Vince Fong

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Save Our Sequoias Act. I thank Chairman Westerman for his leadership and collaboration. I introduced this legislation with my California colleague Representative Scott Peters to safeguard our remaining giant Sequoia groves, the most in my district, by cutting red tape and restoring resilience to our forests. Giant sequoias, the world's largest trees, are only naturally found in 70 groves across 37,000 acres in California.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary career of Bradley Flick, who, after nearly four decades of service advancing American aviation and aerospace innovation at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, will retire this month.

Mr. Speaker, last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan funding package for the Department of Homeland Security. It is regrettable that Senate Democrats chose to abandon a bipartisan and bicameral deal on full-year DHS funding, jeopardizing our safety and security here at home. Today, we face growing threats as our Nation encounters the real danger posed by the Iranian regime, as well as other adversaries around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 95th birthday of Billie Jo Medders and to recognize her lifetime of steadfast service to the Bakersfield community. Born on March 8, 1931, in Indianola, Mississippi, Billie Jo graduated from Indianola High School, where her interest in civic life first took shape. As a senior, she was selected as a delegate to Mississippi Girls' State and was elected lieutenant governor, an experience sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary that foreshadowed a lifetime of engagement in public affairs.