Floor Statements

I thank Congressman Takano.

Last week, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers all across the country got a notice from the Federal Office of Justice Programs that as of last Friday, thanks to this Republican shutdown, they will not be able to draw down the funds they normally rely on and may have to stop operating.

The shelters in my district showed me the notice, and it gave us all chills. They would be forced to shut their doors, leaving abused victims and children with nowhere else to turn.

Just yesterday, I was in a Judiciary hearing in which an advocate said that their agency had just seen a young girl who was beaten, tortured, and raped for 5 hours. If these centers are not open, where is a girl like this to go?

As a former rape crisis counselor, I know firsthand the damage that domestic violence and sexual assault causes. We can't just leave these victims to fend for themselves, vulnerable to their abusers at the most critical times of their lives. That is why agencies in my district, like YWCA Wangs Haven House, the San Gabriel Valley Center, Asian Women's Center, and House of Ruth, exist, to help victims get their lives together.

This GOP shutdown is beyond shameful; it is disgusting. Enough already. It is time to end the shutdown. It is time to let us vote.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, John Boehner says he doesn't have the votes to pass a clean bill that would keep government open. Yet 198 Democrats would vote for it; another 21 Republicans say they would, too. That's more than the 217 votes needed to pass a bill. That's basic math. The votes are there.

And yet so many people are suffering in this ninth day of the GOP shutdown,

people like Leo Finn, who had been scheduled to start a clinical trial at a cancer institute in Boston to battle his liver cancer, but last week, he was told he couldn't because of the shutdown.

The National Institutes of Health has furloughed 73 percent of its staff. Leo, a father of three, says:

Everyone talks about national parks, but the shutdown of

the NIH is starting to affect people's lives and whether

someone will survive a disease.

Now Leo's life is on hold.

It is time for Speaker Boehner to stop this recklessness. It is wrong. It is shameful. Bring a clean bill up for a vote.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean continuing resolution, and go to conference on a budget so that we can end this Republican government shutdown that is undermining public health by preventing the CDC from working on its annual flu vaccine or detecting disease outbreaks.

Mr. Speaker, yet again, House Republicans have taken us down to the wire--refusing to pass a budget or to pay our bills on time.

As The Wall Street Journal asked recently of the GOP: ``Are you nuts?''

If their antics force the government to shut down, our military, including people serving overseas right now, will not be paid on time. If they default on our bills, 10 million Americans won't receive their Social Security checks on time, and families will pay higher interest rates on their mortgages, loans, and credit cards. The last time Republicans took us to the brink, the S&P downgraded our credit rating. If the GOP doesn't compromise, they could trigger a worldwide financial crisis and cause long-term economic damage.

Since when have these cutthroat tactics been an acceptable way to govern? The answer is: they are not.

Mr. Speaker, Wednesday, September 25, 2013, I was unavoidably detained due to meetings with constituents in my district. Had I been present on the House floor, I would have voted ``aye'' on the following bills and resolutions:

H.R. 1961, to amend title 46 to extend the exemption from the fire- retardant materials construction requirement for vessels operating within the Boundary Line;

And H. Res. 354, providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 527, Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act, with an amendment.

Once again, House Republicans have put struggling families on the chopping block. They're cutting SNAP, our nutrition program, by nearly $40 billion. Millions of Americans will completely lose their assistance or see their monthly benefits drastically cut. More than 8,000 families in my community will risk going hungry. These cuts hurt working families who struggle every day to put food on the table. They end benefits for people who want to work but can't find a job, even mothers with young children. They eliminate a vital safety net for many adults who are out of work. These cuts hurt children, seniors, and veterans, all of whom rely on SNAP to survive. Where are these millions of Americans supposed to turn for food?

It's time for the Republican leadership to stop playing games with the most vulnerable among us. They are literally taking the food out of hungry kids' mouths.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration and respect that I rise today to speak of the contributions Professor Murray has made in the field of engineering. This month, a faculty member of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering's Class of 2013. Professor Richard M. Murray, the Thomas E. and Doris Everhart Professor of Control and Dynamical Systems and Bioengineering, was inducted for his contributions in control theory and networked control systems with applications to aerospace engineering, robotics, and autonomy.

Election to membership at the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is one of the highest professional honors accorded an engineer. While members are elected into the NAE by their peers and colleagues, only a handful of engineers are inducted each year. Richard's accomplishments and research have allowed him to distinguish himself among his peers.

As the Chair of the Engineering and Applied Sciences Division from 2000-2005, Director of the Information Science and Technology Council from 2006-2009, and Interim Chair of the Engineering and Applied Sciences Division from 2008-2009, Richard has distinguished himself not only as a university faculty, but also as an effective academic administrator.

I am proud to represent such a distinguish scholar and engineer and could not be more proud of the achievements he has made at the California Institute of Technology. I sincerely thank Professor Murray for his dedication to scientific innovation and research as well as teaching and mentoring future engineers. I urge my colleagues to join me in commending Professor Murray for his service, contribution, and ongoing commitment to scientific progress.

Mr. Speaker, this month, the Los Angeles Area lost a wonderful leader, the environmental community lost a true champion, and I lost a dear friend. Lillian Kawasaki had served the city of Los Angeles since the early 1990s, and while she wore many hats throughout her years in public service, one thing remained constant among them all--she fought to make life better for those around her.

An elected member of the WRD Board of Directors since 2006, Lillian was the first Asian-American ever appointed a department chief in Los Angeles. Lillian began heading the Los Angeles City Environmental Affairs Department in 1990 under Mayor Tom Bradley, and she worked tirelessly to improve the air quality in Los Angeles, spearheading the Los Angeles City Clean Air Plan and the City CEQA Thresholds Guidelines and Environmental Justice Program. In addition, Ms. Kawasaki served on the California State University LA Foundation Board for more than 5 years. She had recently joined the California Small Business Development Center Network Advisory Board.

Lillian was determined to clean up the city that she loved. Beginning as a researcher at UCLA, she worked on wastewater nutrient recycling programs before moving over to the Port of Los Angeles's Environmental Management Division. As a scientist, Lillian understood that the air we breathe and the water we drink affects our communities, our children, and our future, and her passion for a higher quality of life of Los Angelinos is what drove her to public service. She dedicated her life to cleaning up the Los Angeles Area, and her work will be felt for generations to come.

The daughter of Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II, Lillian was determined to commemorate this part of American history, and served as the co-chair of the Friends of Manzanar, a National Historic Site. Lillian was determined to give back to her community, and was a member of the Women's Foundation Donor's Circle, where she championed financial literacy for women and girls in her community.

Lillian left us not long ago, but her impact lives on. The lives she touched are forever changed for the better, as are the communities she dedicated her life to improving. Her life's work provides an inspiration for all of us. So, today, I bid farewell to a friend, a community leader, and a true role model to so many.

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, the Sikhs at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin, temple, or gurdwara, were peacefully preparing meals for Sunday worship, but that peace was shattered when a 40-year-old neo- Nazi man walked in and began shooting anyone in his path. I stand here today to honor the six victims of this senseless massacre:

Suveg Singh Khattra

Satwant Singh Kaleka

Ranjit Singh

Sita Singh

Paramjit Kaur

Prakash Singh

You will never be forgotten.

Sikhs have been the targets of discrimination and violence. Just this week, the word ``terrorist'' was scrawled against the wall of a gurdwara in Riverside.

In the memory of Oak Creek, we will recommit to fighting against intolerance wherever and whenever it occurs so that the lives of those six brave souls will not be lost in vain.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I am in strong opposition of the underlying bill, as it makes damaging cuts to Community Development Block Grants. A cut of $1.6 billion--a nearly 50 percent reduction from the previous year--is not smart policymaking. These draconian cuts will no doubt have lasting harmful effects on our communities throughout the country.

Since 1974, over 1,200 communities relied on CDBG funds to support development projects and make other important improvements. These funds are used in providing social services for the poor and senior citizens, improving dilapidated housing facilities, supporting local food banks, and maintaining local parks. CDBG funds are critical investments made by the Federal Government to bring important benefits to local communities.

My district, for example, stands to lose almost $2.2 million next year if these cuts go into effect. That's nearly half of what they got last year. And it's on top of hundreds of thousands cities in my district have already lost due to the poorly designed automatic cuts known as sequestration. The city of Pasadena will see their funding drop from $1.7 million to under $1 million. The city of Alhambra will see their funding drop from around $800,000 down to only $430,000.

These cuts are more than lines on a piece of paper. They will have real impacts on my neighbors and my community. Take People for People, a food bank run by the West San Gabriel Valley Church Council for the last 25 years. People for People provides the homeless and needy families with clothes and boxes of food. During the recession, they saw a 20 percent spike in the numbers of families who came to them for help. Last year, they were able to support hundreds of families that are suffering right now. Hundreds of families stay afloat with local donations and a $27,000 grant through CDBG. But this year, because of Federal Government cuts, they will receive 75 percent less, merely $7,000.

But People for People isn't the only program that will get hit. Countless other nonprofit service organizations around the San Gabriel Valley will be forced to serve fewer low-income residents at a time when they need it the most. CDBG funds have helped fund tutoring, health services, small business assistance, senior services, food assistance, and fair housing services. Cities will have to cut back on home rehabilitation programs that improve blighted neighborhoods and public facilities, improvements that make cities safer and more accessible. And fewer construction projects mean fewer construction jobs, too.

During this time of economic recovery, we cannot pull out the rug from programs that are vital to helping our constituents. Our cities, our communities, and our constituents cannot afford these drastic cuts to CDBG funding. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this terrible bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the rule and to H.R. 5. This bill radically reduces the role of the Federal Government in education at a time when we need to revitalize our education system. It slashes over $1 billion in funding to teach our kids. It eliminates accountability in our education system that ensures students graduate from high school and those with special needs don't get left behind.

I am particularly concerned about the impact this bill will have on community services that benefit the students struggling the most. Studies show that when we don't address students' social and economic disadvantages at schools, we undo the work that's achieved by having good skills and teachers with adequate resources. An astounding two- thirds of the achievement gap is due to factors outside of school. Children are more likely

to succeed in schools when their comprehensive needs--nutrition, health, and a safe and stable home--are met.

These support systems--sometimes called ``wraparound services''--are particularly important for low-performing and low-income schools that greatly benefit from these services.

But instead of supporting programs that are scientifically proven to help close the achievement gap, H.R. 5 takes away the designated funding for them and lets States do with the money as they please. It completely cuts funding for after-school programs. It eliminates social and emotional programs that help keep our students safe, healthy, and ready to learn. And with the money that's left? There's no guarantee that it will be used to provide these services to students who need them the most.

We shouldn't leave to chance whether a school will care about students beyond their test scores. But this bill sets a dangerous precedent by exempting the Federal Government from responsibility to ensure schools adequately support students and families that face challenges outside of school.

Instead of improving No Child Left Behind, this bill takes us even further backwards. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, last month, the Senate passed historic comprehensive immigration reform, and now is the time for the House to act.

It is because of our family values that we cannot wait another year, another month, or another day to finally fix our broken immigration system. We must pass a bill that keeps families together, and we must do the right thing, the humane thing, and bring 11 million immigrants out of the shadows and into society. We must ensure that all who want to call this country home have a fair and reasonable road map to do so.

I urge the Republican leadership not to choose the partisan path. Instead, we should come together and pass bipartisan comprehensive legislation that will fix our immigration system and finally revitalize the American Dream.

The time to act is now.

I rise today to introduce the San Gabriel Watershed Restoration Act of 2013. This bill could revitalize a California urban river by directing the Army Corps of Engineers to prepare a study analyzing the current state of the San Gabriel River Watershed and how it can be transformed into a destination for Los Angeles County.

We have such incredible resources right in our backyard in the San Gabriel Valley, and at the heart is the San Gabriel River. That is why we must do all that we can to revitalize and protect this space.

My communities are desperate for more open space to run, play, and explore. The L.A. area is one of the most park poor in the country. The San Gabriel River, only steps from our homes, used to be a green, lush paradise. The local Gabrielino tribespeople used to canoe down its waters out to the sea, but today, in its current state, it feels more like an abandoned waterway than the majestic river it once was. There are so few places for families to sit and enjoy or to swim in its cool waters on unbearably hot summer days in the urban valley cities.

The San Gabriel River also performs essential flood protection, drinking water recharge, and storm water conservation functions. But it is inaccessible to local residents for recreation and lacks many natural and riparian ecosystems. Additional provisions for flood control and water quality control are also sorely needed.

Increasingly, residents have expressed the desire to rediscover the river and offer more of its benefits to all the communities along its route. That's why I introduced this bill in the 111th Congress to study how we can improve the river and expand its use, and that is why I'm introducing this bill again.

The study created in this bill would look at the best ways to revitalize the watershed, focusing on ecosystem restoration, outdoor recreation enhancements, and ways to conserve rainwater and keep our water clean. This vital project is a first step--that is long overdue-- toward creating more outdoor space within the highly urbanized watershed communities so that people can enjoy this beautiful resource in a safe and sustainable way.

A similar study and demonstration project were critical steps in the effort to revitalize the Los Angeles River, and it was so successful that now there are regular kayaking trips on the L.A. River, a place many thought of as only a concrete wasteland. People can actually enjoy this little bit of nature again. This is a powerful testament to the potential and growing success of river revitalization efforts.

My communities have a vision: to create an Emerald Necklace, a 17- mile loop of multi-benefit parks connecting 10 cities along the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel Rivers. This bill is a critical part of realizing this dream, and I call on my colleagues in Congress to support this bill and help make their vision a reality for generations to come.

Imagine a world in which the Federal Government actually prevents women from receiving the medical procedures that would save their lives. Innocent, law-abiding Americans--young and old--would live or die by government decree.

If you think this is some kind of Orwellian fantasy, think again, and take a good look at the abortion bill being pushed by Republicans today. With only a narrow exception to protect life but not the woman's health, it could

very well be a death sentence to countless women in the most desperate of circumstances.

This bill is a blatant attack on a woman's right to choose, and the people who will pay the most will be those who are most in need of help.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this nationwide 20-week abortion-ban bill, and I call on the Republican Party to stop pushing bills that endanger American women.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Polis-Chu- Cardenas amendment to strike Federal funding for the 287(g) program.

287(g) is a misguided program. While it claims to help enforce our immigration laws, it actually diverts critical law enforcement resources and makes our communities less safe. By encouraging the police to do the Federal Government's job, 287(g) breeds mistrust in

local law enforcement. Immigrants worry that they will be punished or deported if they talk to the police. This means that victims will choose to suffer in silence. This means fewer witnesses will come forward to help solve crimes.

And this isn't just about undocumented immigrants being scared to come forward. Citizens and legal residents are holding back too. That's because the 287(g) program is a tool that too often relies on racial profiling. Take the case of Sheriff Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona. Just a few weeks ago, a Federal judge ruled that he and his deputies violated the constitutional rights of Latinos by targeting them during raids and traffic stops. It's no wonder that 44 percent of Latinos surveyed across the country said they were less likely now to contact police if they were victims of a crime. That's why 10 percent of the funding for 287(g) in this bill will be transferred to the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties that investigates allegations of racial profiling against immigrant communities.

Law enforcement officials from across the country oppose 287(g) because it's getting in the way of their real job: stopping crime and keeping people safe. The 287(g) program takes cops away from going after violent criminals to focus instead on civil violations. According to FBI and census data, 61 percent of 287(g) localities had violent and property crime indices lower than the national average. Former LA Police Chief Bill Bratton decided not to participate in the 287(g) program because his officers ``can't prevent or solve crimes if victims or witnesses are unwilling to talk to us. Criminals are the biggest beneficiaries when immigrants fear the police.''

As if that weren't bad enough, the Department of Homeland Security's own inspector general couldn't tell if the 287(g) money was being used for its intended purpose. In the same 2010 program, the IG cited insufficient oversight and supervision of the 287(g) program by ICE, an ineffective complaint system for abuse, and a lack of focus on their local partners' civil rights issues.

To keep our neighborhoods safe, we need the entire community to come together to solve crimes. Without it, the LAPD would never have solved the murder of Juan Garcia, a 53-year-old homeless man who was brutally killed in an alley just west of downtown Los Angeles in 2009.

At first, the police were stumped. There were no known witnesses and few clues. Then a 43-year-old undocumented immigrant who witnessed the crime came forward and told the homicide detectives what he saw. Because of his help, a suspect was identified and arrested a few days later while hiding on skid row. Because the witnesses were not afraid to contact the police, an accused murderer was taken off the streets, and we are all a little bit safer. We need to end this program today and ensure that no murder, no theft, no assault goes unsolved because of misguided policies like 287(g).

I urge you to vote in favor of the Polis-Chu-Cardenas amendment and end funding for 287(g). It's time to let police fight crime, not illegal immigration.

I yield back the balance of my time.