Floor Statements

The health care repeal act will hurt many people, but especially seniors. It raises cost for prescriptions and preventive care. It weakens Medicare. And it takes away your freedom to make your own decisions, returning your health back to the hands of insurance companies. At the start of this year, seniors began receiving free preventive services such as mammograms and an annual exam, while, if repeal succeeds, good-bye free check-ups and free life-saving tests.

Today, seniors in the Medicare doughnut hole are getting half off many brand-name drugs; but if repeal passes, your prescription drugs are going to double. And those who get a $250 check to help cover high drug costs might even have to pay it back. The original health reform bill extended Medicare's life until 2029; but if we repeal it, the Medicare Trust Fund becomes insolvent in 6 short years. The Patients Rights Repeal Act hurts seniors. It's dangerous for America's health.

Madam Speaker, this weekend, a horrible tragedy befell the city of Tucson, the State of Arizona and the Nation. One of our own, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, was doing her duty as a Member of Congress. She was out in the neighborhood, talking face to face with her constituents about their concerns and their problems. ``Congress on Your Corner'' was an event she had done before with success and she wanted to start the New Year with an open door to her constituents.

When she arrived at the local Safeway, dressed in a red blazer, black slacks and black pumps, she greeted those in attendance, hugged each of her staff and gave a short speech. Then, constituents began asking questions, getting their photo taken, and asking for help. It was then, only minutes after the event began, that a young man, armed with a semiautomatic handgun with 33 deadly rounds, directly faced Gabby and shot her point blank in the head. But he didn't pause; he kept shooting. With such rapid fire, those waiting in line to speak to Gabby had no chance to escape his wrath.

What happened in Tucson was not just about unspeakable tragedy. It was about heroic actions. When the gunman turned to flee, a brave but wounded bystander grabbed the shooter, as others came to his aid. One courageous older woman, Patricia Maisch, tried to wrestle a second magazine full of another 33 deadly bullets from him to protect others from his indiscriminate gunfire. She began shouting at him, even as she remained in danger. She raised the questions many of us asked when we heard of his horrible actions: ``How could you be so hateful? How could you do this?''

As the paramedics and emergency responders attended to the scene, the true sorrow of the event became clear. Twenty patriotic Americans were shot, many severely. Six of them lost their lives for no reason other than that they participated in the democratic process.

This tragedy has touched our Nation to its very core. The fact that this horrific event would occur during such an open democratic event has chipped away at our innocence as a country. The fact that some would rather turn to bullets instead of words to address differing opinions makes us feel as though our democratic process is under siege.

However, it is my hope that the lives of those six brave souls will not be lost in vain, and that we can become even stronger as a Nation. Our Nation was founded on the premise that the American people have the right to elect their own leaders, to have their voices heard, and have a say in their own government. We fought, and many died, to protect that right. And no one is allowed to take that away from us.

The American democratic process should not be one of anger and hateful words, but of discourse and discussion. After all our country has been through to protect our freedoms, we must maintain respect for one another and understand that the ability to share differing opinions is at the core of what makes our Nation so great.

So it is in the spirit of respect and democracy that I support this resolution. My prayers go out to the families of the victims, all of the survivors, and to my friend Gabby Giffords, for a speedy and full recovery. To those who lost loved ones, words simply cannot express my feelings of sadness at such a devastating loss.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the reading of the American Constitution on the Floor of the House of Representatives. Our founding fathers spent nearly four months debating the original Constitution during the summer of 1787. They spent the following two and a half years securing the support of each of the thirteen original colonies. Since the constitutional convention in Philadelphia, the Constitution has been debated and successfully amended a total of 27 times. Today, we take an important step by recognizing this important history of debate and change.

When it was originally drafted, the American Constitution laid out a framework of government that reflected their best of understanding of the world as it existed in 1787. That document included many important insights and compromises, but the drafters realized that the Constitution--and the great Nation it created--would only last if the Constitution could adapt and change to meet the challenges of the day. That is why the drafters included a mechanism in the Constitution to change the very document they spent months crafting.

As we are all aware, the first exercise of this amendment mechanism concluded in December 1791 when our young Country ratified the Bill of Rights. Those ten amendments embody some of our most important protections from government power including the freedom of speech, protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the guarantee of due process.

During the 19th and 20th Centuries the American people amended the Constitution by adding to Congress's express constitutional powers and ensuring Congress has all the tools necessary to address national problems and protect the rights of all Americans. Shortly after the U. S. Civil War, the Constitution was amended to abolish slavery, guarantee the equal protection of the law to all Americans, and guaranteeing the right to vote. With these changes, ``We the People'' expanded the power to Congress to protect the promises of freedom and equality for all Americans.

I could go on, but my point is not to give a history of the Constitution but to explain how the Constitution has changed for the better. Without these changes, a Chinese-American woman, like me, would never be able to vote in this Country much less serve as a member of Congress. With these powers, Congress has not only been given great power by the American people, it has also been given great responsibility. That responsibility includes ensuring that all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, creed, gender, gender identification, or sexual orientation, have the opportunity to pursue their own version of happiness.

I welcome this reading today as a symbol of the Constitution as a living document. Our understanding of the Constitution is constantly changing and evolving just as the words of the constitution have changed over time. If anything has remained constant, it is the principles espoused by that great document. Those principles ensure that we will have a representative government, ``of the people, by the people, and for the people,'' and that this government will protect the core values of liberty, equality, and opportunity. I look forward to working with my friends across the aisle to ensure this Congress uses its broad powers to promote these values.

``A quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States.''

Madam Speaker, I was absent on December 22, 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 847--James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

Madam Speaker, I was absent on December 21, 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the following:

H. Res. 1771--Same Day Consideration Rule; H.R. 6540--To require the Secretary of Defense, in awarding a contract for the KC-X Aerial Refueling Aircraft Program, to consider any unfair competitive advantage that an offeror may possess (Rep. Inslee--Armed Services) Suspension bill; Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5116--America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Rep. Gordon-- Science and Technology); Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2142--Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act (Rep. Cuellar--Oversight and Government Reform); Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2751--FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (Reps. Waxman/Dingell--Energy and Commerce); S. 3243--Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010 (Sen. Pryor/Rep. Shuler-- Homeland Security) Suspension bill;

Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3082--Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011 (Rep. Obey-- Appropriations); H.R. 6547--To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require criminal background checks for school employees (Rep. George Miller--Education and Labor) Suspension bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6198) to amend title 11 of the United States Code to make technical corrections; and for related purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on November 19, the Senate passed an amended version of H.R. 6198, the Bankruptcy Technical Corrections Act of 2010. H.R. 6198 makes a series of purely technical corrections in response to certain drafting errors resulting from the enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.

The Senate amendment simply removes from the bill a provision that corrected a misnumbered paragraph.

It is our understanding that some believe that this provision, which corrects a clear error in bankruptcy law, may possibly cause confusion with respect to other laws that currently contain cross-references to the incorrectly numbered paragraph. While some might question the need for the Senate amendment, we are willing to accommodate the concern.

Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 6198.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 1107) to enact certain laws relating to public contracts as title 41, United States Code, ``Public Contracts''.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1107 codifies into positive law as title 41, United States Code, certain general and permanent laws related to public contracts. This is a noncontroversial bill that is not intended to make any substantive changes in the law. The Office of Law Revision Counsel periodically suggests to the committee of jurisdiction appropriate revisions to the United States Code in light of the enactment of codified laws. These changes are purely technical in nature. As is typical with the codification process, a number of non-substantive revisions are made, including the reorganization of sections into a more coherent overall structure.

Similar legislation has been introduced and favorably reported in each of the past two Congresses. It passed the House in May of last year. While it has been awaiting action in the Senate, a few additional technical corrections were identified, and they have been incorporated in the version that passed the Senate and that we are considering today.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 628) to establish a pilot program in certain United States district courts to encourage enhancement of expertise in patent cases among district judges.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this bill seeks to create a pilot program that will enhance district court expertise in patent cases.

Patent litigation is complex and highly technical. This makes litigation expensive, time consuming, and unpredictable. Moreover, the reversal rate of district court decisions is high, hovering around 50 percent. The bill before us today, H.R. 628, seeks to increase efficiency and consistency in patent and plant variety protection litigation and reduce the reversal rate.

The pilot program created by this bill would enable interested judges in certain district courts to develop expertise in adjudicating patent and plant variety protection cases. This will create a cadre of judges who have advanced knowledge of patent and plant variety protection due to more intensified experience in handling the cases, along with special education and career development opportunities.

By providing judges with more training and experience in patent law, this country will have fairer and more predictable decisions resulting in a positive effect on the economy as a whole, as businesses will be able to allocate more time to inventing and less time litigating.

The program would involve six of the Nation's 94 judicial districts on a strictly voluntary basis. Note this is just a pilot program; and unless Congress chooses to renew it, it will automatically expire after 10 years. The bill mandates reporting requirements to Congress that will help guide our future efforts to further improve the patent system. We will monitor the effects of this program closely.

H.R. 628 has bipartisan support in the Judiciary Committee and broad support from the patent bar and affected industry and trade groups. In 2006, a nearly identical bill, H.R. 5418, was reported by the Judiciary Committee and passed the House under suspension. The legislation passed the House again under suspension in the last Congress. This Congress, back in March of 2009, this House passed H.R. 628. This amended version before us today expands the number of districts that are eligible to be chosen for this program.

I want to particularly note the efforts of my friends on both sides of the aisle, Representative Issa and Representative Schiff, whose tireless and substantial personal efforts shepherded this bill from start to finish--and we are close to the finish line.

I urge my colleagues to once again join me in supporting this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4005) to amend title 28, United States Code, to prevent the proceeds or instrumentalities of foreign crime located in the United States from being shielded from foreign forfeiture proceedings.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Preserving Foreign Criminal Assets for Forfeiture Act of 2010 will ensure that U.S. courts can freeze assets while foreign legal proceedings are pending. This fix permits Federal law enforcement to assist foreign governments without waiting for a final judgment in a foreign court.

I want to tell you a story that highlights the importance of this legislation. Years ago, I met a bright young man named Bobby Salcedo, who grew up in my district it in El Monte, California. What struck me right away was Bobby's dedication to improving the lives of children and residents of his community. It was that dedication that gave him his incredible energy and passion to achieve as much as he did.

He was an elected member of the El Monte School District. He returned to his alma mater, Mountain View High School, to become its assistant principal, and was studying for his doctorate in education at UCLA.

Aside from his caring, selfless nature, Bobby was very intelligent, driven, and charismatic. It was clear to everyone who knew him that he was going somewhere. He was our rising star.

A year ago, Bobby traveled to Gomez Palacio in the Mexican state of Durango to visit his wife's family for the holidays. On New Year's Eve, he was out with family and friends at a local restaurant when gunmen burst in and dragged Bobby, along with five other men, out of the restaurant at gunpoint. They were then each shot to death execution- style. The next day, all six bodies were found dumped in a ditch. Bobby was only 33 years old.

After the investigation began, it was confirmed that none of the six murder victims were connected to the drug trade in any way. Bobby and the others were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their deaths exemplify a growing number of innocent bystanders who are

becoming victimized in the cartel violence in Mexico.

It had seemed as though the situation could not get worse. However, only weeks after Bobby was so brutally murdered, the lead state investigator in his case was also shot dead.

For me and thousands of others, Bobby's death is a symbol for both of our countries that progress for peace in Mexico must be made. We cannot allow the death of innocent bystanders or American citizens to pass without consequences. Until there is true accountability for the violence, there is little incentive for the drug lords to keep the peace.

In my conversations with law enforcement, I hear the same thing over and over again. In order to stop this wave of violence on the border and protect both American and Mexican citizens, we must hit the cartels where it hurts the most--their bank accounts and property, which are often located in the United States. So when I heard that Federal courts had severely limited law enforcement's ability to freeze foreign assets in the United States at the request of foreign governments, I had to act.

In 2000, Congress passed the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000, which authorized Federal courts to assist foreign nations by freezing assets located in the United States while individuals stood trial in foreign courts. This process is consistent with our treaty obligations and, under those same international agreements, foreign courts will offer the United States similar assistance with assets located overseas.

This law is an important tool to fight organized crime, money laundering, and drug trafficking. It allows the U.S. to assist foreign governments in cutting the money supply to international criminal organizations.

Earlier this year, however, Federal courts interpreted the statute to apply only after a final decision has been reached in a foreign court proceeding. After the decision, law enforcement had no way to prevent illicit property from being moved out of our grasp before it was too late.

In the past few months, our government has been unable to protect more than $550 million that had been identified for forfeiture by foreign governments. This money will remain a continuing resource for criminal organizations, allowing them to fund extensive additional criminal activity.

The bill we are considering today includes due process protections similar to those used for restraining orders in anticipation of domestic forfeiture judgments. It also requires the courts to verify that the relevant foreign tribunal observes due process protections, has subject matter jurisdiction, and is not acting as a result of fraud.

This is just one small step to ensure that international criminal organizations like the cartels that murdered Bobby Salcedo have fewer resources to evade prosecution. It is for Bobby, his family, and the thousands of others who have been affected by cartel violence around the world that I fought to pass this important legislation.

I thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee for allowing this bill to come to the floor so quickly, and I want to recognize the steadfast bipartisan support of my friend, Judge Ted Poe, and our colleagues in the Senate, Senators Whitehouse and Cornyn.

This bill has the support of the Department of Justice, which is eager to use this tool to protect our borders and make the world a safer place. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, last year, Bobby Salcedo, a beloved elected official in my district, was brutally murdered by the Mexican drug cartels while visiting family in Durango, Mexico. While I am saddened by Bobby's loss, his death has led me to fight the dangerous drug cartels that thrive along our border. That is why I introduced the Preserving Foreign Criminal Assets Forfeiture Act, a bill that will make it easier for Federal police to seize the illicit assets of international criminal organizations.

Foreign criminals are able to protect hundreds of millions of dollars in dirty money by moving their proceeds abroad before U.S. police can seize them, enabling them to continue their illegal activities. With this bill, we will have another tool to fight the drug cartels by cutting off their lifeblood and allowing Federal law enforcement officials to seize these illicit assets.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4010) for the relief of Shigeru Yamada.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

S. 4010 is an immigration relief bill for Shigeru Yamada. The House passed a substantially identical version of this bill by voice vote in the 110th Congress, but the Senate was unable to take up the measure. I am pleased to see that the House will have an opportunity to vote on final passage today.

Shigeru was brought to the United States from Japan when he was 10 years old. Together with his mother and his two sisters, Shigeru entered the country on a non-immigrant visa and remained in the United States for over 3 years on his mother's student visa. During this period, Shigeru's mother became engaged to a U.S. citizen. Had she married her fiance, she and her children would have been able to obtain lawful permanent residence in the country. However, in September 1995, when Shigeru was only 13 years old, his mother was killed in a car accident.

After his mother's death, Shigeru and his sisters were raised by their maternal aunt and uncle in Chula Vista, California. Shigeru's natural father was an alcoholic who was physically abusive to Shigeru, his sisters, and their mother. There was no other viable caretaker in Japan.

Shigeru's aunt attempted to formally adopt him, but was unable to complete the adoption before his 16th birthday. Under current immigration law, virtually all adoptions of foreign children by U.S. citizens must be completed before the child's 16th birthday in order for the child to qualify for legal status in the United States. Although Shigeru's sisters obtained legal status through adoption and marriage, Shigeru continued to reside here without such status.

In the meantime, Shigeru became a model student, graduating from Eastlake High School with honors in 2010. At Eastlake, he served on student government, participated in numerous community service activities, and excelled at football and wrestling. He was an All- American Scholar and was named Outstanding English Student his freshman year. He was also voted the Most Inspirational Player of the Year in various sports, both at the junior varsity and varsity level. He served as vice president of the associated student body his senior year.

Shigeru also volunteered to coach the Eastlake High School softball team and obtained an associate's degree from Southwestern Community College.

It is through no fault of his own that Shigeru was raised in the United States without legal immigration status. Shigeru's mother died before she could regularize his status, and adoption proceedings by his aunt were completed too late to affect his immigration status. S. 4010 presents the only option for Shigeru to remain in the United States.

I commend Representative Bob Filner and Senator Dianne Feinstein, who each introduced their first private immigration bill on Shigeru's behalf back in the 108th Congress. I would also like to recognize Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Immigration Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith for their help in moving this bill to the floor today.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and

Customs Enforcement,

Washington, DC, Aug. 27, 2009.

Hon. Zoe Lofgren,

Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship,

Refugees, Border Security, & International Law, Committee

on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington,

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1774) for the relief of Hotaru Nakama Ferschke.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

S. 1774 is an immigration relief bill for Hotaru Nakama Ferschke. By now the story of Mrs. Ferschke and her late husband, Marine Sergeant Michael H. Ferschke, Jr., should be well known to Members of the House.

The couple met in March 2007 when Sergeant Ferschke was stationed at Camp Schwab in Okinawa, Japan. They dated for more than 1 year before Sergeant Ferschke was deployed to Iraq. Shortly before his departure, they learned that they were going to have a baby. They spoke about getting married, moving back to the United States, and raising a family together.

Two months after arriving in Iraq, they were married through a ceremony conducted over the telephone. But just 1 month later, Sergeant Ferschke tragically lost his life in combat.

The United States military recognizes the couple's marriage for purposes of providing Mrs. Ferschke with a death gratuity. But our immigration laws recognize only proxy marriages that have been consummated, something this couple was never able to do following the marriage. As a result, Mrs. Ferschke has been unable to move to the United States on an immigrant visa, and her hopes of raising their son with the love and support of Sergeant Ferschke's family have been thwarted.

Last month, the House passed H.R. 6397, the Marine Sergeant Michael H. Ferschke, Jr. Memorial Act. The purpose of that bill was to fix Mrs. Ferschke's situation and to ensure that no other family is left in a similar situation. Because that bill remains stuck in the Senate, a relief bill for Mrs. Ferschke is the only way to right this wrong.

I commend Senators Webb, Alexander, Corker, and Udall for introducing this bill in the Senate, and Representative John Duncan for his work on a companion bill in the House. I would also recognize Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Immigration Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren, and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith for helping to move this bill to the floor.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

U.S. Department of Homeland

Security,

Washington, DC., March 5, 2010.

Hon. Zoe Lofgren,

Chair, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees,

Border Security, and International Law Committee on the

Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Madam Chair: In response to your request for a report

relative to H.R. 3182, private legislation for the relief of

Hotaru Nakama Ferschke, enclosed is a memorandum of

information concerning the beneficiary. This report is an

update of one previously provided your committee on February

26, 2010, revised to reflect additional information provided

by your staff.

The bill provides that the beneficiary shall be eligible

for issuance of an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status

to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence

upon filing an application for issuance of an immigrant visa

under section 204 of the Immigration and Nationality Act or

for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident.

We hope the information provided is useful. Please do not

hesitate to call me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,

Elliot Williams,

Director.

Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Memorandum of Information for H.R. 3182, 111th Congress

On July 10, 2009, Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) introduced H.R.

3182, private legislation to provide immigration relief for

Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke. This is the first private bill filed on

her behalf.

The beneficiary is the widow of Michael Harvey Ferschke,

Jr., a United States Marine who was killed-in-action August

10, 2008, as a result of a gunshot wound received as a member

of a dismounted patrol that was conducting combat operations

in Tikrit, Iraq. Mr. Ferschke passed away before an I-130

immediate relative petition could be filed on Ms. Ferschke's

behalf.

Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke was born on October 20, 1983, and is a

native and citizen of Japan. Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke has entered

the United States 3 times as a temporary visitor. She entered

the United States on December 12, 2007, August 15, 2008, and

February 27, 2009. Each time she came to the U.S. she

complied with the terms of her visa and departed before her

visa expired. Ms. Ferschke has never been placed in removal

proceedings or ordered removed.

Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke met her husband while he was stationed

at the U.S. Marine base in Okinawa, Japan. They traveled to

the United States from December 22, 2007, through December

30, 2007, for the Christmas holiday, where she met Michael's

parents, Mr. Michael H. Ferschke, and Mrs. Robin Ferschke.

When Michael Ferschke, Jr. received orders to deploy to Iraq,

Hotaru, who was pregnant, remained in Okinawa. Michael

Ferschke Jr. and Hotaru Nakama were married via

teleconference on July 10, 2008, while he was in Iraq and she

was in Japan. One month later, Michael was killed during

Operation Iraqi Freedom in support of the Global War on

Terrorism.

On August 15, 2008, Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke returned to the

United States to attend the funeral for her late husband in

Maryville, Tennessee. She returned to Okinawa on August 31,

2008.

On January 9, 2009, Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke gave birth to a

son, Michael Harvey Ferschke III at the Chatan Hospital,

Okinawa, Japan, and on February 27, 2009, she brought her

newborn son to the United States. When in the United States,

they reside with her late husband's parents in Tennessee.

Neighbors have welcomed Hotaru and her new son into the

community.

Mrs. Ferschke is the daughter of Mr. Masaaki and Mrs.

Takako Nakama, both of whom are natives and citizens of

Japan. Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke resides with her mother and

grandmother, Mitsu Shinzato. Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke is one of

four children, between sisters, Madoka Kudaka and Reika

Nakama and her half-sister NaNami Nakama. Mrs. Hotaru

Ferschke attended Okinawa Christian Junior College where she

majored in English.

Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke is currently employed as an

Administrative Specialist with the United States Army's 83rd

Ordnance Battalion CASB, Kadena Air Base Okinawa, Japan where

she has been employed since August 2007. Prior to her

employment with the 83rd Ordnance Battalion she was employed

at the Camp Courtney Commissary, Unit 5156, as a sales clerk.

Her annual salary is estimated to be $24,000.00 per year.

Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke has seen substantial support from the

community here in the United States. Mrs. Hotaru Ferschke is

not employed in the United States. She is a new member of the

American Widows Project, a support group for the wives and

husbands of fallen U.S. soldiers. Record checks concerning

criminal activity with U.S. Federal, state, and local law

enforcement agencies revealed no derogatory information.

Commercial databases revealed no known debts or encumbrances,

foreign or domestic. Inquiries with neighbors of Mr. Michael

H. Ferschke and Mrs. Robin Ferschke regarding Hotaru Ferschke

revealed no derogatory information.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

I rise in strong support of this bill to repeal the flawed Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.

Alexander Nicholson was a bright young man who joined the Army's Intelligence Unit. He was a great asset, speaking 5 different languages, including Arabic.

One day, a fellow linguist discovered a letter he had written to his boyfriend. It was in Portuguese, so he thought no one could understand it. Well, that linguist did and outed him. Instead of being discharged, Alexander resigned . . . 6 months after 9/11 when they needed someone with his ability the most.

Since Don't Ask, Don't Tell, 13,000 soldiers have been discharged for no other reason than their sexual orientation. It has cost over $360 million to replace them, an utter waste of dollars and talent. That's why I've stopped calling this policy ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' and instead label it what it really is: ``Doesn't Work, Never Has.''

Let's stop this misguided policy from hurting countless men and women who serve our country. Our country should praise the men and women who keep us safe--not persecute them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of America's great pioneers. Secretary Norman Mineta is a role model for Americans of every color, background, and creed. His story is one of sacrifice, hardship, dedication, and triumph. His success in the face of adversity is not only important to Asian Americans but to all Americans.

Secretary Mineta was born to Japanese immigrant parents who came to America for a better life, even though they faced harsh conditions, particularly in the halls of Congress. After passage of the Asian Exclusion Act, Japanese immigrants were prohibited from becoming citizens, forced to carry papers with them at all times, and often harassed and detained. If they couldn't produce the proper documents, authorities threw them into prison or even out of the country.

But it didn't end there. When Mineta was a young boy, he and his parents were rounded up, forced out of their home, and shipped off to live in the Santa Anita racetrack on the infamous order of President Roosevelt during World War II. Three months later, they ended up at Heart Mountain internment camp near Cody, Wyoming, where they lived surrounded by barbed wire as the war dragged on.

For some, such treatment would make them abandon their country, but not Secretary Mineta. After graduating from business school at Cal Berkeley, he signed up for the Army and served the very Nation that imprisoned his family, and he served as an intelligence officer in Japan and Korea.

This dedication to service never left him, and when asked to join the San Jose City Council he jumped at the chance. With this City Council seat, he became the first minority and first Asian American City Council member in San Jose. It wasn't long before he was elected the first Asian American mayor of a major U.S. city, and thus began a long line of major accomplishments for a leader who was ahead of his time.

It is because of Secretary Mineta, who introduced legislation when he was in Congress, that we designate May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Because of that, today all Americans are reminded of the many contributions Asian Americans have made to this country. It was Secretary Mineta who spearheaded the long push and final passage of the Japanese American reparations bill. Because of him, finally there was an apology and relief to the 120,000 Japanese Americans who lost everything while being interned during World War II just because of their ancestry.

And it was Secretary Mineta who cofounded and cochaired the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Today, our caucus is 11 members strong, providing a unified voice for issues unique to the Asian American community.

And that was all before he became Secretary. A decade ago, he was appointed by President Clinton as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, making him the first Asian American to be a Cabinet member, and then he was appointed--the only Democratic Cabinet Secretary under President George Bush--to head the Department of Transportation. And, after 5 years in the post, he became the longest-serving Transportation Secretary in the Department's history.

I can think of no one more deserving for this body to honor than Secretary Mineta. He is an inspiration to many, including me, and we owe a debt of gratitude for all that he has done to put Asian Americans on the map and to put America on the map. It is because of his leadership that America is a better and stronger Nation today.