Bruce Westerman: “Mr. Speaker, Jocelyn Nungaray was a vibrant 12-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, whose life was tragically cut short on…”

“Mr. Speaker, Jocelyn Nungaray was a vibrant 12-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, whose life was tragically cut short on June 16, 2024, when she was murdered by two Venezuelan nationals who illegally entered the United States and are allegedly members of the Tren de Aragua gang. This senseless act has done irreparable damage to Jocelyn's family, friends, and community. In May, Jocelyn's mother, Alexis, testified on this legislation, but more importantly, she highlighted Jocelyn's caring personality, deep love for animals, and passion for finding animals homes, sharing stories of Jocelyn's life, such as Jocelyn's efforts to nurse injured animals back to health. Alexis recounted one instance when Jocelyn brought a pigeon that had injured its legs into her home. Jocelyn, without hesitation, tried to nurse the pigeon back to health in her bedroom until it was well enough to be released back into the wild. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior to rename the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge after Jocelyn Nungaray, permanently commemorating Jocelyn for her compassion for animals and people who care about nature.”