REMEMBERING MIKE LYCZAK

On 2025-05-20, Representative Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL-4) delivered a floor speech titled "REMEMBERING MIKE LYCZAK" in the House.

REMEMBERING MIKE LYCZAK

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 20, 2025)] [House] [Page H2149] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REMEMBERING MIKE LYCZAK (Mr. Garcia of Illinois was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mike Lyczak. Mike grew up in the Little Village community in Chicago. Like many of us, his politics were shaped by firsthand experience--fighting discrimination, Chicago machine politics and rule, and standing up for working people. Mike wasn't just a political strategist. He was a founding architect of multiethnic, multiracial coalitions and solidarity in Chicago. He helped build the 22nd Ward Independent Political Organization, pouring his energy into electing Rudy Lozano and Harold Washington and into building a movement that could outlast any one campaign. Mike's love for history and model-making reflected his meticulous mind. His wit brightened every room. He was a beloved husband to the late Caroline Downs and a devoted father to Benjamin Lyczak. Mike will be deeply missed, but his legacy of courage and solidarity will live on in all of us. Rest in power, Mike ``Lizard'' Lyczak. Republican Tax Scam Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak against the Republican budget, a cynical plan that gives tax breaks to billionaires while ripping away healthcare and food from working families like those I represent. This Republican tax scam would kick nearly 14 million Americans off their healthcare, leaving them without coverage. {time} 1015 Mr. Speaker, in my district, a mother working nights and caring for her family by day told us that she doesn't know how they will survive if Medicaid is cut. Her child relies on it for epilepsy medication. Without it, there is no safety net. It is just fear and uncertainty. This budget slashes Medicaid and SNAP, taking food from children, from seniors, from veterans, and people with disabilities. Even Republican Senators called it morally wrong. In my district alone, 278,000 people rely on these programs. Republicans want to take that away. We can't allow them to continue to loot this country dry. America was not built for billionaires to hoard wealth while kids go hungry. Tax them fairly and fully now. Opposing Double Tax on Remittances Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the Trump administration's double tax on remittances. This is part of a broader war on working-class immigrants that punishes those who contribute the most to our national economy. When immigrants send money home, they are not just helping loved ones. They are keeping entire communities afloat in countries like Mexico, Nigeria, and the Philippines. By cutting off vital support to families abroad, this tax deepens poverty. It weakens stability. It drives more people to migrate out of desperation. Instead of asking the ultrawealthy to pay what they owe, they are shifting the burden to the people who can least afford it. Undocumented immigrants alone pay $580 billion in Federal, State, and local taxes to our country, more than some of the ultrarich who claim patriotism but hide under their wealth and abuse the system. It is a double standard that undermines our economy and our values. This isn't just bad policy. It is an unjust double tax on the very people who power our economy and our communities. ____________________