Floor Statements

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

(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

I rise in support of H.R. 1160, as amended, which would convey the McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for the purposes of fish and wildlife management. This would allow for the continued operation of the hatchery and the important role it plays in the State's urban fishing program and in addressing the restoration or recovery needs of aquatic resources held in public trust.

As we've heard before, with the warming of the oceans, we are in critical need of helping conserve our fishing industry. So to me this is really a critical piece of legislation.

I do commend my colleague, Congressman Kissell from North Carolina, for introducing his bill, which is supported by his State and the administration, and would yield to the gentleman for such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

H.R. 461, as the majority mentioned, would transfer title of an electric distribution system from the Bureau of Reclamation to the South Utah Valley Electric Distribution system. The South Utah Valley Electrical Distribution system already

operates and maintains the existing facilities. The act would eliminate the Bureau of Reclamation's obligations to oversee the maintenance of the distribution system and to administer the associated lands.

The Strawberry Valley Reclamation Project is a great example of the important role the Federal Government has played in helping to spur the economy of local communities in the West. Without Reclamation's involvement years ago, it is very highly unlikely that we would be able to transfer these facilities to the local entities today. So I commend my friend and colleague, Congressman Chaffetz from Utah, for supporting this important piece of legislation that helps the area so well.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 818, sponsored by our friend and colleague Congressman Matheson, would allow the Uintah Water Conservancy District of Uintah County, Utah, to prepay--that means to pay ahead of time for anybody who really understands the prepay--the debt owed to the Federal Government for the construction of the Jensen Unit.

At a time when our country is watching our dollars and cents, H.R. 818 is legislation that does make very credible sense. The water district would have the option to pay its loan early--what a novel concept--and translate the interest savings into lower rates for its customers--again, quite an interesting concept. The Federal Government, in turn, would benefit from the accelerated repayment of the debt to the Treasury and be able to use that for debt reduction or whatever else is needed.

I do commend Congressman Matheson of Utah for his efforts in moving this legislation. Identical legislation passed the House unanimously in the 111th Congress, so I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).

As I have no further requests for time, I would urge my colleagues to vote for this very important piece of legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, the recipients of the Distinguished Flying

Cross include Captain Charles Lindbergh, Commander Richard Byrd, Amelia Earhart, and Captain Mark Kelly. You might know who Captain Mark Kelly is because he had his medal pinned on him by his wife--our dear colleague, Representative Gabby Giffords. All of the men and women who have received this medal are American heroes, and the March Field Air Museum is to be commended for its efforts to establish a memorial honoring these individuals.

On our side, we would likely support some Federal funding for this project, but in knowing our status on our budgetary problems, our friends on the other side have written the bill to prohibit Federal support. Nevertheless, we do wholeheartedly support H.R. 320.

I commend my friend and colleague Ken Calvert, from my home State of California, for introducing this piece of legislation to recognize all our heroes.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to urge both sides to support H.R. 320, but at the same time I'd also like to thank our majority and our minority, not only our Members, but also the staff that have done a very wonderful job in helping us put this stuff together and putting up with us.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, October 11, 2011, I regrettably missed the votes on rollcall. My leave of absence was due to a district event with the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Nay'' on the following bill.

H. Res. 425--Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3078, United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, H.R. 3079, United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, H.R. 3080, United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act and the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments to H.R. 2832 which extends the Generalized System of Preferences, and for other purposes.

Following H. Res. 425, I would have voted ``Yea'' on the following amendments.

Waxman Amendment (#11) which adds a new section at the end of the bill to ensure that the bill complies with the Republican discretionary CutGo protocol. The section says if the bill authorizes the appropriation of funds and does not reduce an existing authorization of appropriations to offset that amount, then the bill's provisions cease to be effective. CBO currently scores the bill as spending $1 million over 5 years subject to appropriations.

Connolly Amendment (#18) which adds a new section at the end of the bill that directs the EPA Administrator not to delay actions to reduce pollution emissions from waste incinerators or industrial boilers at chemical facilities,

oil refineries or large manufacturing facilities if such emissions are causing respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses and deaths, including cases of heart attacks, asthma attacks and bronchitis.

Markey Amendment which adds a new section at the end of the bill which directs the EPA Administrator not to delay actions to reduce pollution emissions from waste incinerators or industrial boilers at chemical facilities, oil refineries or large manufacturing facilities if such emissions are increasing the risk of cancer.

Edwards Amendment which adds a finding to the bill which states, according to EPA, if the rules overturned by the bill remained in effect, they would create 2,200 net additional jobs, not including jobs created to manufacture and install equipment to reduce air pollution. This finding is drawn from EPA's analysis of the rules.

Schakowsky Amendment which adds a finding to the bill that mercury released into the ambient air from cement kilns is a potent neurotoxin that can damage the development of an infant's brain.

Ellison Amendment (#12) which allows EPA to require compliance by boilers sooner than 5 years (underlying bill says boilers get at least 5 years or longer to comply) if the new regulations required to be written under the bill result in the creation of more than 1,000 jobs.

Welch Amendment which adds a finding to the bill affirming that that the American people are exposed to mercury from industrial sources through the consumption of fish containing mercury and every state in the nation has issued at least one mercury advisory for fish consumption.

Jackson-Lee Amendment which requires boilers to comply no later than 3 years after EPA completes the re-write of boiler rules required by the bill. The bill includes a deadline of at least 5 years, the Clean Air Act currently requires 3 years and gives states or EPA the ability to extend for a 4th year. The Jackson-Lee amendment would retain the CAA's current provisions.

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

(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

I thank Congressman Bishop, Congressman Sablan, but especially Congressman Hastings and our staff for working on this bill.

I rise in support of H.R. 470, the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011, as amended. And I agree with my colleague, I agree with his remarks. Hydropower is a very valuable resource for our country. The power produced at Hoover provides a renewable, very affordable and accessible resource to the American Southwest, more specifically the States of California, my State, Nevada, and Arizona, and has 30 million residents, businesses, farms, and tribes that benefit from its renewable power.

A new provision in the legislation, which my colleague talked about, would create an additional Schedule D, where power will be made available to eligible tribes and other users. And I'm hoping that those eligible users are mostly tribes because they've been kept out of the loop for many generations, and I think it's time that we put them up in the priority status, rather than at the end of the line as normally happens.

Western Area Power Administration has committed to implementing a full and transparent process in the allocation of this valuable resource. And we do expect that the State regulatory agencies of Arizona and Nevada both will follow the same procedures and commitment to an impartial and unbiased allocation determination.

The 50-year timeframe for allocation of this resource also matches the commitment by collaborators to fund the Lower Colorado River Multi- Species Conservation Program, a nationally recognized example of how diverse stakeholders can find solutions, working together, that promote economic growth while protecting more than 100 species, including some endangered species that everybody wants to do away with, all within the Lower Colorado floodplain, and this is without litigation.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation has 34 bipartisan cosponsors. This exact same bill, H.R. 4349, which I was the lead sponsor of, as was Senator Reid in the Senate, passed the House in the 111th Congress, and I ask my colleagues now to again not only support but vote for the passage of H.R. 470.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my support to President Obama's signing into law S. 1055 on October 5 of this last year, which grants the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service the Congressional Gold Medal and also authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center to award this medal to the brave service men and women in recognition of their service during World War II, which my husband was a participant of.

For too long, we tended to ignore the contributions of our military men and women simply because they don't look traditional.

I know that in California, we did the same thing with the fishing village in San Pedro that had been ignored. They lost everything and were put into camps during the war.

On another matter, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this moment to address an issue that is very, very disconcerting to many of us, especially those in the Latino community.

I thank the gentleman.

Mental health in our Latino community has been ignored for too long, especially in all minority communities but mostly in Hispanic. It's an issue that we need to take the stigma out of, because we don't want to hear it, we don't want to see it, and we certainly don't want to speak about it. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Hispanic Americans aged 15 to 24, the 13th leading cause for Hispanics of all ages. To quote Mia St. John, three-time world boxing champion, Latina, affected by mental illness growing up and a strong mental health advocate, ``I was the first generation in my family born in America. All I wanted to be was American. I had stress and depression symptoms that professionals could have recognized as anxiety or psychosis. By the time I was 18 I was homeless and contemplating suicide.''

We have H.R. 751, the Mental Health in Schools Act, onsite mental health delivery services for our youth, which will save lives and give hope and shares the message to never be afraid or be ashamed to ask for help.

I ask for support for mental health and H.R. 751.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 25, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 630. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on H. Res. 363--Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2584-- Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 because it waives all points of order against the bill. H.R. 2584 includes many harmful policy riders that violate the House rules by legislating on an appropriations bill.

I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise to address the ranking member of the House Appropriation's Committee on Defense, Mr. Dicks, and also the chair in a colloquy on the critical need to improve the recruitment, retention, and competitive compensation of the mental health professionals who can work with our Iraq and Afghanistan military servicemen and -women.

Since 2001, 2,103 military members have died by suicide. And one in five servicemembers currently suffer from post-traumatic stress and/or major depression. We must ensure that an adequate number of mental health professionals are available to treat our soldiers.

Mental health professionals must be retained by providing adequate pay and competitive benefits that are also available in the private sector. It is our duty and responsibility to our wounded warriors that we ensure their mental health services are secure and available when and where needed.

I am submitting for the Record an article from the Army Times dated April 7, 2011, regarding the Senate Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee meeting of April 6 and quoting Army Surgeon General Lieutenant General Schoomaker, who stressed the severe lack of mental health professionals in the military, and his concern about retention, especially in the rural areas. The article states, ``Congress has been pressing the military health system to add more psychiatric doctors, nurses and social workers for several years. That has prompted the services to add about 1,500 full-time mental health professionals since 2006--a 70 percent increase.''

The article further says, ``But demand has continued to outpace that growth. Active-duty troops and their families were referred to off-base civilian mental health care professionals nearly 4 million times in 2009, roughly double the number of off-base referrals in 2006, military data show.

``The dramatic increase in military suicides during the past several years has added urgency to congressional concerns. At the April 6 hearing, all three military surgeons general told lawmakers about efforts to improve training, recruiting and retention of mental health professionals.''

Senator Mikulski has suggested military training may be uniquely important because some civilian doctors and social workers have trouble understanding the troops' problems and mindset.

I am also submitting for the Record a witness statement of July 14, 2011, from the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, where the Deputy Director of Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division, Jacob Gadd, expressed the challenges of hiring and retaining quality mental health specialists. Our servicemembers should not have to wait one more day for the help they deserve.

As cochair of the Congressional Mental Health Care Caucus, I have met with many key military leaders to learn what the most critical issues are in addressing mental health services for our military men and women. I've repeatedly been informed that there have been woefully inadequate numbers of mental health professionals available to care for our men and women.

Congress has a responsibility to see that our soldiers and veterans have the resources for quality care. Because this quality of care is dependent on the quantity of behavioral health specialists trained in war, PTS, we must successfully recruit and retain to work with our men and women who fight to ensure our precious daily freedoms.

The legislation before you today provides $32.3 billion for the defense health program and military family programs, with $125 million of this going towards research of traumatic brain injury and psychological health treatment, hopefully to also include hyperbaric treatment research.

We must insist on accountability that adequately trained behavioral health professionals are on hand when and where needed. I would like to work with the ranking member to obtain from the Department of Defense a detailed outline on their efforts for each military service--Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, et cetera--to recruit, retain, and formulate the competitive salaries and benefits that will keep behavioral health specialists serving our men and women who have given so much to protect our freedoms.

We place them in harm's way. It is our duty and obligation to ensure the best care is given to them.

I yield to the ranking member.

I yield to the gentleman.

I thank Mr. Dicks, the ranking member, for working with me on this critical issue and look forward to working soon enough on this.

[Apr. 7, 2011]

Panel Questions Adequacy of Mental Health Care

(By Andrew Tilghman)

The military's top doctors faced heated questions on

Capitol Hill about whether there are enough mental health

professionals to meet the soaring demand from troubled

troops.

``Do you feel you have adequate mental health personnel?''

asked Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., at an April 6 hearing of

the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense panel.

Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general,

acknowledged that the military would prefer to have more, but

cited an overall lack of mental health professionals

nationwide as a key challenge. ``I think the nation is facing

problems. As a microcosm of the nation, we have problems,''

Schoomaker said.

Congress has been pressing the military health system to

add more psychiatric doctors, nurses and social workers for

several years. That has prompted the services to add about

1,500 full-time mental health professionals since 2006--a 70

percent increase.

But demand has continued to outpace that growth. Active-

duty troops and their families were referred to off-base

civilian mental health care professionals nearly 4 million

times in 2009, roughly double the number of off-base

referrals in 2006, military data show.

The dramatic increase in military suicides during the past

several years has added urgency to congressional concerns. At

the April 6 hearing, all three military surgeons general told

lawmakers about efforts to improve training, recruiting and

retention of mental health professionals.

Mikulski suggested military training may be uniquely

important because some civilian doctors and social workers

have trouble understanding troops' problems and mindset.

``From what I understand . . . often in the first hour of

the first treatment, the military [patients] facing this

problem walk out and tell the counselor, essentially, to go

to hell because they don't feel they get it,'' she said.

Schoomaker downplayed issues with nonmilitary

professionals.

``Frankly, I think . . . this warrior culture issue might

be present in some cases but not universally. Our people do a

good job with that,'' he said.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was concerned about reservists

who may not live near a military treatment facility and may

have problems finding mental health care. Schoomaker agreed

that reservists can face a significant challenge.

``We have residual problems . . . in reserve communities.

You go home to a community where access to care is a problem

for all care, but especially behavioral health,'' Schoomaker

said.

That's also a problem for some active-duty posts in rural

areas. ``In the desert of California, for example, it's hard

to recruit and retain high-quality people,'' he said.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 492. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on H. Res. 328, the rule providing for consideration of H.J. Res. 68, Authorizing the limited use of United States Armed Forces in support of the NATO mission in Libya; and consideration of H.R. 2278, to limit the use of funds appropriated to the Department of Defense for United States Armed Forces in support of NATO operations in Libya.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 493. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on H.J. Res. 68, authorizing the limited use of United States Armed Forces in support of the NATO mission in Libya.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 494. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 2278, to limit the use of funds appropriated to the Department of Defense for United States Armed Forces in support of NATO operations in Libya.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 479 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 320--the Rule for H.R. 2219--Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2012.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 480 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on H. Res. 320--Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2219--Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2012.

Madam Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 481 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Smith (TX) Manager's Amendment.

Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Conyers

Mr. Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 482 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the Conyers (MI)/Rohrabacher (CA) Amendment (No. 2).

(By unanimous consent, Mrs. Emerson was allowed to speak out of order.)

Congressional Women's Softball Game

Mr. Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 483 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the Baldwin (WI)/Sensenbrenner (WI) Amendment.

Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Conyers

Mr. Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote #485 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on the Conyers (MI)/ Markey (MA)/Neal (MA)/Pompeo (KS)/Garrett (NJ) Amendment (#9).

Amendment No. 12 Offered by Mr. Sensenbrenner

Mr. Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 486 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Sensenbrenner (WI) Amendment.

Amendment No. 13 Offered by Mr. Manzullo

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 487 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Manzullo (IL) Amendment.

Amendment No. 14 Offered by Mr. Rohrabacher

Mr. Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 488 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have

voted ``nay'' on the Rohrabacher (CA)/Kaptur (OH) Amendment.

Amendment No. 15 Offered by Mr. Schock

Mr. Chair, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 489 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Schock (IL)/Boren (OK)/Waters (CA)/Sensenbrenner (WI)/Franks (AZ)/ Kaptur (OH) Amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 490 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 1249--America Invents Act.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 491 in order to attend my grandson's graduation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 1249--America Invents Act.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, May 23, 2011, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 330 due to travel delays. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 1627--Honoring American Veterans Act of 2011. This bill codifies the current practices at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) regarding the placement and funding of commemorative monuments, eligibility requirements, and suitability for burial. Those who have served our country honorably deserve a chance to be commemorated at this military cemetery, where veterans and military casualities from each of the nation's wars have been laid to rest.