Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, Members of the House, we have known for some time, and certainly known all today, that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle oppose this legislation, and that's what the gentleman, my colleague, Mr. Kline, just spoke to, his opposition to this legislation.

They have opposed this legislation even though this legislation is fully paid for under the PAYGO rules. They've opposed this legislation even though it passed unanimously out of the Senate committee. They opposed this legislation even though it passed unanimously on the floor of the Senate and was sent to us, because they know that we're in the last days of this session, and if they can attach something to this legislation, they can kill this bill.

They can kill the years of hard work that have gone into this legislation to make it less expensive for school districts, to make it more flexible for school districts, to make it easier on parents, to make it sure that we have safe meals so, when food is recalled, the school districts will be informed right away. Usually, they're the last to know that they're serving dangerous and maybe lethal food on the food recall.

They know that what this bill does is create for the first time healthy meals so we can address the problems of diabetes and obesity that are swamping this Nation's health care system, that are swamping the health care budgets of families, of businesses, that start with children and have adult onset as a result of that. This effort is endorsed by the pediatrics association and every other health care association because they understand this is the front line if we're going to reverse this trend.

So now what have they done, as they've talked about the Federal Government, extending the mandate of the Federal Government? The Federal Government is about to swoop in on family day care providers, more family day care providers than any other kind of day care provider in the country, very important in rural areas, very important in poor areas, person takes care of four or five of their neighbors' friends, they know these people. Now they have a mandate. They have to do a background check. These are marginal operations. Do they have to pay for that? Do they know with certainty who's going to do that? Who's going to do that check? And if they're in a school setting, does the school district pay for it? They've got to have a background check. If they're in a kindergarten as part of a child care program, do they pay for that?

So what they're trying to do is kill this bill. It wouldn't matter what this amendment said. If it goes back to the Senate, we've struggled all of us mightily, on both sides of the aisle, with the nature of the Senate. But here we have the opportunity to have a major program, to improve the nutrition and flexibility and the health and the safety of this program, and now this is an effort to kill it.

I yield to the majority leader.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the enormous contributions of those serving our country at Travis Air Force Base in my home state of California. The 60th Air Mobility Wing, the 349th Air Mobility Wing, the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, and the 615th Contingency Response Wing, as well as the civilians and families serving at Travis have truly served our community and our Nation with the utmost dignity, honor and courage, and they truly deserve all of our respect.

The members of ``Team Travis'' have gone above and beyond the call of duty in serving our Nation in missions around the globe. The active duty members and civilians who serve out of Travis have flown hundreds of thousands of hours in a number of military conflicts, as well as humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. Most recently, Team Travis provided search and rescue personnel, medical experts and supplies, and 82,600 pounds of cargo in support of the relief mission following the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

As a congressman representing much of Solano County, California, many members of Team Travis are my constituents, and I can personally attest that these honorable men and women serve our community with just as much energy and dedication as they do our country. I have seen them volunteering, participating in the community, serving as positive role models for our young people, and so much more.

I am proud to be a lead co-sponsor of this resolution honoring the men and women serving at Travis Air Force Base and I would like to thank my friend and colleague, Representative Garamendi, for introducing it. Once again, my deepest thanks to the men and women of Team Travis and I ask that all of my colleagues join me in supporting this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote No. 585, on H. Res. 1585. Had I been present, I would have proudly voted ``yea'' in support of this important resolution honoring the men and women serving at Travis Air Force Base.

Madam Speaker, we rise to recognize Dee Alarcon, Superintendent of Solano County Office of Education, as she retires after 42 years of outstanding public service through education.

Before being elected to serve as Solano County's Superintendent of Public Education, Dee Alarcon worked for 20 years as a teacher, principal and administrator in half of Solano County's six school districts--Dixon, Travis and Benicia. During this period she also taught at the university level. In 1998, Dee began working for the Office of Education as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction/ Public Information Office, then as Director ACSA Principals Academy, and quickly moved up to Associate Superintendent of Educational Services, then Associate Superintendent/Chief Business Official, and finally to Deputy Superintendent from 2001-2003. It was in 2003 that Dee was elected as the first female county superintendent in Solano County's 158-year history; rightfully, an achievement of great pride for her.

Professionally Dee has been an outstanding leader among her peers. She is well-known across the nation for her expertise in professional development for teachers and administrators and her depth of knowledge has made her a subject-matter expert in curriculum and instruction. She holds life teaching and administrative service credentials including a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from California State University, Chico, and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from California State University, Sacramento.

As Solano County Superintendent, Dee has directed and implemented the strategic plan for the Office of Education, developed and monitored the $64 million budget, and monitored the combined school district budgets of $500 million. In 2007, Solano County was awarded ``America's Promise 100 Best Communities for Young People'' with the Office of Education serving as lead agency in submitting the application. It is with great pride that we note Solano County has won this distinguished designation a total of three times.

Dee Alarcon also represents the Solano County Office of Education through her memberships in various professional organizations and committees. She was recognized with a Women of Distinction Award in 2004 by Soroptimist International of Dixon for her outstanding service in education and to the community.

Dee has been elected President of the ACSA, Region 4, and served on ACSA's state Board of Directors for 3 years. In 2005, ACSA honored her as Administrator of the Year. She currently serves as the President of the Association of Educational Service Agencies, AESA, Council and she will direct the Association of California School Administrators, ACSA, Superintendents Academy this year at the Solano County Office of Education.

Additionally, Dee's experience in community relations and collective bargaining along with her amiable personality are assets in fostering positive and collaborative relationships among educational institutions, professional organizations, governmental agencies, and members of the community.

When asked to comment on the leading factor motivating her to serve in the education profession, Dee explains, ``I have never lost focus of why I am in this business--for the children.''

As Superintendent Dee Alarcon retires, we are pleased to have this opportunity to thank her publically for her remarkable leadership and dedication to excellence in education. Our children, their families, and our entire community have benefitted immensely from her work. Hers is a lasting legacy and we join together with Dee's husband Alex, her sons A.J. and Phil, her extended family and friends to wish her the very best in her retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today and invite my colleagues to join me in recognizing one of my constituents, Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine, who is retiring after a lifetime of public service, having served in the military for 28 years followed by serving the City of Vacaville for 18 years.

United States Air Force Colonel (Ret.) Len Augustine is a Vietnam veteran who served in a number of important command and staff positions during his military career, including assignments in the Pentagon, Australia, Germany, and at Travis Air Force Base in California where he commanded a C-141 flying squadron. He completed his 28-year military career as Commander of the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, DC, where his unit was responsible for Air Force One. Len is a veteran pilot, having flown a variety of military aircraft including the Learjet C-21, Gulfstream III, C-141, C-123 and KC-97 and also UH-I helicopters.

As mayor of Vacaville, Len saw many major projects through to completion. Most notably among these are the development and expansion of the region's biotech industry with Genentech, Alza, and Novartis; the expansion of Genentech, which made its Vacaville plant the world's largest bio-manufacturing facility; the expansion of the Kaiser Medical Center and development of the Kaiser Hospital; and the revitalization of Vacaville's Historic Downtown, including the Creekwalk Plaza, downtown library, and the popular Town Square in the heart of town, a concept Len brought home from a visit to Poland.

During his tenure as mayor, the city moved forward on the redevelopment of the Nut Tree property, creating much needed economic growth for the region. Len also worked on the State Compensation Insurance Fund office project and entitlements for Lagoon Valley, and he was instrumental in securing funding for the Leisure Town Road Overcrossing. His work on the Vacaville Strategic Plan process will continue to direct development and growth for generations.

In addition to Len's work on behalf of the City of Vacaville, his many professional memberships include the League of California Cities (Member and two-term Chair of Employee Relations Policy Committee), North Bay Division of the League of California Cities (past president), Association of Bay Area Governments (Executive Committee), Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (member), Solano Local Agency Formation Commission (member), Solano Economic Development Corporation (member), Solano County Mayor's Conference (past chairman), Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee (past Chair), Solano Transportation Authority (past Chair), Solano County Water Agency (past Chair), Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management Board (member),

Vacaville Sunrise Rotary Club (past President), Friends of Vacaville Schools Committee (as past Chair he led the effort to pass a $100 million bond measure), Airport Land Use Commission/Solano County Aviation Advisory Committee (member), Vacaville-Dixon Greenbelt Authority (member), and the Vacaville-Fairfield-Solano Greenbelt Authority (member).

As Mayor Len Augustine retires, I am delighted to have this opportunity to thank him both for his outstanding service to our country and for his tireless work on behalf of the residents of Vacaville. His dedication to improving our quality of life has made a decided difference for all. I join with my colleagues along with his wife Sue, his children and grandchildren, as well as his extended family and friends, in wishing Len a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to promote America's workforce competitiveness by calling for measures that modernize our job training programs and prepare workers with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century global economy. The bill before us, the AMERICA Works Act, H.R. 4072, would develop the technical workforce necessary to strengthen and attract in-demand industries in the United States, and create good jobs in regional economies across the country.

Our Nation's economic recovery remains extremely fragile. According to last month's jobs report, 42 percent of the nearly 15 million people have been unemployed for 6 months or longer. Despite large numbers of individuals looking for jobs, the staffing firm Manpower, Inc., found in a recent survey that one in five employers have left positions unfilled because they did not believe qualified candidates existed. Especially employers in key industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and energy report difficulty finding workers with appropriate skill sets. With unemployment rates expected to remain high for months to come, investing in targeted job training that matches labor market demand is an economic strategy needed for a strong and sustained recovery.

Employers rely on a pipeline of skilled workers to drive innovation, increase productivity, and remain globally competitive. At the same time, individuals need the skills and credentials to fill these jobs. According to the Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills, which include companies such as Micron Technology, Inc., and Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals, more than 40,000 manufacturing jobs could open up in the region over the next few years. The industry group is currently developing an assessment to determine what skills employers require and help students learn what skills they need to increase their job prospects and increase their salary when they are hired. The goal is to be able to match workers with the core skills and industry-recognized credentials for employers that have job openings. Addressing the current skills mismatch, according to the president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, could reduce national unemployment from 9.6 percent to as low as 6.5 percent.

The AMERICA Works Act will help workers and employers like the industry group in Viriginia as well as other industry-sector partnerships fill the skills gap by honing in on the importance of industry-recognized, portable credentials. Specifically, the bill would direct the use of public funds for designated programs within the Carl D. Perkins Vocational-Technical Education Act and the Workforce Investment Act to prepare individuals with the core skills necessary to obtain good, middle-class jobs. This bill complements other efforts, including sector strategies, which support local partnerships between business, labor, the workforce system, and education and training providers to ensure that workers have the skills employers need to compete in the global marketplace.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Minnick and Congressman Lee for introducing this legislation that invests in the skills of America's workers. I urge my colleagues to continue to advance education and training measures that build America's workforce and strengthen the economy.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 3940) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education program for the people of Guam.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H.R. 3940 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 3940. This amendment addresses two issues: The political status and education in Guam; and adjustment of the minimum wage schedules for two other Pacific territories, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Current law requires the minimum wage to increase in both of these territories by 50 cents per year until they reach the mainland's Federal minimum wage. Current law also requires the GAO to submit annual reports to the Congress on economic conditions for the minimum wage in both of these territories. These GAO reports are intended to give Congress information so that, if necessary, Congress can adjust the minimum wage schedules in these territories. The adjustments proposed in this bill are as a result of the GAO's latest report.

I reserve the balance of my time.

At this time I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

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

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As I mentioned in my opening statement, the adjustment proposed by this

bill is the result of the GAO's recent report. The recent GAO report lays out in great detail the serious economic difficulties confronting each territory to varying degrees. These difficulties arise from a variety of factors, including recent global economic conditions, ongoing economic diversification issues within the territories.

The GAO report justifies an adjustment to the minimum wage scale. Accordingly, the bill adjusts the schedule over the next 2 years by foregoing the 2010 increase in American Samoa and foregoing to 2011 increase in both American Samoa and the CNMI, and then in 2012 the normal schedule will be resumed. Last year we took similar action, and I would hope that everybody would support this bill.

I have to say, however, we have to correct some history here. First of all, the gentleman from Washington--I thank him for his support of this legislation--indicated that the hardship has fallen mostly on American Samoa. As the gentleman from American Samoa pointed out, some of that was due to the tsunami, but I would also suggest that American Samoa was covered at the insistence of Mr. Kirk from Illinois in the Appropriations Committee who insisted that the original legislation apply to American Samoa. That was not the original intent of the bill when we introduced it.

Secondly, the jobs in the CNMI, of course, have been in decline for some years because of the changes in the Multi-Fiber Agreement, and those jobs started migrating to China. Most of those plants were Chinese-owned, and they started pulling the machinery out of those plants and moving the machinery to China. That was hastened because of the Jack Abramoff scandals, and many of the labels, the big international American labels that were having clothing made in those plants, did not want that association and they left those plants in haste. And now the CNMI has no further garment industry at all, but that's been migrating over the last couple of years.

The problem was that, in fact, as we know, they were using the CNMI to sew into the label of these shirts ``Made in the USA'' when, in fact, they were not and they were made with what turned out to be, in many instances, slave labor from some of the poorest countries around the world. Many labels pulled out because they didn't want to be associated with those labor practices. They went off and had their clothes made in Indonesia or Mexico or the Caribbean or wherever. Others stayed and then things started getting worse. The final tier of the Multi-Fiber Agreement came along, and like so many other places in the Pacific, that's how that industry migrated to China, to Vietnam and elsewhere and left the CNMI.

I yield to the gentleman.

Certainly, the delegate from the CNMI continues to support the increase in the minimum wage. We're just trying to time it.

We could have gone the other way, maybe more in keeping with the Republican doctrine. We could have lowered the wages to 70 cents an hour and then they could have kept the jobs from going to Malaysia, but I don't think they could support themselves in these territories with that, especially with the construction going on in Guam.

I am happy to yield to the gentleman.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of USS POSCO Industries of Pittsburg, California.

In 1910, Columbia Steel Company was established at the current site of the plant in Pittsburg--a single open hearth furnace making steel castings for dredging, lumber and shipping industries with 60 employees. In the 1920s, the plant expanded to include the West's first nail mill, and later, the first hot dip tin mill west of the Mississippi to serve the food processing industry.

In the 1930s, United States Steel purchased Columbia and expanded the facilities to serve big public works projects like construction of the San Francisco Bay Bridge, which consumed 200,000 tons of steel. Post World War II expansion included modern continuous sheet and tin mills, the West's first continuous rod mill, cold rolling mills, electrolytic tinning, cleaning, continuous coating and annealing lines.

United States Steel became the first manufacturer in the West of galvanized sheet and thin-gauge tinplate in the 1950s, when plant employment peaked at about 5,200 men and women.

In the 1960s and 1970s, competing materials such as aluminum and plastics, as well as the advent of mini-mills and foreign imports, led the company to focus on its most efficient and competitive product lines. When a pipe mill was added, the Pittsburg facility gained the distinction of having the most diverse product line of any steel plant in the United States.

In 1986, USS POSCO Industries was formed as a 50/50 joint venture between United States Steel and POSCO of the Republic of Korea and the new company invested $450 million in modernizing facilities. Shortly afterwards, the company opened a Learning Center to promote continuing education. This Center continues to this day and now offers over 90 courses to employees and members of the community. Meanwhile, a new era of world-class operations began with a consistent supply of continuously cast, high-quality hot bands arriving by ship and rail from the joint venture partners.

USS POSCO was recognized in 1994 for outstanding corporate environmental achievement by the National Environmental Development Association. In 1996, the facility attained ISO 9002 certification, acknowledging compliance with the highest international standards for quality and manufacturing processes.

In 2002, a $115 million project to rebuild the Pickle Line Tandem Cold Mill was completed after a May 2001 fire destroyed the mill.

In 2005, USS POSCO was awarded the coveted ISO 14001:2004 certification, the premier international standard for environmental excellence. Certification recognizes the company's strict environmental standards for documenting, training, auditing, and managing all aspects of the manufacturing process. The newly-merged company's 20th anniversary was celebrated in 2006 with sales exceeding $1 billion and 2009 saw its best safety year ever.

Currently, USS POSCO employees about 750 workers and its annual production is over one million tons. The steel the company produces is used to manufacture sanitary food cans, a variety of construction products including culverts, studs, roofing, and HVAC applications, electrical conduit, ornamental tubing, filters, computer cabinets and office furniture. USS POSCO is the largest employer in the City of Pittsburg and annually contributes about $400 million to the local economy.

The company is the largest corporate fundraiser in the East Bay for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), to which it has contributed for fifteen years, and in 2008 the company raised $173,000. The company's employees participate in a variety of local civic activities including Junior Achievement and the Los Medanos Community College Foundation, while the company worked with the college to establish a new apprenticeship program for vocational training.

I know I speak for all Members of Congress when I congratulate USS POSCO on its 100th anniversary of continuous steel making in Pittsburg, California, and wish them continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise to offer my condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of Jamie Grodsky, former counsel for the Natural Resources Committee at the time that I served as committee chair. Her funeral took place in San Francisco in May of this year, and she will also be remembered in a Memorial Service to be held on September 20 in Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University.

Jamie passed away on May 22, 2010. She was an extraordinary individual, who was both respected and cherished by her numerous friends and family members, as well as by her colleagues and students.

Jamie played many valuable roles in her various jobs in all three branches of the Federal Government and in academia. For five years in the 1980's she was an Analyst with the Office of Technology Assessment. In that capacity she helped write reports and analyses that helped us to understand and benefit from changes in information technology and economic competition.

From 1993 to 1995, Jamie returned to the Hill to serve as a counsel to the Natural Resources Committee. During that time, Jamie worked with me on a wide range of issues, including developing new policies for the conservation and use of the natural resources in the Western United States, and other environmental issues.

A native of California, Jamie went to work for Senator Dianne Feinstein from California, as a counsel on the Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 1997. Among other issues she worked on were privacy, civil rights, judicial nominations, antitrust, intellectual property, and constitutional law.

Jamie was well educated and loved learning. She received a BA with distinction from Stanford University, where she was elected president of her class. She subsequently received an MA from U.C. Berkeley in Economic Geography, and returned to Stanford to receive her law degree where she was Articles Editor of the Stanford Law Review and received the Murie Award in Environmental Law and the Ochlmann Prize for Legal Writing.

Jamie left Capitol Hill to clerk for the Chief Judge of the Ninth Circuit, the Hon. Proctor Hug, who described her as ``the most multi- talented person I have ever met.'' From there, Jamie served as Senior Advisor to the general counsel of the U.S. EPA from 1999 to 2001.

Jamie went on to become a well respected law professor, first at the University of Minnesota, and, beginning in 2006, as a Professor of Environmental Law at George Washington University where she received tenure. She was a proficient writer and was one of the Nation's preeminent experts in environmental law. Two of her recent articles were chosen as being among the top five law review articles in the Nation.

At various times, Jamie also found time to backpack around Appalachia, play guitar with the great Doc Watson; walk with Native Americans from California to Utah; serve as Educational Director of the San Francisco Oceanic Society (where she founded Sea Camp, a children's maritime educational camp); and conduct research in marine biology at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts.

There is no question that the Congress and our country are a better place because of Jamie's contributions. Jamie displayed not only tremendous knowledge, expertise and judgment, but also incredible enthusiasm and friendship to all who knew her. I know I speak for all of my colleagues on both sides of Capitol Hill, as well as Jamie's co- workers in the Executive Branch and Judicial Branch, and for her students and friends in Washington, D.C., California, Minnesota and around the Nation, when I offer my condolences and respect for a life well lived and fully enjoyed.

Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleagues Congressman Jerry McNerney and Congressman John Garamendi to recognize Contra Costa County Sheriff Warren E. Rupf and congratulate him as he approaches his well earned retirement after serving for 45 years in law enforcement. Sheriff Rupf has had an outstanding career in public service and his tenure demonstrates his lifelong commitment to the citizens and communities of Contra Costa County.

Warren graduated from the FBI National Academy and National Executive Institute in 1965 following 4 years of honorable service to our country in the United States Marine Corps. Upon his graduation, he began working as a deputy sheriff in the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. Since that time, Warren has served in virtually every rank within the department and is currently the longest serving member of the agency. In 1979, Warren was appointed to assistant sheriff and served in that position until he was appointed Sheriff in 1992. Over the span of his career, the Sheriffs Department has grown to an agency of over 1,200 employees and a budget of $170 million.

As an active resident of Contra Costa County, Warren has held leadership positions in several law enforcement and community service organizations. He has served as chairman of both the California Commission on Boating and Waterways and the Contra Costa Police Chiefs' Association. In addition to these distinguished posts he also served on the board of directors for the Suicide and Crisis Intervention, Contra Costa County District Fair, and the California State Sheriff's Association. Currently Warren serves as president of the Micki Rainey Scholarship fund and is active with the Bay Counties Peace Officers' Association.

Over the span of his 45-year career, Warren has received numerous awards of distinction including the 1995 Peace Officer of the Year Award from the Outdoor Sportsmen's Coalition of California, the 1998 Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America, and the ``Making a Difference'' Community Award in May of 2000 from the Assistance League of Diablo Valley.

Madam Speaker, we invite our colleagues to join us in honoring Sheriff Warren Rupf for his dedicated service to the people of California, the Bay Area, and especially to the residents of Contra Costa County. We are pleased to join with his family, colleagues, and friends in congratulating Warren for a long and highly successful career and wish him a happy and healthy retirement.

Madam Speaker, in fulfillment of House Committee chair responsibilities per H. Res. 1493 (111th Congress), below are ``findings that identify changes in law that help achieve deficit reduction by reducing waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, promoting efficiency and reform of government, and controlling spending within Government programs'' the Committee on Education and Labor authorizes. The measures discussed below are pending before Congress. If enacted, the legislation would promote efficient government and allow the agencies and departments within the jurisdiction of the Committee to more effectively serve the public.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of one of my constituents, Mrs. Fannie Mae Lawson of Pittsburg, California. Born to James and Onnie Manning in Arkansas on May 27, 1925, Fannie Mae attended the C.S. Woodland School. In 1946 she married George Van ``G.V.'' Lawson in her hometown of Magnolia, Arkansas. Together they had four children: George, Willie, Sharon, and Audrey. In 1946, Fannie Mae and her family moved to Pittsburg, CA where she began her outstanding service to the community. She began volunteering at her local church, first as a member of the choir, then serving in the Ministries of Convalescent, as well as a Deaconess, and as a Mother of the church. She served the church for 64 years! Fannie was also actively involved in the Pittsburg branch of the N.A.A.C.P. where she served as President for 28 years, and she was also a foster parent for over 30 years and served on the Advisory Board for the Pittsburg Unified School District. At the age of 85, surrounded by her loved ones on July 27, 2010, Fannie Mae Lawson passed away. Sadly, she was preceded in death by her husband, G.V., her son George Earl, and two grandchildren. She will be missed not only by her three children, six grandchildren and many friends, but also by the people of the Pittsburg community whom she helped so much in life.

Pittsburg Activist Left a Legacy, Longtime Residents Say

[From the Contra Costa Times, Aug. 4, 2010]

(By Rick Radin)

Pittsburg--The city's residents lost a powerful voice for

schools and for social justice with the death of longtime

community activist Fannie Lawson last week. Lawson, 87,

served as chairwoman of the Pittsburg NAACP for 15 years. She

was a leader in promoting equal rights in hiring in Pittsburg

businesses and advocating for after-school programs, said

Darnell Turner, the chairman of the legal redress committee

of the NAACP of East Contra Costa, the Pittsburg chapter's

successor. Funeral services were held Saturday at First

Baptist Church in Pittsburg, where Lawson was a member for

more than 60 years. ``She'll be missed,'' said Curlie

Jackson, a former NAACP branch chairwoman. ``If you had a

problem, she was the one you went to.'' Lawson and her

husband, George Lawson, moved to Pittsburg from Magnolia,

Ark., in 1946, and Fannie Lawson took a job in a cannery in

Pittburg, Turner said. The Lawsons were the first black

residents of Pittsburg's Bayside Knolls neighborhood in 1951,

and Fannie Lawson felt some bitterness about the experience

of being a pioneer. ``Can you imagine being looked at as too

low to live in this place or that place? It was hard,''

Lawson said in a 2006 interview. ``A lot of things were said

that hurt my feelings, but you couldn't give up if you wanted

a place to live.'' Lawson took the experience and momentum

from fighting for housing rights into a series of other

campaigns for low-income residents in Pittsburg and East

County. When a release from the Pittsburg PG&E power plant

coated homes and cars in Lawson's neighborhood with dust, she

worked with the company to make sure the material was tested

for toxics, Turner said. ``The police blocked off the

neighborhood, and a hazardous materials team came in,''

Turner said. The utility agreed to repaint cars and homes

that had been damaged by the release, he said. ``(Lawson)

continued to work with PG&E after the incident,'' Turner

said. ``They created a scholarship program to help

underprivileged students get an opportunity to pursue a two-

or four-year education.'' Lawson was the driving force in the

campaign to change the name of Montezuma Street in Pittsburg

to Herb White Way, after the city's first black mayor. She

also kicked into gear when Pittsburg teachers threatened a

strike a few days before the end of the school year in the

late 1990s. ``She wanted to make sure the students weren't

used as bargaining tools, that the graduation wasn't (tainted

by a work stoppage),'' Turner said. She responded to a cross

burning in Brentwood, working with the city to improve

communications and promote tolerance, he said. Lawson pushed

for tutorial programs for children who were having difficulty

in school, said former Contra Costa supervisor, state senator

and Pittsburg school board member Joe Canciamilla. ``She

wasn't shy,'' Canciamilla said. ``She was tenacious when it

came to advocating for people.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today and invite my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Lt. Col. William ``Bill'' C. Bryan, longtime resident of Vacaville, California, and to recognize his many accomplishments and contributions to our country and the community.

Sadly, Bill passed away at home with his wife at his side on August 1, 2010 at the age of 90.

I was honored to have recently visited with Bill, his wife Betty and daughters Geri and Karen, as well as two of his grandchildren at their family home. Bill and Betty shared stories about their lives together and proudly showed off a mini time-line of photographs from their wedding day, their growing family and Bill's 90th birthday party. Bill also recalled his service in WWII and shared with me photographs of his early years in the service and throughout his distinguished career. Bill took great pride in serving our country and his love of flying was evident and everlasting.

William ``Bill'' Charles Bryan was born on April 27, 1920, in Big Timber, Montana, to William Franklin Bryan and Lena Bryan. Bill's outstanding character was no doubt evident to all who knew him, and his commitment to the United States Army was a true indication of his sense of duty and love of country.

Bill's long career with the military started when he was drafted into the Army in 1942 and served in the Army Coastal Artillery Unit. In 1943, he cross-trained and started pilot training in the Army Air Corps. In 1944, on his 17th mission over Germany, his B-24 was shot down over Austria. Bill courageously spent 14 months as a Prisoner Of War (POW) in Northern Germany at Stalag Luft #1. Despite often frightening and harrowing conditions as a POW, Bill returned to flying upon his release in 1946 and piloted the Douglas C-124 Globemaster and the Douglas C-130 Hercules. In 1947 Bill became a member of the newly designated United States Air Force where he continued to serve until retiring in 1966 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Bill would not remain idle after retiring from the Air Force for long. Following his distinguished time in the military, he embarked on a second fulfilling career and started his own business, ``Bill's Refrigeration''. Bill not only ran the business, but he also worked as a repairman on refrigeration systems through the neighboring communities until his retirement in 2004. For many years he volunteered his services and repaired the Vacaville Veterans Hall refrigeration system to continue showing his support to the veterans community.

Over the years, Bill donated his time and talent to the Veterans Community and was often called upon as quest speaker at various veterans' services such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Remembrances and Prisoner of War and Missing in Action ceremonies. Bill served as an advisor to his local veterans groups on POW/MIA issues and was a member of the Quiet Birdman, Order of the Daedalians, American Legion Post 165, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7244 and Sacramento POW Club.

Bill's patriotism in the community was frequently recognized by his peers. Bill was seen standing proudly along the front row of veterans holding the POW/MIA flag for two hours at one event. He refused several attempts during the event to use a chair and he proudly proclaimed he was standing up, ``in support of our troops''.

Bill is survived by his wife, Betty C. Bryan; son, Wesley William and wife Jerri; his daughter, Geri Bryan Hann; stepdaughter, Karen Novak and husband Joe; stepson, Steve Croft and wife Oolah. He was also the proud grandfather of eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, once again, I would like to pay tribute to the life of a true American hero, Lt. Col. William ``Bill'' C. Bryan and further recognize his unwavering devotion to his family, his community, and his country.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank him for his persistence in pushing this legislation, and finally to have this legislation back from the Senate today so that we can help school districts.

The scandals that were permitted under the Bush administration cost middle class families trillions of dollars in the loss of their wealth in their pension plans, in their jobs, in the value of their homes. Now the question is whether or not school children in this Nation should be further victims of these financial scandals that were tolerated, and whether or not these school districts that have had the revenues that they rely on to fund the schools that have been ripped away because of the loss of property values, because of the loss of sales tax, because of the loss of income tax, because of the results of those scandals. The answer in this bill is no, that in fact we should help school districts make sure that children can get a first class education, that they don't lose a year of education because of those financial scandals that happened on the watch of the past administration as the banks and Wall Street ran amok.

So we should pass this bill and make sure that those 160,000 teachers can return to the classroom. I would like to ask the gentleman a question.

It's my understanding, Mr. Chairman, under this legislation, that when the governor makes application for these funds, under the bill the Secretary can require the governor to choose one of two formulas, the State allocation formula or the title I formula, and to post that formula so school districts would then be able to know their allocation as soon as possible so they could start to rehire people and start to reduce class sizes or other decisions that school boards hope to make to provide for that education. Is that your understanding that that's permitted under this legislation?

So the Governor would put that in the application, declare the formula, and

post that, so that school districts would be on the earliest possible notice,

Again I want to thank you. You have sent the bill to the Senate, the House sent it last year, and you sent it three times this year. Thank you again for your persistence and your work on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1574, I call up the bill (H.R. 5851) to provide whistleblower protections to certain workers in the offshore oil and gas industry, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material for the Record.

Mr. Speaker, the legislation before the House today closes a loophole in current law regarding the rights of workers to blow the whistle over unsafe conditions on offshore oil rigs.

As the Obama administration told Congress, individuals working on the Outer Continental Shelf, like on the Deepwater Horizon, shockingly have zero whistleblower protections. This is unconscionable. There is no good policy reason for treating onshore and offshore workers differently. This is because the whistleblower may be the only thing that's standing between a safe workplace and a catastrophe.

H.R. 5851, the Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower Protection Act, will fix this glaring omission. Whether it is refineries, underground coal mines, or oil drilling rigs, our enforcement agencies cannot be at all workplaces at all times. That's why it's up to workers to be the eyes and the ears when these agencies can't.

While the precise cause of the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon tragedy is still under investigation, two things are clear from the media reports and from the congressional hearings. First, workers on the rig had safety concerns prior to the tragedy. And second, workers believed that they would lose their job if they raised these safety concerns with management.

Not long before the Deepwater Horizon explosion, rig worker Jason Anderson told his wife that working conditions on the rig were not safe. He talked to her about getting his will and getting his affairs in order. But he wouldn't talk about his safety concerns when he was on the rig. He once told his wife he couldn't talk about the safety concerns because ``the walls are too thin.'' Jason did not survive the explosion. He perished, along with 10 others. He left behind a wife and two young children.

No worker should ever have to choose between his or her life and their livelihood, but that's a decision these workers face. As Deepwater Horizon worker Daniel Barron said, safety is only convenient for employers when they needed it. There was a lot of rhetoric that everybody had the right to call a timeout for safety, but when push comes to shove, if you called that timeout, Daniel Barron said, you're going to get fired.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is narrowly tailored and will protect offshore workers who call for a timeout for safety. It simply extends the whistleblower protections to workers engaged in oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, and oil spill cleanup on the Outer Continental Shelf. It mirrors other recently enacted whistleblower laws contained in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

Specifically, H.R. 5851 will prohibit discrimination against employees who report violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. It protects workers who report injuries or unsafe conditions to an employer or the government, and protects workers who

refuse to perform on the assigned task when there is a reasonable belief of injury or spill. The bill will also require employers to post notice and provide training that explains these rights.

Finally, like other modern whistleblowing statutes, the bill provides for a fair process for resolving whistleblower complaints at the Department of Labor or through the courts if necessary. The Education and Labor Committee recently approved strong mine safety and OSHA reform bills that include nearly identical whistleblower protections.

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Markey, and his staff for their work on this legislation, and Mr. Conyers and the Judiciary Committee for their constructive advice and suggestions.

I again want to thank Mr. Markey. He offered very similar whistleblower language in the Energy and Commerce Committee, and they reported that language out as part of a larger oil spill response bill 48-0.

I urge my colleagues to support the closing of this dangerous loophole and provide the protections for these workers. Workers in the oil and gas industry deserve a voice on safety issues regardless of whether or not they work onshore or offshore.

Committee on the Judiciary,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, July 29, 2010.

Hon. George Miller,

Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Miller: This is to advise you that, as a

result of your having consulted with us on provisions in H.R.

5851, the Offshore Oil and Gas Worker Whistleblower

Protection Act of 2010, that fall within the rule X

jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary, we are able

to agree to waive seeking a formal referral of the bill, in

order that it may proceed without delay to the House floor

for consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 5851 at

this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our

Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the

bill or similar legislation moves forward, so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our

Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation, and

requests your support for any such request.

I would appreciate your including this letter in the

Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the

House floor. Thank you for your attention to this request,

and for the cooperative relationship between our two

committees.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.

Chairman.

I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), the subcommittee chair on the Education and Labor Committee.

I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), a coauthor of this legislation and the author of the whistleblower protection provisions of the Energy and Commerce bill.

I yield the gentleman 2 additional minutes.

Will the gentleman yield?

I know how hard you worked to try to get the accurate figures of what the blowout meant in terms of volume of oil going into the gulf.

I just wonder, if we had had whistleblower protections and one of the employees at BP who knew what the real volume was as opposed to what the executives were telling the American people and the rest of the world, we might have had information sooner which would have allowed us to respond in a different fashion than we did when we had bad information because of the concealment of the accuracy of which we found when you finally got the cameras turned on.

I thank the gentleman.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, I hope that all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle will support this Whistleblower Protection Act.

I hope that they understand that many, many thousands, millions of American workers work in work sites where every day they pose an inherent danger to those workers. The question of whether or not those workers will be safe or not very often is decided by the employer, who decides how they will structure the work site, what the work rules will be, and how the work and the process will proceed.

But very often those employers sometimes shortchange safety. They choose to pick production over the safety of their workers. They choose to pick cost cutting over safety of their workers.

They choose to pick hurrying up the job over the safety of their workers. They choose to pick getting certain parts of the job done and get them off-site over the safety of their workers.

In today's economy, and in every economy, for many of these workers, it's a terrible choice to think about if I raise my hand on behalf of safety, will I lose my job? If I raise a question about the process that we are about to engage in here and how dangerous it is, will I lose my job?

I represent a district where people work in these industries, in the chemical industry and the refining industry. You know what? We lose workers in those jobs all too often, and all too often we find out the mistakes that were made and we wonder. And even those workers, who are covered by whistleblower protection, know the trade-off.

Because, don't forget, all whistleblower protection does is give you a right to try to proceed to get your job back. Many times that's delayed and workers go months and months without pay because they had the courage to invoke their rights.

This Whistleblower Protection Act is consistent with the other Federal protections for workers throughout this country, but these workers today on the Outer Continental Shelf have no protection at all with respect to their personal safety, and we are simply filling that gap and making sure that they will have that right.

Now, many companies--and I have talked to the CEOs of some of these companies--say, you know, we give you the right at any time to pull the switch, to shut down the job, to stop it, if you think it's unsafe. One company gives out a card. You get a card and you put the card down. It's sort of like in the World Cup--you get a time-out.

Do you know what the supervisors tell the employees that card is? A get-fired card. Play that card, get fired. So the company says play this card any time you want, but the supervisors make it clear what the pressure is.

That's why we need this whistleblower protection for the workers on the Outer Continental Shelf. I have to believe, given the concerns that are documented in the hearings of this Congress, that had these workers had that kind of protection, there would have been a far greater chance that they would have said, wait a minute, because they had concerns about the procedure as they started to withdraw from this drill site. They had concerns about the condition of the rig. They had concerns about the overriding of safety alarms. Yet we saw the explosion and the tragedy and the loss of life of these workers.

Let's do something in their memory that will protect their colleagues on the Outer Continental Shelf. Let's pass this bill with large bipartisan support.

In the name of these workers, these workers who fell into a gap in the protection laws of this Nation, let's fill that gap. Let's provide them the protection, and let's make their death not be in vain with respect to their coworkers.

I ask for support of this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.