Floor Statements

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

Four years ago, I stood on the House floor and condemned the online bullying of U.S. Marine Corps servicewomen on Facebook. These web pages contained obscene and abusive pictures, and implied that women only advanced professionally by performing sexual favors.

I sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense and the Commandant of the Marine Corps asking them to take action. I got a letter back from the Commandant which said, ``I share your indignation.'' I didn't want him to share my indignation. I wanted him to do something about it. Neither he nor the Department of Defense inspector general did anything.

Lack of consequences caused this cultural rot to spread further. The Marines United page, through which hundreds of Active-Duty and veteran marines viewed thousands of nonconsensually distributed intimate imagines, damaged the lives and the careers of more servicemembers than I can imagine. In fact, many of these servicemembers were identified by name and the bases at which they served.

Despite reports of this vile site, new versions continue to crop up and spread more destruction, unchecked by military leadership. Until now, the leadership failures that allowed this to go on for 4 years also extended to Congress. We did nothing except hold a subcommittee hearing on--wait, let me indicate what it was on--social media policy, without a single survivor brought to testify.

This is not about social media policy. This is about abhorrent behavior by servicemembers against other servicemembers.

Two months ago, a bipartisan group of Members held a hearing on this very issue, and we had victims who testified. One of those members, who was Active Duty, said that her Marine Corps drill instructor said to her and the other women during their training, ``The only women that serve in the marines are sluts, lesbians . . . '' or a word that starts with a B that I won't mention on the House floor.

How destructive can that be?

Today, that ends. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle are taking a stand. Today, I am honored and proud to support H.R. 2052 with my colleague, Ms. McSally.

This bill will ensure that nonconsensual pornography is made illegal by explicitly forbidding the sharing of intimate images without the consent of the subject.

Right now, the reprehensible acts of nonconsensually distributed and consensually obtained photographs is not clearly defined as illegal under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That is why this bill is a critical step in ensuring that our female servicemembers aren't distracted from protecting the country by having to also protect themselves against online abusers and colleagues within the services.

But let me be clear. Our work is not done. If the chain of command continues to see nonconsensual pornography as a ``boys will be boys'' joke instead of sexual violence, nothing will change. Such conduct must result in severe and immediate consequences for the perpetrators. The PRIVATE Act must pass, and it must be enforced.

I also want to note that the passage of the PRIVATE Act does not apply to the civilian people in our country. Although 34 States have passed laws to address nonconsensual pornography, their approaches vary widely, and some are very flawed. That is why a Federal law is needed to provide a single, clear articulation of the elements of this crime to ensure that Americans in every part of the country--civilian and military--are protected if they are subjected to this heinous abuse.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2052. We have come a long way in 4 years since I found those vile Facebook pages. Four years from now, I hope I am standing here commending us all for stamping out the scourge of nonconsensual pornography.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel), my good friend and colleague, and the co-chair of the bipartisan Women's Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), the chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague from California (Mrs. Davis), the ranking member on the Democratic side of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and, in so doing, I also want to make the point that our commitment to making sure that our armed services have the cohesion and readiness to serve requires us to take action on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 150th birthday of one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in my Congressional District: Redwood City.

Long before Redwood City was incorporated, the area was inhabited by the Ohlone who lived by hunting, fishing and gathering. The Ohlone had a rich culture and thrived on both sides of the mountain range that divides San Mateo County. Their villages dotted the countryside and the residents traded regularly with nearby tribes.

Spanish and Mexican explorers and settlers came later, and with them came rapid and substantial change. After the Mexican-American War, Spanish and Mexican land grants were challenged. Such was the case for Dona Arguello, who hired Simon Mezes to defend her land title. His payment was the land that now includes most of downtown Redwood City. Rather than fighting the squatters, he laid out the town and sold lots to them, naming his town Mezesville.

Access to San Francisco Bay made Redwood City an ideal location for a port. The port and the railway revolutionized shipping and travel in the 1800s. Industries continued to develop from oyster farming and canning to cement and salt production, to nurseries and small manufacturing plants.

Redwood City was incorporated in 1867 with the purpose of raising funds to pave

downtown streets. The city has always been home to a diverse population. Joining the large Latino population, German immigrants started breweries and a tannery, the Chinese helped build the railroads and were engaged in shrimp fishing, and the Japanese brought the floral industry. In 1926, the Chamber of Commerce proclaimed Redwood City the ``Chrysanthemum Capital of the World.'' The floral industry thrived until one of the darkest chapters of U.S. history, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Redwood City experienced several population and housing booms. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake displaced thousands who built new neighborhoods on the Peninsula. By 1920, many Redwood City residents were commuting to jobs outside the city. In the 1930s the population doubled. By 1937, a municipal marina and an international port with a widened channel were ready to ship cargo.

The largest population increase took place after World War II when Redwood City grew from 12,400 in 1940 to 46,300 in 1960. Today, there are 82,000 residents.

No one can mention Redwood City without celebrating its schools and the families that thrive through the district's services. Two great public high schools and multiple public elementary and middle schools, as well as several charter schools, offer the American dream of a quality, free public education to all. The city also incorporates several quality private schools.

Redwood City has amazing parks and is dotted with redwood trees. Beautiful hillsides in a nearby county park are covered with a plethora of wildflowers and are home to majestic mountain lions. The city itself is home to the San Mateo County History Museum. The city is also the county seat of San Mateo where I started my political career and have watched history unfold. Courthouse Square anchors a revitalized city core that includes a wonderful theater, restaurants and bakeries.

Redwood City is family-focused and young, with nearly 25 percent of its residents being under age 18. It offers cultural and recreational events in Courthouse Square throughout the year, aided in part by the city's wonderful weather. In fact, the beautiful weather is famously memorialized by the city's motto ``Climate Best by Government Test.'' There are celebrations of multiple national backgrounds, religions and cultures that are welcomed by city residents. Foreign-born residents are 32 percent of all residents. The people of Redwood City are proud that their city is a miniature United Nations, speaking to America through dozens of languages heard daily on its streets.

In the heart of Silicon Valley, the city is home to such global brands as Oracle, Box.com and Google. One of today's newer and smaller companies creates 3D printers that will save our armed forces tens of millions of dollars and strengthen our national defense, while another small company seeks to end the dangers of hospital infection and opioid addiction by transforming the delivery of pain medications.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the sesquicentennial of Redwood City, a community that serves as a model for vibrancy and friendliness. It's a place where innovation soars because the celebration of the American spirit is ever-present. It is the real frontier of America because tomorrow is emerging through the celebration of our shared past, present and future.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor for the second year in a row to read the book ``I Am Jazz,'' a children's book about transgender youth cowritten by Jazz Jennings, pictured here, and Jessica Herthel.

After an LGBT hate group forced a school to cancel a reading of this book 2 years ago, a movement was launched. Every year since, readings have been held across the country to increase understanding and to show young people that they are welcomed and loved.

Last year I read this book from the House floor, and today I am proud to join this movement to read it again.

``I Am Jazz.''

For as long as I can remember, my favorite color has been

pink. My second favorite color is silver, and my third

favorite color is green.

Here are some of the many other things I like to do:

dancing, singing, backflips, drawing, soccer, swimming,

makeup, and pretending I am a pop star.

Most of all, I love mermaids. Sometimes I even wear a

mermaid tail in the pool.

My best friends are Samantha and Casey. We always have fun

together. We like high heels and princess gowns or cartwheels

and trampolines.

But I am not exactly like Samantha and Casey. I have a girl

brain but a boy body. This is called transgender. I was born

this way.

When I was very little and my mom would say, ``You are such

a good boy,'' I would say, ``No, Mama. Good girl.''

At first my family was confused. They had always thought of

me as a boy. As I got a little older, I hardly ever played

with trucks or tools or superheroes, only princesses and

mermaid costumes. My brothers told me this was girl stuff. I

kept right on playing.

My sister says I am always talking to her about my girl

thoughts and my girl dreams and how one day I would be a

beautiful lady. She would giggle and say, ``You are a funny

kid.''

Sometimes my parents let me wear my sister's dresses around

the house, but whenever we went out, I had to put on my boy

clothes again. That made me mad. Still, I never gave up

trying to convince them. Pretending I was a boy felt like

telling a lie.

Then one amazing day, everything changed. Mom and Dad took

me to meet a new doctor who asked me lots and lots of

questions. Afterward, the doctor spoke to my parents, and I

heard the word ``transgender'' for the very first time. That

night at bedtime, my parents both hugged me and said, ``We

understand now. Be who you are. We love you no matter what.''

This made me smile and smile and smile. Mom and Dad told me

I could start wearing girl clothes to school and growing my

hair long. Then they even let me change my name to Jazz.

Being Jazz felt much more like being me. Mom said that being

Jazz would make me different from the other kids at school,

but that being different is okay. ``What is important,'' she

said, ``is that I am happy with who I am.''

Being Jazz caused some of the people to be confused, too,

like the teachers at school. At the beginning of the year,

they wanted me to use the boys bathroom and play on the boys

team in gym class, but that didn't feel normal to me at all.

I was so happy when the teachers changed their minds. I can't

imagine not playing on the same team as Casey and Samantha.

Even today, there are kids who tease me or call me by a boy

name or ignore me altogether. This makes me feel crummy. Then

I remember that the kids who get to know me usually want to

be my friend. They say I am one of the nicest girls at

school.

I don't mind being different. Different is special. I think

what matters most is what a person is like inside, and inside

I am happy. I am having fun. I am proud. I am Jazz.

Mr. Speaker, due to an unavoidable conflict, I missed the following votes on May 18. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 263 and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 264.

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I want to thank my colleagues, Rep. Lois Frankel, Rep. Brenda Lawrence, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Ann Kuster, Rep. Norma Torres, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Don Bacon, and Rep. Martha McSally, who spoke out during the May 2nd Special Order Hour on nonconsensual pornography in the military. It is critical that we continue to raise awareness about this topic and I am grateful to see Members from both parties coming together to fight this predatory and humiliating practice taking place in our military. I would also like to specifically thank Reps. Frankel and Lawrence for hosting the Special Order Hour on behalf of the Democratic Women's Working Group.

I am deeply passionate about stopping nonconsensual pornography in the armed services, and was disappointed to miss the Special Order Hour. I had an unavoidable conflict, since at the same time I was serving as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee Military Personnel Hearing on the Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies. During the hearing, I listened to brave testimony from military survivors of sexual assault and harassment who also suffered retaliation after they came forward. All members of the military deserve protection from sexual violence on the internet, in the academies, and every place else.

Marines United, and other incidents of nonconsensual pornography in the military, are examples of degrading behaviors that destroy careers and lives.

When these horrific incidents occur, it is not about sex or social media policy; it is evidence of a culture of rot that is allowed to spread by military leadership.

I am concerned that NCIS and military leadership is not taking this seriously--my staff found scores of nonconsensual pornography images on Tumblr in under 5 minutes with the search term ``Tumblr Army naked.'' These attacks go well beyond just the posting of the pictures. They are widespread and involve every branch of the military and all levels of command, as shown by the charge against Master Sgt. Theophilus Thomas.

Why is it that other crimes are punished with a zero tolerance policy and the individual is removed from service, while stalking, harassment, and the destruction of your colleague's career fails to warrant the same punishment from the military? These crimes pose a serious threat to troop readiness and morale and must be treated as such.

I am proud to be a co-lead with Congresswoman McSally on the PRIVATE Act, which would make posting consensually taken, but nonconsensually distributed intimate photos illegal under the UCMJ. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join together and support the PRIVATE Act and the brave men and women who put their lives on the line in service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, in advance of the 20th annual Letter Carriers' Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive next Saturday, let us recognize the unsung heroes within our communities: our letter carriers.

Take David Crestik from San Diego, who carried an injured elderly woman out of a burning mobile home, called 911, and then finished his route; or Shawn Kang from Stockton, who rescued a person trapped underneath his car.

On May 13, letter carriers will stock struggling food pantries across our country through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Last year, they collected over 80 million pounds of nonperishable canned goods, a record. Let's remember, one in six Americans don't know where their next meal is coming from. So let's honor and recognize the tremendous leadership, compassion, and dedication of our letter carriers. They serve our communities and they are a vital part of them.

Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that long-time board member Tom Nolan is leaving after having served on the board of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency since 2006 and as Chairman since 2010. I want to add my congratulations to those of countless others for the contributions that Tom made during his decades of public service.

Tom has been a longtime friend and colleague and I have always admired his ability to bring peace to the negotiating table and to get to yes. He is truly a regional thinker and a transportation visionary. He was my colleague on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors during the 1980's, and it was from this position that he first became immersed in the subject of public transportation. While San Francisco has long had a well-developed public transit system, San Mateo County lagged far behind. Tom was instrumental in creating the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, the operator of Caltrain. He successfully fought for extension of BART to San Francisco airport and served the entire region as a member of the MTC. Even Santa Clara County owes a debt of gratitude for its transit system to Tom Nolan, as the light rail system relies upon a segment brought into the system by Tom's advocacy.

He could have rested on his laurels when he left San Mateo County to become a resident of San Francisco, but instead he decided to once again become a leader in transportation issues. It takes the genius of a heart surgeon and the patience of a saint to serve on the MTA board. Tom met these standards with his tireless advocacy for service improvements, sound labor relations, a vast bicycle network to reduce reliance upon cars, bike sharing, replacement of the bus fleet, and support of the staff and transit system when the economic downturn brought painful adjustments.

Every board member deserves our thanks for his or her dedication to the public, but the enormity of these responsibilities is often apparent only in hindsight. Few cities in America have tried to do what the MTA is doing over time: Create a transportation system that relies upon multiple modes of movement to create a modern city and to extend economic opportunity to all neighborhoods of San Francisco, all the while integrating this system with the region's needs. The new Central Subway and the T Third Line are just two of the latest examples. Tom's advocacy was essential to creating these options, just as his persistent advocacy led in the creation of Caltrain and the airport extension.

When a pedestrian is not hit while crossing a busy intersection, Tom Nolan's advocacy is in part responsible for this wonderful outcome. When a father is on time picking up his child from daycare, he probably never stops to thank Tom Nolan for the bus ride that brought him to the center, but he should. When a housing advocate rises to support the creation of workforce housing along a transit corridor, I doubt that Tom's name ever comes up as one of the reasons that robust service exists along that particular public right of way. As the Giants fans pull into the 4th and King station, I'll bet that exactly zero riders pause to wonder who made that trip possible. In part, it was countless professionals and advocates over decades, but in large part it was Tom Nolan.

As Tom leaves his position on the MTA board, his legacy is evident in concrete and steel, as well as painted bike paths and floral dividers between bikes and vehicles. It is evident in the quality of life that is led by San Franciscans and those in the Bay Area who quietly go about their business each day.

Long before San Francisco had Uber, our region had Tom Nolan. One trades on a public stock exchange and is highly valued by financial analysts while the other quietly serves in modest but influential public service. There is no doubt in my own mind which is more valuable. Let us all give thanks for Tom Nolan, the ultimate transportation app because he doesn't require a smartphone, a charged battery or a good cell phone connection to get the job done. He's just a guy with a big heart and a mighty vision who delivers value to the public the old fashioned way: He earns it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for creating this opportunity for us to celebrate 100 years of women serving in Congress.

It is remarkable that we are still trying to see our numbers inch upwards and continue to be at something like 19 percent when women represent over 50 percent of the voting population.

I thought it would be interesting to highlight one of these women in Congress, a great woman, and one that I have long admired. Her name is Helen Gahagan Douglas. She was the first California woman elected to Congress in her own right--in that case, not succeeding a deceased husband.

Helen Gahagan was an actress and an opera singer who did not consider herself political until a chance conversation she had over coffee while performing in Vienna, Austria, in 1938. The man was a Nazi sympathizer, and the things she heard truly sickened her.

She returned to the United States intent on destroying Nazism. She and her husband, Oscar-winning actor Melvyn Douglas, joined the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League and called for a boycott of products made in Nazi Germany.

The release of John Steinbeck's seminal novel, ``The Grapes of Wrath,'' consumed her. She began studying the plight of migrant farmworkers coming to California from the Dust Bowl States.

After meeting the author, Helen was named president of the John Steinbeck Committee and became the national spokesperson for the rights of migrants.

That work attracted the attention of President and First Lady Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and Eleanor became a mentor to Helen.

Helen Gahagan Douglas won the open congressional seat in California's 14th District in 1944. She was in the Hollywood area, and that was her district.

She served three terms in Congress, earning a reputation as a deep thinker, voice for the downtrodden, and skilled orator.

In 1950, she ran for the United States Senate, facing fellow southern California Congressman Richard Nixon.

In the campaign, Nixon conflated her anti-Nazi views and work for migrant workers with being a communist fellow traveler.

He also employed anti-Semitic surrogates who attacked her for marrying a Jewish man.

These and other low-campaign tactics spurred Douglas to call Nixon ``Tricky Dicky,'' a moniker that stuck with him his entire career.

During the Watergate scandal, more than two decades after the 1950 Senate race, a popular bumper sticker in California read, ``Don't blame me, I voted for Helen Gahagan Douglas.''

After her death in 1980, California State Senator Alan Cranston delivered a stirring eulogy on the Senate floor. He said: ``I believe Helen Gahagan Douglas was one of the grandest, most eloquent, and deepest-thinking people we have had in American politics. She stands among the best of our 20th century leaders, rivaling even Eleanor Roosevelt in stature, compassion, and simple greatness.''

But it is Congresswoman Gahagan Douglas' own words that speak best for her legacy. As we celebrate 100 years of women in Congress, I can think of few quotes more fitting than Helen's: ``I knew men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a special spirit that glides along the coast of San Mateo County throughout the year. Her name is Erin Tormey and she is being honored by the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce as Farmer of the Year. For all the farmers who have been recognized, Erin Tormey is certainly an awardee who stands out. She is an exceptional leader, inspirational personality, and an outstanding businesswoman. She is also deeply admired by all who know her, and for good reason.

Erin is the founder of the Half Moon Bay Farmers Market and the Pacifica Farmers Market. Since 2002 in Half Moon Bay, and 2007 in Pacifica, Erin has orchestrated a nutritious public health extravaganza for coastal residents. Her market draws producers and shoppers from distant points to offer quality fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices to local residents and to visitors.

By county standards, Erin Tormey is relatively new to agriculture, starting the Irish Ridge Ranch in 1996. She raises Heritage Layer hens and operates an apple orchard that grows Rare Pioneer and Heritage Apples. Once established, Erin branched out to establish the farmers market and became active in community improvement through her advocacy for healthy farm products.

She recognized that many families did not know about the benefits of fresh produce and vegetables. Working with the State of California, her market was selected to participate as a pilot site for MARKET WATCH, a program to encourage low income families and seniors to shop at farmers markets. The market promotes nutrition education and was a statewide leader in participating in the WIC program. Low income families of our coastal communities count on Erin and her fellow farmers to balance their diets and to help them maintain healthy eating habits.

Erin's dedication to the coastside extends beyond farming to education and to public engagement. She was the inaugural executive director of the Cabrillo Education Foundation. Imagine rising before the sun, harvesting eggs for the day, getting your children ready for school, and then raising your hand to raise money for their education. I note that she doesn't rise with the sun. That would be too late. Erin Tormey challenges the sun to rise and to keep up with her while she powers through her day.

In addition to her other accomplishments, Erin is a founding Director of the HEAL Project, an award-winning curriculum that teaches math and science through lessons drawn from agriculture. She is also a founding member of the San Mateo Food Systems Alliance. Among its many purposes, the group encourages gardens in schools to teach students about nutrition, cooperates with our local food bank, and encourages non- farmers to educate themselves about farming and its challenges.

California's agricultural leadership has recognized Erin's talents. She was appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to a Direct Marketing Ad-hoc Committee, as an alternate, to help rework legislation governing certified Farmers Markets. She was also appointed to a 3-year term on the steering committee of the California Alliance of Certified Farmers Markets.

Finally, I know Erin well because we cooperate annually in producing one of the high points of the year for 700 seniors in San Mateo county and San Francisco: My annual Seniors on the Move conference held in San Mateo includes a segment to teach attendees about fresh food preparation and eating well to enhance their health and well-being. Erin's cheerful face and enthusiastic promotion of fresh fruits and vegetables are the highlight of this day. Seniors run or walk as swiftly as possible to where the free bags of fresh fruit and vegetables are dispensed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members of the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Erin Tormey on the occasion of her selection as Farmer of the Year. Her hens know her as the careful steward of their production but we know Erin as the thoughtful steward of our health and community spirit. May both her

flock and we, her friends, neighbors and customers, thrive in the years ahead

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sherry Haber, a remarkable community leader and tireless advocate for children, who is being recognized as the Hillsborough Citizen of the Year by the Associated Parents' Group. This award honors a resident who has made a sustained and significant contribution to the community, especially to the education and well-being of our children. Sherry is truly deserving of this honor. There is no task too big or too small for Sherry to handle and if you want to get something done, you hand it to her.

Sherry served as Parent Group President for North Hillsborough School from 2009 to 2010. It was on her watch that the lower playground was installed and the hot lunch program was implemented. In her role as Art in Action Chair, she established the tradition of hosting an art show during North's annual open house, expanded Art in Action from 3rd through 5th grade to include K through 5th grade, was instrumental in launching the school's first talent show and choreographed multiple group performances. She also led efforts to renovate the library, chaired the 5th grade promotion and worked on the year book committee for eight years. For six years, she opened her home for the annual teacher appreciation lunch.

When Sherry's two children Ben and Cami moved on to Crocker Middle School, she again served as Parent Group President from 2012 to 2013 and repeated many of her contributions. She implemented a hot lunch program, established the Crocker Art Show and coordinated the Janet Chun Mural project. She also was graduation chair and organized the first Flash Mob.

From 2013 to 2015, Sherry served as communications chair of the Hillsborough Schools Foundation and hosted many successful fundraisers. For the last two years, she has served as the President of the Burlingame High School Music Boosters which means she has been supporting 150 students in band and choir. She even organized the band's first performance trip to Anaheim in over 20 years.

In addition to her deep involvement in the schools, Sherry found time to be a Den Leader for the Boy Scouts and Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts for a total of ten years. For six years, she was a volunteer for Hillsborough's Memorial Day Parade. In 2015, she served on the Israeli Art Show Committee at Peninsula Temple Shalom. Sherry Haber has an inexhaustible reservoir of energy and passion for children, our community and the arts.

Sherry is originally from Sacramento. She went to Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii and earned her BA in English at Stanford University. She and her husband of 24 years, Scott Haber, live with their two children in Hillsborough.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to join me in honoring an exemplary citizen, a dedicated community leader and a devoted mother and wife. Sherry Haber never stops giving of herself and she does it with enjoyment of life (joie de vivre), I join with all Hillsborough residents in saying we are very fortunate to have her as a neighbor and friend.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Carol Gutierrez, a teacher in the Hillsborough City School District for 27 years, who is being honored with the Community Care Award from the Associated Parents' Group. This award is given to a non-resident employee of the school district who has made sustained, significant and lasting contributions that have touched the lives of our children and benefited the community as a whole.

Carol has taught at West and North Hillsborough Elementary schools and was also a writing enrichment teacher at South for one year. Her love of children and drive to prepare them for the real world and successful lives has earned her the admiration and adoration of her students, their parents and her colleagues alike. The school district is extraordinarily fortunate to have such a top-notch and dedicated teacher.

Carol's secret to success is that she teaches students to trust their own instincts and to follow their own passions. The students also learn to share those passions with fellow students in their own classes and in other classes, which creates a wonderful learning environment that nurtures individualism and community at the same time.

In her current position as a 2nd grade teacher at North, Carol incorporates art, technology, cooperative learning and exploration time to engage her students. Examples of such activities include Business Day, Design Thinking Challenges and Recycled Art. Her classroom is vibrant, comfortable, welcoming and open. It is with good reason that one of her recent students said, ``School can't get better than this. I love Ms. Gutierrez.''

As a 5th grade teacher at West, Carol and two of her colleagues developed and refined a community service jobs program and a trip to our Nation's Capital. They also differentiated instruction with theme projects, led a math peer tutor program at lunch and promoted interest in world culture by hosting an annual geography bee. Carol also served as a new teacher mentor for the district.

Carol was born in East Chicago, Indiana and earned her BA from U.C. Berkeley. She and her husband Michael Gutierrez have three children, Nikolas, Katie and Joseph. In her spare time, Carol enjoys spending time with her family, drawing, cooking and exercising.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members of the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing an exemplary and beloved teacher in the Hillsborough City School District. Carol Gutierrez brings out the best in every single one of her students and sets them on a path to success and life-long learning.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ruth Waters, a remarkable artist and arts activist who has been sculpting for six decades and supporting the arts on the San Francisco Peninsula for four decades. This week, Ruth will be honored by her peers and the institution that she leads will celebrate its fourth year at its present location in Burlingame, offering art and artist studies to the community.

I first met Ruth in the 1980s when I served on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and when Ruth was the founder and director of the Twin Pines Art Center in Belmont. Her passion for the arts and promoting public art in particular, led me to create a County Arts Task Force. Ruth's passion continues to this very day. She is a prolific artist and has exhibited solo in at least 25 exhibits and at dozens of regional and national juried shows.

In addition to being a talented sculptor and arts advocate, Ruth is an amazing administrator and organizer. She founded the Peninsula Museum of Art in 2004 and serves as its Executive Director. The museum moved to its current location in Burlingame in 2013. The museum's mission is to enhance the region and enrich lives through art and education. It offers five exhibition galleries, an art reference library, gift shop, and working studios for 30 professional-level artists. The inclusion of the artist studios in the space is a deliberate effort to bridge the gap between the creative community, professional artists and the community at large.

The current museum grew from the Twin Pines Art Center, which operated from 1977 to 1985 in Belmont. During this time, Ruth was also the co-founder and president of the Peninsula Sculptors' Guild, and she co-founded and served on the board of the Peninsula Arts Council from 1992 to 2008.

The accomplishments of Ruth Waters have been recognized on many occasions, including but not limited to the President's Award from the National Conference of the Women's Caucus for Art, and through her listings in the Dictionary of International Biography, Who's Who in Art, Architecture and Design, and the International Who's Who of Professional & Business Women.

Mr. Speaker, it is a rare person who personifies a profession that itself lends beauty to this world. Ruth personifies the world of art and sculpting, and we are fortunate to have the beauty that she continues to create around us. We should all be grateful for her leadership in promoting the arts and art appreciation. Beauty can neither be denied nor muzzled, and in Ruth Water's work we see beauty abound while a passionate voice for the arts proclaims its presence in service to us all.

Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, I stood on this same floor and condemned the online bullying of U.S. Marine Corps servicewomen on a public Facebook page. Today I stand before you again, incredulous, angry, and sad, to say that absolutely nothing has changed.

This weekend, news broke that the Department of Defense is investigating scores of enlisted marines for compiling thousands of naked photos of other marines--servicewomen--often surreptitiously, and distributing them through Facebook and Google Drive. The site in question is called ``Marines United,'' claiming a membership of over 30,000 people.

The photos are being tightly held due to the ongoing investigation, but all indications are they are just as repulsive as what we saw 4 years ago.

The report contains samples of the comments posted about female marines, which are too obscene to read on the House floor. Online commentators also reportedly called for the rape of some of the marines portrayed in the photos, which is terrifying, given many of the women are identified by name and base.

This is not about sex or fun or boys will be boys. This is about marines deliberately trying to degrade, humiliate, and threaten fellow marines. They encouraged stalking, distributed stolen intimate photos, and reduced their comrades to a collection of body parts.

Well, I am here to say that women marines will not be treated like sides of beef. They are warriors and should be treated as such.

As one female marine who recently completed the once male-only infantry training said: ``Right now I'm supposed to be able to trust every male marine. And with some of the stuff I see them saying about women, that's just not happening.''

This cultural rot, which has clearly regressed even further since 2013, harms our troops and our readiness. It is abundantly clear that this is not a few bad marines; rather, it is another example of a culture of rot. It is a blight that infects not just the ranks of the enlisted, but also the officer corps.

Military leadership has utterly failed in their responsibility to protect their troops, punish those involved, and uphold the professed values of the Corps. That is why the survivors of this latest atrocity did not have the confidence to notify their superiors, for fear of retribution. It took a marine veteran and blogger to blow the whistle, and for that, he has been threatened with death and his wife has been threatened with rape.

Back in 2013, then-Commandant General Amos wrote to me saying, ``We share your indignation,'' regarding deplorable images on social media that denigrate women in the United States Marine Corps. They were words--just words. I fear that military leadership will say anything to placate Congress and an outraged public, but then do nothing.

I recently had the opportunity to meet with Secretary of Defense James Mattis. I found him to be engaging, thoughtful, and committed to our troops. Secretary Mattis is also a retired marine.

Secretary Mattis, I hope that you are deeply disturbed by what we are seeing within the Corps. I hope that you are listening to servicewomen like the one whose private photos were posted in the 2013 Facebook group.

One left the service in 2015, and says that just knowing her pictures are still out there has silenced her. She said: ``I wanted to be a positive influence on the community. And this diminished me. It took away everything.''

Secretary Mattis, this must change now. I call on you to hold your leadership accountable for these failures; to establish a culture of dramatic change. That means heads should roll.

Talk is cheap. Action is what is needed for the integrity of the military. Survivors must be supported. That will only happen if those bad marines are drummed out of the Corps, with no exceptions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the awe-inspiring Ravenswood Family Health Center upon the 15th Anniversary of its founding. This clinic is a key provider of quality affordable, integrated healthcare services in the southern cities of my district. Sixteen thousand residents are served annually by its newly-opened, state-of-the-art facility located in the beautiful city of East Palo Alto.

Ravenswood opened as South County Community Clinic in 2000 with 13 employees. It currently has a staff of 182 full and part-time employees and contractors. It employs 25 full or part-time medical providers including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and nurses, six full and part-time dentists, and four behavioral health providers. Seventy-one percent of the clinic's patients are served in their native language, including Spanish and Tongan. Ninety-seven percent of the patients are ethnic minorities.

The center's goal is to provide culturally-competent, sensitive primary and preventive care offering dignity to all patients. Often, the ability of a healthcare provider to do his or her job depends upon knowing how the patient's culture will influence the provider's recommendations. It is essential that the whole patient be treated with respect and offered dignity so that their illness or life situation can be competently assessed.

The clinic offers a comprehensive scope of care including family practice, adult medicine, teen health, prenatal health, dentistry, women's health, integrated behavioral health, optometry, pharmacy, mammography, ultrasound, x-ray, lab, and health education. Ravenswood partners with Stanford's adult and children's hospitals, the San Mateo County Medical Center and clinics, and Sutter Health.

As of 2014, 98 percent of the clinic's patients lived at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which for a family of four is about $24,300. Forty percent of its patients were uninsured, and 51 percent had Medi-Cal coverage. Our community counts on the Ravenswood Family Health Center to provide care to our most vulnerable residents, and 39 percent of the clinic's patients were children. Five percent of patients were homeless and, also as of 2014, 63 of those patients were children. Nearly 25 percent of all East Palo Alto residents are patients, as are nearly 18 percent of all residents of Belle Haven.

The Ravenswood Family Health Clinic provides valuable training opportunities for young physicians and allied professionals, and an opportunity to practice cutting-edge community healthcare, most notably chronic disease management, in part through grants from the federal government. While many in America struggle to pay for prescription drugs, the advent of the Affordable Care Act coupled with the clinic's discount pharmacy provides affordable prescriptions to both the insured and the uninsured.

The vision of the Ravenswood Family Health Center is also one of stressing control over one's destiny. The vision is: Educated, engaged and empowered patients actively managing their health and becoming advocates for healthy living within their family and the community, inspiring others to value that good health is true wealth.

Not surprisingly, philanthropic support of the Ravenswood Family Health Center has been enormous, with tens of millions donated through its capital and operating campaigns. Much of this philanthropic support is due to the outstanding staff led by the clinic's energetic and visionary Chief Executive Officer, Luisa Buada. From its earliest days, Luisa Buada has assembled a team to take on big goals.

Starting in trailers with a limited number of services, her team has a stellar record of both expanding services and taking on new challenges. To build on the old saying, it takes a village to take care of the health needs of a community and Luisa has assembled her staff village so that no member of the clinic's community goes without access to needed healthcare services. The clinic's board of directors has steadfastly supported the dream of being more than just a community clinic and to instead become a beacon of hope and advanced medicine. Luisa, her staff, and the board have succeeded.

Mr. Speaker, when the history of our era is written it will be noted that America engaged in a decade or more of debate about how best to provide Americans affordable, quality healthcare. What history will not reveal, but what is true, is that the riddle was answered at the Ravenswood Family Health Center. After fifteen years it is a stunning success. Despite its relative youth, the entire organization is very much an adult institution, with adult responsibilities, and an impact that touches and improves the lives of tens of thousands. We

wish the staff and patients of the Ravenswood Family Health Center a long and healthy future.

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the President is being lauded for a speech that stayed on message and was optimistic. Those accolades would be deserved if his actions bore any resemblance to his words. But, instead, we were subjected to a barrage of third grade sound bites, falsehoods, and half-truths, just like always.

The President condemned the vandalism at the Jewish cemeteries. Yet, earlier the same day, he suggested that these anti-Semitic acts were a ``false flag'' operation possibly committed by Jews themselves; which is very similar, by the way, to what White supremacist talking points circulated by David Duke are all about.

The President also condemned the racist hate crime murders in Kansas of an Indian engineer.

But why did it take him nearly a week to break his silence? Didn't this act of domestic terrorism deserve a tweet?

He didn't commit to doing anything about it until he was nudged by a tweet by Hillary Clinton.

The President says he wants to fix health care, but all the House Republicans can agree on is to kick 30 million people off their insurance.

Yes, Mr. Trump, we already knew that health care was complicated. It is good to know that you finally understand it as well.

The President said he wanted to invest in women's health, but his own party is committed to defunding Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood offers health care to one in five women in this country.

The President said he supports democratic ideals, but he won't advocate them around the globe. He says he supports diplomacy, but his budget cuts the State Department by 37 percent.

The President says he wants to invest $1 trillion in infrastructure, but congressional Republicans have already implied they won't give him the money.

The President said he supports the rule of law, but he is violating the Constitution's Emoluments Clause every single day.

And worst of all, the President says he supports the troops. Then he blames the military for his own botched raid. This disgraceful abandonment of responsibility makes a mockery of the grief of Chief Petty Officer Owens' widow, who wept in front of all the American people watching the speech on TV last night.

His comments earlier in the day blaming the military are really indescribable. I agree that we must never forget Ryan Owens' sacrifice, and that is why we must understand the circumstances that led to his death and follow through with his parents' request for an independent investigation.

This speech demonstrates that the President can read from a teleprompter that he so derided during his campaign. Last night, he showed a calm and civilized face to the Nation. Was this a one-night stand or a changed man who recognizes the ominous responsibilities of being President of the United States?

We have seen the President's Mr. Hyde face in his tweets and his unhinged press conferences. I think the question before us now is: Will a single night of soothing platitudes be sufficient?

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is something we read. What we do know is that Dr. Jekyll could not suppress his dark side. The question is: Can the President?