Jane Harman

Mr. Chair, I am pleased that Mr. Akin plans to withdraw his amendment #181 to defund the bipartisan indoor lighting provision of the historic Energy Independence and Security Act, which President Bush signed into law in 2007.

Let me underscore a few facts:

First, Chairman Upton plans to hold an oversight hearing on this provision in the near future--so action today would have been premature.

Second, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, which represents the domestic manufacturers of light bulbs and includes GE, Sylvania and Phillips, urges a ``no'' vote.

Third, the law does not ban incandescent light bulbs, or force Americans to buy Chinese-made compact fluorescent bulbs that contain small traces of mercury.

Fourth, what the law does is set a glide path to US manufacture of more efficient light bulbs--which are already saving consumers an average of $200 per family per year. Manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and Torrance, CA--in my district--are creating thousands of new jobs right now.

Finally, when the law passed by a strong bipartisan vote my co-author Rep. Upton said: ``. . . it is a bipartisan effort in every way . . . this is where we need to be . . . where the world needs to be.''

And then-Ranking Member on Energy and Commerce Rep. Barton added: ``. . . this is one of the few areas where there has been constructive dialogue and bipartisanship . . .''

Withdrawing this amendment is the proper thing to do and I commend Rep. Akin for doing so.

Mr. Speaker, my congressional career will close on February 28th, so that the constitutionally required special election to replace me can coincide with a statewide referendum Governor Brown intends to hold later this year. This will save taxpayer money, assure a higher turnout, and most quickly fill the vacancy created by my resignation.

The messages that have flooded my offices since I announced my departure have touched me deeply. The extraordinary honor of a congratulatory statement by President Obama was completely unexpected and absolutely thrilling. But the message I may treasure most came from one of my children. It said, simply: Hon. ``Brave Mama.''

For 17 years, I have worked my heart out for the people of California's 36th congressional district. I cast votes with which some strongly disagreed--but I have always tried my best to listen, and to lead.

The opportunity awaiting me at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is enormous. It is truly a center of excellence, and a place where I believe I can add real value to bipartisan scholarship and policymaking.

But nothing--and I mean nothing--will ever replace the two-decade long journey I have just completed as I sought and won a seat in Congress--my first and only elected office.

I have worked closely with so many of you in committees, in caucuses like the Blue Dogs and New Democrats, and on legislation.

With some here I have visited garden spots like North Korea, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen to assess the threats we face. Such foreign travel is, I believe, a wonderful way to build personal, bipartisan friendships--something dearly needed in Congress.

As a lifelong, passionate, bipartisan-in-my-bones Democrat I have been criticized by both sides. But the center is where, in my view, most Americans are--and where, in many cases, the best policy answers are. I will bring that perspective with me to my new post at the Wilson Center.

Let me make two final points. First, over the years I have worked hard to hire and train the best staff on the planet. We call ourselves ``Team Harman'' and at annual reunions I marvel at how they and their families have grown. I truly love them, and know how their extraordinary efforts are appreciated by my constituents and other offices.

But second, I always say that I represent the smartest constituents on earth. This is not a joke: they have helped me enormously to do my job well. Sidney and I and our ever-growing family thank them for the milestones and the memories. I may be changing my day job, but not my residence--or my heart.

So, as I conclude my final statement on the floor of this House, I depart with great affection and gratitude to wonderful colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, who have also become wonderful friends.

Thank you, Norm Dicks, my longest-standing, certainly not my oldest, friend in the House, and thank you, colleagues.

My congressional career will close on February 28 so that the constitutionally required special election to replace me can coincide with a statewide referendum Governor Brown intends to hold in California later this year. This timing will save taxpayer money, a very good thing, ensure a higher turnout, and most quickly fill the vacancy created by my resignation.

The messages that have flooded my offices since I have announced my departure have touched me deeply. The extraordinary honor of a congratulatory statement by the President was completely unexpected and absolutely thrilling. But the message I may treasure most came from one of my four children. It said simply, ``Brave Mama.''

For 17 years, I have worked my heart out for the people of California's 36th Congressional District. I cast votes with which some strongly disagreed, but I have always tried my best to listen and lead.

The opportunity awaiting me at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is enormous, following in the footsteps of our former Member, Lee Hamilton. It is truly a center of excellence and a place where I believe I can add real value to bipartisan scholarship and policymaking. But nothing--and I mean nothing--will ever replace the two-decade long journey I have just completed as I sought and won a seat in Congress, my first and only elected office.

I have worked closely with many of you in committees and caucuses, like the Blue Dogs and the New Democrats, and on legislation. With some here, I have visited garden spots, like North Korea, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen, to assess the threats we face. And those threats, as you all know, are extremely serious. Such foreign travel is, I believe, a wonderful way to build personal bipartisan friendships, something dearly needed here.

As a lifelong, passionate, ``bipartisan in my bones'' Democrat, I have been criticized by both sides. But the center is where, in my view, most Americans are and where, in many cases, the best policy answers are. I will bring that perspective with me to my new post at the Wilson Center.

Let me make two final points.

First, over the years, I have worked hard to hire and train the best staff on the planet.

We call ourselves Team Harman. And at annual reunions, I marvel at how they and their families have grown. I truly love them and know how their extraordinary efforts are appreciated by my constituents and by other offices.

And second, I always say that I represent the smartest constituents on earth. This is not a joke. They have

helped me enormously to do my job well. Sidney, my young Sidney and I, and our ever-growing family thank them for the milestones and the memories. I may be changing my day job, but not my residence or my heart.

So as I conclude my final statement on the floor of this House, I depart with great affection and gratitude to wonderful colleagues, to very longstanding friends, to a leadership with whom I have worked closely, to my sisters from California and throughout the United States, on both sides of the aisle, all of you have become valued, valued, valued, very valued friends. And I thank you, again, for the honor of serving with you.