Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I also rise today in opposition. Almost a year ago I recall as a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce voting against this similar proposal that is now before us. H.R. 1000 is really an act; and when I say that, it is an act by the Members on the other side of the aisle to give the impression that this piece of legislation will protect working men and women's pensions, and it will not do that, in my opinion. It puts their pensions at risk by allowing self-interested accounting firms to advise employees. That sounds to me like the fox guarding the hen house. This does not work; and if we did not learn from Enron, then we do have some serious problems in this House.

This bill allows high-living executives to continue to skirt pension rules, have their pensions, and ride off into the sunset, while their companies fall into bankruptcy and lay off workers every single day. And I see it happening in my district in Los Angeles County. For the millions of people who have worked hard to put aside money so that one day that little token of security would be there for them is long gone, and it is really unfortunate because I would like to tell the Members that in my own district where many union members thought that they had their pensions protected have now found themselves bankrupt as well, and they are having to borrow from their own family members. This is the wrong thing to do.

In my district people have lost their jobs. Unemployment is above 9 percent; and we are not even talking about that. We are not even talking about those people that are really hurting. President Bush seems to have closed his ears to the concerns and the voice of America, working America. I urge my colleagues to support the George Miller- Rangel substitute, and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for offering this true Pension Security and Fairness Act because it provides fairness and equity for all workers. I oppose H.R. 1000 and support the Miller substitute.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember and honor the life of my friend, Mr. Sunil ``Sunny'' Aghi, who recently passed away.

Sunny's colleagues and the community will always remember his activism, dynamism and deep sense of commitment to the democratic principles. He believed passionately in the democratic process and worked to support that process. As a leader of the Indo American community, he brought issues of importance to the community to the forefront of the political debate. Sunny's leadership inspired other Indian Americans to become engaged and civically involved.

Sunny also fought diligently to bridge the divide between the United States and India. He sought to promote a positive relationship between India and the United States through an open, honest and productive dialogue between the two nations.

Mr. Aghi's dedication to serving the community was unrivaled and his passing has left a void. I am deeply saddened by his sudden passing and join his family, friends, colleagues, and the Indian American community in mourning his death. Today I rise to ask Congress to pay tribute to Sunny's energy, passion and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the numerous contributions of Mr. Harold O. Johanson on the occasion of his recent retirement as City Manager of El Monte, CA.

A long time resident of El Monte, Mr. Johanson has dedicated his life to serving the city. He began his career with the city of El Monte as a Planning Intern in 1967. Three years later, he became an official employee of the city as an Assistant Planner. He quickly rose through the city ranks and over the years has held several positions including Planning Director, Director of Community Services, and City Manager.

Over the course of this impressive career, Mr. Johanson dramatically changed the landscape of the city. Some of his greatest accomplishments were overseeing the establishment of the El Monte Aquatic Center, the Santa Fe Plaza Redevelopment Project, three First Time Home Buyer Programs, and numerous commercial centers that brought much needed revenue to the city. The city flourished under Mr. Johanson's strategic and watchful leadership.

As the current Treasurer for the San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club and Secretary of the Downtown El Monte Business Association Board of Directors, and member of the Kiwanis Club, he has always been active in the community outside his work. While many will miss his presence in city hall, I know he will continue to work with the community.

On April 24, 2003, the city of El Monte thanked Mr. Johanson for his years of committed work. I also would like to thank Mr. Johanson and recognize his dedicated service to the community of El Monte.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great educator with a humble and caring heart, Mr. Alfred Herrera, for his commitment to students.

Mr. Herrera has a remarkable record helping underrepresented, first generation, and low-income students gain access to a college education. As the Director of UCLA's Community College Partnership Program, Mr. Herrera understands the importance of reaching out to students in community colleges who face many challenges in their pursuit of a four- year college education. He prepares students with the information and counsel that will allow them to make a successful transition from a community college to a four-year university and provides guidance for future opportunities.

Mr. Herrera's commitment to students and their academic success is unwavering; he goes far and beyond the call of duty to ensure access and opportunity for students. He has played a significant role in nurturing and providing a highly accelerated learning environment for students of diverse backgrounds.

But his commitment to educational opportunities for all students is exemplified by his work in promoting the passage and implementation of AB540, a California law that allows undocumented students an opportunity to participate in California's public higher education institutes by allowing them to pay in-state tuition rates.

I am honored to call him my dear friend. I commend him for his vision and dedication to create and extend learning opportunities for those least able to access it.

Mr. Speaker, During Rollcall vote No. 122 on the Meehen Amendment to H.R. 1036, the Gun Manufacturer's Liability Act, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to recognize and remember Congressman Phillip Burton on this 20th anniversary of his death. Congressman Burton was a tenacious fighter for the poor, the workers, the elderly and all people who lacked a strong voice to defend their lives and dignity. Moreover, he worked tirelessly for the preservation of wilderness and parks throughout the country. In doing so, he mirrored his concern for underrepresented people by protecting the often forgotten urban parks as well as the more pristine areas. Appropriately, Congressman Burton's remains are interred in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area of San Francisco, one of the crown jewels of our vital urban parks system. If Congressman Burton were still with us, I imagine that he would be dismayed that the very environmental laws he struggled, and succeeded, to enact are now under constant and short-sighted attack in Congress. I also know that rather than give in to the forces of destruction, he would be fighting harder than ever to protect our lands, our health and our people. I hope that we have the courage and the conviction to carry on the great and noble legacy of Congressman Phillip Burton.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in proud support of the Dingell substitute, and I am especially supportive of the provision in the substitute that would prohibit fraudulent, manipulative, and deceptive acts in electric and natural gas markets.

These provisions will help prevent electricity problems like those that occurred in the great State of California, where it is clear that energy companies used fraudulent and deceptive plans to inflate the market. And although our energy costs in the State of California are approximately $6 billion annually, price gouging caused that amount to skyrocket to $44 billion in 2000 and 2001. How absurd.

Let me state that people in California are paying the price. Many of our small businesses in the districts that we represent have gone bankrupt. In fact, our consumers were faced with electricity costs that rose up 300 percent in 4 short years. Today, consumers are still waiting for refunds and rebates and payments that they made as a result of the price gouging.

I would ask Members to please support this substitute amendment. It does the right thing for Californians, and it sets a course for the country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my dismay at the budget. It is being pushed through this House by Members on the other side of the aisle. The Republican budget resolution cuts over $90 billion from Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program, the S-CHIP program, better known as Healthy Families in the State of California. This provides 30 million children with coverage in their health care. The cuts will put health care coverage in jeopardy for one in five children under the age of 18.

In California, we already are experiencing a disaster in terms of health care at the fringes. We need to do more to restore that assistance for low-income families, for seniors, for children, especially for services like dental care, physical therapy and diabetes management. None of us would want to go without these services. So why should we force the most vulnerable populations to go through this? The Democratic budget provides $10 billion in fiscal relief for Medicaid, programs for low-income seniors and children.

I urge my colleagues to pass a real budget before we leave for our break.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues to affirm the existence of the Armenian Genocide and urge our nation's leaders to do the same.

Beginning in 1915 and throughout the First World War, the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire were systemic targets of deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and genocide.

The existence of genocide--the organized and systematic killing of a people based on their racial or cultural affiliation--is a terrible reflection of humanity and must be confronted and condemned.

April 24 is commemorated as the initiation of the Armenian Genocide that took the lives of one and a half million Armenian men, women, and children.

It was on April 24, 1915, that over 200 Armenian community leaders were brutally arrested, imprisoned, and executed.

As we approach the 88th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, it is time that the United States of America recognizes this dishonorable part of history.

More than one million people of Armenian descent live in the United States.

We must recognize and honor their personal histories, as well as our collective world history.

Our children need to learn the truth--that during World War I this world experienced the Armenian Genocide, genocide is wrong, and it is wrong to deny the occurrence of any genocide.

Our nation must serve as the example of acknowledging and condemning such horrific actions.

I urge my colleagues and this administration to do the right thing and join me in affirming the existence of the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for the opportunity to be here tonight to join him in helping the public better understand the decoding of the environmental rhetoric that we keep hearing from the other side. And for some time we suspected that the Republicans were speaking from the same talking points as we have on environmental policy issues. Now we have confirmation. The Republicans have been trained to use so-called straight talk; false language, distract people with personal stories, and muddy the issues with claims that the environment and the economy cannot coexist without measures that will cause dirtier water, fewer parks and polluted air.

In a memo that I saw recently circulated by the Luntz Research Companies, Republicans are told that the environment is one of the most important issues that they are in fact very vulnerable on, and we know that. Some of us here in the House know that, and out there in our communities, and in order to combat this vulnerability, the Luntz memo, to use buzz words in their arguments, words like, for example, ``safer,'' ``cleaner,'' and ``healthier.'' They are told to avoid the economic arguments first so that personal stories can be shared. The Luntz memo notes that Republicans should stay away from big words and provide examples about how Federal agencies are not protecting our natural resources. And we can see this rhetoric being used every day in policies that the GOP is offering.

In fact, I brought a copy of the memo that was outlined. It was circulated by the Luntz Research Group, and if I start reading from it, my colleagues would be amazed by what they would see.

And if I could maybe share of some of that, on page 132, Overview: The environment is probably the single issue on which Republicans in general and President Bush in particular are most vulnerable.

Secondly, indeed it can be helpful to think of the environment and other issues in terms of a story, a compelling story, even if factually inaccurate, and I underscore that, factually inaccurate, can be more emotionally compelling than a dry recitation of the truth. So here we are talking about falsehoods.

Let me go on, Mr. Speaker. This week we are going to be debating the energy bill, and this is a good example of how using rhetoric can be made publicly available to folks, but it is a bad policy for people and consumers and especially those that I represent in the State of California. The Republicans claim that the bill is a fair balance between the environment and the economy, but the bill encourages our continued dependence on fossil fuels; drilling in the Arctic, the National Wildlife Refuge, and other ecologically sensitive areas; and it fails to create a comprehensive plan for renewable alternatives. My goodness.

And last year, as my colleagues know, California faced blackouts and price gouging. My constituents faced energy bills that rose upwards of 300 percent in a short 4-year span.

This bill that is being proposed will provide very little relief for the constituents that I represent, and I do not think it is a fair and balanced approach, and I believe that the Republicans claim that they are supporting development and advancement of technology. At least that is what they are representing. Yet the bill is loaded, loaded, with subsidies to the oil and gas industry, subsidies that do not necessarily require research and development, subsidies that reward pollution instead of innovation and technology and efficiency. These industries that the Republicans are subsidizing often put their plants in the center of districts like mine, in low-income, economically underprivileged communities. And I know that, because they believe that our community is not paying attention and that they can get away with planning and siting projects that are harmful to our water, to our air, to the environment, and to the people that we represent.

This is the case in the San Gabriel Valley, and I say that because many of these folks come into our district promising jobs, redevelopment, cleaning up the blight, giving jobs to poor people, and then they leave us with a blank check, nothing there, no jobs, pollution, and, in my district, four Superfund sites and little enforcement by EPA at this point to really do a better job of cleaning up the environment.

So I have a lot of questions about the message that the other side is using to say that they are now on the side of the consumer and the population about cleaning up the environment.

One last item I would like to talk about also is on the budget. Another example of effective messaging and lax policy is the Bush budget. The President and his supporters claim that the budget will create a ``safer'' and ``cleaner'' and ``healthier'' Nation. However, the budget uses creative accounting to raid the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a fund that has impacted hundreds of communities as they try to protect their natural resources through restoration and cleanup projects, projects that are directly linked to the health of our families, because we are talking about the very water that they drink.

And President Bush claims that he ``preserves and protects'' the environment; however, his budget request for the environment is slated for a $1.6 billion reduction compared to fiscal year 2002, falling from $29.6 billion to $28 billion.

Projects on the chopping block, for example, are dealing with environmental education like lead-poisoning prevention, a serious concern in our district where many young children are affected by this particular additive that is very harmful to the development and puts many children, millions of children younger than 6 years of age, at risk for intelligence, behavior, and physical disparities that they will be affected by if they are exposed to lead. And we all know that but we are not doing enough to help address this. We are actually cutting back in that area.

And I say that it is time to do a better job. It is time to look at why water quality investments are also falling short. For example, in this budget, $2.7 billion in FY 2002 to only $1.8 billion in 2004, a loss of $861 million, or more than a 32 percent cut. What in the world are the Republicans really saying? We want to protect the environment, we want to protect families and consumers, but at the same time they keep chopping, chopping, chopping.

So that is what the message, I think, tonight has to be, Mr. Speaker; that we clarify what our agenda is and whom we are standing up for. And I am very proud to represent the district that I come from, the San Gabriel Valley, where now people are having hardships. We have unemployment rates upwards of 11 percent, and this has gone on for more than 2 years.

People want clean drinking water. They do not want to be notified in the mail that their drinking wells have to be closed because they found rocket fuel in their water. We need to have more tools to do the cleanup. We need to go after the responsible parties, and we cannot afford to let people off the hook who are the polluters. That is what the Superfund law was all about, and that is what we should be here to enforce tonight and every single day that we are here fighting for our communities.

I would just say, lastly, that it is a privilege to be here as a Member of the House advocating for environmental issues, in particular environmental justice activities that affect not just my area but many corners of our country. And people need to better understand that environmental justice issues are issues of better health care, better education, and an opportunity to begin to clean up their communities and enhance economic development in a positive way so that everybody can grow and prosper, and children, whether they are rich or poor, can live in a clean environment.

I thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for the opportunity to speak tonight on this very important message regarding the truth about the environment and who is sticking up for environmental justice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Harry B. Nissley, a local hero in my community who has dedicated over 50 years of his life to educating and inspiring our students.

Mr. Nissley worked as a tennis coach for the El Monte Union High School District from 1946 until his retirement in 2001. Over the course of his career, he has received numerous honors, including the San Gabriel Valley Administration Association's Service Award and the California Interscholastic Federation Award. But most enduring is the imprint he has left on the lives of hundreds of students, athletes and peers. Mr. Nissley's enthusiasm, caring and dedication is exemplary of a great educator.

Mr. Nissley went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that students were given every opportunity to excel. Every spring, he hosted the Keeley Tennis tournament to help pay for student competition entry fees and often used his own money to help those students with financial hardships. Mr. Nissley's enthusiasm was only surpassed by his desire to enhance each student's life. He strived to instill in his students a strong and positive sense of self worth.

Earlier this year, a former student and professional tennis player, honored Mr. Nissley by organizing an event commemorating his contributions. During the event, numerous former students and athletes praised him with kind words and fond memories.

Mr. Nissley is now 90 years old. At the request of his students, colleagues, friends and family who wanted to recognize his numerous contributions, the community of El Monte recently nominated him for induction into the California Interscholastic Federation Hall of Fame. Not only is the number of years he taught at the El Monte Union School District already a state record, but his commitment and selflessness is immeasurable.

I would also like to join the community of El Monte in showing my appreciation for Mr. Nissley by asking Congress to recognize his vast contributions to our youth, and outstanding dedication to service.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for conducting this discussion and our friends on the other side of the aisle.

I rise today also to strongly support this resolution. Popular during World War II, we are seeing the Blue Star Banners flown again. I brought a copy of one, because these are being proudly flown in my own district in the cities of El Monte and West Covina, and they are being displayed by families who have loved ones serving in the Armed

Forces, whether their family member is a son, daughter, brother, sister, wife, husband, or even a grandchild.

The banner shows a family's pride in their loved one serving in the military. It also reminds us that we are preserving America's freedom and that demands so much.

Blue Star Mothers and Gold Star Mothers organizations were established back in World War I and remain active even today. There are Blue Star Moms that are popping up in my district where I live in the city of El Monte. Unfortunately, we are also seeing more families displaying Gold Stars on their banners. Families like the Flores family in my district who just learned that they lost their son, Francisco A. Martinez Flores, who was killed in Iraq.

We must honor the United States Armed Forces and their families because they are all heroes. I encourage these families to proudly display the Blue Star Banner.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with much disappointment. I am disappointed that the Republican-driven budget resolution that passed cuts, over 10 years, $14.6 in direct spending for our veterans benefits and $14.2 billion in veterans health care.

How can the Congress even consider cutting benefits to our veterans when hundreds of thousands of American men and women in uniform are currently risking their lives overseas? What will it tell them upon their return? Thanks for your service, but you are on your own?

Our veterans and our future veterans deserve a lot better. Every day I pray for the safe return of our troops, realizing that some may not come back at all. Lance Corporal Jesus Alberto Suarez del Solar is one of our heroes who was killed recently in action, last Thursday. Suarez, although not even a U.S. citizen, chose to serve our country as a Marine.

Suarez' father is a U.S. citizen, and feels, and I quote, ``both betrayed and proud.'' In the Los Angeles Times article Mr. Suarez says, ``President Bush has not demonstrated to me or to thousands of other people that this war is justified.'' These are the words of his father.

How can we send our sons and daughters off when we cannot promise them support back home? I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to reconsider these cuts.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 87 on H.R. 1104, Feeney of Florida amendment, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the courageous men and women serving in our Armed Forces.

As we speak tonight, over 200,000 American soldiers are facing the reality of war straight in the eye. Thousands more here at

home and around the world are also protecting us from harm and defending our freedoms. We honor all of them today for their dedicated service to our country.

Two weeks ago, I was proud to join my colleagues in voting for a resolution to commend our troops. The resolution was passed unanimously.

With the outbreak of war upon us, we should send another clear message to the troops that we stand united behind them. I am very disappointed, however, that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have chosen to use this resolution not simply as an opportunity to express our gratitude to the troops, but also as a political tactic to bolster the President's war agenda. This resolution contains political praise for policies that have brought us to war. This language was unnecessary in a resolution designed to commend our troops.

Last fall, I joined over 120 of my colleagues in voting against authorizing the President to use military force against Iraq. The concerns that led me to oppose that authorization remain.

I continue to be troubled by the policies that have led to this war, particularly the doctrine of preemption and the lack of broad international support. We need to repair our diplomatic relations with our allies and countries with which we have had good relations.

We will need a strong coalition of allies to rebuild Iraq. These partnerships are also valuable to our global war on terrorism.

In my home state of California, over 8,000 National Guard members and 10,000 reservists have been called to duty. These individuals have left their Jobs, postponed their education, and said goodbyes to their loved ones to serve their country in a time of war. They've put their lives on hold to go to serve their country during a time of war.

Recently, I visited some of these reservists who were being deployed from my district. They were men and women from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Men and women who never imagined that they would find themselves being deployed to fight war. I could see the fear of war in their eyes. I also saw determination, the strength of a soldier ready for battle.

Tonight, I think of these men and women and the thousands of others that have left their homes and families to serve their country. They're our husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, and granddaughters and grandsons.

We must let our loved ones know that we support them, especially at this critical stage in this military conflict. That is why I will support this resolution despite my strong disagreement with some aspects of it. I want the troops to know that I stand behind them and commend them for their commitment to defending freedoms here and abroad.

I hope and pray that this military conflict will be brief and with the least possible loss of human lives. I extend my special prayers to men and women in uniform and their families during this difficult time, and I look forward to welcoming them home soon.