Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 231 on mourning the passing of President Reagan I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. David Sickler, a lifelong champion for working families.

Mr. Sickler serves as the Director of the Southern California State Building and Construction Trades Council. Under his leadership, Mr. Sickler has successfully advanced the goals of the Council and has proven to be one of the most talented and effective union organizers in the country. In particular, he is at the forefront of the national movement to promote and protect the rights of immigrant workers.

For over a decade, Mr. Sickler has served as Chair of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Labor Center's Advisory Committee. His dynamic and compassionate leadership on the Committee make him an excellent role model for people of all ages who seek social justice in their communities.

The celebration of the 40th anniversary of the UCLA Labor Center is a testament to the hard work and tireless leadership of David Sickler and so many others who have dedicated their lives to advancing the causes of working families in this nation. I salute David Sickler, and other great labor leaders such as Dolores Huerta, Reverend James Lawson, and Tom Rankin, for their commitment and determination to bring social justice to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the body to recognize labor leaders of the past, the UCLA Labor Center, and all union organizers throughout America.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 229 on the Bereavement resolution I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 230 on approving the journal, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the men and women who sacrifice their lives every day in support of our nation as members of the armed services, both in times of peace and war. In the two and a half years since our nation was attacked, the service of America's armed services has been priceless--both in helping defend America at home and serving abroad. We should be thankful and grateful to all service members.

This Memorial Day marks the dedication of the World War II memorial in Washington, DC, the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion at Normandy, and the 60th anniversary of the passage of the GI Bill of Rights. We recall with love and gratitude the 16.1 million that served in World War II and remember the 292,000 service members killed in action. Today our government provides care and services to the hundreds of thousands of disabled veterans of World War II.

While today we reflect on our veterans that have fought and our troops that serve, we must also commit ourselves to ensuring better lives for these people and their families. I will continue to fight to protect and honor our troops and their families. We must guarantee health care, adequate burial and bereavement services, support services for military families, and financial security to those who serve this nation.

As we take time this Memorial Day to remember our service men and women, I am sad to add the names of six fallen heroes from my community to those whose lives we celebrate and deaths we mourn. Marine Corporal Jorge A. Gonzalez, Army Sergeant Atanasio Haro Marin, Army Private First Class Jose Casanova, Marine Private First Class Francisco A. Martinez Flores, Army Specialist Leroy Harris-Kelly III, and Marine Corporal Rudy Salas are among the more than 700 service members that have died fighting in Iraq. Their service to this community and to this nation will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life and legacy of Dr. Glenda Vittimberga, a leader in the field of psychology who recently passed away.

Dr. Vittimberga was a young and vibrant scholar who dedicated her life to teaching and enriching the minds of college students at California State University, Los Angeles. Born in Warwick, Rhode Island on June 29, 1967, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rhode Island in 1988, earning Summa Cum Laude honors. Shortly after, she received both a Masters degree in 1991 and a Doctorate degree in 1994 in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University.

In 1988, Dr. Vittimberga obtained a tenure-track position at Cal State L.A., where she proudly shared her expertise and taught clinical psychology at the university's psychology department. Her position included teaching courses in behavior theory, individual assessment, counseling skills, intervention of severe behavior problems, and supervising graduate interns.

A licensed psychologist and active community leader, she provided direct client services

to families with children who suffered from severe mental disabilities at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, she served on the Board of the California Association of Behavior Analysts and also provided consulting to faculty and students of local public schools.

Dr. Vittimberga's life was cut short on February 16, 2004. Her parents, Bruno and Jacklyn Vittimberga, her two sisters Gwenn and Gail, and her brother, Anthony survive her.

She will always be remembered for her contribution to the field of psychology, higher education, and for brilliantly enriching the minds and hearts of her students and colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Michael Felix, a leader in my district who has dedicated his life to educating students of all ages and improving the quality of life of military veterans in El Monte, California.

Mr. Felix served his country proudly during the Vietnam War and is a decorated army veteran. Motivated and eager to realize his full academic and professional potential, he enrolled in Citrus Junior College where he received his Associate of Arts degree in 1970. Immediately after, he enrolled in California Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly) and in 1973 Mr. Felix earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Recreation Administration.

Throughout his illustrious career, Mr. Felix has been a devoted educator, counselor, and leader for those in need. Whether in teaching children in elementary school or adults English as a Second Language and General Education Development courses, his commitment to education is admirable. Mr. Felix serves as a Senior Counselor and Administrator for the El Monte Union High School District, is an active member of professional organizations such as the California Teachers Association and the California Council for Adult Education, and is a member of my district's Congressional Nomination Committee for Military Academy Admissions.

Mr. Felix is a strong advocate for military veterans. He is a role model and a leader for countless veterans seeking federal and state assistance and serves as the Chairperson and Commissioner of the Veterans and Homeless Affairs Commission of El Monte. Mr. Felix is also a founding member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10218 of Greater El Monte and an active member of American Legion Post 261.

Mr. Speaker, I salute Michael Felix for his numerous years serving the people of El Monte and my Congressional District, and I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I raise my voice this morning in concern about the new Medicare prescription drug card that took effect yesterday.

Last week, I visited numerous senior centers in my district to learn that many of those in my district are very confused because they do not have basic information about the program. The low-income seniors I met with are especially frightened because the information was not provided in their language, many who speak Spanish and many who speak Chinese.

There are 7.2 million low-income seniors whose needs are being ignored, yet the cost of medication is up 27 percent according to AARP.

Additionally, pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists spent $2.7 million to pass this legislation. Plus, the new Medicare law hurts seniors because a stringent and complex asset test is now in place, prohibiting many seniors in my district from taking full advantage of this program. They are even concerned about their burial plots, that that is going to be used against them.

How dare we implement such legislation. My seniors ask me, Congresswoman, who is there to protect me? We voted for the Congress to protect us. Where are they when we need them? Who is looking out for us?''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Rosie the Riveter resolution that recognizes the hard-earned contributions of women on the home front during World War II.

Rosie symbolized the millions of women who broke through the glass ceiling and showed this Nation that women could perform paid work in nontraditional jobs.

There were an estimated 18 million women who worked in World War II defense industries and support services, including steel mills, foundries, lumber mills, aircraft factories, offices, hospitals, and even daycare centers. Today, there are well over 68 million women in our civilian labor force, which is almost 60 percent of all women over the age of 16.

As an icon of strength and will, women during World War II bonded together to secure our Nation's factories and future. Their legacy of equal employment opportunity and support for child care and health care that developed during Rosie the Riveter's era has served men, women, and families since that time.

I would also like to thank the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito) for taking us to the memorial service for Rosie the Riveter in honor of all the women that have served our great country. It was a wonderful ceremony that took place last week at Arlington National Cemetery, where members of the Women's Caucus from both sides of the aisle came together to help celebrate the many contributions of women in the Armed Forces, as well as Rosie the Riveters who participated in our country's establishment.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the many men and women who sacrifice their lives every single day in support of our Nation as members of the armed services, both in times of peace and in war.

In the last 2\1/2\ years since our Nation was attacked, the service of America's armed services has been on the front pages and news headlines across the country almost every single day. And this past weekend, we celebrated Memorial Day. We dedicated the World War II Memorial, and in towns across the country we had parades and moments of silence in honor of our armed services.

My district was no different. In the City of West Covina and Monterey Park, I had an opportunity to give special recognition to American Legion Posts 790 and 397, who served this Nation with dignity and honor, as well as recognize the living World War II veterans that still live in the district.

In El Monte, I shared Memorial Day with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10218 and the Patriotic Commission on the Veterans and Homeless Commission.

In Baldwin Park, in the district I represent, my community both celebrated the World War II veterans, those that fought and returned from Iraq, while also mourning the many soldiers that have given their lives over the past several wars.

I was able to speak with Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Veterans from Post 113 during special events in the City of Irwindale and the City of South El Monte.

Each city in my community recognized these men and women who served in many, many wars. With these fine groups, my community recalled with love and gratitude the 16.1 million men and women who served in World War II and remembered the 292,000 service members killed in action. They demonstrate daily why many of them are the Greatest Generation.

Today, 5.7 million World War II veterans live in America. California alone has 475,000 of those World War II veterans that live in our communities.

Just as we celebrate in honor of the greatest generation, we must also remember those fighting today in Iraq and Afghanistan. One hundred and thirty-eight service members were killed during major combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and more than 662 since the end of the major combat of May 2003 have been killed.

I am sad to address to mention the names of seven fallen heroes from my own district, two who recently lost their lives just 10 days ago from our area. My heart goes out to the families and friends of Marine Corporal Jorge A. Gonzalez; Army Sergeant Atanasio Haro Marin; Army Private First Class Jose Casanova; Marine Private First Class Francisco A. Martinez Flores; Army Specialist Leroy Harris-Kelly; Marine Corporal Rudy Salas, who died 10 days ago; and Lance Corporal Benjamin Gonzalez, who died 2 days ago.

Their service to the community I represent and to the Nation will never be forgotten. During both peace and war, the service that these armed service members provide is something that we must all remember.

Just as we send our service members off to battle, we should not forget the many in our communities, families who send their loved ones, who should not be denied any, any, service. We must indeed guarantee them full health care and benefits, adequate burial and bereavement service and support for the military families.

I had several of the family members of the soldiers that I just mentioned who were not able to access services as easily as others of us who would have, because they have language barriers. They did not provide immediate interpretive services to immigrant soldiers and their families. Why is that? Why is there a double standard here? You can send your young ones to be killed to defend our country, and yet you cannot provide them the adequate attention that they so deserve.

In addition, we were lucky this past year that the President signed into law an expedited citizenship process. It now takes 2 years to become a full U.S. citizen. You can put on the uniform, but after that it takes a great deal of time for that process to occur. We still do not have the process set up so that they can go ahead and actively begin to apply. We are talking about 50,000 currently eligible military personnel and reservists who would be eligible for this program. What are we doing to help ramp that program up, as we find every single day soldiers are coming back in coffins, and many with surnames like mine.

I ask us to remember, yes, those that have defended our country, but let us keep intact those many young men and women who are currently serving us right now in our country. May God bless them and their families, and let us bring them home soon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize May as Water Awareness Month throughout California and the United States of America.

As our most precious natural resource, water sustains all life in our planet. From humans and animals to plants and trees, every living organism needs water to live. For this reason, it is important for all Americans to protect and conserve our water from contamination and careless waste.

This year marks the 29th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate public health by setting high health standards and regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. I salute all government leaders, public water providers such as the Walnut Valley Water District, and the California Water Awareness Campaign for their hard work and tireless leadership in making safe drinking water a priority and Water Awareness Month a reality.

In addition, I salute our responsible citizens, urban and agricultural water agencies, and farm bureaus in California who have made exceptional strides to improve water quality and conservation since the state's drought years of 1987-1993. Their significant work and leadership have educated communities throughout California and have set an example to other states to care for the quality of their drinkable and non-drinkable water.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Water Awareness Month and the people who work hard to make water safe for our daily consumption.

Mr. Speaker, I ask, Are we better off now than we were 4 years ago? Unfortunately, for people that I represent in the 32nd Congressional District, including the San Gabriel Valley in East Los Angeles, it is a resounding ``no.''

Nearly 20,000 people have lost jobs in my district. Unemployment has hovered from 9 to 10 percent for 3 chronic years. Thirty-three percent of the people I represent have no health insurance, and a good number of those people are young children under the age of six.

Yet the House Republican leadership continues to push for wealthy families' tax breaks.

This week, the House will vote on a bill that would provide new tax breaks to rich families earning over $309,000 a year. Most of the people in my district do not make that much. They actually make anywhere around 20 and $10,000 a year. People making $10,000 a year would get nothing in this tax break, $150 at the most, compared to those at the very wealthy end who will get more money.

We need to do better, and our folks are not better off now. Four years ago they were.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of the amendment as vice chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. As we all know, our dedicated military servicemen and -women dedicate and risk their lives in order to protect our great Nation. We stand united on both sides of the aisle today as the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues to bring awareness to an alarming trend of sexual assaults against women in all branches of the military.

The Pentagon itself has reported more than 100 cases of sexual assaults amongst troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 14 months. These numbers are not necessarily reflective of the actual situation, because women are discouraged from seeking help or reporting their assaults because of our military system, which has no comprehensive policy to address sexual assaults.

We are in the midst of a growing problem of violence against women that will not be tolerated. In March, the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues held a hearing on sexual assaults in the military, where we heard directly from a courageous survivor, Captain Machmer. Her message was very powerful and clear: the military has a pervasive culture that needs to be aggressively addressed. She said, and I quote, ``My assailant received a reduction in rank to specialist, forfeited $826 for 2 months, and had extra duty for 30 days. And, still, this person works on the base I worked on.''

In fact, studies estimate that 75 to 84 percent of alleged offenders are honorably discharged. What type of message are we sending to women serving in our country, and, more importantly, the next generation of women interested in joining the Armed Forces?

Last week, the DOD Task Force on Care For Victims of Sexual Assault released a report with recommendations. In line with these recommendations, this amendment that we are presenting here tonight would require the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive policy to prevent and respond to sexual assaults in the Armed Forces.

This amendment would also require the Secretary to take steps to improve the Defense Department's capacity to respond to sexual assaults and restructure procedures on how assaults against women are to be handled.

What we need is a commitment to taking action. At this time, when our troops are valiantly committed to our country, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan effort.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of the Waxman- Tierney amendment. This week we are debating regulatory reform. However, I believe that the greatest threat facing our regulatory system is the political manipulation of the scientific process.

Repeatedly, the Bush administration has been caught with their hands in the cookie jar, removing, manipulating or ignoring findings of credible scientists on the environment so we can promote the regulations it believes makes political campaign donors and the conservative right wing happy.

The pattern is there, and it is disturbing.

First, in August of 2002, the Department of Health and Human Services replaced 15 of the 18 members on the advisory committee at the National Center For Environmental Health. These scientific advisory positions were filled with a number of people who were very closely related to the industry that they were supposed to be regulating.

Can my colleagues imagine that political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services were also caught tampering and removing information about the disparities that exist between racial and ethnic minorities in health care?

Then, secondly, in June of 2003, the EPA published a comprehensive report on the environment, while omitting information on global warming. The threat to the community I represent is extraordinary, longer droughts, more water shortages, tougher fire seasons. Last year, our fire season was vicious, but in the EPA's report, no one would know that those threats exist because the White House refuses to let the EPA publish what the scientists consider to be the best available science.

Most recently, on April 29, 2004, EPA experts called attention to a new Bush policy that will hamper accurate modeling of the effects of power plants.

These examples are just a few of many the administration has done in terms of removing, manipulating and ignoring the findings of credible scientists. More than 20 Nobel Laureates, dozens of scholars, credible scientific journals and many scientific organizations have expressed concern about the impact this manipulation could have on the U.S.'s role in the world as a leader in science.

We cannot create effective policy without the free input of qualified scientific experts. We need to stop the manipulation of science and restore integrity to the scientific process. Support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, we heard earlier from the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) his sentiments regarding H.R. 3722. This item is on suspension and will be coming up before us. It is known as the Undocumented Alien Emergency Medical Assistance Amendments. That title is somewhat misleading because, in fact, what it requires is that our local hospitals turn into what I see as law enforcement agencies and INS agents, INS Immigration Service agents that would soon be asking people who may look or appear as though they are undocumented to provide some proof or verification that they are, in fact, full citizens of the United States.

We do not do that in our schools. Why do we have to do that in our hospitals, especially when people are already fearful of coming forward to, say, a local hospital and having to fill out forms and then being told that, well, you do not qualify because you are not a U.S. citizen or you are undocumented therefore we are going to call the INS or Homeland Security and deport you?

What kind of fear does that place in a community?

Well, I can tell you in a community like mine in Los Angeles, California, where the make-up of my district is largely Hispanic or Latino, that is not to say that they are all undocumented and that is not to say that they do not work and pay taxes; in fact, on the average I would say that the local immigrants in our communities pay about $1,300 in taxes. They do not get that money back in some cases because they may not be documented. We know that. That has been happening here in the U.S.

But they pay into our tax base system whether it is to go down and buy a gallon of gas at $2.40 or $2.50 a gallon now in Los Angeles, if they go down and buy goods at the market or Home Depot, they are paying sales tax. All that then goes into our piggy bank, so to speak, for the government. That money then is set aside for public health care institutions and private health care institutions.

I would like to tell you that in my district alone I received letters from some of our private for-profit hospitals that were adamantly opposed to this piece of legislation because they see it again as something that is going to provide another layer of bureaucracy. It will make them become INS agents. They will have to fingerprint, photograph, take digital photos and keep files for 5 years on anyone that they believe may be undocumented.

And I have to tell you that the kind of feeling that I get when I hear about

this type of legislation is one that reminds me of what occurred in California back a few years ago. There was an initiative that was proposed by the governor then, Pete Wilson, Proposition 187, that would bar undocumented families and people, children, from going to school and also receiving health care assistance.

And what that means to many of us in our communities is if a child comes into a classroom and, say, may have an illness or disease, they are not going to be able to get treated. They are not going to be able to go down to the hospital and get immunized and they will not get the kind of treatment that right now they are able to get.

If they do not, what will happen is whatever contagious disease they might have is going to somehow not discriminate against the next student who sits next to him, whether you are a citizen or not, but, in fact, that disease will be spread.

Why is it that we want to move in a direction that would create more fear and anxiety in our communities when I think we have the current tools in place right now that were actually passed by this House that would provide sufficient services for people who need it?

And I just want to clarify one thing. There are many undocumented people in this country, they are not all Hispanic. Many come from Europe, many come from Canada, many come from Asian, Indonesian countries as well. And maybe we do not somehow feel that their presence is well known, but we know that they are there. They clean our houses, they sometimes even clean the hospitals that we go to, they pick our lettuce and our fruits that we eat on the table, they also serve as janitors in our office buildings. And some of them may even work here in Washington, D.C.

But they are people, and people have to be respected. And those people, like anyone else, come to this country believing that they have a dream that can be fulfilled here.

I do not think it is too much to ask for us to say that this law is a bad law, that it would, in fact, demoralize an entire community. I do not believe that the Bush administration is supportive of this piece of legislation because why would he at the beginning of the year say that he would want to open up discussions about immigration reform and allow for people who are currently here who are not documented be given work permits. Why would he open up that discussion and yet the same members of his party are saying no, cast those people out. They cost too much money, and they are, in fact, a burden on our public and private hospitals.

Well, I am here to tell you that there are 43 million people in the U.S. that we can account for that have no health insurance. The problems that we have with health care delivery and service does not have to be blamed on one group of people. And I am here to tell you that we need to oppose this piece of legislation, H.R. 3722, as it comes up today for a vote before the House.