HONORING THE LIFE OF REPRESENTATIVE RAUL GRIJALVA

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Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 57 (Monday, March 31, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 57 (Monday, March 31, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1369-H1371] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF REPRESENTATIVE RAUL GRIJALVA (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Espaillat of New York was recognized for 30 minutes.) General Leave Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material into the record. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to honor the life and legacy of Congressman Raul Grijalva. Raul Grijalva passed away peacefully on March 13 of this year, surrounded by his wife and three daughters. Born in Tucson, Arizona, on February 19, 1948, he was raised in a close-knit community with his sisters, Lydia and Norma. A proud Sunnyside High graduate, he met and married the love of his life, Ramona Garduno, in 1971. Together, they raised three daughters: Adelita, Raquel, and Marisa. They built a life rooted in service and activism. His parents instilled in him the value of hard work, perseverance, and giving back to the community. He 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. As a U.S. Congressman for 22 years, he championed education, environmental protection, social justice, and Native-American sovereignty. His leadership helped secure the 2023 designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni National Monument, protecting nearly 1 million acres of Tribal land. Known as the most liberal Member of Congress, he never wavered in his fight for justice and equality. He never shied away from that dignified title. A devoted husband, father, and Tata, he cherished his family and treasured time with his grandchildren. He had a sharp wit about him, a deep love for music and books, and a knack for doodling during meetings. Many of us saw him do his artwork in some our committee meetings. His staff and volunteers, the Grijalvistas, were like family, standing by him in his lifelong pursuit of progress. Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is standing firm with his family during this time of sorrow and need. I know that they are watching this proceeding. I want to salute them and tell them we love them and we stand with them. Raul Grijalva's unwavering commitment to justice and his community will continue to inspire generations to come. Since coming to Congress and joining the Natural Resources Committee, Raul Grijalva was one of the most outspoken champions for environmental justice, public lands, indigenous rights, climate change, and corporate accountability. He was a visionary leader, both on the committee and as co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, amplifying the voices of historically silenced communities. From Louisiana's Cancer Alley to Alaskan Native communities in the Arctic, he fought for those most impacted by environmental harm. Under his chairmanship in the 117th Congress, the Natural Resources Committee signed 149 natural resource bills into law. In the minority, he proved that aggressive and effective oversight was possible, holding the Trump administration accountable and exposing corruption. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro). Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be here tonight with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and with our Democratic leader as well, to celebrate and remember a man who made a difference: Raul Grijalva. He never forgot where he came from. Just as importantly, he never forgot why he came. He was somebody who lent a voice to the vulnerable and to the folks who had been discarded and forgotten. He was a man of his community. I served 10 years in Austin in the State legislature and am now in year 13 here. As I meet all the people that represent and serve the districts that they do, I always wonder how closely each person represents the average person walking down the street in their district. Raul Grijalva was that every person. To me, that is one of the biggest compliments that can be paid not only to the people who sent him here but also to him. He left the same way he came in, a man of principle who stood up for what he believed, who fought for the people that he represented, and always spoke truth to power. He was a legend of Mexican-American activism, known across the country for protecting our national parks, the environment, fighting for early childhood education and higher education, and uplifting immigrants and marginalized communities. As all of us know, he was also a kind and brilliant man. He had a kind heart but a fierce spirit. He was a fearless voice for Arizonans and all Americans. Mr. Speaker, Raul will be missed. My condolences go out to his family and to his community. Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries). Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, my good friend, Adriano Espaillat, for his [[Page H1370]] leadership and for convening us on the floor today in honor of an iconic, heroic, and trailblazing Member of Congress, Raul Grijalva. It was an honor for all of us to have had the opportunity to serve with Chairman Grijalva. He was a mentor to many. His principled leadership was a North Star for so many in this Congress. He was a leading progressive voice throughout the years but a friend to all. {time} 2120 We know that throughout his time and throughout his journey in public service it was a journey that led to his working year after year, decade after decade, century into century, laboring in the vineyards of his community and ultimately the country to make a difference in the lives of others who might otherwise have been left behind. He was an iconic Mexican-American leader and an iconic American leader. We are also appreciative of his life, of his leadership, and of the tremendous legacy that Congressman Raul Grijalva leaves behind. Congressman Grijalva throughout the years did many things, from community organizer to school board member, from school board member to county supervisor, from county supervisor to Member of Congress, from Member of Congress to chairman of the Natural Resources Committee. Through that journey, year after year, decade after decade, and century into century, Raul Grijalva held many titles. His North Star remained the same. He was a defender of the disenfranchised, a voice for the voiceless, a climate champion, and a powerful, profound, principled, purposeful, and progressive public servant who made a difference in the lives of so many people. We are going to miss Raul Grijalva. We will miss his wisdom, we will miss his insight, we will miss his idealism, and we will miss his laughter and his sense of humor, but we are better off for having had the opportunity to serve with him as individuals. Most importantly, his community is better off, the State of Arizona is better off, the Congress is better off, and the country is better off because of Raul Grijalva and his incredible leadership. Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia). Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Espaillat for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to pay tribute to a giant who represented the State of Arizona and all the people of his district but who also helped advance the well-being of our Nation. Arizona has lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend. Raul Grijalva and I both started our careers as community advocates and organizers. We shared a passion for justice and equality in our communities. We both came from working-class families, proud of our Mexican roots, and we both enjoyed a good laugh and a good mariachi. So it was just natural that we would become friends since I arrived in the House over 6 years ago. As chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, he fought for strong environmental protections and authored the Environmental Justice For All Act to empower people to protect their communities. He wanted a cleaner, safer, and more just future for all our children. He was also a staunch defender of Tribal sovereignty and workers' rights. When he was chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, he asked me to serve for one term as his vice chair. It was during that time that Illinois helped facilitate an act in the State of Illinois that required Federal cooperation in that regard as we helped facilitate the recognition of Illinois' first Prairie Band of Potawatomi peoples in the State of Illinois which just last week resulted in the transfer of over 1,500 acres to those Native Americans, the original inhabitants of the land in Illinois. I was honored to work with him to help the people of Puerto Rico receive the long-promised assistance they needed after Hurricane Maria. Raul believed that our country's strength is rooted in our immigrant heritage and worked tirelessly to protect immigrant families and refugees. Whether trying to pass the American Dream and Promise Act, treating immigrants with dignity or stopping the construction of an ineffective and environmentally damaging border wall, Raul never gave up. One of Raul's favorite songs was ``El Rey.'' It means the king, and in particular the line that says: ``It is not only about getting there first, but about how you get there,'' ``No hay que llegar primero, pero hay que saber llegar.'' And what you do along the way, if I may add. I think this phrase perfectly describes the tenacity of everything that Raul Grijalva did and stood for. Raul was a loving father, husband, and a loyal friend. His kindness and dedication will be sorely missed in the Halls of Congress. Tonight we pay a tribute, and we say: Thank you for everything that you contributed to advancing the well-being of people across our land. Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gomez). Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for allowing me to speak tonight. I didn't get to go to Congressman Grijalva's funeral last week because I had to be here for a committee hearing. If he was around, he would have wanted me to stay here and be at that hearing and give them hell. That is exactly what I did, and he would have been extremely proud of that. I really wanted to talk about whom I meet when I was just out of graduate school. I was a legislative assistant for Hilda Solis. I was the lowest ranking staffer on her team, and I got the chance to meet Raul Grijalva when he was a Member of Congress and I was just a legislative assistant. To the extent I walked into the office, I would kind of go wandering around the halls and go and say hello and try to go just to see whom I could become friends with. I met his chief of staff at that time. She said out of the blue: Why don't you come in and say hello to the Congressman? They pulled me into the office. I was just a kid who had been here a few months. Raul sat with me and just had a conversation of who I was, why I was fighting for my community, and why did I want to be in this business. That interaction really did sit with me for a number of years. That is because I didn't have a title. I was not anybody special, and I wasn't anybody in particular. I was a kid that wandered into his office and tried to get a meeting with him because I said: Why not? He is a Member of Congress, but he comes from a similar background. His dad was a bracero, and my dad was a bracero. That means that they worked in the fields here in the United States. I think there were two or three sons of braceros who became Members of Congress, but it really shows who he is. He is a guy who will treat you the same if you are the President or a Member of Congress or a staffer or to somebody who works in the fields. That says more about Raul Grijalva than I believe any piece of legislation he has ever passed. When I got here, he remembered me as that kid who often was probably a little bit too arrogant and a little bit in a rush to move ahead but that he helped get accustomed to the House of Representatives. I was really bummed and sad when we heard the news that he passed away, even though we kind of all had a feeling it was a long time coming. He was pretty sick. He was a guy whom I think a lot of us just loved as family. I think that is why we see so many people from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and other caucus members who went to his funeral. It is because he was just a great guy, someone that we can have a glass of wine with, and somebody that we can just go and hang out with. I ended up hiring one of his staffers to be one my first chiefs of staff, Bertha Guerrero. She loved him to death, and she said that his office was like a family. Raul, you will be missed. I know you have done great things, but it is really the people who you touched over the years that will continue your legacy, especially your wife and your daughters. {time} 2130 Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, let me just highlight some of the great accomplishments of Congressman Raul Grijalva. [[Page H1371]] He championed full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, achieving its passage in the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020. He led the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act, the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation ever. His Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act laid the foundations for protecting coastal communities and promoting clean offshore energy. The RESPECT Act sought to codify Tribal consultation standards and strengthen our nation-to-nation relationships. The Puerto Rico Status Act, which he helped pass in the House, represented a historic step toward self-determination. I was also proud to work with him on several pieces of legislation, including legislation to provide student loan relief to teachers who specialized in teaching English-language learners, like myself as a kid; legislation to increase funding to English-language learner preparation programs; and getting the GAO to study how schools identify English-language learners with disabilities to ensure they have the right support behind them. He also secured the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, permanently authorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund. His leadership helped pass major ocean and climate action provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and other landmark legislation. He held the first congressional hearings on issues like missing and murdered indigenous women in Indian boarding schools. His work on the Puerto Rico Status Act helped advance the conversation on the island's political future. Raul Grijalva's legacy is one of unwavering advocacy, principled leadership, and a deep commitment to justice. ``We will never forget you, Raul''; ``Raul, nos vas a ser mucho falta. Nunca olvidaremos.'' Rest in power, hermano. His impact will be felt for generations. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege and honor to recognize and celebrate the remarkable contributions of Congressman Raul Grijalva--an advocate, a leader, and a true champion for our environment, especially the protection of the most endangered species. From the very beginning of his tenure in public service, Congressman Grijalva has been a tireless advocate for the preservation of our planet's most vulnerable creatures. Whether it's a rare desert butterfly, sea turtle, or a small fish, Congressman Grijalva has dedicated his career to ensuring that these species--and the ecosystems they inhabit--are protected for generations to come. In a time when climate change, habitat destruction, and human encroachment threaten biodiversity at unprecedented levels, Congressman Grijalva has consistently fought for policies that safeguard endangered species. As Chairman and Ranking Member, he has been a leading voice on the House Natural Resources Committee, pushing for stronger protections under the Endangered Species Act and advocating for increased funding to support conservation efforts. One of his most significant accomplishments has been his leadership in securing critical protections for species in the Southwestern United States, where his home state of Arizona sits at the intersection of diverse and fragile ecosystems. Congressman Grijalva has worked tirelessly to preserve the habitats of species like the Mexican gray wolf and the jaguar, whose survival has been threatened by deforestation, poaching, and illegal hunting. His efforts are a testament to his deep commitment to preserving not just the species themselves but also the delicate balance of nature. In addition to his work on endangered species, Congressman Grijalva has shown an unwavering commitment to environmental justice. He understands that the fight to protect our wildlife goes hand in hand with the fight to protect our communities--particularly those that are most vulnerable to environmental degradation. He has worked to ensure that conservation efforts don't just benefit the wildlife we cherish but also the people who rely on healthy ecosystems for their livelihoods and well-being. Congressman Grijalva's advocacy has also extended to the legislative arena, where he has played a crucial role in shaping and passing key pieces of legislation aimed at combating the extinction crisis. His work in advancing the Recovering America's Wildlife Act, a bill that seeks to fund state-led conservation efforts for atrisk species, has the potential to change the landscape of wildlife conservation in this country. His vision was clear: we must act now to preserve biodiversity, before more species are lost. Through his leadership, passion, and vision, Congressman Grijalva has not only safeguarded the lives of endangered species but has also inspired a new generation of environmental advocates to continue the fight for the planet's most precious resources. As we honor Congressman Grijalva, let us reflect on the profound impact his work has had on the world around us. Let us also renew our own commitment to protecting endangered species, preserving their habitats, and ensuring that future generations will have the opportunity to marvel at the beauty and wonder of our planet's incredible biodiversity. I thank Congressman Grijalva, for his tireless dedication to our environment, for our lands, waters, and wildlife, and for making our country a cleaner, safer, better place for all Americans. We worked closely together for many years on Natural Resources on many important issues, and I will always be thankful for his leadership, partnership, and friendship. He was a fighter until the end, and his work will always be remembered by the countless people it has impacted. Above all, he was my friend. He always had my back and could always find a way to make me smile when I was down. He inspired hope in all of us. He fought the good fight. He will be truly missed. We are deeply grateful for his service and inspired by his example. His legacy will continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the life, the work and the legacy of Congressman Raul Grijalva. While others rush to punch down on people who chase a better life, he was always a brave, bold voice for Tribes, workers and migrants. And he always swung straight and hard at the powerful who blocked their path. Congressman Grijalva was just as comfortable demanding environmental justice from a Big Oil lobbyist, as he was striking up conversation with a bus boy at a restaurant. He served his district, and this Nation, with a humility and genuineness that fostered love and respect from anyone who worked with or for him. His legacy is long and will not be forgotten. As a community organizer, local elected official and leader in Congress, his footprints are all over this nation's march toward progress. Countless acres around the Grand Canyon and Bears Ears National Monuments are federally protected because of him. He demanded and won the right to clean land and water for indigenous peoples and all his constituents. If you heard demands for urgent climate action and immigration fairness in Congress, it was his voice that often rang out. As Chairman and the lead Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Grijalva insisted that historic investments be made in our environment and public lands, and that they touch all communities, not just the well-connected ones. Your grandchildren will benefit from his push to tackle the climate crisis in the Inflation Reduction Act. We all know that the prevailing currency of this realm is stoking divisions, but Raul Grijalva built bridges. As a cancer survivor, I also know how hard the battle against this terrible disease can be, and his stoic determination in staring it down while doing his life's work was inspiring. He fought that disease, and for the people he represented--with grace and dignity. Congressman Grijalva was a mentor to me and so many others. I'm proud to have been touched by his friendship, and his life of service. May his memory be for a blessing. ____________________

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