Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 30 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, February 28, 2013, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor former San Carlos Mayor Don Eaton who has been named 2012 San Carlos Citizen of the Year. It is only fitting that Don is recognized for his public service over 36 years.

His dedication to our community is described perfectly in his own words: ``I believe that it is our duty to leave this community better than we found it.'' Don served on the city council for 15 years and has undoubtedly left San Carlos better than he found it. Just to begin the list of his contributions to San Carlos, residents can thank him for a traveling Vietnam Wall, the ``Week of the Family,'' and the successful library bond measure.

Don was instrumental in the Holly Street grade separation project which was completed through the passage of Measure D. He also was a co- negotiator and chief spokesperson for the city in the Harbor Industrial Area annexation and he served as a representative to the Association of Bay Area Governments for San Mateo County cities.

Prior to joining the city council, Don was the chair of the San Carlos Planning Commission. During his council service, he did three additional jobs by also serving on the South County Fire District Commission, the South Bayside Systems Authority and the San Carlos Redevelopment Agency Oversight Board. Of course, he also ran his own business as a banker and thus proved to be one of the most indefatigable persons in San Carlos during that era.

After leaving the council, Don retrieved part of his life for himself and his family, but, never one to avoid an opportunity to serve San Carlos or the region, he is currently on the board of directors of the Hiller Aviation Museum and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. He also sits on my Financial Services Advisory Committee offering me, along with other distinguished members, his perspective on current economic trends in our region.

Don is a native Californian and earned his Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Business Administration from Brigham Young University. He is a Vietnam veteran.

Don and his wife Glenna live in San Carlos where they raised four children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Don Eaton upon recognition of the obvious: Don Eaton should be San Carlos Citizen of the Year and perhaps, should they ever create such a title, citizen of the past four decades. I am absolutely certain that Don Eaton will live up to his new title and continue contributing to his beloved community of San Carlos for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 150th anniversary of St. Matthew Catholic Church in San Mateo, California. Since its founding in 1863 the buildings, parishioners and pastors have changed, but the church has always been a place for comfort, solace, community and friendship for everyone.

A century and a half ago, Archbishop Alemany sent Father Denis Dempsey to San Mateo to establish the first parish in the county. A small wooden-steeple church was built on the corner of Third Avenue and A Street--today Ellsworth Avenue--on a piece of land donated by Charles B. Polhemus, an investor in the San Francisco-San Jose Railroad. Father Dempsey was the pastor for 18 years and

earned the admiration and love of his parishioners. It is said that his funeral mass was attended by local officials and dignitaries from throughout the state.

Sadly, the next pastor, Father William Bowman, only had a tenure of seven months before he passed away. He was followed by Father Peter Birmingham who presided for three years until he was transferred to San Francisco. Longevity was the signature of the fourth pastor, Father Timothy Callaghan. He served St. Matthew Church for 53 years. During his tenure, a parish cemetery was established and a new church was built. The congregation was growing and the threat of a fire destroying the old wooden church led to a fire resistant brick church on Ellsworth between Second and Third Avenues. The dedicating mass was held in September of 1900. Father Callaghan was elevated to Right Reverend and witnessed continual growth of the parish.

Father Henry J. Lyne became the fifth pastor and established a parish school in 1931. Seven Sisters of the Holy Cross taught 140 students in the first year. He is credited with starting Catholic formal education in the Archdiocese of San Francisco on the peninsula. In 1947, Pope Pius XII appointed him a Domestic Prelate with the title Monsignor.

Father Edward J. Meagher, the sixth pastor, saw unprecedented growth of the Catholic population after World War II. In 1952, total enrollment from Kindergarten to the 8th grade had grown to 861. Father Meagher raised funds to build an independent parish in Shoreview which was named St. Timothy as a tribute to Monsignor Timothy Callaghan. Soon after that, the Western portion of St. Matthew parish was detached, with the establishment of Bartholomew parish. Father Meagher's successor, Father Bernard C. Cronin, oversaw the building of a new St. Matthew Church and Rectory at Ninth Avenue and El Camino Real which opened in May 1966. The downtown church also remained open. Father Cronin was elevated to Right Reverend Monsignor in 1972.

In 1979, Father James Ward, a graduate of St. Matthew School, class of 1937, became its eighth pastor. Father James Ward was devoted to the school and the students. During his tenure, the downtown church was demolished after suffering seismic damage. He and the archdiocese fought hard, yet unsuccessfully, for the vacated property that was eventually leased to Walgreen Drug. Father Ward died from a leg infection in 1995. Monsignor James McKay succeeded him and oversaw fundamental renovations of the newer church at El Camino Real and Ninth Avenue that are still in place today.

In 2004, the tenth and current pastor replaced Monsignor McKay. Father Anthony McGuire now oversees the St. Matthew parish of 2,500 and is credited with growing the diverse parish and attracting an ever increasing number of Hispanic and Asian families.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor the rich history of St. Matthew Church in San Mateo which has been a place of spiritual and social growth for thousands of families for 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the one hundredth birthday of the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. It has a remarkable record of leadership during times of enormous change within this self-described Industrial City.

One hundred years ago, South San Francisco had approximately 4,000 residents. Its founders were ranchers, meat packers, and stockyard owners, but the remaining population included laborers, lumber yard owners, dry good merchants, bar owners, and all of the other entrepreneurs of an early 20th century, developing community. It was from this rich mix of Americana that the Chamber of Commerce sprang, and it has been devoted to the success of the community ever since.

World War II brought enormous changes to the Industrial City. Steel mills sprang up and labor poured into South San Francisco to meet the demands of shipbuilding around San Francisco Bay. After the war, neighborhoods followed as the steel mills switched to non-war production and the middle class found new homes and new jobs. Food processors, warehousing and services related to nearby San Francisco airport, such as freight forwarding, flourished. Both during this period and since this time, the Chamber of Commerce represented business before the City Council, and many Chamber members served in positions of leadership throughout the city.

The transformation of South San Francisco began with the birth of the biotechnology industry in the 1980s. The dormant steel mills were torn down, and new offices and laboratories sprouted like daisies across the eastern side of the city. This renaissance was supported by an active business community led by the Chamber of Commerce. Before the council and before the citizens of South San Francisco, the Chamber made the case that the future of the city was in science and technology. The Chamber also urged renovations of Grand Avenue, the building of public improvements, and encouraged city leaders to rebuild South San Francisco as a cosmopolitan community.

As I can attest from personal experience, the schools of South San Francisco are central to the community. The South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce for many years has organized generous scholarships for graduating high school seniors and assisted in raising funds for special school events.

Today, the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce is a key point of contact in the economic life of the city. Developers, investors, and existing businesses appreciate Chamber support before the city council and state and federal officeholders. The importance of the Chamber can be seen by the longevity of some of its most prominent members, including the California Water Service Company, 67 years; Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 67 years; Poetsch & Peterson, 67 years; Galli's Sanitary Bakery, 67 years; South City Lumber & Supply, 67 years; Bronstein Music, 65 years; Kaiser Permanente, 64 years; Giffra Enterprises, 64 years; Giorgi Brothers, 64 years; Clearlite Trophies, 57 years; and Poletti Realty, 57 years.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the House of Representatives join with me today to celebrate one hundred years of leadership by the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. While there have been many physical changes to the city during this time, the Chamber is an example of the most enduring characteristic of South San Francisco--it is welcoming. We honor this tradition and hope for the Chamber's continued success in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Larry Buckmaster who is retiring as the President and CEO of the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce after 30 years of outstanding service to our community.

Larry is the type of person who creates a community through performing multiple acts of stewardship each and every day--he has done so for decades. Let me give you just a few examples.

When Larry Buckmaster took over the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce it had a deficit and membership lagged. He almost immediately turned it around and led the board to boost both membership and participation by members in various chamber events.

Second, America needs leaders. It's tough to find them. Leadership means putting your neck on the line and exposing yourself to criticism. Larry Buckmaster knew that Redwood City and the San Francisco Peninsula needed a new generation of leadership. He founded the Leadership Redwood City/San Carlos/Belmont program so that business and government professionals would learn from each other and hear from current leaders about issues that are shaping the community. Most importantly, Larry Buckmaster wanted students to be inspired to step up and become community leaders in their own right. The proof of Larry's wisdom and his success is around us each day. Over 800 students have

heard from state legislators, members of Congress, city council members, as well as the staff of local and state governments. Many members of city councils, commissions, the Board of Supervisors and the State Legislature were first inspired to public service by the leadership class created by Larry Buckmaster.

Leadership by example is Larry Buckmaster's creed. Kainos is a non- profit dedicated to helping those with developmental disabilities, and Larry's leadership is exemplified by the $750,000 raised over the years through a golfing tournament held annually to benefit Kainos. Larry, an avid golfer with a hole in one to his credit, brought his love of people and his skill as a golfer together to create this community benefit event.

The Progress Seminar is an annual event at which community leaders spend a weekend together thinking and talking about the major issues impacting our region. Larry Buckmaster has grown this seminar into a sold-out event for many years, and ideas that sprout from the seminar often become solutions via city council and other activities, both public and private.

Mr. Speaker and members, Larry Buckmaster has his quirks. He loves reading his emails and rarely responds. His filing system is a mess yet he can find everything. He is an avid reader who consumes one book per week, often military histories. Unfortunately, Larry roots for the Chicago Bears. We in the San Francisco Bay Area adore Larry so much that we will forgive his choice of football teams. It's only explicable when you realize that Larry was raised in Illinois and thus never really understood our wonderful 49er's until it was too late in life to surgically correct his unfortunate allegiance to a different team. Thankfully, Larry has shown great judgment in other matters, eschewing party politics, petty politics and self-aggrandizement. In fact, Larry Buckmaster always points to the accomplishments of his staff rather than to his own, demonstrating that he really is a great leader even if he is a poor judge of quality football teams.

Larry Buckmaster is a natural athlete and has coached over 500 children in softball and soccer. He is proud when one of the former players says that Larry saw something great in them as a child and that this turned around the life of the child. Larry and Joan, his wife of 48 years, have three children and six grandchildren. It is said that his grandchildren turn him to mush, not too surprising given his love of children.

Mr. Speaker and Members, I know that we often recognize Americans who have left their mark upon their communities and it is appropriate to do so. It is also appropriate to recognize that some persons provide decades of exemplary service to this nation not merely because they are paid to do their job but because they are in love with their work and receive payment many times over by watching the fruits of their efforts flower for future generations. Larry Buckmaster loves his job and has now chosen to retire. I find it hard to believe that we are going to let him leave. Let us honor a wonderful American, a great father and husband, and a civic treasure. Larry Buckmaster will be remembered for the lives that he improved, the leaders he inspired and the smiles that he brought to our faces. Let's wish him well on the golf course. He deserves a second hole in one.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sepi Richardson who is retiring after 15 years of service on the Brisbane City Council, including two terms as mayor. Sepi may be leaving the council, but her spirit and impact on our city and community will be felt for many years to come.

As mayor, Sepi was very involved in all aspects of planning and policy-level decisions while always looking after the financial health and welfare of the city. She oversaw the remodeling of the community center, the community park and playground, Brisbane's marina, the skate park, the teen center and the Mission Blue Performing Art Center. She also dedicated much of her time and energy to preserving open space and to creating recreational and public spaces that benefit everyone in the community, such as the community garden, the swimming pool, school fields, Bayshore bike lane, the community meeting room in City Hall and the farmer's market. Sepi has been a tireless advocate for seniors and children. Under her leadership, Brisbane built the Senior Sunrise Room and senior housing.

Sepi is a familiar face to most Brisbane residents having served on about 20 county boards and commissions. She was a board member on the Airport Community Roundtable and the Association of Governments (C/CAG) and a chair or vice chair on four committees within those associations. In those capacities she was a leader on issues such as revenue and taxation, employee compensation, benefit administration, transportation, energy efficiency, sustainability, emergency preparedness and education.

In addition to her county and region-wide accomplishments, Sepi has left her mark on the city of Brisbane. She served on the Finance/Labor Negotiations, Public Information/Technology, Planning, Parks and Recreation, Open Space and Ecology committees, was a liaison to the Chamber of Commerce and worked on education and arts funding and recognition.

To understand how one person can be involved and effective in so many aspects of public service, you must know Sepi. Her energy, enthusiasm and dedication are endless. She loves her community and never hesitates to serve others.

Sepi was born as the first of six siblings in Tehran, Iran. She came to the United States in 1972. From 1975 to 1979 she went to Germany where she earned her BA in Business Management from the University of Maryland on its Germany campus. She received her Master's Degree in Educational Counseling and Psychology from California State University San Bernardino.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor an outstanding public servant and friend. Sepi Richardson will be missed and appreciated for all the lasting contributions she has made to the residents of Brisbane and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I was unfortunately unable to cast a vote on rollcall No. 44 and rollcall No. 45 on February 15, 2013. On rollcall No. 44 I would have voted ``nay.'' H.R. 273 would extend the current pay freeze for federal workers by another nine months. Continued freezes, budget cuts to agencies, and ideological attacks on federal workers undermine the federal government's ability to recruit and hire a talented and high-skilled workforce while bringing us no closer to a responsible approach to deficit reduction. The men and women who have dedicated their careers to public service already have made sacrifices in pay and benefits totaling more than $100 billion to help reduce our nation's debt. On rollcall No. 45, H. Res. 65 condemning the Government of North Korea for its flagrant and repeated violations of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, for its repeated provocations that threaten international peace and stability, and for its February 12, 2013, test of a nuclear device, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we're going to spend the hour talking about gun violence prevention, and in particular, how the National Rifle Association has systematically unwound laws that have already been on the books.

Last night, the President referenced the fact that since the horrific deaths at Sandy Hook there have been a thousand more people that have died due to gun violence. It is not good enough to wear a green ribbon in support of the Sandy Hook families and think you have done enough.

Times have changed, and the polling that's been done is overwhelming in support of sensible gun violence prevention laws. Let's be clear at the outset--the Heller decision by the U.S. Supreme Court has made it very clear: Every American has a right to own a gun for recreational purposes or to have a gun in their home for purposes of safety, and that is not going to change. We embrace that decision, we support it. But we also support safe laws around the use of guns.

So let us begin by looking at this, a Quinnipiac survey done very recently. Ninety-two percent support background checks for all gun purchases, including 91 percent of gun-owning households; 89 percent support closing the gun show loophole by requiring background checks for all gun purchases; 69 percent support banning the sale of semi- automatic, military-style assault weapons; 68 percent support banning the sale of large-capacity ammunition magazines; and 81 percent favor prohibiting high-risk individuals from having guns, including those convicted of serious crime as juveniles or convicted of violating domestic violence restraining orders.

So Frank Luntz, the Republican pollster, polled NRA members and non- NRA members who were gun owners, and what did they find out there? There they found out that 85 percent of gun owners and 87 percent of NRA members believe Second Amendment rights and gun safety laws can coexist. That's what we're talking about. Eighty-seven percent of gun owners and 74 percent of NRA members support requiring background checks of anyone buying a gun. We're talking about that right now. But in a couple of minutes, I'm going to show you how that has changed among the leadership in the NRA.

Fifty-three percent of gun owners and 57 percent of the NRA members mistakenly believe that everyone has to pass a background check. Eighty percent of gun owners, 79 percent of NRA members, support requiring background checks of gun retailer employees.

Eighty percent of gun owners and 71 percent of NRA members support barring people on the terror watch list from buying guns. It's a surprise to most people that they can in fact buy guns.

All right. Let's move on. Let's talk about the CEO of the National Rifle Association.

What did he say in 1999? In 1999, after the Columbine shootings, when so many children lost their lives at Columbine High School, he said:

We think it's reasonable to provide mandatory instant

criminal background checks for every sale at every gun show,

no loopholes anywhere for anyone.

That's what he said.

What did he say after 20 children and six adults lost their lives in Newtown at Sandy Hook? In 2013, he says, at a Senate hearing, when Senator Leahy asked:

You do not support background checks in all instances at

gun shows?

Mr. LaPierre said:

We do not because the fact is the law right now is a

failure the way it's working. None of it makes any sense in

the real world.

Well, we are living in the real world, and the real world would suggest to everyone that a commonsense law is to have a universal background check for everyone.

Let's look at the next time we saw a flip-flop by Mr. Wayne LaPierre. Again, the point here being that the NRA leadership does not reflect the NRA membership.

In 1999, after Columbine, he says:

We believe in absolutely gun-free, zero tolerance, totally

safe schools. That means no guns in America's schools,

period.

On ``Meet the Press'' just a few weeks ago, Mr. LaPierre said:

If it's crazy to call for armed officers in our schools to

protect our children, then call me crazy. I think the

American people think it's crazy not to do it. It's the one

thing that would keep people safe.

The point here, colleagues, is that the public, NRA members and gun- owning families in this country believe in commonsense reforms, and we owe it to them. We owe it to them to vote on these commonsense bills that will not restrict anyone's ability to own a gun for self- protection or to own a gun for recreation, but will take these assault weapons that are military weapons that are invented for one reason and one reason only, and that is to tear the hell out of anything they come in contact with.

As one law enforcement officer said very recently:

The energy in an assault weapon bullet will tear open a

brick wall.

You don't need that to go hunting, and you don't need that to protect yourself in your home.

I yield to the gentlewoman from New York, Carolyn Maloney.

Thank you to the gentlelady from New York for her always powerful comments.

Now we're joined by the gentlewoman from New York, Carolyn Maloney, who has just introduced a bill co-authored by Democrats and Republicans that deals with the trafficking of guns.

I thank the gentlelady from New York for making it clear that we are talking about safe and sane, commonsense laws on the books, and I am honored to be a cosponsor of her bill.

I want to just take a minute and go through a timeline of what has happened under the NRA's leadership in terms of the unraveling of laws that have been on the books but, because of the NRA's leadership, they have been unraveled. Let's start with the very first one.

Between 1980 and 1987, the number of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents was slashed by 21 percent, from 1,500 to 1,180, and the number of inspectors dropped from 655 to 626. What was happening during that period of time? During that period of time, there were more and more dealers. So why would the NRA be so interested in reducing the staffing of the ATF? In 1986, the Firearm Owners' Protection Act was passed-- again, sponsored by the NRA. It set a high burden of proof to prosecute violations of Federal gun laws. It limited ATF inspections to once a year, and it weakened the penalty. It allowed unlicensed individuals to sell their firearms as a hobby, avoiding meaningful regulations, thus leading to an increase in gun shows.

What does that mean when you have to establish a standard that is so high that you end up not revoking any firearm dealer's license? Well, willfully--not knowingly but willfully--violating gun safety laws is the standard that is now on the books. It's an extraordinarily high standard, and the loopholes that were created allowed for dealers to hand off their businesses, even when they had these horrendous violations, to relatives or to convert their inventory of guns into a ``personal collection,'' which they then could sell because it was now a hobby, without doing background checks. Let me give you one example.

An example is Sandy Abrams. He was a member of the NRA board of directors. He was cited with over 900 violations of Federal firearm laws at his shop, Valley Gun, and 483 crime guns were traced to his shop. This is an NRA board member who violated the laws 900 times, and 483 crime guns were traced to his shop. What did the NRA do? The NRA, in a subsequent bill, banned the tracing of crime guns. What happened to him? The only power that ATF had was to revoke his license. So what did they do? No criminal charges were ever brought. Abrams transferred hundreds of his firearms to his personal

collection, despite the revocation of his license, and faced charges of illegally selling those guns from his personal collection. As I mentioned earlier, in 1986, the Firearm Owners' Protection Act limited these inspections and weakened penalties.

We then moved on to the Dickey amendment in 1996. What did the Dickey amendment do? The Dickey amendment held that the CDC could no longer conduct public health research. Now, why would the NRA be so concerned about research going on? Because when you do research, you can link it, and it can create the opportunity for public policy decisions that are, in fact, thoughtful.

Then came the famous Tiahrt amendments in 2004 that placed restrictions on law enforcement, limited access to crime gun tracing data and required approval--background checks--of 24 hours only. That amendment said that if you're going to do a background check, you can only have that document in place for 24 hours, and then it has to be destroyed. So, to the point made by our colleague from New York about what are called ``straw purchasers,'' how would you even know there was a straw purchaser if you had to destroy that record in 24 hours?

Then in 2004 came the assault weapons ban, which was sponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein. The chair then of the Judiciary Committee, our good Vice President, was also the shepherd of that bill.

In 2005, Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, this was heralded by the NRA as being their biggest get ever because that particular bill became law, and it protects gun manufacturers from civil liability suits--the only industry in this country that is not subject to civil liability suits for dangerous equipment and the like. The Sandy Hook families that are looking at trying to bring actions right now are stymied because this law is in place. There's no protection for auto manufacturers if they have unsafe products, but we've given carte blanche protection to gun manufacturers.

And in 2005, the U.S. PATRIOT Act, what did we do there? Well, then the NRA decided that, you know what, that ATF Director shouldn't just be appointed; it should be confirmed by the Senate. So in the PATRIOT Act, they got an amendment that provides that the ATF Director must be confirmed by the Senate. And guess what happens? There hasn't been an ATF Director confirmed in 7 years because of the control that they exhibit.

And then in 2005, ironically, George W. Bush does something his father didn't even do. His father, George H.W. Bush, by executive order, banned the importation of guns in this country, particularly the assault weapons. When President Clinton came into power, he, by executive order, expanded that importation ban to include high-capacity magazines. George W. Bush comes in as President, and he lifts the ban on the importation of assault weapons.

And between 2009 and 2012, we've had 99 gun safety laws rolled back at the State level. That's what the NRA is doing.

I now yield to my colleague from Rhode Island for his comments.

I thank you for your extraordinarily sound comments on this issue. As you were talking about courage, I remember recently having an opportunity to listen to a family from Newtown who lost a child, who said to me and to others:

You're just a bunch of talking heads. Can't you two groups

get together and do what's right?

With that, let me yield to the Member of Congress who represents that extraordinary community and who has done so much to help them heal from what has been a devastating impact on not just everyone in the country but particularly those families in Newtown, Ms. Esty.

Mr. Speaker, can I inquire as to how much time we have left?

It's now my pleasure to yield time to my good, good, good friend and colleague from California, Barbara Lee, who has been an outspoken advocate for gun violence prevention for decades.

Thank you to the gentlelady from California.

We now are joined by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano), who has been a voice for mental health reform in this country for decades. I yield such time as she may consume.

I thank the gentlelady from California.

I now welcome our new colleague from California, a colleague who I have served in the State legislature with for many years, Congressman Alan Lowenthal.

I thank the gentleman from California for his thoughtful remarks. And I want to thank each and every one of you who has participated in this Special Order. It's something that we must do week after week so that our message gets out to the American people and so that they truly understand what has happened in this country over the last 20 years that has taken away so many commonsense laws that were on the books to provide the kind of safe and sane laws to make sure that everyone who owns a gun has it appropriately and everyone who shouldn't own a gun, doesn't have a gun.

This is our to-do list:

Pass the universal background check, pass a ban on large magazines, pass an assault weapon ban, crack down on gun trafficking, remove the handcuffs on law enforcement, remove the gag order on gun safety research, keep illegal and unwanted guns off the street, invest in gun safety technology R&D, close the holes in our mental health system, and take steps to enhance school safety.

Someone said:

Too many children are dying. Too many children. We must do

something. It will be hard, but the time is now. You must

act. Be bold. Be courageous. Americans are counting on you.

These are the words of our own Gabby Giffords in the Senate just a couple of weeks ago. It still sends shivers up and down my spine. Gabby almost lost her life. We owe it to Gabby, we owe it to the 26 people who lost their lives in Newtown, the countless people who lost their lives in Aurora and Columbine, and the 32 people each and ever day in this country who lose their lives to gun violence. We owe it to the American people. Let's act.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I mistakenly voted ``no'' on the Motion to Recommit on H.R. 6684, the Spending Reduction Act of 2012. I support the Motion to Recommit, which would require that, within 30 days of the enactment of the bill, the Secretary of Health and Human Services publish on the Internet information regarding raised beneficiary costs and provider cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for each Congressional district in the United States. The Motion would also prohibit the major integrated oil companies from claiming certain tax benefits: the domestic production activities deduction, ``Last-in, First-out'' accounting, and the intangible drilling and development cost deduction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson upon her retirement from the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.

While on the board, Supervisor Gibson initiated the East Palo Alto Crime Reduction Task Force, a collaborative effort between law enforcement and community groups. This effort successfully reinforced the accomplishments of her city service and led to the adoption of additional measures to reduce violence. Today, this task force stresses four strategies to create a healthier East Palo Alto: Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, Sustainability. These are all strategies championed by Rose Jacobs Gibson and they include the activities of community clean ups, gang intervention, a Police Activities League, and a re-entry program for ex-offenders. East Palo Alto is a healthier place for all residents thanks to Rose Jacobs Gibson and her leadership.

Supervisor Gibson also continued her efforts to reduce crime by helping to create the Domestic Violence Council. The council is a permanent instrument to educate policymakers in our county about this critically important subject. She co-chaired the first Women's Criminal Justice Summit, a forum that identified many ways that existing resources could be used to improve the outcomes of our criminal justice system. She is a strong advocate for programs that prepare incarcerated women to lead independent, productive lives once they re-enter the community.

Supervisor Gibson sits on the board of the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust (HEART) of San Mateo County and is a policy leader in the development of affordable housing within our community. HEART has assisted in developing nearly every major affordable housing development in our county since its founding. Supervisor Gibson was instrumental in designing San Mateo County's housing element and can always be counted upon to advocate for the elemental right to decent housing for every human being.

Public health has always been a significant part of Supervisor Gibson's agenda. She initiated a countywide summit on health disparities, an event that led to the creation of several health- focused task forces. The task forces, in turn, identified strategies to reduce childhood obesity and drug and alcohol abuse. As one example of a brick-and-mortar impact in our community, the Ravenswood Family Health Clinic was founded in East Palo Alto as a result of a team of advocates, including most notably Supervisor Gibson. This facility is a linchpin in community healthcare in East Palo Alto.

Rose also served on the East Palo Alto City Council from 1992 to 1999. She was Mayor in 1995 and 1996. She and her many allies in the community were instrumental in reducing the crime rate and in helping to restore community faith in law enforcement.

While on the city council, Rose Jacobs Gibson supported the shutdown of a toxic chemical plant and as a member of the Board of Supervisors she demanded an investigation of toxic contaminants in our county parks. She regularly worked with our transportation agency to improve public transit for her district's residents and she worked as a member of a team of community leaders to secure funding and approvals for school improvements throughout her district.

Rose Jacobs Gibson will be remembered fondly in San Mateo County as a leader who was eloquent and forceful, gracious and principled, visionary and practical. San Mateo County has been the beneficiary of Supervisor Gibson's public service at so many levels and in so many ways that it is difficult to sum up the achievements of a lifetime in a single recitation of her accomplishments. I respectfully end these comments with a simple observation about Rose Jacobs Gibson: She has left her mark, and generations yet to come will live better lives because of her service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my friend and true visionary Bruce Bodaken, who many years ago brought his passion to expand health insurance coverage to all Americans to Blue Shield of California. Bruce is now retiring after a remarkable ten-year tenure of outstanding service as Chairman, President and CEO of Blue Shield.

Bruce is not your typical health plan CEO. In fact, I was prepared not to like him when we first met more than ten years ago. He has a Masters degree in philosophy and was teaching that subject at the University of Colorado when he shifted his career to health care. The man who will take over Bruce's role in January 2013, Paul Markovich, currently COO of Blue Shield, calls him their ``resident philosopher.''

Under Bruce's leadership, Blue Shield became one of the fastest growing health plans in California, with a total membership today of 3.3 million and 4,800 employees. In 2002, Bruce was the first health plan CEO in the country to propose a plan for universal coverage. His plan became a template for the Affordable Care Act enacted by Congress in 2010. I share Bruce's belief that health care is a right, not a privilege.

Bruce launched the Blue Shield of California Foundation which has given over $150 million in grants during the last five years to support community clinics, children's health initiatives, domestic violence programs, leadership training and policy research. It was named one of the country's 20 most generous corporate foundations by BusinessWeek in 2010.

In a remarkable move, Bruce oversaw the company's precedent setting step to cap profits at two percent of revenue and return the differences to its customers. Last year that difference amounted to almost $500 million.

Bruce also serves on the board and executive committee of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the BlueCross and BlueShield Association board. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care and serves on the board of directors of the California Business Roundtable, WageWorks, and the University of California, Berkeley's Health Services Management Program.

He joined Blue Shield in 1994 as president and chief operating officer. Previously, he served as senior vice president and associate chief operating officer of FHP International Corporation in Southern California.

A native of Iowa, Bruce earned his BA from Colorado State University and his MA from the University of Colorado, both in philosophy.

Bruce says that his education has deeply influenced his career and world perspective. When he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Francisco Business Times this year, he said that his training in philosophy, logic, communications and thinking about big questions had an application particularly in a world that was changing to a new model of health care.

In his retirement, Bruce is looking forward to dedicating more time to his family and friends and his favorite past time--tennis.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Bruce Bodaken, a compassionate leader, big thinker and tireless advocate. His fight to cover all the uninsured isn't over and hasn't always been easy, but he will not give up. His commitment reminds me of something his most inspirational icon, Nelson Mandela, once said: ``When the water starts boiling, it is foolish to turn off the heat.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Christine Krolik, retiring Hillsborough city council member, former mayor, and tireless advocate for our public schools and many community organizations.

Christine moved to Hillsborough in 1995 with her husband Jeff and two sons, John and Billy. She immediately immersed herself in work to improve the public school system by advocating for smaller class sizes. She combined two of her outstanding talents in this effort: singing and fundraising. While she co-chaired the Scrip Committee from 1996-2000, she launched the Scripettes singers to promote sales. The four Scripettes performed jazzy versions of holiday songs including ``Jingle Bell Rock,'' ``Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'' and ``Swingin' at Santa's Place.'' Today the group calls itself Swing Set and continues to delight people at civic functions from singing the National Anthem at Giants' games to warming up the crowd at Hillsborough's Light Up the Town celebrations.

Christine's boundless energy has been successfully put to use as co- chair of Hillsborough Concourse events in 2001, co-chair of the Measure B campaign to benefit Hillsborough's public schools in 2002, and the Citizens Communication Advisory Committee appointed by the mayor to help the city council and town staff to communicate with residents about issues affecting the town, also in 2002.

Christine was first elected to the city council in 2004. From 2006- 2008, she served as vice mayor, and from 2008-2010 she served as mayor. During her 2010 term, she oversaw Hillsborough's Centennial, a flawlessly orchestrated celebration featuring marching bands, floats and vintage cars, and the dedication of Centennial Park. That year Christine was appropriately honored for her countless contributions as Hillsborough Citizen of the Year.

Christine is a firm believer that a strong sense of community is vital in a city and improves quality of life. While mayor, she embarked on an ambitious agenda to develop a

Hillsborough emergency preparedness program, the Hillsborough Neighborhood Network, an outdoor movie night, adult classes at Town Hall and the first ever Hillsborough Memorial Day Parade.

Her remarkable contributions to the Town have been matched by her generous support of many important community organizations. Christine serves as president and board member of Innvision/Shelter Network providing transitional housing to homeless families, veterans and single adults. She is past president and present board member of Hillbarn Theatre providing valuable cultural programming in the county.

A native of Philadelphia, Christine earned her BA in Theater from Arcadia University, and she is a graduate of the conservatory at Circle-in-the-Square School of Theatre in New York. She is an accomplished actress in amateur productions and has played memorable roles such as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and Dolly in Hello, Dolly.

The vitality, creativity and enthusiasm that Christine has brought to the city council for eight years will certainly be missed. She has created a standard of community engagement which will be an inspiration to her successors.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor one of the finest local elected officials of San Mateo County, Christine Krolik. I am honored to call her one of my best friends. She has dedicated herself to the betterment of her fellow residents and our beautiful town. At a white elephant Christmas party a year ago, Christine fought for a superman costume--a fitting symbol of a person who has committed her life to helping other survive and thrive.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Ginny Silva Jaquith, a close friend, former colleague and remarkable public servant who is retiring today from serving an interim term on the Pacifica City Council. When the city needed her, Ginny stepped up to the plate and brought her professionalism and experience to the council. In the 30 plus years I have known Ginny, she has always risen to the occasion.

Ginny is no stranger to the Pacifica City Council. She served on it from 1980-1992, including three terms as mayor. The highlights from her tenure were the creation of the city's best known event, the Pacifica Fog Fest, and the Community Center, both of which greatly enhanced the wonderful sense of community in Pacifica. Ginny served on the Pacifica Coast Fog Fest founding board from 1985 to 1992 and after she left the council, she was on the Fog Fest Organizing Group from 2000-2010.

She worked closely with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to acquire Sweeney Ridge, a spectacular hiking area of ridges and ravines between Pacifica and San Bruno that slope down to the San Francisco Bay on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. She helped turn the Sanchez Art Center into reality. The city worked closely with local artists and residents to purchase an abandoned elementary school and transform it into the invaluable art and educational center it is now.

Ginny was also instrumental in the establishment of the Redevelopment Agency in Rockaway Beach and a Commercial Development Task Force and Plan. She served on the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury and on the Pacifica Task Force for Sharp Park Golf Course.

Today she continues to give her time and energy to the Board of Directors of Pacificans Care, the Rotary Club of Pacifica, the Presidio Golf Club and the City of Pacifica Beautification Task Force.

Ginny was born in Gustine, California and grew up in the Sunnyvale, Cupertino area. She earned her BS in Recreation from San Jose State University, her MS in Recreation Administration from San Francisco State University, and her EdD in Education from the University of San Francisco.

She taught in SFSU's Recreation and Leisure Department for 27 years, was the department chair for three years and is a Professor Emerita.

She and her husband Robin of 38 years live on Pedro Point. In her spare time she enjoys the arts, playing golf, cooking and traveling.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Dr. Ginny Jaquith for her past and continuing service to the residents of Pacifica. Her tireless commitment and dedication have made this beloved coastal town a better and more beautiful place for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Thomas Kasten who has served on the Hillsborough City Council for twelve years, including two terms as mayor. The residents of our town are very fortunate to have benefitted from the expertise and leadership of such an outstanding businessman and manager.

Tom, first elected to the city council in 2000, is currently the mayor and police commissioner. He balanced the budget both years and left the town in good financial condition. With his leadership skills he was able to calm a heated controversy about increased garbage and water rates that brought out large and vocal groups of residents. He also oversaw the approval of the largest capital expenditure plan in the town's history to replace a substantial portion of the 100-year old sewer system.

During his first term as mayor from 2004-2006, Tom had to deal with the town's fight over MacMansions replacing smaller ranch homes. He established the Zoning Study Committee and included leaders from both sides of the controversy to develop adjustments to the building code.

Tom also chaired the board of directors of the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) of San Mateo County and is now the vice chair of its legislative committee. He sits on the board of directors of the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County (HEART) and serves on its nominating and by laws committees. Previously, he was on the board of the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance. In 2007, Tom was the chair of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation Policy Advisory Committee for San Mateo County and is currently chairing its policy committee.

Tom honed his business skills during his 34-year long career at Levi Strauss & Co., where he was the president of the youthwear, men's jeans, and womenswear divisions. In addition, he served as executive vice president of new business development in which capacity he took the company private after 14 years as a public company. Tom was responsible for all information technology for Levi Strauss United States. Today, he continues his connection to Levis Strauss & Co. and serves on the Investment Committee.

Tom has lectured at some of our finest universities, including Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA and San Francisco State University, and he has been a keynote speaker at countless business conferences in the United States and abroad. He is also a frequent guest on television and radio and has been quoted in magazines such as Fortune and Fast Company. Computerworld Magazine named Tom one of the ``Premier 100 Information Technology Leader in the U.S.'' in 2000.

Tom is very active in the Jewish community and volunteers his time and expertise with the Jewish Community Federation of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Jewish Home Foundation.

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Tom received his BS and MBA in Marketing from the University of California at Berkeley.

Tom and his wife, Kendra, have lived in Hillsborough 28 years. They have two children, Jeffrey and Alyssa.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Thomas Kasten who has tirelessly devoted his time and energy to the residents of Hillsborough.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise to pay my respect and to honor Representative Cleaver.

I am one of those many Members of the House who each week waits for that letter from Congressman Cleaver. In each of these letters, he tells a life lesson, typically one to inspire us to be more hopeful, to be more willing to look at the issue from someone else's perspective, to be more compassionate, to be more loving. So I, too, share in his commitment to making this place a more responsive environment for all, and I thank Mr. Cleaver for his great leadership as the chair of the CBC over the last year.

Mr. Speaker, I now would like to turn to my prepared remarks for this morning. I would like to read you some song lyrics that Air Force Technical Sergeant Jennifer Smith found on her government computer at Shaw Air Force Base. The lyrics of the song are called the ``The S&M Man,'' and they go like this:

Who can take a machete, whack off all her limbs, Throw her

in the ocean, and watch her try to swim?

The S&M Man.

Jennifer Smith reported this song and other sexually explicit documents to her superiors in the Air Force. ``The S&M Man'' is offensive, it's hostile, but to her male colleagues and superiors, the song is just tradition, a tradition that is alive and well, celebrated in song, patches, coins, offensive pictures, behavior, and the tacit approval of commanding officers.

A military tradition of demeaning women is not only sickening, but contrary to the fundamental principles of an institution founded in respect and honor and in discipline. It undermines our military's readiness and cohesion. Simply put, it gravely damages the military.

This is the 24th time that I have come to the floor to share the story of a servicemember, either man or woman, who has been raped, sexually assaulted, or harassed by fellow servicemembers. By the Department of Defense's own records and estimates, there are 19,000 rapes and sexual assaults each year in the military, and the VA reports that half a million veterans are affected by military sexual trauma.

Still, fewer than 14 percent of these victims actually report the crimes. And why is that? It is because so few are prosecuted--fewer than 9 percent--and a minuscule number end in conviction.

Air Force Sergeant Jennifer Smith has been subjected to this toxic culture for nearly two decades. She finally had enough. She filed a lawsuit; and in her lawsuit, she chronicles 17 years of abuse and a toxic culture--from 1995 until the present time--a culture that speaks of repulsive and destructive behavior by servicemembers and the tacit approval of their commanders.

Jennifer Smith joined the Air Force 17 years ago, when she was just 18 years of age. Her career has been filled with promotions and with medals and commendations by her commanding officers. She is one of the soldiers whom we so highly regard in the military. She has a record of astonishing accomplishments. In many of the commendations, she has been told that she is a ``gifted mentor'' who ``goes above and beyond'' and to ``promote her now.'' Her career has also been filled with sexual harassment, assaults, and complacency--or worse--from her commanding officers.

During her five deployments in Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, and Germany, Sergeant Smith has endured assault by a master sergeant, who pushed her into a room, dropped his pants, and tried to force himself on her; harassment by a vice commander, who told her to relax and take her top off during a meeting; constant exposure to pornographic material and sexually explicit flight songs; and an attempted rape she was too scared to report.

Sergeant Smith endured sexual harassment and a hostile work environment for 13 years when she decided to speak up. It's time for all of us to speak up. It's time for all of us to expect from the military what we expect from the private sector--no hostile work environment.

She found pornographic materials in her squadron that included two ``Doofer'' books and magazines that were in her shared office. She reported them, but nothing was done.

Later that year, approximately two months after Technical Sergeant Smith had deployed to Iraq, she was assaulted outside of the gym. A man grabbed her from behind and physically dragged her to a dark place behind the building.

The man pushed her up against the wall and groped her. He had his arm under her neck, lifting her feet off the ground. He said, ``I could kill you right now . . . and no one is going to miss you.''

Technical Sergeant Smith was able to break free, and ran away as fast as she could. She went to work the next day and did not say anything about it because she feared retaliation and harassment.

This is happening now--in January 2012, Technical Sergeant Smith was back from Iraq at Shaw Air Base to manage pilot training. Whenever she checked her computer, she was bombarded with sexually hostile documents and videos. She reported the offensive material. Nothing was done.

In response to news coverage Sergeant Smith's formal complaint, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh ordered a service-wide sweep of workspaces and public areas for images, calendars and other materials that objectify women.

This sweep is inadequate, or worse. It appears to be a response to bad press rather than an aggressive tool to root out and expose this toxic culture.

The sweep which began on Wednesday, December 5th, provides a twelve- day window

for it to be completed after a very public notification.

This window and public notification intentionally or unintentionally provides service members the time to hide the content, and the opportunity for commanding officers to not find anything. Why did the Air Force tip off service members that the sweep was taking place? Commanding officers who performed the sweep also had an incentive not to find anything because it would reflect poorly on the command climate they are charged with maintaining.

This sweep also did not include individual desks, cabinet drawers, lockers, or military issued computer hard drives, where much of the content in the Smith complaint was stored.

Describing the need for a sweep, General Welsh explained, ``In my view, all this stuff is connected.

If we're going to get serious about things like sexual assault, we have to get serious about an environment that could lead to sexual harassment. In some ways, this stuff can all be linked.''

I agree with General Welsh. It's time to get serious about sexual assault in the military, but this must include credible and effective oversight actions to counter the culture that permits and fosters systemic harassment, assault, and rape.

And even with effective sweeps, it won't be as easy as taking down a calendar or deleting a computer file. Ending the epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military will require a reboot of the military justice system, and addressing commander influence in these all too common cases. We owe Jennifer Smith and her many colleagues subjected to this gross harassment better. We don't tolerate it in the private sector.