaf blowers.
Number Two, on free Medi-Cal for illegal immigrants, a policy that no
other State in the country has, a policy that has literally driven our
Medicaid system to the point of insolvency, I introduced the No
Medicaid for Illegal Immigrants Act.
We have been applying pressure in every way we can, and finally Gavin
Newsom has bowed to that pressure. He has announced that he is
sunsetting his own policy, ending it at the conclusion of this year.
Of course, he still has not gone far enough because he wants to keep
it going for those who have already enrolled, but this is a significant
victory in forcing the Governor's hand.
When it comes to homelessness, California has by far the worst
homelessness in the country, where the population of homeless has
skyrocketed during Newsom's tenure as Governor, where he spent $24
billion and a State audit determined that he lost track of the money as
homelessness, again, continued to go up.
What is worse is, we had this decision from the Ninth Circuit Court
of Appeals that said that local communities weren't able to do anything
about homelessness. The decision said you are not allowed to regulate
camping, you are not allowed to regulate homeless encampments in public
spaces, even in front of schools or in parks.
Well, last year, we had a significant victory before the U.S. Supreme
Court, to overturn that lower court decision. Here is the thing: Newsom
wanted to keep the Ninth Circuit decision in place, whereas I advocated
in an amicus brief that we reverse that decision and we restore the
power of local communities to regulate homelessness in a commonsense
way.
Because of that victory before the Supreme Court, you are now seeing,
across California, order returning to our public spaces. Even far left,
very heavily democratic jurisdictions like Fremont and San Francisco
have acted on this new ability provided by the Supreme Court decision
that I advocated for to clean up their streets, and we are starting to
actually see the situation improve.
Number Four, when it comes to crime, we had an enormous victory last
November when it came to Prop 36, an initiative that I helped to lead
and qualify for the ballot that has made crime illegal again in
California by restoring some basic consequences for theft and open drug
use and dealing fentanyl.
Now, of course, Gavin Newsom and the supermajority in California
fought against Prop 36 each and every step of the way. They even
concocted corrupt schemes to take it off the ballot and deny
Californians the opportunity to vote, but each and every one of their
schemes failed.
{time} 1140
Despite Governor Newsom leading the opposition to this initiative to
make crime illegal again in California, it passed overwhelmingly. It
passed with a higher percentage than any initiative on the ballot. It
passed in each and every one of California's 58 counties, even Gavin
Newsom's and Kamala Harris' San Francisco.
As a result, you are seeing law enforcement throughout California
that now has a new ability to restore order and arrest people who
commit crimes. We are starting to see real improvements across the
State that we have not seen in a very long time.
Five, when it comes to high-speed rail, the biggest public
infrastructure failure in United States history, which Gavin Newsom has
continued to pour billions and billions of dollars into, at the
beginning of this year, I introduced legislation to say that it shall
receive no more Federal funding.
I then joined Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy at Union Station
in Los Angeles to announce an investigation, an audit, and a compliance
review by the Federal Department of Transportation into California
High-Speed Rail and the billions it has received in Federal funding.
Just this week, we got the results of that audit, finding that
California is woefully out of compliance and that there is no viable
path forward for the project.
I believe that with this Federal money now stopped, this is the
beginning of the end of the high-speed rail disaster in California.
Six, when it comes to the sanctuary State, we have taken a number of
measures. I introduced a bill, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act. I
also introduced the Freedom to Cooperate Act to allow local authorities
to cooperate with Federal immigration enforcement. We have also seen a
number of executive orders making it very clear that sanctuary
jurisdictions are unacceptable and are in defiance of Federal law.
In California, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has found a way to
circumvent effectively the sanctuary State using the powers of Federal
law enforcement, so we have come a long way toward ending the disgrace
of the sanctuary State in California.
When it comes to California's failing public schools, which are just
about the worst in the entire country, we have the lowest literacy rate
of any State in the country. We continue to see attacks on high-
performing schools from Governor Newsom and his enablers in the
legislature.
We also have some good news on this front. I am chair of the House
Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education,
and we have been fighting to give Americans school choice. In this
reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, there is a provision that would ignite a
school choice revolution across America by providing tax credits that
can then be used to allow students to attend a school of their choice.
We believe this could enable meaningful school choice for 2 million
students across the country.
I am also continuing to advocate for the High-Quality Charter Schools
Act, a bill I have introduced that would enable a similar measure of
school choice for students in the public school system through charter
schools, potentially tripling the number of students attending charter
schools across America.
Eight, when it comes to the absurdity of California's man-made water
crisis, where, for example, when we had heavy storms in California that
caused 20,000 cubic feet of water per second to be cascading out of
Folsom Dam, we at the same time had a drought emergency still in effect
because we don't have adequate water storage to capture the water when
it comes. We don't have the ability to level out these cycles of
wetness and dryness that are utterly predictable in California. On top
of that, we have crazy policies that divert water to the ocean for the
most absurd of reasons.
The good news is that we are starting to see some of this diversion
of water come to an end, and we have secured Federal funding for the
most significant water project in California in decades, Sites
Reservoir, which is now well on its way to substantially expanding
water storage in California. We are also taking steps to raise the
level of Shasta Dam to provide additional water storage there, as well.
Nine, when it comes to the catastrophic wildfires, which have
afflicted my district in searing and tragic ways and which the whole
world saw on tragic display in Los Angeles at the beginning of this
year, we know that California's failures to adequately manage its
forests have precipitated many of these catastrophic fires in addition
to several other policy failures.
The good news is that we are restoring common sense when it comes to
forest management. We just passed on a bipartisan basis a couple of
months ago the Fix Our Forests Act, which will streamline the sort of
environmental regulations that stop us from appropriately managing our
forests. It passed the House with bipartisan support, and I expect to
see it pass the United States Senate very soon.
Finally, when it comes to California's election system, it is much
more chaotic than any other State in the country. We take a month just
to count votes, so the entire country is waiting for California to
finish a process that takes everyone else a matter of hours or a few
days.
We have passed in the House of Representatives the SAVE Act, which
advances a commonsense proposition that you should provide proof of
citizenship in order to register to vote. A recent survey showed that
72 percent of California's Democrats, Republicans, and Independents
support this commonsense policy.
In addition, I have introduced the Election Results Accountability
Act, saying that California has to count its votes in a timely manner.
Finally, I believe that Californians will have a
[[Page H2524]]
chance in the next election to vote on a proposition to establish voter
ID in California elections.
On each of these fronts, we have made significant progress, and it is
improving the quality of life for Californians. Once again, this is a
concern for all Americans because by making California sane again, we
will help to bring about and continue this golden age in this country
and chart a future that truly lives up to the founding ideals of our
country.
California has always been at the leading edge of the American Dream.
When California thrives, the rest of the country does, as well.
Responding to California High-Speed Rail Authority Statement
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to
respond to the statement put out by California's High-Speed Rail
Authority in response to the audit from the Department of
Transportation that came out yesterday.
This audit began a few months ago. I joined Secretary of
Transportation Sean Duffy in Los Angeles to announce the investigation
into California's 17-year-long failure to build anything despite
receiving massive funding at the State and Federal levels.
The audit specifically looked at what happened to the $4 billion in
Federal funds that were provided through recent grants. The result of
the audit showed that the State is woefully out of compliance, that it
has built nothing, and that there is no viable path forward for the
project; therefore, those grants can now be terminated.
The High-Speed Rail Authority came out with this statement, which,
frankly, defies belief. It said: ``The Authority strongly disagrees
with the [Federal Rail Administration's] conclusions, which are
misguided and do not reflect the substantial progress made to deliver
high-speed rail in California.''
Mr. Speaker, I almost cannot believe those words: ``the substantial
progress to deliver high-speed rail in California.'' What progress has
been made, let alone substantial progress? There literally has not been
any track laid in 17 years. There has not been one passenger in 17
years. There have been five CEOs of the rail authority, by the way, so
the CEOs of the rail authority outnumber the passengers 5-0. Mr.
Speaker, $17 billion has been spent already, and literally nothing has
been built.
By the way, the initial projection was that this thing was going to
be done in 2020. That is what we were told when it was proposed in
2008, that by the year 2020, we will have a high-speed rail system,
that you could hop on it in Los Angeles, and it will take you swiftly
to San Francisco. Wouldn't that be nice?
We are now in the year 2025, and nothing has been built. We are 5
years past the deadline for the whole thing to be done. Nothing has
been built, and the rail authority has the audacity to claim that
substantial progress has been made.
By the way, we were also told that, by the year 2030, we would have
100 million riders per year. We now know for a fact that the number of
riders per year by the year 2030 will be 100 million less than
forecast. There will be zero riders still by the year 2030. We are
told, no, no, substantial progress has been made.
{time} 1150
Mr. Speaker, how do we know there will be no riders by the year 2030?
The rail authority has said so itself. It has continued to scale back
its initial leg of the system but has continued to push back the
completion date for that initial segment.
The initial segment of the system from Bakersfield to Merced would
span 119 miles. For those who are not from California, these are not
exactly population centers. They have set a deadline to complete that
by 2033. They are now saying that even that deadline will not be met.
Mr. Speaker, in 2033, we will not even have the initial segment of
119 miles from Bakersfield to Merced. By 2020, we were initially
promised we would have the whole thing from L.A. to San Francisco. By
2030, we would have 100 million riders.
The CEO of the rail authority came out recently and said he has a new
and very ambitious plan that by the year 2045, 20 years from now, not
only will we have this Bakersfield to Merced segment done but we will
also have Gilroy to Palmdale.
For those who don't know California geography, where are these
places? Neither is especially close to San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. Let's assume this actually
happens. By 2045, we have Palmdale to Gilroy. There is no reason to
believe that will be true since every single other deadline has been
missed and has been pushed back. Let's give him the benefit of the
doubt.
They work hard for 20 years. They continue to spend tens of billions
of dollars. They build Palmdale to Gilroy by 2045. How exactly would we
utilize this system if we wanted to go from L.A. to San Francisco? Here
is what we would have to do.
We would have to get on one rail system. It would take about 2 hours
to get from L.A. to Palmdale. A passenger would then have to get off
and hop onto the high-speed train. They probably have to wait for it.
That would take about 2 hours to then get to Gilroy. At Gilroy, a
person would get off and wait for another train, one that is not a
high-speed one. That would take them from Gilroy into San Francisco.
Overall, the trip at a minimum would take 6 hours and would span
three different transit systems. It wouldn't be doable until 2045 at a
minimum.
Right now, today, for decades, a traveler could take a flight on
Southwest or several other airlines from L.A. to San Francisco in about
an hour.
No, we are told that this vision, this new plan, amounts to
substantial progress such that the results of the audit are--let's see,
what were the words here?--misguided. They do not reflect the
substantial progress that has been made.
By the way, the Governor has hired a gentleman who specifically goes
around on X attacking people like me who criticize anything that the
Governor is for. Newsom is completely for spending billions and
billions on the high-speed rail. In fact, he just doubled the amount
that will be spent this year through the cap-and-trade fund.
This gentleman responded to my criticism of the high-speed rail by
saying that we are creating all these jobs. That is what this is about.
I am all for creating jobs. In fact, it would be great if we had more
jobs in California. As it is, under Governor Newsom, California has the
highest unemployment rate in the country. A recent jobs report showed
literally zero job growth in California. I would love to create more
jobs.
We could create jobs by hiring people to dig a hole and hire more
people to come and fill the dirt back in, which isn't that far from
what is actually happening with the high-speed rail.
It is better to create jobs doing something that actually creates
value, that improves the quality of life of Californians, and that
stimulates economic activity. Then there are actually more jobs because
those are jobs associated with the economic activity that results from
having something useful when it comes to transportation.
I do believe that this compliance review is the beginning of the end
for high-speed rail in California. I am now calling on the House to
pass my bill which provides that not only will Federal funds continue
to be unavailable during this administration but that the project will
be ineligible for any further Federal funding going forward.
Once we eliminate the possibility of future Federal funding, the
State will have no choice but to acknowledge reality and finally wind
down this embarrassing and disastrous project. This is the worst public
infrastructure failure in U.S. history.
They will use those funds where they are truly needed, which is on
our roads, on our other transportation infrastructure, or, frankly, on
literally anything else.
Grading for Equity Initiative
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, last week, San Francisco
announced a new grading for equity initiative. As the chair of the
Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education,
this caught my eye.
What they are proposing is truly beyond belief. This grading for
equity initiative in San Francisco was in a sense a brilliant solution
to San Francisco's problem of having so many failing schools. It would
simply fiat that kids would not be failed.
[[Page H2525]]
Anyone who got an F would just magically be given a C. Even if a
student got a B-minus all the way down to 81 percent, that would
actually be considered an A under this grading for equity initiative.
By the way, there would be no grading on anything--not homework, not
attendance, not midterms, or anything like that. Grades wouldn't be
given at all. The only thing that would actually matter for grades is a
final exam. Even then, a student would get to keep retaking it until
the student got the grade that he or she wanted.
Last week, I raised some concerns about this new initiative. Just for
some context, it should be understood that San Francisco has had among
the very worst student achievement gaps in the State and anywhere
across the country. During COVID, they were just about the last place
in the country to reopen their schools.
Students were attending class every day with no problem throughout
the country and even in other parts of California. Yet, this corrupt
school district refused to open its schools. Instead, what it spent its
time on was creating a commission to rename schools.
They came up with such interesting recommendations as removing the
name of Abraham Lincoln from an elementary school. Lincoln was not woke
enough for this commission. They even went so far as to suggest
removing the name of Dianne Feinstein from a school. All the while,
these schools were closed, and students were continuing to fall behind.
Sadly, it didn't surprise me to see San Francisco come out with this
absolutely preposterous grading for equity initiative.
The good news is that after we focused attention on this and folks
spoke out against it, the district has now reversed course and has said
they are not going to implement this in the coming school year as
planned.
That is good news for all Californians because the crazy ideas that
often start in San Francisco then often spread throughout the rest of
the State and can even spread to the rest of the country.
I am hopeful that this will be a wake-up call that the way to solve
the problem of failing public schools is not simply to lower
expectations, arbitrarily raise grades, and make it so that failure
just simply isn't within the grading system. Rather, it is to raise
expectations and follow the forms of accountability and flexibility and
other education reforms that have elevated student achievement in much
more forward-looking jurisdictions across the country.
{time} 1200
California Students Trapped in Failing Schools
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in my home State of
California, the California State Assembly passed one of the most
despicable education bills that we have seen in a long time. Assembly
Bill 84 is the latest all-out attack on charter school families and
students in California.
It is part of what has been a war against charters since Governor
Gavin Newsom came into office. Indeed, we are seeing that reach a truly
concerning level right now, even before this bill.
Across California, we are seeing new legislation passed by the
supermajority and signed by Newsom used to devastating effect to target
high-performing charter schools and to shut them down or to stop new
charters from starting up, forcing families to return to neighborhood
schools that they had chosen not to attend and that, in many cases, are
failing to teach students the basics.
We have many examples now of high-performing charters in the State
being nonrenewed, but this bill, AB 84, makes things even worse. It
specifically targets independent study and homeschool-based charters,
which are very important for many families throughout California and
which are very important, for example, for students with special needs.
It seeks to defund these schools and force them to shut down, taking
this option away from those families and forcing them to go back into a
system that wasn't working for them. It seeks to further trap students
in failing schools and ensure that California remains as having among
the worst education outcomes in the country, especially for students in
underserved communities.
The bill is so bad and disgraceful that almost 20 Democrats just
didn't even vote at all. They abstained. They knew it was terrible, but
they didn't want to go against their party, the Governor, or special
interests. They simply abstained from the vote.
This is a measure that absolutely cannot be allowed to pass. It still
needs to go through the California State Senate, but I would encourage
folks throughout the State to get in touch with their Senator about it.
The fact that we have this continued assault on students and families
and their schools, this continued attempt to continue educational
inequities in our State to continue our State and country's decline
when it comes to education, this makes it all the more imperative that
we do everything that we can here to provide choice to families and
advance educational excellence.
While California is the worst of the worst when it comes to how our
school system is run and the policies that the Governor has imposed,
across the country, we have seen continued decline when it comes to
student achievement. Spending has continued to go up, and student
achievement has continued to go down. We are falling behind other
countries, and it is putting our country at significant risk for the
future.
Millions of kids in California and throughout the country are not
getting the education that they deserve. As chair of the Early
Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee, I am
committed to reversing these trends.
The good news is that I am sponsoring the Educational Choice for
Children Act. The basic concept of that bill is to enable school choice
for millions of kids across the country. It is now included in the
reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, which I believe is one of the most
important facets of this bill.
I am also strongly advocating for a similar measure, the High-Quality
Charter School Act, to be passed either as a standalone bill or,
perhaps more relevantly, as part of the same reconciliation bill, H.R.
1.
We believe this measure could triple the number of students attending
high-performing charter schools across the country, and it would be a
great help to California families who are being attacked by their own
State government.
If we could ignite this school choice revolution across the country,
then what the data shows is that this will help not only those millions
of families that choose to enroll in a public charter or a private
school, but it will lift all boats. It will advance student achievement
for kids all across the country. It will reverse this decline that we
have continued to see in our education system. It will give families
the opportunities that they deserve and that they are entitled to. It
will put our country on much stronger footing for generations to come.
congratulating tahoe yacht club
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate
the Tahoe Yacht Club as they celebrate their 100-year anniversary.
In 1925, many San Francisco families discovered and became drawn to
the beauty of Lake Tahoe. A small group of individuals formed the Tahoe
Power Boat Club to organize seasonal boat regattas, which quickly
became a highlight of the Tahoe Basin. In 1938, the organization
officially became the Tahoe Yacht Club, the name it proudly holds
today.
Over the following decades, membership grew exponentially to around
600. The organization later established the Trans-Tahoe Race, the
organization's largest sailing event, which soon became internationally
acclaimed. It attracted people from across the world. This July will
mark the 62nd annual Trans-Tahoe Regatta.
The Tahoe Yacht Club has exhibited endurance and resilience over the
past century, briefly closing over COVID-19 but overcoming the
challenges of that time to reopen to a wave of new members. Today, the
Tahoe Yacht Club boasts a membership of 450 individuals and maintains a
year-round calendar of outdoor activities, environmental cleanup days,
and strong community engagement.
It is an honor to represent exemplary organizations like the Tahoe
Yacht Club in Congress. The Tahoe Yacht
[[Page H2526]]
Club contributes to the Tahoe Basin's status as an international
destination, and its contributions have had a positive and lasting
impact on the region.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I
am honored to recognize the Tahoe Yacht Club for their 100-year
anniversary.
national teacher appreciation week: danna mccoy
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National
Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to highlight a
teacher from the Colfax Elementary School District, Danna McCoy, who
has dedicated the past 4 years of her career to educating the young
students of her community.
Mrs. McCoy is an invaluable member of the Colfax Elementary team. She
started as a paraeducator before going back to school to become a
teacher. Now, she has many different roles at Colfax Elementary,
serving as their resource specialist program teacher, working on the
multitiered system of support team, coordinating the tier 2 check-in,
check-out program, and acting as the SST coordinator.
Mrs. McCoy's efforts are critical to ensuring that students'
individualized education plans, IEPs, are being met, and she has built
an educational environment dedicated to helping all students reach
their full potential. She also creates schedules for all of her
school's paraprofessionals to ensure smooth support across the campus.
Mrs. McCoy's efforts do not go unnoticed. She is an exceptional
educator, and she continues to make a strong impact in the educational
journey of her students. She is known by others for her hard work,
determination, strong ability to collaborate with other colleagues and
work in a team, and for the brightness and positivity that she brings
to the school.
It is a true honor to represent exemplary teachers like her in
Congress, and I commend Mrs. McCoy for her exceptional dedication to
education and promoting student success and academic achievement.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I
am pleased to recognize Mrs. Danna McCoy for her significant
contributions to the Colfax Elementary School District and the young
students of the Colfax community.
{time} 1210
Recognizing Chris Wardlaw
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National
Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to recognize a
teacher from the Western Placer Unified School District, Mr. Chris
Wardlaw, who has dedicated 25 years of his career to educating the
students of his community.
Mr. Wardlaw became passionate about teaching when he had the
opportunity to be a teaching assistant in graduate school when he was
studying to become a research biologist. In that capacity, university
students knew him for going above and beyond by holding extra weekly
office hours, meeting with study groups in the library before midterms,
and helping however he could. His true passion for teaching that was
ignited in that role has continued to this day.
His current high school students know him similarly as the teacher
who is always willing to help, no matter the time or the place. He
teaches during lunch, before school, after school, into the evening,
and sometimes over the weekend before an upcoming important test,
dedicating countless hours towards promoting the success of his
students. He even extends himself at times to help students that aren't
specifically in his class. He brings enthusiasm, positivity, and
perseverance to the classroom and uses these traits as tools to help
inspire students to learn and apply math and science to their day-to-
day lives.
Additionally, Mr. Wardlaw created a summer bridge course after seeing
a critical need among students transitioning from middle school to high
school, with a goal of closing that gap. The success of the program is
evident as nearly all students in his program are thriving in math for
the first time.
Mr. Wardlaw exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated,
compassionate, selfless, and skilled educator. He is a source of
support for not only his students but also his colleagues in the
school. Mr. Wardlaw is an exceptional educator, and he continues to
make a profound impact on the educational journey of his students.
It is a true honor to represent exemplary teachers like him in
Congress, and I commend Mr. Wardlaw for his dedication to education and
for promoting student success in academic achievement.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I
am pleased to recognize Mr. Chris Wardlaw for his significant
contributions to Western Placer Unified School District and to the
students of the Lincoln community.
Recognizing Dr. Jennifer Sandfort
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of National
Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to highlight a
teacher from the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, Dr. Jennifer
Sandfort, who has dedicated 25 years of her career to educating the
students in her community.
Beginning her career as a fifth grade teacher in 2000, Dr. Sandfort
later earned her doctorate with a focus on inclusive education for
students with autism. Her research has shaped teaching practices both
in her classroom and across the district. Dr. Sandfort has spent the
last 10 years teaching at Empire Oaks Elementary in Folsom, where she
has become known for her innovative, inclusive approach, and deep
commitment to student growth.
In her teaching style, Dr. Sandfort emphasizes collaboration,
relationships, and the transformative power of learning. Her tireless
devotion to her role has made a meaningful impact in the lives and
learning outcomes of her students. Not only does she empower her
students academically, but she also plays a pivotal role in supporting
her colleagues and fellow educators, reflecting her ongoing commitment
to public service and civic responsibility.
Dr. Sandfort exemplifies the highest standards of educational
excellence and leadership, which led her to be recognized recently by
the Folsom Cordova Unified School District as the 2024-2025 Teacher of
the Year.
I am proud to represent outstanding educators like Dr. Sandfort in
Congress, and I commend her for her more than two decades of dedication
to education and to promoting student success and academic achievement.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I
am pleased to recognize Dr. Jennifer Sandfort for her significant
contributions to the Folsom Cordova Unified School District and to the
students of the Folsom community.
Recognizing Sarah Grimke Taylor
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Teacher
Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to highlight a teacher from
the Eastern Sierra Unified School District, Sarah Grimke Taylor, who
has dedicated 29 years of her career to educating the students of her
community.
Ms. Taylor graduated from Amherst College in 1991, earned her
teaching credential from UC Berkeley, and earned her master's degree in
English from UC Irvine. In 1994, she began teaching English, and in the
last 15 years has taught both English and Drama at Lee Vining High
School. Due to the high standards of her performance, she has received
a number of awards recognizing her exceptional teaching abilities,
including the Outstanding Teachers of America Award from the Carlston
Family Foundation, the Olmsted Prize for Excellence in Secondary School
Teaching from Williams College, and most recently the Teacher of the
Year Award from Mono County.
Ms. Taylor is known for her empathy and attentiveness to the
differing needs of her students, as well as for the high expectations
she sets, and the corresponding support she provides to empower her
students to reach their full potential. She is regarded as a bedrock of
the school and is one that students can turn to for college and career
advice, academic assistance, or just to be a listening ear. Not only is
she an invaluable role model to her students, but she also is a leader
among her colleagues and was instrumental in creating a program that
mentors early career teachers, helping them hone their craft and build
a positive learning environment in their classrooms.
[[Page H2527]]
I am proud to represent educators like Ms. Taylor in Congress, and I
commend her for her exceptional dedication to education and to
promoting student success.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I
am pleased to recognize Ms. Sarah Grimke Taylor for her significant
contributions to the Eastern Sierra Unified School District and to the
students of the Eastern Sierra community.
Recognizing Deputy Jeff Bilodeau
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as part of the California
Congressional District Three Police Honor Roll and in honor of National
Police Week 2025, I wish to recognize Deputy Jeff Bilodeau of the
Placer County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving
and protecting the Placer County community.
Deputy Bilodeau serves as the Loomis traffic deputy and is known for
going above and beyond the normal call of duty to serve his community.
He reads books to children at the local library, partners with schools
to improve traffic flow and safety, provides educational presentations
about accident investigations, gives public safety presentations to the
town, and so much more. Through local partnerships, he has assisted in
contributing numerous bicycles and helmets to underprivileged children
in order to ensure that they have safe and reliable transportation
options.
His passion and commitment to mentorship, education, outreach, and
public safety make such a positive impact in our community. As such, he
has received several honors, including the Roseville Elks Lodge Officer
of the Year Award, and the soon to be induction into the United States
Police and Fire Olympics Hall of Fame.
It is an honor to represent such exemplary law enforcement officers
in Congress.
On behalf of California's Third Congressional District and the United
States House of Representatives, I would like to thank and honor Deputy
Jeff Bilodeau for serving and protecting the region as a dedicated
public servant.
Recognizing Deputy Chad Blair
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as part of the California
Congressional District Three Police Honor Roll and in honor of National
Police Week, I wish to recognize Deputy Chad Blair of the Sacramento
County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and
protecting the community of Sacramento, California.
Deputy Blair began his career in 2019, working in the Investigation
Service Unit where he collaborated with the California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation to gather intelligence from inmates,
analyze trends in violence and narcotics distribution, and monitor gang
activity. Deputy Blair enhanced his training by becoming a jail
training officer and the team leader for the Custody Emergency Response
Team.
Subsequent to his service in corrections, he was assigned to patrol
where he utilizes technologies and community engagement to help prevent
crime and build bridges between the community and law enforcement.
Because of his dedication to community engagement, he was selected for
the Problem-Oriented Policing Team. In addition to his regular duties,
Deputy Blair is also a member of the Sheriff's Critical Incident
Negotiations Team in which he assists with hostage and barricade
situations through the use of negotiation and crisis management skills.
Within these roles, Deputy Blair has continually demonstrated
professionalism and commitment to service and community.
{time} 1220
Deputy Blair is known by others for his expertise and highly trained
skill set, as well as for his dedication to enhancing trust between law
enforcement and community members to prevent crime and promote public
safety. He stands out as a daily example of excellence in law
enforcement and is a model to those around him.
Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like
Deputy Chad Blair. On behalf of California's Third Congressional
District and the United States House of Representatives, I thank and
honor Deputy Blair for serving and protecting the region as a dedicated
public servant.
Recognizing Lieutenant Jason Doolittle
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Third
Congressional District Police Honor Roll and in honor of National
Police Week 2025, I recognize Lieutenant Jason Doolittle for his
unwavering commitment to serving and protecting Placer County.
Lieutenant Doolittle joined the Placer County Sheriff's Office in
2002 after he graduated from the police academy. He started his career
in law enforcement as a reserve deputy and later as an extra help
deputy, which allowed him to obtain experience in both patrol and
corrections. In 2003, Lieutenant Doolittle was brought on as a full-
time deputy sheriff and worked in the jail.
In 2005, Lieutenant Doolittle was transferred to patrol. He was
responsible for the I-80 corridor, all the way from Bell Road in Auburn
to Donner Summit. During this time, Lieutenant Doolittle developed
strong self-reliance and proficiency, and his work did not go
unnoticed. He received the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award in both
2006 and 2008 for the most DUI arrests in the department and was
awarded the Sheriff's Pin by then-Undersheriff D'Arcy.
While on patrol, Lieutenant Doolittle became a field training
officer, which gave him the responsibility of training new deputies in
law, policy, tactics, and procedures. In 2009, he joined the special
enforcement team, which is the equivalent of a SWAT team, and was
selected as the element leader for the chemical agents unit.
That year, Lieutenant Doolittle was also assigned as a detective to
the investigations unit. He handled cases involving burglary, theft,
fraud, stalking, homicides, sexual assaults, and assaults with deadly
weapons. Lieutenant Doolittle was very effective, with nearly all of
his cases resulting in guilty pleas from the defendants, and he was
recognized by the district attorney's office for the thoroughness of
his work.
In 2012, he received a promotion to sergeant. He went on to take such
roles as a team leader for the critical incident response team at the
jail, developing a supervisory training manual for the division, and
working in patrol. He has overseen teams of deputies and supervised
numerous high-risk and tactical incidents.
In 2024, Lieutenant Jason Doolittle was promoted once again, this
time to field operations lieutenant. He currently serves as the
commander of the south Placer substation located in the town of Loomis.
He manages the youth and community services unit, which oversees public
outreach and school resource officers, and works closely with local
government and business leaders.
Lieutenant Jason Doolittle's service does not stop there. He also
serves as an adjunct instructor at Sierra College's modular police
academy and teaches courses in firearms, weaponless defense, chemical
agents, introduction to criminal law, evidence, and professional
policing in the community. On top of this, he serves as a recruit
training officer, a position that allows him to mentor and guide new
recruits.
Lieutenant Jason Doolittle's leadership, commitment to excellence,
and ongoing involvement in our community sets him apart, and it is an
honor to represent exemplary individuals like him in Congress.
Therefore, on behalf of California's Third Congressional District and
the United States House of Representatives, I thank and honor
Lieutenant Doolittle for his ongoing commitment to serving and
protecting Placer County as a dedicated public servant.
Recognizing Sheriff Mike Fisher
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Third
Congressional District Police Honor Roll and in honor of National
Police Week 2025, I recognize Sheriff Mike Fisher of the Sierra County
Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and
protecting the Sierra County community.
Sheriff Fisher has served his community for 25 years, starting his
career as a deputy with the Sierra County Sheriff's Office, then a
detective. Finally, he was elected as Sierra County sheriff in 2018 and
reelected in 2022.
Sheriff Fisher exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated public
servant, consistently prioritizing the needs of Sierra County and
serving as a strong representative of his community.
His passion for championing the rural and ranching communities of
Sierra County sets him apart as a leader,
[[Page H2528]]
and his steadfast commitment to safeguarding life, liberty, property,
and Sierra County's community values is unparalleled.
Sheriff Fisher is known for being a trusted leader and has earned the
respect of those who have the privilege to know him. It is an honor to
represent exemplary individuals like Sheriff Mike Fisher. On behalf of
California's Third Congressional District and the United States House
of Representatives, I thank and honor Sheriff Fisher for his nearly
three decades of serving and protecting the region as a dedicated
public servant.
Recognizing Detective Dan Heaton
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, as part of the California Third
Congressional District Police Honor Roll and in honor of National
Police Week 2025, I recognize Detective Dan Heaton of the Sacramento
County Sheriff's Office for his unwavering commitment to serving and
protecting the communities of Sacramento, California.
Detective Heaton began his career with the Sacramento County
Sheriff's Office in 2014. He spent 2 years in corrections before moving
on to become a patrol officer. He eventually became a field training
officer, where he was responsible for training new deputies under his
watch. He was then assigned to the problem-oriented policing team, and
then was promoted to his current rank of detective, being assigned to
the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Throughout Detective Heaton's career and decade of public service, he
has achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the safety
of our communities.
One accomplishment of particular note occurred last year, in which he
led and implemented a proactive investigation across nine counties,
including close to 30 agencies, that located and served warrants on
more than 21 suspects who were preying on children. This was truly a
heroic effort that spared many young lives from becoming victims.
Detective Heaton is known by others for his strong leadership,
innovative techniques, understanding of the law, and the high standards
by which he holds himself and others. He makes himself available to
assist other law enforcement officers and agencies, sharing the skills
that he has worked so hard to develop. His passion and dedication to
the protection of children is unparalleled, and his tireless efforts
have made a meaningful impact in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like
Detective Dan Heaton. On behalf of California's Third Congressional
District and the United States House of Representatives, I thank and
honor Detective Heaton for serving and protecting the region as a
dedicated public servant.
Recognizing Police Officer Brett Schneider
Mr. KILEY of California. Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Police
Week, I recognize and honor Officer Brett Schneider of the Lincoln
Police Department for his unwavering commitment to serving and
protecting the Lincoln community.
Officer Schneider was hired by the Lincoln Police Department in June
2006. Over his last 19 years with the department, Officer Schneider has
held various roles, including EMT, field training officer, corporal,
active-shooter response instructor, UAV coordinator, accident
reconstructionist, department instructor, and he is currently assigned
as a motorcycle officer with the traffic unit.
Throughout Officer Schneider's nearly two decades of public service,
he has achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the
safety of our communities. One accomplishment of particular note arose
in 2023, when Officer Schneider was assigned to a full-time role to
supervise the traffic unit that was disbanded as a result of the
financial crisis in the mid-2000s.
Officer Schneider was given no funding and was directed to create a
unit that provides the best possible traffic enforcement. Since the
start of this formidable task, Officer Schneider has not only met but
repeatedly exceeded expectations.
Through his efforts within the traffic unit, he has been able to
secure grant funding, allowing the Lincoln Police Department to acquire
essential vehicles and equipment that promote traffic safety, including
traffic motorcycles, a DUI enforcement vehicle, multiple DUI
checkpoints and patrols, specialized equipment for targeted traffic
enforcement operations, and a truck to transport these resources.
Additionally, Officer Schneider secured funding to purchase a
preliminary drug screening device, which is utilized in DUI
investigations involving drugs, making Lincoln the first city in the
region to utilize this type of device.
The funding he has acquired has enhanced accuracy and expanded
capabilities within the department, leveraging innovative and new
technologies. Not only has Officer Schneider secured equipment for the
department, but he also has established the traffic safety committee to
actively engage with the community and to enhance traffic safety.
Officer Schneider has harnessed GIS and drone technology to enable
the department to recreate the scenes of accidents, allowing them to
see accurate depictions of the chain of events.
With his levels of experience and expertise in the field, Officer
Schneider has become the department's subject matter expert on traffic
matters, leading the city to new heights and addressing traffic
concerns through the implementation of positive and advanced solutions.
Officer Brett Schneider is known for his exceptional skill set,
ambition, determination, and tireless devotion to preventing crime and
promoting safety in the city of Lincoln. His efforts have made a
meaningful impact on the Lincoln community.
It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Officer Brett
Schneider in Congress.
On behalf of California's Third Congressional District and the United
States House of Representatives, I thank and honor Officer Schneider
for his ongoing commitment to serving and protecting the region as a
dedicated public servant.
{time} 1230
Recognizing Detective Sterling Wolfe
Mr. KILEY of California. Madam Speaker, as part of the California
Third Congressional District Police Honor Roll and in honor of National
Police Week 2025, I wish to recognize Detective Sterling Wolfe of the
Rocklin Police Department for his unwavering commitment to serving and
protecting the Rocklin community.
Detective Wolfe has served as a police officer for over a decade. He
has held numerous specialized roles, including Rapid Containment Team
member, drone pilot, crime scene investigator, and, now, detective.
Throughout every position, he has displayed and exemplified the highest
levels of professionalism, leadership, and service.
During Detective Wolfe's time in public service, he has achieved a
wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the safety of our
communities. Over the past year alone, he has authored more than 35
search warrants, performed numerous arrests, and successfully led
complex investigations.
One particular accomplishment of note was his use of advanced
technology, complex search warrants, social media searches, and
multiple agency coordination to identify key suspects to bring a high-
value theft ring spanning across northern California to justice.
Detective Wolfe's commitment to his role and public safety is evident
by the various recognitions he has received. He was recognized by a
deputy district attorney from Placer County and was also honored with a
lifesaving award earned after extinguishing a vehicle fire and
rendering lifesaving aid to the pinned driver while responding to a
solo vehicle collision.
Detective Wolfe embodies the spirit of teamwork by mentoring fellow
officers and fostering collaboration and open communication across the
department. He is proactive and dedicated, and he has become an
invaluable resource for both his peers and the community. As such, he
embodies the core values of the Rocklin Police Department through his
integrity, skill, and dedication.
It is an honor to represent exemplary individuals like Detective
Sterling Wolfe in Congress.
On behalf of California's Third Congressional District and the United
States House of Representatives, I
[[Page H2529]]
thank and honor Detective Wolfe for serving and protecting the region
as a dedicated public servant.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________