Holding the White House accountable.

As Congress returns to Washington, I am committed to keeping pressure on the White House and our federal government to take action on the border crisis.

This week I spoke out on the devastating effects of the border crisis on our communities. From local radio to national television, I am advocating for change at the southern border. Our CPB agents and officers are overworked and our communities overrun. Secretary Mayorkas’ unwillingness to see facts is astounding. The secretary has abandoned his post and in doing so, has abandoned the American people. Our country deserves better. 

Congratulating the Congressional App Challenge winners.

Last week I spoke on the house floor about the Congressional App Challenge winners. Congratulations to Charlette Davis for 1st place, George Li for 2nd place, and Zachary Ortiz for 3rd place. 

Charlette Davis is a 7th grader from Sonoran Science Academy East. Charlette is the winner of the Congressional App Challenge from Arizona’s 6th District for her app titled “The Best Pets App”.  Can’t wait to see how our family dog, Louie, does on the app!

George Li created an app called Heat Check that allows the users to type in a location and obtain its temperature, humidity, and heat index, and to be told how cautious to be of the heat. It also allows users to calculate their recommended daily water intake and track how much progress they have made each time they drink water. This is an extremely important app in Arizona!
 
Zachary Ortiz took home 3rd place for the Sports Scores App that allows fans to quickly see the score updates on their phone. A great place to check the Wildcats score while I’m up in DC. I am excited to see what the future holds for them!

Delivering for our rural veterans.

On Thursday, I joined the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee for a hearing on how we can best serve our rural veterans. I’ve worked hard to address barriers to access of care for our veterans, specifically when it comes to disability exams. Through two different pieces of legislation, I have aimed to increase the number of exams conducted and ease in which our veterans can access exam providers.

My bills tackle these challenges by not only expanding the pool of providers who can conduct exams but extending the ability for providers to provide care across state lines. Our government has a solemn duty to ensure our veterans have the care and respect they were promised – and this is a responsibility I do not take lightly. Watch my remarks at this week’s hearing here.

Serving you.

I take great pride in serving the AZ-06 community. We are pleased to announce that our internship programs in Washington DC and Tucson are available year-round, offering students a chance to engage in public service. Applications are currently open for the upcoming summer session starting in May. Through our internship program, students will you have the opportunity to collaborate closely with me and my team. Interested students can apply through this form on my website. 

Additionally, our office provides a variety of services, including Commendations and Greetings, Flags, Grant Applicants assistance, help with Federal Agency, Internship opportunities, Military Academy Nominations, as well as Tours and Tickets. Please head to my website for submissions.

American Dream: Edward Chan 

For this week’s American Dream profile, we go back to March 31, 1944. World War II is raging and the front page of the Tucson Daily Citizen is dominated by news of battles in Europe and the Pacific.

Buried on page 12 is a two-paragraph story about a Tucson High grad who, like countless other young Americans, had joined the effort to defend his country. Twenty-one-year-old Edward Chan had just completed his training in New Mexico as a bombardier and navigator. He made the news that day because he “received his wings” and was now a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.

Fast forward eight months to November. Rome and Paris have been liberated. The Battle of the Bulge is about to begin. Chan is flying over Germany in a B-24 Liberator bomber nicknamed the Hula Honey. He’s returning from his 27th bombing run and there’s a problem with the plane’s bomb bay doors. Two flew off their hinges and two dangled from the fuselage, making it impossible to fly in formation and leaving the bomber vulnerable to attack.

Chan sprang into action. He crawled onto a narrow catwalk at more than 20,000 feet, bracing himself against the bitter rush of cold air, to secure the flapping doors.That heroic act saved the plane, everyone on board and earned Chan one of our nation’s highest honors, the Distinguished Flying Cross. "I don't know how I did it, but I managed,” he told the Arizona Daily Star a few years ago.

Last week, the local chapter of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society presented Chan – now 100 years old – with a lifetime membership in the organization. It was an honor for my office to attend that ceremony and present Chan with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.

Edward Chan is not only an example of the American Dream. He and others like him are the reason we have an American Dream.

Share your story.

Our district encompasses so many incredible people and stories that I want to share both with my colleagues in Washington and through the platforms I have as a member of Congress. You can visit my website and share your story with me and my team. I look forward to hearing from you!

As always, my office and I are here to assist you. If you would like to share a comment or tell us your story, please don't hesitate to reach out. We look forward to serving you!

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