[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING CHICAGO ALDERPERSON MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ

  (Mr. Garcia of Illinois was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the work 
of a community activist, nonprofit leader, a youth mentor, a beloved 
dad and husband, Chicago Alderperson Michael Rodriguez.
  Alderperson Mike Rodriguez is a lifelong resident of the 22nd Ward, 
representing it in the city council since 2019. Mike is my alderperson, 
my neighbor, and my good friend.
  I have proudly watched him fight for working-class families, always 
striving to increase city funding to improve the services of the 
neighborhoods. As a progressive leader, one of his most significant 
achievements is the paid leave ordinance, legislation that provides 
mandatory days off to Chicago workers.
  Mike is also a co-chief sponsor of an effort to strengthen Chicago's 
welcoming ordinance, which prohibits city workers to ask about a 
person's immigration status, ensures they are not denied city services 
based on immigration status, and prohibits the Chicago Police 
Department from cooperating with ICE.
  Madam Speaker, I wish Mike much success in the next phase of his 
career and thank him for all he has done for the 22nd Ward.


                          Remembering Mr. Taco

  Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a small 
family business that was a staple in my district. After 49 years in 
Cicero, taqueria Mr. Taco, founded in 1976 by Carlos and Thelma Lopez, 
has closed.
  The Lopez family had a simple dream to serve good food and make every 
customer feel at home. They succeeded in building a family restaurant 
that offered kindness and amazing Mexican food, becoming a common lunch 
spot for many people who worked in the area.
  Others would go to Mr. Taco for that late night burrito after hanging 
out with friends or would take their girlfriends on a date. I heard of 
a couple who even went there on their wedding night.
  Mr. Taco leaves not only an empty space on the corner of Ogden and 
Austin in Cicero, it leaves an empty space in our tummies and our 
hearts.


      Closing National Archives Branches in Chicago and California

  Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring 
attention to the closing of the Chicago and California branches of the 
National Archives and the relocation of the records.
  The leadership at the National Archives and Records Administration 
argues that the transition to digital recordkeeping has resulted in a 
growing volume of extra space at both branches. However, there has not 
been a full plan for this transition shared with employees, 
stakeholders, or the public.
  People from across our region and Nation visit the facility in 
Chicago to obtain census and naturalization records to prove 
citizenship status, to find information about Great Lakes vessels on 
which they serve, to find information about exam records to identify 
their ancestors, or to study major historical events like the 1894 
Pullman Strike and the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials.
  In a recent visit to the Chicago National Archives branch, I was able 
to find my father's naturalization application. This is an important 
piece of family history. The work of agencies, museums, scholars, 
teachers, and the public continues to depend on access to these 
records, which are vital to our history and NARA's mission.
  NARA must immediately halt the relocation, provide Congress with the 
necessary information about the agency's plans, and reverse this 
decision to move the more than 140,000 cubic feet of historical 
records. History must be protected.

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