Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act. This legislation will extend and expand tax incentives for renewable energy and create hundreds of thousands of green jobs, along with providing critical tax relief to families as they face rising gas and food costs.

With soaring gas prices hitting our constituents hard in the pocket book, we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, while protecting the environment. H.R. 6049 does this by increasing production of renewable fuels and renewable electricity, and encouraging greater energy efficiency. Specifically, the 6-year extension of the investment tax credit for solar energy, the 3-year extension of the production tax credit for biomass-, geothermal-, and hydropower-generated energy, and the 1-year extension of the production tax credit for energy derived from wind set us on the right path for decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.

This bill would also provide critical tax relief to families at a time when they are paying more at the pump and in the grocery store. When passed, this bill would provide this relief through the ability to deduct State and local sales tax, tuition and other education expenses including the out-of-pocket expenses by teachers, the deduction of property taxes for non-itemizers and probably most importantly, relief for more than 12 million children through an expansion of the refundable child taxpayers earning $8,500 a year. These are commonsense items directed towards those who are in the most need of relief. It is no secret that the cost of living is increasing and wages are stagnant. These provisions will help the average American family receive some relief.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2744, the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act. I want to thank my friend and colleague from New York, Representative Tim Bishop, for his strong leadership on this issue.

This bill corrects an oversight in the current version of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which did not take into account the unique circumstances of employment as a flight attendant or pilot. To qualify for leave under FMLA now, all employees must work a minimum of 1,250 hours per year, or 60 percent of what is considered a full-time work schedule in most industries.

For flight attendants and pilots, however, there is a different standard for full-time employment. Their hours are calculated purely on the basis of ``in-flight'' time, which does not include any time in between flights, time spent preparing for a flight, or periods when they are on ``reserve'' status in the event that someone cannot fly their scheduled flight. An average full-time flight attendant works 960 hours per year. Additionally, pilots are prohibited by the FAA from working more than 1,000 hours per year, which automatically disqualifies them from leave under FMLA.

The Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act will amend FMLA to reduce the hours-of-service requirement for flight crews, so that they will be eligible if they work 60 percent of a full-time schedule in their industry.

Airline flight crews have difficult jobs, and the number of ``in- flight'' hours that they work does not accurately measure all that they do. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2744, to give flight attendants a benefit that so many other American workers already have.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by the distinguished chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Representative Waxman, that would make important reforms to the contracting process.

Particularly, I want to note my support for provisions in the amendment based on my legislation which passed the House last month, H.R. 3033, the ``Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act.'' That bill and this amendment would fortify the current federal procurement system by establishing a centralized and comprehensive database on actions taken against federal contractors and assistance participants. It requires the contracting officer to document why a prospective awardee is deemed responsible if that awardee has two or more offenses which would be cause for debarment within a 3-year period. Additionally, it improves and clarifies the role of the Interagency Committee on Debarments and Suspension, and requires the Administrator of General Services to report to Congress within 180 days with recommendations for further action to create the database.

Currently, federal agency officials lack the information that they need to protect our business interests and taxpayers' dollars. This amendment will make it easier for these individuals to prevent those who repeatedly violate federal law from receiving millions of dollars from the federal government.

As a New York City Councilwoman, I successfully led an effort to implement a similar system. This system has aided the City of New York tremendously, and it has helped to prevent habitual bad actors and felons from being awarded city contracts.

The United States is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world spending more than $419 billion on procurement awards in FY2006 and $440 billion on grants in FY2005. It is Congress's responsibility to ensure that the taxpayers' dollars are used wisely and not wasted by some contractors who are more interested in lining their pockets with profits than providing the American people with the goods and services they are paying for.

I also want to acknowledge Representative Mark Udall for his supportive efforts to improve the federal contracting system, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, today the House is considering three amendments to fund the war in Iraq, enact important policies regarding the war in Iraq, and meet critical domestic needs. I will support two of these amendments.

The American people want this wrongheaded war in Iraq to come to an end. More than 4,000 soldiers have lost their lives and billions of dollars have been spent. Yet this Administration insists on staying the course.

I will not support the amendment that would provide nearly $163 billion through next summer to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While I believe that our efforts in Afghanistan are necessary and have not received sufficient attention or resources since the start of the war in Iraq, I cannot support devoting billions of dollars to a failed policy in Iraq, particularly when we are facing significant economic problems here at home.

However, I strongly support the amendment that would enact several necessary policies regarding the war in Iraq including the complete withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by December 2009, ensuring congressional approval of any treaties between the United States and Iraq, no permanent bases in Iraq, and prohibiting torture techniques not authorized in the Army Field Manual. I hope that the final bill sent to the President will include these important provisions.

Finally, I am pleased to support the amendment that will expand benefits for veterans, provide, food, disaster, and refugee assistance, help strengthen levees in Louisiana, enact contracting reforms, and extend unemployment benefits in all states for 13 weeks and in some states, an additional 13 weeks. We must continue to do all that we can to help those Americans who are looking for employment in these difficult economic times.

I want to thank Chairman Obey and Chairman Mollohan for the inclusion of $210 million in funding for the Census Bureau. This is a welcome first step in repairing the mismanagement of the 2010 Census planning process by the Bush Administration, and it is a responsible action by this Congress.

Full and fair representation is a fundamental building block of our democracy, and it is imperative that we guarantee every American is counted. While this funding is a critical first step, we must continue to hold this Administration accountable and restore the American people's confidence in our ability to fulfill this Constitutional mandate.

I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing additional funding for the war in Iraq so that we send the President the message he needs to hear: bring the troops home now.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to be the lead Democratic sponsor of H.J. Res 84, to stop governments from sponsoring anti-Semitism. I would like to thank Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for her leadership on this important issue.

This month we have commemorated two very significant events. First, on May 2 we commemorated the 49th annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah, which reminds us of what unabated hatred and intolerance toward a group of people can result in. I am also proud to say that on May 14 we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the creation of Israel. Today, Israel, the Jewish Nation, is one of the greatest democracies in the world, a leader in the global economy, and one of our strongest allies.

Yet, despite these obvious advances and successes for the Jewish people, anti-Semitism continues to flourish throughout the world and manifests itself in a variety of dangerous ways. This is why I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring H.J. Res 84, to stop governments from sponsoring anti-Semitism.

I ask this in the wake of alarming findings issued from the State Department's ``Contemporary Global Anti-Semitism Report.'' The report concludes that ``over much of the past decade, U.S. embassies world- wide have noted an increase in anti-Semitic incidents, such as attacks on Jewish people, property, community institutions, and religious facilities.'' Perhaps even more alarmingly, some governments have helped foster these actions by spreading anti-Semitic sentiments through their policies or state- controlled media. We are all too familiar with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threat that ``Israel must be wiped off the map,'' and his numerous statements on Holocaust denial. We have seen the clips from Saudi state-controlled newspapers alleging that Jews were behind the September 11 attacks. In fact, the State Department's Anti-Semitism Report lists Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Belarus as some of the countries with state-controlled media that distributes anti- Semitic materials. Not surprisingly, many of these countries have witnessed a rise in anti-Semitism, including anti-Semitic vandalism, caricatures, intimidation, and physical attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions.

Madam Speaker, we have come so far in the past 60 years. But the increase in anti-Semitism as reported by the State Department threatens this progress. We must stand up against governments that sponsor anti- Semitism, which is why I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor H.J. Res 84.

Mr. Speaker, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall 330. I was in a meeting and detained.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 4008, the Credit and Debit Card Receipt Clarification Act. This is common sense legislation that will free hundreds of businesses, from large corporations to ``mom & pop'' operations from legal damages that could total hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars for their harmless failure to redact expiration dates from their credit and debit card receipts.

This bill only provides relief to companies that otherwise complied with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, also known as FACTA, it preserves the right for a customer to sue if real harm or fraud has occurred and it does not eliminate a business's obligation to properly truncate the account number or to redact the expiration date from its receipts.

I think it is important to point out that we are talking about businesses that did everything they thought they were required to do to comply with the new standards set forth by FACTA. These are businesses that purchased new machines, installed new hardware and incurred the expense of producing what they thought or were told was a compliant credit or debit card receipt. These are businesses that when they were told that they had to truncate the account numbers of credit and debit cards, they did so.

One of my constituents, Steven Hanson, is such a business owner. He is the founder and President of B.R. Guest Restaurants. After FACTA was enacted into law, Steve tells me that he and his company spent more than $300,000 switching out credit card terminals in his restaurant to comply with the new law, only to find out that each and every new receipt he processed could result in a $100 to $1,000 fine. Steve tells me that B.R. Guest has a pending lawsuit against his company that could result in a $100 million liability. This is not a liability that B.R. Guest or many businesses could absorb. Without this relief, B.R. Guest and hundreds of other businesses could be forced to close up shop.

In addition to B.R. Guest Restaurants, Zabars, Fairway Markets, Scholastic Books, Barneys/Jones Apparel Group, Estee Lauder, The Knot.com, Bally's North America, Buy Buy Baby and Ross Stores are among the New York Businesses named in similar lawsuits.

It is also important to note that while the lawsuits filed against these companies are seeking damages totaling in the hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars, none of the 500 lawsuits that have been filed, make any allegation of consumer harm. Identity theft prevention experts have testified that the truncation of the credit card numbers accomplishes the intent of the statute because a potential fraudster would not be able to perpetrate account fraud without having the entire correct credit card number. The real harm to the consumer would come if Congress does not act. Consumers will be forced to pay higher prices to help these businesses absorb the cost of these lawsuits or will be faced with fewer options as businesses are forced out of business because they can not afford their cost.

This legislation enjoys wide bipartisan support and has been endorsed by The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Restaurant Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association, The National Association of Theater Owners, The International Franchise Association, The National Council of Chain Restaurants and the Food Marketing Institute.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is common sense legislation and I urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong to support of H.R. 406, which awards a Congressional Gold Medal to Alice Paul.

Every American woman is indebted to Alice Paul for her lifelong dedication to women's suffrage. I am living proof of the advancements she has made for women. I am personally gratified that Congress is recognizing Alice Paul's contribution to American history. Alice Paul was the first cousin to my husband's grandmother. In fact, I named my oldest daughter after her.

Alice Paul passionately devoted her entire life to the advancement of women's rights. She was an extraordinary leader, ingenious fundraiser, and a brilliant politician. Wholeheartedly focused on suffrage, she lived in a cold room so she would not be tempted to sit up late and read novels.

Alice Paul truly revolutionized the suffragist movement. In 1913, Alice Paul and fellow suffragist Lucy Burns organized an impressive suffrage parade on the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration. In 1916, Paul founded the National Women's Party with the guiding philosophy of ``holding the party in power responsible.'' Paul adamantly believed that women should never expect to be given the vote, but that they must take it through their own accord.

Under Paul's leadership, the National Women's Party was the first political organization in the United States to peacefully picket the White House. This political strategy is still widely used today. Originally the White House protests were tolerated by President Wilson. But as the women persistently picketed during the war, suffragist protestors were attacked by angry mobs and frequently arrested.

The suffragist prisoners demanded to be treated as political prisoners and staged hunger strikes. Their demands were met with brutality as suffragists, including older women, were beaten, pushed and thrown into cold, unsanitary, rat-infested cells. Women were even force-fed against their will. Thanks to the countless sacrifices made by suffrage activists, American women were finally granted the right to vote in 1920.

Yet, Alice Paul firmly believed that true fulfillment of women's rights was only advanced, not completely satisfied, by the achievement of suffrage. Paul drafted the Equal Rights Amendment for the United States Constitution in 1923. She devoted the rest of her life to this goal of constitutional protection for women's equality and today, feminists continue this pursuit. I have proudly continued her legacy by introducing the ERA every Congress since 1997.

Alice Paul's lifelong efforts achieved great strides not only for American women, but for all women of the world. She founded the World Woman's Party in 1938. Paul and the World Woman's Party successfully fought for the inclusion of gender equality into the United Nations Charter. Their efforts also led to the establishment of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. This Commission continues to be a principal global policy-making body for women's advancement.

Let us finally grant Alice Paul her rightful place in history. She is most deserving of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Her legacy opened the door for women's full participation in society and for that, we are forever grateful.

I thank the gentleman for yielding to me and for his extraordinary leadership on this extremely important housing stimulus package. It is good for the country and good for my constituents in New York City. I strongly support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for this Housing Stimulus Package.

It is good for our country and it is good for my constituents in New York.

We all know we are facing a housing crisis.

Foreclosures are at record highs, wages are stagnant and the markets continue to be volatile.

This housing package will help restore order and provide the roadmap forward.

In addition to the $300 billion voluntary program that would permit FHA to provide up to $300 billion in new guarantees to help refinance at-risk borrowers into viable mortgages, we are doing a number of things to help the mortgage market.

We are making permanent the current FHA and GSE loan limits we passed as part of our first stimulus package.

Without this limit, the FHA limit in New York City would drop from $729,750 to $362,000 and the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac limit would drop from $729,000 to $417,000.

This bill modernizes the reverse mortgage provision administered by FHA, allowing co-ops to be included for the first time.

We are preserving affordable FHA-insured foreclosed multifamily projects. Including language important to New York City.

This bill includes an amendment I offered that will provide for higher loan limits on homes that include a licensed child care facility.

This bill is needed. It helps our communities and I urge its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the underlying bill to H.R. 5818, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008.

This legislation will provide $15 billion in HUD-administered loans and grants for the purchase and rehabilitation of owner-vacated, foreclosed homes.

This bill is a win-win for our communities. Not only will it help provide a bottom for local housing markets: by removing foreclosed properties that continue to drag down the housing values of whole neighborhoods, this program will allow for the creation of much needed affordable housing.

Our communities are looking to us to help provide a solution to the subprime mortgage meltdown. They need relief now.

I support the rule. This bill is the best vehicle for direct relief. I urge its adoption.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this very important rule, and I rise in strong support of the rule and for the underlying bill, a housing stimulus package that will provide real relief for struggling homeowners and will bring certainty to the markets.

We are at a critical juncture in the subprime mortgage crisis. All of the data we have clearly demonstrate the severity of the problem. We have seen the perfect storm of stagnant wages, rising mortgage payments, and decreased home values, all of which have led to a record level of delinquencies and foreclosures. One recent study by the Pew Charitable Trust has found that one in two New York homeowners is projected to face foreclosure, primarily in the next 2 years, due to the subprime crisis.

This same study documents the ripple effect this crisis is having on our entire economy. Their analysis found that 52 percent of all homeowners will likely feel the ripple effect of foreclosures from the subprime loan crisis. Communities are negatively affected as foreclosures drive down home prices overall, diminishing homeowners' equity in entire neighborhoods. Costs also accrue to our local government in the form of lost tax revenue and direct expenses for securing, policing, and disposing of abandoned properties.

This is why this housing stimulus package is so terribly important. This is a well-crafted package which includes an expanded FHA Refinance Program totaling $300 billion. This voluntary program would permit FHA to provide up to $300 billion in new guarantees to help refinance at- risk borrowers into viable mortgages.

The only way we are going to solve this problem is through a multi- prong strategy. We have fully engaged the regulators, industry is working with homeowners; but we also need sound public policy that allows for many of these unaffordable subprime loans to be refinanced into viable mortgages homeowners can afford.

Another key part of this package includes the FHA and GSE modernization bills which we have already passed in this House but has yet to pass the Senate. The FHA bill will modernize the program opening it up to new homeowners and providing opportunities for long-term fixed mortgages. The modernized FHA will be the new financing option of many previous subprime borrowers, and it will be done in a way to ensure borrowers are receiving viable and affordable loans. The GSE bill will provide for a strong dependent regulator for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and the 12 Federal home loan banks.

Again, this is a well-crafted package. I ask permission to revise and extend to include all of the important parts of this package.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this underlying bill.

I rise in support of a housing stimulus package that will provide real relief for struggling homeowners and will bring certainty to the markets.

We are at a critical juncture in the subprime mortgage crisis. All of the data we have clearly demonstrates the severity of the problem.

We have seen the perfect storm of stagnant wages, rising mortgage payments and decreased home values. All of which have led to a record level of delinquencies and foreclosures.

One recent study by the Pew Charitable Trust has found that one in 32 New York homeowners is projected to face foreclosure, primarily in the next two years, because of subprime loans.

This same study documents the ripple effect this crisis is having on our entire economy. Their analysis found that 52% of all homeowners will likely feel the ripple effects of foreclosures from subprime loans.

Communities are negatively affected as foreclosures drive down home prices overall, diminishing homeowners' equity in entire neighborhoods. Costs also accrue to local governments in the form of lost tax revenue and direct expenses for securing, policing and disposing of abandoned properties. That is why this housing stimulus package is so important.

This is a well crafted package which includes an expanded FHA Refinance Program totaling $300 billion.

This voluntary program would permit FHA to provide up to $300 billion in new guarantees to help refinance at-risk borrowers into viable mortgages.

They only way we are going to solve this problem is through a multi- prong strategy. We have fully engaged the regulators, industry is working with homeowners, but we also need sound public policy that allows for many of these unaffordable subprime loans to be refinanced into viable mortgages homeowners can afford.

Another key part of this package includes the FHA and GSE modernization bills that we have already passed the House, but have yet to be passed by the Senate.

The FHA bill will modernize the program opening it up to new homeowners and providing opportunities for long-term, fixed mortgages. The modernized FHA will be the new financing option of many previous subprime borrowers and it will be done in a way to ensure borrowers are receiving viable and affordable loans.

The GSE bill will provide for a strong independent regulator for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and the 12 Federal Homeloan Banks. It will also enhance Freddie and Fannie's mission to provide affordable housing. This bill will also make permanent the increased loan limits passed as part of the economic stimulus package. This increase is incredibly important in high-cost areas such as New York City in ensuring these products are available to our constituents.

Again, this is a well crafted package and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay recognition to the Filipino veterans who so bravely served under the U.S. flag during World War II.

The Philippine Islands were a U.S. territory from 1902-1946. On July 16, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called over 200,000 Filipinos to service under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. They courageously fought side-by-side with soldiers from the United States, under the American flag and for a common goal to protect all nations from aggressive governments.

Madam Speaker, despite their patriotism, sacrifice, and service to this nation, the Filipino veterans of World War II have still not received the full benefits they were promised 62 years ago.

The average age of these heroes is 84. Congress has a moral obligation to provide for the Filipino veterans who fought as part of the United States during World War II before it is too late. We must restore dignity and honor to these proud veterans.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and thank him for his leadership on this important legislation and for the city of New York in general.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation that will help preserve affordable housing units. I commend my colleagues from Brooklyn, Congressman Towns and Congresswoman Velazquez, for their leadership in drafting this legislation, and I thank my colleagues on the Committee on Financial Services, especially Congresswoman Waters who is Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, and also Chairman Frank for bringing this important bill to the floor today.

When passed, this legislation would authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, upon the request of the owner of a multi-family housing project, to convert their contract to a section 8, project-based rental assistance contract. This would have an immediate impact on Starrett City, the Starrett City housing complex in Brooklyn, New York, which is currently serving 14,000 New Yorkers in affordable housing units.

Starrett City is the largest affordable housing complex in our country, and this legislation is innovative, it is helpful, it is collaborative, and it is bipartisan. And I thank my colleague, Mr. Castle, for his leadership on the other side of the aisle.

Starrett City was opened in 1974, and recently there have been efforts to sell the complex and potentially leave these affordable housing units and have them sold and re-priced to reflect the current market value. By selling these units, you would put at risk affordable housing for all of the 14,000 residents that are living there. It would endanger their ability to continue as residents living in Starrett City, and I would say, I don't know where they would go. In New York City there is such a housing crisis and we have no affordable housing left. This legislation would help preserve these affordable units for at least the next 20 years.

All of us know that we are facing foreclosures across this country. We are talking about programs to have grants, to have negotiations, to have support, to keep people in their homes. We have before us today creative legislation that the owner supports, that the city supports, and hopefully this Congress supports, that could save 14,000 homes for New Yorkers and keep them in affordable housing.

I congratulate my colleague, Mr. Towns, and everyone else who has worked so hard to make this happen.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this tremendously important legislation that will keep people in their homes, affordable homes.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the work of one of the leaders of diversity, entrepreneurship, women in business and mentoring, Edie Fraser, who was honored on April 24 with the Lou Campanelli Award for volunteerism and leadership.

The award, presented by SCORE ``Counselors to America's Small Business,'' honors Edie Fraser for her volunteerism, philanthropic contributions and dedication to entrepreneurship and SCORE.

The Lou Campanelli Award annually recognizes outstanding individual volunteerism, leadership, vision and philanthropy in support of small business, entrepreneurship and SCORE. Edie received the award at SCORE's Afternoon of Vision 2008 in Washington, D.C., on April 24. SCORE CEO Ken Yancey and Lou Campanelli presented Edie with the award.

Edie Fraser has won more than 35 major diversity awards. SCORE is in her blood as her dad, Les Fraser, was a SCORE volunteer and leader for 33 years in Atlanta. Edie has worked with SCORE over the years, now serving on the SCORE Board of Directors.

She was named in 2007 as one of the Top 50 Pioneers in Diversity by Profiles in Diversity Journal and top 46 of America's Top Diversity Advocates by DiversityBusiness.com, along with Oprah Winfrey, Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and many other senior diversity leaders. Her other awards include: The Enterprising Women Hall of Fame; the eWomen Network International Femtor Award for Lifetime Achievement; the Count-Me-In Leader Entrepreneurial Award; and the Euro-American Women's Council Artemis Award, presented by Athens and the sacred island of Delos. She also received the First Global ATHENA Award in Athens, Greece.

As an advocate for small business and entrepreneurship Edie says, ``SCORE is a cornerstone of what is the best of this country. Small business is the most significant part of our economy across this nation.'' Fraser believes, ``SCORE is the premiere source of free counseling and advice, and a source of loan information for America's aspiring entrepreneurs.''

Edie's extensive background in support of diversity and women spans four decades, and she is the founder of Diversity Best Practices and Business Women's Network. She is a

counselor and champion focusing on business results. She is an advocate for diverse leadership executive talent. Edie has worked to support more than 200 corporate organizations, and she has worked with more than 100 CEOs in support of diversity practices. Talent recruitment and retention are her number one issue.

``To say thanks to SCORE is easy. We know SCORE to be perhaps the most important program that the government has created with millions of donated hours of counseling in communities across America,'' says Edie Fraser.

On a personal note, Edie has been a dynamic and energetic force for women in business and diversity nationwide. A resident of Washington, D.C., Edie is active in many worthy causes. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of SCORE and Advisory Board of the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy. She received the Big Brothers Public Service Award and was the recipient of the Big Brothers Most Outstanding Service Award for outstanding service to youth. Edie received the United States Peace Corps award and Peace Corps Princess with others from State Department and AID. Her commitment to mentoring and community service is an inspiration to all of us striving for equality and the opportunity to achieve the American dream.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 330, which supports the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

I was the lead Democratic sponsor of the original legislation, introduced by former Representative Mark Green and signed into law in 2003, that designated April as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

It is important that we remember that preventing sexual assault should be a top priority during each month of the year. Every 2\1/2\ minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. I have long been a champion of increased efforts to prevent violence against women and in 2004, legislation that I first introduced, ``The Debbie Smith Act,'' was signed into law. Through this landmark act, we have the ability to protect our daughters, our sisters, and our friends by putting rapists behind bars through DNA evidence. We know that DNA evidence is better than a fresh set of fingerprints. And we know that it is often better than eyewitness testimony. With ``The Debbie Smith Act,'' the hundreds of thousands of rape kits that were gathering dust across the country are finally being processed.

In January I introduced H.R. 5057, ``The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act,'' to extend the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Elimination Program through FY 2014. I am pleased to have been joined in introducing the legislation by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith.

It is vitally important that we support the Violence Against Women Act by fully funding the important programs that will help women escape abusive and dangerous situations and begin new lives that are free from violence and fear. The organizations, shelters, and counseling centers that are on the front lines of this problem need our steadfast commitment that they will have the resources to continue their important work.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.