Floor Statements

Offered By: Ms. Speier

Amendment No. 15: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Offered By: Ms. Speier

Amendment No. 16: Page 88, line 21, after ``that'' insert

``(1)''.

Page 88, line 23, before the period insert ``; and (2) the

image retention capabilities of all deployed advanced imaging

technology utilized by the Transportation Security

Administration to screen passengers and crews at checkpoints

in airports in the United States have been disabled''.

Offered By: Ms. Speier

Amendment No. 17: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Offered By: Ms. Speier

Amendment No. 18: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), add the following new section:

Offered By: Ms. Speier

Amendment No. 19: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Mr. Speaker, you know, we have all heard the jokes about how many people does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Well, I have a variation on that this morning.

How many seniors have to lose their Medicare in order to provide a $104,000 tax cut per year for every millionaire? The answer is 17.

Seventeen seniors will see a reduction in their Medicare or an additional cost of $6,000 a year in order to pay for the millionaire tax cut of $104,000.

Mr. Speaker, even The Wall Street Journal, the conservative Wall Street Journal, has said the House Republican plan will likely result in higher out-of-pocket costs and greater limits to coverage for all Americans.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's solution is to end the current Medicare program for people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise regretfully this morning and sadly this morning to discuss what I believe is a true transgression that took place in our House yesterday.

I was appalled by the behavior displayed by the chairman of the Subcommittee on TARP and Financial Services. After repeatedly changing the time of yesterday's hearing with Professor Elizabeth Warren to discuss the Republican majority's efforts to terminate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau just weeks before it was to be born, the chairman began the hearing with a petty partisan swipe alluding to whether the witness may or may not be running someday for the U.S. Senate. As if, Mr. Speaker, political ambition is taboo around here.

While the overall tone of the hearing was contentious, that's to be expected. After all, the goal of the hearing was, for my colleagues on the Republican side, to paint the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as something that is bad for consumers. Why? Because this new consumer bureau's mission is to make Wall Street play by the rules. What a novel idea. But, you see, Wall Street believes that it can take care of itself.

As it turned out, the hearing was a wonderful opportunity for Americans to see not only how far the influence of financial institutions reaches into Congress, but also how competent, confident, and unflappable a public servant Professor Warren is.

Were it up to me, the President would just appoint her to head the CFPB and let her get on with leveling the playing field for American consumers when they borrow or invest their hard-earned money.

Mr. Speaker, Professor Warren answered every question posed to her for the entire hour for which she was asked to testify. When members were called to the floor for two votes, the chairman asked her to stay and wait, and Ms. Warren politely responded that she was told she'd be released at 2:15 and had another meeting at 2:30. What followed was a scene that, had it happened in a junior high student council meeting, would have been stopped by the faculty adviser. Unfortunately, though, our subcommittee is without any kind of adult supervision.

The chairman repeatedly made the same request ad nauseam of Professor Warren, who answered the same each time. She explained that the majority staff had changed the meeting logistics several times, including a 9 o'clock call the previous night to move the hearing from 1:30 to 1:15 to accommodate the congressional calendar. Professor Warren, through her staff, agreed to the change and was told that she would be done at 2:15. Pretty simple, right?

This is when the chairman crossed the line and told Professor Warren, ``You're making this up.'' That's right. He called her a liar. A witness at his committee who juggled her schedule to accommodate him, an adviser to the President of the United States, who was given an oath at the start of the hearing to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. He called her a liar.

Mr. Speaker, I ask today that the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) immediately and sincerely apologize to Professor Warren. I also believe he should apologize to the members of the subcommittee--both in the majority and the minority--for denigrating the proceedings of our body and pledge to never allow the political agenda to interfere with the common decency and respect that the rest of us understand is absolutely necessary in order to do the people's work.

However, I won't hold my breath, because this is part of a much larger strategy by my colleagues on the Republican side to paint everyone in public service as liars, cheats, or otherwise as despicable.

On the same day, the chairman of the Oversight Committee did virtually the exact same thing to Mr. Hayes, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior, advising him not to answer a question because he's under oath, implying that certainly anything the Deputy Secretary might say would be untrue.

Mr. Speaker, we need to do better. Regardless of political affiliation, the American people demand it. Civility and common respect are not signs of weakness or capitulation. They are hallmarks of a functioning democracy.

An apology probably won't be forthcoming, but civility must be restored to this House--or at least school monitors to prevent spitballs from being thrown around in committee hearings.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak again about rape and sexual assault in the military. But first I want to recognize the role our military played in bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. Taking down the world's most notorious man, someone responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent Americans, is a tremendous accomplishment. Our Nation is so proud of the service of our members of the military.

The news about killing Osama bin Laden is another reminder that military service is one of our Nation's highest callings. This is precisely why we cannot, as a country, allow a few bad actors to besmirch the honor of the Armed Forces. And we certainly cannot condone a system that is designed to protect the perpetrators and punish the survivors.

Just as the military sought justice for the victims of September 11, we must continue to seek justice for those who have served their country, only to be raped or sexually assaulted by one of their own.

As a reminder, the numbers are staggering. The Department of Defense has said that over 19,000 members of the military were raped or sexually assaulted in 2010. Those are the Department of Defense numbers. And only 13 percent of them actually report the assaults.

I made a pledge to share the victims' stories every week until Congress and this administration does something more than offer lip service. I recently set up an email account so survivors could share their stories with me. The address is StopMilitaryRape@mail .house.gov.

Today I want to share one of those emails. A servicewoman wrote:

I endured over a year of harassment while stationed at Point Loma, California. My class leader was a fleet returnee that referred to women by a number of derogatory names. He and two other men in the class would grope women. They would then publicly grope each other to prove that they were equal opportunity harassers.

The class leader also would accuse women of being ``on the rag,'' or he would ask us if our vagina hurt. What would happen if one of your colleagues asked you if your vagina hurt? And yet this is largely permitted in uniform. It is permitted with a culture of fear that would rival the prison experience or the tyranny of gang infested neighborhoods.

I reported the behavior and the class leader was relieved of his duties. He was already on a suspended bust for sexual harassment that he committed while on recruiting duty in his hometown. I then was ostracized for reporting bad behavior. This class leader told all the male students at this training center to make sure that whoever went to sea with me should make me pay.

Another petty officer deployed on a mission a month ahead of me. He told the ship that I was a feminist and a lesbian that got someone that was on a suspended bust into more trouble.

While stationed aboard that ship, I was groped and harassed by my work center supervisor. When we went to sea, he would send everyone back to their barracks by saying that he and I would finish cleaning up. Then he would rape me.

The ship sailed for the Caribbean. We sailed through hurricanes and tropical storms off the coast of Florida. I was put on consecutive watches with this guy and he raped me most of the time we were on watch together. I did get some reprieve because in high seas he would get seasick. Once he got sick all over me while he was raping me.

I tried to report this rape and harassment to my chain of command. My senior chief took me out to the fan tail of the ship and told me that the chain of command knew that I was a feminist and a Democrat; and, if I said anything more about this, I would just be proving that I wanted to get the rapist in trouble.

I attempted suicide, but backed out at the last minute. It still makes no sense.

Well, it doesn't make sense. I have received countless emails like this and will continue to share them in the weeks ahead. Again, I invite survivors to tell their stories by writing to [email protected].

During a time of such tremendous pride for our military, we should commit ourselves to removing the stain of rape and sexual assault from this great institution once and for all.

I thank you, Madam Chairman.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this legislation. Gas prices are approaching $5 a gallon, millions of Americans are looking for work, and we're busy turning the Tax Code into a moral club. Forget that abortion is a legal procedure. Forget the Republicans want limited government when it comes to protecting you in the workplace but Big Government when it comes to regulating your bedroom. This isn't about anyone's position on abortion. Roe v. Wade was decided 38 years ago. It's the law of the land. This is about whether we should use the Tax Code as a moral club to impose the religious beliefs of a few Members of Congress on the entire Nation.

What's next? Some find it immoral to drink alcohol or gamble. Should we outlaw business deductions for meals that include wine? How about business conventions in Las Vegas? Many people are morally opposed to profanity. Maybe we should make it against the law to swear when filling out your taxes.

Now, how about more serious issues? Many of my constituents think the war in Iraq is immoral. The same goes for subsidies for Big Oil and tax breaks that reward corporations for shipping our jobs overseas.

Singling out abortion is wrong. Even worse, it's a distraction from the serious challenges our Nation faces. If Republicans want to overturn Roe v. Wade, they should draft a bill and give it their best shot; but don't use the Tax Code as a bludgeon because you don't have the votes.

Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am opposed to the bill.

Madam Speaker, at the outset, let me say the following:

As a member of the Democratic Caucus, there have been times in the past when I have supported Republican motions to recommit. I have done it a number of times, I confess. I am speaking to my Republican colleagues this afternoon, seeking to ask you to do the same, because this particular motion is very simple, very clear. It will not prevent the passage of the underlying bill. If it is adopted, it will be incorporated in the bill, and the bill will be immediately voted upon.

So what does it do?

It is about what every one of us cares about, and that is privacy. Americans believe in privacy. Justice Brandeis once said in a court opinion, ``Every American has the right to be left alone.'' This is something we can all agree on.

My motion would simply prohibit Federal agents from accessing a woman's health or other medical records because she was a victim of rape or incest. Now, that's pretty simple. If you're a victim of rape or incest, no Federal agency or agent will be able to access your medical records in order to prove that you, in fact, were raped or were a victim of incest.

Both the Hyde Amendment and this legislation specifically create exceptions for victims of these crimes. The underlying bill would create an exception to the exception. It actually revictimizes the victims of rape and incest by requiring them to relive their horror. Rape kits could be examined. Confidential medical records could be breached.

How can we possibly ask a woman who has suffered an horrific crime to now face scrutiny by an IRS audit? Think about it. Is that what we want? Do we want women who have been victims of rape and incest to have IRS agents knocking on their doors to determine whether or not they really have been raped or have been victims of incest? We should be treating these victims like victims and not like criminals. Medical privacy is a longstanding and protected right for every American. Why should the right be forfeited because you are a victim of rape or incest?

Let me say it one more time: Passage of this motion will not prevent passage of the bill. If it is adopted, it will be incorporated in the bill, and the bill will be taken up immediately.

Madam Speaker, last month, I received a call from a woman who was raped while serving in the United States Navy. Sometimes we get wrapped up in the words and forget about the real lives we're talking about. This member of the Navy was raped, beaten savagely and left for dead in her quarters. She was later informed that she was pregnant, and opted to have an abortion. Does anyone here believe that this woman who volunteered to serve our country should be subject to an audit by the IRS? This particular

Navy serviceperson has since been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and has attempted suicide more than once.

This is a real-life story of an American in uniform, fighting for our freedom. We should not use the Tax Code to force women like her to relive their ordeals to an IRS agent. Privacy is a fundamental right, and this motion would ensure that the most vulnerable in our society have access to it. The underlying bill would potentially unleash IRS audits on rape victims--and that, my friends, is a disgrace.

Let me be clear one more time: Passage of this motion will not prevent passage of the underlying bill.

So, though we may disagree on the bill and on the issue of abortion rights in general, today we have the opportunity to speak with one voice to protect the privacy of victims of rape and incest. It is really up to us. I urge everyone to vote ``yes'' on this motion to recommit.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 100th birthday of the city of Daly City, California. Known as the ``Gateway to the Peninsula,'' Daly City sits at the northernmost edge of San Mateo County, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the West to almost San Francisco Bay on the East.

Although the Ohlone Indians occupied much of this area since the 6th century, the Spanish claimed it in the early 16th century. In 1769 the explorer Don Gaspar de Portola learned of the existence of San Francisco Bay and within a few years the Presidio and Mission Dolores were established and European settlers began to inhabit the north peninsula.

After the Mexican-American War, the U.S. government declared the area between San Bruno Mountain and Lake Merced government property that could be acquired by private citizens. This led to a brief land rush by mainly Irish settlers who established ranches and farms in what today are the neighborhoods of Serramonte and Westlake and the cities of Colma and Pacifica. It didn't take the farmers long to discover one of the signature characteristics of the area: fog. Many farmers fled, others converted to dairy and cattle farms. Had Mark Twain visited Daly City instead of San Francisco, he would have changed his well-known statement to ``the coldest winter I ever experienced was a summer in Daly City.''

The tensions before the American Civil War led to a famous duel in 1859 near Lake Merced. California was divided between pro-slavery and Free Soil advocates. Two of the main figures in this debate were U.S. Senator David Broderick, a Free Soil advocate, and David Terry, a former state chief justice in favor of extending slavery into California. In the duel Terry mortally wounded Broderick who died three days later. This incident is considered the first shot of the Civil War and the location marked with two granite shafts is a designated California Historical Landmark.

Of course Daly City wouldn't be Daly City without its namesake. John Daly was 13 years old when he came to what is now San Mateo County from Boston in 1853. His mother died during the Panama crossing and young Daly had to fend for himself. He found work on a dairy farm and learned the business quickly. He married his boss' daughter and in 1868 bought his own 250 acres on the ``top of the hill.'' He soon supplied milk and dairy products from his own cows and other dairies in the area and became a prominent businessman.

Populations were growing in San Francisco and on the south peninsula, but not in the Daly City area--until 1906. On the morning of April 18, 1906 a major earthquake off the coast near Mussel Rock destroyed much of San Francisco and displaced thousands of people. John Daly, who had moved to San Francisco, but maintained his business on the top of the hill, opened his farmland up to refugees, offering them temporary shelter, milk, butter and eggs. He realized the value of his land and subdivided his property in 1907. As streets and housing tracts emerged, the need for city infrastructure and services grew. The first attempt to incorporate the city of Vista Grande in 1908 failed. Three years later, on January 16, 1911, a petition was filed with the San Mateo County supervisors to incorporate the city of Daly City. In a special election on March 18, the incorporation narrowly passed in a 132 to 130 vote.

Daly City didn't grow much until the late 1940s when the developer Henry Doelger bought 600 acres of sand dunes and built Westlake. Doelger houses kept spreading West and South. Soon, major Daly City landmarks like Seton Medical Center and Serramonte Shopping Center were added.

Today, Daly City is San Mateo County's largest city with a population of over 108,000. Residents love their town and are proud of its diversity. After Honolulu, Daly City has the second largest Asian American community in the United States--about half of the residents are Asian and most are Filipino which is why the city is commonly called ``Pinoy Capital.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to join me in celebrating the history and future of the city of Daly City on this day of its Centennial, March 22, 2011.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Charlie Getz, a nearly four-decade veteran of the California Attorney General's office, on the occasion of his retirement. Charlie has served the people of the Bay Area and the entire state of California with great distinction.

I got to know Charlie when I first ran for Congress in 1979 and I've considered him a

close and dear friend ever since. He served as co-manager pf my successful campaign for San Mateo County Supervisor in 1980 and has played a significant role in legislative victories at all levels of government.

Charlie has worked in the California Attorney General's office for 38 years in numerous high-level positions, and holds the distinction of being the second-youngest person to be appointed as Deputy Attorney General IV. He investigated the Los Angeles Unified School District when it built a high school on a toxic waste site. He successfully shut down a statewide development scam where local government bonds were being used to finance private developers that preyed on seniors and other people on fixed incomes. Mr. Getz won an Attorney General Award for Excellence, among other honors, for his work on litigation surrounding the infestation of Mediterranean fruit flies (Medfly). A University of California-Berkeley study later concluded that his work on the Medfly saved the state's economy $5 billion per year. During that time, Charlie never lost a single case or motion.

Charlie is an avid model railroader. He is a member of the board of directors of the National Model Railroad Association, has given talks around the world about this popular hobby, and has written for Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette magazine for over 30 years. He is an acknowledged expert on the assassination of President Kennedy, has lectured on this subject on numerous occasions and has a library of volumes on JFK that is extraordinary. He is a highly-talented poet and not so gifted comedian. Charlie could have earned a lot more money over his lifetime if he had gone into writing comedy for late night television. Instead, he dedicated his life to statewide public service. Charlie is also passionate about the public's interest at the local level. Despite a demanding daytime schedule at the California Department of Justice, Charlie served for many years on the planning commissions of two communities in which he lived: South San Francisco and San Carlos. Unbeknownst to most of us, his votes and vision shaped the character of these two cities for many decades.

Charlie Getz is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in history and the University of Southern California School of Law.

In short, Charlie Getz is a Renaissance man in our modern era. He is fortunate to be blessed with a wonderful wife, Margaret, who is also brilliant, a computer specialist, teacher, and a professional chef. Margaret will have her hands full ensuring that Charlie stays on track during retirement. I wish both Charlie and Margaret the very best in the next chapter of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to join me in celebrating the extraordinary career of a dedicated public servant, a wise citizen, and an uncommon friend, Charlie Getz.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ray Martini, a World War II veteran and distinguished resident of Half Moon Bay, California.

Mr. Martini entered the European theater of war at age 23. In his five months of deployment, this young plumber accomplished extraordinary achievements. He arrived as a lieutenant in the Air Force and left as a Captain. He won an Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross and eleven Oak Leaf Clusters.

He flew over 50 bombing and strafing missions as a one-man crew of a Thunderbolt

Fighter. One of the challenges of these missions was the weather, as Captain Martini described in his letters from France: ``It's the worst weather to fly in. We've lost four boys in bad weather flying . . . The weather man said the ceiling was 700 ft. but I believe he meant 70 ft. because as soon as we got air borne we lost sight of the ground. Well, we climbed up through the stuff and got above it a 5,000 ft. and proceeded to the target. Once over the target area it was clear. We bombed a rail bridge and knocked it out. Then started home. Well, over the base it was raining and we were flying right on the tree tops and could hardly see the ground. Lucky we found a field on the way home and we landed . . . That's the kind of weather we run into and lose good men in it. Sometimes we climbed from ground to 20,000 ft. in solid clouds before we break out of it. Boy, that's hard on your nerves.''

In 1998 France allowed one of its highest honors to be awarded to Veterans from Allied Countries fighting in defense of France. Today, Mr. Martini receives the Medal of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor by Deputy Consul General Mrs. Corinne Pereira.

After his military career, Mr. Martini returned to his trade as a plumber. For many years he ran ``Reliable Plumbing'' and he has trained just about every plumber on the coast.

Mr. Martini is the loving husband of Cathy Martini and proud father of his son, Mark Martini.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to rise with me to honor Captain Martini for his service to our country and our Allies on the day he receives the Medal of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, April 1, 2011.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the retirement of Mike Murphy, the San Mateo County Counsel.

I had the great privilege to work with Mike when I was a member of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. He is an exceptional public servant, legal expert, human being and a dear friend.

Mike was born in Yokohama, Japan on November 17, 1948 as the son of a military family. He went to Pacific Grove High School from where he graduated in 1966. He then attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduated in 1970. He later served on the Military Academy Advisory Committee.

Mike laid the ground work for his legal career at Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley. He graduated in May of 1978 and just six months later was admitted to the California Bar.

In May of 1982, Mike started serving in the office of the San Mateo County District Attorney. In 1987, the civil division of the office became the San Mateo County Counsel where Mike continued to serve. He was appointed one of two Chief Deputies in 1998 and Assistant County Counsel in 2006. In 2007, he became Counsel until his retirement on March 18, 2011.

Mike served as the principal land use attorney for 22 years, a pressure cooker of a job that he made appear effortless. Among his highest achievements were the defense of the County's Local Coastal Program and Measure A, a coastal protection initiative and the defense of Measure T, authorizing the Devil's Slide tunnel bypass. During his entire career, Mike worked as a legal advisor on the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan, a landmark environmental document that he demonstrated his legal skill in drafting.

In 1988, Mike and San Mateo County celebrated a true David vs. Goliath victory. The Port of Oakland was about to dump 7 million tons of dredged spoils into the ocean off the San Mateo coast. The Half Moon Bay Fishermen's Marketing Association filed a lawsuit to stop the dumping but lost in federal court. Mike and his colleague Stephen Toben studied the case and filed a suit for injunctive and declaratory relief. It was their legal expertise and perseverance that resulted in a victory in front of the California State Court of Appeals.

While I was in the California Senate in 2003, Mike defended my financial privacy legislation and faced strong opposition from multinational conglomerates. Again, his outstanding legal acumen succeeded in protecting the rights of San Mateo County residents.

Mike has also been serving on the Military Academy Advisory Committee for the 12th Congressional District for many years, helping select the next generation of America's officers.

Mike is the loving husband of Gayle Murphy, his wife of 28 years, and the proud parent of their two daughters Erin and Shannon.

In his well deserved retirement, Mike will undoubtedly enjoy the additional time he will have to read and attend San Francisco Giants games.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to rise with me to honor an extraordinary man, Mike Murphy, for his dedication to public service and justice in San Mateo County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Rachel Andres, the 2011 San Mateo County Teacher of the Year.

At a time when our country lags behind other nations in math and science achievement instruction, Rachel Andres has established a teaching approach in high school that is slashing the math gap. In her own words: ``I respect my students and listen to the voice of each one, but then I set high standards, challenge each one to excel, provide the necessary support and require that they take responsibility for learning and be accountable for demonstrating master.'' She is clearly a task master with compassion.

Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a double major in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Lake Forest College in Illinois. After teaching four years at Winthrop High School in Massachusetts, she accepted her current position at Menlo-Atherton High School in 2005. She teaches Geometry and other math classes.

She is the coordinator of her school's effort to prepare students for college. In fact, she speaks at middle-schools for the purpose of attracting incoming freshmen to what is called the Advancement Via Individual Determination program. She meets with parents and nurtures partnerships with local Boys and Girls Clubs and recruits tutors all in the name of nurturing a college-going culture in the community. Most significantly, a high percentage of students in the program are successful in becoming the first in their family to attend college.

Further, Rachel has expanded learning boundaries for her students through creative curriculum development. For example, she has designed strategies to enable students to use writing as a means to solve math problems. While her teaching has been recognized with local awards, she is quick to say that the most important recognition comes from students who thank her for helping them succeed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to rise with me to honor a teacher who has raised the bar of excellence in the classroom. Our country simply needs more math teachers like Rachel Andres.