Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter titled ``Support the Paycheck Fairness Act'' written by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

The Leadership Conference

on Civil and Human Rights,

April 14, 2021.

Support the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 7--Vote No on Harmful

Amendments

Dear Representative: On behalf of The Leadership Conference

on Civil and Human

Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more

than 220 organizations to promote and protect the rights of

all persons in the United States, we urge you to vote for the

Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 7, without amendments that limit

its scope or undermine its critical protections. The Paycheck

Fairness Act is a priority of The Leadership Conference, and

we will include your vote on final passage in our Voting

Record for the 117th Congress.

Gender-based pay discrimination compromises the economic

security of millions of women in the United States--and for

women of color, the harm is exacerbated by their experience

of both race- and gender-based wage disparities. Women

working full-time, year-round in the United States are

typically paid about 82 cents for every dollar paid to men,

adding up to a loss of more than $400,000 over a lifetime.

Black women are typically paid only 63 cents for every dollar

paid to non-Hispanic white men, while Native American women

are paid only 60 cents, Latinas are paid just 55 cents, and

women in certain Asian American and Pacific Islander

communities are paid as little as 52 cents. Research shows

that the gender pay gap occurs across almost all occupations

and industries, develops very early in women's careers, and

grows over time.

Action to close the wage gap is long overdue, but in light

of the current economic crisis, it is even more critical that

Congress act now to strengthen protections against pay

discrimination, both as a matter of economic security and

fundamental fairness. The loss of income and savings from the

wage gap has exacerbated the harmful effects of the COVID-19

pandemic for women of color and their families. Black and

Brown women have been overrepresented in ``frontline'' jobs

during the pandemic--many in low-paid jobs at high risk of

exposure to COVID-19 and without benefits like paid leave and

employer-sponsored health insurance--but they are paid less

than non-Hispanic white men in the same jobs. Already

struggling to make ends meet, women of color in low-pay jobs

must also endure pay discrimination that artificially reduces

their overall earnings, making it even less likely for women

of color to amass the financial resources to withstand a

health emergency and putting entire families at risk of

economic insecurity. Almost 75 percent of Black mothers and

more than 45 percent of Latina mothers were breadwinners in

their families in 2018. At the same time, Black and Brown

women have faced staggering job losses during the pandemic.

The unemployment rate for Black women reached 17.4 percent in

May 2020, for example, and Latinas experienced the highest

unemployment rate of any group during the pandemic, at more

than 20 percent in April of last year. The unemployment rate

for Black women and Latinas remains exceptionally high.

The Paycheck Fairness Act would update and strengthen the

Equal Pay Act of 1963 to provide more effective protection

against sex-based pay discrimination. The Paycheck Fairness

Act would:

Prohibit retaliation against workers who discuss or

disclose wages;

Prevent employers from relying on salary history to

determine future pay so that pay discrimination does not

extend from job to job;

Close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act that have allowed

employers to pay women less than men for the same work

without any business necessity related to the job;

Ensure that women can obtain the same remedies for sex-

based pay discrimination as those available to people

subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity;

Provide for much-needed training and technical assistance

and require wage data collection.

Women and their families can no longer be shortchanged.

Given the importance of this bill, we urge representatives to

pass H.R. 7 without amendments that limit the bill's scope or

undermine its protections.

Sincerely,

Wade Henderson,

Interim President and CEO.

LaShawn Warren,

Executive Vice President for Government Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, for a quarter of a century, Chairwoman DeLauro has been trying to get this bill passed. She is sick and tired, I am sick and tired, and American women are sick and tired of being treated like second-class citizens.

Imagine if the women here in Congress were being paid 60, 70, or 80 percent of what our male colleagues are making. Do you think we would put up with it? Of course not. Somehow, American women are expected to put up with that.

Do you want facts? Ask about Ms. Rexroat, from the State of Arizona, who was paid less than her colleague because they decided that they would base her salary on what she was making before, as opposed to the job at hand.

We have a problem, Mr. Speaker. This has been going on for way too long. It is time for us to fix it for all the women and children in this country who want to be paid equally for equal work so that they have money for childcare, rent, food, and education.

Madam Speaker, this is a glorious day for women in America. With the passage of the ERA and the Violence Against Women Act, we are making great strides forward.

This particular resolution does one thing. We want in the Constitution, plain and simple.

Antonin Scalia, the great jurist, said once: Does the Constitution require discrimination based on sex? The answer is no.

But if the question is: Does the Constitution prohibit discrimination based on sex?

The answer is also no.

That should send a chilling feeling in each of us that in the Constitution of the United States women are not protected.

In fact, we are the only country with a written Constitution that does not prohibit discrimination based on sex. Shame on us.

There can be no expiration date on equality. This is a bipartisan bill. We are proud to bring it to the floor.

My colleagues across the aisle may say we don't need the ERA, women are already equal under the law, that it is redundant.

Well, tell that to Christy Brzonkala, who was raped by two football players at Virginia Tech. She sought justice under VAWA, but the Supreme Court struck down the civil suit provision, claiming Congress lacked the power to pass it.

Or Tracy Rexroat, whose starting salary at the Arizona Department of Education was $17,000 less than her colleague. They based the salaries on what their prior salary was from whatever job they came, so she receives $17,000 less than her colleague. She too filed an action under the Equal Pay Act, and the courts held that there was some reasonable expectation.

Well, there is nothing reasonable about that. And until we have the ERA in the Constitution that provides the same level of scrutiny as race discrimination, this will continue to be a problem.

Or ask Jessica Gonzales if she thinks it is redundant. Jessica's estranged husband kidnapped and murdered their three young daughters after the police refused to enforce a restraining order.

If we had the ERA, these cases would have had different outcomes. The ERA will create stronger legal recourse against sex discrimination, it will empower Congress to better enforce and enact laws protecting women, and it will confirm the rightful place of gender equality in the Constitution where it belongs.

I believe most of us recognize that this is the right thing to do. The ERA is about building an America that we want. It is about forming a more perfect union, it is about equality, survival, dignity, and respect.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Violence Against Women Act.

Twenty persons a minute are injured by an intimate partner; that is 10 million American men and women every year. It is time to do something to continue this act and to extend it.

Madam Speaker, I have a number of amendments that have been accepted. I especially want to point out the SHIELD Act, which combats the nonconsensual sharing of private, sexually explicit and nude images, commonly known as revenge porn, which now will be a crime.

My other two amendments deal with creating a task force on sexual violence and education and directing the Secretary of Education to create climate surveys on student experiences with violence. Twenty percent of our college coeds are sexually assaulted or there are attempts of sexual assault on them each year.

Finally, the last amendment incentivizes States to pass a Survivors' Bill of Rights in the States Act, which is particularly important for rape kits.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, my friend, my colleague, my co-chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus.

I rise tonight in honor of Women's History Month and the heroic, trailblazing women of our military, who have risked their lives for our country in the advancement of women's equity and equality.

Women have been on the front lines fighting for America's values and freedom since the founding of our Nation. Our foremothers blazed a trail for women like Loretta Walsh, who, in 1917, as America teetered on the brink of entering World War I, heard and answered the call to serve. Loretta became the first woman to enlist in the U.S. military in a position other than nursing and was our first female chief petty officer.

I also want to recognize Captain Kristen Griest and Lieutenant Shaye Haver, the first women to graduate from the Army Ranger School; Marcella Hayes, America's first Black female fighter pilot; and Mary Edward Walker, the first female U.S. Army surgeon who served in the Civil War and the only woman to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor.

The strength and courage of these women and so many more like them reinforces what we already know: There is nothing women cannot do.

When women are in positions of leadership, our country is in better hands. I believe that this is especially true in our military.

I honor General Ann E. Dunwoody, our Nation's first female four-star general; Admiral Michelle Howard, the Navy's first female four-star admiral and first African American to command a U.S. naval ship; and Air Force General Laura Richardson, the first female commander of a combatant command.

These women have served our Nation honorably. They now must open new doors for a generation of women to fulfill their dreams to serve our country under safe conditions, free from sexual assault and harassment.

All of these women warriors volunteered for duty and risked their lives while fighting rampant misogyny, including attacks from talking heads on national TV--who have never served our country--and racism for the women of color. Their unflinching courage has paved the way for thousands of women serving in our Armed Forces today. Our military is stronger and this country is safer because women serve.

We honor these military women's achievements today on the House floor. May we never forget their sacrifice, duty, and dedication. May they elevate a new generation of women in the military, free from bias, racial discrimination, and sexual assault.

Madam Speaker, the gun violence epidemic has robbed us of our loved ones; our safety in schools, our places of worship and public spaces; and our children. It has ravaged our communities across America and touched the Halls of Congress.

It is also very personal to me. I am one of the few Members on this floor who has been a victim of gun violence, and we know what this is all about.

This is all about making sure felons don't get guns. It is making sure that those who are mentally ill don't get guns. And it is making sure that those who have committed domestic violence don't get guns. That is all this bill is doing.

But what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are doing is bowing to the NRA that contributes to their campaigns and kissing the rings of those who are the gun manufacturers who contribute to the NRA anywhere from $10 to $60 million over the course of 5 years. That is what this is all about.

The American people want to be safe, and we are going to make them safe.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sandra Lee Fewer as she departs the San Francisco Board of Supervisors after serving for four years, and after serving for a total of 12 years in elective office in San Francisco. The city is losing a tremendous advocate for small businesses, working families and struggling residents.

Sandra Fewer and her husband, John, have lived in the Richmond District of San Francisco for over 50 years. They have three children, Sara, Colleen, and Rory and the family has deep roots in the community. Her husband spent 35 years on the police force and retired from the Richmond District station.

Her children attended public schools and Sandra spent those early years as a PTA President for 12 terms. She also participated in school site councils, teacher appreciation days and organized numerous school events. As her participation in the community grew, so too did the recognition that she was a natural leader. She was elected to the Board of Education in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. In 2014, she served as Board President.

There is so much about Sandra that can be summed up in a single word: Heart. For example, from 2001 to 2009 she served as the Executive Director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth. This organization advocates for young people across multiple issues impacting them in San Francisco, and before many major policymaking bodies. Homelessness, closing the school achievement gap, and hunger were just a few of the causes she and student advocates took up.

She was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2016, took office in 2017, and became the first female to represent her district. As a Supervisor, Sandra was described by a local business owner as an outstanding advocate for small businesses. This observation was made before the pandemic.

Now, as she walks through the Richmond, she can see struggling small restaurants and stores that are boarded up. Recently, San Francisco offered these companies loans and grants, which Sandra supported. One Richmond, an organization that she created, encourages residents to shop locally. It also encourages neighbors to help neighbors by volunteering in the community. Its motto is, ``Have you done your One Richmond thing today?''

Sandra takes seriously her job of helping those who need the most help. For example, she successfully pushed to obtain a state grant to create a nonprofit affordable housing developer that will someday build needed housing in her district. She supported creation of a public bank by the City of San Francisco in order to provide banking services and economic development to communities ignored by traditional banks.

She supported Proposition E that will facilitate the building of affordable housing and housing for educators throughout San Francisco. 65% of her constituents are renters and she's offered them protections through her votes on the board and through these difficult times of the pandemic. Long after her term in office, her legacy of offering aid to those in need will produce results for those she served.

She indicates that when she leaves office she will garden and renew her friendships, many ``on hold'' due to her board duties these past three years. Gardening will join meditating as a hobby that she enjoys more frequently with John.

Soon, this woman of Washington High School, City College, Golden Gate University, and the fictional but illustrious Richmond District School of Hard Knocks, from which she graduated magna cum laude, will leave the public stage. She departs having earned decades of well wishes built from a lifetime of community service. On her website, she stated that as a Supervisor she would be a caretaker for the residents of the Richmond District. She also noted that she understood that elective office is a trust. She amply demonstrated both during her time on the board.

Madam Speaker, I salute San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer upon her departure. We may someday see her on Clement Street in one of the small shops or restaurants, and we'll wonder what she's doing. Make no mistake. Whatever her more obvious activity is at that moment, Sandra's broader purpose will be as it always has been: To remain a member of her community and a friend to all of goodwill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the President of the San Francisco of Supervisors Norman Yee who is departing the Board of Supervisors after eight years, and after serving a prior eight years as a commissioner on the San Francisco Board of Education.

Norman is a native San Franciscan and was raised in Chinatown. From an early age, he worked at a Noe Valley grocery store owned by his parents. He graduated from Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, then attended City College, and finally matriculated to the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering. He also holds a MA in Education from San Francisco State University.

Norman Yee is an activist and leader. He taught ESL and citizenship classes at City College from 1984 to 1994, and for 18 years was the executive director for Wu Yee Children's Service, an advocacy group supporting child services in San Francisco. He was elected as a commissioner of the school district in 2004 and served as its president during his second term.

In 2012, he was elected to serve on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In this role, he sponsored or cosponsored 780 pieces of legislation, many of citywide significance that also went to the ballot. For example, in 2016 he cosponsored Proposition W which made City College free for all city residents. In 2018, he cosponsored Proposition C to fund universal childcare. Both measures passed because San Franciscans deeply appreciate education. For his district, he secured more funding for parks, negotiated with neighbors to allow local businesses to expand, opposed short-term illegal rentals by AirBnB, pushed for lower speed limits on dangerous streets, and led efforts to boost funding for senior programs.

He spearheaded creation of the city's Early Head Start program, the Asian Parent Education Network, the San Francisco Child Care Providers Association, and the Chinatown Beacon Center. He remains a board member of the San Francisco Child Care Providers Association.

Last year, Norman Yee was elected president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is fair in setting agendas and works collaboratively with colleagues. He is also a leader. An example is the new housing being developed in his district at the Balboa reservoir.

Rents in San Francisco have declined during the pandemic, but the long-term trend is sharply upward. The reservoir site is adjacent to the main campus of City College, a treasure within my district that I proudly support. Proposals for housing stretch back to the 1960's. A year before he was tragically taken from us, I personally spoke to Mayor Ed Lee about placing housing at this site. However, it's hard to build when the public is divided.

Supervisor Yee rolled up his sleeves to create a proposal acceptable to most and of enduring service to low income residents of San Francisco. Over time, many thousands will be served. 1,100 units of housing will be built, 50 percent affordable, and 150 units will be dedicated to City College faculty and staff.

As our nation struggles to come to grips with systemic racism and abuses by some on police forces, Supervisor Yee recently placed onto the ballot a measure to change the way in which San Francisco staffs its police force. An existing city charter provision required San Francisco to have 1,971 full-time duty officers on the force. In November, San Francisco voters abolished this provision. This will allow the board, the police and community to talk about how the department will be staffed. 71 percent of the city's voters agreed with Norman Yee that this change is needed to move the community forward.

Supervisor Yee is a gentleman and a thoughtful public servant. I've known some elected officials who light up a room by destructively setting off verbal fireworks in a tightly crowded auditorium. Norman simply tells it like it is. This reassures his constituents that he's not present at the meeting for adulation from the crowd but for the hard work that produces progress.

Madam Speaker, as Supervisor Yee exits public service, he will be remembered as the man everyone could have over for dinner because he's so earnest and so interesting. Now that he's leaving, his wife Cathy and their two children Karissa and Chandra may see him for a few more dinners. We thank them for their service, as well, because they also sacrificed for the community's best interests during his time in elective office. We will see Norman on the streets of Westwood, his neighborhood, and perhaps in city hall from time to time. We will also remember him as the man who understood every corner of his beloved San Francisco because he earned the friendship of people throughout this great city.

Mr. Chairman, I am proud to speak in support of this bipartisan bill that contains the priorities of both parties. And while it wasn't unanimous, it does nothing to change our responsibilities to give military members and families bipartisan support. We did that in the Military Personnel Subcommittee, and I thank Ranking Member Kelly for his work.

This bill contains two landmark achievements for our servicemembers and their families. It institutes a comprehensive fix to the festering problem of the so-called widow's tax, ensuring that surviving widows or widowers won't have their DOD and VA benefits offset.

I was once a widow. I know the pain and the emptiness. We must take care of the spouses who sacrifice so much for our Nation.

This bill rectifies a grievous denial of rights to servicemembers who are victims of malpractice at military medical facilities by allowing Active-Duty servicemembers to sue the Department for malpractice. For more than a half century, those who put their lives on the line have had fewer legal rights to sue for malpractice than prisoners in Federal prisons.

This bill moves the ball forward on other personnel priorities by funding a 3.1 percent pay raise; shortening childcare backlogs; improving sexual assault prevention and response, including at the service academies; promoting spousal employment; creating a housing ombudsman; and giving TRICARE beneficiaries the same contraception coverage benefits as all other Americans.

The bill also provides a historic 12 weeks of family and medical leave to Federal employees and congressional staff.

Mr. Chairman, we owe servicemembers and their families. We owe them this important set of benefits.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself 2 minutes.

I rise today in support of my amendment to affirm the right of all people, regardless of race, religion, national origin, or sex, including sexual orientation or gender identity, to serve openly in our Armed Forces, so long as they meet gender-neutral standards.

This debate affects real servicemembers who have served courageously. I want you to hear their stories.

Navy Lieutenant Commander Blake Dremann, a trans man, has served for over 15 years and received the prestigious Navy Batchelder Award.

Captain Jennifer Peace is a trans woman who has served for over 15 years and has deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq multiple times.

Army Captain Alivia Stehlik, a trans woman, commissioned out of West Point over 10 years ago and received the Bronze Star Medal.

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Akira Wyatt, a trans woman, has been in the Navy for over 7 years and has deployed across the globe.

Finally, Staff Sergeant Patricia King is a trans woman who is retiring after 20 years, 20 years, and has led combat infantry units over three deployments in Afghanistan.

Over the last 3 years, 14,000 transgender servicemembers have served openly and successfully. All five service chiefs affirmed they do not hamper lethality or cohesion.

Malice and ignorance cannot stop us from giving medically necessary care to individuals brave enough to serve. We know what transgender servicemembers bring to the fight. Let them bring it.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis), who has aptly represented this committee many times over.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Brown), my great colleague.

Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland), my great colleague.

Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to close. How much time do I have left, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. Chairman, these are servicemembers who deserve our support. These are servicemembers who have already identified as trans members in our military. They provide no issues in terms of lethality or cohesion. They serve with distinction, with honor, and it is time for us to repeal this ill-advised amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, we withdrew this particular amendment during the committee's disposition on the NDAA at the request of Mr. Kelly because I recognized that he had some important points to make. I think this addresses his concern.

This particular amendment ensures access to high-quality education on family planning across military branches to give our servicemembers the tools they need to make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and their families.

According to DOD estimates, the vast majority--some 95 percent--of all women serving in our military are of reproductive age, yet data from the Department of Defense survey shows insufficient access to comprehensive family planning education among our servicemembers. Inadequate family planning education puts servicemembers at high risk of unplanned pregnancies and creates uncertainty in the retention of critical personnel.

Not surprisingly, research shows that Active-Duty servicemembers of reproductive age have a rate of unplanned pregnancies that is 60 percent--I repeat, 60 percent--higher than that of comparable women in the general population.

Education on family planning is not just about contraception or pregnancy; it is also about preventing sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and staying healthy and informed.

This amendment would create a uniform education program across all branches of the military so that servicemembers receive current and medically accurate information. The education would be mandatory within the first year of service, and additional education may be offered at the discretion of each service branch.

This is an issue of basic healthcare, but it is also a matter of military readiness and national security. Our troops deserve the very best, regardless of which branch of the military they serve.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland).

Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri for yielding.

Let me be clear, we are already providing this service in the branches. They are not uniform. This would make it uniform. So whatever is being provided now would continue to be provided, but it would be consistent and uniform.

Madam Chair, I really object to my good friend and colleague's definition of what this is actually doing. We are already providing this kind of training, this kind of education to our servicemembers in all our branches. We do know that the Navy and Marines are considered to do it best, while the Army and Air Force have room for improvement.

A recent study found that female Army soldiers have more children in their first 2 years of enlistment and miss more work than do females in other military branches, in part due to the differences in policies on birth control education.

The Navy's approach is much more comprehensive, and it is on that basis that we want to have all of the services providing the same level of education as the Navy and Air Force.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, this is not my America. This is not the values of our America. Look at this picture.

Now, some critics think that this should not have been published, but I disagree, because these people are not rapists or murderers or drug dealers.

This is Oscar Ramirez and his 23-month-old daughter, Angie Valeria. They died on the Rio Grande River, Angie clinging to Oscar's neck and tucked under his shirt in a desperate attempt to survive.

Their story isn't unique. Last Saturday, a mother and three children were found dead on U.S. soil. Children have been found freezing. We now know that many of them don't even have simple items of hygiene like soap and toothbrushes.

A group of women from my district, 20 of them, created a nonprofit called Bay Area Border Relief. They are in McAllen right now. They took 490 boxes of clothes, and it was actually reduced in less than 2 weeks.

We need to address this issue now.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise with great enthusiasm this morning to support an amendment that would designate $40 million from the assistance for Europe and Eurasia fund to Armenian democracy assistance. This amendment is cosponsored by the other Democratic chairs of the Caucus on Armenian Issues here in Congress.

In the last year, Armenia has undergone a breathtaking transformation from a stagnant autocracy to a very vibrant democracy. The images of Armenia's Velvet Revolution bring a smile to my face every time I think of it, having people dancing in the streets, having a blockade, but a blockade of small toys by children in the town square.

The amazing part of all of this is that this democracy occurred with not one drop of blood being shed. So it is very important, at this point in time, that we do everything in our power to support this new democracy.

Since the revolution, Armenia has held fair and free democratic elections that swept Nikol Pashinyan to power. Recently, his government signed an agreement with the United States providing up to $60 million, over 2 to 3 years, to promote economic growth and good governance in Armenia.

Although these efforts are welcome, they are not enough. Armenia has a rare and potentially fleeting window of opportunity to consolidate and build upon its democratic gains. Fundamental changes to its constitution, electoral code, and governance institutions cannot be achieved by repackaging existing aid under a new header.

Armenia has earned a clear signal that the United States supports its democratic transformation and resources will be brought to them to carry out that transformation. This amendment would provide $40 million in 1 year to supercharge Armenia's democratic progress. Armenia would continue to lead the process, but the U.S. expertise and assistance would serve as a true catalyst.

This particular fund is filled with over $700 million. We are already giving $250 million to Ukraine, over $50

million to Moldova, and $83 million to Georgia; so a $40 million commitment to a country that, on its own, has delivered democracy is a small gift. I urge that we support that.

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

I yield to the gentlewoman from New York.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman and leader of our Appropriations Committee for her support, and I am grateful beyond words.

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

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

I rise to engage in a colloquy with the chairwoman of the State- Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee. I rise today to discuss the immense value to the American taxpayer and Congress provided by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Since 2002, the U.S. Government has spent over $126 billion--that is a b--building the Afghan security forces, promoting good governance, and conducting development assistance. Created in the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, the SIGAR, as we refer to it, has helped to oversee the effectiveness of these programs and guarded against waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.

The SIGAR has alerted Congress to programs stymied by corruption, flawed leadership, and poor design, while also providing implementing agencies with lessons learned that have improved their efforts. I believe that SIGAR provides immense value to the American public and that their efforts should continue so long as the United States continues to allocate significant sums of money to the Afghan reconstruction.

I want to ask the chairwoman to clarify that no language in the bill's House report should be construed as creating an end date for the

Madam Speaker, on May 20, 2019 the world lost an icon, a Samaritan, a teacher, a mentor, a friend who made San Mateo County a better place. John Kelly passed away at age 90 after dedicating his entire life to others. He was a social justice giant who believed in everybody and never gave up on anybody, even the most marginalized in society. He was a priest, a teacher at Serra High School, a mentor to inmates at San Quentin Prison, and the first Executive Director of Samaritan House in San Mateo. Samaritan House epitomizes what John believed: everyone has the right to live in dignity and we have a common responsibility to help those in need. Samaritan House was founded in 1974 and provides services to people living in poverty, including shelter and housing assistance, medical and dental clinics, clothes for children, and personalized case management. Most importantly, while providing the emergency services, it guides people to self-reliance.

During his tenure from 1985 to 1999, John Kelly nurtured Samaritan House from a fledgling operation to a full-service non-profit organization. Whatever John touched thrived and made a difference in people's lives. He made a difference in my life. Like so many in our community, I deeply admired his generosity, integrity, moral compass and wonderful sense of humor. The spirit of John Kelly will forever live on in San Mateo County.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ms. Hanrahan, the retiring Head of School at Mercy High School Burlingame. Ms. Hanrahan has been a strong leader of this school for the past six years and is beloved on campus. I deeply admire her and feel privileged to call her a great friend.

During her time at Mercy, the school has benefitted greatly through her leadership. Mercy is a school where girls are taught to become leaders. In Ms. Hanrahan, they have a

tremendous role model. When she arrived, the school's enrollment was declining. She reversed the trend. Her interactions with students are a joy to observe. Smiles break out, sometimes hugs ensue, but students also know that she has high standards. Ms. Hanrahan stresses the belief of the Sisters of Mercy that every student is capable of improving herself and that every student should give back to the community. She imbues the value of social justice in the students through hands-on experiences. For example, a few years ago several Mercy girls joined me and a group of Rosie the Riveters at a rally to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

While at Mercy, the budget has been placed on sound footing. She's now raising funds for a $12 million gymnasium and activities center, the first building on campus where all students will be able to assemble at once. In just eight months, $2.3 million has been pledged. She once calmly explained to my staff that it would certainly require work to raise $12 million but that it was doable, and then briefly explained the nuts and bolts of raising this extraordinary sum. She is demonstrating great leadership even now as she has been working over many months to train her replacement. It is apparent that the transition will go smoothly.

She emphasized to parents that science and technology play a big role in Mercy's curriculum, while also stressing the importance of a broad education. Mercy offers 37 AP courses ranging from biology to calculus to history and even studio art in 3D. There are 18 honors courses in sciences and the humanities. Ms. Hanrahan works with department heads to ensure that Mercy's curriculum offers a breadth of study that allows each student to reach her fullest potential. As an enthusiastic sports fan, she celebrates when Mercy's teams excel, as they often do. As the Head of School, Ms. Hanrahan is remarkably down to earth and models for the students that no one should take him or herself too seriously. During Mercy week, she dyed a streak of her hair royal blue, one of the school colors.

Karen Hanrahan began her career as the Director of Development at yet another Catholic school for girls, Cornelia Connelly School in Anaheim, California. As she would in several other later positions, Ms. Hanrahan raised funds to bring facilities up to date and to close budget deficits. For example, at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island, she supervised admissions and alumnae, and was responsible for the annual fund and handled all communications. She then moved on to numerous other accomplishments in Catholic schools, and at one private school, throughout the country.

However, it was in Baltimore that she met her pre-Mercy community and education challenges that would prepare her for her years at Mercy. In Baltimore, she became the Executive Director of the Baltimore City Police Memorial Fund. She spent two years raising funds to ensure that fallen officers would never be forgotten. She then became the President and CEO of two Catholic schools, one a co-ed pre-K to 8th and the other an all-girls high school.

At Seton Keough High School and Holy Angels Catholic School, Ms. Hanrahan was the Energizer Bunny who did it all. She was involved in marketing, communications, and fundraising. She supervised all finances, developed budgets and strategic plans, and was the face of the school in the community. She reduced the deficit of the two schools by 50 percent and reinvigorated the curriculum. She did everything imaginable to give the students of these two schools an outstanding education.

As Ms. Hanrahan came onboard from Baltimore, she knew that Mercy Burlingame also needed help. Ever the optimist, she dove right in, and she delivered through extraordinary self-discipline and an engaging personal style.

Today, the banner on the school's website says, ``Be known. Be Challenged. Be Transformed.'' This could describe Ms. Hanrahan. She's known, been challenged, and has transformed the school into a stronger and better Mercy. She deserves a rest, but it would be unwise to call it a retirement because leaders like Ms. Hanrahan neither retire nor fade away. They listen closely to the next great calling, and then patiently re-engage in the exciting enterprise of creating a better tomorrow. We all await the day when we learn that Ms. Hanrahan has again set her sights upon a goal because it will likely be in service to a cause that enriches both us and our nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Gino Gasparini of Redwood City upon his retirement after 47 years in the recycling and solid waste industry. His career is an example of how private enterprise and public service can merge to create great benefits for the entire community.

Gino is the son of a man rooted in the solid waste industry. His father, Gino Sr., worked on a truck. Gino Jr.'s fondest memory was of hanging off the back of a garbage truck and of making tags with his father. Fifty years ago, garbage bills were collected door-to-door and the tags were used in those collections.

He graduated from high school having started a proud tradition at San Carlos High--the ``Nude Relays''--an event that remained for years after he graduated. His reputation, however, was districtwide. At another high school in the district his sister, Dani, had to endure the ever-present question from teachers, ``Are you related to Gino Gasparini?'' His sister, wisely, conceded the relationship and noted that she was, indeed, Gino Sr.'s daughter.

Gino attended community college for two years and then entered the solid waste business. From 1972 to 1988, he collected garbage along residential and business routes from Burlingame to East Palo Alto. He began his career in management in 1995 as the manager in charge of day- to-day operations of drivers and supervisory staff. He was a great manager, often getting into the cab of a truck to stay in touch with the challenges faced by front-line employees.

Solid waste management on the San Francisco Peninsula has long been an advanced form of industrial processing. When I served on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in the 1980's, I organized the first household hazardous waste pickup day. We invited residents to drop off pesticides and chemicals at the waste transfer station. A chemist working for the county glanced into the back of a station wagon and immediately

ordered that all persons in the vicinity pull back 100 feet. The vehicle owner had placed two potentially explosive chemicals next to each other. Today, the operations of Recology and its partner agencies manage a waste stream that potentially includes waste oil, e-waste, light bulbs of various types, household batteries, paint, construction debris, and such relatively benign products as cardboard, paper, glass and metals.

Gino Gasparini was at the forefront of these recycling efforts. Just a few years after my well-intentioned event resulted in a small-scale evacuation, Gino initiated voluntary recycling at the curbside. In 1989, Gino's effort was the largest multi-jurisdictional residential recycling program in the nation, Today, that effort is mandatory, involves three large containers, and diverts millions of tons of household and commercial waste to the recycling stream. This enterprise requires a knowledge of chemistry to avoid explosions and fires, and ``adherence to strict standards to avoid cross-contamination of materials.

Gino participates regularly at city council meetings, community meetings, and in leadership positions at the Chamber of Commerce. He is often at charitable fundraisers. From the police athletic leagues to ``walk for life'' events to environmental cleanups. Recology and Gino Gasparini are both inseparable and unavoidable. They really care about the community.

Gino was honored as the Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber Person of the Year in 1996, the Redwood City PAL Citizen of the Year in 2006 and received numerous other awards over several decades. For over 20 years, Gino helped with the annual Redwood City creek and neighborhood cleanup.

As he enters retirement, Gino will not be alone. He will be joined by his wife, Jenny, and he will be able to watch his four children more closely: Adrianna, Daniel, Michael, and Nicholas. One child is a teacher and the other followed in the family tradition by entering the solid waste industry.

Let me close by saying that to know Gino Gasparini is to know a smile set amidst a whirling dervish of activity. He can be relied upon to think of his family and neighbors first. He can be relied upon to use fairness to infuse his judgment. He can be relied upon to think of new ways to accomplish longstanding objectives. He can be relied upon for a straight answer to any question. In short, Gino Gasparini is the man that everyone wants to call when there is a problem, but he is also the man everyone readily agrees to recognize when tough jobs get done well.

I salute Gino upon his retirement. Civic forums will be different without him. Our streets will be cleaner because of him. Our environment will benefit for years to come because of the standards of performance that he created. Good luck (Buona fortuna), Gino.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dr. Leslie Wong, the retiring President of San Francisco State University. Dr. Wong leaves San Francisco State after seven fruitful years, and it is a stronger, bolder university due to his leadership.

Dr. Wong's calm and effective manner, his warm smile and enthusiasm won me over the first time I met him. We compared notes about the Upper Peninsula where he had just moved from as the President of the Northern Michigan University. Mind you, NMU is in Marquette, a town of 35,000 mostly white people. His new home, SFSU, is in San Francisco, one of the most diverse cities of 880,000 people. He immediately adapted and became part of the fabric of the school and community.

San Francisco State is an urban jewel located in my Congressional District. Its graduates fill the ranks of the state's leadership circles, and its 130+ academic areas, 27 credential programs, multiple certificate, master's degree and doctoral degree programs fuel the regional economy. It is also the home of a multi-cultural student body from around the globe. If you go to San Francisco State, you will receive a world-class education simply by listening to debates in the public areas of the campus or attending one of the many political, cultural and civic affairs programs held annually.

It was into this mix of diversity and activism that Dr. Wong walked when he assumed leadership of San Francisco State in 2012 as its 13th President. He came from Northern Michigan University, where he also served as President from 2004 to 2012. Earlier, he held a variety of leadership posts at universities in North Dakota, Colorado, and Washington State.

He was successful in raising scholarship funds, renovating the San Francisco State gym, and building the Mashouf Wellness Center. At present, the university is also building the new Liberal and Creative Arts Building, the first new academic building on campus in a generation. Dr. Wong was instrumental in bringing the Holloway Mixed- Use Project to fruition to provide for more student housing and to provide for street-level businesses.

During his tenure, the six year graduation rates for black and Latino students increased.

Also during his leadership, San Francisco State was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and is recognized as an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institution. It is a little-known fact that the school's faculty and students regularly discover new planets. This is the kind of inquiry that Les Wong inspires throughout the university.

No university worth the title, however, is forever without controversy. In the rich tradition of San Francisco State, Dr. Wong listened to faculty, students and to other stakeholders. His thoughtful dialogues assured the San Francisco State community that the beliefs of all would be listened to and addressed, if possible.

Dr. Wong serves on multiple academic association boards, including the Board of Directors of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the Bay Area Council and the National Collegiate Athletics Association Board of Governors Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity. He's received numerous national and community awards including the 2014 Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education President's award for Leadership and Contributions in Higher Education.

With his wife, Phyllis, Dr. Wong has three sons and eight grandchildren. He now will step down after 46 years in academia and become grandpa, perhaps his most challenging position yet.

Madam Speaker, San Francisco State was first established in 1899. Since its founding as a school to educate future public school teachers, the university has branched out into science, engineering, business, and the liberal arts and humanities, in addition to education. Each year, it currently graduates 8,000 students, a number so large that, when coupled with parents, friends and other loved ones, necessitates a graduation ceremony in the park where the San Francisco Giants play ball.

For those of us who know and love the university, it comes as no surprise that its departing President came to this university as the final stop along his professional career. When the M Ocean View next stops at Holloway and 19th Avenue, its passengers will eagerly disembark in order to enter the hallways of a fine university made stronger by the leadership of this man.

Thus, we celebrate the irony: One man's final professional stop on a life's journey is the next generation's early stop in pursuit of professional and personal dreams. In his departure, let us salute Leslie E. Wong, PhD. He has been a faithful steward of the phenomenal dream machine known as San Francisco State University. Ultimately, it fulfilled his dreams and those of its students. He is a fortunate man, and we wish him well in the years ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the lifelong contributions made by Ellen Tauscher, who led the charge in every aspect of her life, from politics to world diplomacy and from Wall Street to motherhood.

She was a woman with strong convictions, a steel backbone, and an unshakable moral compass. As a Democratic centrist she didn't let party politics rule every decision and bucked a lot of trends.

Ellen never met an obstacle she couldn't overcome. Frustrated as a working mother struggling with lack of access to quality childcare, she wrote a book to help other moms and put her money and her time where her mouth was by founding a service to screen prospective child-care providers and donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to California and Texas schools.

She broke new ground as one of the first women to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. At age 25, she was the youngest woman there ever. Ellen also was an officer on the American Stock Exchange and worked as an investment banker and bond trader for 14 years before she became one of the driving forces behind Sen. Dianne Feinstein's successful 1992 bid for the U.S. Senate.

In 1996, Ellen ran against Congressman William P. Baker, the Republican incumbent, in a heavily conservative district in the East Bay. She won the race, and the votes of many Republican women, with her common-sense campaign in favor of access to abortion, increased spending on education, gun-control legislation, and focus on fiscal responsibility.

She served 13 years in Congress, including her work in the House Armed Services Committee, formerly known as the National Security Committee, and as chairwoman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Ellen's interest in arms control and nuclear weapons was a key asset during her tenure as a diplomat in the Obama Administration. She was integral to the negotiation of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty of 2010, which brought American and Russian nuclear arsenals to their lowest levels in nearly 60 years. As Hillary Clinton said, ``She made American and the world safer through her work on arms control . . .''

And she did all of this with a beautifully infectious smile that lit up any room she entered.

My heart goes out to Ellen's daughter, Katherine, and her other family members who lost her far too soon. I can only hope that they are able to take some comfort in knowing Ellen's legacy to make the world a better, safer place will live on.