Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 866 on September 10, 2007 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to discuss recent efforts to address the ongoing murders of the women of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, located just 5 minutes from our border near El Paso.

Over the past 14 years, well over 400 women, and I mean young women and girls, have been slaughtered, brutally murdered or raped in the city of Ciudad Juarez. I hold up this poster here tonight to show you the list of over 400 names of young women whose bodies have either not been found or identified, but we know have been missing, many who were those victims that were found slaughtered in the streets of Mexico. These are the names of young women who were taken from their families too soon. In fact, the profile of many of these young girls is within the age range of 15 to 20.

Slender with long black hair, olive skin, many working in the heart of Ciudad Juarez in what we call maquiladoras. Those are American-run corporations where many of these women were forced to work to help provide for their families.

The fact remains that many of these murders still remain unsolved. Many of these women were put on a track to work four different shifts. Given if you have a young woman or child working on a shift from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning, how was she transported there? Were there any security protections put in place to protect her? Was law enforcement aware and knowingly, maybe somehow acknowledged that these murders were taking place but did nothing?

That is why we are crying out today, along with the families of Ciudad Juarez and along with those families I represent in my own district. I was reminded that there are some relatives who were murdered. In fact, one young man whose cousin was missing went to Mexico to find out what happened. When he began inquiring about that particular case, the police there informed him that he should stay away and not ask questions and inquire about his cousin. Well, he didn't just leave it there. He kept insisting on finding out what the facts were and why this death was not given the full extent and force of the law. Evidently, at that point the police said, if you do not stay away, you will be the one that will end up in jail. And sure enough, that is what happened.

It is unfortunate that laws there are not given the same kind of credibility that we have here in the U.S. I cry out here with my friends and families because we are saying that the U.S.-Mexican Government has to do something.

After the recent election of President Calderon, he states that he is going to do everything he can in his power to provide enforcement of laws that protect women against violence, yet we still have not seen enough done where we find the culprits who have been involved in these vicious murders over the last few years. Given he has just recently been elected and has spoken about bringing his office behind the enforcement of violence against women, he has even helped to try to enact legislation to do that, but every single state in Mexico has to adopt those provisions and those codes. What I am finding is that many of those states in Mexico are not following along that line.

I have to ask myself, when we can help women in Iraq and Afghanistan who have been murdered by the Taliban, why can we not ask for the same kind of respect and dignity from our partners in the south, from Mexico. I know this is not a partisan issue. Here in the House we were able to send a letter to President Calderon. In fact, 90 Members of the House signed onto the letter, and I thank the subcommittee Chair, Mr. Engel, of the Foreign Affairs Committee on this particular area, and also Dan Burton, for being so gracious and helping to support this resolution passed by this House, H. Con. Res. 90, and also a letter that we recently sent to President Calderon.

I ask that the House speak up about this issue because this continues to go on. In fact, I was pleased we had a delegation go down 2 years ago to visit alongside the border and meet with the families and meet with public officials and ask why there was nothing being done to help expedite these cases. In fact, our government went as far as to even provide assistance through USAID to have forensic experts come in to help identify the cadavers of these young women. I believe there are 79, maybe more now, cadavers that have not been identified.

Families have contacted me and other Members of Congress asking for help on our side because we have the tools and instruments to do that. I know this country has the goodwill and can do some things, but I am also pleading to those parliamentarians and to the President of Mexico to do the same thing. While he is asking for us to help in immigration reform, which I am strongly supportive of, I also ask him to do what he can to help with law enforcement, with reform, and also to help expedite those cases that still have to be processed, and would ask that our Congress also support the continuance of oversight on this particular issue for the women and families of Ciudad Juarez.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to rise in strong support of H.R. 3221, title I, the Green Jobs Act.

I am here to tell you that we have a shortage of technically skilled, trained workers to get into these high-tech jobs and green-collar jobs. We think that all Americans should be able to participate.

This bill will allow for 3 million workers here to be able to enjoy this kind of training and advancement. We would open up the doors in our communities of color, those that are disadvantaged. We would allow for community colleges, vocational education, and labor-intensive apprenticeship programs to be a vehicle to help enhance this workforce that is so direly needed in our country.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, today I urge my colleagues to support this amendment that I'm offering with my colleagues, Mr. Gilchrest, Mr. Carnahan and Mr. Kirk.

Climate impacts on developing countries could increase stresses on natural resources such as water, drought and agriculture and compromise public health for the world. Unfortunately, developing nations often have weak or unstable domestic infrastructures magnifying these impacts.

The growing security risk of an unstable climate have been widely noted. On April 17, 2007, the U.N. Security Council held an open debate on the issue of national security and climate change. The issue was also subject of discussion at the Winter Parliamentary Assembly meeting of the OSCE, which I'm a participant in, on February 2007 where I was able to talk about and give a key address on our bipartisan efforts here in the U.S. House.

A military advisory board, which included General Anthony Zinni, Admiral Richard Truly, Admiral Lopez and General Gordon Sullivan, concluded that climate change is the threat multiplier for instability and could push

already weak and failing governments toward authoritarianism and radical ideologies. As a result, the U.S. may be drawn more frequently into these situations to either provide stability or reconstruction.

This amendment, Members, builds on the recognition and requires the Department of State, the Agency for International Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and other relevant agencies to assess specific needs of developing countries in adapting to climate changes. Based on the assessment, our amendment requires a strategy be submitted to the Congress to address these needs, including identification of existing funding and new funding sources which may be required for such purposes.

Please join us in building a foundation to secure developing countries from instability associated with climate change.

I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Reclaiming my time, I would just like to submit that this is a study bill, and that we are exploring the possibilities of funding here.

I would next like to recognize the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) for 30 seconds.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to Mr. Gilchrest, who is also one of our major cosponsors of the legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I would ask my colleagues to support this very important amendment and ask for an ``aye'' vote.

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

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, during further consideration of H.R. 3221 pursuant to House Resolution 615, the Chair may reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for electronic voting under clause 6 of rule XVIII and clauses 8 and 9 of rule XX.

Yes, it has, to my understanding.

Yes.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise very proudly in strong support of H.R. 3162, the CHAMP Act.

As policymakers, we have an obligation to make sure that children who are in the program do not lose their coverage and that those who are eligible for coverage but are not enrolled receive that care.

Millions of low-income children and seniors are depending on us to pass a bill so they can receive health care. The CHAMP Act will provide health care to 11 million poor children, reduce health care disparities in communities of color, and protect senior citizens who rightfully need access to their physicians.

Insured children are more likely to receive cost-effective, preventative services and are healthier, which leads to greater success in school and later on in life.

Although programs such as SCHIP and Medicaid have decreased the number of uninsured children, the lack of funding over the last 10 years and outreach efforts have left millions of children who are eligible from receiving this care.

More than 80 percent of uninsured African American and 70 percent of uninsured Latino children are eligible currently for public coverage but are not currently enrolled. In my district alone, 18,000 children go uninsured. The bill ensures that these children will receive that health care coverage.

Some would argue that this bill is a vote on immigration. I'm sorry, but

they are absolutely wrong. The bill restores State's options to provide the coverage that they need; and the bill ensures that citizens who have lost their birth certificates and other identification are not immediately denied care, like the more than 11,000 children in Virginia and 14,000 children in Kansas who have lost their coverage.

The bill helps one-third of Asian and Pacific Islander American seniors who live in linguistic isolation understand health care.

The bill does not provide services, and I underscore, does not provide services to undocumented immigrants. Those who say that are blatantly wrong.

I urge support of the bill. Let's move on. Let's do the right thing for our children. Vote for the CHAMP Act.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday House Democrats introduced legislation that will provide additional low-income children with health insurance coverage they need and deserve. The Children's Health and Medicare Protection, or CHAMP, Act would reauthorize an extremely effective State Children's Health Insurance Program, known to many as the SCHIP program, which will expire September 30 if Congress does not act.

If SCHIP is allowed to expire, millions of our American children could lose their health insurance. In a letter issued last weekend, bipartisan Governors at the National Governors Association meeting called for urgent action to reauthorize SCHIP. They know, as do Democrats in Congress, that this program is vital for ensuring children in low-income families to have better access to health care. That is why passing the CHAMP Act is so important.

Mr. Speaker, SCHIP was created almost 10 years ago by this Congress with bipartisan support and now enjoys the support of many Governors across the other aisle. I hope Republicans in this body will listen to their gubernatorial colleagues and join us in passing the new CHAMP Act.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to discuss the Fifth Annual Congressional Tri-Caucus Minority Health Summit which will be held this weekend in San Diego.

Hosted by the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, the event is an opportunity for Members of Congress to learn from health experts, grass roots advocates and innovative solutions and address health disparities in communities of color.

I'm proud that 11 Members from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Black Caucus and Asian Caucus will join me and health advocates in San Diego. We're prepared to discuss issues such as expanding the SCHIP program, HIV and AIDS, homelessness, foster care, border health and veterans care, along with that discussing chronic illnesses that face many communities of color that are low income and disadvantaged

That's why my Tri-Caucus colleagues and I recently introduced H.R. 3014, the Health Equity and Accountability Act, a comprehensive bipartisan legislation which addresses health care disparities.

As Chair of the Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Health and the Environment, I look forward to this event and bringing a new direction to this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 636 on H.R. 2641 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the rule and also the underlying bill, the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act. We can't afford to spend $10 billion a month on this failed war and continue to see the loss of lives, 3,600 now. From my district alone, 14 individuals have not come home to see their families. 27,000 have come home injured from the war.

I want to tell you that in March I had the opportunity to visit some of our troops in Iraq, many from California representing southern California's San Gabriel Valley. Many of them told me they did not have appropriate equipment, that they were there for an insurmountable time, many on their second, third and fourth tour. One family member from the City of Azusa told me that he had not even seen his child. It had been already 14 months.

I would ask Members of Congress to remember who our constituents are. I have the adjoining district next to Congressman Dreier. In my district alone, 4-1 in a survey said, Republican and Democrat, we want the Congress to get us out of the war.

I ask for support of our bill and the rule.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007. Not since 1944, with the GI Bill, has Congress taken such a proactive step in ensuring that millions of Americans can attend higher education institutes.

It is time to start providing our students with the aid needed to keep America competitive by strengthening the middle class and increasing diversity on our campuses. H.R. 2669 will allow middle class and minority families to have access to quality education by increasing grant aid and lessening the burden of loans. Along with H.R. 5, this legislation ensures that our students will finally have the funding for higher education that has long been denied them.

This bill will increase the Pell Grant by $500, benefiting 646,000 students in my home state of California. In addition, 6.8 million students nationwide who take out need-based federal student loans would see the interest rates cut in half, providing California alone with over $1.4 billion more in loan and Pell aid. H.R. 2669 not only puts and keeps students in college--it strengthens our communities by providing financial assistance to people entering public service careers, like nurses, police, firefighters, first responders, and teachers.

For students in Los Angeles, this is real dollars in the pockets of those who need it most. Since 1980 the Latino population in the United States has doubled, but Latinos attending college has only increased 5 percent during this same period. Latinos continue to face numerous obstacles on the road to college. Low family incomes, low financial aid awards and a reluctance to assume debt has hindered Latinos for too long in achieving their higher education goals. The College Cost Reduction Act helps support those institutions helping Latino students by guaranteeing $500 million over 5 years for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges.

Financial assistance was critical to my ability to obtain a higher education and I am proud that H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, will help Latinos and other low income students get the financial security to pursue their dreams. I strongly support this legislation that invests in our students, our communities and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 359, the Cesar Chavez Study Act, and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, you know that the National Park System units are important components of our Nation's historic, cultural and economic and recreation and social identity.

H.R. 359 authorizes a study to determine whether sufficient historic resources still exist, so that the story of Cesar Chavez could be added to the National Park System.

I first introduced this legislation more than 6 years ago to honor the important contributions he made to the environment and to help the National Park Service finally recognize a significant Hispanic leader. Since then, I have worked hard with my colleagues to bring this bill to the floor.

I would like to personally thank Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva for their support, and the staff of the committee.

Cesar Estrada Chavez was a second-generation American. He was born in the United States March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona, and raised during the Great Depression.

The lessons he learned during his time inspired him to dedicate his life to improving the lives of others less fortunate even than himself.

Chavez led by action. He was a student of Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent philosophy, and believed that non-violence was one of the most powerful tools to achieve change, including social and economic justice and equality.

In 1968 he fasted for 25 days, Mr. Speaker, one of many fasts he held to demonstrate a commitment to non-violence through sacrifice and penance. He was a deeply religious man.

Through his work, Cesar Chavez changed the course of history for thousands of Latinos and Hispanics and farm workers in this country. Farm workers have been empowered now to fight for fair wages, health care coverage, pension benefits, housing improvements, pesticide and health regulations and countless other protections for their health and well-being.

These changes have meant considerably improvements for the life of farm workers and their families, in fact, three fourths of which are Hispanic or Latino.

During his 66 years with us, Chavez made a significant difference in the lives of those he touched, well beyond improvements for farm workers. And at an early age, I too was inspired by Cesar Chavez's work on behalf of farm workers and the environmental justice movement. This includes protecting green space in both urban and rural areas so that all communities can enjoy the benefits of recreation.

Chavez strongly understood the importance of land and the value of the environment in connection to one's health and economic stability. For many Hispanics, this appreciation of the environment is cultural; 96 percent of Hispanics believe that the environment should be an important priority for this country, yet there is not one single unit of the National Park System dedicated to Hispanics.

And as a result of Chavez's belief exhibited through his actions, I was moved to introduce this legislation and believe it important that we preserve the history through our National Park System. It is my hope that one day Hispanic families all have a place in the National Park Service where they can appreciate, honor and learn about Cesar Chavez's work, his beliefs, just as we do now in celebration with African American families who can now visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. historical site and Selma-Montgomery trail.

The significance of Chavez's life and work is widely recognized. The Department of Labor has honored Chavez in the Labor Hall of Fame, and the Bush administration, as you heard, supports this legislation. I won't list all the supporters, but there are more than 20 organizations nationally recognized who support this legislation.

In fact, at his funeral, Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles called Chavez, and I quote, ``a special prophet for the world's farm workers.''

In 1994, Chavez's widow, Helen, accepted the Medal of Freedom from President Clinton, who lauded Chavez for facing a ``formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and non-violence.''

It is my hope that through this legislation, future generations can understand who Cesar Chavez was, and why the work that he did was so important, know that they too can be courageous and work toward the betterment of all mankind.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, did you know that our planet is showing the disconcerting signs of global climate change? That should serve as a wake-up call to all of us. Scientists have found that 11 and 12 of the warmest years on record have occurred since 1995. The water in our lakes and rivers has warmed, and ice is being lost in the Arctic Sea at unprecedented rates.

Steps should be taken to stop or reverse these trends as soon as possible, and the Democratic Congress is doing just that as a part of the Interior and Environmental appropriations bill.

The legislation includes provisions to focus our efforts on global climate change by establishing a commission of the government's top scientific experts tasked with identifying key areas of scientific research and empowering them with the resources to finance their work. It also provides for funding, over the President's request, for clean water funds, reducing diesel emissions, clean air grants, and ensuring that environmental laws and justice and regulations are followed.

Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Congress is committed to taking steps necessary to protect our natural resources and address global climate change. There's still time to save our planet.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong opposition to a free trade agreement with Colombia. The Colombian Government has ties with paramilitary organizations and international criminal networks. Each year more unionists are killed in Colombia than the rest of the world combined, many at the hands of country paramilitaries. Yet Colombia is not willing to investigate these murders and prosecute perpetrators.

In 2006, seventy-two trade unionists were assassinated. The perpetrators continue to enjoy 98 percent impunity. Colombia's labor laws also do not conform with ILO recommendations. A trade agreement with Colombia, in my opinion, could cost more U.S. jobs and increase our debt. It would further impoverish rural communities in Colombia and reduce access by Colombians to new medicines.

A U.S. trade policy should promote a democracy based on protection of fundamental human rights, and not a race to the bottom. I urge my colleagues to reject a trade agreement with Colombia.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to voice my strong disapproval of the Supreme Court's decision last week that effectively endorsed pay discrimination against women.

Pay equity is a problem for women around the country, but especially for women of color, women who look like me. On average, African American women earn only 64 cents for every dollar and Latinas earn only 52 cents on the dollar compared to their white male counterparts.

We need to protect the rights of workers, to remedy wage discrimination, and do more to close the pay gap between men and women. That is why I cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would give teeth to the Equal Pay Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act would entitle the plaintiffs to backpay, compensatory, and punitive damages for ``intentional'' wage discrimination.

Without serious penalties for wage discrimination, violations will continue and working men and women and their families will suffer.

We can and must fix the Equal Pay Act so workers all around can be fairly compensated for wage discrimination, and we must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the wage gap.