Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 851, which would recognize and honor the 40th anniversary of SEARCH, the National Consortium For Justice Information and Statistics, an organization that's headquartered in my hometown of Sacramento. For the last 40 years, SEARCH has been dedicated to administering justice and enhancing public safety, and has been involved in numerous facets of our criminal justice system.

In 1969, SEARCH was established as a 10-state pilot project by the United States Department of Justice to investigate the feasibility of exchanging criminal history records on an automated and nationwide basis. Using the information gathered from this demonstration project and utilizing its partnership with the department, the FBI, and various state agencies and organizations, SEARCH helped create the national criminal history record information system. This framework has enabled State and local governments to collect, maintain and disseminate valuable criminal justice information.

Today, SEARCH continues to provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to combat high-technology crimes. Specifically, the organization partners with the justice and public safety communities to provide quality training programs and hands-on assistance, and ensure that law enforcement agencies are well equipped to gather key intelligence to effectively protect, investigate and respond to such criminal actions.

For example, SEARCH recently assisted local authorities in northern California to apprehend a band of criminals after a reported crime. By employing cyber technology to track cell phone usage and location faster than ever before, these innovative tools help prevent further crimes from occurring.

Time and time again, Mr. Speaker, SEARCH has not only demonstrated its effectiveness in helping solve crimes that have already been committed but has also helped reduce the number of crimes being perpetrated in our neighborhoods. Its unwavering commitment to ensuring our safety and the safety of our children is truly impressive, and I commend the organization's tireless efforts toward this goal.

SEARCH employs 29 professional staff in my district and has representatives in every State across this country.

I ask that my colleagues join me today in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics and in honoring its incredible contributions to our criminal justice system.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my esteemed colleagues from California, Mike Thompson, Zoe Lofgren, Pete Stark, Mike Honda, Barbara Lee, Jerry McNerney and John Garamendi as we honor Eugene Skoropowski, who has served the public and private sector of the passenger rail business for more than 40 years. He is retiring this week as the Managing Director of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, CCJPA. As his colleagues, friends and family gather together to celebrate the next chapter of his life, we ask all of our colleagues to join us in saluting this outstanding public servant and supporter of passenger rail.

Not long after receiving his degree in architecture, from the Catholic University in Washington, DC, Gene became an active rail advocate in the late 1960s. His passion and desire to improve the passenger rail business has led him to be not only a national leader, but also a forward thinking innovator. Throughout his career he also has been an inspiration to foreign nations looking to enhance passenger rail service.

Before serving as Manager Director of the Capitol Corridor, Gene managed rail projects with Fluor Corporation for ten years in Los Angeles. During his tenure at Fluor, Gene worked closely with both the French National Railways and SYSTRA. He also served with the Philadelphia Regional Transit System and was Chief Railroad Services Officer for Boston's intercity rail system.

When Gene joined Capitol Corridor in 1999, the CCJPA serviced only eight daily trains. In less than a decade the CCJPA service grew to 32 daily trains on weekdays and 22 trains on weekends. As the number of trains grew, so did the ridership and revenue. He has given commuters across Northern California a convenient transportation alternative. Many train stations have benefitted from Gene's assistance. Such projects include the Richmond Intermodal Station, the Berkeley Station Platform Improvements, New Martinez Intermodal Depot and many more. In recent months, he has been intimately involved in the design of a new station in Sacramento.

Gene's efforts to improve the passenger rail business have not gone unnoticed. Since his arrival, Gene's leadership has led the CCJPA to a number of awards. These awards include, but are not limited to: the Regional Award--Project of the year in 2001, presented by Sacramento Area Council of Governments, SACOG, the Graham Clayton, Jr. Award for Distinguished Service to Passenger Transportation, the Partner of the Year, presented by Solano Transportation Authority, STA, and the 2007 President's Service and Safety Award, presented by Amtrak.

Madam Speaker, we are truly honored to pay tribute to our friend and dedicated public servant. We ask all of our colleagues to join with us in wishing Gene, his wife Joann, daughters June, Julie and Jeannette and grandchildren Nicholas and Samantha continued success and happiness in all of their future endeavors.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, it is so appropriate that you are sitting in this Chair on this historic bill, considering that you have introduced a health care bill every Congress that you were here, so we really love having you in the Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here on the House floor today, humbled by the fact that in the wealthiest country in the world that we have so many needs. The most pressing of these needs is for a reformed and strengthened health insurance system.

When I listen to my constituents, whether they are doctors, nurses, workers, business owners, or government employees, they are united in their support for health insurance reform. They know that costs are skyrocketing with no end in sight. They know that more people are losing their insurance as they lose their jobs, making the burden of uncompensated care even harder to bear for hospitals and doctors. They know that the doors of our community health centers are in constant motion because of overwhelming demand for their low-cost and high- quality services.

For my constituents, for all of us as Members of Congress, but most importantly, for the American people, the Affordable Health Care for America Act is a major victory. It achieves a long-held goal of reforming our health insurance system so that it works for all American families. In Sacramento, that means 2,000 families who will not have to file bankruptcy due to unaffordable health costs.

This legislation also strengthens Medicare so that our country's seniors can continue to rely on this bedrock program for their health care. In my district alone, this means nearly 8,000 Medicare beneficiaries who will not fall into the doughnut hole.

It makes health insurance affordable again for businesses who want to provide coverage to their employees and for those who are buying coverage for the first time on their own. In Sacramento, this means affordability credits to help pay for coverage for up to 181,000 households.

Finally, the bill invests in prevention and wellness and public health, which are some of my highest priorities. Unless we help people live healthier lives, we can never get health costs under control.

In short, the provisions of this legislation build on all that is good in our current health system to strengthen it for the future. This is why we come to Congress, Mr. Speaker. We come here to improve people's lives, to recognize and address the needs of the people we represent. I know that today's bill does this, which is why I support it so strongly. I look forward to today's debate and to our historic vote.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Jean Runyon, someone who helped shape the Sacramento community for more than 50 years. Jean was a dear friend and tremendous advocate of Sacramento. I know that countless people join me as I say goodbye to a truly wonderful person. I ask that my colleagues join with me in remembering a remarkable woman.

Jean was born March 6, 1927, in Concordia Kansas. She was the only child of Rowena Thornberg Hamilton, an actress, and Brutus Kerr Hamilton, a 1920 U.S. decathlon champion and Olympic silver medalist. Her father moved the family to California where he worked for the University of California Berkeley for 32 years as both a track and field coach and athletic director. Her father gave her the limitless energy she was always known for and was the one closest to her heart.

Jean studied drama at the UC Berkeley and wanted to be an actress, but instead of pursuing a career in acting she married S. Mercer

Runyon Jr., her college sweetheart, and moved to Sacramento in 1947. They would have two wonderful children, Stephen Runyon and Elizabeth Mulligan. Jean's first attempt at public relations came when Sacramento newspaper executive Eleanor McClatchy asked her to help the Music Circus Theater get publicity. Jean was acting in the Music Circus performances at the time and blended her knowledge of acting and natural skill at publicity with great success.

She was a woman who knew many firsts. After starting her own PR firm in 1960 she was named Man of the Year by the Sacramento Public Relations Round Table in 1962. In 1978 she was the first woman appointed to the Sutter Community Hospitals board of trustees. Jean also became Sacramento's first female Rotarian. In 1988 she was named Sacramentan of the Year by the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Jean raised millions of dollars over the years for many worthy causes such as the American Heart Association, Make-a-Wish, the Cerebral Palsy Association, the American Lung Association, the Special Olympics and the arts community that she so dearly loved. She was one of the kindest people Sacramento ever knew, but at the same time was driven in her pursuit whether for donations to charity or a client's success. While she had a personality that won business clients over, she also never lost her whimsical side. She was famous for her zany rooftop performances as a witch on Halloween--she rained candy on kids from above--Jean Runyon was affectionately called the ``Good Witch of River City''.

Her first husband, Mercer Runyon, died in 1970. That same year, her father passed away and she also underwent major surgery for breast cancer. She persevered through her tragedies with the can-do spirit that we all loved. In 1980 she married Philip Tow, a prominent air- pollution control engineer who unfortunately died in 1986. Jean later married again to Eugene Graham, who passed away in 1991. Her last husband, Jack Murphy, a retired insurance executive passed away in 2003. For all the challenges that Jean was presented with, it was clear that personal tragedies could not keep her down. She moved forward, never waivered and persevered with a positive outlook on life.

The successful Sacramento PR firm that Jean began in 1960 was joined by Estelle Saltzman and Jane Einhorn and was called Runyon, Saltzman and Einhorn. Their presence in Sacramento was enormous. Some of their major clients included The Sacramento Bee, California Department of Health Services, California Department of Consumer Affairs/Bureau of Automotive Repair, Sacramento Cable and the Sacramento Kings. One of Jean's favorite PR campaigns was for the Sacramento County Measles inoculation campaign when the vaccine first became available. She felt some of her best work was for campaigns on teen pregnancy, AIDS, anti- smoking and prenatal care.

Jean is survived by her two children, son Stephen Runyon of Courtland and daughter Elizabeth Mulligan of Hood, four grandchildren and one great granddaughter. We will all miss Jean Runyon terribly and in so many ways, but we do have countless memories of her to cherish.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of the Small Business Financing and Investment Act. I also want to congratulate Chairwoman Velazquez and the Small Business Committee for bringing this bill before us today.

We are all aware of the importance of small businesses in our neighborhoods and communities.

While we rely on them to produce goods and services, we also depend on them to create and sustain jobs. Small businesses are the engine of economic growth and innovation.

Nationally they represent more than 90 percent of all business in our country and have generated 70 percent of all new jobs over the past decade.

In my home district of Sacramento, small businesses are an integral part of our economy.

In fact, most Sacramentans obtain their first job through a small business.

In today's economic recession, however, many small businesses are struggling to make payroll, retain their employees, and expand their operations.

Over the last few months I've held two, separate, ``Small Business Workshops'' in Sacramento to help existing small business owners understand the stimulus legislation, obtain

financing and find new opportunities through government programs.

These two workshops attracted more than 800 local small businesses in Sacramento.

At these workshops, I heard from small business owners who were eager to be connected to business counseling resources, learn more about financing opportunities, SBA loan products, and government contracting opportunities.

I also heard from local small engineering firms who expressed concern that they did not qualify for an SBA loan because of their Standard Size.

I thank Chairwoman Velazquez for joining me in writing to SBA Administrator Karen Mills to move quickly to consider changing the size standard applied to small engineering firms.

Mr. Chair, the failure to promptly adjust the standard could inflict long-term damage to businesses within the engineering community and reduce federal contract participation opportunities.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that we passed earlier this year included dozens of new opportunities for small businesses through government contracts and grant programs totaling nearly $9 billion in lending since its enactment.

The bill before us today would build on these successes by infusing more than $44 billion for new lending and investment for small businesses.

It would also establish a new public-private partnership at the SBA and improve access to capital by increasing loan sizes.

Finally, it would create a new program to help small health practitioners adopt Health Information Technology, while increasing investment in small companies that are researching alternative and renewable energy solutions.

Mr. Chair, the federal government, in partnership with the private sector, is taking demonstrative action today to strengthen small businesses.

I commend our Leadership for bringing the Small Business Financing and Investment Act to the floor, and for their ongoing efforts to assist America's small businesses.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of the pending legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 853 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart).

All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 853 provides a structured rule for consideration of H.R. 3619, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, with 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the Chair and ranking minority member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the Chair and ranking minority member of the Homeland Security Committee.

The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee shall be considered as adopted and shall be considered as read.

The rule waives all points of order against the committee amendment. The rule makes in order the amendments printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution and waives all points of order against all amendments except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI.

The rule makes in order 13 amendments, including all six of the Republican amendments that were submitted for consideration. In the case of sundry amendments reported by the committee, the question of their adoption shall be put to the house en gros and without division of the question. The Chair may not entertain a motion to rise unless offered by the Chair of the Committee on Transportation or his designee and may not entertain a motion to strike the enacting clause.

I want to thank both Chairman Oberstar and Chairman Thompson for the good work their committees have done on this bill. Thanks to these two committees, we are here today to strengthen the Coast Guard's ability to implement its responsibilities. It is critical that the Coast Guard has the necessary funds, resources, and personnel to carry out the missions we need it to conduct.

H.R. 3619 increases the authorized end strength for military personnel in the Coast Guard by 1,500 to a total of 47,000 personnel. It will also permanently increase to 6,700 the allowable number of officers in the service.

The legislation also establishes marine safety as a core mission of the Coast Guard. It responds directly to the many shortcomings in Coast Guard acquisition efforts that the committee has examined over the last several years. For example, it prohibits the Coast Guard's use of a private sector lead system integrator, requires the Coast Guard to develop life-cycle cost estimates and prohibits contractor self- certification.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 will strengthen our Nation's Coast Guard by making important investments and key changes now, the benefits of which we will see for years to come.

This bill also includes legislation that I offered earlier this year, and I want to thank Chairman Oberstar and Chairman Cummings for including this important language in this bill. There is an urgent need for the reforms I've outlined in the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act. For far too long, American families have unknowingly been at risk.

Currently, cruise ships operate under foreign flags of convenience and are not required under U.S. law to report crimes occurring outside of our territorial waters. Leaving our territorial waters does not mean that cruise ships should be allowed to operate without basic laws that protect American citizens.

My legislation requires that all crimes that occur aboard cruise ships be reported to the Coast Guard and to the FBI. Without proper screening processes and accountability, these

reprehensible and violent acts will be allowed to continue.

Under the status quo, criminals are left unpunished, and victims are left to fend for themselves. Unclear lines of jurisdiction are no longer an excuse for risking the safety of the millions of Americans who board cruise ships each year.

I first became aware of the need for increased protections for Americans when one of my constituents, Laurie Dishman, wrote to me for help in April of 2006. Laurie was the victim of a sexual assault while on a cruise vacation. She was given no assistance by the cruise line in properly securing evidence of the assault; no assistance in identifying her attacker, who was an employee of the cruise ship; and no assistance in prosecuting the crime once back on shore. Devastated, Laurie reached out to me.

I immediately called for hearings on this issue and began to work on the legislation that is now a part of this Coast Guard authorization bill. The congressional hearings, chaired by Chairman Cummings, made apparent the gross inadequacies of current cruise safety provisions. Because of these hearings, it was discovered there has not been a single conviction of an accused rape on a cruise ship in recent history.

With ongoing news coverage of recent rapes on cruise ships, it is clear that legislation is both urgent and necessary. Many of my colleagues have come to me with similar stories of constituents who have gone missing, been sexually attacked, or gone days, weeks or years without getting resolution. My legislation establishes stringent new standards to ensure the safety and security of passengers on cruise vessels.

Its reforms include requiring that vessel personnel be able to preserve evidence of crimes committed on the vessels and provide appropriate medical treatment to the victims of sexual assaults. Security, safety and accountability must all be strengthened to hold criminals accountable and end the cycle of serious crimes on cruise ships.

As this crucial legislation moves forward, it serves as proof to the victims of cruise crimes that progress is being made towards ensuring the safety of all Americans abroad. Laurie Dishman is here today to witness her cause move forward, and I want to thank her for her extraordinary courage and leadership.

This has been a long, difficult road for all cruise victims and their families. These reforms are truly commonsense and are even supported now by the Cruise Line Industry Association. That is why this measure is a victory in the fight for cruise passenger rights.

In much the same way, the Coast Guard Authorization Act is a major victory for people across our country who depend on the Coast Guard to keep their families safe.

Passage of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 will allow many important reforms to be enacted and will help protect Americans across the Nation.

Coast Guard authorization is long overdue. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, before I yield to my next speaker, I just want to say there were only six amendments to the bill submitted to the Rules Committee from the minority side of the aisle, and all six were made in order under this rule. It doesn't get more bipartisan than that.

With that, I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Maryland, who is the Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Mr. Cummings.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Speaker, before I yield to the next speaker, I just want to say that many of us on the Democratic side are sympathetic to the amendment offered by my colleague from Mississippi. We all think that we should build critical national security assets here at home in the United States.

However, there are also some concerns about whether the Taylor amendment would have exposed our country to reprisals at the WTO. Trade issues are very delicate right now with the world economy struggling so much. We should deal with the issues brought up by Mr. Taylor, but we should do so at a time when we are certain that we do not do more harm to our economy than good.

These issues certainly deserve more discussion and attention. My colleagues and I look forward to working with Mr. Taylor to address this very, very important topic.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. Dahlkemper).

Mr. Speaker, I just want to make a comment before I yield.

This legislation before us today is bipartisan and widely supported. It was reported by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by voice vote. During that bipartisan markup process, only two amendments were offered, and both were adopted by voice vote. The working relationship between Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Member Mica is well known because they work together, and that is what we're trying to do today. Today's rule is structured the way it is so to continue this tradition of working issues out before they become political in nature.

With that, I would like to yield 3 minutes to my friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).

Mr. Speaker, I would inquire of the gentleman from Florida if he has any remaining speakers.

I have no speakers on my side. I'm prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time.

The rule before us today is a fair rule that includes a bipartisan group of Democratic and Republican amendments. All of the Republican amendments submitted to the Rules Committee are made in order by this rule. Furthermore, the underlying legislation strengthens and reforms a key component of our Nation's security forces.

Coast Guard authorization has been long in coming. That delay has meant inadequate authorization levels for ever-increasing demand. One of the good things this bill would do is encourage a larger, more educated merchant marine workforce by establishing a maritime career recruitment training and loan program. It will modernize the Coast Guard by reorganizing senior leadership and by establishing a firm foundation for a robust marine safety program. U.S. cruise ship passengers will also receive enhanced safety and security protections thanks to this legislation.

In total, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 will strengthen our Nation's Coast Guard and our national security for years to come.

I urge passage of the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the hundreds of Samoans and Filipinos who tragically lost their lives in the natural disasters that ravaged the islands of the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. I also recognize the incredible resolve of the survivors of these catastrophes as they begin to rebuild their communities.

We are still assessing the total devastation caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma in the Philippines, and by the earthquakes and tsunamis in American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga. These natural disasters have claimed hundreds of lives, damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, and have left countless people without basic necessities, such as clean water, adequate food, and essential health care.

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of these tragedies, we are reminded of the important role our national service programs and volunteers play in repairing the homes, neighborhoods, and lives of those who have fallen victim to natural disasters. In response to this most recent catastrophe, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, NCCC, Team Leaders from my hometown of Sacramento traveled to American Samoa to manage the immediate assistance provided to those affected through the American Red Cross intake center, located in Pago Pago.

As Co-Chair of the National Service Caucus, I have seen first-hand the commitment these volunteers have made to the betterment of society. We honor these dedicated men and women who continuously rush to the service of those in need, and recognize the great value of our national service programs in disaster relief.

Mr. Speaker, we mourn the losses suffered by our neighbors in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, and express our steadfast support of their efforts to rebuild devastated communities and reestablish their way of life. It is my hope that my colleagues will join me in honoring the commitment of volunteers who make this recovery period possible, as they provide assistance to those currently facing incredible hardships.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 830 and ask for its immediate consideration.

For the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida, my friend, Mr. Diaz-Balart. All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

General Leave

I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 830.

Madam Speaker, H. Res. 830 provides for consideration of H.R. 2442, the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009.

The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, controlled by the Committee on Natural Resources. The rule makes two small changes clarifying the funding in the bill is subject to appropriations and making a purely technical correction to the section numbering in the bill. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Madam Speaker, I first want to thank Chairman Miller and Chairman Stark, as well as Representatives Eshoo, Honda, Woolsey, McNerney, Lofgren, Napolitano, and Speier, for their work on this bill and efforts to address the Bay Area waters' needs.

I also commend Senators Feinstein and Boxer for introducing identical legislation in the Senate and their leadership on this issue.

As the elected Representative from Sacramento, and as a farmer's daughter from the Central Valley, I understand that water is critical to our State's economy and our way of life. After 3 years of drought, pumping restrictions and lost jobs from the valley to the coast, there is no doubt that improving the capability of water recycling will help address these problems and lessen the burden on the bay-delta ecosystem.

While recycling is not the only way to meet the Bay Area and California's water requirements, it must be part of our comprehensive solution. Effective water use will help keep California's agricultural water economy strong and the delta healthy, and ensure that the needs of northern California businesses, farmers and residents are not ignored.

Under the Title 16 water recycling program, H.R. 2442, would authorize six additional water recycling projects for the Bay Area that would provide 7.2 million gallons of water daily and serve more than 24,000 households. Collectively, these projects will save 2.6 billion gallons of water per year in the region, offering a new water supply of treated wastewater for industrial and irrigation use.

Specifically, the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act would authorize $38 million in Federal assistance under the Interior Department's Bureau of Reclamation for the design, planning, and construction of these new water projects. It would also expand the authorization for two existing projects.

H.R. 2442 would stipulate that the Federal share of the cost of the projects not exceed 25 percent of the total cost and bars the Department from funding operation or maintenance of the projects. It is important to note that this legislation has been endorsed by the Association of California Water Agencies, commonly called ACWA, which includes every major agricultural and urban water agency in the State and represents the largest coalition of public water agencies nationwide.

Additionally, the WaterReuse Foundation, which serves more than 180 public water agencies, cities and major engineering and technology firms, has urged that we move expeditiously on the bill. These groups understand that no one wins when these kinds of local projects are held hostage because of

disputes over the operation of Federal water projects.

We all know that there are some serious concerns about the water crisis in California. I was back home in my district over the weekend, Madam Speaker, and everyone at home was talking about a water deal trying to be negotiated by the legislature and the Governor.

From local and State levels all the way here to Washington, there are a number of different ideas about how to address our water issues in California. Some of them I prefer more than others, and some of them are preferred more than others by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

But one thing is for sure: limiting our State's water supply by holding up recycling projects like those in this bill will not solve anything. In fact, it will only prolong our collective efforts to seek solutions to California's water problems.

For these reasons, I strongly support the rule and the underlying legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, again, I want to thank Mr. Miller and the committee for their work on this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California, a member of the Natural Resources Committee, Mrs. Napolitano.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, before I yield to the next speaker, I just want to say that I know that my colleague on the other side of the aisle is upset because his amendment that was offered in the Rules Committee was not allowed on the floor. The fact is his amendment was not germane to the underlying bill and not related to water recycling.

Blaming the Endangered Species Act by waiving it for 2 years to prevent implementation of certain biological opinions will not put his constituents back to work. More importantly, such an initiative would not turn on the water pumps for the Central Valley.

To address the drought--the real cause of the water shortage in the region and the State--we must work collectively toward a solution.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa).

(Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the sponsor of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I just want to remind everyone here that earlier this year several other local water measures were resoundingly approved by the House. They include the South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act, which was in Representative Calvert's district; the Lake Hodges Surface Water Improvement Act in Representative Bilbray's district; the Magna Water District Reuse and Groundwater Recharge Act in Representative Chaffetz' district of Utah; the Calleguas Municipal Water District Recycling project in Representative Gallegly's district; the Hermiston water recycling and reuse project, Representative Walden of Oregon; the Tule River Tribe Water Development Act in Representative Nunes' district.

Until it was caught up in partisanship, H.R. 2442 would have followed the same procedure. H.R. 2442 is no different than any of these bills. What is different is politics.

I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me just say that five amendments were submitted to the Rules Committee for this bill. All five were nongermane. Not a single amendment would be allowed on this floor under an open rule.

I reserve my time.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, we are in a drought. We are in a drought. That's a fact. And this legislation will help ensure that future droughts in California will have less of a damaging impact. When water is used more efficiently, droughts like the one we are currently experiencing become less severe because we have built in defense mechanisms.

We know that the drought, and not the Endangered Species Act or House leadership, is the real reason why so many individuals are suffering in California's Central Valley. In fact, according to Ron Milligan, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operations manager for the Central Valley Project, the average delta water exports prior to 2008 were 5.7 million acre-feet. In 2009, the export fell to 3.6 million acre-feet. Of the 2.1 million acre-foot shortfall, 1.6 million is due to the drought. Only 500,000 of the decreased results are from the delta smelt ruling.

If anything, our colleagues who represent that part of the State should support H.R. 2442 as a means of fighting against the drought. They should also support it as a way to increase the amount of water available statewide for local agencies to access.

I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that further investing in water recycling is sound public policy. This bill would allow the Bay Area to reuse water. This legislation would not mandate additional water transfers or adversely affect California's Central Valley in any way. H.R. 2442 is a proactive step taken by our delegation to address California's water situation in a positive way.

I'd like to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time.

The rule before us today is a fair rule that allows us to make a strong Federal commitment to sustaining California's economy, water supply, and our environment.

This bill was reported unanimously by the National Resources Committee on September 29. It was voted under suspension on September 30. It was introduced in May. There has been ample time for the minority to review this legislation. Now is the time to act on it.

The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act would lessen the limited demand for fresh water by the region and the State. It is critical that we avoid partisan debate and disagreements over water issues and pass this legislation.

Moreover, the House has already expedited similar measures for a bipartisan collection of congressional districts across California. The south Orange County recycling project was passed in February in Mr. Calvert's district. The Lake Hodges Surface Water improvements was passed in April in Mr. Bilbray's district. The Calleguas Municipal Water District recycling initiative was approved in September for Mr. Gallegly. The Magna Water District Reuse proposal in Utah was passed for Mr. Chaffetz's district. The Hermiston water recycling and reuse project in Oregon was passed for Mr. Walden's district. And the Tule River Water Development Act was passed by a vote of 417-3 in July for Mr. Nunes' district.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that local water projects typically have bipartisan support here in the House of Representatives. I am disappointed that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have set aside that tradition, forcing us to bring this rule to the floor today.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

The material previously referred to by Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida is as follows:

Amendment to H. Res. 830 Offered by Mr. Diaz-Balart

At the end of the resolution, insert the following new

section:

Sec. 2. On the third legislative day after the adoption of

this resolution, immediately after the third daily order of

business under clause 1 of rule XIV and without intervention

of any point of order, the House shall proceed to the

consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 554) amending the

Rules of the House of Representatives to require that

legislation and conference reports be available on the

Internet for 72 hours before consideration by the House, and

for other purposes. The resolution shall be considered as

read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on

the resolution and any amendment thereto to final adoption

without intervening motion or demand for division of the

question except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and

controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the

Committee on Rules; (2) an amendment, if offered by the

Minority Leader or his designee and if printed in that

portion of the Congressional Record designated for that

purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII at least one legislative

day prior to its consideration, which shall be in order

without intervention of any point of order or demand for

division of the question, shall be considered as read and

shall be separately debatable for twenty minutes equally

divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent; and

(3) one motion to recommit which shall not contain

instructions. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the

consideration of House Resolution 554.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 788 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 788.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 788 provides for consideration of the conference report for H.R. 3183, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act for 2010. The rule is a standard conference report rule. It waives all points of order against the conference report and against the consideration and provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. However, I want to point out that although the rule waives all points of order, the conference report does not violate either clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The resolution provides for 1 hour of general debate controlled by the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank Chairman Obey as well as Mr. Pastor for their work to bring this conference report before the House today.

When we think of the long-term health of our country, the Energy and Water appropriations bill is one of the most important bills that we consider. The conference report before us today will keep communities safe from flooding, invest in clean energy and renewable technologies, fight nuclear proliferation, and create jobs through infrastructure development.

Without this bill, millions of homes would be exposed to devastating floods, clean energy research that will power the next generation of money-making technologies will stop, nuclear weapons proliferation would pick up again, and the pace of job creation in the clean energy sector would slow to a crawl or even stop altogether. These are the reasons why today's conference report is so important.

In the field of energy, the conference report fulfills Congress's promise to chart a new path for a national energy policy. The conference agreement provides $27 billion for the Department of Energy to help fund clean energy development and perform basic scientific research. It devotes millions of dollars to solar energy development, advanced vehicle technologies, energy-efficient buildings, and biofuels that can be grown right here at home.

When we make our own fuel, Mr. Speaker, we create domestic jobs and also take steps toward becoming energy independent. We recognized this fact in the Energy and Commerce Committee when we wrote the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which is why I'm pleased to see these provisions part of today's conference report.

This appropriations bill also funds a number of applied research grants at the Department of Energy for potentially high-reward activities like fusion energy, high-energy physics, and biological research. Future generations will look back at these investments and thank us for having the foresight to recognize that one generation's long-term research is future generations' short-term gain.

Many of my colleagues would be satisfied to know that the conference report also devotes resources to fossil fuel-based energy that can provide a boost to our energy independence efforts in relatively short order. In it, $672 million is provided for research and development into things like carbon capture and sequestration, natural gas recovery, and unconventional petroleum research activities. This research will benefit independent petroleum producers and can also help make our country more energy independent for the short term.

Also to that end, the conference report takes a responsible approach toward nuclear energy by investing in fuel cycle research and development. By providing more than $700 million for nuclear energy, the conferees made the pragmatic calculation that nuclear will be part of our energy mix in the short term. But no matter how electricity is generated, one challenge we face is delivering it effectively to its destination. For this reason, the conference report provides more than $100 million to modernize and secure our national electricity grid. By almost tripling the amount of funding for grid-connected energy storage and cybersecurity, the conferees have recognized how closely our energy policy is tied to our national security.

The energy portion of this conference report is only half the story though, Mr. Speaker. For my district and for people living in floodplains across the country, this energy and water conference report is a major victory. Funding for the Army Corps of Engineers is increased over both 2009 levels and over the President's request for a total of $5.4 billion. For my constituents, this funding can be a matter of life and death. My district is where the Sacramento and American Rivers converge. As a result, Sacramento is the most at-risk city for major flooding in the United States. More than 440,000 people, 110,000 structures, the capitol of the State of California and up to $58 billion are at risk from flooding in my district alone. Nearly $90 million of vital funding in this conference report will reinforce levees along the American and Sacramento Rivers to keep these national assets safe and dry.

For all of Sacramento, this means safer homes, more secure schools, better protected community centers and a higher quality of life. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, Federal levees currently provide a 6-to-1 return on flood damages prevented when compared to initial building costs.

But the flood protection funding in this conference agreement is more than just dollars and cents, Mr. Speaker. When I go home and walk along the Sacramento River, and when I look at the houses and schools and parks that sit behind the levees, I'm reminded how vital the Energy and Water bill is. In many parts of the country, it can mean the difference between a thriving city and a disaster area. Flood protection is a regional undertaking though. Floodwaters do not stop and start based on congressional district boundaries. That is why I am pleased that the conference report contains more than $60 million to improve the ability of Folsom Dam to protect my constituents who live below it. This money will also help the Joint Federal Project to provide greater efficiency in managing flood storage in Folsom Reservoir.

Around the whole country, from Sacramento to the Mississippi River Delta, from rural Ohio to the Bronx River Basin, this conference agreement protects our communities by investing in our aging infrastructure. And when we rebuild our infrastructure, we rebuild our economy. The infrastructure funding in this conference report before us today will continue this pattern of creating jobs while investing in public

safety. For that reason, I strongly support the rule and the underlying conference report, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank Mr. Obey and the Appropriations Committee for their hard work on this conference agreement.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my colleague on the other side of the aisle that we're not debating the American Clean Energy and Security Act or the health care reform bill. We are dealing today with the conference report for Energy and Water Development.

And I must say that this is a bill, a conference report, that has strong bipartisan support. As far as job creation, this is about infrastructure, spending on public safety projects that will save jobs across America. As I said before, it's a smart investment, the type of smart investment the American people want this Congress to be making at this difficult point in our history.

Our Nation's levees are crumbling, and we're putting public health at risk because of things like that. This is the time to invest in infrastructure like this.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The rule before us today is a fair rule that is aligned with the customary practice of the House for rules governing debate on conference reports.

After numerous hearings and constructive negotiations with the Senate, the Appropriations Committee has crafted an important and balanced bill. It invests in new technologies, scientific research, and conservation efforts that are critical to the long-term health of our economy and our planet.

Most importantly for my district, this legislation increases funding for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. Every dollar is crucial for my constituents in Sacramento as we work to improve our water infrastructure, as I know it is to all my colleagues in the House with similar bills.

I want to thank Chairman Obey and Chairman Pastor for recognizing how critical this funding is to all of us. We rely upon it to fortify our levees, raise our dams, and keep our communities safe and dry.

This bill also looks to the future by investing in the development of a new smart grid to ensure electricity delivery and energy reliability. And it makes a strong commitment to renewable energy and scientific research.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 766 and ask for its immediate consideration.

For the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during the consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3631, the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, under suspension of the rules. It allows this body to consider time-sensitive legislation under an expedited process to shield millions of Medicare beneficiaries from harmful premium increases for the coming year.

Due to the struggles facing our economy today, many seniors will not receive Social Security COLAs this year, even though the Medicare part B premiums will still rise. The Medicare Premium Fairness Act addresses this problem by protecting Medicare beneficiaries from bearing the burden of increased premiums because of an economic downturn largely outside of their control. And it does so without adding to the deficit.

Without today's bill, seniors who are new to the Medicare program will see their monthly premiums jump dramatically. Other part B recipients will shoulder an unfairly large share of cost increases because of the way current law requires part B to be funded. Cash- strapped States will be forced to bear the burden of higher Medicare costs for dual-eligible beneficiaries.

For these reasons, I believe my colleagues will agree with me that inaction is not an option here today. As our country begins to climb back out of one of the largest recessions in recent memory, now is the worst possible moment to saddle our seniors with increased premiums.

Many respected outside groups agree with this statement and have endorsed the Medicare Premium Fairness Act. AARP, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, and the Alliance for Retired Americans have all endorsed H.R. 3631.

These groups understand that we're living through a time when rising costs have threatened the health care people in this country have and deserve. This is true for Medicare beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries alike.

For this reason, making health care more affordable for all Americans is our top priority. And protecting and strengthening Medicare is an essential part of this vision. I urge my colleagues to support today's rule and the underlying bill so that beneficiaries can continue to see their doctors; so that they can continue to afford their prescriptions, especially medications; so that they can continue to have money to spend and cycle back through our recovering economy.

By acting quickly and decisively on today's bill, we underscore our commitment to preserve Medicare for millions of people who have earned the security it represents and who count on the stability and the dignity it provides. In doing so, we will keep our collective promise to stand with America's seniors as they age and to ensure they have the health care they need to live long and fruitful lives.

We must never forget that Medicare is an essential part of our country's social contract. It guarantees that America's seniors will not be forced to fend for themselves when the economy momentarily turns sour or when they get sick or as they age. This is the living legacy of the Medicare program, and it is a legacy we build upon today.

But we do not have much time to act, Mr. Speaker. We must pass this legislation before October 1. This is so that the Social Security Administration can program updated premiums into a system in time to ensure that Medicare premium increases do not hit seniors in their pocketbooks and in their doctors' offices. Speed and bipartisan cooperation are of essence if we are to avoid this problem.

The suspension authority this rule provides will allow the House to move quickly and decisively to move this fix over to the Senate. The sooner we have this bill on the President's desk, the better off millions of Medicare beneficiaries will be. I urge my colleagues to recognize that passing this bill quickly is in the best interest of our constituents, of the Medicare program, and of our country.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The rule before us today allows the House to consider a very important and time-sensitive piece of legislation under suspension of the rules. It will help this body expedite a bill that most of us recognize needs to be passed as quickly as possible. Because there will be no Social Security COLA this year, millions of seniors will see their part B premiums rise with no offsetting bump in Social Security benefits.

Now is not the time to turn our back on people who depend on Medicare for essential health care services. This is particularly true as we continue our drive to make health insurance, including Medicare, more stable, secure, and affordable for everyone in this country. I urge my colleagues to consider the needs of the Medicare-dependent constituents. Vote for the previous question and for the rule, and approve the underlying legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the civic leaders, city officials and community members who have contributed to making Safety Center Incorporation a success for the past 75 years. This organization started in 1934 and has created a number of innovative programs to help educate thousands of people around the Sacramento area regarding safety on and off the road. I ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting Safety Center Inc. on the 75th anniversary of their founding.

Since its inception, Safety Center Inc. (SCI), formerly known as Sacramento Safety Council, has created several safety training programs for children, teens, disabled adults and seniors. In 1935, 1 year after establishing the organization, SCI conducted its first safe driving training to Sacramento High School students; and in 1936, SCI opened a traffic school for teens. By means of this traffic school program, young drivers were able to use the SCI testing device to learn how quickly they would react in potential driving scenarios. After much excitement between the 1930s and 1950s, the SCI was formally incorporated into the State of California in 1959.

In the 1970s, SCI continued to expand its horizons. On December 9, 1971, SCI authorized the establishment of a drinking and driving program. One week after SCI authorized this program, the State mandated that drunk drivers attend remedial classes, in order to help prevent future drivers from this illegal and unsafe driving behavior. Due to a high Spanish-speaking population, the organization offered Spanish- language defensive driving courses, as well as Courts Alcohol Re- Education (CARE) programs by the mid-1970s.

Within the last quarter-century, Safety Center Inc. has educated more than 2,000 teens in defensive driving techniques, almost 900 seniors in mature driving and more than 600 students in motorcycle riding safety. To include children in their efforts to keep all Californians safe, SCI established a life-saving safety education center known as Safetyville. Children, preschool through third grade, are taken on a tour through a town-like setting, in which they learn fire, pedestrian, stranger danger and railroad safety precautions. This children's program has provided life-saving safety education and training to more than 125,000 children since 1984.

On September 26, 2009, SCI will celebrate 75 years of stability, innovation and of course, safety. I am honored to congratulate and its members who have helped train and protect thousands of people. Madam Speaker, as my constituents gather to celebrate the Safety Center Inc.'s 75th anniversary, I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring the organization's monumental history and success.

Madam Chair. I rise today in support of the legislation before us today, H.R. 3221.

A college degree is now deeply intertwined with the promise of the American dream, and it is our responsibility to provide equal opportunities to America's students. As the skill requirements of jobs continue to increase, so too should access to postsecondary education for all of our nation's students.

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act directs the government to originate all student loans and it also ensures that there is a role for private industry, guarantee agencies, and non-profits in providing their services. This truly is a public-private partnership.

Moving all loans to the Direct Lending program will save the federal government and taxpayers almost $100 billion over the next 10 years as it eliminates tax-payer funded subsidies private lenders have been receiving to make student loans. Students in Sacramento will see a dramatic increase in their Pell grant awards over the next 10 years with total amounts going from $44 million to over $110 million in our community alone.

The savings found through this proposal will help strengthen the Pell grant program, keep interest rates on student loans low, improve community colleges, and expand early childhood education.

Given the recent economic downturn, more and more students are seeking aid, and additional Pell funds will allow them to achieve their goals.

Elisa Pina is a fourth year student at California State University, Sacramento, which is located in my district. She is receiving the Cal Grant and the Pell Grant, and is also a participant in the Federal Work-Study Program. With the recent state budget cuts to the Cal Grant, the Pell Grant is crucial to her ability to stay in school.

Elisa comes from a low-income family. Without the financial aid afforded to her through these programs, she would have never been able to afford college.

Elisa's story, thanks to the federal loan program this Congress has supported, is one of millions in communities all across the country. The bill before us today will make her dream of going to college a reality for millions more.

Madam Chair, for all of these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the late Frank Fat, the 70th anniversary of Frank Fat's Restaurant, the entire Frank Fat's staff, and the Fat Family for their service and dedication to the people of Sacramento. For decades the Fat Family and their restaurants have been a local treasure and I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting them on the 70th anniversary of the restaurant's founding.

After immigrating to the United States, Frank Fat first worked as a waiter and then as a manager at his uncle's Hong King Lum restaurant. While waiting tables, a customer asked Frank to go to the downstairs gambling hall to place a 50-cent bet on a Keno game. The ticket produced $900 in winnings, but the unknowing customer had left the restaurant. Frank held the cash for two months until the customer returned. As a reward for his honesty, the customer later gave Frank a loan, which he used to buy a rundown speakeasy to turn into a restaurant of his own.

Frank Fat's restaurant opened on August 31, 1939, at 806 L Street in Sacramento, where it still stands today. At the time, dinners were just 50 cents and lunches 25 cents. When asked about his recipe for the enduring success of his namesake restaurant, Frank remarked, ``You give people good food, a nice place to eat it and make them happy. Pretty simple, really.'' Frank's simple combination for success has endured for 70 years. Frank represented everything good in a human being. He was decent, honest, hardworking and humble.

Located only blocks from the State Capitol, Frank Fat's soon became the gathering place for every lawmaker and governor since Earl Warren. It is said more legislative decisions were made at Frank Fat's than in any office at the Capitol. Among them was the famous ``napkin deal'' that produced landmark tort reform that is still in effect today.

After Frank's passing in 1992, Lina and Tom Fat, Frank's daughter-in- law and son, modernized the cuisine with a unique California-Pacific style and expanded the business to bring Chinese cuisine in the tradition of Frank Fat's to people across California. Today, Frank is remembered for the success of Frank Fat's and an expanded chain of more than a dozen restaurants across California, including locations in Old Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, Cache Creek and San Diego. After 70 years of service, the Fat Family continues Frank's commitment to good food, good atmosphere and good service.

Dedicated to community service, the Fat Family has continued Frank's philosophy of giving back to the community by supporting the Chinese American Council of Sacramento and the Pacific Rim Festival, which is held annually in Old Sacramento. In honor of the 70th anniversary, the Fat Family, community leaders, and restaurant patrons will raise money for Sacramento Crisis Nurseries.

Madam Speaker, I hereby commemorate and honor the late Frank Fat, the restaurant that bears his name, its staff, and the Fat Family for their dedication in serving fine cuisine to the people of Sacramento for more than 70 years. I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing the Fat Family and Frank Fat's restaurant another 70 years of unparalleled success.