Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, let me thank all of my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus for highlighting the importance of immigration reform for our community and our country.

Recognizing immigration reform as a key civil rights issue, the CBC continues to be at the forefront of this important topic.

As someone who represents a district with rich cultural diversity, I have witnessed firsthand the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

I have seen families separated by a backlogged visa system, students denied the opportunity to contribute to the country that gave them the tools to succeed and innovate, and LGBT couples unfairly singled out and denied the opportunity to live together within the borders of this country.

Mr. Speaker we need immigration reform because our system is broken. We need it for family unity, for accountability, for fairness and equality, and for the good of our country and economy.

Most importantly we need to create a roadmap to citizenship for the men, women, children, and students living in our country.

These individuals, Americans in every sense of the word but on paper, are just the latest generation of immigrants to contribute to the cultural diversity and vitality of our Nation.

They are hardworking, they are dedicated, and they came here in search of better lives for themselves and their families; their lives are modern-day tales of the American dream and that echo the experiences of the parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents of each one of us.

And now we are at the brink of reforming this broken system and creating one that reflects our values of hard work, family unity, and equity.

Immigration reform will change things for the better, including in those communities that aren't usually at the forefront of this debate: immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean.

And while these immigrant communities aren't typically acknowledged, they have made tremendous contributions to getting us where we are today.

Take for example Shirley Chisholm, my dear friend and mentor, whose father was born in British Guiana and mother in Barbados.

She became the first African American woman elected to Congress and was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. She was also the person who inspired me to take part in the political process when I was just a young college student.

And there are others, like Colin Powell, who was born to Jamaican parents and rose to the ranks of four-star General and Secretary of State.

And Harry Belafonte, the ``King of Calypso,'' was also born to Jamaican parents.

And Maureen Bunyan, a well-known news anchor and founder of the National Association of Black Journalists and the International Women's Media Foundation, who was born in Aruba. And the list goes on and on.

I am also proud to say that my own district is home to a growing community of immigrants and their families from places like Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Caribbean.

They are active contributors to the East Bay region, as well as to a vibrant immigrant community that highlights their distinct cultural backgrounds while emphasizing a strong sense of local unity.

With a new immigration system, members of these communities will finally be able to unite with close family members, many after years and even decades of separation, same-sex bi-national couples will be able to express their love and obtain status equal to that of their neighbors without being separated by a border wall, and we will have an immigration system that people will go through rather than go around.

We also need to make sure that the new system protects and assists workers by increasing the enforcement of workplace standards and antidiscrimination laws.

It must also include more robust programs for job training, including adult education opportunities and programs for low-wage workers.

Lastly, it must make it easier for individuals to compete for jobs and provide resources to take the workers where the jobs are.

I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to make this new system a realization and to better the lives of the immigrant groups in my district and throughout the country.

Thank you again to my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus for continuing this discussion and working toward a bipartisan solution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of Hazel Weiss as she retires from 29 years of service to the people of Alameda County, including her tireless efforts to provide permanent supportive housing and services for those in need. I join our community in celebrating the many ways in which her life's work has contributed to the success and wellbeing of countless people throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

Holding a bachelor's degree in American Social Organization, a Master of Arts in Health Services Administration, and a Master of Science in Assistance Dog Education, Ms. Weiss has shaped a multi-faceted career, which has never ceased to offer creative solutions for vulnerable populations.

Over the course of nearly three decades working with Alameda County, Ms. Weiss served as Senior Program Specialist for the Health Care Services Agency's Alcohol and Drug Programs Department; she was instrumental in creating sober living environments as Program Director for the Alameda County Shelter Plus Care Program; and was the Community Development Agency's Housing and Community Development Manager.

Moreover, as Director of the National Shelter Plus Care Coalition, which she initiated in 1999, Ms. Weiss oversaw 300 national members advocating to secure full federal renewal funding to permanently house and support homeless people with disabilities. Among her myriad commitments, she administered funding for Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) and served as a member of the Ryan White Care Act Community Care Planning Council.

For many years, Ms. Weiss also served on the Planning Committee of Alameda County's annual Disability Employment conference, as well as on a variety of committees, commissions, and nonprofit boards of directors to promote disability awareness and the equal treatment of persons with disabilities. Ms. Weiss exercised the rare talent of fulfilling local needs while also promoting advocacy on a national scale. Her nationally recognized work in Supportive Housing for homeless people made her a familiar face at the Federal level, calling for increased funding and support.

On a personal note, I was always impressed by Hazel's passion and vitality during her many visits to my Washington, DC office accompanied by her service dogs, first Hams, and later, Virgil. She is truly a remarkable woman who has gone above and beyond in working to make universal access to care and housing a reality for all.

Her dedication to improving others' lives is evident from her countless community affiliations and activities, including her personal commitment to the City of Berkeley Commission on Disability, the Disability Constituency Committee for the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, and the Board of Directors of Community Resources for Independent Living. In addition to being a published author, an adjunct faculty member and lecturer, and a volunteer for dog-related therapeutic programs, Ms. Weiss has spent her career leading bold initiatives for the common good. She has truly created pathways out of poverty while being a champion for equal opportunity and human dignity each day.

On behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional District, Ms. Hazel Weiss, I salute you for 29 years of outstanding service to Alameda County and people across this great nation. I congratulate and thank you for your unparalleled service to our community. You have touched many lives in profound ways throughout your career, and we wish you and your loved ones continued prosperity and happiness as you transition to this exciting new chapter of life.

I rise as founding cochair of the bipartisan Congressional Black HIV/AIDS Caucus to mark National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Tomorrow, individuals and organizations across the Nation, including in my own 13th Congressional District of California, will organize and advocate for HIV testing and treatment.

In the United States, African Americans remain disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. This is especially true for young gay and bisexual men of color. While African American teenagers represent 15 percent of teenagers in the United States, they accounted for 69 percent of all cases reported among teenagers in 2010. The same is true for African American women, who accounted for 68 percent of all new HIV cases among women.

Despite the progress we've made in recent years, this Congress has already made unconscionable budget cuts to critical programs that many families and communities rely on. A new analysis by the Foundation for AIDS Research and the National Minority AIDS Council shows, if budget sequestration were to take effect, communities of color would be disproportionately impacted, including more than 6,500 individuals who immediately lose access to HIV treatment.

We must reject these cuts and expand effective prevention, care, and treatment programs so that we can once and for all stamp HIV and AIDS off the face of the Earth.

`` . . . to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings; and to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.''

Mr. Speaker, with a new year comes a new Congress, new and returning Members, and new opportunities to work together to do the work the American people sent us here to do. Americans have been very clear about what the priorities of Congress should be. At the forefront of these priorities is to get people back to work and to revitalize our economy.

There is no doubt there has been some progress. Thirty-four consecutive months of private sector job growth is evidence of that. However, with 12 million people still unemployed, more must be done.

If Congress is serious about addressing the deficit, then we must have a plan--such as the Make It in America agenda--to create jobs. Job creation leads to deficit reduction and is necessary for a full economic recovery.

I am confident that with a new year will come a renewed focus to do the work of the American people. It is really time to put aside the dysfunction of the 112th Congress and to come together to address the problems facing our Nation.

First, let me thank you, Congresswoman Fudge, our new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, for bringing us here together tonight to discuss this important issue. Also, I wanted to say that Congresswoman Fudge is such a tremendous leader and now, as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, has really chartered a very powerful course for equity, justice, and for nonviolence. So thank you very much for your leadership.

I can think of no more important subject than the culture of violence which Congresswoman Fudge has brought us here together to discuss tonight, and specifically gun violence that has been destroying communities, taking lives, and injuring too many people for much too long across America.

As President Obama so eloquently said the Sunday after the tragedy in Newtown which shook the conscience of this country, and which we all still continue to mourn and offer our condolences to the families and friends and the entire community, We cannot accept this violence, the President said. This is visited on children year after year, and somehow is the price of freedom.

We cannot accept this. We cannot accept one more innocent life being lost to violence, not one in Newtown, not one in Chicago or Cleveland, not one in Oakland, California, not one in any town, in any city, in any school, in any theater or in any place of worship, in any mall, or in any of our neighborhoods.

We have an obligation to our children to ensure that Newtown marks a turning point that made us finally say enough is enough. We must come together to build an America where our children do not have to live in fear and where they do have a future.

Last week I was at an event in my district in west Oakland. It was the unveiling of a mural painted by several talented young artists. This Tree of Life mural depicted the hope and the faith that my young people have for a future without violence. Yet they've seen and experienced so much gun violence in their communities throughout their young lives.

Just over the weekend, 11 people were tragically shot in my congressional district. Too many of my constituents have been affected by gun violence, have pleaded for help in protecting their children from the horrors of gun violence, only to see the status quo continue at the Federal level.

Mr. Speaker, we need to take some serious action that includes commonsense measures such as Federal gun buyback programs, banning high-capacity magazines, expanding the 24-hour gun background check, closing the gun show loophole, and re-instituting the assault weapon ban. We need to do this immediately.

But we also need to work to end domestic violence in our homes and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. For whatever reason, unfortunately, it got stuck last Congress. We need to do this right away.

We also must seek input from our young people, community stakeholders, faith communities and others. We can work together to identify the root causes of this Nation's more than 16,000 homicides a year.

Let me call to your attention the work of a magnificent community- based organization in my district that I actually am very proud of that I helped found in the early nineties called the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center. These young people continue to work on conflict resolution and violence prevention efforts day and night, but they constantly tell us that their work is thwarted due to too many guns in the streets.

Finally, we must recognize gun violence as a critical public health crisis and continue to support comprehensive violence prevention plans.

This week, Congresswoman DeLauro and myself, we're offering an amendment that would end a prohibition, mind you--and Congresswoman Fudge, this is mind-boggling when you see

that we have a prohibition at the Department of Health and Human Services that would not allow us to analyze gun violence in terms of public health. We have a prohibition against that. So we're trying to offer an amendment that would take away this prohibition.

As a psychiatric social worker by profession and someone who founded a community mental health center when the psychiatric facilities began to shut down in California, I understand firsthand why we need to help people struggling with mental illness, give them the treatment they need, and reduce the stigma associated with seeking help.

So I'm going to introduce, once again, my bill to add mental health counselors to our schools, which will help children and families struggling with emotional issues who could actually be on the brink; but if we had mental health counselors there, they could really help steer them away from whatever tragedy that could occur.

So we can't allow the status quo to continue, to allow our children and grandchildren to grow up in this culture of violence, in a world where violence threatens our schools, our homes, and our communities.

Let me thank again Congresswoman Fudge for gathering us here tonight to discuss this very important issue. I just want to remind us that next Monday we will once again celebrate the birthday of our great drum major for justice, the prince of peace, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We must rededicate our lives and our work to the principles of nonviolence, which are more important now more than ever. Dr. King reminded us that violence should never be an option if we really want a world worthy of our children and grandchildren.

Yes, as a major part of this, it does mean getting guns off the streets and working for a culture of peace and security.

Thank you again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican so-called ``Plan B'' bill. Not only would it not address the so-called fiscal cliff--it's really a human cliff--but it's a pure political gimmick to distract from the Republicans' failure to negotiate in good faith.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot grow our economy or reduce our deficits by making even more cuts on the backs of children, veterans, our seniors, our disabled, and the millions of Americans in poverty. Low-income and middle-income Americans have already been slammed by $1.5 trillion in cuts to the safety net, mind you, that they rely on every day.

A fiscally responsible and balanced approach would be to immediately pass the $1.5 trillion in new revenue to match the cuts that we've already made, while protecting middle class tax cuts.

Mr. Speaker, 98 percent of the American people have already paid their fair share; it's time for the wealthiest 2 percent to do the same. Let's not forget the over 2 million who will lose their unemployment benefits December 29. Mr. Speaker, please don't let them fall off this human cliff during this holiday season. We should extend this today.

Let me first thank Mr. McGovern for yielding the time and your tremendous and tireless leadership on the Rules Committee, but also for your leadership in protecting our young men and women at home and providing strategies for how to bring them home quickly and safely and orderly.

With the drawdowns from two wars, now is the perfect opportunity to reevaluate our runaway defense spending and make sure that our defense budget reflects our overall national security strategy. Many outside experts from across the political spectrum have concluded that the Pentagon can afford much more substantial cuts than what's found in this bill. Secondly, while this bill contains some audit provisions, these measures are only set to take hold in 2017. The Pentagon needs to be audited. It should have been audited and should be audited right now--last year, this year, next year. We can't wait until 2017.

Earlier this year, I offered an amendment that would have cut any Federal agency's budget by 5 percent if they are unable to provide audit-ready financial documents. We need to get some sunlight on the Pentagon's books to create a culture of responsibility and accountability at the Defense Department.

On Afghanistan, the bill has some notable positive steps, but nonetheless fails to call for a swift and safe withdrawal of our troops. On the positive side, I applaud the conferees for including provisions to ensure that security for Afghan women and girls is a priority during the transition to Afghan security responsibility.

However, on balance, this bill does not go far enough.

We all know there is no military solution in Afghanistan, and it's time to bring home our brave men and women in uniform and transition to full Afghan control. After 10 years and $600 billion invested in an unstable country, it's past time to end this war--not in 2014, but right now.

Finally, I'm very concerned about how this bill undermines the bedrock values of America, and I'm talking about the constitutional guarantees of due process. I was disappointed to see Senator Feinstein's provision prohibiting indefinite detention removed during the conference. We should not allow those who seek to terrorize the American people to win by trashing the very civil liberties at the heart of our national identity.

So I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule and a ``no'' vote on final passage.

I rise in honor of our outgoing Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Congressman Reverend Emanuel Cleaver.

Chairman Cleaver has been a truly outstanding leader of the Congressional Black Caucus during the 112th Congress. We were fortunate to have his wisdom and steady--mind you, steady--leadership as we have navigated through some of the most contentious debates that I have witnessed during my time in Congress.

Faced with a job crisis unlike any that we have seen in recent history, Chairman Cleaver instituted a very successful job initiative. With unemployment at record levels, with three to four unemployed persons for every single job opening, with 50 million in poverty, and with unemployment disparities like none we have ever seen, he understood that it was extremely important not only to talk about the need for jobs but to take action to bring jobs to the people, and that's exactly what Chairman Cleaver and the Congressional Black Caucus did with last year's jobs tour, by launching jobs fairs in districts across the country, and we actually connected people with real jobs.

Chairman Cleaver also helped lead the fight against the efforts to disenfranchise millions of voters. He has been a strong advocate for protecting the most vulnerable among us in ensuring that the social safety net stays in place and in pushing for a budget that is balanced and fair.

Now, as we are all trying to make sense of this so-called ``fiscal cliff,'' I

am reminded of what he said so succinctly as a result of last year's deal. He called it, quite frankly, a ``Satan sandwich.'' He has really been able to take leadership on these issues because, as a person of faith, he understands the moral and the, really, I think, extremely deep ethical impacts of our decisions. He pricks our conscience as we approach our deliberations.

Indeed, in what has many times and often times been the most divisive, polarizing, and political climate that many of us have experienced, Chairman Cleaver has used his pastoral skills, his ability to bring people together on both sides of the aisle to help us all through times of trouble.

He is truly a Member's Member. He helped to remind us exactly why we are all here. And yes, he is a brilliant legislator, but he's also a prophetic leader.

Chairman Cleaver visited my district on my birthday not long ago, and he blessed me and my church with a sermon. And I must say, it was a moving, a powerful, and a spirited sermon. He's truly an anointed pastor, and he has demonstrated this gift in his work and his leadership here in Congress.

Also, Chairman Cleaver is a strong environmentalist, and I had the privilege to visit his district where, as mayor of Kansas City, he led the way in the greening of his great city. His presentation and his clarity on climate change and how it is affecting God's planet and its inhabitants is brilliant and it's clear. Communities of color and low- income communities owe Chairman Cleaver a debt of gratitude for tackling this tough issue with patience and with clarity.

But I know that Chairman Reverend Congressman Cleaver does not stand alone. He has an amazing support system with his family and his wife, Dianne, who has been a friend to me and to the Congressional Black Caucus. Dianne is a brilliant and beautiful woman who was taught, like myself, by the Sisters of Loretto. She has been by his side offering her advice, counsel, and love.

I thank Chairman Cleaver for his friendship. My congressional district, my pastor, J. Alfred Smith, Sr., and Junior, the Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California, and my entire congressional district deeply appreciate Chairman Cleaver's generosity and his attention, not only to his remarkable constituents and his district, but to my district, to all of our districts, to our great Nation, and to our country.

Thank you, Chairman Reverend Congressman Emanuel Cleaver for your tremendous leadership, for your friendship, and I look forward to our continuing work together for peace and justice.

Madam Speaker, our hearts are grieving with the entire Newtown community and all the families who lost loved ones last Friday. We mourn the 26 innocent lives, including those 20 children who have been lost in this unimaginable tragedy. Let me also just acknowledge the quick action of the brave law enforcement and first responders who prevented additional losses of life.

Words cannot express my deep sorrow, but as a mother and as a grandmother I join the country and my district in extending my condolences to every family and the entire community touched by this unspeakable tragedy.

This violence must stop. As President Obama so eloquently said on Sunday, we cannot accept that this violence visited on children year after year is somehow the price of freedom. No more excuses, Madam Speaker. No more kicking the can down the road. Not one more innocent life--not one more in Chicago, not one more in Oakland, not one more in any town, in any city, in any school, in any theater, or in any place of worship, in any mall, or in any of our neighborhoods. We have an obligation to our children to ensure that Newtown marks a turning point that made us finally say, enough is enough.

My district, unfortunately, knows these weapons of war oh so well, where too many innocent children continue to be killed in these war zones. We must come together to build an America where our children do not have to live in fear and where they do have a future.

Madam Speaker, we need to take some serious action that includes gun safety by banning these high-capacity magazines, expanding the 24-hour gun background check, closing the gun show loophole, and reinstituting the assault weapons ban immediately. This of course includes ending violence in our homes, in our streets, and in our communities.

By seeking input from young people, community stakeholders, the faith community and others, we need to work together to identify the root causes of this country's more than 16,000 homicides a year--this also includes recognizing gun violence as a critical public health crisis-- and continue to support comprehensive violence prevention plans.

I've heard many say this over and over again, but we also must focus on making mental health care widely accessible and affordable. As a psychiatric social worker and someone who founded a community mental health center when the psychiatric facilities were beginning to shut down, I understand firsthand why we need to look at how we have to help people struggling with mental illness and make serious progress in treatment and reduce the stigma associated with seeking help.

All of this of course is going to take resources. Nowhere do we know this more than in my own congressional district in Alameda County and in Oakland, where we know all too well the impact of budget cuts on violence and crime. We cannot allow any cuts to Medicare and Medicaid that might prevent families from getting the psychiatric help and support that they need. How else can we look at our children and our grandchildren this holiday season if we don't move as a Nation to finally address this violence that threatens the very core of our country?

In the coming weeks, all of us must work with President Obama, Senator Feinstein, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, Congressman Bobby Scott and all of our colleagues to be brave and to be bold enough to pass measures that ensure gun safety and a comprehensive solution to ensure that our children have a future in a peaceful Nation.

Madam Speaker, we can and we must do all of these things and more so that we can prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.

On behalf of all my constituents, let me express once again our thoughts and our prayers for all of those impacted by this tragedy in Newtown and the entire State of Connecticut.

Mr. Speaker, this month we lost a giant in the music industry. Dave Brubeck was a legendary jazz and classical pianist and composer who helped to define jazz.

A fellow Mills College graduate in my district in Oakland, California, Dave served in a crucial role as a jazz visionary who first began his iconic musical experimentation as a student. He subsequently grew to become a world-renowned musician and composer, writing more than 200 compositions and making over 115 recordings, including the jazz piece ``Take Five,'' which became one of The Dave Brubeck Quartet's best known records.

Throughout his long career, Dave has received many national and international honors, including the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. In 2007, he received the Living Legend Jazz Award from the Kennedy Center and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the London Symphony Orchestra.

I had the privilege to meet Dave a couple of years ago during one of the amazing musical events held at the Library of Congress. What an amazing, gentle man of such strength and vision.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and his family during this very difficult period.

Let me first thank Congresswoman Susan Davis for her tremendous leadership on this issue. I agree with Congresswoman Jackson Lee, it has been consistent and it has been bold. I also thank my other colleagues who have joined us in this effort.

There is really no military solution in Afghanistan, and a broad bipartisan coalition of many of our colleagues has really called for an accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan. When we inevitably leave, we must ensure that Afghan women have a place at the table and an opportunity to shape the future of their country. I stand in strong support of this amendment that calls for a plan to promote the security of Afghan women and girls during the process of transferring security responsibility to the Afghan forces.

Last week, we met with Afghan women. Let me tell you that this was their very first priority, and we heard some stories that really speak to why this is so desperately needed. Afghan women and girls carry with them the prospects for long-term growth, security, and prosperity for their country.

I and others also encourage the conferees to include the Casey-Hutchison amendment as well as Senator Merkley's amendment, which calls for an expedited withdrawal from Afghanistan; but also we must support this motion to instruct conferees and ensure that we protect Afghan women and provide for their security because they are the future of Afghanistan.

So I encourage our colleagues to support this, and I want to again thank Congresswoman Davis for her leadership.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank all of the members, first of all, of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition for working so hard to protect vital funding for environmental programs, including renewable energy initiatives from the so-called fiscal cliff.

Renewable energy research is the first step for job creation and building up American manufacturing. I'm proud to say that in my own district we're leading the way with a vibrant renewable energy research industry led by the University of California at Berkeley, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the PolyPlus Battery Company, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. They and others work day and night on innovations that will power our future and fuel our economy.

Mr. Speaker, we must end the billions we give in special tax breaks and subsidies to Big Oil and instead invest in manufacturing and green renewable energy projects here at home. And ending the Bush-era tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires will create more revenue for ending our dependence on foreign oil.

Thank you very much. I, too, want to thank you, Congressman Miller, for yielding me time and for organizing this Special Order tonight.

First to Congressman Pete Stark, who's our departing dean of the California delegation, Congressman Stark represents a district right next door to my district in the East Bay of California, northern California. I have to say that I have known Congressman Stark since I was the president of the Black Student Union at Mills College in the early seventies. I'll never forget this. I wrote my then-Congressman Stark a letter on behalf of the students at Mills College with a request, and he responded so quickly and adhered and replied to that request in a positive way. So on behalf of all of those students then, Congressman Stark, and on behalf of myself today, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for demonstrating what exemplary constituent service was all about.

I think I've known Congressman Stark probably longer than most Members here because I had the privilege to work with the great statesman, Congressman Ron Dellums, and got to know Congressman Stark during that period.

Our districts, we're so proud to represent. We always say we have some of the most outspoken and well-informed and engaged people in this Nation. And Congressman Stark certainly has been at the forefront of making sure that his district became closer to our Federal Government and brought the government to the people of his district.

So the East Bay thanks you, Congressman Stark, northern California thanks you, and our entire delegation thanks you for so many years of great public service.

I was fortunate to be on the House Foreign Affairs Committee with Chairman Howard Berman, and I tell you, Howard Berman's understanding of global affairs is unmatched.

Also, I just have to say, he was such a tremendous asset in our global fight against HIV and AIDS, and really got it so early and helped us negotiate and put together the bills that have been so successful in moving us towards an AIDS-free generation.

I just also have to say with regard to Chairman Berman, I appreciate his fairness and his objectivity and his commitment to global peace and security. It's really an honor to have served with him, and I'm going to miss him because I truly honor him as my friend. And I know all of us are going to miss him, but I know that we will work with him in the future on so many issues that he cares about.

Congressman Filner is leaving a strong legacy of support for our Nation's veterans, who have benefited tremendously from his intricate knowledge and impassioned advocacy. Also, I just have to remind us that Congressman Filner was a Freedom Rider during the civil rights movement, and he brought the spirit of justice to his work here in Congress.

Congressman Filner has done an exemplary job as ranking member and chair of the Veteran's Affairs Committee, as we have heard earlier. And our entire caucus can be proud of his outstanding leadership on that committee. As the daughter of a veteran, you know, I understand very deeply those obligations that our Nation has to those men and women who have served.

I had the privilege and the honor to help Bob in his campaign, so I've been in San Diego with Bob. And I tell you, the love and the affection that his constituents have for Congressman Filner is just really unparalleled.

I want to congratulate him for his magnificent win. It was a tough campaign, but he did an unbelievable job, and that's because people in his district really knew him, and he had provided the level of services that allowed him to be elected now, as we will call him very soon, Mayor Filner.

Joe Baca, Congressman Baca really has been a voice for the poor and the underserved during his entire career, not only here in Congress, but in the California legislature. I was privileged to work with Joe on many, many issues, and he has been a consistent voice, both in the California legislature and now here in Congress, for protecting low- income families from unfair, predatory credit practices.

He's used his seat on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Financial Services Committee to advance the needs of the most vulnerable Americans. He also consistently has played a role in raising funding levels for food stamps and nutrition programs to feed over 44 million hungry Americans.

As a member and former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, he was a powerful voice against anti-immigrant laws and always worked to build bridges on the reality of our history as a Nation of immigrants and not based on ideology and rhetoric.

We'll all miss his principled leadership and his passion for serving as a voice for the voiceless in Congress.

And my fellow Congressional Black Caucus member, Congresswoman Laura Richardson. She has many accomplishments in her brief time here in Congress. She's worked so hard to improve our Nation's transportation infrastructure, has been an advocate for the inclusion of minority and women-owned businesses, and has opened up economic opportunities and strengthened our schools.

I know that she's going to move forward to make more contributions in public service because she's focused and a dedicated elected official.

Finally, I just have to pay tribute to my sister-in-arms, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey. And I can't say what a bittersweet season this is in seeing you leave after so many years of working hand-in-hand on behalf of peace.

I just have to say that Lynn Woolsey has finally made sure that this body recognizes that peace is patriotic, and she's spoken 444 times on the floor as it relates to the need to bring our young men and women home, and I look forward to our continuing work.

She's been a role model for me, and I just have to say, finally, in conclusion, that she understands personally the importance of safety nets. And she brought the House the perspective that comes from relying on public assistance during lean times in her life.

She gave me the courage to talk publicly about my time on public assistance, which was so difficult for me before Lynn's encouragement.

So, to all of our departing California Members, I'm going to miss all of you so much, but I know we'll see you at home, and you're going to continue to fight the good fight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Mrs. Lydia Marie Elliott. A dedicated educator, homemaker and active community member, Mrs. Elliott and her husband of 65 years, the late Henry Elliott, were stalwart members of the Bay Area community for five decades. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother, sister and friend, Mrs. Lydia Marie Elliott will be forever remembered for her warmth and compassion. With her passing on November 15, 2012, we are reminded of her life's journey and the joyful legacy she inspired.

Lydia Marie Pitts Elliott was born on November 12, 1923, and was the fifth of Jesse and Bell Beatrice Pitts' eight children. After attending Mark Hanna High School in Tullahassee and meeting the love of her life, Henry Wilford Elliott who taught Math and Science there, Lydia and Henry were married on January 11, 1943. While her husband served overseas, Mrs. Elliott earned her bachelor's degree at Oklahoma's Langston University, joining Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and beginning a lifetime commitment to the organization and her fellow sorority sisters.

After being reunited with her husband in Japan, Mrs. Elliott enjoyed traveling the globe as an army spouse, visiting many of the world's major cities and countries and giving birth to the couple's two sons during that time. Upon Mr. Elliott's retirement from the army, the family moved to the Bay Area, where Henry became the first African American middle and high school principal in Vallejo, CA. Over the course of 25 years, Mrs. Elliott served the Richmond Unified School District, teaching arts and crafts and advancing to the position of head teacher. She continued her studies in education while actively participating with local community organizations like the Order of the Eastern Star, Beta Pi Sigma Sorority, Inc., the National Council of Negro Women and the NAACP. She was also a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. reaching the title of ``Golden Soror'' in 1997 for her outstanding 50-year membership and acting as a charter member of a local Kappa Beta Omega chapter in Vallejo, CA. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott were also church members and avid volunteers, dedicating their time to organizations like the Omega Boys Club and The Adkins Project.

A woman of many talents, Mrs. Elliott was known for her fine sense of fashion, her penchant for collecting and her excellent cooking. Above all, she was incredibly committed to the wellbeing of her family, always making ample time for loved ones and friends.

On a personal note, I have known Lydia longer than anyone in my life except for my immediate family. My mother, Mildred, met Lydia in 1948 and they became the best of friends. She was my sister Beverly's Godmother and she was part of our extended family. My mother, two sisters, Beverly and Mildred, and I loved her; and we have many wonderful memories of Lydia, her beloved late husband, Hank, and her sons Henry Jr. and Terence. We will miss her tremendously, but we thank God for her friendship--and for the many joyous times we spent with Lydia and her family.

Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors a wonderful human being, Mrs. Lydia Marie Elliott. The contributions she made to others throughout her life are countless and precious. Our community is indebted to her many civic contributions over the decades and her legacy of love and compassion will continue in the years to come. My thoughts are with Lydia's family and her extended group of loved ones as we celebrate her incredible life. May her soul rest in peace.