Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor today's guest chaplain, Reverend Dean Curry, from Tacoma, Washington.

We are blessed to have such a remarkable pastor with us today who is a leading figure in the region that I represent. Reverend Curry's Life Center Church in Tacoma is a vibrant place where folks young and old come for worship.

He knows what it means to give back to your community. Each month, he brings together civic and elected leaders in Tacoma for a faith breakfast, and volunteers from his church are always helping out those going through hard times.

The motto of his church sums up his work pretty remarkably: ``It's all about the people.'' That is why it is fitting to have Reverend Curry here today. Like the United States House of Representatives, his mission is to serve the people.

Reverend Curry is an example of how we should do more to listen, respect, and understand one another better so we can leave a place for future generations where opportunities are available for everyone.

Reverend Curry has also led humanitarian missions to troubled regions like Iraq and Afghanistan to offer assistance and hope to those suffering through tragedies. He is someone who ``walks the walk'' when it comes to fighting for equality, religious freedom, and social justice both in his community and around the world.

Whether he is listening to stories in refugee settlements or helping out with a national prayer breakfast, his passion for others shines through, and it is an honor to welcome him today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on Congress to oppose efforts that would undermine our domestic maritime industry and workforce.

Ninety-five years ago, Congress recognized the critical importance of maintaining a strong domestic maritime fleet by passing the Merchant Marine Act, also known as the Jones Act.

Congress is now considering unraveling a law that has played a key role in ensuring the development of a robust shipyard industrial base that supports our national economy, our military, and our homeland security.

The Jones Act has also guaranteed that the United States has highly trained and skilled mariners who can be called into service during times of national emergency so America can build ships for America.

We saw how commercial vessels flying the American flag played a major role in providing the mariners needed to operate sealift vessels activated from reserve status in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

This is about American jobs. In 2012, the maritime industry employed more than 57,000 workers and supported $15.2 billion in gross business income in Washington State alone. In the Pacific Northwest, we understand the importance of the Jones Act.

Why would Congress kill good American jobs?

Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that Congress will reject efforts to undermine the Jones Act and I will continue working with my colleagues to show our strong support for our country's domestic maritime industry and its workers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for the House to immediately take up legislation to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program.

For more than 100 years, the Federal Government has recognized the financial stresses that national forest land puts on local communities. The failure of Congress to reauthorize this program at the end of the last Congress has resulted in significant budget gaps and enormous uncertainty for county governments in my State and throughout the country.

School districts across the country are poring over their books, figuring out how to scale back essential services that they provide to students, to our kids, and to their families.

In Washington State, one county has seen its budget for the sheriff's office cut in half, making layoffs inevitable. The region I represent, Jefferson County, is now struggling to repair a key access road that was washed out from a storm.

Without Secure Rural Schools funding to complete the repairs, the county is left hoping a State emergency declaration will provide needed funds. Other counties are facing similar projects in limbo.

Mr. Speaker, let's maintain our Federal obligation to rural and timber communities and work in a bipartisan fashion to pass legislation that reauthorizes and funds this critical program as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on this body to take up legislation to repeal the last-minute changes to campaign finance law that were tacked into a 1,600-page bill to fund the government this December.

As a result of this legislation, the wealthiest donors can now each contribute more than $750,000 per year to a political party, more than seven times the previous cap. Worst of all, these changes were buried in a bill with no hearing and no public debate. In fact, Mr. Speaker, this body never even got a chance to vote on this provision since the bill was not considered under an open amendment process.

In all the conversations that I have had with residents throughout Washington State, I can tell you I have never heard anyone, Democrat or Republican, argue that the wealthy can't spend enough on politics or that those with the deepest pockets don't have enough influence in our Nation's Capital.

That is why I have introduced the Close the Floodgates Act, to protect the interests of ``We the People'' and make sure that the wealthiest donors don't get another chance to flood our elections with even more money and to undermine our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, let's take up this legislation, strip out those loopholes, and get to work restoring the faith and trust of American voters.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Dr. Pamela Transue, who has served as Tacoma Community College's president for 17 years.

President Transue has established an effective and successful learning environment that has opened doors of opportunity for its students. Under her tenure, Tacoma Community College has become a more vibrant and modern place, and her efforts have brought the college national recognition. As a former board member of Tacoma Community College, I saw firsthand how she helped shape the lives of countless students.

Alongside her service as president, she has also been actively engaged in the community, whether giving a speech at the Metropolitan Development Council breakfast or participating in a local economic development association. Dr. Transue has long recognized that education and job growth and self-sufficiency all go hand in hand.

Dr. Transue will retire at the close of this year, and with her retirement, she will be one of the longest serving presidents in higher education in Washington State's history, serving as Tacoma Community College's president for almost one-third of the college's existence.

Her nearly two decades as president of Tacoma Community College have impacted our region's economy and generations of students young and old. I am pleased to recognize her service today in the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4329, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 2014, which passed on Tuesday out of the House of Representatives.

Visiting the nine tribes in the district I represent, I have seen the significant challenges that tribal communities face in providing decent and affordable housing to their members, so I know how important this bill is.

One issue that I worked on very closely regards the needs of tribal veterans who disproportionately suffer from homelessness. Last year, I met a man in my district who served this Nation in uniform but was sleeping in his car. We can do better.

Last year, I joined with Representative Cole to introduce the Housing Native Heroes Act, which would expand new authorities and flexibilities to a program called the HUD-VASH program, which better addresses tribal veterans' homelessness. I am thankful to Representative Pearce and his colleagues for working to include strong provisions in this bill to tackle homelessness among our tribal veterans.

I look forward to continuing to work to address the needs of our tribal veterans, and I urge the Senate to quickly take up and pass this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. This bill makes needed investments in our military capability that are critical to the security of our Nation and of our allies.

I would like to specifically thank the chairman and the ranking member for their hard work on this bill and specifically for extending the authorization to pay overtime to public shipyard employees working on the forward deployed aircraft carrier in Japan; not only would this authorization allow the carrier to be maintained and returned to the fleet more quickly, it is also a necessary demonstration of support to our Federal workers.

Following pay freezes, government shutdowns, and sequestration- related furloughs, our Federal employees have endured enough hardship. It is not fair to ask them to leave their families for months on end to do the same job they do at home and earn less money.

I am grateful that Congress is doing the right thing in this case and acknowledging that supporting Federal employees and supporting national security are one and the same.

I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support of this provision. I thank them both for their terrific service to this Congress and to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Clallam County Commissioner, Mike Doherty, for his many years of service to communities across the Olympic Peninsula.

Commissioner Doherty has served for two decades on the Clallam County Board of Commissioners and his longstanding commitment to this community has been evident throughout his tenure. As he steps down from his position, I admire and thank him for his many years of dedicated service.

Like me, Doherty is a native of Port Angeles, Washington. He graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1961 before serving in the U.S. Navy, attending Peninsula College and Gonzaga University, and later earning a J.D. from Georgetown University. During his summers in law school, he spent time working in the office of Senator Warren G. Magnuson. After completing his law degree, Doherty returned to Port Angeles and launched a career serving his community.

Doherty served as the first chairman of the Board of Freeholders, better known today as the Charter Review Commission and was responsible for the creation of Clallam County's charter. After being appointed to the Commission and serving from 1976-1980, Doherty was first elected to the Board of Commissioners in 1998, representing the constituents of District 3, which stretches from Neah Bay to western Port Angeles. In addition, he served as a Port Angeles School Board Member from 1991- 1998.

In my time as a representative of our region, I have enjoyed working with Mike and appreciated his accessibility and his advocacy for the people of Clallam County's West End. From small businesses to Native American Tribes to timber mills to federal agencies, Mike has been a champion for people on the Peninsula. Aside from his work on local government issues, he has made a difference on a number of fronts, including his advocacy for secure rural schools funding in the Congress and his participation in the Olympic Peninsula Collaborative.

As a native of Port Angeles, I am grateful to have leaders like Doherty working for our community. I've been grateful for his counsel and his friendship. His decades of service to the people of this region are commendable, and he has distinguished himself as an impactful and thoughtful public servant for our region.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by applauding Doherty for his dedication to serving the people of Clallam County, Washington. I am honored to recognize his service today in the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker:

Whereas, National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed on this September the 19th, 2014 at VFW Narrows Bridge Post #10018 and nationwide;

Whereas, there remain over 83,000 men and women unaccounted for, who have served our country in conflicts since World War II;

Whereas, the families and comrades of those missing hold out hope as the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office works to bring each person home;

Whereas, a grateful nation mourns and remembers those heroes who have given their lives to the service of our country; and

Whereas, the surviving brothers and sisters in arms of the fallen resolve steadfast to forge a new commitment year after year in pursuit of resolution and remembrance of those no longer with us; now, therefore, I, Derek Kilmer, Representative of Washington State's Sixth Congressional District, hereby proclaim the continued gratitude for those men and women who have served before us, and for those who continue the search for our servicemembers who are not forgotten on this POW/MIA Recognition Day.

In witness thereof, I call upon those here today, and those who will in future years join us, on this solemn remembrance, to keep the promise to bring home all those who are captured or killed while serving our great nation.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I would also like to thank Chair Capito and Ranking Member Meeks, as well as Chairman Hensarling and Ranking Member Waters, for their efforts to move the American Savings Promotion Act to the floor of the House today.

Mr. Speaker, my legislation would remove Federal barriers that today prevent some financial institutions from being able to offer innovative financial products, known as prize-linked savings accounts. These safe, regulated financial products are designed to make savings fun. The more you save, the more chances you have to win. As a Dire Straits fan, I called this idea the ``Money for Nothing'' concept. If you make deposits, you get more chances to win, and even if you don't win, you get to keep the money you saved.

Many families understand the importance of saving money to help them manage expected costs like college or retirement and unexpected costs that they might face, whether it is a trip to the emergency room or repairing their cars, but we know too many Americans struggle to set aside a little bit of cash every month. Nearly a quarter of Americans report they wouldn't be able to come up with at least $2,000 in 30 days. Another 19 percent said they could, but they would have to begin pawning or selling their possessions or taking out payday loans.

The idea behind prize-linked savings accounts is based on the recognition that people are significantly motivated by rewards, and when it comes to saving money, the idea of earning pennies on the dollar just isn't all that attractive to a lot of folks, particularly those who don't have a lot to save in the first place. Prize-linked savings accounts seek to step into that gap and provide savers with a product that keeps folks excited about saving by offering cash prizes.

The research shows that prize-linked savings accounts are actually working to boost savings. The National Bureau of Economic Research recently published an analysis of these accounts, finding that the data ``demonstrate clearly'' that individuals save at a higher rate when they are offered the use of prize-linked savings accounts. Unfortunately, under Federal law, only some financial institutions are able to offer these products.

My legislation, which I am proud to have worked on with Representative Tom Cotton, alongside Senators Jerry Moran and Sherrod Brown, would clear away the Federal obstacles so that more financial institutions can offer these products. It accomplishes this without establishing a new government program, without spending scarce Federal dollars, and without preempting State laws.

Over the past 4 years, an estimated 50,000 account holders have saved more than $94 million using prize-linked savings accounts. Even if those members don't win a big cash prize, they are strengthening their financial cushions to withstand whatever life throws at them while developing a habit of saving.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the American Savings Promotion Act.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representatives Kennedy and Reed for working across the aisle to develop legislation that will encourage the growth of innovative technologies and the creation of a manufacturing workforce that will be able to compete on the global playing field.

I also want to thank the Representatives for working with Representative Hultgren and myself to include the reauthorization of the Regional Innovation program.

The Regional Innovation program provides needed support to innovative initiatives that accelerate technology commercialization, job creation, and economic growth in the United States. It acknowledges something important, that innovation and job growth don't happen in large marble buildings in our Nation's Capitol; rather, it happens on the ground in communities throughout our Nation.

It happens in Tacoma where world-class research on clean water is happening in a collaboration between our companies and our university. It is happening on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington where innovative companies and innovative people are developing composite technology in partnership with the local college.

If the United States is going to be a global economic competitor in the 21st century, we need to focus on growing a high-skilled workforce in our communities.

I spent a decade working in economic development. We had a sign up on the wall in our office that said, ``We are competing with everyone, everywhere, every day, forever.''

Bills like this will help us compete. It will help us make things here in the United States; and, as the dad of two little girls, I am hopeful it will provide opportunity for future generations to make things here in America.

I think the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Bill is a sign we are moving in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

My legislation would make technical corrections to a 2008 law to reflect the renaming of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.

I would also like to thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva, as well as Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member DeFazio, for their efforts to move this legislation through their committee and ensure that Congress is properly recognizing this memorial.

The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 included the site now known as the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial as a unit of a national historic site. The memorial was established to recognize the historical injustice that was committed against the Japanese American community on Bainbridge Island.

In the wake of this surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, facing fears about potential threats among people of Japanese heritage, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing more than 120,000 people with Japanese ancestry to leave their homes, leave their jobs, their neighbors, their friends, and their communities. They were forced to travel great distances in order to be held indefinitely in one of ten relocation centers.

This order, now rightly denounced, first went into effect on March 30, 1942, when more than 200 residents of Bainbridge Island, Washington, were forced to leave their homes, gather at Eagledale Ferry Dock, and then were transported to a so-called relocation center. These individuals, many of them American citizens, committed no crimes, yet were deprived of their rights simply because of who they were.

Just recently, I had the honor of visiting this memorial and meeting with local Japanese American survivors who were forced to stay at these relocation camps for years before finally moving back to their homes. They told me their stories. Some were just little kids when it all happened, no older than my daughters are today. Some were older, teenagers and young adults.

The memorial tells their stories. The day I met with them I heard their stories, many of them were heartbreaking: the pain that they and their families experienced coming home to the family farm to find that you had to start over from scratch; in some instances, the painful reality, the constant reminder of having received a high school diploma from an internment camp; the challenges of coming back to a community.

Some of the Japanese American survivors told stories of hope, of coming home and having had a neighbor take care of the farm or of having many in the Bainbridge Island community welcome them back with open arms.

While the particular stories are different, there are some basic realities. This is a dark chapter in our Nation's history. We have an obligation to ensure that future generations remember what took place so that these mistakes are not repeated.

Today the National Park Service manages three national historic sites related to the Japanese American incarceration. The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, which was included in 2008, is the only site administered by the Park Service that commemorates the forcible removal of Japanese Americans.

In April of this year, the Bainbridge Island City Council and the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreational District, which jointly own the memorial, officially renamed it the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.

In order to eliminate any confusion and ensure that the official name of the site is formally recognized, H.R. 4751 would update the law to reflect the renaming of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. Not only will this name properly respect the unjustified and discriminatory treatment faced by this community, it will also bring greater attention to the beautiful site commemorating this difficult history.

I want to thank the many local leaders and community organizations who have worked in this for so many years. I am hopeful that we can move this effort forward for them, for our ancestors, and for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Johnpaul Jones for his distinguished architecture, his commitment to honoring our natural world and cultures, and his accomplishments as a recipient of the 2013 National Humanities Medal.

A Bainbridge Island resident of 43 years, Johnpaul Jones has enriched our community and historical awareness through his holistic approach to space design. Locally, he has earned the title of ``Island Treasure'' for his help in designing the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and the Waypoint Park on Bainbridge Island. In designing the gorilla exhibit and the elephant house at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, Mr. Jones' unique approach pioneered a movement to design more natural habitats for zoo animals.

Mr. Jones' design philosophy is deeply rooted in his Cherokee- Choctaw ancestors. Johnpaul Jones' projects have demonstrated an ingrained respect for the natural world and native landscapes and for enhancing awareness of the indigenous people, cultures, and the communities in which they inhabit. This philosophy is apparent in his celebrated design of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

Mr. Jones has received multiple honors and awards for his work including the American Institute of Architects Seattle Medal, the Executive Excellence Award from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon, his alma mater.

Most recently, President Barack Obama honored Johnpaul Jones with a National Humanities Medal. The National Humanities Medal, introduced in 1997, honors individuals and groups whose work has enhanced our nation's understanding of the humanities and expanded our citizens' involvement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects. Johnpaul Jones, the first architect to be honored with this award, was one of ten who received the 2013 National Humanities Medal for his work in broadening our nation's cultural understanding and awareness through his architecture.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by again applauding Johnpaul Jones for his environmentally conscious and culturally reverent architecture and for his commitment to our community. From our nation's capital to the beautiful city of Bainbridge Island, Johnpaul's work preserves our nation's stories for generations to come. I am honored to recognize Johnpaul Jones today in the United States Congress.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

I rise today as someone who went to college with the help of grants and loans and the support of a family and a community that had my back. It is in that spirit that I rise today to offer an amendment designed to help students and borrowers get access to more information about sound financial practices.

We know that financial literacy is important. It helps provide people with a roadmap for making sound financial decisions, to avoid or get out of debt, to prepare for emergencies, and to save for a brighter future.

Studies have found that 20-somethings have an average debt of $45,000, primarily from student loans, but also from car loans, mortgages, and credit card debt. When the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development provided an international financial literacy test, American students ranked below average.

We need to do more to promote financial literacy, and it is particularly important that students who are getting federally- supported loans are getting the tools that they need to keep their finances on track.

We need to support resources that teach students financial literacy and provide them with the tools that they need to improve decisionmaking and strengthen their household budgets. Helping more students shore up their financial management skills also has a direct impact on the economic and financial stability of our country.

Congress took a critical step forward in providing these resources by creating the Financial Literacy and Education Commission as part of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003, legislation that passed the House with overwhelmingly bipartisan support and was signed into law by President George W. Bush.

The Financial Literacy and Education Commission developed resources that help consumers better understand financial products. It offers guidance on how to financially prepare for and respond to major life events, and it gives tips on savings and borrowing and deterring fraud.

The amendment that I offer today would direct universities and the Department of Education to provide students with information about the financial management resources provided by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission.

For many students, a student loan is the first loan of their lives. As students consider the financial assistance that they need to get a decent education, it is critically important that they have the information they need to responsibly manage their finances.

I particularly want to applaud the ongoing work and leadership in promoting financial literacy by the cochairs of the House Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, including Representative Hinojosa, who has been a strong advocate of financial literacy initiatives and played a critical role in creating this commission.

I am also pleased to be joined by my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), who sponsored this legislation that helped create this commission.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Madam Chair, I just want to close by thanking Mr. Bachus not just for his support of this amendment, but for his career of work on behalf of financial literacy, and not just working on behalf of our students, but all of our families.

I also want to thank the rest of my fellow cosponsors of the underlying bill, as well as the chairman and the ranking member and their staffs for working with me on this amendment.

As someone who couldn't have gone to college without the assistance of financial aid, I am hopeful that this will take a meaningful step toward providing young people with tools that they need to live financially responsible lives.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5120, the Department of Energy Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act of 2014.

In the report, ``Rising above the Gathering Storm,'' Paul Otellini, the former CEO of Intel, challenged Congress and challenged the Nation to step up the innovation challenge to grow our economy.

Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will wrote, ``Without a change in U.S. Government policy, the next big thing will not be invented here. Jobs will not be created here, and wealth will not accrue here.''

I would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hultgren) and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working together to produce a bipartisan bill targeted at stepping up to that challenge.

Our national labs are currently doing innovative research that can hit roadblocks on the path to commercialization, on the path to helping small business run with those innovations, so this bill provides important tools to spur and accelerate the transfer of new technologies developed at our national laboratories and to the private sector.

It significantly broadens the range of companies that can participate in a new pilot program with our Federal labs and allows for more flexible partnership agreement terms between the public and private sectors.

The bill also allows labs to use their technology transfer funds for activities that identify and demonstrate potential commercial opportunities for their research and technologies.

These partnerships between our national labs and the business community will help eliminate gaps in funding by facilitating a path for innovative ideas from basic research to commercial application.

Let me tell you why this matters to me. The region I represent is home to the Pacific Northwest National Lab facility, and I have seen firsthand the innovative research being done there.

I have also worked closely with our premier research universities to find ways to enable exciting new partnership opportunities. So going beyond just the labs, this bill removes burdens that currently prevent many universities and other nonprofit research institutions from working with the Department of Energy.

This bill also streamlines management and coordination of DOE's full spectrum of energy activities, from basic research through commercial application, by establishing a single Under Secretary for Science and Energy.

The bill authorizes DOE to partner with the National Science Foundation, so that its researchers can participate in NSF's groundbreaking Innovation Corps program, which matches grant recipients with entrepreneurs to help get their ideas out of the lab and into the marketplace.

Lastly, the bill includes important reporting and accountability measures, so that we will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of each of these new tools and determine any additional steps that we should be taking down the road.

DOE's national laboratories have been the birthplace of some of our most revolutionary technologies. When this research is harnessed by entrepreneurs and business leaders, start-ups with only one or two employees can grow into companies that create hundreds of quality jobs.

We want to make sure that our national labs, our universities, and all federally-funded institutions and initiatives remain an important foundation of our knowledge-based economy.

That is why I was proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation, to give scientists and researchers in both the public and private sectors the tools and the freedom that they need to unlock a new wave of great discoveries.

I would like to close by noting that this is the kind of bipartisan, cooperative work Congress needs to do if we are going to bolster our global competitiveness. Countries around the world are working to recruit and develop the next generation of innovators. If we are going to have any chance of keeping up, we absolutely

have to make research and development a top priority.

I am hopeful that we can renew the bipartisan spirit and commitment to making sure tomorrow's cutting-edge technology is developed here, not someplace else.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Once again, I would like to thank Mr. Hultgren, Chairman Smith, and Ranking Member Johnson.

Having no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.