Derek Tran

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Saigon Broadcasting Television Network, otherwise known as SBTN. SBTN, the first 24-hour Vietnamese-language television channel specifically for overseas audiences, provides premier news coverage and entertainment programs to millions of Vietnamese people abroad. For 25 years, SBTN has served as an example of the importance of a free press and the strength of the Vietnamese diaspora community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Tet, the Vietnamese lunar new year. The lunar new year is so much more than a date on the calendar. It is an opportunity for the Asian-American communities in California and across America to reflect on our past and to open our hearts to the promise of the future. I grew up as a child of Vietnamese refugees. My family gave up everything to rebuild their lives in America after fleeing communist oppression. They worked tirelessly to achieve the freedom and prosperity that the American Dream offers us.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5788, the 504 Program Risk Oversight Act, bipartisan legislation that strengthens one of SBA's most successful financing programs. For decades, the SBA's 504 loan program has been a cornerstone of economic development in communities across America. Through public and private partnership with certified development companies, the 504 program helps small businesses to grow, create jobs, and invest in their communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Justin Maturo, a member of my congressional staff who will soon be departing Capitol Hill after a combined fifteen years of public service. From intern to Deputy Chief of Staff, Justin has held several important roles in three congressional offices where he has directly contributed to the betterment of communities in the states of Texas and California. Born in Westchester, New York, and raised in Tappan, New York, to an Italian father and Hawaiian mother, Justin first came to Washington, D.C.