In a House floor special order prior to the Congressional recess, lawmakers remembered the life and legacy of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ).
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00:00Under the speaker's announced policy of January 3rd, 2025, the chair recognizes the gentleman from New York, Mr. Espaillat, for 30 minutes.
00:13Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask for unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to submit strenuous material into the record.
00:26Without objection.
00:27Mr. Speaker, thank you. Today, tonight, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Congress member Raul Grijalva.
00:41Raul Grijalva passed away peacefully on March 13th of this year, surrounded by his wife and three daughters.
00:50Born in Tucson, Arizona, on February 19th, 1948, he was raised in a close-knit community with his sisters, Lydia and Norma.
01:02A proud Sunnyside High graduate, he met and married the love of his life, Ramona Garduno, in 1971.
01:13Together, they raised three daughters, Adelita, Raquel, and Marisa, and built a life rooted in service and activism.
01:22His parents instilled in him the values of hard work and perseverance and giving back to the community.
01:30He dedicated over 50 years to public service, beginning with the Tucson Unified School Board in 1974 and later serving on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
01:43As a U.S. Congressman for 22 years, he championed education, environmental protection, social justice, and Native American sovereignty.
01:54His leadership helped secure the 2023 designation of the Baj Navajo Itacuvani National Monument, protecting nearly one million acres of tribal land.
02:10Known as the most liberal member of Congress, he never wavered in his fight for justice and equality.
02:18He never shied away from that dignified title, a devoted husband, father and tata.
02:26He cherished his family and treasured time with his grandchildren.
02:31He had a sharp wit about him, a deep love for music and books, and a knack for doodling during meetings.
02:38Many of us saw him do his artwork in some of our committee meetings.
02:42His staff and volunteers, the Grijal Vistas, were like family.
02:48Standing by him in his lifelong pursuit of progress.
02:53Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is standing firm with his family during this time of sorrow and need.
03:04I know that they're watching this proceeding, Mr. Speaker.
03:08I want to salute them and tell them that we love them and we stand with them.
03:13Raul Grijalva's unwavering commitment to justice and his community will continue to inspire generations to come.
03:23Since coming to Congress and joining the Natural Resources Committee, Raul Grijalva was one of the most outspoken champions for environmental justice,
03:33public lands, indigenous rights, climate change and corporate accountability.
03:39He was a visionary leader, both on the committee and as co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, amplifying the voices of historically silenced communities.
03:51From Louisiana's Cancer Alley to Alaskan Native American Native communities in the Arctic, he fought for those most impacted by environmental harm.
04:03Under his chairmanship in the 117th Congress, the Natural Resources Committee signed 149, 149 Natural Resources Bill into law.
04:18In the minority, he proved that aggressive and effective oversight was possible, holding the Trump administration accountable and exposing corruption.
04:31Mr. Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Joaquin Castro.
04:39Thank you, Chairman.
04:45It's an honor to be with you tonight and with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, with our Democratic leader as well,
04:51to celebrate and remember a man who made a difference, Raul Grijalva.
04:58He never forgot where he came from, but just as importantly, he never forgot why he came.
05:05He was somebody who lent a voice to the vulnerable, to the folks who had been discarded and forgotten.
05:16He was a man of his community.
05:19I've often thought in public service, as we meet all the people that represent and serve the districts that they do,
05:26who I served 10 years in Austin in the state legislature and are now in my 13th year here.
05:32I always wonder how closely each person represents the average person walking down the street in their district.
05:43Raul Grijalva was that every person.
05:45And to me, that's one of the biggest compliments that you can pay, not only to the people who sent him here, but also to him.
05:58He left the same way he came in.
06:01A man of principle who stood up for what he believed, who fought for the people that he represented,
06:08and always spoke truth to power.
06:13He was a legend of Mexican-American activism, known across the country for protecting our national parks,
06:20the environment, fighting for early childhood education and higher education,
06:25and uplifting immigrant and marginalized communities.
06:28He was also, as all of us know, a kind and brilliant man.
06:35He had a kind heart, but a fierce spirit.
06:39He was a fearless voice for Arizonans and for all Americans.
06:43Raul, you will be missed.
06:47My condolences to his family and to his community.
06:51I yield back, Chairman.
06:52Mr. Speaker, I now yield as much time as he may consume
06:59to the gentleman from New York, Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries.
07:06Mr. Speaker, thank you to the distinguished chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,
07:12my good friend, Adriano Espaillat, for his leadership and for convening us on the floor today
07:19in honor of an iconic, heroic, trailblazing member of Congress, Raul Grijalva.
07:30It's an honor for all of us to have the opportunity to serve with Chairman Grijalva.
07:39He was a mentor to many.
07:41His principled leadership was a North Star for so many in this Congress,
07:52a leading progressive voice throughout the years, but a friend to all.
08:00We know that throughout his time, throughout his journey in public service,
08:09a journey that led to him working year after year, decade after decade, century into century,
08:23laboring in the vineyards of his community and ultimately the country
08:29to make a difference in the lives of others who might otherwise have been left behind.
08:38We're all so appreciative of his life, of his leadership,
08:54and of the tremendous legacy that Congressman Raul Grijalva leaves behind.
09:01Congressman Raul Grijalva, throughout the years, did many things, many things,
09:10from community organizer to school board member,
09:17school board member to county supervisor,
09:22county supervisor to member of Congress, member of Congress to chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.
09:34Through that journey, year after year, decade after decade, century into century,
09:42Raul Grijalva held many titles.
09:45His North Star remained the same.
09:47He was a defender of the disenfranchised, a voice for the voiceless, a climate champion,
09:57and a powerful, profound, principled, purposeful, progressive public servant
10:05who made a difference in the lives of so many people.
10:12We're going to miss Raul Grijalva, miss his wisdom, miss his insight,
10:21miss his idealism, miss his laughter, and his sense of humor.
10:29But we're better off for having had the opportunity to serve with him as individuals.
10:36Most importantly, his community is better off.
10:41The state of Arizona is better off.
10:44The Congress is better off.
10:46And the country is better off because of Raul Grijalva and his incredible leadership.
10:58I yield back.
10:59Mr. Speaker, I now yield one minute to the gentleman,
11:06two minutes to the gentleman from Illinois, Jesus Chuy Garcia.
11:11Thank you, Chairman Espaillat.
11:22I rise this evening to pay tribute to a giant who represented the state of Arizona,
11:33all the people of his district, but who also helped advance the well-being of our nation.
11:40Arizona has lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend.
11:46Raul Grijalva and I both started our careers as community advocates and organizers.
11:53We shared a passion for justice and equality of our communities.
11:58We both came from working-class families and proud of our Mexican roots,
12:05and we both enjoyed a good laugh and a good mariachi.
12:10So it was just natural that we would become friends since I arrived in the House over six years ago.
12:19As chairman of the Natural Resources Committee,
12:23he fought for strong environmental protections and authored the Environmental Justice for All Act
12:30to empower people, to protect their communities.
12:35He wanted a cleaner, safer, and more just future for all our children.
12:41He was also a staunch defender of tribal sovereignty and workers' rights.
12:48When he was chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, he asked me to serve for one term as his vice chair.
12:57During that time, it was that Illinois helped facilitate an act in the state of Illinois that required federal cooperation in that regard,
13:11as we helped facilitate the recognition of Illinois' first prairie band of Pottawatomie peoples in the state of Illinois,
13:23which just last week resulted in the transfer of over 1,500 acres to those Native Americans' original inhabitants of the land in Illinois.
13:38I was honored to work with him to help the people of Puerto Rico receive the long-promised assistance they needed after Hurricane Maria.
13:50Raul believed that our country's strength is rooted in our immigrant heritage and worked tirelessly to protect immigrant families and refugees.
14:03Whether trying to pass the Dream and Promise Act, treating immigrants with dignity,
14:09or stopping the construction of an ineffective and environmentally damaging border wall, Raul never gave up.
14:17One of Raul's favorite songs was El Rey.
14:21It means the king.
14:23And in particular, the line that says,
14:27No hay que llegar primero, pero hay que saber llegar.
14:32Which means, it's not only about getting there first, but about how you get there.
14:39And what you do along the way, if I may add.
14:43I think this phrase perfectly describes the tenacity of everything that Raul Grijalva did and stood for.
14:53Raul was a loving father, a husband, and a loyal friend.
14:58His kindness and dedication will be sorely missed in the halls of Congress.
15:04Tonight, we pay a tribute and we say thank you for everything that you contributed to advancing the well-being of people across our land.
15:16I yield back.
15:18Mr. Speaker, I now yield two minutes to the gentleman from California, Jimmy Gomez.
15:23Thank you so much for allowing me to speak tonight.
15:33I didn't get to go to Congressman Grijalva's funeral last week because I had to be here for a committee hearing.
15:42And if he was around, he would have wanted me to stay here and be at that hearing and give them hell.
15:49And that's exactly what I did.
15:52And he would have been extremely proud of that.
15:56But I really want to talk to you about who I met when I was just out of grad school.
16:02I was a legislative assistant for Hilda Solis.
16:05I was the lowest ranking staffer on her team.
16:11And I got to meet Raul Grijalva when he was a member of Congress and I was just a legislative assistant.
16:16And to an extent, I walked into the office.
16:20I would kind of go wandering around the halls and go and say hello and try to go and just to see who I can become friends with.
16:28And I met his chief of staff at that time.
16:31And she goes, hey, why don't you come in and say hello to the congressman out of the blue?
16:34And they pulled me into the office.
16:36I was just a kid who has been here a few months and Raul sat with me and just had a conversation of who I was, why I was fighting for my community, why I was, you know, why did I want to be in this business?
16:52And that interaction really did stick with me for a number of years.
16:59And that's because I didn't have a title.
17:02I was not anybody special.
17:05I wasn't anybody in particular.
17:07I was a kid that wandered into his office and tried to get a meeting with him because, you know, I said, why not?
17:14Why not?
17:15He's a member of Congress, but he comes from a similar background.
17:21His dad was a bracero.
17:24My dad was a bracero.
17:25That means that they worked in the fields here in the United States.
17:29And I think we were maybe two or three sons of braceros that became members of Congress.
17:37But it really shows who he is.
17:39And he's a guy that he will treat you the same if you're the president, to a member of Congress, or to a staffer, or to somebody who works in the fields.
17:52And that says more about Raul Grijalva than, I believe, any piece of legislation he's ever passed.
17:57And when I got here, he remembered me as that kid that often was probably a little bit too arrogant, a little bit too in a rush to move ahead.
18:08But that he helped get accustomed to the House of Representatives.
18:14So I was really bummed and sad when we heard the news that he passed away.
18:23Even though we kind of all had a feeling it was a long time coming, he was pretty sick.
18:29But he was a guy that I think a lot of us just loved as family.
18:34And I think that's why you see so many people from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, from the other caucuses, members that went to his funeral.
18:43Because he was just a great guy, somebody that you could have a glass of wine with, somebody that you can just go and hang out with.
18:52And I ended up hiring one of his staffers to be my first Chief of Staff, Bertha Guerrero.
18:58And she loved him to death.
19:00And she said that his office was like a family.
19:03So Raul, you'll be missed.
19:07I know you have done great things.
19:09But it's really the people that you've touched over the years that will continue your legacy, especially your wife and your daughters.
19:18With that, I'll yield back.
19:19Mr. Speaker, let me just highlight some of the great accomplishments of Raul Grijalva, Congressman Raul Grijalva.
19:32He championed full permanent funding for Land and Waters Conservation Fund, achieving his passage in the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020.
19:41He led the Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation ever.
19:51His Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act laid the foundation for protecting coastal communities and promoting clean offshore energy.
20:00The Respect Act sought to codify tribal consultation standards and strengthening our nation-to-nation relationships.
20:09The Puerto Rico Status Act, which helped pass in the House, represented a historic step towards self-determination.
20:19I was also proud to work with him on several pieces of legislation, including legislation to provide student loan relief to teachers who specialize in teaching English language learners, like myself, as a kid.
20:34Legislation to increase funding to English language learners, like myself, as a kid.
20:35Legislation to increase funding to English language learners' preparation programs.
20:41And getting the GAO to study how schools identify English language learners with disabilities to ensure they have the right support behind them.
20:53He also secured the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, permanently authorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
21:02His leadership helped pass major ocean and climate action provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and other landmark legislation.
21:13He held the first congressional hearings on issues like missing and murdered indigenous women in Indian boarding schools.
21:22His work on the Puerto Rico Status Act helped advance the conversation on the island's political future.
21:28Raúl Grijalva's legacy is one of unwavering advocacy, principal leadership, and a deep commitment to justice.
21:38Raúl, no vas a hacer muchas faltas. Nunca te olvidaremos.
21:44We will never forget you, Raúl.
21:47Rest in power, hermano.
21:49His impact will be felt for generations.
21:53Mr. Speaker, I yield back the remaining part of my time.
21:56The gentleman yields back.
22:00Does the gentleman have a motion?
22:05Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to adjourn.
22:08The question is on the motion to adjourn.
22:11Those in favor say aye.