Sam T. Liccardo

Save Willy Act of 2026

in committee

SAFER Act of 2026

in committee

Keep Innovators in America Act

in committee

“Mr. LICCARDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside my colleagues, Representative Zoe Lofgren and Representative Jimmy Panetta, to honor the life and legacy of Jesuit Reverend Peter Pabst, S.J., who passed away peacefully on May 2, 2026. Affectionately known as Father Peter, he believed a family's income should not determine a child's access to world-class, Jesuit college-preparatory education. Guided by that conviction, he founded Sacred Heart Nativity Schools and Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School, expanding opportunities for hundreds of students from low-income Latino neighborhoods and transforming countless lives. Father Peter joined the Society of Jesus in 1974 and proceeded to dedicate more than five decades to serving others through education, ministry, and pastoral care. His journey carried him through many Jesuit institutions, including Bellarmine College Preparatory, Santa Clara University, and Brophy College Preparatory, while earning degrees from Gonzaga University, the Jesuit School of Theology, and Santa Clara University. In 2000, Father Peter embarked on a mission to help children from low-income families find success in school. In 2001, he helped launch the Sacred Heart Nativity School for boys, and in 2006, Our Lady of Grace Nativity School for girls. These urban Catholic middle schools in San Jose prepare students--most of whom are Latino and speak a language other than English at home--for success in high school and beyond. In 2013, Father Peter took the helm as Founding President of Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School, part of the Cristo Rey Network, and later led the school as Chancellor. Cristo Rey has a unique model, seeking to lift the aspirations and ambitions of children from first- generation families whose parents have the lowest incomes in the community. They often come into high school a year or more behind in learning, but through intensive summer learning and Saturday classes, Cristo Rey helps the kids catch up, and excel, with college coursework. There is more: each of the students spend a day each week working for a local employer; in a city like San Jose, Cristo Rey exposes kids to the world's leading tech companies, ranging from Adobe and Alphabet to Zoom. The students thrive and learn in a work environment with college- educated coworkers, gaining ``soft skills'' and building networks of caring adults who help them achieve career success. Father Peter's vision of student success transformed the lives of thousands of San Jose families: 97 percent of Cristo Rey graduates, primarily from low-income households, enroll in college immediately after high school. In each of the last three years, four-year colleges and universities accepted 100 percent of graduating seniors--nearly all of whom are the first in their families to go onto higher education. These achievements reflect not only institutional excellence, but Father Peter's unwavering conviction that young people thrive when trusted, challenged, and supported. On a personal level, we remember Father Peter for his humor, his warmth, and his remarkable ability to make every young person feel seen and valued. Whether leading spiritual Kairos retreats, celebrating Mass, greeting families, or simply sharing a joke in the hallway, Father Peter radiated joy and compassion. He also loved his Hawaiian shirts, which he often wore, and fine wines. He connected deeply to our community, presiding at more than 600 baptisms, weddings, and funerals in his lifetime, and many families regarded Father Peter as a spiritual mentor. I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Father Peter Pabst as we share condolences with the Pabst family, and with his extended family in the community--his Jesuit brothers and his many, many friends. May his memory continue to inspire all who share his conviction in the transformative power of education and the boundless promise of every child. ____________________”

2026-05-15 · Education

“Mr. LICCARDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleagues, Representative Ro Khanna and Representative Zoe Lofgren, to celebrate Bellarmine College Preparatory on the extraordinary occasion of its 175th anniversary. As the oldest Jesuit secondary school in California, Bellarmine embodies a tradition that uniquely combines academic excellence, moral formation, and enduring contributions to the broader community and the world. Founded in 1851 as Santa Clara Preparatory, part of what was then Santa Clara College, Bellarmine grew alongside the City of San Jose. For nearly two centuries, the school has rooted its mission in the Jesuit tradition of educating the whole person-- mind, body, and spirit--with a deep commitment to service. Through extensive service-learning programs, the school encourages students to engage meaningfully with the world around them. Bellarmine students contribute thousands of hours each year to community service-- supporting local shelters, tutoring underserved youth, assisting food banks, and partnering with nonprofit organizations throughout the region. These efforts cultivate in students a lifelong dedication to justice, compassion, and civic responsibility. The school's emphasis on forming ``men for and with others''--core to the Jesuit mission--guides its daily work. Bellarmine cultivates generations of leaders who go on to serve in public office, education, business, and the nonprofit sector. I am one of three Bellarmine alumni to have served as mayor to San Jose's one million residents. Numerous others have demonstrated their leadership as founders and C-suite executives of major Silicon Valley companies, as executive directors of impactful non-profit organizations, as educators at top universities, as California legislators, as Rhodes Scholars, as gold-medal-winning Olympians, and as NFL and MLB all-stars. More than their achievement, however, Bellarmine alumni have stood out for their service to the world. This legacy reflects Bellarmine's ability to inspire young people to pursue lives of purpose and service. Bellarmine also demonstrates an impressive commitment to access and opportunity. Through financial aid programs and institutional support, no student who meets Bellarmine's rigorous academic standards for admission is turned away for his family's inability to pay tuition. The school's extensive scholarship program opens its doors to talented students from socioeconomic backgrounds, building a student body that increasingly reflects the extraordinary diversity of San Jose. This commitment strengthens both the school community and the broader region, as graduates embrace values of inclusion and equity in their professional and civic lives. At Bellarmine, Jesuits actively teach, mentor, and guide students, creating an environment where young people feel known, receive support, and embrace challenges that faster growth. Through classroom instruction, campus ministry, retreats, and weekly Mass, the school fosters reflection, ethical leadership, and spiritual development that continue to shape students long after graduation. Bellarmine's academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs further enrich the cultural and civic fabric of the community. Bellarmine students routinely excel in statewide and national competitions across a wide variety of pursuits: athletics, speech and debate, robotics, chess, National Merit Scholarships, and every other means by which students can learn to overcome life's barriers to excel, and to inspire others to do so. Mr. Speaker, for 175 years, Bellarmine College Preparatory has upheld the highest ideals of Jesuit education--academic rigor, moral integrity, and a steadfast commitment to service. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the entire Bellarmine community--students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families--on this remarkable milestone. May Bellarmine continue to inspire and form future generations of leaders dedicated to building a more just and compassionate world. ____________________”

2026-04-29 · Education

“Mr. LICCARDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Arthur Herbert Hausman, who passed away peacefully on January 18, 2026, at the age of 102. A decorated intelligence servicemember and widely admired industry leader. Hausman's innate brilliance and commitment to public service remain an inspiration today. Born in 1923 in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in El Paso, Texas, Hausman grew up quickly; his mother passed away when she was young. In the face of this adversity, Hausman developed a self-reliance and strength that defined the man he became. Hausman's curiosity and pursuit of knowledge led to invention. At age 13, he built his own ham radio and connected with people around the globe. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree in communications- electronics, with advanced study in mathematics and cryptography, from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1944, during World War II, the U.S. Secretary of War sent Hausman a letter directing him to enlist. Commissioned as a Lieutenant, the Navy sent Hausman to work at Bletchley Park in England, the famed center for Allied code breaking. Hausman worked on Project ULTRA, alongside legendary mathematicians such as Alan Turing, decrypting intercepted communications from Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. The U.S. Navy decorated Hausman and the Project ULTRA team in 1946 for their significant role in securing the Allied victory. After the war, Hausman earned a master's degree in engineering science and applied physics from Harvard University and pursued postgraduate work in electrical engineering at the University of Maryland. With Seymour Cray and Bill Norris, he helped co-found Engineering Research Associates (ERA), later part of Sperry Rand Corporation, which pioneered early data storage, cryptography, and security technologies. From 1948 to 1960, Hausman served as an electronic scientist with the U.S. Department of Defense, specializing in cryptography, secure communications, and electronic data storage. The Department of Defense awarded him the prestigious Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his contributions. In 1960, Hausman joined the Ampex Corporation, where he helped pioneer the technology to record professional-quality audio and video, and to enable slow-motion playback. As the company's CEO, he guided the company through global communications innovation, revolutionizing Olympic media coverage. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan appointed Hausman to the President's Export Council, chairing a subcommittee on advanced technology transfer. In 95, fifty years after the end of World War II, the National Security Agency (NSA) awarded him the Exceptional Civilian Service Award, recognizing his contributions to cryptography, and his founding role in the National Security Agency. Hausman continued as a trusted consultant to defense and intelligence agencies into his early 90s. Despite his great contributions to global security and technological innovation, those who knew him personally will remember him most for his dedication to family. In 1946, Hausman met Helen Mandelowitz on the streets of Washington D.C., when she stopped him to ask the time. In less than a year, they married, and over seven decades, they raised three children: Susan Hausman Brunner (deceased), Kenneth Hausman, and Catherine Hausman Fox. Kenneth (with his daughters [[Page E350]] Raea, Sarah, son-in-law Hudson Arnold, grandchildren Brooks and Callan Arnold, and fiancee Dr. Malathi Srinivasan) and Catherine (with her husband Steven Fox) remember Mr. Hausman's devotion and the way he uplifted his grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Hausman also built community beyond family, co-founding Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills. Hausman's integrity, innovative spirit, and patriotism will live on in the hearts of his children, grandchildren, and a grateful Nation. May his memory be a blessing. ____________________”

2026-04-21 · Defense