One Step Forward

Statement

Dear Friend,

This week was full of long legislative days with many important bills for consideration. We debated on funding our national defense, protecting against the spread of the Zika virus, and tackling Puerto Rico's financial crisis.

As a Korean War veteran, I understand how vital it is to have strong national defense but unfortunately the budget proposed by Republicans under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017 is deeply troubling and flawed. The budget cuts $18 billion from our Overseas Contingency Operations to the point where our overseas compat troops will run out of resources by April 30, 2017. Furthermore, under this Defense budget bill Republicans approved an amendment that promotes bigotry by allowing federal contractors to discriminate against LGBT workers. I voted against this year's NDAA because I believe the bill risks the safety of our men and women fighting to keep our country safe and discriminates against hard working Americans. Our country has come far to promote LGBT rights and strong LGBT leaders in every sector, including U.S. Army Secretary Eric Fanning. I will keep fighting to secure adequate funding for our troops and ensure all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation or background, have equal rights and treated with dignity and respect.

Unfortunately, Republicans once again failed to keep the American people safe by approving a bill that severely underfunds the Center for Disease Control's efforts to fight the Zika virus. As the summer months begin, the growing threat of the Zika virus cannot be ignored. More than 1,200 Americans, including at least 110 pregnant women, have confirmed cases of the Zika virus. Our country is not prepared to provide treatment for the virus due to Republicans inability to provide appropriate resources. It is unacceptable that Americans are not getting the aid they need in this health crisis simply because of politics.

On a positive note, Congress is finally making progress in helping Puerto Rico resolve its financial crisis. We are working on a bipartisan bill, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), which provides tools to restructure Puerto Rico's debt. While this bill is not perfect, it is a crucial step for building a fiscally sound economy. With many Puerto Ricans living in our district, I know the importance of fostering fiscal stability in the Island and will continue to advocate for efforts that will strengthen it. Viva Puerto Rico!

News broke on Wednesday that one of the Chibok girls has been found after more than two years of being in captivity by Boko Haram. She was identified and briefly reunited with her family and is now being debriefed by Nigerian government officials. I am proud to have joined the efforts championed by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), who has been working tirelessly to ensure the girls are not forgotten. As a father, I cannot imagine the grief that their parents have to endure. We must not give up on bringing back our girls until all 200+ return home safely. You can support our efforts by simply wearing red on Wednesdays and using hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Small acts can make a huge difference!

Thank you for the honor of serving you. Have a wonderful weekend!

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