Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the passage of the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act.

Since 1987, The Lord's Resistance Army has conducted mass killings, mutilation, and forced recruitment of children. It has terrorized the citizens and families of Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.

This legislation calls for serious action to protect and heal victims of Joseph Kony's LRA--Lord's Resistance Army.

For more than two decades over 20,000 boys and girls have been abducted and over 1.5 million people have been displaced.

Survivors of these horrors are haunted by medical, psychological and social consequences. We must help the abducted return home, where they can receive treatment.

This tremendous humanitarian crisis involving young boys as child soldiers and girls as reward for combatants has almost completely destroyed a generation, in a post holocaust era, when we warn ``never again.''

This legislation calls for the capture of LRA leader Joseph Kony to be tried for crimes against humanity. It is imperative he is removed from society to pave the way for reintegration and reconciliation.

The United States and the appropriate agencies must assist in ending LRA violence and help the people of this region rebuild their lives.

Mr. Speaker, in my district, a 45-year-old mentally disabled legal immigrant, Guillermo Gomez-Sanchez, was unjustly detained by ICE for 4 years. This tragedy is further evidence that we need comprehensive immigration reform now.

Over the weekend, I marched with 2,000 individuals in San Bernardino, California, to oppose Arizona's law, SB 1070, and support the passage of comprehensive immigration reform. This unconstitutional law is inspired by racism and will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics and people of color.

The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police opposes this law because they know it will hurt community relations and waste valuable resources. This hateful law also has a negative impact in schools and will lead to increased bullying of Hispanic children.

I urge Americans to boycott the State of Arizona and show their opposition to the misguided Arizona law by wearing these red, yellow, and blue bracelets.

Republicans and Democrats must work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform for human rights, respect, and having our families work together and work toward securing our borders.

Mr. Speaker, I stand this morning in solidarity with all those who respect fairness and justice in opposition to the Arizona Senate Bill 1070. This is an unconstitutional law that is inspired by racism and will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics and people of color.

We must do all we can to stop this law. That's why I am calling for an economic boycott of Arizona. I also encourage all those to oppose this kind of hate and to wear the red, blue, and yellow bracelet to express opposition to this bill.

We must all remember that immigration is not a Latino issue, it's an American issue. This misguided law is another reason why America needs comprehensive immigration reform to fix our broken system. I call on my Republican colleagues to have courage and to work with us on immigration reform. The American people need this reform, but we cannot do this alone. Again I say to the Republicans, step up to the plate and together let us pass real, comprehensive reform.

I stand to voice my strong opposition to the new Arizona law, S.B. 1070. This is an unjust law, inspired by hate and racism. The new law opens the door to serious civil rights abuses, and will lead to racial profiling of Latinos and Latinas in Arizona and people of color.

It is unconstitutional, violating the 4th and 14th amendments. This new law will create a division between people who are asked for legal documents and those that are not. Anyone who values fairness is opposed to this kind of hate and should not spend one cent of money in Arizona except to create jobs.

I urge Americans to show their support of the boycott by wearing red, yellow, and blue wristbands. This misguided law is another example why we must act now. We need Republicans to stand with Democrats in a bipartisan fashion to support comprehensive reform now.

Yesterday I urged all Americans to boycott the State of Arizona until this law is appealed. This law is unjust. It will only lead to the increase of racial profiling and hate crimes in the State, especially towards Hispanics.

This is a violation of the fourth and 14th amendment in the United States Constitution. It does not require local police officers to have a warrant. This new law will create a divide between people who are asked for legal documents and those who are not. This law will create distrust between police and the communities they protect. This law is backwards, and sets us back in time.

I urge Americans show their support of the boycott and wear a red, yellow, and blue wristband. This is an unjust law and must be overturned, and an example of why we need comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support House Resolution 1257, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Financial Literacy Month.

In these tough economic times, increasing financial literacy is one of the best ways we can accomplish a complete recovery and take significant steps to prevent another crisis.

Every day, many Americans struggle with their finances. These problems are especially prevalent among young adults and minorities.

In fact, the FDIC found in a recent study that approximately 60,000,000 people in the U.S. are underbanked.

These numbers are more disturbing when we look at the percentage of underbanked people among minorities: 43.3 percent of Hispanic households and close to 54 percent of Black households are either unbanked or underbanked.

We must do more to educate every American on how to safely manage their wealth and build a stable foundation for themselves and their family's future.

In the fall, Mr. Hinojosa, Mrs. McCarthy, and I introduced an amendment that would create a new consumer education office within the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

This office will operate programs and develop initiatives to ensure that all financial institutions are doing their part to come up with innovative ways to increase financial literacy among their consumers.

Throughout my time in Congress I have been a consistent supporter of improving financial literacy efforts and I am committed to remaining one as long as I hold office.

I want to commend Mr. Hinojosa on his hard work on this issue and for bringing this resolution to this floor.

I urge my colleagues to vote in support of House Resolution 1257, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of the modern State of Israel.

After the horrible actions of the Holocaust, Israel was established as an independent nation. She has since advanced into a successful, democratic, and thriving nation.

Since her inception 62 years ago, Israel continues to be a friend and a strong ally to the United States. I stand here with my colleagues and reaffirm this bond of solidarity and cooperation between the United States and Israel.

As Iran gets closer to nuclear capability, threatening our collective security, we must stand together in accord, now more than ever.

We support Israel and commend the progress made as she continues to work towards peace with her Arab neighbors.

I also commend all our Jewish friends in the United States whose tireless efforts contribute to American and Israeli achievement.

I urge my colleagues to support and reaffirm our unwavering friendship with the Israeli people, and congratulate Israel on this memorable occasion.

Madam Speaker, I rise to support the passage of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act.

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, if allowed on its present course, is well on its way to obtaining nuclear capability. Experts say it could be in the possession of a nuclear weapon in less than a year.

Since 1995, several U.S. regulations have been enacted to pressure Iran's economy, curtail its nuclear advancement and curb the government's support for jihadist militant groups. They have not been adhered to; no firms have yet been sanctioned.

This legislation will pressure persons violating Iran Sanction acts and other accomplices of the National Guard in pursuing uranium enrichment and oppressing religious and human rights.

Nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to American security. Safeguarding nuclear materials from terrorists is absolutely critical to international peace and stability.

This legislation provides the much needed teeth and Presidential authority necessary to deter this regime's nuclear intentions. Timing

is crucial, for this reason it must be passed today.

Madam Speaker, last Friday, Arizona State Governor Jan Brewer signed into law Arizona State bill 1070 which would require police officers to act on ``reasonable suspicion'' to determine a person's immigration status and turn them over to ICE. President Obama referred to the law as ``misguided.''

Forcing Federal immigration duties onto local law enforcement officers is not the right way to fix the broken immigration system. It violates the presumption of innocence granted to everyone by the Constitution of the United States.

In fact, I as a Member of Congress because of the color of my skin may be approached in Arizona and be asked for my legal documentation. They may question whether it's authentic or not authentic.

This law is unjust and will only lead to an increase in racial profiling. We must never forget that America was a nation founded by immigrants.

I call on all of us to consider a national boycott of all industries in Arizona and to a wear a band on our sleeves to protest against this unjust law and to show that this is not the American way. We must not tolerate unjust laws inspired by racism and hate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.

The United States of America has a moral obligation to provide for all the brave men and women whose courageous service allows all of us to live the lives we do.

This service comes not without a price, and America must provide for these service members and their families during deployment and post- deployment.

Our disabled, ill and injured veterans need the assistance and care they deserve for their sacrifice.

S. 1963 will expand mental health services for veterans; enhance health services for 1.8 million women veterans--which for the first time includes care for newborns.

This is a landmark legislation that builds upon the last three years of significant accomplishments for veterans, troops and military families.

S. 1963 will allow for a caregiver of a veteran to receive training, counseling, lodging and subsistence payments when accompanying a veteran on medical care visits.

We must ensure that those who care for our veterans are properly equipped and trained to do so.

In addition, we will prohibit the VA from collecting copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled.

I am proud to vote for S. 1963, on behalf of all the service members, veterans and their families in my District. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

We need financial regulatory reform. In 2008, our country witnessed the failure of some of the biggest and most interconnected companies in our economy. Years of greed and irresponsible behavior allowed financial institutions to make casino bets with the money of hardworking American families.

Last year the Financial Services Committee and this Chamber passed a comprehensive set of reforms that will prevent these abuses from happening again. This reform finally put the American consumer over the bottom lines of banks. They will allow shareholders to have a say on the excessive bonuses that many executives receive regardless of performance, and they will end the problems of too big to fail.

The time has come for Members of both Chambers to stop making false accusations in return for political gains. Let's work together and pass financial regulatory reform. It's time for change.

Madam Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor the life and historical contributions of Dr. Hector Garcia, a WWII hero, civil rights leader and medical doctor of the poor and disenfranchised.

I rise to support the passage of this legislation which will encourage educating Americans on the life, deeds, and accomplishments of Dr. Hector Garcia.

Motivated by a teacher who said that no ``Mexican'' was going to get an A in class. Hector Garcia graduated with a doctorate in Medicine in 1940.

He founded the American GI Forum (AGIF) in 1948, when a Mexican American soldier, Private Felix Longoria, was denied a proper funeral due to racial segregation.

Motivated to fight against discrimination, Dr. Garcia sent out telegrams to elected and government officials.

In response, Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, arranged to have the private buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, becoming the first Mexican American serviceman awarded this honor.

AGIF and Dr. Garcia became a voice for Mexican Americans in the post WWII era. During Vietnam he made it a point to accompany the families of fallen soldiers to collect the bodies of their loved ones.

Dr. Garcia loved to quote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, applying it to his daily life.

Dr. Garcia's motto, and the AGIF's today is, ``Education is Our Freedom and Freedom should be Everybody's Business''.

He strove to make a more equitable and peaceful community both locally and internationally. Appointed alternate Ambassador to the United Nations, he was the first representative of the United States to address the UN body in a language other than English.

This legislation will encourage his legacy and increase public knowledge of Dr. Hector Garcia's exemplary dedication to eradicating ethnic discrimination.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which will have a positive impact on our young people and help craft the next generation of social leaders.

Madam Speaker, it has been a little over a year since this Congress approved, and the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

As we are set to finish tax season this week, the Middle Class is continuing to see the positive impacts from this bill and other significant pieces of legislation.

95 percent of families have already received immediate and sustained tax relief with the Making Work Pay Tax Cut.

First-time homebuyers were able to take advantage of significant tax benefits--benefits that have now been increased and expanded.

The Recovery Act also provided up to $2,500 in tax credits to help 4 million students go to college.

We have also provided tremendous relief to small businesses struggling to stay afloat in these tough economic times.

The Recovery Act cut the capital gains tax on investors who buy and hold small business stock over 5 years which incentivizes investments in America's small businesses.

We also offered tax credits to companies that hire recently discharged and unemployed veterans and young adults who are having trouble finding work.

This relief wasn't limited to the Recovery Act.

Last month, we passed the most sweeping healthcare reform package since the 1960s.

This provides 40 million families with incomes up to $88,000 with tax credits to help pay for healthcare.

It also provides $40 billion in tax credits for 4 million American small businesses.

Continuing along this path, the HIRE Act was signed into law, strengthening small businesses with tax credits and write offs allowing them to expand and increase employment.

I am committed to continuing to support measures like these that put the American people first.

I am confident that if we continue to put the American people first instead of relying on partisan talking points, we will continue to recover.

Mr. Chair, I rise and ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute.

I support the reauthorization of the National Estuary Program, NEP, through the adoption of H.R. 4715, the Clean Estuaries Act of 2010.

Estuaries are bodies of water that receive both outflows from rivers and tidal inflows from the ocean.

They are transition zones between fresh water from rivers and saline water from the ocean. The mixing of fresh and salt water provides a unique environment that supports diverse habitats for a wide variety of living resources, including plants, fish, and wildlife.

Estuaries provide habitat for 75 percent of the U.S. commercial fish catch and 80 to 90 percent of the recreational fish catch.

Coastal counties for 40 percent of the employment and 49 percent of the economic output for the nation. Estuaries are also vital to the health of our beaches, which produce between $6 billion and $30 billion for coastal communities each year.

We need this bill because many of the Nation's estuaries are currently in poor ecological health.

This bill requires the Administrator of the EPA to undertake a programmatic evaluation of EPA's overall National Estuaries Program to asses its effectiveness in improving water quality, natural resources, and sustainable uses of included estuaries. In addition, the bill requires the EPA to submit a report to Congress on the results of this evaluation.

H.R. 4715 includes evaluation and update requirements to ensure accountability.

With this legislation, all approved estuary programs will be evaluated and will now update their management plans on a periodic basis, increasing program transparency and improving program performance.

In addition this bill requires that Federal agencies participate in the management planning process, incorporate local priorities into their activities and actions and increase coordination within the estuary.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4715, Clean Estuaries Act.

Madam Speaker, the Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award was established to pay tribute to those members of Congregation Emanu El, who have conspicuously and exceptionally reflected Rabbi Feldheym's qualities of love for and loyalty to the synagogue, and service to the community.

Today, I rise to congratulate Jeffrey Spears for receiving the distinguished Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award for loyalty and service to the Community and the Congregation of Emanu El. Jeffrey Spears has served his congregation selflessly and faithfully, with uncompromising integrity, candor and generosity.

Jeffrey has been an extraordinarily devoted community leader. His family now marks five generations at Congregation Emanu El. Jeffrey has given evidence of his deep love for Judaism through strong contribution to worship and education, an exemplary commitment to Jewish values, and their application to contemporary society.

Jeffrey has served the surrounding community as member of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board, the American Water Works Association, the Mueller Water Products Advisory Council, the California State University San Bernardino School of Education Friends of the College, and the Community Advisory Board of Security Bank of California.

Jeffrey has demonstrated his devotion to Jewish learning and practice by serving on the faculty of Congregation Emanu El's School for Jewish learning, attending Judaism Conventions and traveling to Israel.

Jeffrey has made familial commitment central to his life, continuing to work in the family business founded by his grandfather Julius. Jeffrey and his wife, Heidi Nimmo, have raised their two children, Neil and Sarah, exemplifying commitments to scholastic achievement, community involvement and leadership.

Jeffrey is respected and beloved by our community for his honesty, courage, kindness and compassion. The success of his extraordinary citizenship is best summarized in the receipt of the prestigious Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award.

I join today with public leaders throughout my State to express our gratitude to Jeffrey and Congregation Emanu El for reflecting the late Rabbi Feldheym's qualities of service to community, as well as humility, care and loving-kindness.

Madam Speaker, Jeffrey Spears will be honored with the prestigious Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award on Saturday, June 2, 2010, marking the 119th Anniversary of the chartering of Congregation Emanu El. It is fitting, on such a momentous occasion, that we stand here today to honor Jeffrey Spears, for his humble and outstanding service.