[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 82 (Thursday, May 14, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H3458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CAYLE TERN

  (Ms. Dexter of Oregon was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. DEXTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the far too short life 
and legacy of Cayle Tern, a community leader, a fierce advocate for 
immigrant and refugee families, and a beloved son of east county and of 
Oregon.
  Cayle came to Portland as a young child, an Iu Mien refugee from 
Laos, whose family spent years in a refugee camp before finding safety 
here.
  That story became the foundation of his life's work: ensuring that 
other immigrant and refugee families had what his family did not, a 
voice in the decisions of their lives.
  He brought that purpose to everything he touched. As civic engagement 
manager at APANO, he fought tirelessly for Asian-Pacific-American 
communities across Oregon. He served as president of the Iu-Mien 
Association of Oregon, board chair of the Asian Pacific Islander 
Community Coalition of Oregon, a member of the Immigrant and Refugee 
Community Organization Governance Board, and a board member of the 
Reynolds School District.
  He helped build a school in Laos and was instrumental in founding 
MINTeD, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Southeast Asian youth. His 
commitment was steadfast, and it was genuine.
  In the final chapter of his work, as ICE escalated its targeting of 
Laotian and Southeast Asian community members across Oregon, Cayle 
immersed himself in the effort to protect his neighbors.
  I had the honor, just a few weeks ago, to work with Cayle, PIRC, the 
city of Portland, and many others to elevate the work we all need to be 
doing to protect our Laotian and Hmong immigrants in our community from 
ICE cruelty and lawlessness. He wanted his people to be informed, 
protected, and seen. That was Cayle.
  He had a gift for bringing people together through friendship, 
through laughter, through shared meals and through the simple, powerful 
act of showing up. He made people feel welcomed and valued, and he 
understood that community is built through relationship as much as it 
is through policy.
  To his wife, May, his children, and his family: Oregon grieves with 
you. We stand in firm support of you as you navigate this really 
treacherous and hard time.
  Mr. Speaker, Cayle gave so much to so many, and his legacy lives on 
in every person he inspired to show up, to organize, and to lead with 
heart. His legacy calls us forward.


                            high gas prices

  Ms. DEXTER. Mr. Speaker, inflation just jumped to its highest level 
in 3 years. Gas prices are at a 4-year high, with Oregonians paying an 
average of $5.35 a gallon. Working families are struggling. They are 
choosing between filling up their tank and putting food on the table. 
They are watching their costs go up while their paychecks stay the 
same.
  This is the reality at home, and bringing relief to our communities 
must be our priority, yet the administration and Republicans are 
refusing to center the American people. Instead, they are allowing a 
reckless and unnecessary war in the Middle East to continue, driving up 
global oil prices, alienating our allies, and creating instability in 
energy markets and the world's economy.
  Just yesterday, the Senate, once again, blocked legislation to stop 
this war. Today, the House has an opportunity to act. We will vote on a 
war powers resolution. At a time when Americans are asking us for 
relief, we should not be prolonging a war that makes their lives more 
expensive and less stable.
  I refuse to stop talking about how hard people are working just to 
get by.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to prioritize caring for working 
families and to demand an end to the war in Iran.

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