Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great loss to our community, Mr. Lee Roy Test, who passed on December 20, 2009, at the age of 88.

Roy was a shining example of what has become known as ``The Greatest Generation,'' enlisting in the Army Air Corps after the outbreak of World War II and serving as a co-pilot of the B-17 ``Flying Fortress'' in the 398th Bomb Group of the Mighty Eighth Air Force. He and his crew completed 32 missions over Europe in 77 days in the spring and summer of 1944, including D-Day.

After WWII, Roy returned to civilian life and worked as a linotype operator in Los Angeles. An automobile aficionado, Roy helped start the 4N Car Club in West Covina and owned many different foreign sports cars, his favorite being the Triumph TR-3. Competitions and car rallies were a family activity.

Roy and his wife Irene were active members of the local community, serving as Ambassadors of the Baldwin Park Chamber of Commerce for many years. He was also a volunteer in numerous organizations including Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education, Baldwin Park Friends of the Library, and Baldwin Park Historical Society, among many others.

Roy's extensive community involvement earned him the City of Baldwin Park Senior of the Year Award in 1999.

This was just one of many accolades Mr. Test received throughout the years, including recognitions and awards from local, state and federal officials. In 2008, State Assemblyman Hernandez honored Roy as the 57th Assembly District Veteran of the Year. And in October, 2009, Roy was given recognition as one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, which he co-founded as a youth in 1934.

Roy proudly supported several organizations that preserve history by maintaining WWII aircraft, and served as a docent at the Planes of Fame Air Museum at Chino Airport. He enjoyed the camaraderie of friends and loved flying, especially with the Warbirds. He particularly cherished displaying his WWII memorabilia at local air shows, and sharing his war experience with young students.

I urge all my House colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Lee Roy Test, a proud patriot and a fine gentleman, for his remarkable service and contributions to his community and to our nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a pioneer in the field of Asian American political and educational research, and one of my dearest mentors, Dr. Don T. Nakanishi, on his retirement as director and professor of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.

Dr. Nakanishi's 20-year tenure at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, the largest and most renowned research and teaching institute of its kind in the Nation, has provided key leadership and vision for the development of the field of Asian American Studies and Race and Ethnic Relations Scholarship. His contributions to this invaluable field of study date back nearly 4 decades.

Born and raised in the multiethnic, working class community of East Los Angeles, California, Professor Nakanishi attended Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he served as student body president. He was also selected as boy mayor of the City of Los Angeles when he was a senior.

A political scientist, Dr. Nakanishi received his B.A. in political science from Yale University in 1971, and his Ph.D., also in political science, from Harvard University in 1978.

A professor at UCLA for 35 years, Dr. Nakanishi is a prolific writer and highly influential teacher and scholar who has written over 100 books, articles, and reports on the political participation of Asian Pacific Americans and other ethnic and racial groups in American politics; educational research on issues of access and representation; and the international political dimensions of minority experiences.

Dr. Nakanishi is widely recognized for developing the fields of Asian American political and educational research. He has received numerous awards for his scholarly achievements and public service, including the National Community Leadership Award from the Asian Pacific Institute for Congressional Studies, the prestigious Yale Medal from Yale University, and the inaugural Engaged Scholar Award from the Association of Asian American Studies.

Because of his accomplishments, President Bill Clinton appointed Dr. Nakanishi to the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund board of directors, which administered the program established under the 1988 Civil Liberties Act that provided a national apology and reparations for the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II.

I urge all my House colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Don Nakanishi for his remarkable service and contribution to our community.

Thank you, Chairman Pallone and Chairman Waxman, for your assistance in getting this resolution presented to the House floor.

It is January 26, and several months of flu season are still before us. Many people are still at risk of contracting H1N1 but have not gotten the vaccination that would save their lives. Months before cold and flu season began, the media and health professionals warned us about the potential complications from this new strain of flu, H1N1. And indeed, this virus killed over 10,000 people last year.

The purpose of this resolution is to remind people that the threat is not over, and that it is imperative that they get their H1N1 vaccination. Such a vaccination would have helped one of my constituents, Monica Rodriguez. Monica was a wife, mother of three children, and 5 months pregnant. After experiencing severe flu symptoms, including fever, congestion, and cough, Monica went twice in 24 hours to a hospital in El Monte, but she was turned away with only cough syrup to numb the pain, which did little to help the underlying illness.

Days later, after only getting worse, Monica returned to the hospital, where she was immediately admitted into intensive care, but it was too late. On October 25, 2009, Monica and her unborn child passed away from complications of the H1N1 virus. Monica's husband, Jorge Gonzalez, wants others to know his wife's story so that they can receive proper care. Many may believe

that the risk of death from H1N1 no longer exists, but flu experts warn that we should prepare for a possible third wave of H1N1.

Americans definitely have a window of opportunity of getting this vaccine and lessening the impact, or even preventing, another wave of illness. And Monica's husband Jorge would tell you that he wished a vaccine was available to save his wife's life.

The threat of H1N1 is clearly not over. Getting vaccinated is the most important step to preventing the spread of influenza. That is why I have authored this resolution, which recognizes National Influenza Vaccination Week. In contrast to last year, the H1N1 vaccine is now widely available. The risk of contracting flu is still high, and we have several months of flu season before us. Today with this resolution we have another opportunity to get the word out and to remind the public that it is the time to protect yourself.

Many public health departments, hospitals, doctors and nurses are doing a good job of preventing and treating the 22 million cases of H1N1 across the country. However, we must not be complacent and let patients like Monica slip through the cracks. In fact, we must remind everyone to get the H1N1 vaccine.

Today you can easily find the shot, such as online at flu.gov. And of course, we must not forget those who are still at greatest risk, pregnant women like Monica, people who care for infants, health care and emergency medical services personnel, those under the age of 24, and people with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.

Please join me and the 22 health organizations that have endorsed this resolution in showing support for National Influenza Vaccination Week and spreading the message that getting vaccinated is the first step towards preventing the flu. Its passage will not only avert another wave of H1N1 but will honor Monica Rodriguez and all those who have suffered or died from the virus.

List of Healthcare Organizations that Support H. Res. 1003:

American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of

Pediatrics, American Academy of Physician Assistants,

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American College

Health Association, American College of Preventative

Medicine, American Nurses Association, American Pharmacists

Association, American Public Health Association, American

Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Association for

Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.,

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials,

Families Fighting Flu, National Association of Children's

Hospitals and Related Institutions, National Association of

County and City Health Officials, National Association of

Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, National Community

Pharmacists Association, National Environmental Health

Association, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health

Association, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, The

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Trust for

America's Health.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a resolution decrying the shocking violence of the Mexican drug cartels, and I am urging the Mexican Government to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of Bobby Salcedo and of countless innocent bystanders.

This past New Year's Eve, Bobby Salcedo, a young elected official and rising star from my district in El Monte, California, was brutally executed in Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico. Despite having no connection to the Mexican drug trade, Mr. Salcedo's death is part of a recent and pervasive surge in violence against innocent bystanders. Bobby's death reminds us that the violence of the Mexican drug cartels is not in some faraway land but that it affects us here in the United States as well.

This violence must be stopped. Bobby's killers must be brought to justice. That is why I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution in urging the United States and Mexico to bring an

end to the gruesome violence of the Mexican drug cartels.

I rise today to speak of a shocking murder and a tragic loss to my California district. On New Year's eve, Bobby Salcedo was in a restaurant with family and friends in Durango, Mexico when gunmen burst in, took six of the men away, and shot each one to death execution style. Bobby was only 33 years old.

With Bobby, they murdered an exemplary U.S. citizen. He was an elected member of the El Monte City School District Board. He returned to his alma mater, Mountain View High School, to become its assistant principal. He was studying for his doctorate in education at UCLA. He dedicated his life to helping youth and was a rising star in our community.

Bobby's death shows that the violence done by Mexican drug cartels is not in some faraway land; its tentacles affect us in the U.S. all too closely. For the sake of Bobby Salcedo, we must end the violence of the Mexican drug cartels. My heart goes out to the family.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a tragic loss to our community, Mr. Agustin Roberto ``Bobby'' Salcedo, who was senselessly murdered on December 31, 2009, at the young age of 33 while vacationing with his family in the city of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico. My heart goes out to his wife, Betzy; his brother, Carlos Salcedo; his mother, father and the rest of his family, as well as his students and colleagues in the El Monte City and Union School Districts.

Mr. Salcedo was an extraordinary citizen, a caring and dedicated educator, and a young leader and rising star in the El Monte/South El Monte community. He had dedicated his life to educating and enriching the lives of the youth of the very community he grew up in, serving as a football coach and vice principal at Mountain View High School, his alma mater, where he once was Student Body President.

But Bobby did not stop at being an educator, mentor and friend to his students. A son of immigrant parents, he knew he had potential to become a leader, to chart a better course for his entire community. In 2004, he was elected to the El Monte City School District Board. He was reelected just last November, and was sworn in by his brother Carlos, also a school board member. Those of us who knew him know that this was just the start of what could have been a prodigious political career.

Bobby Salcedo earned his bachelor's degree in history from California State University, Long Beach and later a master's degree in educational administration from Cal State San Bernardino. He was studying for his doctorate in educational leadership at the University of California, Los Angeles when he was tragically gunned down.

Mr. Salcedo was also a founding member of the El Monte Coalition of Latino Professionals, which encourages education, cultural awareness, civic participation and economic development, as well as past President of the South El Monte/Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico Sister City Organization.

I urge all my House colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Salcedo for his remarkable service and contribution to our community, and in recognizing the deep sorrow and profound loss that his death has caused to our entire community.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 969, Runaway Prevention Month, rollcall No. 970, Real Salt Lake Soccer Club, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Last night the Senate stood up for women. Last night the Senate rejected an amendment that would have hurt women all across this Nation. Though we won the battle, the fight is not over. We must oppose the Stupak language in the final health care bill. It was on this House floor that we passed the historic health care vote.

But there is one moment that night that I'll never forget. I'll never forget looking up at the vote board and seeing that our House voted for the biggest rollback of women's reproductive rights in decades. My heart sank. Thirty years ago I got into the women's movement to ensure that women would not die in a back-alley abortion with coat hangers.

Today, women finally have choice over their own bodies, but with the Stupak amendment that changes. It was not a compromise. Women will lose benefits. Plans will not offer abortion coverage. Women will be forced to buy an extra rider for abortion ahead of time. And what woman plans to have an abortion?

Let's not make women the sacrificial lamb of health care reform. Let's pass health care reform that benefits all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1599) to amend title 36, United States Code, to include in the Federal charter of the Reserve Officers Association leadership positions newly added in its constitution and bylaws.

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, S. 1599 amends the nearly 60-year-old Federal charter of the Reserve Officers Association to reflect simple changes that have already been made to the organization's structure. The Reserve Officers Association was founded in 1922 and received a Federal charter by Congress in 1950.

As Congress observed at the time, the purpose of the corporation is to support and promote the development and execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide adequate national security. The ROA represents the Reserve Components officers for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Air and Army National Guard, Public Health Service and the officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This bill makes a number of technical changes to the ROA's Federal charter. For instance, the charter will now include the newly created position of president-elect and there would be more positions on the ROA's National Executive Committee. S. 1599 was introduced by Senators Leahy, Chambliss and Pryor and passed the Senate in September. Identical legislation was introduced in the House by Representative Howard Coble, my colleague on the Judiciary Committee, and Representatives Carney and Gary G. Miller.

I commend the House sponsors as well as Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership

in moving this bill swiftly to the floor. It is important to point out that this bill does not run afoul of the Immigration Subcommittee's policy to not create any new Federal charters. Rather than create a new Federal charter, it merely amends a nearly 60-year-old existing charter.

This policy against new charters was first adopted by the subcommittee of jurisdiction 20 years ago in the 101st Congress and has strong bipartisan support. It is based on the considered judgment that a congressional charter is unnecessary to the operation of any charitable organization and may falsely imply to the public that an organization and its activities carry a congressional seal of approval.

Moreover, this policy reflects the subcommittee's judgment that the investigation and monitoring of a chartered organization takes congressional time and resources that are better spent on important policy and oversight efforts. That we are taking up this body's valuable time today to ratify simple changes to the ROA's leadership structure is evidence in itself that Congress should not be increasing the number of chartered organizations.

That having been said, because S. 1599 makes only technical amendments to an existing charter and does nothing to create a new charter, I support this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I urge my colleagues to support S. 1599, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 851) recognizing and honoring the 40th anniversary of SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, headquartered in Sacramento, California.

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 resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 851 recognizes SEARCH, the National Consortium For Justice Information and Statistics' 40th anniversary. SEARCH is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to improving the criminal justice system through better information management and effective application of information and identification technology. SEARCH members are primarily State criminal justice officials responsible for the management of criminal justice information, particularly criminal history information.

SEARCH was founded in 1969 when the Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration created Project SEARCH to explore the feasibility, practicality, and cost effectiveness of developing a computerized criminal history record system. Since its founding, SEARCH has sought to balance the individual's right to privacy with society's need for criminal history information. In 1970, for example, SEARCH first published findings and recommendations regarding the security, privacy and confidentiality of information contained in computerized criminal history files. SEARCH has a long history of involvement with criminal background checks, and has been invaluable to the formulation of national and State policies that guide the scope and use of criminal records.

In 2005, SEARCH published the report of the National Task Force on the Commercial Sale of Criminal Justice Record Information. This report was a comprehensive look at the role that commercial background screening companies play in the collection, maintenance, sale, and dissemination of criminal history record information for employment screening and other purposes. SEARCH concluded the work of the National Task Force on the Criminal Backgrounding of America in 2006. This task force report was relied upon by the Department of Justice for its own report on criminal history background checks.

SEARCH has played a critical role in the development of systems such as the Interstate Identification Index, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, also known as the Brady check system, the National Fingerprint File and the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Over its 40-year history, SEARCH's work has helped criminal justice, public safety and first-response professionals use information to combat crimes, acts of terrorism and disasters.

For all these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Matsui).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 851, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The clock is ticking for Americans and the children of my district. Families have been suffering, waiting for changes in our health care system so they can care for their children. They have been waiting for Congress to act.

They are mothers like Maria, whose child has leukemia and worries that excessive copays will make her go bankrupt.

They are children like Stacey, who has been waiting to get glasses and can't see the chalkboard at school, but she can't get them because her parents' insurance doesn't provide vision care.

They are parents like Barbara and Jim, whose 20-year-old has diabetes and is no longer eligible for health insurance since he graduated from college.

With the passage of this bill, out-of-pocket expenses will be capped at $10,000, vision care for children will be covered, and older children will be covered up until age 26. Maria will not go bankrupt, Stacey will get glasses, and a son with diabetes can get treated. Children and families will get the quality health care they deserve.

Let's pass this health care bill now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Monica Rodriguez from El Monte, California. Monica was a wife, mother of three children, and 5 months pregnant. Monica went twice

to a hospital in El Monte with flu symptoms, including flu, fever, congestion, and cough. She was sent away with cough syrup. Days later, Monica was admitted into intensive care, but it was too late, and Monica passed away on October 25 due to complications from the H1N1 virus.

Monica was a pregnant woman with flu-like symptoms that should have set off alarm bells. Despite multiple visits to the hospital, she was denied treatment that could have saved her life. The Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines for health care providers that said, ``Pregnant women are at higher risk for severe complications and death from influenza, including both 2009 H1N1 influenza and seasonal influenza.'' If the El Monte hospital had followed these guidelines, her tragic death could have been avoided. Her husband, Jorge Gonzalez, wants others to know about his wife's death so that they can receive proper care.

In memory of Monica Rodriguez, I will introduce a resolution alerting people so no other person will needlessly die in this manner.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 841, my pager malfunctioned and did not go off. Thus, I was not notified that votes were starting and I missed my first vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, the health care reform bill is crucial to Californians across the State, but it will especially benefit my constituents in the San Gabriel Valley and East L.A. who struggle every day to survive without proper health care.

The percentage of California residents that lack health insurance is about 19 percent, one of the highest rates in the country. But fully one-third or 33 percent of the residents of my district are uninsured. This is a situation that is simply unacceptable for a State and the Nation that prides itself on being the most advanced and wealthiest in the world.

But this bill will provide everybody stability, security, and peace of mind. It will provide peace of mind for the low income and uninsured. People like Patricia, who is age 64 and had insurance until she retired. Then she was left without insurance and she got very sick. Her kidneys failed, and she was too young for Medicare. It was not until she was in the intensive care unit and dying of renal failure that she was able to qualify for early Medicare benefits. This situation will not occur with health care reform. With health care reform, people like Patricia will be able to buy health care and there will be credits provided to her so that she can afford it.

Health care reform will be good for people who don't have coverage right now, people like Scott, who had insurance all his life but changed jobs, became self-employed, and wanted to buy insurance but found, to his shock, that he was denied because of a preexisting condition. He had asthma as a child. Health care reform will help him because he will not be denied because of a preexisting condition. He will not have to worry about being dropped from insurance because of a serious illness. He will not have to worry about copays and deductibles that will cause him to go into bankruptcy. He will not have to worry about a lifetime cap on medical care in case of a very serious illness. In fact, with passage of health care reform, never again will American families face bankruptcy because of unexpected health care costs, as they will not have to pay more than $10,000 a year for out-of-pocket health care costs.

And this bill will give peace of mind to small businesses. Small businesses and their workers are particularly impacted by the high cost of health care in this country. They account for the largest share of the uninsured. Small businesses pay higher rates today because they do not have the advantage of large numbers of employees over which to spread insurance risk.

Even if a small employer currently has healthy workers, the small business faces the prospect of dramatically increased future premiums if any employee actually needs to use the coverage, such as one small company in my district, an insurance company with five workers. One worker had a baby that was premature, causing very, very expensive care. The next year, the insurance company drastically raised their rates, and now the business has to make a decision about whether to continue covering its employees. But this bill will allow small businesses to afford health care coverage and reduce health care costs through tax credits that are available to the smallest of employers.

It is clear that the status quo is unacceptable. If we do nothing, health care costs will continue to rise, quality of care will deteriorate, and every American will risk losing their health care. The growing cost of health care is one of the biggest drains on our economy. If we are to bring our Nation back to fiscal health, we must have real, fundamental health care reform.

This bill is good for my district, and it's good for California, where hospitals are overwhelmed with uninsured patients, where thousands are without jobs and without insurance and where the State doesn't have the financial resources to pick up the slack. Not in six decades have we been this close to achieving this most crucial task of reforming our health care system. Let me be clear, we would be derelict in our duty to the American people if we let this opportunity go to waste.

Yes. They wait until the last minute, such as the person I talked about, Patricia, who was age 64 and had insurance. But during this 10-year period between the time she retired at age 55 and age 65, where she would have qualified for Medicare, she had no alternative. She had kidney failure, but she waited until the last minute, and she was almost dying before she got care. This is a situation that people in California are faced with in California every day.

Yes, I have heard many stories like that. In fact, I had a town hall for people who just spoke Spanish. I had a town hall for people who just spoke Chinese. I will never forget one woman who was speaking Spanish, talking about the fact that she was covered but that her son, age 21, was not covered and, in fact, when she tried to get coverage for him, he was denied because of a preexisting condition. So they were forced to go down to Tijuana every month to just buy medication out of pocket.

But with this health care bill, insurance companies can cover children of parents up until the age of their 27th birthday. So young adults like that will be covered with this health care reform bill.

Absolutely. My town halls actually showed the opposite of what some might think. It showed people who were very sincerely concerned about their futures, who wanted to have that security and stability and peace of mind and who very much needed this alternative.

But you raise a very good point. Not only will this do so much good for the people of America; it is also fiscally responsible. The Congressional Budget Office has actually said that this will actually reduce the budget deficit over the next 20 years.

Women of America, Republicans want you to believe that our health care reform bill is poison, that doing nothing is better for the Nation. But it is the status quo that is poison.

Today, women are forced to settle for less health care at a higher price. We pay as much as 50 percent more than men, a practice of discrimination that is legal in 38 States. But this bill prohibits insurance companies from charging women more for the same coverage.

Today, women are turned away from buying insurance due to so-called preexisting conditions such as domestic

violence, pregnancy, and C-sections. But this bill makes it illegal to deny coverage due to any preexisting condition, including breast cancer.

Today fewer than half of America's women can get health insurance through work because they stay at home, work at small businesses, or work part time. But through this bill, every woman can buy coverage through the exchange that will cover maternity and preventative care.

This is why women in America need this health care reform bill and why I strongly support this legislation.