Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my constituent, Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi, who is currently in jail in Mexico. I urge the government of Mexico to bring his case to trial and do all that they can to ensure he comes home safely and quickly.

Mr. Tahmooressi has nobly served our country during war. He served two combat tours in Afghanistan including winning a combat field promotion to Sergeant in Helmand Province. He was honorably discharged in 2012, but remains on reserve duty until 2016. According to his family, he suffers from severe PTSD and had traveled from our hometown of Weston to California to seek treatment from a VA facility there. But he is currently in trouble and needs our assistance.

Andrew was arrested on April 1st of this year in Tijuana, Mexico after crossing the border with several firearms in his automobile as well as ammunition for these weapons. He was then charged with possessing firearms and ammunition in violation of Mexican law. Andrew, according to his signed statement, was traveling to visit a friend near the Mexican border on the night of April 1 when he made a wrong turn and accidentally crossed the border into Mexico. It is also our understanding that the weapons in his possession at that time were purchased legally in the United States.

After being held for two days in temporary holding, Andrew was transferred to La Mesa Penitentiary. Since his incarceration, Andrew has continued to suffer from PTSD.

Yesterday I spoke to Andrew's mother Jill. As a mother, my heart goes out to her, her family and Andrew during this scary and uncertain time. As a fellow mother, her neighbor and her Representative, I committed to Jill that I will continue to do all that I can to bring Andrew home.

I have raised Andrew and his situation personally with Vice President Joe Biden and with Mexican Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora. I commend the State Department for their efforts to ensure that Andrew is being treated humanely by Mexican authorities, and for their efforts in helping secure an attorney for Andrew. My staff and I have been in regular contact with the State Department since Andrew's arrest.

I call on Mexican government officials, specifically the Attorney General of Mexico to ensure that Andrew's case moves as quickly as possible.

I urge my colleagues to work collaboratively to find productive ways to bring Andrew home. There is absolutely no reason this important endeavor should be a partisan exercise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with many of the women of the House, both Republican and Democrat--the members of the Congressional Women's Softball Team--to share with our colleagues that, last night, at the Sixth Annual Congressional Women's Softball Game, the Members beat the press and took back the trophy.

Now, unbelievably, the press seems to be absent. They want to cover us on

everything else, but they seem to be absent in observing these proceedings. We are so proud to report to you that we didn't just beat them, but we beat them badly--10-5.

We were able to raise the most that we have ever raised for the Young Survival Coalition. In total, over the last 6 years, we have raised just over $500,000 for the Young Survival Coalition, which helps raise awareness and takes care of young women who are facing breast cancer. I know all of you know by now that I am a breast cancer survivor myself. I was diagnosed at 41, and so this is so personal for me.

I want to thank all of my teammates who have become my sisters and friends. The best thing about this game, besides that we were able to raise awareness for young women all across this country, are the friendships that we all formed and that many of us know would not ever have been made without our playing together on this team. It was so much fun for such a good cause.

Actually, what we would like to do before I turn it over to my cocaptain, Mrs. Moore Capito, is we would like to ask Coach Nat to come join us at the front because she never gets the recognition that she deserves. We love her so much. Natalie gave us such incredible skill- building drills this year that it really made a difference. Our bats were hot, and our fielding was great. We had very few errors, and we jelled as a team.

If I can just say one thing before I turn it over to Mrs. Moore Capito, it is that we are really so proud of the fact that this is a bipartisan team, and, hopefully, we set an example for how it really is possible to set aside politics and work together. We are very proud of being able to do that. Many of us work together in the Chamber now that we have played together on the field, so we hope that we can continue to set an example and make sure that we can, as much as possible, put aside politics so we can do things together for the country.

With that, I yield to the gentlelady from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito), my cocaptain.

Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First, I want to thank Chairman Rogers and my ranking member, Nita Lowey, for the commitment that they made to regular order, which is why we have our second appropriations bill on the House floor by May 1. It is my hope that we can stay true to this commitment throughout the remainder of this year.

I also want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Oklahoma, Tom Cole, who I really couldn't say enough good things about what an incredible partner he has been. We really have--and I will say that several times throughout my remarks--worked cooperatively, collaboratively, and I think the finest compliment that I can pay another Member is that they are an institutionalist--someone who has incredible respect for those that came before us and the history and tradition and all that has led to us being the finest democratic institution in the entire world.

We are stewards of the Capitol complex in the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, and the chairman really has most definitely recognized that and honored it.

The budget deal struck during the shutdown last year gave us 2 years of discretionary caps so that the Appropriations Committee can now get on with the business of funding important government programs.

There are many opinions about how these resources should be allocated amongst programs, but that is a legitimate debate, rather than the alternative, which we saw during the government shutdown last October.

For my part, I am pleased with and supportive of the bill that my good friend Chairman Cole has put forward today, done within the funding constraints that the Legislative Branch Subcommittee had to operate under. We worked collaboratively, and, as always, it was a pleasure to work with him.

The bill provides level funding, and, unfortunately, the constrained allocation has ensured that there is no increase for Member and committee offices. Personal office budgets have been cut by 16 percent since 2010, while committees have been cut by 14 percent over the same period. When considered through a long lens, those cuts are even more damaging.

The Congressional Research Service reported in August 2010 that House committee staff levels declined 28 percent between 1977 and 2009. The recent cuts have only served to compound the decline in staffing levels highlighted by CRS.

There is no question that these cuts will continue to have a harmful effect on this institution--on our ability to retain the best and brightest and to serve our constituents most effectively. We have gone through some difficult economic times, there is no question, but as we emerge, we need to consider how continuing these stark funding levels affects our ability to compete with the executive branch and the Senate for the best talent. When a Senator can offer to double the salary of a legislative assistant working for a House Member, there is an imbalance that we ignore in the House, at our peril.

I want to thank Chairman Cole also for the focus placed on the Copyright Office in this bill. In the FY 2015 budget hearing with the Library of Congress last month, we heard about the need to bring the copyright system into the 21st century with business practices that provide for more interaction and improvement with the copyright community.

This bill starts that process by investing $1.5 million in much- needed IT improvements for the Copyright Office. The bill also carves out $750,000 to deal with the copyright backlog, which grew larger over the last few years as they lost staff due to tightening budgets.

As the authorizing committees review our Nation's copyright laws, these additional investments will ensure that the Copyright Office can meet immediate needs as well as prepare for new ways to do business.

During the Capitol Police hearing and during subcommittee markup we heard from Members on both sides of the aisle about the impact door closures have had on our constituents and staff. This is why we included report language requesting a report on how the Capitol Police can accomplish door openings without increasing overtime. We have now received what I can only hope is a draft report from the Capitol Police that details the opening of only two doors for 2\1/2\ hours each day.

The committee has been clear that access is one of the Capitol Police's top priorities, and the current plan does not reflect that priority. My expectation, which I know is shared by many Members, is that now that the Capitol Police have been provided essentially full relief from the sequester, multiple doors throughout the House should be staffed and opened for the entire workday.

Reducing overtime costs through door closures is unacceptable. Forcing our constituents, staff, and people trying to do business at the Capitol into long lines is inefficient and stressful for the public and the officers.

I will be asking the Chief to go back to the drawing board on this report.

The bill continues funding for the House Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund at $70 million, for which I thank the chairman. Since the estimate to rehabilitate the Cannon House Office Building, which is 100 years old, has come in at a staggering $753 million, investing a little at a time in the trust fund is the most responsible way to fund this and other major projects.

The bill also includes funding for the final phase of the Capitol dome project at $21.2 million. The funding provided this year will address the interior walls, columns, and coffered ceiling that have sustained significant water damage and paint delamination.

The public will soon see the skyline of our Nation's Capital changed with scaffolding on the Capitol dome that will begin to go up at the end of this month, using funds from previous years. The total pricetag to restore the dome will be around $106 million after this year's funding is provided.

This bill also directs the Library of Congress to continue their 30- year program to deacidify books and provides an additional $1 million to keep that program on track.

Also of note, the bill cuts the Open World Leadership Center by 43 percent to $3.4 million. The Stennis Center Leadership program is funded at $430,000 after finally--and thankfully--providing the committee with a budget justification for the first time, on time.

I congratulate Chairman Cole on writing a balanced bill with a few targeted investments. Even though I wish we could do more--and I know he does too--to invest in our staff, I know that the chairman had many competing priorities, including our vast infrastructure needs.

Chairman Cole, again, I have truly enjoyed working with you in this role, and I appreciate the accommodations made for the minority in this bill. Working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle has been an absolute pleasure. It was a collaborative and cooperative effort. We are truly, I think, the example for the entire Congress on what collegiality means. The process in putting this bill together was really a team effort.

Chairman Cole understands that this may be the smallest appropriations bill, but one that is essential to his colleagues and the job they do to serve their constituents.

In conclusion, Madam Chairman, I want to thank the committee staff as well who has helped to craft this bill and assisted in a bipartisan manner: Shalanda Young; Liz Dawson, who continues to amaze us every single fiscal year; Chuck Turner; and Jenny Panone.

Also, we could not have done this without our personal staff: Maria Bowie and Sean Murphy, with Chairman Cole's personal office; and Ian Rayder from my office.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield myself 30 seconds just to note that the Government Printing Office has been in business, doing the work, beyond the scope of printing the Federal Register, for more than 100 years.

It is also important to note that they specifically contract with the private sector to print a myriad of documents, and they are not the only institution that prints documents.

Madam Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

Madam Chair, at this time, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), our distinguished ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee.

Madam Chair, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), our distinguished ranking member of the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee.

Madam Chair, I yield the gentleman from Georgia an additional 2 minutes.

Madam Chair, at this time, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Chair, I also rise in opposition to my Florida colleague's amendment, which seeks to dictate to other Members how to spend their office budgets. It is important to note that I also do not lease a vehicle.

The bill already sets a limit on what Members can spend on vehicle leases to ensure that costs are appropriately controlled. The Nugent amendment would go further and prevent long-term vehicle leases unless they are classified as mobile district offices.

The problem with the gentleman from Florida's amendment is the same as we have had with other similar amendments in the past that have sought to restrict or eliminate Members' use of funds for their office budgets.

We have Members that represent entire States or very large geographic

areas. Removing transportation options for Members trying to effectively represent their constituents forces a one-size-fits-all approach to serving our congressional districts, and we know that is not reasonable nor does it make sense.

The House makes statements of disbursements available to the public so that our constituents can judge us on the purchases that we make. Each Member has to answer to his or her constituents if they spend inappropriately or if they make purchases that are at odds with the sensibilities of those that sent the Member to office. We don't need to dictate to each other how we can most effectively do our jobs.

With that, Madam Chair, I urge the defeat of this well-intentioned but misguided amendment.

Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition; although, I am not opposed.

Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the gentlelady from California's amendment, which would provide an additional $500,000 to the Office of Compliance. The funding is intended for the office to provide mandatory sexual harassment training for all congressional offices in the House of Representatives.

Surveys find that anywhere from 25 to 31 percent of women in the United States have experienced sexual harassment at work, with the majority of women reporting that the harasser was a direct supervisor or senior to them. Sexual harassment creates counterproductive, hostile, and potentially dangerous working environments, not only threatening the emotional and physical well-being of women, but also women's job performance and security.

There is no reason to think the House of Representatives is immune to this problem. The House of Representatives should not be exempt from providing proper training to identify, prevent, and report sexual harassment, as many private institutions undertake.

Additionally, this type of training is already mandatory for all executive branch agencies. It is time that we follow suit to ensure that the entire Federal Government is setting a model example for safety and respect in the workplace.

To that end, I have cosponsored Representative Speier's resolution, which

amends the rules of the House to require that the mandatory annual ethics training offered to Members, officers, and employees of the House include the specific program of training in the prevention and deterrence of sexual harassment in employment.

I urge support of this amendment and thank the gentlelady for her leadership on this issue, and I reserve the balance of my time.

At this time, I would like to yield 30 seconds to Chairman Cole.

We thank the gentleman and appreciate his support.

At this time, I would like to yield the balance of our time in opposition, even though no one is speaking in opposition to this very important amendment, to the gentlelady from Michigan (Mrs. Miller), the chair of the Committee on House Administration.

Madam Chairman, I also yield back the balance of my time and thank the gentlelady from California for her amendment.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment which

seeks to cut over $3 million from the Architect of the Capitol's Botanic Garden--the people's Botanic Garden.

Now, I understand the gentleman from Arizona is trying to generate headlines by attempting to cut much-needed funding to one of the most beloved destinations in Washington, D.C., our Nation's Capital, but this is not the way to fix our Nation's deficit.

Over 200 years ago, George Washington had a vision for our Capital City to include a botanic garden that would demonstrate and promote the important role plant life plays in our Nation. It may seem trivial, but the Botanic Garden, established in 1820, is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the United States. It is also one of the most visited destinations on the Capitol complex. In fact, I know it is my own children's favorite place to visit when they come to Washington, D.C., and often our first stop.

Our constituents sent us here to do real work and look for real solutions to the deficit, not to try to score cheap political points by attacking important institutions that have already taken a fiscal hit, like the Botanic Garden.

The gentleman says that no line-item or opportunity can be looked over when it comes to reducing our deficit. Yet, I urge the gentleman if he is looking for ways to significantly reduce our deficit, to urge the House Republican leadership to address comprehensive immigration reform, which would result in a $900 million reduction in the deficit over the next 20 years. Going after a garden isn't the answer.

In fact, I think it is important to note that since President Obama took office, our deficit has been cut by more than 50 percent as a percentage of our GDP.

With that, I urge the Members to defeat this ill-advised amendment.

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Chair, this amendment cuts the small inflationary increase of $243,000 provided to the Capitol Visitor Center in this bill. This small increase is needed for the Capitol Visitor Center to keep up with inflation in order to provide the same level of service to our constituents next year as they are providing this year. When is enough enough?

My colleague must not be aware that the Capitol Visitor Center is 7 percent below the funding level that they were in fiscal year 2010. They have already contributed their fair share to deficit reduction.

If my colleague is serious about reducing the national debt and the deficit, then I would suggest that he stop voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act because the recent CBO estimate is that there would be a net increase of $109 billion to the deficit between 2013 and 2022 if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

Perhaps he can call on his own leadership to reduce the deficit by $900 million by taking up and passing comprehensive immigration reform.

When I was chair of this subcommittee, I inherited a fiscal disaster in cost overruns during the construction of the Capitol Visitor Center. We were collaboratively and in a bipartisan way able to bring that project in for a soft landing and slow the hemorrhaging of Federal funds for a project that a Republican majority began.

Now, we recognized that the responsible thing was to ensure that this facility had the tools necessary to succeed, so that our visitors could have an

informative and welcoming space to visit their government and to understand our democracy, so it baffles me that we would see an amendment that goes after the very organization that interacts with our constituents nearly every day.

I want those working in the Capitol Visitor Center to know that we appreciate the work they do. They are essential to the experience our constituents have when visiting our Nation's Capitol. With that, I urge defeat of the amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

Madam Chair, as a breast cancer survivor and one of the 129 million Americans who live in this country with a preexisting condition, I am thankful for the Affordable Care Act and the peace of mind it established on January 1 when, never again, an insurance company in this country could drop us or deny us coverage, the coverage that the gentleman from Georgia has repeatedly voted to take away from millions of Americans.

This amendment would cut the Capitol Visitor Center by $243,000, when we need to make sure that they have the cost of inflation increase, so they can continue to provide the good service that they provide to our constituents, so we can continue to educate Americans and everyone around the world about the finest democracy in the world.

Madam Chair, I urge Members to vote against this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman, regretfully, because I know how passionate the gentleman from New Jersey is about this important issue.

Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to this well-intentioned amendment, which seeks to add $2.5 million to reestablish the Office of Technology Assessment, which did have an important scope of work for Congress during its existence in the 1990s. Unfortunately, the amendment takes the funding from the House Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund. This fund is critical for the long-term maintenance for such items as the Cannon House Office Building's rehabilitation, which is an ongoing project that has already begun. The fund was established so we could bank resources over several years for the revitalization of our House office buildings and stave off cost overruns that have plagued previous projects.

I have been a supporter of the Office of Technology Assessment dating back to my time as chair of this subcommittee. In fact, in fiscal years 2008-2010, I included $2.5 million in this bill within the Government Accountability Office for activities similar in scope to the work of OTA's. I also supported an identical amendment offered by Mr. Holt in fiscal year 2012, as the Cannon project had not yet commenced, but now that it has, I cannot support an amendment in good conscience that would take critical resources from a fund that supports ongoing rehabilitation projects on the Capitol complex. Perhaps, had the gentleman found another source for his funding, we could have been supportive.

I thank the gentleman for his passion on this issue, but I urge Members to vote against the amendment.

I appreciate the gentleman yielding.

First, let me commend and pile on to the commendations that are so deserving by our colleagues and my good friends, Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop, on crafting a strong and bipartisan bill. Congress really can work together when we put our heads and our hearts together.

Let me especially recognize their leadership in including language in the bill which will help many of our Nation's veterans transition into careers in civilian health care.

The United States military has the best-trained medics and corpsmen in the world. In fact, the data substantiates that Special Forces medics greatly increase the chances of survival for those who suffer injuries on the battlefield.

Despite this, former military medics have one of the highest unemployment rates among veterans because their extensive medical training in the military doesn't perfectly match qualifications in the civilian world.

For example, Army Specialist Nick Colgin, whom President Obama applauded as an American hero for saving the life of a French soldier shot in Afghanistan, was somehow considered unqualified to be an emergency medical technician in Wyoming.

This Military Construction-Veterans Affairs bill that we are considering can help fix this baffling disconnect. It includes language establishing a pilot program for veteran medics that will expand opportunities for physician assistant training at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This program will leverage the expertise of military medics to strengthen the health care profession and reduce veteran unemployment.

A perfect example of the way veteran medics can, when given the chance, successfully enter into a civilian health care profession is the story of Staff Sergeant Victor Arvizu, who valiantly served for 20 years as a combat medic in the Middle East and South Pacific.

From taking blood samples to pulling out shards of glass from the chests of soldiers to suturing wounds and inserting chest tubes, Sergeant Arvizu developed a special skill set that translated into a successful career when he returned home.

Sergeant Arvizu was able to use this expertise to gain employment as a health tech at a Veterans Affairs clinic in my south Florida district. But there are too many veterans in my district and nationwide who are still struggling to translate their expertise and skills into employment in the civilian workforce.

We need initiatives that will create more stories like Sergeant Arvizu's.

Thank you.

Our veterans make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and now we need to do our part by providing them with opportunities to use their skill sets. I am proud that this bill includes language that will help to do just that.

I urge support of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Yom HaShoah--Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Almost 70 years ago, the worst genocide in modern human history was exposed to the entire world and the murder of six million Jews and other political, religious, and social minorities was forever seared into the collective memory of humankind. In the face of such an unimaginable tragedy, many individuals, including myself, have vowed to not only never allow something so heinous to occur again--we promised to never let the spirit of those victims fade from our hearts and from our minds.

It is in that vein that I have personally and professionally dedicated myself to issues such as providing Holocaust survivors with adequate financial and social services so that they may live in dignity, the dignity that was stolen from them decades ago. As a Jew, a policymaker, and a representative of one of the largest survivor populations in the United States, I have undertaken such issues with pride and humility.

This week is a particularly moving one as we engage in the National Remembrance Days here at the U.S. Capitol, and look forward to the planting of a sapling from the horse chestnut tree that was visible to Anne Frank and about which she wrote so poignantly in her diary while in hiding. Such a meaningful ceremony is particularly fitting in light of this year's Remembrance Days theme: Confronting the Holocaust: American Responses. What better way to further our American response than by planting a sapling that inspired her during her darkest days at the seat of our democracy? The tree will remind Members, staff, and the millions of annual visitors to the Capitol that life, liberty, and freedom from persecution are enduring ideals of our common humanity that we will never cease fighting for and protecting.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the accomplishments of Chuck Lanza, the outgoing Emergency Management Director for Broward County, Florida.

Mr. Lanza is one of the exemplary professionals responsible for safeguarding the lives of the residents of Broward County, and our community will miss him dearly.

The goal of the Broward County Emergency Management Division is to provide effective emergency management by coordination of public and private resources, development of response plans, implementation of emergency operations, and preparation through training and education.

Chuck Lanza has been a fearless leader in ensuring that our South Florida community is always well prepared and his 28-year career reflects the best of what an emergency management professional should be.

He began his career in 1978 with the Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department where he rose to the rank of Deputy Fire Chief.

In 1995 Chuck was named Emergency Manager for Miami-Dade County and remained in that position until 2003.

From 2005 to 2007, Chuck served as the Fire Chief for the Broward Sheriff's Office Department of Fire Rescue, a dual service Fire and EMS Department responsible for regional services including Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue and Air Rescue.

Before taking over as Broward County's Emergency Management Director in 2008,

Chuck spent a year as Fire Chief for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

I am particularly grateful for the years I had the opportunity to work directly with Chuck as he helped my constituents and South Floridians prepare for each new hurricane season through education, outreach and resources.

Chuck's commitment to his work and his community led him to the top of his profession. I thank him for his efforts to protect and save the lives of countless Floridians, and for a career dedicated to helping people and strengthening our resolve and our response in the face of natural and man-made disasters. I'm sure I speak on behalf of all South Floridians in wishing him well in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Women's History Month.

March is the time to honor our foremothers by recommitting to the fight for complete equality between the sexes. Democrats know that the biggest challenge to attaining complete equality is through economic justice. My daughters are growing up in an America where women still make just 77 cents to every man's dollar. This wage discrimination is compounded even further when you consider that women also represent nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers and that they often have jobs with no sick leave. If women have to choose between their jobs and their families, clearly, we still have a lot of work to do.

First, we must extend unemployment benefits. Women struggling to find work need that bridge to help pay the bills while they look for work. We must also increase the minimum wage, fight wage discrimination by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, and extend paid family and medical leave to all women by passing the FAMILY Act.

This agenda is the perfect way to celebrate Women's History Month and to honor all Americans who have fought for equality and fairness. As President Obama said, ``When women succeed, America succeeds.''

Thank you so much to my friend, the gentlelady from New York. It is an absolute privilege and pleasure to be your friend, to be your housemate, and to join you and our distinguished colleagues and friends on the House floor tonight to continue the press and the push for a national women's museum. This has been a longtime goal and passion of yours.

I was so pleased when you came home and told me of your excitement that you had enlisted the gentlelady from Tennessee to cosponsor this effort. I just knew between the two of you, it is very clear that this is going to happen, because the combination of Blackburn and Maloney is just unstoppable, there is no question.

It is wonderful to be here with our colleague from Wyoming. We have had an opportunity to travel internationally together and actually, specifically, to the state of Israel, in which we had an incredible opportunity to bond.

That is what the women Members--in spite of maybe some of the disagreements and vitriol that, sadly, permeates the House of Representatives from time to time, the women Members really do have a bond.

The wonderful thing about our Women's Caucus is that we come together around issues like this, so when everything else is swirling around us in disagreement, the Women's Caucus' goal is always to come together and try to find some common ground and advance the cause of women.

Let me just take a moment to honor and acknowledge our wonderful colleague from Ohio, Marcy Kaptur, because she is too humble and modest to brag on herself.

We should point out that she is actually currently the dean of women, the longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives today, and someone who I have the honor of serving on the House Appropriations Committee with.

She does a wonderful job, is an incredible advocate for the State of Ohio and for the Midwest, so I wanted to make sure we acknowledged her.

I am here, I am proud to join you, not only to continue our quest for a National Women's History Museum, but also to honor and acknowledge Women's History Month. We do that each March, where we honor and we remember the women who came before us, the women who worked to make the world a better place, who blazed trails for us to walk on and who opened doors for us to walk through.

I think each of us could tell a story about a woman whose shoulders we stand on. I know that, when I ran for the Florida House of Representatives when I was 25 years old, 21 years ago, that would never have been possible without the trail blazed by the women in Florida who came before me, who had it so tough, and who made it possible for me to even think about the possibility of running at that stage of my life.

So, really, we are here during Women's History Month to honor our foremothers and create a Women's History Museum to do just that.

We have historical activists like Mildred Loving, who, in 1967, successfully challenged the banning of interracial marriage in the U.S. Supreme Court.

We have more recent leaders, like Janet Yellen, who, this past year, became the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve.

Amazing women that I have met and come to know in my own home district in South Florida:

Ronnie Oller, a community organizer and philanthropist who organizes an annual event to provide children with free health care and education services;

Josie Bacallao, the leader of Hispanic Unity, which provides Hispanic and other immigration communities with the services and tools they need to live productive, civically engaged lives;

And a young woman who named Valeria Hansen who, at just 15 years old, is the founder of the first south Florida chapter of Girl Up, a campaign that promotes girls' empowerment and education worldwide through social media, fundraising, and advocacy.

We celebrate all of these women, not only for their accomplishments, but for having the drive and tenacity to overcome barriers to equal opportunity and lead by example.

The challenges of sexism, discrimination, and inequality future generations of daughters will have to face are significantly diminished thanks to the brave women who have come before us.

I think we should also acknowledge our colleague, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, who was the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, someone who is a great friend of all of ours, who we are so proud of, and is so collegial, so warm, and such a wonderful person and leader to work with.

Former Congresswoman Carrie Meek, and our current colleague, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, who were the first African American women elected to Congress from Florida. These are tremendous sources of pride for us as women leaders.

I want to congratulate the gentlelady from New York and the gentlelady from Tennessee on their commitment to building the National Women's History Museum. We really need to build it, so that we can note the accomplishments and progress of women throughout American history because it is important to do that in so many ways.

As the mother of two young daughters--and each of the women here tonight have met my daughters on numerous occasions--and are all about girls' empowerment, we are a girl power caucus as women Members.

If we build this National Women's History Museum, we are going to have an opportunity to have a showcase--a place where we can show our daughters everything that is possible because of the achievements of who came before us.

Instead of having to try to thumb through a history book and hope that a teacher or a professor along the way gave them some understanding about what was possible, we give them a place that they can go, show them what is possible, and show generations of younger women coming behind them as well.

Thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th time this House of Representatives has tried to repeal, defund or dismantle the Affordable Care Act.

What a sad Golden Anniversary moment for the GOP.

The Affordable Care Act, which has already helped millions of Americans, is the law of the land. Instead of playing politics, let's instead work together to address concerns over its implementation while upholding its mission: to provide quality, affordable healthcare access for all Americans.

With Americans facing so many real, pressing issues every day, I urge this Congress to focus on achieving results and serving our constituents.

Two million Americans, including about 110 thousand Floridians have lost their unemployment insurance. Our immigration system is in dire need of common sense and comprehensive reforms. Women still make less than men while working equal jobs.

The list goes on. We have work to do. We have a duty and responsibility to serve the interests of the American people. These pointless partisan attacks on the Affordable Care Act must stop.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 488, and I thank my south Florida colleague and friend, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for her leadership in introducing this measure and giving us an opportunity to stand with the people of Venezuela.

I stand in solidarity with my colleagues and the people of Venezuela to condemn the deplorable, horrific, and inexcusable violence the Maduro regime has perpetrated against its own citizens. Brave activists have taken to the streets in Venezuela to demand basic freedoms from an increasingly repressive government. These are students, lawyers, and average citizens simply asking their government to respect their basic human and democratic rights.

Since his election, President Maduro's economic and political policies have driven Venezuela's economy into the ground. His attempts to silence these outcries have not worked, and they will not work. Despite jailing leading opposition voices and expelling independent media voices, the world is watching and listening, and we still hear the calls loud and clear for democracy, for governance, and reform.

President Maduro's ridiculous accusations about United States involvement in fomenting unrest will prove to be a grossly failed attempt to distract from his own shortcomings in serving his people. We will not allow his rhetoric to try to blame the United States for what is a clear struggle between his repressive policies and the legitimate demands of his people.

My hometown of Weston is often affectionately known as ``Westonzuela.'' Just yesterday, I spoke with community leaders in south Florida--many of them my neighbors, my friends, my constituents-- about the fear and horrors that family members and their friends are experiencing.

This resolution calls upon the government of Venezuela to respect the principles enshrined in its own governing documents as well as those in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights--including freedoms of speech and the press.

This resolution affirms what we know to be true: that the best way to address the legitimate grievances of the people is through genuine dialogue between all parties involved. It calls for our country to work with our partners in the Western Hemisphere and through regional organizations to help facilitate this dialogue and, importantly, to do everything possible to cease this senseless violence and create the space for peace. This resolution reflects that we stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to follow up on my good friend and colleague from Florida's comments on behalf of homeowners in south Florida and around the Nation who are trying to maintain affordable flood insurance coverage, and I urge the House leadership to bring the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act to a vote today.

Through the National Flood Insurance Program, millions of homeowners benefit from the ability to purchase affordable coverage, including thousands of south Florida families.

While I understand the need to keep the national flood program financially stable, we must do so while ensuring that these families can afford the coverage on their homes or they won't have coverage. Surging premiums destabilize our recovering housing market and they cause uncertainty for homeowners. The system cannot withstand these increases, and we must act to fix it.

I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate who, in a bipartisan way, passed this legislation, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who make up the 207 bipartisan cosponsors here in the House of Representatives who want to pass this bill into law. This is essential. We can't allow this to go on.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation's homeowners can't afford to wait any longer. We need to defeat the previous question and vote on this bipartisan agreement today.

Madam Speaker, first, let me just point out that despite what the gentlelady from North Carolina just said, both President Obama and his administration, as well as Leader Pelosi, strongly oppose H.R. 7.

I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. Despite the misleading title, this bill is not about Federal funding for abortions. It is about intervening in women's personal health care decisions.

Forty-one years ago, the Supreme Court confirmed in Roe v. Wade a constitutional right for women to keep our decisions about our body between us and our doctors. Yet here we are, more than four decades later, confronted with another draconian bill that encroaches on that right.

Since 1976, the Hyde amendment has prohibited the use of Federal dollars for abortions. The Affordable Care Act is compliant with the Hyde amendment. The Affordable Care Act is law. The bill before us is nothing more than a deceitful attempt to place further restrictions on women's access to health care services.

Unfortunately, these kinds of baseless attacks on women's reproductive rights continue to be led by Republican men. It is clear that the all-male Republican members on the House Judiciary Committee who approved this bill would rather focus their time and American taxpayer dollars on restricting a woman's right to make her own medical decisions rather than confront our Nation's most pressing problems.

You would think that Republicans would realize we have a few more things to focus on that are a higher priority than whether or not women can make their own health care decisions. These men do not represent or reflect the voices of women in America. That is why as a mother, a lawmaker, and as a woman, I stand before you today to say: No more.

We should oppose H.R. 7.

We have worked too hard to secure freedom and independence for women in this country; and

We have come too far to let our nation inch back to the dark ages when barriers stood between women and their Constitutional rights.

When I think about the kind of world I want my daughters to live in, it's one where they have access to comprehensive, affordable, and safe health care services.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for women by voting ``no'' on H.R. 7.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation which funds our government and its many important programs for the remainder of fiscal year 2014. I want to especially congratulate my ranking member, Nita Lowey, and Chairman Hal Rogers for working so hard to achieve both balance and compromise.

This legislation begins to reverse some of the devastating cuts caused by sequestration; it ensures that we avoid the nightmare scenario of another government shutdown; and, most importantly, it invests in strengthening our middle class by funding programs in areas such as education, scientific research, and infrastructure. These investments will help create jobs and boost our economy, which remains the number one priority of most Americans.

As ranking member of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, I am thrilled that this bill sets the stage for regular order, which I know my fellow appropriators so look forward to, and makes sure that we can begin to work together again in the appropriations process. It has been a privilege to work with my good friend Tom Cole, chair of the legislative branch subcommittee.

I am especially pleased that this bill includes two critically important initiatives which work to combat the threat and dangers of one of the deadliest diseases, cancer. The bill includes nearly $5 million in continued funding for the Breast Cancer Awareness for Young Women, or EARLY Act programming, at the Centers for Disease Control. As a young breast cancer survivor diagnosed at 41, I know all too well how important it is for women to know the risks early on and get the health care they need.

The bill also includes report language calling on the Defense Department to establish a research-oriented task force to study metastasized cancer of all types. With better understanding of the causes, mechanisms, and treatments of metastatic cancer, we can save or extend the lives of thousands of people, and I acknowledge the leadership of Ranking Member Lowey who established the original program that sits in the Defense appropriations bill today.

This is not a perfect bill but one that provides us key investments while setting us on the right track in 2014. I hope my colleagues can support it. I commend it to them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight how the Affordable Care Act is already helping thousands of breast cancer survivors and those with preexisting conditions.

In late 2007, I heard those terrible words, ``You have breast cancer.'' I underwent seven surgeries, but in some ways, I was one of the fortunate ones because I had health insurance coverage.

I have spoken to women who have foregone mammograms and even cancer treatments because the cost was simply too great to bear. Now, the Affordable Care Act emphasizes prevention by making it possible for Americans to get screenings, like mammograms, without a copay.

It also finally ends the egregious practice of denying coverage to patients with preexisting conditions, like my south Florida constituent Carolyn Newman, a survivor who will save $7,000 a year with an affordable plan, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. She can save even more by shopping on the exchange.

With the Affordable Care Act making it possible for more women to access preventive services and not be denied coverage, we can work to eradicate breast cancer once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Work and Family Month.

As a mother of three school-aged children, I know how difficult it is to juggle a demanding career while caring for a family. Despite our best attempts, our schedules are never entirely predictable--fevers, flight delays, and life's unexpected surprises have a way of throwing off the schedules we planned so meticulously. As we try to navigate life's twists and turns, a big part of our success hinges on the flexibility in our work environments.

Advances in technology are making greater workplace flexibility possible, but there is still a lot more we can do to make a healthy work-life balance become the norm rather than the exception.

The importance of employers promoting policies that support their employees' success within and outside the workplace must not be underestimated. Study after study shows that employers who offer effective work-life balance programs are able to attract and retain more talented employees and also maintain a healthier and happier workforce. Workers who have more input and flexibility with their schedules, such as accommodating work hours and paid sick leave, are able to care for their dependents without worrying about their job security--whether that means caring for a sick child home from school with the flu, a husband or wife recovering from a surgery, or an elderly parent who needs help getting to the doctor. Workers who can successfully manage their personal lives are less stressed, which results in a more productive workforce and lower costs associated with employee turnover.

More and more children are now growing up in a household with two full-time working parents, or are being raised by a single parent who works. For the sake of healthy children and families, employers must update their practices to reflect 21st century realities.

Investing in the health and wellbeing of our nation's workforce is not just smart for business; it's smart for our nation's long-term success. As research shows, increased parental involvement is associated with greater academic achievement and lower dropout rates for children, some of whom will become our nation's next generation of leaders.

So as we recognize National Work and Family Month, I encourage my fellow policy makers, employers, and employees to come together to create workplaces that are more flexible and supportive of our nation's hard working families.