Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 61 on motion to suspend and pass H.R. 966, honoring African-American Inventors, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 62, on motion to suspend and pass H.R. 1834, authorizing Ocean Exploration Program Act, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 63, on motion to suspend and pass S. 2571, FIFRA Amendments, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 64, on motion to suspend and pass H. Con. Res. 289, praising the NAACP, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 65, on motion to suspend and pass H.R. 4169, Placement of American Braille Tactile Flag, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 66, on motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 790, Commending State of Washington for Showing Their Support for Veterans, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 67 on motion to suspend and pass H. Res. 963, National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 68, on motion to suspend and pass H. Res. 972, American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 66th anniversary of the National ``Day of Remembrance.''

I am proud to be a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific Islander American Caucus and to represent a large number of individuals of Japanese descent in the 32nd District.

The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is one of our government's most shameful actions. Families were ripped from their homes and communities, even while many Japanese citizens served in the U.S. armed forces in World War II.

We cannot sit back and allow similar civil and human rights violations unfold before our eyes. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.

We must remember, and more importantly, we must learn from our past.

Mr. Speaker, it's no surprise that our Nation's economy is struggling. The cities in the 32nd Congressional District that I represent have seen unemployment rates soar to 7.2 percent. Gasoline prices continue to go up above $3.

In Los Angeles, a family loses a home to foreclosure every hour.

However, the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors seem to be booming.

In 2006, the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors generated 8.5 million jobs, nearly $1 trillion in revenue for the United States. These jobs are good-paying jobs, and they will not be outsourced.

The Green Collar Job Act that was signed into law recently will help train 3 million new workers. Through the program, workers included will be those in underserved communities like mine.

In this time of economic turmoil, we need to invest in America and in our workforce. Let's make sure that Congress appropriates the accorded amount of money so that we can create this stream of jobs that will stay here on our shores.

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 21 on ordering the previous question on the veto override of the Children's Health Insurance bill, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 22 on overriding the President's veto of H.R. 3963, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, during Rollcall vote No. 18 on Final Passage of Hope VI Reauthorization, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 19 on passing the Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office Bill, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 20 on agreeing to honor the Coast Guard's drug interdiction effort, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to express my strong concern about the fiscal crisis that we are facing here in our country.

The subprime mortgage crisis has directly impacted millions of American homeowners, particularly in my own district in the San Gabriel Valley. As the chart shows, nearly 650 families in my district somewhere lost their homes to foreclosure. In Los Angeles alone, a family loses their home every hour.

Nationally, unemployment rates have risen above 5 percent. Half of my district has a rate above 5 percent. In East Los Angeles, it is upwards of 7.2 percent. Other economic indicators are showing signs of an economic slowdown, including a sharp decline in consumer spending and the largest annual increase in wholesale prices in 26 years.

While I am proud that this House has passed billions to provide relief for middle-income Americans and small businesses and increased the minimum wage, we still have to do more. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to bring economic security back to the working families, not only in my district, but across this country.