Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Safe Climate Caucus to commend the release of EPA's proposed regulations to reduce carbon pollution from new power plants. These standards set the first national limits on the amount of carbon pollution that future power plants will be allowed to emit.

Power plants are the largest source of carbon pollution, and these commonsense standards are moving us closer to mitigating the devastating effects of climate change.

As extreme weather events continue to show us, the economic consequences of climate change are too great for us to continue to do nothing. By starting to rein in carbon pollution now, we are taking meaningful steps toward leaving a cleaner and healthy planet for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the United College Action Network, (U-CAN), and to congratulate this fine organization on 25 years of service. As U-CAN's founders, staff and supporters gather to celebrate 25 years of unparalleled service to the Sacramento community, I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring this organization.

Founded on September 12, 1988, by Alan and Donna Rowe, U-CAN has helped countless local high school students attend college. U-CAN specializes in providing college opportunities at historically black colleges and universities for students who may not normally pursue a college degree.

U-CAN's successful model includes outreach, educational support, and mentoring services to students and their parents. U-CAN has built strong partnerships with local school districts, admissions officers, financial aid departments, coaches and department deans. Due in large part to their track record, they enjoy supportive relationships with a wide variety of faith, businesses and community organizations. U-CAN seeks to recruit and support socially and economically disadvantaged students regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or national origin to attend historically black colleges and universities. Since its inception, U-CAN has assisted over 54,000 students in achieving their dream of a college education, generated $55 million in scholarship awards for students, and made it possible for 15,000 students to be accepted to historically black colleges and universities.

Mr. Speaker, on their 25th anniversary, I am pleased to the United College Action Network for their service to students from the Greater Sacramento Area. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this organization and wishing them continued success as they serve local students as they pursue a college degree.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Sacramento's former mayor, city councilman and a prominent member of our community, R. Burnett Miller, as he celebrates his 90th birthday. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this great civic-minded individual who has served his country with honor and has contributed so much to the Sacramento region.

Burnett was born in Sacramento, California, in 1923 and graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School. He began his life of service by joining the ROTC at Santa Clara College in 1941. He was a sophomore when World War II began, and went on to serve our nation in the Battle of the Bulge, and was a part of the U.S. 11th Armored Division when it liberated the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria on May 6, 1945. His service earned him a Purple Heart and the Silver Star for gallantry in action against an enemy of our nation. His experiences were featured in Ken Burns' documentary The War on PBS.

Burnett completed his college education at Georgetown University and lived in Europe for several years; however, he never forgot his hometown. Burnett moved back to Sacramento and joined his family's lumber business, which later became known as Burnett and Sons Planing Mill and Lumber Company. For over 144 years, this company has prided itself in special and unique craftsmanship and has provided high- quality jobs to local Sacramentans.

Burnett continued his lifetime of public service by serving first as a member of the Sacramento City Council and then as mayor. As a leader in our community, Burnett has championed local causes and organizations, raising funds for the Crocker Art Museum, the Sacramento Symphony, and the Sacramento History Center.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the great life of my friend, R. Burnett Miller, as he celebrates his 90th birthday with his lovely wife Mimi, his children and his friends and family in Sacramento. His life and legacy are an inspiration to us all.

Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise in honor of Joe Duarte, who passed away on July 23 in Sacramento, at the age of 84. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Duarte as his family and friends gather to celebrate his life and legacy.

Mr. Duarte, a former Merchant Marine, devoted his life to helping our community. A lifelong athlete who played professional baseball with the St. Louis Browns, Mr. Duarte was committed to promoting recreational and academic activities for the youth of Sacramento. As a member of the Greater Sacramento Evening Optimist Club, in 1971 Mr. Duarte founded the Optimist All-Star baseball, basketball, and football games. He organized the best high school seniors from the Greater Sacramento area into teams to participate in these games. Not stopping with baseball, basketball, and football, Mr. Duarte also organized girls softball and volleyball games.

Mr. Duarte created and organized the Youth Appreciation Night for Students from more than ten schools, which for over 20 years has recognized students who excel in academic, athletics and community service. In 2005, he created the Respect for Law program which honors seniors from the Criminal Justice Academies at Grant Union, John F. Kennedy, Hiram Johnson, and C. K. McClatchy high schools at a banquet which included their parents and Sacramento law enforcement officers.

Mr. Duarte's honors include inductions into the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Hall of Fame in 1975, the Greater Sacramento Softball Association Hall of Fame, and the LaSalle Club Baseball Hall of Fame at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento in 2001.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in paying honor to Joe Duarte for being an exemplary member of the Sacramento community. His life and commitment to our community is an inspiration to us all. The Greater Sacramento area has lost a true citizen of the community who always put service above self. I ask that we take a moment and give our utmost respect and condolences to his wife, Phyllis, and their three children.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Ralph Petty as he retires from 38 years with the U.S. Postal Service. As his family, friends, and colleagues gather to celebrate his illustrious career, I ask my colleagues to join me in tribute to Mr. Petty's many years of service.

After honorably serving his nation in the Vietnam War, Ralph began a long career with the Postal Service as a letter carrier. He would later rise to become the spokesman and customer relations coordinator for the Postal Service in Sacramento, where he has constantly engaged the public, furthering access and understanding of the postal services available to area residents and businesses. Ralph has a widespread reputation for incredible customer service, and is a well-beloved member of the Postal Service staff, even earning the nickname ``Mr. Stamp''. His good nature and excellent work ethic have made him an invaluable asset to Sacramento area residents, including my staff and me, and his service will be sorely missed.

Ralph has left his mark of the Postal Service in California and our Nation. He was instrumental in the creation of the Breast Cancer Stamp that has raised over $75 million for breast cancer awareness, and has been recognized by the Postal Service's leadership with the ``Benjamin Award'' for spreading postal services and products. Ralph was also a key proponent of the Santa Letter Program, which brings joy to countless needy children, and created a time capsule in 1993 that marked 150 years of mail delivery to Sacramento.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to pay tribute to Mr. Ralph Petty, who has served our Nation and community for so long. His diligent work has greatly contributed to the Sacramento region and he has helped to ensure that the Postal Service products are at the forefront of the public's mind. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this man whose community mindedness and service have been such an asset to Sacramento and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Ron Cooper as he retires from Access Sacramento. As his family, friends and colleagues all gather to celebrate his outstanding career, I ask my colleagues to join me in tribute to Mr. Cooper's decades of service.

Mr. Cooper selflessly served the Sacramento media, television and radio community for 26 years at the non-profit organization, Access Sacramento. For more than 22 of those years, he was its executive director. Under his leadership, Access Sacramento became nationally recognized as a pioneer in media technology and advocate for voicing unheard, marginalized voices and opinions.

Access Sacramento has succeeded in providing important and timely ideas, thoughts, sights, and sounds, especially for minority programs that commercial and public television and radio did not find economically viable. Mr. Cooper founded and cultivated the annual ``A Place Called Sacramento'' film festival, which supports local filmmaking and offers training, coaching and production assistance to community filmmakers.

Mr. Cooper also gave a voice to the youth of Sacramento by creating Neighborhood News Bureaus, which initiated ingenious methods of newsgathering and collaborations with neighborhood community centers through the implementation of current media technology and training. He also worked with college students from Cosumnes River College, high school students, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, creating and fostering cooperative training arrangements to provide practical media production experience and opportunities in media careers. Mr. Cooper's tireless service enriched our democratic values by offering voter education programming during election cycles.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Mr. Ron Cooper, who has served the Sacramento community and its people for more than two decades. His service has greatly contributed to the community and ensured the exercise of free speech. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing this man whose leadership has strengthened and broadened Sacramento's very best attributes.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, my district of Sacramento is one of the leading clean energy economies in the country. The sharp cuts to clean energy initiatives in this bill are deeply troubling. It will no doubt hurt American innovation and American jobs, particularly as other nations continue to invest in clean energy technologies. It is also not reflective of an all-of-the-above energy strategy that our Nation desperately needs.

At the same time, this bill addresses some of the important flood protection priorities for my district. Sacramento is the most at-risk metropolitan area for major flooding, as it lies at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers. We have a great deal at risk. As the home of the State capital and half a million people, a major flood event in Sacramento would have economic damages of up to $40 billion.

I am pleased that this bill includes nearly $70 million in funding for Sacramento's flood protection priorities, including more than $66 million to continue construction on the Folsom Dam Joint Federal Project. In addition, this bill includes report language, which I requested, expressing concern with the Corps' current levee vegetation policy. Sacramento is ground zero for the impact of the Corps' vegetation policy. Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, the Corps should consider regional variances and local input, as called for under bipartisan legislation I introduce in H.R. 399, the Levee Vegetation Review Act.

The bill also includes report language that I also requested expressing concern with the Corps' decision to end its section 104 crediting policy, which has halted flood protection projects from moving forward, particularly one in west Sacramento.

Mr. Speaker, moving forward, we must also be cognizant that there are other much-needed public safety projects that remain unfunded and unbuilt due to a lack of a WRDA bill. We urgently need to improve America's crumbling levee infrastructure. In Sacramento, my constituents have taxed themselves twice and $350 million of construction work is well under way for the Natomas Levee Improvement Project, all while awaiting congressional authorization for over 2 years after receiving a chief's report from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Mr. Speaker, on May 15 the Senate passed a robust WRDA bill with clear bipartisan support of 83-14. It is my sincere hope that the House will soon follow suit. We cannot wait until the next disaster takes lives and wrecks our economy. This is a bipartisan issue that must be addressed immediately in Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Pain- Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

Instead of focusing on much needed job creation legislation . . . or addressing the student loan interest rates set to double in a matter of days . . . the House Republican Leadership has decided to bring up a bill that is unconstitutional and unconscionable.

This legislation would ban abortions after 20 weeks nationwide . . . with no exceptions to protect a woman's health and with the most narrow exceptions for rape or incest.

I have always believed that such a deeply personal issue can only be made by the woman herself . . . in consultation with her doctor . . . and her most trusted loved ones.

This legislation is an attempt to insert the federal government into this decision making process and chip away at a woman's right to choose.

For the young women in Sacramento and nationwide, I oppose this legislation in order to protect their health and their rights . . . and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Safe Climate Caucus to highlight the four-part plan released last Monday by the International Energy Agency about the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is yet one more report sounding the alarm that we are not on track to meet the agreed-upon target of limiting the rise of average global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius.

Mr. Speaker, how many more reports must be released before we act? Every day that Congress continues down this self-destructive path of ignoring climate change is a missed opportunity to bring immense benefits to our country. By failing to enact responsible climate change policies, we are missing the opportunity to simultaneously create good paying jobs, protect our environment, and leave a sustainable planet for our future generations.

The time to act is now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Sacramento's Loaves and Fishes homeless shelter, and congratulate them as they celebrate their 30th anniversary. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring this organization.

Founded in 1983, Loaves and Fishes has been serving the Sacramento area by providing food, shelter, and social services for the area's homeless. They are a haven of safety, sustenance, and shelter for the men, women and children that seek their assistance. Today's ``30 Years of Food, Warmth, and a Path Home'' celebration has been dedicated to the hard work of Loaves and Fishes' countless volunteers.

Loaves and Fishes, led by Sister Libby Fernandez and a committed Board of Directors, has shown compassion and devotion to meeting the needs of the homeless and indigent in the greater Sacramento area. They place the dignity of each person that they serve at the forefront of their efforts and strive to meet the needs of each person that walks in their doors. To fulfill its mission of compassion, Loaves and Fishes relies on financial support from a number of private donations and church groups.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby recognize Loaves and Fishes for their continued service to the homeless men, women, and children of the Greater Sacramento area. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this organization and wishing them continued success as they endeavor to serve Sacramento's homeless.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Eskaton Monroe Lodge as they celebrate their 40th Anniversary. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the hardworking staff, volunteers and supporters who have ensured that this fine organization is able to provide valuable senior living and social services to Sacramento's seniors.

Established in 1973 and located in the historic Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento, Eskaton Monroe Lodge was built by Eskaton, a non-profit health care organization based in Sacramento, as its first residential facility. While the buildings and property have been enhanced over the years, many of the original features and landscape have been preserved. Today, the property consists of almost one hundred apartments and continues to allow seniors to live independently and to the fullest extent possible in a comfortable and secure setting. Eskaton Monroe Lodge continues to offer a wide array of services and programs dedicated to improving the lives of Sacramento's seniors and their families.

Eskaton Monroe Lodge offers its residents a variety of services including blood pressure clinics, access to the public library's bookmobile, church services, and continuing education programs pertinent to seniors. Also offered are activities such as exercise and wellness classes, movie showings, live artistic performances, craft groups, and many more which allow for social interaction. In addition, residents have access to transportation services that can get them to doctor appointments, grocery stores, and banks, and be able to run personal errands.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize and celebrate the outstanding service of Eskaton Monroe Lodge on its 40th Anniversary. I ask all my colleagues to join me in celebrating Eskaton Monroe Lodge, its residents, staff and volunteers as they celebrate the valuable contributions Eskaton Monroe Lodge has made to supporting Sacramento's seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of equal pay for equal work for women.

June 10 marks the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act. In 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was passed, women made 59 cents to the dollar that men made. Fifty years later, women are still paid significantly less than men for their same work. Today, women earn 77 cents for every dollar men make.

Equal pay should not only be viewed as an issue of fairness; it is also an economic issue. The yearly gap of $8,200 the Sacramento women face could have been put to use paying off student loans, as part of a down payment for a new home, or invested for their retirement.

Paycheck fairness puts the money that women have rightfully earned into their pockets where it belongs. That's why I support the Paycheck Fairness Act and urge my colleagues to support this important legislation as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the rule and the underlying legislation.

Well, here we go again. In fact, I've lost count of how many times we've had to vote on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The underlying legislation before us today would deny my constituents and the American people access to affordable health care. It would increase health costs and reduce benefits for millions of American families.

It's particularly ironic that during Older Americans Month, we are here voting on a bill that will eliminate benefits to seniors, including preventive services and savings on prescription drugs.

It would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to Americans with preexisting conditions, drop coverage when people get sick, reinstitute lifetime limits on coverage and charge people more based merely on gender.

The Affordable Care Act has already created long-lasting benefits for many of my constituents, including Theresa, a single mother of four whose youngest child is 20 and lives with a preexisting condition. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, Theresa was personally spending over $10,000 a year to pay for her care. Her daughter's medical condition prevented her from attending college. But thanks to the Affordable Care Act, she was able to be added back on to her mother's health plan. This has meant tremendous savings for Theresa, who was worried she might lose her home, along with the care her daughter desperately needed.

A vote against this rule and against the underlying legislation is a vote to protect our constituents from unfair insurance company practices, to provide relief to Americans, young and old alike, to protect job growth and creation, and for a fiscally responsible future. It is time for this Congress to move forward, not backwards.

I urge my colleagues to vote down this rule and the underlying legislation.

Thank you very much.

I ask unanimous consent to insert my statement in the Record opposing the GOP's heartless Mother's Day gift--more work and less pay for working moms. Happy Mother's Day.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of defeating the previous question. Putting people back to work is our number one priority.

Mr. Connolly's bill, which is part of the Make It In America agenda, will strengthen our economy by creating jobs and spurring innovation throughout the American manufacturing sector.

One area where we must assert world leadership is in clean energy technologies. This is why I have introduced the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act, legislation that is part of the Make It In America agenda. This bill will help clean energy technology companies access the world market and ensure these companies have the resources they need to export their products. Let's face it, the clean energy technology industry is growing rapidly. New jobs will be created, if not here, then in places like China and Germany.

In my home district of Sacramento, we have over 200 clean energy companies, the majority of which are small businesses. Clean World Partners is a local company that is converting everyday items like food and waste into energy. Altergy Systems manufactures fuel cell power systems. These small business owners want to expand their manufacturing operations and export their clean energy technologies to foreign markets, but they need our help, and they need it now.

I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question and immediately take up the Connolly bill, which is part of the Make It In America agenda, to show the American public we are serious about investing in our economy.