A house RESOLUTION

 

to recognize and honor Ro Khanna, United States congressman from the State of California's 17th Congressional District.

 

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to commend United States Congressman Ro Khanna for his years of dedicated public service; and

 

Whereas, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during America's bicentennial, Representative Khanna was reared in a middle class family to parents who immigrated to the United States in the 1970s from India in search of opportunity and a better life for their children.  His father is a chemical engineer, and his mother is a substitute school teacher; and

 

Whereas, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Chicago and earned a law degree from Yale University.  As a student at the University of Chicago, he walked precincts during Barack Obama's first campaign for the Illinois Senate in 1996; and

 

Whereas, he was inspired with commitment to public service by his grandfather who was active in Gandhi's independence movement, worked with Lala Lajpat Rai in India, and spent some years in jail for promoting human rights.  Prior to serving in Congress, Representative Khanna taught economics at Stanford University and served as deputy assistant secretary of commerce in the Obama Administration; and

 

Whereas, a progressive leader in the House of Representatives, Mr. Khanna strives to restore American manufacturing and technology leadership, improve the lives of working people, and advance the leadership of the United States on climate, human rights, and diplomacy around the world.  Since arriving in Congress, he has had five bills signed into law; and

 

Whereas, believing that the nation needs a new economic patriotism which will create jobs in the industries of the future and will unify Americans around a shared purpose, he is serving his fourth term representing California's 17th Congressional District located in the heart of Silicon Valley; and

 

Whereas, Representative Khanna serves on the House Armed Services Committee; as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies and Information Systems (CITI); as cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans; as a member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party; and on the Oversight and Accountability Committee; and

 

Whereas, he has worked across the aisle to produce legislation that will invest in science and technology, creating millions of good-paying tech jobs and revitalizing American manufacturing and production.  He authored the Endless Frontier Act which formed the basis for the sweeping CHIPS and Science Act signed into law by President Biden; and

 

Whereas, as chair of the House Oversight and Reform Environmental Subcommittee, Representative Khanna brought the CEOs of six major fossil fuel companies before Congress to testify under oath about climate disinformation for the first time in history.  He also held hearings to investigate the health harms associated with leaded aviation fuel, to implement better wildfire preparation measures, and to protect America's food supply from threats posed by climate change.  During the Inflation Reduction Act negotiations, he played a key role in ensuring retention of important climate provisions; and

 

Whereas, dedicated to advancing a foreign policy of military restraint and diplomatic engagement, he believes the nation should invest in priorities at home, such as Medicare for all, affordable childcare, and free public college and vocational school, rather than spending trillions on wars overseas; and

 

Whereas, Representative Khanna is a strong supporter of the labor movement and has pushed for policies like the PRO Act to ensure that no one with a full-time job needs to rely on food stamps, housing vouchers, or other welfare.  He is one of a few members of Congress to refuse contributions from PACs and lobbyists. He supports a twelve-year-term limit for members of Congress, eighteen years for Supreme Court justices, and a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United; and

 

Whereas, he has authored two books, Entrepreneurial Nation: Why Manufacturing is Still Key to America's Future and Dignity in a Digital Age.  In his free time, he enjoys cheering for the Golden State Warriors, watching movies, and traveling.  He and his wife, Ritu, live in Fremont, California, with their two young children.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Ro Khanna, United States congressman from the State of California's 17th Congressional District.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Ro Khanna.

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