Zoe Lofgren: “Listening to my colleague, the ranking member, reminded me of when I ran for Congress the very first time. My children…”

“Listening to my colleague, the ranking member, reminded me of when I ran for Congress the very first time. My children were in elementary school. Really, the high point of every day was going to the elementary school, Horace Mann Elementary in downtown San Jose, and standing with the other mothers while we said the Pledge of Allegiance, the flag outside. I think, for parents, being a parent gives you a viewpoint that is helpful when you come to the Congress of the United States. You don't forget what regular people are going through at home when you are a parent. I also remember my first day in Congress. My mother had passed away several years before, but my dad was still alive, a retired beer truck driver. He had never been on an airplane in his life. We got him on a plane, and we had a friend sit next to him. He was sitting in that gallery, watching his daughter become a Member of the United States Congress. I think for those of us who came from humble roots, we never forget where we came from, and it informs our perspective on where the country should go. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Porter), the author of the bill.”