Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

This legislation asks the simple question: Will we look forward, as a country, as to where we draw our energy resources, toward cleaner, more renewable sources? Or will we continue to look backwards toward dirtier fossil fuels that will harm our environment? Do we want to be a part of a 21st century energy policy? Or do we want to be a part of a 20th century energy policy?

My amendment increases the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, or EERE, R&D funding levels by $111.6 million above what is in the bill. The offset comes from the fossil energy R&D in an amount necessary to make the outlays in my amendment budget-neutral.

The request from the majority exceeds the White House's request for fossil fuel R&D but cuts the request for EERE. This increase in EERE would bring the funding levels back to fiscal year 2014 level and help ensure that, at the very least, we are not moving backwards in our work towards energy security.

My colleagues across the aisle, instead, are seeking to cut this forward-looking program by $111 million. Reducing funding for EERE on top of the cuts that it suffered last year is incredibly shortsighted, not to mention it is done at the expense of protecting the fossil fuel industry which is already doing pretty all right, if you ask me.

I find it hard to believe that any of us actually have a problem with supporting efforts to become more energy efficient. The only reason I can think of that anyone would support any cuts to EERE would be a dislike on the part of some for the term ``renewable energy.''

By increasing energy efficiency in our homes, at our businesses, and through developing advanced models and methods of manufacturing, we will save money, we will improve productivity, and create new good- paying jobs here the United States. And, most importantly, yes, we can reduce emissions from power plants that are contributing to global climate change and leave an Earth that is much healthier for our children.

One great example of this is that EERE is partnering with Colorado State University to provide small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies no-cost energy assessments. More than 650 energy assessments have been done to date, with an average of $30,000 in energy savings per assessment. I would say that programs like this are worthy of a sustained support and that $5.6 billion in savings has been found across the country. EERE's manufacturing program is also enabling us to become a world leader in making new energy technologies.

So the choice is clear: we can accept this massive cut to EERE and risk becoming a net importer of next-generation energy technologies, or we can do what America has always done, and we can look forward, and we can make the needed investments to help us become a net exporter of these next generation technologies.

EERE supports all types of innovative and potentially groundbreaking research in solar, wind, geothermal, and water technologies. Given how abundant these resources are, from the sun in the southwest to the wind in the plains to the numerous rivers and potential for tidal power, we would be foolish to pull back on the potential for using these environmentally sustainable resources for power on a larger scale.

The greatest challenge today with the renewables is that when the sun is not shining and wind is not blowing, it is very hard to harness those energies. However we are very, very close to closing that gap, and EERE goes a very long way to bridging that gap.

They are also helping to pioneer research into advanced combustion engines that will drastically increase gas mileage, with EERE funding, in traditional cars, saving taxpayers countless amounts of money even as they remove harmful emissions from the atmosphere.

EERE R&D can help our Nation transform the way that we generate and use energy. This cut that is proposed by the majority is unnecessary, ill-conceived, and I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to restore the funding level of fiscal year 2014.

Appropriations is about priorities, and priorities reflect values. America has always looked forward. And we should not look anywhere but forward when it comes to where we receive America's energy needs.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield for a question?

I appreciate the gentleman from Idaho and his comments.

I would just ask that the majority's reasoning for--and I understand tough budgetary priorities have been made--but to reduce EERE's budget but to increase the fossil R&D budget, maybe if you could explain the reasoning behind an increase in fossil but a decrease in renewables?

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1671, which would designate the U.S. postal facility located at 6937 Village Parkway in Dublin, California, as the James ``Jim'' Kohnen Post Office. I thank the Chair and the ranking member for bringing this to the floor today.

On May 29, 2012, the city of Dublin, California, and the entire Tri- Valley community lost a lifetime public servant in Dr. Jim Kohnen. Naming this postal facility after Dr. Kohnen would be a fitting tribute to a distinguished community member and Dublin's modern-day renaissance man.

Dr. Kohnen retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a colonel after 30 years of service in the Corps of Engineers. During his service, he graduated from the U.S. Army War College, the Air War College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Through his work and in the community, Jim emphasized the importance of lifetime learning.

His journey started with one of his earliest achievements, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Jim never stopped learning, earning multiple degrees, including two bachelor degrees, two master's degrees, and a doctorate in education. A constant advocate for education and its importance, Dr. Kohnen completed his career by serving as a high school teacher at San Leandro High School, where he taught political science, management, and general science.

Jim Kohnen also never stopped serving. Using his education and experience, Dr. Kohnen served in just about every local community organization possible by volunteering with a variety of local organizations, most often serving as their treasurer, including for the Boy Scouts, the Dublin Historical Preservation Association, the League of Women Voters, and the Knights of Columbus at St. Raymond's Church. Dr. Kohnen also served as an elected or appointed official on five boards, including the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District, the Dublin San Ramon Services District, the Zone 7 Water Agency, the Alameda County Special Districts Association, and the American Association of Quality.

Jim was always there to step up when we needed him to serve in any capacity. Jim never stopped learning and he never stopped serving, so naming Dublin's post office--our only post office--after Jim is a fitting tribute to his lifetime contributions, and it helps to inspire the Tri-Valley community residents to follow in his footsteps by dedicating their lives to the service of others.

Passing this bill now also ensures that Jim's surviving wife, whom he was married to for 47 years, Pat, and their children, Bill and Mark, will be able to see Jim honored. It is also the 50th anniversary this week of when Jim and Pat both met and graduated from Ripon College in Wisconsin.

Today, we honor Jim Kohnen--loving husband and father, faithful public servant, soldier, and Eagle Scout. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 1671.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brad Kearns, chief of inspectors with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, who is retiring at the end of June after 38 years of law enforcement experience.

Before serving as chief of inspectors, Brad worked for 24 years at the Oakland Police Department and also served as chief of police to the town of Moraga.

For 7 years as a deputy district attorney, I had the opportunity to work with Brad at the District Attorney's Office and appreciated his commitment to ensuring crime victims received the justice they deserved and also his openness to embracing new technologies to better prosecute cases.

It is fitting that I am honoring Brad in Washington, D.C., as just 2 years ago, he and I were here with District Attorney Nancy O'Malley for Federal advocacy to bring more Federal grant money back to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

Brad plans to take a well-earned retirement and spend it with his wife of 39 years, Diane, and his children and grandchildren, all of whom live nearby in the Bay Area.

On behalf of the residents of the East Bay, I want to thank Brad for his years of hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe. And I want to wish him well as he begins this new, exciting chapter in his life.

Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).

Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Saanchez).

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Ben Ray Lujaan).

Mr. BEN RAY LUJAAN of New Mexico. Madam Chairman, the ability of our national labs to meet their mission relies on the strength of their foundational capabilities. I submitted an amendment that would give the Directors of our national laboratories the authority to accept grant funding from nonprofits and foundations for scientific research that supports the core missions of these labs.

After discussion with the committee staff, rather than offering this amendment tonight, I look forward to working with Chairman Rogers of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee and Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith of the Armed Services Committee to find an acceptable solution on this issue.

I also want to thank Mr. McKeon for his service and his time. It has really been an honor to get to know him, and I continue to look forward to working with him for many years to come.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).

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

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to fix the Department of Defense (DoD) policy with respect to military bands.

I want to thank my friend, Congressman Patrick Meehan, for cosponsoring this important amendment I also want to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for their support.

For decades, military musical units have accepted assistance from community organizations to travel and perform at public events such as ceremonies and parades at no cost to taxpayers.

Last April, the DoD decided to no longer accept such support, forcing military bands to cancel numerous public performances across the country.

We learned that this new policy was issued because gifts from community organizations were not credited to the appropriate account.

To combat this problem, last year Congressman Meehan and I sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (NDAA) in order to credit these contributions to the appropriate accounts, and thus, allow military bands to perform at community events. Our amendment was adopted. A version was included as Section 351 of NDAA, as enacted into Public Law 133-66.

Despite the intent of the amendment, it has come to our attention that, although the Secretary of Defense is allowed to accept outside donations, his office likely will continue the status quo and prevent military musical units from receiving assistance from outside organizations.

It is hard to believe that during a time of tight budgets DoD would reject assistance from community organizations to facilitate band performances.

It would be in the financial interest of DoD to continue to allow military bands, such as the Marine bands, to travel with the assistance of community organizations.

Additionally, public performances by military bands bring a sense of patriotism and community to our cities and towns.

It also increases goodwill and helps to enliven community events, increasing attendance and economic activity.

The intent behind the Section 351 of Public Law 133-66 is clear--to allow bands, like the Marine Band, to perform at community events when the expenses are fully covered by a private organization.

In early May, Congressman Meehan and I sent a letter to DoD expressing our frustration with it continuing the current policy. We have not yet received a response from DoD on this issue.

Since DoD apparently is choosing not to abide by the intent of our original amendment, we offered this new amendment to require DoD to accept gifts for military bands. Our amendment removes the discretion of DoD.

This simple amendment will once again allow military musical units to travel and perform at community events at no cost to taxpayers.

I urge all Members to support the amendment.

Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition on behalf of the ranking member.

Madam Chair, I yield myself 2 minutes.

I rise in opposition to the Hastings amendment, and while I understand and appreciate the gentleman from Washington's interest in environmental cleanup, I am afraid that it does so at the expense of research.

Inertial confinement fusion is critical to our national security. It keeps our nuclear weapons safe and ready at a time of growing threats across the globe.

This amendment does not just target research at the National Ignition Facility--which is in my congressional district, which includes Livermore, California--it also tries to cut the whole budget for inertial confinement fusion.

It ropes in the Z facility at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico and the OMEGA laser at the University of Rochester in New York.

Budgets right now are tight, and I know all Members would welcome the chance to add more money to priorities they believe in, but it is a mistake to try to fund such priorities by shortchanging critical science that helps us in our national security mission, as well as meet our future energy needs.

This science keeps us safe. It will also eventually revolutionize how we think about and produce energy, and we can't let ourselves fall behind or cede leadership to other nations who are making large investments in inertial confinement fusion, including France, Russia, and China.

I ask all Members to reject this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished citizen and community advocate, the Honorable Michael Sweeney, mayor of Hayward, California, as he approaches retirement.

Mayor Sweeney put himself through college, earning a bachelor's and master's degree from Cal State Hayward.

His career as a public servant spans 32 years, starting as a member of the Hayward City Council, serving in the California Assembly, and continuing his role now today as mayor.

His service as an elected official is complemented by 38 years of advocacy for the underprivileged. Since November 2004, he has served as executive director of Spectrum Community Services. Spectrum provides people with the tools necessary to sustain independent living and achieve financial stability.

This month, Mayor Sweeney will retire from his position as executive director of Spectrum, and he will also be retiring from his service as mayor in July.

As he begins a new chapter in his life, I want to take this opportunity to thank Mayor Sweeney for his steadfast dedication to the people of Hayward. His years of service are truly an inspiration. I wish him all the best.

Thank you, Mayor Sweeney.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 18th Annual Affordable Housing Week in Alameda County. Organized by East Bay Housing Organizations, a group of community leaders and affordable housing advocates, this period lasts

from May 9 to May 18 and includes over 23 events are being held in ten cities across the East Bay, including in my district, to call attention to the need for affordable housing.

The health and economic stability of our communities depend on the availability of quality and affordable homes. Many non-profit and community organizations are continuing to address this need by providing homes and shelter for those in need. I believe strongly in the importance of these organizations, which provide affordable housing to our most vulnerable populations, including seniors, veterans, low- income families, the homeless, and those with disabilities. We must ensure that these organizations have resources and support in order to meet these critical needs.

Last November, I was proud to join with Habitat for Humanity to restore a house in Livermore for a local veteran buying a home for the first time. Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley prioritizes providing affordable housing opportunities for our veterans.

I also want to recognize Eden Housing as an inspiring example of affordable housing. Their new development, Emerald Vista in Dublin, has won a Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award, given by the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition. This award recognizes outstanding Low-Income Housing Tax Credit developments and honors the best in affordable rental housing.

Housing for those in need is a community-wide effort, and I am proud to represent a district with so many leaders working to assist individuals in need of supportive and affordable housing. These efforts bring us closer to creating kind of sustainable communities that are essential to the diversity and prosperity of California.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exemplary scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California.

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science has selected Dr. Jennifer Pett-Ridge to receive funding as part of the Department's Early Career Research Program (ECRP). Her project, entitled ``Microbial Carbon Transformations in Wet Tropical Soils: The Importance of Redox Fluctuations,'' was selected by the Office of Biological & Environmental Research.

The ECRP is crucial to our ability to maintain American leadership in science. It was created to support the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and stimulates research careers in the disciplines supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Dr. Pett-Ridge is the lead scientist of LLNL's Genomic Science Biofuels Scientific Focus Area and is a Deputy Group Leader of the Isotopic Signatures Group within LLNL's Chemical Sciences Division. She received her B.A. in biology and environmental studies and her M.S. in forest sciences from Yale. Her Ph.D. in soil microbial ecology from the University of California at Berkeley was earned in 2005.

Awardees were selected from a large pool of university and national laboratory-based applicants. Selection was based on peer review by outside scientific experts.

I am privileged to represent LLNL and its brilliant scientists like Dr. Pett-Ridge. Their hard work and skill are what keeps America secure and at the forefront of scientific innovation. I want to congratulate Dr. Pett-Ridge and wish her well in her work with ECRP.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exemplary scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California.

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science has selected Dr. Todd Gamblin to receive funding as part of Department's Early Career Research Program (ECRP). His project, entitled ``Statistical Methods for Exascale Performance Modeling,'' was selected by the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research.

The ECRP is crucial to our ability to maintain American leadership in science. It was created to support the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and stimulates research careers in the disciplines supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Dr. Gamblin is a computer scientist in the Center for Applied Scientific Computing at LLNL and has been with the lab since 2008. He received a Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 and 2005. He received his B.A. in computer science and Japanese from Williams College in 2002.

Awardees were selected from a large pool of university- and national laboratory-based applicants. Selection was based on peer review by outside scientific experts.

I am privileged to represent LLNL and its brilliant scientists like Dr. Gamblin. Their hard work and skill are what keeps America secure and at the forefront of scientific innovation. I want to congratulate Dr. Gamblin and wish him well in his work with ECRP.

Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

To the veterans who courageously served our country, we owe the best our nation can offer.

I appreciate the opportunity to stand here with my colleagues, working in a bipartisan manner to pass H.R. 4486, the Military Construction and Veteran Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015.

Thank you to Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop from the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs for your hard work in crafting this legislation.

This bill, in part, provides funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and gives much needed support and resources to help the VA end the claims backlog.

We owe our veterans every promise we've made, and unfortunately, we've not been living up to these promises.

One of the pledges we make to our veterans is that, should they be injured during their service, we'll provide them with disability compensation to assist them as they transition home.

While the VA is making strides to reduce the claims backlog, more needs to be done.

Unfortunately, there remains a large claims backlog at many VA Regional Offices across the United States.

At the Oakland Regional Office, which serves my constituents in the 15th Congressional District of California, over 58 percent of claims have been pending for over 125 days.

These numbers are among the worst in the nation, with claims averaging over one full year to complete.

As a former prosecutor I am well acquainted with phrase ``justice delayed is justice denied.''

In the case of the veterans' claims, delayed care is denied care.

Unfortunately, since the retirement of Director Douglas Bragg in January, the Oakland Regional Office director position has been vacant.

I led a bipartisan letter signed by 19 California Members of Congress to the VA urging it to swiftly reduce the backlog by hiring a new, supremely qualified director of the Oakland VA.

Properly serving our veterans means listening to their concerns and taking action.

I've hosted several veteran town halls, where veterans across the East Bay shared their stories and ongoing struggles regarding pending claims at the VA.

My office is working hard to help every veteran in our district that needs assistance, but the problem goes beyond just one district, region, or state.

That's why we're here today. We're working to ensure that we reach every veteran that needs assistance and hold the VA accountable for its slow claims process.

Our veterans desperately need a VA that will provide both accurate and timely responses. It's what our veterans deserve, and I'll continue to push the VA to provide our veterans with the service and benefits they've earned.

Not only is there a backlog in first-time claims, now the backlog for appeals is becoming a serious problem.

I appreciate that language I supported along with other Members of the California delegation was included in the committee report on the bill to address this appeals backlog. It expresses our deep concern over this issue and encourages the Veterans Benefits Administration to take swift action to lower the wait time for appeals claims.

Thanks again to the Chairman and Ranking Member for accepting this language.

I'll continue working closely with my colleagues to ensure that the few that proudly served our country receive the benefits and care they earned.

Mr. Speaker, the Coast Guard is facing difficult challenges related to maintenance and costs of its aging ships and aircrafts. In these difficult financial times, the Coast Guard should examine the potential cost savings resulting from the use of laser peening technology, which may help to strengthen parts and extend the life of the Coast Guard's assets.

Developed as a result of work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and in conjunction with Curtiss-Wright Metal Improvement Company, laser peening uses laser beam impacts to strengthen metal four times deeper than conventional shot peening, resulting in increased resistance to fatigue and erosion driven failures.

In ships, such as those used by the Coast Guard, erosion and cracking can occur in metals due to environmental and repeated stresses. These problems can cause damage to key metal components of ships such as propellers, rudders, ship hulls near propellers, control valves, pumps, and impellers. Without replacing or strengthening these important ship components, this damage can potentially lead to the part's unexpected failure. With a Coast Guard fleet stretched well beyond its estimated lifetime, the Coast Guard should examine the benefits of laser peening as a way to reduce costs and enhance the life of its ships.

Laser peening has been proven in both commercial and military settings. For example, in the commercial sector, laser peening has been used by Rolls-Royce to repair and strengthen cracked engine blades for airplanes. From its success with Rolls-Royce, in 2003 Curtiss-Wright became the first specialized laser peening repair station for commercial aviation to be approved by Federal Aviation Administration. Within the military, laser peening has been used by both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force to increase lifetime of aircraft components and save money on maintenance. These successful commercial and military applications have helped reduce costs by strengthening and extending the life of critical components.

In past years, the House has gone on record in support of laser peening as a means for saving money on future repairs. For example, the Armed Services Committee report accompanying H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 stated that: ``laser peening has achieved considerable success in commercial aerospace and power-generation applications, reducing costs by enabling improvements in the metal structure and mitigating high-cycle fatigue failures of a system, thus extending the system's lifetime.'' The Armed Services Committee further encouraged the Department of Defense ``to examine the potential cost savings that may be derived from adopting this technology broadly across the military services, but was concerned that some military departments have not fully explored the use of such technologies to reduce costs associated with problems of fatigue failure, stress corrosion cracking, and component shape corrections. The committee further encourages the Department to explore such technologies for use in aircraft engines to slow the rate of replacement of highly stressed components and parts.''

I suggest that the Coast Guard examine the potential cost savings that may be derived from adopting laser peening, which can be utilized to greatly reduce cracking and erosion. It could have wide benefits to Coast Guard vessels, fixed wing aircraft, and rotorcraft. The cost savings resulting from the use of laser peening could reduce the need for major structure rework, slow the rate of replacement of highly stressed components and parts, and provide a longer lifetime for Coast Guard assets.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to take this opportunity to recognize the Hayward Police Department, which was recently reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This is an honor received by very few of the thousands of state and local law enforcement agencies across the country, and it is one that is well deserved.

CALEA is a joint effort of major law enforcement executive associations. It seeks to improve the workings of public safety organizations, in part by offering its accreditation program.

The program is voluntary, so public safety departments have to want to go through the process. I applaud Hayward Police Chief Diane Urban for being willing to take on the challenge.

To be reaccredited, the Hayward Police Department had to meet a variety of standards. They were reviewed by independent assessors, which closely observed officers in action as well as spoke with community members.

The Department passed with flying colors. The assessment summary noted that out of

the applicable mandatory standards, it was not out of compliance with any of them. It added that the Department ``commits considerable resources to creating and maintaining community partnerships, and in return, enjoys equally considerable overwhelmingly positive community support and recognition.'' CALEA officials involved in the formal hearing at which the Department was reaccredited were equally laudatory. Lead CALEA Commissioner Richard Myers said that he had ``nothing but praise.''

As a former Alameda County prosecutor, I know Hayward faces a challenging law enforcement environment. That the Hayward Police Department is operating in such an environment makes its achievement all the more impressive.

I want to congratulate Hayward Mayor Michael Sweeney, Police Chief Urban, and the entire Hayward Police Department on its success. Keep up the good work.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of 23-year-old fallen Marine Lance Corporal Andrew Silva of Union City, California, who was tragically killed last week by a drunk driver just over 1 month after returning home from Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Silva was a 2009 graduate of James Logan High School, where he played football. After high school, he joined the Marine Corps Reserves, where he most recently served in a combat logistics battalion based in San Jose. In February, Lance Corporal Silva returned from a deployment to the Helmand province in Afghanistan, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Although his life was cut far too short by a heartbreaking tragedy, Corporal Silva and his service to the country was long, and he will be remembered by many. His work as a marine illustrates the heroism of the servicemembers across our country who are serving in the military to support freedom everywhere.

Lance Corporal Silva is survived by his wife and his 2-year-old son. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. May Lance Corporal Silva rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the work and achievements of a local Hayward veteran and businesswoman, Graciela Tiscareno-Sato. I was honored to meet with her yesterday in my office.

Before coming to my office, Graciela was recognized by the White House as one of 10 Women Veteran Leader Champions of Change for the work of her Hayward business, the Gracefully Global Group. It produces books and educational materials highlighting the positive contributions of Latinos.

The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Graciela received an Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend the University of California Berkeley, where she obtained a degree in environmental design and architecture.

Graciela then served 9 years on Active Duty in the Air Force as an officer, receiving the Air Medal for combat air operations during the Iraq war.

Graciela is also a mom, and a fierce advocate for her oldest daughter, who has been blind since birth. I asked Graciela how she has accomplished so much for being so young. She gave me one word: tenacity.

Graciela brings her heritage and experience to work writing educational books for children. One of her most recent bilingual books is titled ``Good Night Captain Mama,'' and it tells the story of a mother's service as a pilot in the Air Force, and it is the first bilingual children's book about a woman serving in the military.

Graciela is also committed to bringing jobs and economic development to her hometown of Hayward. I look forward to working together with her to accomplish this goal. Graciela's story is truly one of resilience and determination, or, as she would put it, tenacity. Thank you, Graciela, for bringing positive examples of Latinos to schools and inspiring young students across the world. And congratulations on your much-deserved recognition by the White House.

I am proud to represent Graciela Tiscareno-Sato: veteran, business owner, daughter of immigrants, mother. Your work is inspiring to the next generation of leaders who want to dream big and reach for the stars.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for leading the effort on your side of the aisle. Also, I would like to thank Congressman Thompson, my colleague from California, for helping move this through the House. I want to thank Chairman Camp, Ranking Member Levin, Majority Leader Cantor, and Democratic Leader Pelosi for helping me get this important bill to the floor. Also, I thank the lead cosponsors, Congressman Heck, as well as Congressman Issa, who joined Congressman Thompson and me in this effort, as well as Senator Hirono in the Senate for doing the important work over there.

I rise today in support of H.R. 3771, the Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act, which would incentivize Americans to make charitable contributions to Typhoon Haiyan relief now.

Last November, Typhoon Haiyan was a storm of truly destructive power. With sustained winds of almost 200 miles per hour, it was the strongest storm ever to make landfall, resulting in the devastating effects that necessitate our action today.

Sadly, the results were catastrophic to the Philippines. According to that nation, 16 million people were affected, 4.1 million were displaced, and over 6,200 perished. Months after the disaster, help is still desperately needed. This includes a need for health care, food, clean water, and shelter.

The United Nations developed a Strategic Response Plan to coordinate and prioritize assistance from U.N. agencies, nongovernmental organizations, other international entities, and the Philippine Government. The U.N. has said $788 million will be needed to accomplish the goals of the SRP through October 2014. Of that amount, only $369 million has been provided so far.

Now, while I know Americans can and do help anyone in need, we have a special relationship, as my colleague from California pointed out, with the Philippines. Between 1898 and 1946, the Philippines was a part of the United States before becoming independent. There are today about 3.4 million Filipino Americans, including over 450,000 living in the San Francisco Bay area alone.

My San Francisco Bay area congressional district has a rich and vibrant Filipino community, from groups like Filipino Advocates for Justice to leaders like Father Geoffrey Baraan, my friend and the pastor at St. Anne Catholic Church in Union City, as well as Linda Canlas of the New Haven Unified School District in the East Bay.

Many of the Filipinos in my district, like many across the country, have friends or family still in the Philippines. That is why it is so important we do all we can to help.

The values of our country call for us to care for people across the world. More often than not, that includes people we will never see or ever meet, but no one is invisible. And after Typhoon Haiyan, people in my district are asking what they can do to help. H.R. 3771 empowers them to help.

As amended, it is a bipartisan bill that would provide a temporary incentive for Americans to contribute immediately to typhoon relief efforts. It would allow certain monetary charitable contributions made after the date the bill is signed and before April 15, which is in just a few weeks, to be treated as if they were made in 2013.

Charitable contributions which qualify are monetary ones which are made to help persons in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan and otherwise qualify as tax deductible donations. Qualifying contributions can thus be deducted on a person's 2013 taxes, which are covered by returns filed this year, as opposed to ones which are filed for the 2014 tax year.

By lowering a person's 2013 tax bill, which is due this year, the bill provides an incentive to act now for typhoon relief. This is important because the sooner that the aid comes and is provided, the sooner our friends in the Philippines can recover.

I should note that this is important in making a qualifying contribution. It doesn't matter if you have already filed your return this year.

I encourage all Members to support this bill. The Senate already cleared legislation with identical text in S. 1821. It also agreed that, if H.R. 3771 passed in the same form, the bill before us automatically would pass the Senate and go right to the President's desk.

When the bill is passed and signed into law, as I hope it will be, I further want to ask all Members and international aid organizations interested in Philippines relief to let people know about it as soon as possible. Time is of the essence. We will only have a few weeks for people to take advantage of this tax incentive, and we must do so so that we can continue to spread the word.

The people of the Philippines are not alone as they rebuild their lives and their beautiful country. H.R. 3771 allows Americans to play an important role in this effort, an effort that we should all care about.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize three finalists for the Intel Science Talent Search: Kathy Camenzind and Esha Maiti from California High School, and Emily Pang from Dougherty Valley High School, all from San Ramon, California in my congressional district.

These bright high school students are among the forty finalists selected from over 1,800 entrants in the Intel Science Talent Search, which is a competition that challenges students to tackle difficult scientific questions.

Entrants are judged on the originality and creativity of their science research projects.

I am inspired by the passion Kathy, Esha, and Emily have shown for their science projects, which highlight not only their intellect, but also their drive and determination to help solve today's most difficult problems. Kathy researched and build inexpensive optical tweezers using a low power laser and generic microscope; Esha developed a mathematical simulator to predict the distribution of secondary tumors in cancer patients; and Emily researched immune protein receptors critical to the growth and suppression of tumors for cancer therapies.

Kathy, Esha, and Emily's exceptional work show that we have the best and brightest among us in the East Bay.

Congratualtions again to Kathy, Esha, and Emily. I hope you will continue your efforts, and I look forward to hearing about your future successes.