Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unfortunately unable to cast a vote on Roll Call 741 on the evening of Friday, September 23, 2011. I strongly oppose H.R. 2401 and I would have voted NO on its passage. H.R. 2401 would delay indefinitely two important public health regulations under the Clean Air Act, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard and the Cross- State Air Pollution Rule. These long overdue rules will prevent thousands of premature deaths from respiratory and cardiovascular disease and yield billions of dollars in net benefits each year. H.R. 2401 would block the Environmental Protection Agency from updating these protections, placing vulnerable populations, including children and seniors, at even greater risk. I will continue to oppose legislation that exposes American families to harmful pollution and reduces the quality of the air we breathe.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, as I come each week, to share yet another horrific story about rape in the military.

It is a black eye on this country that must be erased. Nineteen thousand rapes a year occur in the military. Those are figures determined by the Department of Defense itself. I encourage those who want to tell their story to email me at stopmilitaryrape @mail.house.gov.

Today I am going to talk about Seaman Kori Cioca, who served in the Coast Guard from August 2005 to June 2007. Her allegations are as follows:

Seaman Cioca was consistently threatened and harassed by her superior. On one occasion, when she made a mistake during a knot-tying quiz, he called her a ``stupid bleeping female who didn't belong in the military.'' Then he spit in her face.

She complained about her superior's abusive behavior and expressed fear of him to other military personnel in the chain of command. As is too often the case, this reporting led to her being punished and not the perpetrator.

Her superior began to drive past Cioca's home many times during the day and called her repeatedly, leaving her voice mails threatening her life. He then began to break into her room at night and stand over her bed. Seaman Cioca began sleeping with a knife under her pillow to defend herself.

During work one day, her superior thrust his groin into her buttocks as she bent over to pick up some trash. He then called her a ``bleeping whore'' and laughed. Seaman Cioca and another shipmate who witnessed the incident reported it to the command. Seaman Cioca requested a transfer, but it was denied.

At the end of November 2005, the superior broke into Seaman Cioca's room. He directed her to touch his genitals. When she refused loudly, he grabbed her hand and pushed it into his groin. When she yelled again and pushed her superior away, he struck her so hard in the face that she was thrown across the room and against a wall.

Seaman Cioca and two other shipmates, who witnessed the harassment, went to command and reported the assault. Command did nothing in response.

In December 2005, Seaman Cioca was ordered to go to retrieve some keys from her superior, who was in his stateroom. When he realized she was alone, he pulled her into the room, grabbed her by the hair and raped her.

Command obtained an admission of sex from the superior, but told Seaman Cioca that if she pressed forward with reporting the rape, she would be court-martialed for lying. They refused her pleas to take a lie detector test so she could prove her case.

The superior only pled guilty to hitting her. He got a slap on the wrist.

She, on the other hand, was forced to sign a paper saying she had an inappropriate relationship with her superior and was discharged.

As part of the discharge process, command made her stay in an all- male barracks for 60 days. She now suffers from PTSD and an abnormal EEG due to nerve damage in her face.

Cioca later told the press, ``It's like they didn't care. It wasn't important. I wasn't important.''

Well, Seaman Cioca, you are important, and it is important. And it's high time that the Congress of the United States take action to rid the military of rape.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gary L. Yates for providing two decades of leadership in health philanthropy through his work at the California Wellness Foundation.

After three years at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Mr. Yates joined the Foundation as a senior program officer in 1992, was named the Interim President in 1994 and President and CEO in 1995.

Mr. Yates received his B.A. in Government from American University and his Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. He also served in the United States Army from 1968- 1970. He is a licensed marriage, family, child therapist and a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California Medical School where he trains doctors, psychologists, and social workers on how to work with adolescents. In brief, he is dedicated to improving health outcomes for those most in need.

Since joining the TCWF, Mr. Yates has worked tirelessly to create, lead and support initiatives to improve health and decrease violence throughout the state of California. In 1992, he led TCWF's first proactive grantmaking program, a 10-year, $60 million Violence Prevention Initiative. His approach to grantmaking has ensured that funds reach the right people, places, and causes, such as environmental health, violence protection, teen pregnancy prevention and women's health.

Mr. Yates' commitment to philanthropy can only be described as inexhaustible and inspirational. He also serves as a member of the board of Independent Sector and is co-chair of Voices for Philanthropy, a project of the Philanthropy Roundtable. He has previously served as the treasurer of Hispanics in Philanthropy, vice-chair of the boards of the Council on Foundations and Independent Sector, and chair of the boards of Grantmakers in Health, the Foundation Consortium, and Southern California Grantmakers.

During his time at TCWF, Mr. Yates has received many prestigious awards and honors, and this fall he will be recognized by the Center for Community Health and Well-Being, the California Primary Care Association and the National Hispanic Health Foundation.

It has been a personal privilege to work with him on a myriad of issues over the years, especially women's health.

Mr. Yates and his wife Ann are the proud parents of five sons.

Mr. Speaker, it is right to honor Gary L. Yates for his tireless dedication to the people of California upon the occasion of his retirement on September 14, 2011, after 19 years as a leading health philanthropist.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Police Captain Nicholas Carl Gottuso, ``Nick,'' for his 32 years of service with the Hillsborough Police Department.

Captain Gottuso began his career in law enforcement in 1976 as a Dispatcher for San Mateo County Communication. In 1980 he was hired by the Pacifica Police Department as a Patrol Officer, where he served for two years. In January 1983 he was hired by the Town of Hillsborough as a Police Office, promoted to Corporal in 1990, Inspector in 1992, Sergeant in 1993, Lieutenant in 1999, Police Commander in 2002 and achieved the rank of Police Captain that same year. During Captain Gottuso's employment with the Hillsborough Police Department, he trained as a Field Training Officer, a Background Investigator, and a Traffic Investigator; and he served as the Head Range master and was responsible for the selection and designation of a standardized firearm, the Beretta 92F.

Captain Gottuso proved to be invaluable to his community as both a field agent and an administrator. He was one of the Founding Commanders of the North Central Regional SWAT Team, served as a Sniper Team Commander and led and participated in dozens of successful operations, many of which led to the capture of criminals and the saving of innocent lives.

As a police captain, Captain Gottuso responded to numerous bank robberies and other active shooter incidents. Time and again, Captain Gottuso put his life on the line for the residents of Hillsborough, and the community will forever be indebted to him for his bravery, selflessness, and competence.

Even when Captain Gottuso wasn't on the front lines, he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Hillsborough's residents, as well as the lives of the men and women serving our country abroad. Gottuso worked with overseas Unit Commanders during his time as the administrator of the Adopt-a-Troop program, a non-profit organization that sends much-needed care packages to our troops fighting overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2004, I worked closely with Captain Gottuso to redesignate the Eugene A. Doran Memorial Bridge which spans the scenic Crystal Springs Dam on I-280 in San Mateo County. The bridge was named after the slain Hillsborough police officer and we passed a California Senate Resolution to include Officer Doran's son who died in the line of duty in Vietnam. The Bridge was renamed the Officer Eugene and Marine Lance Corporal Patrick M. Doran Memorial Bridge.

Despite Captain Gottuso's extensive service on the front lines of law enforcement, he never lost his sense of humor or desire to entertain. Captain Gottuso's ability to lighten the mood delighted generations of schoolchildren during police presentations. His yearly narration of the K-9 squad demonstration made it a truly enjoyable and memorable event for anyone who witnessed it.

Nicholas Carl Gotusso was born in Ft. Carson, Colorado in 1954 and attended Mills High School in Millbrae, California. In his spare time he enjoys boating, karate, flying, coaching soccer and he is an avid Marksmanship advocate.

In 1991 he married his wonderful wife Paulette and they are the proud parents of Dominic, Marisa, Nicolette and Samantha.

Captain Gottuso's dedication to public safety, effective enforcement of the law, record of bringing criminals to justice and protecting innocent life and property while maintaining the highest level of professionalism and an infectious sense of humor all warrant special gratitude and recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of this body to join me in honoring Nicholas Gottuso upon his retirement for his dedication to public service at the Hillsborough Police Department.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ann Barlow who served as president and chairperson of the board for the Professional Businesswomen of California for the last four years. Ann has been an inspirational and effective leader of PBWC which I founded 23 years ago to help women advance professionally. The board of directors is very fortunate to retain her as a member, but will certainly miss her gracious leadership.

Ann became involved with PBWC as soon as she moved from New York to the Bay Area in 2005. She happened to move in next door to the former president, Debra Boblitt, who immediately recognized Ann as a perfect candidate for the board. She was voted in as president two years later.

Ann possesses all the qualities and qualifications it takes to be a successful business woman; she is smart, creative, professional, funny, warm, beautiful and generous. She has lent her talents to Peppercom for the last ten years. She is a partner and the president of its West Coast operations and led the founding of GreenPepper, Peppercom's environmental sustainability services.

Before she joined Peppercom, Ann led the New York office of Interpublic Group-Owned Mindstorm Communications.

Ann is a master communicator and has written numerous articles and given many

speeches on environmental issues and digital communication. In 2009, Ann was named one of the Bay Area's most influential women by the San Francisco Business Times. This year she was chosen to participate in the prestigious Tedwoman conference.

Ann was born in Davenport, Iowa on August 15, 1960. She went to Freeport High School in Freeport, Illinois and received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Illinois.

She lives in San Ramon, California with her husband Bob, two children Chris and Vivian and her two spoiled beagles Kipper and Osgood. In her spare time she enjoys reading, cooking, playing golf, talking politics and walking with Kipper and Osgood.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to join me in honoring Ann Barlow for her extraordinary contributions to improve the lives and careers of thousands of women in California and all over the world.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect and admiration that I rise today to pay tribute to Superintendent Michael J. Crilly, who retires this month from the Jefferson Union High School District.

Superintendent Crilly came up through the ranks, spending 39 years in the Jefferson Union High School District as teacher, vice principal, principal, associate superintendent and, for the past 17 years, superintendent. During his tenure at the helm, Mike led the district through two successful bond campaigns, allowing school buildings and fields to be upgraded and modernized to better serve a growing and changing student body. He partnered with the City of Daly City to develop the Challenge Leadership Program, bringing students from various schools together to find ways to improve their education and learn important leadership skills. Mike also formed a partnership with San Francisco State University, the South San Francisco Unified School District and Serramonte Shopping Center to conduct an annual college fair, providing students access to representatives from nearly 70 colleges and universities.

In 2007, he was named Regional Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators, a recognition justly deserved.

Mr. Speaker, Mike Crilly is not an administrator who feels that public service ends at the close of business. He gives tirelessly to his community, having served as President or Chairperson of the San Mateo County Superintendents' Association, Daly City--Colma Chamber of Commerce and Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Committee. Mike has also served on the Association of California School Administrators, Daly City Economic Development Advisory Committee, Daly City--Quezon City Sister City Committee, Pacifica Library Task Force, Skyline College President's Council and the Seton Medical Center Board of Directors.

A native San Franciscan, Mike Crilly was educated in local schools. He received his Bachelor of Arts from St. Patrick's University and his Secondary Teaching Credential and Administrative Services Credential from the University of San Francisco. Mike and his incredible wife, Patricia, raised three inspiring daughters--Jennifer, Megan and Erin-- and Mike's retirement will leave even more time to enjoy his family, especially grandchildren Brayden and Ellie.

If I know Mike, retirement will also encourage more home remodeling and gardening projects but I'm sure there'll be plenty of baseball squeezed in as well.

Mr. Speaker, Superintendent Crilly has served his students and his community with the greatest honor and distinction. I am privileged to call him a friend and fellow public servant. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Superintendent Michael J. Crilly for his service to our nation and to the students and taxpayers of the Jefferson Union High School District.

Mr. Speaker, it is with immense appreciation and a tinge of regret that I rise today in honor of Karen K. Philip, who retires at the end of this month as Deputy Superintendent of the San Mateo County Office of Education.

There is no doubt that she has earned her retirement, after thirty- eight years educating the children--and impressing the parents--of California's 12th Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, I doubt that anyone has ever met Karen Philip where they did not learn something. She is the consummate educator, beginning in 1973 in the South San Francisco Unified School District, where she served for seventeen years as a teacher, speech therapist, special education administrator and principal, Karen has dedicated her life to the children of San Mateo County.

From there, she was recruited by the Millbrae School District to serve as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and, after just two years, was appointed Superintendent of the District, a post she held for fifteen years. During her tenure in Millbrae, the schools in her charge received many prestigious awards, including three California Distinguished School Awards and the National Blue Ribbon, awarded in Washington D.C. to Taylor Middle School.

Throughout her career, Deputy Superintendent Philip has been tapped for numerous leadership positions, including serving as President of the San Mateo County Superintendents Association, the Special Education Local Plan Area Board, and Soroptomist International of Millbrae/San Bruno. She has also been named a ``Woman of Distinction'' by Soroptomist International, received the California ``Schoolmasters Award'' in 2011 and was inducted into the San Mateo County ``Women's Hall of Fame''.

Mr. Speaker, as with all true educators, Karen's greatest achievement is in the many thousands of children--most who are now adults--who have benefitted from her passion and extraordinary talent for teaching. No doubt, our county's loss is Karen's grandchildren's gain. Now they get to spend even more time soaking in all the incredible lessons their brilliant grandmother has to offer.

Karen was born and raised in Michigan and attended Detroit's Wayne State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and English and her Master Degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences.

Mr. Speaker, I have been honored to work with this incredible woman on promoting sound education policy for more than two decades. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in thanking Deputy Superintendent Karen Philip for her remarkable service to our nation's children and wish she and her husband, Lou, a phenomenal retirement filled with exciting travel, good health and the love of their amazing family: Kimberly and her husband Keith, Jeff, and his wife Jenn, and grandchildren Lydia, Mark, Caitlin, John, Emma and Amelia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this today to ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Richard Boitano as he retires as Associate Superintendent of Education for the Jefferson Union High School District.

Rick Boitano has served his community for 38 years as a teacher, Vice-Principal, District Director of Pupil-Personnel Services and Associate Superintendent. In addition, he has been active in numerous organizations dedicated to helping young people and the community at large, including the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice Planning Council, San Mateo County TANF Planning Council, San Mateo County Community Schools Task Force, Board of Directors of Youth Empowering Systems, Inc., San Mateo County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission, Pacifica Youth Service Bureau, Every 15 Minutes Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program and the Association of California School Administrators.

In addition, Rick has been a presenter at the California State Juvenile Officers' Association Annual Training Conference, the San Mateo County Prevention Coordinators Meeting, and the National School Transportation Association Convention on Gang Awareness, School Safety and Gang Intervention.

Rick has also served as Chairperson of the WASC School Accreditation Process and the San Mateo County Gang Task Force Schools Division. In addition, Rick is a member and past-president of St. Pius Catholic Church Mens' Club.

Rick Boitano was born and raised in San Francisco, having received his Bachelor of Arts, Secondary Teaching Credential and Administrative Services Credential from the University of San Francisco. He and Beverly, his lovely wife of 35 years, have raised four boys--Tim, Jonathan, Matt and Andrew--and his retirement will provide extra time for his grandson, Jude.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Rick for his decades of service to the young people of California's 12th Congressional District. He has earned his retirement and I wish him nothing but the best, which is exactly what he gave the students and parents of the Jefferson Union High School District every day for thirty-eight years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Building Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco on the historic occasion of its 100th anniversary.

BOMA San Francisco has been advocating for commercial real estate interests, training future leaders and promoting sustainable practices. I have partnered with BOMA since my days on the San Mateo Board of Supervisors and in the California Legislature and have witnessed its effective work that supports business growth which in turn creates tax dollars for important public services.

Healthy commercial real estate provides homes for countless businesses that employ our workforce. BOMA always strives to create better work environments for our future generations. It has been honored for its progressive environmental policies to help promote energy conservation and sustainable practices in office buildings. BOMA is also a tireless advocate of emergency preparedness.

For 20 years BOMA has partnered with the San Francisco Fire Department and put big smiles on children's faces. The San Francisco Firefighter Toy Program is the oldest program of its kind in the country and has donated over a million toys to disadvantaged children.

Mr. Speaker, the Building Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco has left its mark on San Francisco and made it a more beautiful, healthy and happier city for a century. I ask this body to honor BOMA on May 19, its 100th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to pay tribute to Matteo Rizzo, a lifelong educator who is retiring as Superintendent of the Jefferson Elementary School District, serving the communities of Daly City and Colma, California.

In his tenure as Superintendent, Mr. Rizzo has been known for his personal involvement with all the stakeholders in his district, from teachers, to parents, to administrators and, most importantly, the students themselves. He served as the District's representative in staff contract negotiations, oversaw budget decisions, coordinated the recruitment, selection and assignment of teachers, principals and other personnel and put his imprint on every aspect of life and learning in the Jefferson Elementary School District.

As is the case in school districts across our country, Superintendent Rizzo was asked to do the impossible--educate a diverse student population in an environment of dwindling financial resources, all the while staying focused on preparing them to achieve to their utmost ability in an increasingly competitive world.

To do this, Matteo relied heavily on the skills he gained as an Assistant Superintendent, Principal, Vice-Principal and teacher--all within the Jefferson Elementary School District. His unsurpassed institutional knowledge and commitment to bettering the lives of young people will be sorely missed and not easily replaced. Fortunately, he leaves his successor with a legacy of excellence and community involvement that can be built upon in future years.

Mr. Speaker, Matteo Rizzo is a living example of the benefits of public education and the fruits of hard work. A product of local schools, he is a graduate of San Francisco State University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, his California Teaching Credential and two Masters of Arts--one in Education and another in Educational Administration.

He has been honored at every step of his career, including earning a ``California Distinguished School'' award for Fernando Rivera Middle School in 2001, while serving as the school's principal.

Mr. Speaker, Superintendent Rizzo has certainly earned his retirement. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I wish to thank him for his exceptional service to our nation and wish him only the best as he now has time to travel with his amazing wife, Clydie, play a lot more golf, do a little more duck hunting and, as rumor has it, learn to play the guitar.

Matteo Rizzo, simply put, is a good man who spent his entire professional career doing good for his community. There's no need to tell that to the thousands of children he educated, or his son, Matthew, and daughter-in-law, Jill, but the rest of America can benefit from knowing that extremely capable and committed professionals like Matteo Rizzo show up at school districts across this country every day with no other goal than to move our country forward, one student at a time.

It is for these reasons and more that I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Superintendent Matteo Rizzo for his service.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to recognize the tireless public service of Thomas Mohr, who is retiring as President of Canada College in Redwood City, California.

I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Tom for many years. He is without peer and his calm demeanor and inspired leadership will be sorely missed.

While serving as President, Tom revamped Canada College's planning process and turned it into a state leader in the accreditation process. He helped establish new four-year degrees in art, psychology, human services and business administration by forging new relationships with nearby Notre Dame de Namur University. Under Tom's watch, Canada started the Center for Teacher Efficacy to provide professional development opportunities for San Mateo County high school teachers. He also developed an Honors Transfer Program designed to support highly motivated students as they pursue their educational goals.

Tom attracted more than $3 million in grants for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education at the college, established the Veterans Resource and Opportunity Center, and expanded the school's study abroad program. For these and other accomplishments, President Mohr received the 2010 Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction from Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two year colleges.

Tom holds a Bachelor of Science from St. Louis University and a Master of Arts from the University of San Francisco. He has been an educator on the San Francisco Peninsula since working as a Chemistry teacher in the Jefferson Union High School District in 1961. Since then, Tom has served in nearly every capacity an educator can--teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent and most recently, college president.

Ironically, Tom thought he had retired six years ago when he left the San Mateo Union High School District. But, ever the public servant, when his community came calling, Tom answered. He agreed to serve as Canada's President on an interim basis, not knowing that it would stretch into a six-year commitment.

Mr. Speaker, everyone in this body knows that there are no easy solutions to improving education in America. Were it only possible to clone a thousand or so Tom Mohrs, our nation's students would, indeed, be in capable hands. Since we can't do that, we are best served to simply follow his example and learn from the many lessons this lifelong educator has taught us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the city of Brisbane, California. Nestled in the lower slopes of San Bruno Mountain, ``the City of Stars'' stands as a symbol of light in the Bay Area.

Back in the sixth century the Ohlone Indians enjoyed the abundance of resources the land offered. They thrived as hunters and gatherers until the Spanish conquistadores claimed the land in the early 16th century.

The deed to the land changed hands several times before any significant development occurred. The need for real estate triggered by the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake brought new focus to the valley. Developers immersed themselves in the area with new vigor, naming their new hope for future growth ``Visitacion City.''

It wasn't until the arrival of Arthur Annis that the town finally got off the ground. The ``Daddy of Brisbane'' came to the area in 1929, bringing hope to an area that desperately needed it. During the worst years of the Great Depression, Annis encouraged settlement and development through extremely cheap land prices. Between 1929 and 1933, over 400 homes were built.

Annis' signature contribution was the rechristening of Visitacion City as Brisbane. There are two competing theories about how Annis chose the name Brisbane. His daughter insists he named it after the city in Australia, while others believe he named it after the American journalist Arthur Brisbane. Whatever its origins, the name Brisbane has come to mean a city that draws its strength from hope, even in the darkest times.

This strong spirit can be seen in the tradition from which Brisbane draws its nickname, the ``City of Stars.'' In 1940, Brisbane prepared to employ its citizens in the ongoing war efforts and the future was once again uncertain. Resident Arthur Kennedy struck out against the doubt by placing a simple star above his house for the holiday season. Soon, this symbol of brightness could be found above many a house, and the tradition lives on today during every Christmas.

The city was incorporated in 1961. Since incorporation, Brisbane has had twenty-five mayors, including John Turner, James Williams, Jess Salmon, Ed Schwenderlauf, John Bell, Robert McLennan, S.J. Guardino, Julius Stern, Anja Miller, Art Montenegro, Paul Goercke, Jeannine Hodge, Don Bradshaw, Fred Smith, Bill Lawrence, Ray Miller, Lou Graham, Steve Waldo, Brad Kerwin, Lee Panza, Clara Johnson, W. Clarke Conway, Cyril Bologoff, Michael Barnes, and Sepi Richardson.

Brisbane also holds the distinction of being the first community in the United States in which a habitat conservation plan (HCP) was developed. This historic plan, developed in the 1980s, helped to save the Mission Blue butterfly and the Callippe Silverspot butterfly. The HCP served as a model for an amendment to the Endangered Species Act. In addition to legal protections related to land use, Brisbane's fog and ample rains succor the flora needed to create an environment in which these and other species of butterflies may roam largely unmolested over 3,000 acres of undeveloped land.

Brisbane's reputation as a can-do community received national attention in 1990 when residents came together to rescue Humphrey, a disoriented humpback whale who regularly became stranded at various locations around San Francisco Bay. When Humphrey found himself stuck on an embayment very close to Brisbane's Sierra Point, hundreds of Brisbane citizens gathered to cheer the Coast Guard and Humphrey onward towards the whale's successful extraction.

Brisbane hosts a thriving economy including a booming biotechnology sector, a popular harbor for private boats, and other more traditional businesses such as a 100-year-old manufacturer of fruit juices, A.C. Calderoni. Eventually, Brisbane will likely also be the site of a booming clean tech energy sector as the city redevelops vast parcels of unused lands near the bay. Brisbane's economy is so vibrant that the population of the city doubles during the workday.

While not every step in its history has been easy, its residents have always pressed towards the future. Even as it has grown from its decidedly humble origins to its current population of 4,282 residents, the sense of family and community that spurred its development has never diminished.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to join me in celebrating the history and future of the city of Brisbane as it celebrates its 50th anniversary on September 10, 2011.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to state for the record that my vote against the Holt amendment to the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act was made in error. I strongly support this amendment that requires the Secretary of Education to give priority to schools that make investments in green building improvements. We must ensure that Federal investments in our schools set the highest standard for green school building practices. I remain a staunch supporter of green building innovation and I look forward to advancing this important cause in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as I have done virtually every week, to tell a story of a man or a woman in the military who has been raped. Nineteen thousand are raped every year in the military. Only 13 percent report the rapes because there has been such an ineffective addressing of this issue. So today, I rise again to tell another story.

I hear from victims who have been sharing their stories with me by emailing me at [email protected]. It is time for us to act. We have known of this problem for over 16 years. We have had 18 hearings and reports on this issue, and yet nothing changes.

So today I'm going to tell you about Darchelle Mitchell, an airman. And she writes: ``I never thought that I would be a victim of such a horrible and traumatic event, nor did I believe that it would occur under the blanket of freedom I swore to fight for. I decided to serve my country as an example for my two boys and to do my share to better my Nation.

``In my first year, I began to accept the unwanted comments of my shape, size and looks as though it was part of something to deal with when working and living with men on a ship. It escalated to the uncomfortable motions by a superior trying to pull me into a two-manned rack that was in the office. I reported the incident to my immediate supervisors requesting that they speak with him, and the responses were always that the superior meant no harm and that he was just being playful. This led to my superior grabbing me by the top of my head and pushing it into his genital area, stating, ``I bet I can make you say `oh, God.' ''

``After the reporting of this incident, I suffered the backlash of being blackballed. My job assignments became very difficult, and I bounced around from command to command until someone was willing to take the chance to allow me to perform as an airman trying to advance.

``I worked very hard to remove the negative light that was cast upon me. I went on to advance to a dual-qualified

second class petty officer in less than 3 years. Despite my efforts of advancing and volunteer services, the stigma remained with me.

``I decided to take orders to Italy and move my family to another country in an attempt to step away from the negative light. Within the first 3 months of my tour in Italy, I was raped by another servicemember. I did everything in accordance to the training provided by the military. I reported the incident to NCIS and suffered through a rape kit. My children were present and had to experience something that no parent could ever dream of allowing their children to go through.

``With his DNA found in my rape kit, his fingerprints found throughout my room, and ripped clothing, the servicemember was found not guilty. The explanation given to me was, `It is no question that his genitals touched your genitals, but it is reasonable to believe that he thought he had your consent.' From that, I was expected to return to work as if tomorrow was just another day. My superiors continued to treat me as if I brought shame to their command. The trauma was so overwhelming that I attempted to take my life on two occasions.

``Despite the constant reminder that the military is a man military, I graduated with my master's in business administration, volunteered at numerous organizations, and regained some confidence in my safety around people. This was not supposed to be the intended meaning of the sacrifices that veterans go through to serve their country.

``I pray that my experiences are not completely in vain and that one day no one will ever have to suffer what my family and I are still suffering.''

For Darchelle and every other servicemember, we must take steps to prevent this crime from happening and punish the perpetrators when it does. We should not be a country in which it is more likely to be taken into someone's room to be violated, to have violence committed against you by another member of the service, more likely than by the enemy.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

In some respects, I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. Can anyone explain, when we are 144 hours from crossing the brink, from going over the ledge, to have this country come to a screeching halt financially, tell me why we are debating the appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior? Why aren't we dealing with what the American people want us to be dealing with right now, and that is the debt limit, raising the ceiling on the debt limit? But, no, we're going to spend hundreds of hours here over the next couple of days talking about the Interior appropriations bill.

Let me tell you what I'm hearing from my constituents, and maybe my colleagues on the other side of the aisle aren't getting phone calls from their constituents, but I am, and let me tell you what I'm hearing.

One woman wrote me and said:

``My mom is 79 years old, worked all her life in a factory and retired. Her pension was handed to her on her very last day of work, $25,000. The plant closed, moved the work to Mexico, and her husband died 8 years later. That $25,000 didn't last long. Now her only source of income is Social Security. She lives in a senior retirement center that she loves. Last Thursday, she and my aunt, who is 83 and also widowed, called me to pick them up and take them to the bank. They were going to withdraw from their savings money to pay their rent, as they, along with all of the other seniors they live with in that retirement center, are convinced they will not get their Social Security checks come August 1. My mom has a doctor's appointment on August 5, and she wonders if the doctor will continue to see her if the government doesn't pay for Medicare.

``I care deeply about them. I know for a fact that my mom is losing sleep over this. Last week, I thought she was foolish. This week, I'm beginning to think that I'm the fool. How do you look your mom and your aunt in the eye and say with great certainty that the U.S. Government will send them their Social Security?''

That was just one letter I received, and I've gotten lots of phone calls. A 52-year-old woman who's self-employed as a court reporter paid $13,000 into the Social Security system last year and she's calling me saying, ``What are you all doing? The interest rate on my mortgage is going to go up. Interest rates on my credit cards are going to go up. Why aren't you fixing this problem?''

No, we're standing here talking about the Interior appropriation budget.

A woman from Daly City, 68 years old, previously suffered a stroke, has had seizures and relies on Medicare to treat her rheumatoid arthritis. Her husband, a cab driver, will turn 70 in December, at which point he will go on Social Security and hopefully go from working 5 to 6 hours a day to maybe 4 hours. If he loses his Social Security, he will probably have to work longer hours again.

They're all anguished. They all want us to do our job. They want us to lift this debt ceiling, protect Social Security and Medicare, and fix our attitude that we have here that somehow it's okay to just stall. It's okay to just try and make points, make political points while they're all wringing their hands and while they're taking money out of their savings accounts because they can't pay their rent if they don't get their Social Security check come August 1.

Well, for my colleagues who maybe haven't heard from their constituents, I want the American people to call this telephone number. Call this telephone number and call your Member of Congress and tell them what you think we should be doing. Should we be debating the Interior appropriation bill right now, or should we be fixing this debt limit? A debt limit, I might add, which virtually every economist of every political stripe has said: You have to lift it. President Ronald Reagan said: It has to be lifted.

Why should Congress always take us to the brink before they act? It's time for us to be responsible.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Announcement by the Acting Chair