Floor Statements

For women of color, access to birth control can mean the difference between life or death. Without birth control, they face more reproductive cancers, more unintended pregnancies, and more sexually transmitted infections. And because many times they can't afford to pay for health care, such diseases have a more disproportionate effect.

Without affordable health care--and birth control being part of that health care--women's health is at risk. In fact, birth control pills prevent 200,000 ovarian deaths and 100,000 deaths overall for women. Without birth control being covered, out-of-pocket costs for women and their health care needs can be up to $600 per year. It's like a tax on women. That's not fair.

That's why I support President Obama's decision that birth control should be part of all health care plans. Women do not have to be second-class citizens.

Budgets are about priorities. I think it should be about helping people climb the ladder of opportunity so they can live a good middle class life, the American Dream.

But the Republican budget hurts the middle class. It provides billions in tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, Big Oil, and special interests. Millionaires get an extra $150,000 in their pockets in tax cuts.

How do the Republicans pay for this? This is how:

They take some by slashing education and leaving 10 million students with less money for college. They steal some from our future economy, gutting investments in science and technology. But Republicans do the most damage to seniors. They end the Medicare guarantee. They shift medical costs to seniors. They basically let Medicare wither on the vine.

These aren't my priorities or those of the American people. That's why I oppose the Republican budget.

Mr. Chairman, this budget is about fairness, where everyone, not just a special few, can succeed.

While the Republican budget ends the Medicare guarantee, the Budget for All makes no cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.

While their budget slashes Pell Grants, leaving 1 million students struggling, the Budget for All actually increases investments in education.

While their budget destroys 4.1 million jobs in just 2 years, the Budget for All actually puts 2 million more people back to work by investing in infrastructure.

The Republicans do all this to keep tax breaks for Big Oil and provide an extra $150,000 for millionaires. The Budget for All creates a fairer system by asking those who have benefited most from our economy to pay a sensible share.

The Budget for All ensures everyone can achieve the American Dream if they just work hard and play by the rules.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great loss to our community, Ms. Irene Portillo, who passed away on March 13, 2012, after a valiant battle with cancer. My heart goes out to her two children, Desiree Portillo Rabinov and Darren Rae Portillo; her son-in-law, Paul Rabinov; her grandchildren Paloma Irene and David Darren Rabinov; her brothers Henry Jr., Armando, Mario and Arturo Esparza; her nieces and nephews; and all of her family and friends.

Irene was an extraordinary citizen of the city and county of Los Angeles. Born and raised in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, she led a life dedicated to community service and improving the lives of her fellow Angelinos.

Ms. Portillo's most lasting legacy was her service as founding member and Executive Director of Project Amiga, a non-profit, community based organization that provides education and computer training, support services, job placement and other assistance to at-risk youth and adults in Los Angeles County. Irene personally oversaw Project Amiga's training programs, and mentored many Welfare to Work participants and at-risk youth to help improve their lives and become self-sufficient.

Irene truly loved her community. Not only did she create a whole new organization in Project Amiga to provide badly needed support services for our most economically disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, but she also dedicated much of her life to educating and molding our youth. She did this through many different avenues, as a tenured instructor at Rio Hondo College and as a Presidential Appointee on the National Advisory Councils on Vocational Education and Women's Educational Programs.

Irene also worked hard to give folks a second chance at life, as the first Hispanic woman to manage one of the largest California State Employment Development Department offices. Through the EDD, she worked with felons recently released from the penal system and transitioning back into the community. Irene received many awards for her work, from L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and many others.

I urge my House colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Irene Portillo for her record of community service, her indomitable spirit and her remarkable service and contributions to her community and to our nation.

A year ago, on April 3, on a Marine base in Afghanistan, Harry Lew was the victim of hazing. He was punched and kicked by his peers as they poured the contents of a sandbag over his face and mouth. This physical torture and hazing lasted a full 3 hours and 20 minutes. Twenty-two minutes after his abusers stopped, Harry killed himself. He was my nephew.

The perpetrators were let off with virtually no punishment. That is why, for months after his death, I have been calling for congressional hearings to look into the prevalence of hazing in the military. The military must implement a zero tolerance policy and must change the culture of hazing that is not only accepted but encouraged.

Tomorrow, almost on the anniversary of his needless and avoidable death, Congress will act. I urge all of you to watch online the Armed Services Committee hearing on hazing in the military.

We can and we must hold the military accountable so no one will ever again have to go through what Harry endured.

Mr. Speaker, have you been to the gas station recently and been shocked? Gas is above $4 a gallon, in many parts of the country, and climbing. That's 29 cents more than only a month ago. Families everywhere are feeling the pinch.

But why?

It doesn't make sense. Supply is up. We've quadrupled U.S. drilling rigs over the past 3 years. Oil production is at its highest in a decade. Last year, the import of oil fell to its lowest level in 16 years.

The answer is Wall Street speculators who buy oil and hoard it. They take it off the market and lower supply until the price goes way up. Then they sell it and make a killing off the American people. That's not fair.

We can't drill our way out of this problem. We must end Wall Street speculation, end subsidies for the oil companies, and end the political rhetoric. Let's have real solutions to the problems.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great loss to our community, Mrs. Ruth Willner, who passed away on February 28, 2012, after a lengthy and valiant battle with cancer. My heart goes out to her two children, Paul and Julia; her granddaughter, Eryn; and her many friends and family members.

Ruth was an extraordinary citizen, an advocate for her community, and a good friend and loyal supporter. I first got to know Ruth's strength and passion in the 1980s, when she was the Chairperson of the Committee for Harmony in Monterey Park, which was formed to defeat a proposed English-only and anti-immigrant ordinance in our hometown. Thanks to Ruth's tireless efforts we succeeded in defeating that ordinance.

A native of East Los Angeles, Ruth attended Roosevelt High School and earned degrees from Los Angeles Community College and TIC Berkeley. A widower, she was married to her husband Irv for 56 years and lived in Monterey Park for 52 years.

Ruth truly loved her community. She was involved in too many community groups, commissions and organizations to name here, including the city's Blue Ribbon Budget Committee, the School District Formation Committee, Friends of the Library, Concerned Citizens, and the anti- casino and anti-billboard committees, to name a few.

As a 35-year member of the Pasadena League of Women Voters, Ruth played an integral role in educating and informing our local electorate. As program chair she shed light on issues as varied as NAFTA, Environmental Justice, Immigration and Welfare Reform, and as a member of the Speakers' Bureau for 25 years she presented pro and con forums on countless ballot issues and moderated scores of candidate forums.

A true believer in the political process, Ruth was a member of the Monterey Park Democratic Club since 1967, where she served as past president and ran the club's newsletter for 20 years. She also was an elected member of the L.A. County Democratic Party for 12 years and served as corresponding secretary for the party.

She was a tireless campaigner, walking precincts and phone banking for George Brown for Assembly, serving as the San Gabriel Valley Coordinator to End the War in Vietnam, and volunteering for Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern, among many others.

I urge my House colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Ruth Willner for her record of civic activism, her indomitable spirit and her remarkable service and contributions to her community and to our nation.

Mr. Speaker, today I'm thinking about the 99 percent of American women who have used birth control. Today, I'm thinking about the 98 percent of Catholic women who have used birth control.

Birth control is a necessity for many women, and it is unfair that women have to pay 68 percent more for it in out-of-pocket costs than men because it is not covered by all health insurance plans.

It is especially unfair to the women who use birth control pills to save their lives. In fact, these pills have prevented 200,000 ovarian cancers and 100,000 deaths.

The nurses, secretaries, and janitors who work at religiously affiliated hospitals and universities should not have to pay more for their health care costs and be punished because of where they work. That's not fair. The Obama administration's policy changes this and is fair. It's about time that women get a break for all that they do to raise children in this world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great loss to our community, Dr. Jacinto ``Jay'' Valencia, who passed away on January 31, 2012, at the age of 63. My heart goes out to his loving wife, Rosalie; his son, John; his daughter, Aileen V. Michel; his grandchildren Cello, Mycah and Naiya; and the rest of his family, friends and loved ones.

I was proud to have known Dr. Jay, as he was fondly called by his friends, for many years. He was a tireless advocate for his community and for working families, and rose to one of the highest positions in the Filipino American union movement.

Dr. Jay was vice president for administrative and legislative affairs of the National Union of Health Workers, based in California, where he worked hard to secure fair benefits and compensation for the organization's membership.

His most lasting legacy, however, was his selection as the first Mayor of Philippinetown, Inc. and his work in securing the designation of Filipinotown as a Historic District by the City of Los Angeles in 2002.

His passion for bettering the lives of his fellow community members was evident in his work for elected officials he believed in, such

as his stint as field representative for then California Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa in Sacramento in the 1990s, and his long- time work in organized labor. He joined SEIU 99 in Los Angeles in 2000 and remained with the organization until his selection as vice president of NUHW, which represents many Filipino and Filipina hospital workers.

Born in the Philippines on Sept. 11, 1949, Dr. Jay was very active in politics in his native country. A dedicated fighter for liberty and democratic rights, Dr. Jay was detained under martial law for being a staff member of the late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1972. He also actively campaigned for Eddie Villanueva during the Philippines presidential elections in 2009 and was president of Bagong Pilipino.

He brought his passion for serving his community back to the United States, where he was a leader, advisor or member of many Filipino American organizations including Justice for Filipino American Veterans, through which he lobbied for full compensation of Filipino World War II veterans in Washington and Sacramento.

I urge my House colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Jacinto ``Jay'' Valencia for his record of civic leadership, indomitable spirit and remarkable service and contributions to his community and to our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great loss to our community, Mrs. Leora Hill, who passed away on New Year's Day, 2012, at the young age of 60. My heart goes out to her husband, Wayne Hill; her daughter, Tonii Nichole Brady; her six grandchildren and great- grandchild; and the rest of her family, friends and loved ones.

Leora was an extraordinary citizen, an activist for working families, a dedicated public servant and a tireless advocate for her community in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles. A fighter for her fellow California residents, Leora spent hundreds of hours attending community meetings, lobbying elected officials and volunteering on dozens of political and public service campaigns.

Leora's dedication to her fellow Californians led her to a 23-year career as a tax technician

for the State Board of Equalization, where she helped thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate the state tax process, file the necessary paperwork to start their businesses and helping entrepreneurs to create jobs and become viable and productive members of the business community.

Her passion for ensuring fair rights and decent wages for California's working families kicked off a longtime tenure as an activist in her union, SEIU Local 1000, where she became chair of the Committee on Political Education, COPE, for Southern California. She also served as President of Local 1000's District Labor Council 723, where she was the labor leader for state employees in south Los Angeles County.

Leora was a true fighter for the underdog. When state employees were threatened with major reductions in wages and furloughed by the governor, she made numerous media appearances, speaking out forcefully in favor of working families.

Leora's tireless efforts on behalf of working families were recognized by then-SEIU International President Andy Stern with a special recognition in 2008.

Leora was also dedicated to increasing political awareness and civic involvement among her fellow residents. Her recruitment of friends, neighbors, and co-workers for political campaigns and other efforts to improve her community truly made a difference in the lives of countless Californians.

I urge my House colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Leora Hill for her record of civic leadership, her indomitable spirit and her remarkable service and contributions to her community and to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 44, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Stated for:

I hear over and over from small businesses that the one thing they need in these tough times is customers. And who is the biggest customer? The Federal Government. Each year, the government spends $500 billion on Federal contracts, but only 20 percent is going to small firms. Small businesses create two out of every three new jobs. So for us to grow the economy, we have to give small businesses a bigger slice of the Federal contracting pie.

Today I am introducing the Building Better Business Partnerships Act. This bill will help small firms break into Federal contracting by making it easier for them to join mentor-protege programs. These programs partner small businesses with companies already contracting with government. It gives small firms a foot in the door so they can navigate the Federal process, get experience on a contract, and eventually win a Federal job of their own. And that means more work and a new customer for small businesses everywhere.

Between 1988 and 1990, the Armenian population was the target of racially motivated pogroms in Azerbaijan. Hundreds of Armenians were murdered and more wounded during three violent attacks in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku.

Though the ethnic cleansing programs occurred over 20 years ago, they were atrocious acts of cruelty. We cannot forget them.

I worry the sentiments that sparked this violence still remain in the Nagorno-Karabakh. Just last month, Azerbaijan began buying up weapons to regain control of the region. The President of Azerbaijan declared this is, ``not a frozen conflict, and it's not going to be one.''

America must remain committed to a peaceful and democratic resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, not one that relives the past.

I came here today wanting to wish everybody a happy new year. But when I came, I found out that our Republican Congress wanted to give everybody an unhappy old year, continuing last year's agenda of no jobs for you. They ended last year not with a bang, but a whimper, as they walked out on a deal to stop a tax hike on the middle class right before the holidays. Even though Senate Republicans had agreed to a compromise, House Republicans were willing to abandon you, just as you were trying to figure out how to pay for gifts for your children.

They were serious about letting the payroll tax and unemployment benefits expire. Thank goodness you expressed your outrage and they were forced to change their position. They gave a 2-month extension. Now in just over a month, they'll be faced with the same choice: to raise taxes for the middle class or finally work together with Democrats to give real relief to Americans like you. Make sure they do the right thing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Victor Grifols Roura on being honored as the 2011 Business Leader of the Year by the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Grifols Roura is President and CEO of Grifols, a global healthcare company with U.S. headquarters in my congressional district in Los Angeles.

Founded in Barcelona, Spain in 1940, Grifols is a leading producer of plasma protein therapies essential for the treatment of a variety of rare, chronic and often life-threatening diseases including: hemophilia, von-Willibrand disease, primary immune deficiencies, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. All of Grifols medicines are derived from human plasma collected at one of the company's 147 plasma donation centers across the country.

For three generations, the Grifols family has been dedicated to improving the lives of patients around the world. One of the company's founders, Dr. Jose Antonio Grifols Roig, developed the plasma donation technique known as plasmapheresis with Dr. Edward Cohn in 1950. Still the method of choice today, plasmapheresis is an automated process that enables individuals to donate plasma while retaining their red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This groundbreaking invention gave rise to the modern plasma therapeutics industry.

Mr. Speaker, Grifols employs 700 people in its corporate, manufacturing, warehousing, and testing facilities in California's 32nd District. The company has invested $135 million in these facilities since 2003 and is moving forward with plans to add 70 new manufacturing jobs.

As part of its commitment to Los Angeles, Grifols supports local organizations that promote education, job training and skills development for area residents. Through an industry partnership with Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Grifols devises curricula and hosts seminars in microbiology, manufacturing, interviewing techniques and resume preparation. Graduating students are given the opportunity to tour the Grifols manufacturing facility and learn about the production of plasma therapies.

Grifols also partners with the Wilshire-Metro WorkSource Center, which provides workforce

development resources to job seekers and local businesses. Grifols hires interns from the Center who have completed their certificate program in technology. In addition, the company interviews all graduates of the program to provide them with valuable, real-world experience.

Grifols presence in the U.S. was greatly enhanced this year by the acquisition of Talecris Biotherapeutics. This transaction, valued at almost $5 billion, is the largest acquisition ever completed by a Spanish company in the U.S. Grifols is now the world's largest collector of human plasma, the third largest manufacturer of plasma protein therapies globally, and the leading plasma manufacturer in Europe.

Mr. Speaker, the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the leading forum for the promotion of commercial, economic and industrial relations between Spain and the United States. Founded in 1959 and based in New York City, the Chamber is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering economic outreach between the two countries.

The Chamber honored Mr. Grifols at its annual gala dinner in Manhattan on December 6th. The U.S Ambassador to Spain, the Spanish Ambassador to the U.S., and the Spanish Minister of Culture joined over 250 guests in recognizing Mr. Grifols Roura's commitment to fostering expanded economic and social ties between the U.S. and Spain.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Victor Grifols Roura for his outstanding leadership of Grifols and for his well deserved honor as 2011 Business Leader of the Year by the Spain- U.S. Chamber of Commerce.