Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to support the Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2010 (H.R. 5320), and am a cosponsor of the provisions which were drawn from Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act of 2010. These provisions address an issue of immense importance, endocrine disrupting chemicals and their impact on public health.

There are alarming studies that show rates of diseases unheard of generations before.

Asthma rates have nearly tripled in the past three decades.

One of every six American children has a development disorder (ADHD, dyslexia, mental retardation).

One in every 150 American children is now diagnosed with autism. For boys, one in 59.

Cancer, after accidents, is the leading cause of death among children in the United States.

Primary brain cancer increased by nearly 40 percent and leukemia increased by over 60 percent among children 14 years and younger in the last 30 years.

Childhood obesity has quadrupled in the past 10 years.

Type 2 diabetes has increased drastically.

There is an increase in sexual abnormalities, particularly in newborn boys.

Forty-one percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and about 21 percent will die from cancer. It is believed that much of this is environmentally induced.

An analysis of the umbilical cords of a test group of newborns found over 200 chemicals in the blood--chemicals to which the mother had transmitted to the fetus.

We're seeing it in wildlife. In parts of the Potomac, 100 percent of the male small mouth bass are intersex--they are carrying undeveloped ovaries.

These alarming trends in public health are believed to be the result of chemicals in the environment that disrupt our endocrine system. Small amounts of these chemicals, it has been shown, can have a huge impact on our health and ultimately health care costs.

Close to 14 years ago, Congress enacted legislation requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish an Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. To date that endeavor has focused on pesticides, and the agency has been hamstrung by its use of old science and interference by the chemical industry.

This bill will facilitate the study and regulation of endocrine disrupting chemicals. It will require EPA to focus on the 100 chemicals of most concern, to which people are exposed through drinking water. It empowers the agency to consider a range of scientific sources for information on toxicity, and to act quickly in regulating these substances.

I fully support this measure and the endocrine-related provisions in this bill. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues Chairmen Ed Markey and Henry Waxman to bolster research efforts and broaden the scope of the federal regulatory agencies to remove harmful chemicals from the environment. This bill is a good start, but more needs to be done. It would be unconscionable to allow this pervasive, severe threat to American health to continue unabated.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, legislation I introduced along with Representative Mary Bono Mack.

The Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951 requires that animal fur garments be labeled with the name of the species used, manufacturer, country of origin, and other information.

That law protects consumers by providing product information and letting them know whether the product is made from real animal fur, and if so, what type of fur.

A provision in that labeling law, however, exempts products with a ``relatively small quantity or value'' of fur.

Since 1998, the Federal Trade Commission has set that amount at $150.

Many garments--such as jackets, sweaters, vests, and accessories-- that are only trimmed with animal fur fall below this $150 threshold.

And because that threshold includes only the cost of the fur, not the total cost of the garment, even products containing several pelts could fall below the limit.

Products without labels, which are estimated to account for 13 percent of the fur garment market, pose a significant problem for consumers.

Some consumers may be allergic to certain fur products. Absent a label, they may buy a product that they assume is faux fur, but turns out to contain real fur that can impact their health.

Also, many consumers have strong moral objections to purchasing real fur products or have concerns about the use of certain species.

Without labels, how are customers supposed to know what they are buying?

At its core, this is a consumers' rights bill.

And consumers have a right to be skeptical about the accuracy of the information they receive when buying products at retail outlets.

A series of recent investigations by The Humane Society of the United States revealed that dozens of designers and retailers were selling fur-trimmed jackets advertised as ``faux,'' ``raccoon,'' ``coyote,'' or not labeled at all, which turned out to be raccoon dog, domestic dog, or wolf.

The problem is complicated by the increasing use of dyeing and shearing on fur products.

If customers see pink, orange, blue, or sheared trim, they often assume it is synthetic because it is not labeled and does not resemble an animal's fur.

Quite simply, the current labeling law has not kept up with changes in the marketplace.

The only way to ensure consumers have all the information they deserve is by removing the $150 loophole and requiring labels on all fur products.

This bill has the support of designers and retailers such as Gucci, Burberry, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and Tommy Hilfiger.

These companies recognize the need for clear and consistent standards as a way to ensure consumer confidence in the products they sell.

It is also supported by National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA), an organization representing more than 160 government agencies and 50 corporate consumer offices.

This bill has been vetted thoroughly and modified at both the Subcommittee and Committee level to address valid concerns raised by the Members of the Minority, including the addition of language excluding from the labeling requirements small amounts of homemade products made by hunters and trappers.

Finally, it is important to note that this bill would in no way restrict any trade in fur or any methods of producing fur.

Again, this is about giving all consumers, whether they have a closet full of fur garments or wouldn't be caught dead in one, the complete information they need to make enlightened purchasing decisions.

This is a commonsense bill that deserves broad support, and I ask my colleagues to vote for its passage.

Madam Speaker, we have been going back and forth between the Republican and Democratic sides with two views of history and two policies.

The Republican Party has argued all morning, and it will continue right through the election, that we should go back to the Reagan-Bush policies of the past and the Democrats want to try a new approach. But let's just review the history.

Ronald Reagan ran for President saying that any President who doesn't balance the budget should be impeached, and yet for 8 years he never once submitted a balanced budget, and, in fact, quadrupled the deficit. Bill Clinton came into office, adopted the suggestion of President George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President, that you should have a concept called PAYGO. The first President Bush may have lost an election as a result, but it was the right thing to do.

Bill Clinton adopted the PAYGO concept as his own and made sure that any new spending was offset with additional revenue and for any tax cuts we were prepared to cut spending proportionately. It worked.

We created surpluses, so many surpluses, in fact, that Alan Greenspan was worried we had too much Treasury debt floating out there. The reality is that this past President's policy that the Republicans would want us to go back to, took a $5.6 trillion projected Clinton surplus and turned it into $3.5 trillion of Bush's legacy of debt. Is that what the American people really want to see repeated? I don't think so.

Mr. Chairman, I don't need even that much time to say that I strongly support this bill.

I appreciate the fact that the authorizing committee has brought it to the floor. We will get it passed. The only substantive argument I really hear is a jurisdictional one. The chair of the Judiciary Committee hasn't raised any objection to this. It ought to be passed, and this Congress should be proud that it did.

Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Congressman Gallegly for his effort to bring this to the floor.

It is Congressman Gallegly who originally brought this issue to the attention of Congress 10 years ago, and I have enjoyed working with him as Co-Chairs of the Animal Protection Caucus to pass this important bill.

Quite simply, animal crush videos contain some of the vilest treatment of animals imaginable. They feature scantily clad women crushing, impaling, or burning small animals of all types, apparently for the sexual gratification of some sick people. These videos have no redeeming value and clearly fall outside the realm of protected speech.

But although these videos contain behavior that would be considered animal cruelty under state and federal laws, it is nearly impossible to prove who produces the videos, making a ban on their sale through interstate commerce the only means of ending the market for this smut.

A law was passed by Congress 11 years ago that did just that, but earlier this year the Supreme Court struck down that law, claiming it could be used to violate free speech rights.

While I didn't agree with that decision, it was clear that Congress could not just stand by while these videos once again proliferated on the Internet. Not only are they viciously inhumane to the animals involved, but they also teach behavior that can lead to other violent crimes against animals and humans.

As demonstrated by the its long list of bipartisan cosponsors and its unanimous passage out of Committee, this bill represents a good faith effort by Members of both parties to maintain the effectiveness of the original law while addressing the constitutional concerns raised by the Court.

Those who attempt to make a profit off the sale of crush videos showing the torture of animals should not be allowed to hide behind the claim that they did not produce the content.

This bill will take away that pathetic excuse, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly recognize the George Mason High School girls' and boys' soccer teams for winning their respective State 1A Soccer Championships. On June 12th at Radford University, the George Mason High School Mustangs of Falls Church valiantly defeated Radford High School 3-1 to capture their third consecutive state title. The following day, the boys' team displayed equally outstanding talent by defeating Radford 2-1 to capture their second consecutive state championship.

The girls' championship win follows a remarkable season of 18 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie. Junior midfielder Hannah Walker scored twice and sophomore forward Leah Roth had a goal and an assist. Nichole Mitchell played tough as the starting goalkeeper, only allowing one goal in the net from a penalty kick. After the final moment of the game, the George Mason players victoriously rushed the field and saluted their fans that had traveled 4 hours to watch the game.

The boys' championship game was led by Mustang seniors Nick Smirniotopoulos and Andrew Arias following a remarkable season of 19 wins, only 1 loss, and 4 ties. This is the second year in a row that the George Mason boys' soccer team has captured the state title. Smirniotopoulos, recently named to the 2010 All-Met team by the Washington Post, and Arias, each scored a goal to clinch the win. Just before halftime, junior goalkeeper Tyler Back made a remarkable save on a breakaway. Also standing as stalwarts on the defensive end were senior Natan Lailari and junior Franky Andrianarison. Like their counterparts on the girls' team, the lone goal scored against them came from a penalty shot.

I extend my congratulations to all of the athletes, coaches, and the entire George Mason High School community for their historic victories. Winning a state championship takes hundreds of hours of practice, preparation, and hard work. May your perseverance, strength, and diligence stay with you through all of your journeys in life.

Madam Speaker, the Republican Party's mantra of ``drill, baby, drill'' dropped from sight almost as fast as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Yet the fact is, while this was the worst ecological catastrophe in American history and an accident, it was also an inevitability. It was inevitable because, for 8 years, the Cheney- Bush administration allowed Big Oil to operate with almost complete disregard for the protection of our environment.

So I am proud of the fact that President Obama and the Democratic Party are now holding BP accountable for all of the costs of the cleanup and for the devastating impact on the local economy in the gulf. I am also proud of the fact that they are holding Big Oil accountable to explore and produce domestic energy on already leased lands at competitive prices in a clean and safe manner.

The gulf coast catastrophe underscores the need for comprehensive energy and climate reform to rein in Big Oil and to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels and foreign sources of oil. It is what the Democratic Party wants. More importantly, it is what the American people need and want. Let's pass an energy reform bill now.

Madam Speaker, we should all be greatly concerned for the safety of our U.S. census workers. According to the Census Bureau, there have been 379 incidents involving threats and abuse towards census employees so far this year. That's more than double the violence that occurred during the last census in 2000, and there are still 3 weeks remaining in this year's census taking.

The reported incidents have consisted of robberies, assault, violent threats, being held against their will, and carjacking. They are doing very important work and getting paid very little for it. They should not be subjected to this kind of abusive treatment. Ironically, it is the work of census takers that will ensure that each American receives their fair share of Federal resources. They are performing a very important public service.

I'm afraid that this abuse may be directly tied to some of the antigovernment rhetoric that is coming from some people in this body and the Republican noise machine; in other words, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and countless other so-called ``shock jocks.'' Rather than disparaging Federal employees, this body should be applauding the excellent and courageous work that they are performing.

Mr. Garamendi, thank you for having this Special Order. We in Virginia--not all of us, but many of us--watch with sadness at what happened to the California shores, and we don't want it repeated in Virginia. Even though the Governor and the Republican Party have pushed and pushed with these silly mantras, Drill, baby, drill, and Drill here, and drill everywhere, we're not going to let it happen. If we had not been diligent, we might have some drilling rigs off the shore of Virginia today, but we don't. And they're not going to go there until there is substantial modification of the industry practices with regard to offshore drilling.

Let's bear in mind that what we are talking about is our Nation's oil. It's not oil that's owned by these oil companies or by the private sector. It's owned by us, the taxpayer. It's public land. It's owned by our children and our grandchildren. And instead of being put to our benefit and their benefit, because of neglect, carelessness, irresponsible decisions, it is destroying the ecology of the gulf and could well destroy the ecology of the Everglades along the Florida shore, and could even go up the east coast. We have no idea how extensive this damage is going to be, nor how expensive it will be to clean it up. But we're now getting an idea of why it happened.

And I would say to the gentleman and to the Speaker that we ought to be mindful, first of all, that this was not under President Obama's watch. It was not under any kind of Democratic policy. It was under the administration of a President who owned an oil drilling company, an oil exploration company, a Vice President who was the CEO of Halliburton, who made money from manufacturing and installing drilling rigs--in fact, continued to own thousands of shares of Halliburton while they made enormous profits not only from drilling rigs but from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So while these two folks sit back, the damage is being inflicted upon people who bore no fault but, in fact, became dependent upon this industry. And our hearts go out not just to those who lost their lives but to those who have lost their livelihoods.

Now, when we trace back how this particular drilling rig exploded, we find that there were a number of points along the way where it could have been avoided. Back in 2003, the Interior Department--the Bush administration's Interior Department--agreed with BP and other oil companies that installing a $500,000 acoustical shutoff switch on every offshore rig would be unreasonably expensive, even though such a shutoff switch would have prevented all of this oil from spewing out. Now it's costing BP billions of dollars. It's costing our country billions of dollars in tourism, to the fishing industry, and it's costing the lives of thousands and thousands of people because they cut corners. They weren't even willing to spend $500,000--a half million dollars on a shutoff switch.

And then they feel badly. They think they are being beaten up on by the Congress. Well, let me share some of the reasons why they've lost their credibility. For one, they started out telling us that it was about 1,000 barrels a day that were leaking. I think the gentleman will remember that. Of course there are 42 gallons in a barrel, which would mean that every day, about 200,000 gallons of oil were being emitted. Well, it wasn't 1,000. Then they went up to 5,000, which means that-- well, with 5,000 instead of 42,000 gallons of oil a day, it was 210,000. But the 5,000, even though the scientists at the Minerals Management Service say, We think it's much larger than this, the scientists continued to be ignored. And now we find that every second, 18 gallons of oil is being emitted from this spill.

Now, think about that. Most of us, to fill our tank, the gas tank in our car, it takes about 18 gallons. All of that is going out into the gulf every second, which means that we've got more than 1,000 a minute. We've got 65,000 gallons an hour, and we have 1.6 million gallons every day. It's hard for the mind to comprehend that, but 1.6 million gallons of oil is coming out into the gulf every day. And this has gone on for, what, 50 days.

Now, what has to happen in the future is there needs to be a time- out. No more deepwater drilling until, number one, we have the technology on hand. The Minerals Management Service has been assured that this cannot happen again.

We had a 30-day open window when they had the ability to determine whether permits should be issued. Under the Bush administration, it was automatic. They didn't take any of that time.

But in the future, we need trained personnel. We need tested equipment. We need all of the technology to be on hand. And all of that research that should have been done, it needs to be paid for by the oil companies. The taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for that research. The taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for the training. And the taxpayers, obviously, shouldn't pay for the equipment. All of it needs to be tested because it is the taxpayers' oil. It is the taxpayers' land, and it has been exploited and a lot of people have made billions of dollars by drilling off our land, drilling the oil that really belongs to our children and grandchildren.

Well, it is time to put a stop to this. As far as I am concerned, there should be a moratorium until we can assure the American public and our children and grandchildren that this can't happen again because the government is going to be the sheriff in the future. The Obama administration is going to put in the people that care about our environment that are going to regulate this oil drilling and are going to ensure that this kind of catastrophe never happens again because we are not going to show the kind of negligence and greed that drove this situation to occur.

So I thank you, Mr. Garamendi. Again, let me conclude by ending where I started, that we feel bad for what happened to California. We feel worse for what is now the worst ecological disaster in the gulf, but we have to make sure that we learn from this and we never, ever let something like this happen again.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Federal Supervisor Training Act of 2010. This bill would establish a minimum training program for supervisors within federal government agencies.

Every year Congress passes laws that either create or modify programs that serve the American people. Yet, it is up to the men and women of the federal civil service to efficiently and effectively implement the programs this body approves. Competent managers are essential for a functioning civil service that can carry out the federal government's mission.

This bill will require each federal agency to develop and implement a training program that, among other things, teaches supervisors to develop and discuss employee goals and objectives, to foster an appropriate work environment, and to improve employee performance and productivity. The bill requires supervisors to receive initial training within one year of promotion, and once every three years thereafter.

In addition to supervisor training, the bill also requires agencies to establish mentoring programs so that new supervisors can learn from the experiences of more seasoned federal managers.

I believe that providing our federal supervisors adequate training will improve the delivery of government services, reduce costs associated with mitigating employee grievances

and improve morale throughout the entire civil service.

During today's tough budget climate I fear that federal agencies will cut supervisor training in order to reduce costs. I believe that would be a mistake. This bill would ensure that even through difficult economic times supervisors receive the training they need so that they can best serve our constituents.

Madam Speaker, I rise to draw the attention of my colleagues to a successful example of public-private collaboration that marks a new era of government transparency and accountability. It could not have happened without the cooperation of the private sector.

Following President Obama's commitment to let the public track every dollar spent under the economic stimulus package, administration was hard pressed to find a timely and effective way to meet the objective. Many were skeptical, and thought it would take months if not years to develop a website, standardize the information, create a website and keep the information current.

Rather than start from scratch and begin a new procurement process, the Office of Management and Budget opted to leverage an existing program and technology. This wise decision lowered the cost and enabled it to be implemented under an extremely tight timeline.

In June 2009, OMB and the Recovery and Accountability and Transparency Board (RATB) selected an existing data management system used by the Environmental Protection Agency called the Central Data Exchange or CDX for short. The great efficiency of the interagency work allowed the website, Recovery.gov, to open several weeks later in August for both the government and the public to access. The system is also flexible enough that OMB and RATB continue to guide and improve reporting requirements through a separate data collection site, FederalReporting.gov on a daily basis.

The Recovery Board and the EPA partnered with CGI Federal to develop and implement the site. CGI Federal built the site and added enhancements and still continues to validate the site's information. The tireless work and outstanding effort of this partnership led to the successful implementation of this system.

FederalReporting.gov is the first centralized reporting strategy that spans all participating federal agencies. As a result, agencies do not have to spend funds to implement independent solutions for data collection. Also, FederalReporting.gov is one of the first federal reporting systems to be entirely paperless. The success of the site proves that a paperless system does not result in a large number of non-compliant recipients but opens the door for future green government efforts.

FederalReporting.gov shows us that there are examples of successful collaboration and partnership between government agencies and the private sector that help move our country forward.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman.

I want to speak specifically to this amendment that addresses a duplicitous employment practice by private security contractors in Afghanistan. Last year, four employees of Paravant, a Blackwater subsidiary, were involved in a shooting incident where a number of Afghan civilians, one was killed, others were wounded. A subsequent investigation found that Paravant employees were not classified as employees but were, instead, classified as independent contractors. Then it was revealed that Paravant classified them as independent contractors in order to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

Raytheon, who was the main contractor on the Afghan Border Police contract, attempted to sever ties with them, but they were rebuffed because this company claimed to have no responsibility for or oversight over the four in question, even though they had hired them and were paying for them. This can't be permitted. There has to be responsibility for private contractors. They can't be free agents doing what they want over there. They are recognized as working for the American Government. We need to make employers responsible for their employees.

This is a duplicitous method of avoiding taxes, but most importantly, direct responsibility for the actions of private security contractors. It needs to be ended. And I support the other amendments that address the accountability and oversight over private security contractors.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Council for International Visitors, NCIV--a nonprofit leader in citizen diplomacy-- and supporting designation of February 16, 2011, as ``Citizen Diplomacy Day.''

NCIV is a membership association, with members based in congressional districts throughout the nation, dedicated to promoting excellence in citizen diplomacy--the concept that individual citizens have the right and responsibility to help shape U.S. foreign relations ``one handshake at a time.'' NCIV's nationwide network comprises 92 community organizations as well as federal agencies, associate members, and individuals. With leadership and training provided by NCIV, member organizations create professional connections, provide cultural activities, and offer home hospitality opportunities for foreign leaders and specialists. Each year, the aggregate efforts of NCIV members involve more than 80,000 volunteers.

The NCIV network is the private-sector partner of the U.S. Department of State for the International Visitor Leadership Program, IVLP, a long-standing, successful initiative for strengthening U.S. foreign relations. More than 285 current and former heads of state (including F.W. de Klerk, Anwar Sadat, Manmohan Singh, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Morgan Tsvangarai) and approximately 1,700 cabinet-level ministers have participated in the IVLP, which U.S. ambassadors have repeatedly ranked first among 63 U.S. public diplomacy initiatives.

Through citizen diplomacy, the NCIV network and the IVLP have positively affected hundreds of thousands of lives in America and abroad--among countless other ways, by:

Empowering a key reformer to stand up for democracy and freedom following the February 2010 coup in Niger;

Introducing high school students in Reno, Nevada, to Moroccan journalists and Afghan women leaders;

Sharing best practices with leaders of Malaysian disaster-relief nonprofits in the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami;

Connecting an environmental and water resources engineering firm from Portland, Oregon, to business opportunities with China; and

Breaking stereotypes about Americans for a Yemeni governance and conflict management expert.

The success of NCIV is based on patriotic citizens, entrepreneurs, and small businesses coming together to help promote America abroad while boosting the local economy. By working with the State Department, NCIV is an important source of income for many throughout the U.S. based on the increased economic activity generated by international visitors. Nearly the entire IVLP budget is spent within the United States, where it generates millions of dollars in local economic activity. NCIV members raise an additional $6 for every dollar they receive in federal funding, all of which is spent locally. Furthermore, by bringing foreign leaders to U.S. schools, government agencies, and businesses, the NCIV network and the IVLP help U.S. communities build a more globally literate, competitive workforce.

Please join me in demonstrating congressional support for this national network of citizen diplomats by recognizing NCIV's 50th anniversary and recommending designation of February 16, 2011, as Citizen Diplomacy Day.

Cosponsors of Legislation Introduced by the Rep. Jim Moran

The Honorable Donald Manzullo, the Honorable Howard Coble,

the Honorable Keith Ellison, the Honorable Eddie Bernice

Johnson, the Honorable Lee Terry, the Honorable Mark Steven

Kirk, the Honorable Peter Welch, the Honorable Betty

McCollum, the Honorable Patrick Murphy, the Honorable John

Boozman, the Honorable Sue Wilkins Myrick, the Honorable

Steven Rothman, the Honorable Denny Rehberg, the Honorable

Jan Schakowsky, the Honorable Daniel B. Maffei.

So, Mr. Speaker, we are to be treated with 1 minute after 1 minute by our Republican friends telling us what they want to do with the economy, but is a year and a half so long ago?

For 8 years, the Republican Party had the opportunity to steer this economy, to fix this economy.

What happened?

They took a $5.6 trillion projected surplus and 21 million new jobs that had been created by the Clinton administration and left President Obama with a $3.5 trillion projected deficit--a $9 trillion fiscal reversal. In the last several months of the Bush administration, we were losing 700,000 jobs a month. In fact, in the last few months of the Obama administration, we have gained more net new jobs than during the entire 8 years of the Bush administration. Just a year and a half. Think of the reversal, but also consider what President Obama inherited.

So, while I have great fondness for many of my colleagues, we would ask the American people to look at the facts. When they had the opportunity, they blew this economy wide open left it in shambles and now we are being asked to believe that they would do it differently if we just give them one more chance.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill of which I am also a cosponsor.

Last week, President Obama submitted a request to Congress to authorize funds for this important missile defense system which will shield Israeli civilians from indiscriminate short-range missile attacks. The bill is consistent with support of human rights for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and of efforts to enhance Israel's security and defense of her citizens from violent rocket and missile attacks.

This reflects the role that the United States can play in saving lives on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and if we can save lives and promote a sustainable peace, then we must play that role from both a moral as well as a geopolitical motivation because when people feel secure, they think differently than when they feel under siege. Their priorities change. And this missile defense system could be a game changer. It deserves our support.