Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 5652, ``Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012,'' which slashes $238 billion over 10 years and cancels the discretionary sequestration scheduled for 2013 to exempt defense spending from the cuts agreed upon by the Republican majority in the Budget Control Act of 2011. This bill is unfair to children, seniors, women, and working families. This abomination is unworthy of a civilized nation. Little wonder that so many faith-based and leading national organizations, from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to the National Education Association oppose this bill. I stand with them in strong opposition to this assault on working and middle class families.

My Democratic colleagues and I agree that the scheduled sequester, with its indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts, should be replaced with a balanced deficit reduction package that includes both spending cuts and additional revenues. Republicans disagree and would let the burden and cost of deficit reduction fall on the shoulders of children, seniors, working families, and the middle class rather than close even one special interest tax loophole or ask any sacrifice of the truly wealthy.

This bill makes cuts to critical safety-net programs that millions of people rely on, all while returning to policies that sparked the recession in the first place. They are choosing the wrong programs to cut in order to reduce the deficit. Let me highlight a few examples to illustrate just how extreme and unfair this legislation is.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5652 makes cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the program formerly known as food stamps) that would result in reducing benefits for all 46 million SNAP participants--one million of whom live in Los Angeles County--and terminate assistance for at least two million. Low-income households who do not lose benefits altogether will face monthly reductions of $50, $60, or even $90 a month. In 2010, SNAP kept 4.4 million people from being poor, 1 million of whom were lifted out of poverty just from the increase in SNAP benefits that began in 2009.

You cannot make a nation's economy healthy by impoverishing its people.

A 9-year panel study conducted by the Department of Agriculture showed that the federal food assistance program alone was responsible for lifting low-income persons purchasing power by six percent. This is a program that is proven to work, and yet the this Republican bill seeks to slash it $33.2 billion. With cuts of this magnitude, eligibility for the program will have to be scaled back dramatically, and benefits will be cut deeply for those who still qualify. This will have serious effects on millions of low-income families who rely on the program just to get by.

The bill also proposes to end the Prevention and Public Health Fund. Since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded more than $90.6 million in Prevention Fund grants to my home state of California. These grants are used to combat obesity, tobacco use, unhealthy nutrition practices, and to fund other programs that promote good health. If the Republican sequestration replacement were to become law, these essential programs will have to be scaled back or cut entirely.

Mr. Speaker, we need get our fiscal house in order but I will not vote to balance the budget on the backs of the poor, the vulnerable, or the middle class.

My Democratic colleagues and I supported a balanced approach to the current fiscal challenge that preserves Medicare. House Republicans favor ending Medicare as we know it, along with gutting the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Child Tax Credit.

The Republican approach is unfair, unwise, and short-sighted. For example, childhood immunizations are among the most cost effective preventative health measures available. On average each dollar invested in children's immunization saves $16.50 in medical and societal costs down the road. Given the persistent rise in the cost of treating serious health problems it makes absolutely no sense to cut programs that will lead to substantial cost reductions in the future.

Mr. Speaker, this bill would leave our most vulnerable citizens exposed and unprotected. I cannot and will not support legislation inflicts such grave hardship on the most vulnerable of our citizens while asking nothing of those who benefited most from the reckless economic policies of the previous administration.

We cannot have a serious conversation about getting our budget under control when House Republicans are taking large items like revenue and defense off the table, all while repealing programs like the Social Services Block Grant. This unique grant allows states to help their citizens become more self-sufficient by providing child care, preventing and addressing child abuse, and supporting care for the elderly and disabled. Slashing the Social Services Block Grant program in an effort to avoid the defense cuts reflects poorly upon those who propose do so.

Mr. Speaker, if House Republicans are unwilling to abide the agreement they made just last year, how can they be trusted to keep faith with promises made to seniors, children, the poor and weak, that bind us together as a nation?

What we need right now is for responsible leaders to work together to come to an agreement on a balanced long-term approach to resolve our fiscal challenges. As legislators, our constituents are looking to us to get on with, and serious about, the work that must be done to get our fiscal house in order and make the needed investments that will grow our economy and position our people to compete and with in an increasingly globalized world. That is what they sent us here to do and they deserve no less.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents did not send me to Congress to make the wrong choice for our nation. That is why I cannot support the legislation before us. It places the burden for the nation's financial crisis squarely on the shoulders of the middle class and the poor, while failing to ask anything of those most able to contribute toward economic recovery.

For these reasons, I stand in strong opposition to H.R. 5625, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, and urge my colleagues to join me in rejecting this radical and dangerous proposal.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Honorable Jacqueline H. Nguyen of California, whom the Senate confirmed yesterday to the United States Court of Appeals for The Ninth Circuit by a vote of 91 3. Judge Nguyen becomes the first woman of Asian descent to serve on the federal bench. What a wonderful way to begin Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Mr. Speaker, Judge Nguyen is a testament to this truly being the land of opportunity. She was born in Dalat, Vietnam and at the age of nine, she fled Vietnam with her family during the fall of Saigon. Upon arriving in the United States, her family lived for a time in a refugee tent city at Camp Pendleton before settling in the Los Angeles area. She helped her family operate a doughnut shop in North Hollywood, where she studied between helping customers. At a very young age she was put in a difficult situation but her circumstances did not deter her from her dreams.

Judge Nguyen received her A.B. from Occidental College in 1987, and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 1991. From 1995 to 2002, she worked in the United States Attorney's Office in the Central District of California. Serving in the criminal division as an Assistant United States Attorney, she worked as a federal prosecutor in the General Crimes section from 1995 1996 and in the Public Corruption and Government Fraud section from 1996 1999. She took on the role of the General Crimes section's Deputy Chief from 2000 2002.

In 2002, she was appointed to serve on the state bench as a Judge of the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, becoming the first female Vietnamese-American judge in California's history. In July 2009, President Obama nominated Judge Nguyen for a seat on the bench of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. After being confirmed 97 0 she became the first Vietnamese-American to serve on the federal bench. Judge Nguyen brought to the federal bench substantial civil and criminal experience both as a lawyer and as a judge.

Like many other great Americans, she has followed in the American tradition of giving back. She is a founding member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She is the recipient of numerous awards from legal associations, including the Women's Leadership Award, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (2010), and the Trailblazer Award from both the National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys (2009) and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (2006).

I congratulate Judge Nguyen on her appointment and looking forward to having this exceptional jurist serve with distinction for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize May as Asthma Awareness Month. Nearly 26 million Americans, including more than 7 million children are affected by asthma. I am encouraging Americans to fight against asthma by learning more about the disease and how it affects families and their communities.

As part of Asthma Awareness Month, there are many public and private organizations working hand and hand to honor those who are taking on the challenge of fighting this chronic respiratory disease. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, is honoring exceptional health plans, health care providers and communities in action for their efforts to improve the lives of people with asthma in underserved communities across the country.

There are many triggers during the spring season making it particularly difficult for asthma patients. The annual economic cost of asthma, including direct medical costs from hospital stays and indirect costs such as lost school and work days, amount to approximately $56 billion. The EPA is working hard to clean the air we breathe and reduce the environmental causes of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. We can ease this financial burden on Americans by supporting the EPA and legislation such as the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, DERA.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is important in staying healthy and if symptoms are properly managed Americans who suffer from asthma can stay active. Here are some simple steps: learn your triggers and avoid them in your home and neighborhood. With a doctor's help, you can create an asthma action plan to help you effectively manage your asthma and reduce exposure to triggers. Taking the appropriate medications and avoiding your triggers. Check local air quality conditions at airnow.gov and make informed decisions about participating in outdoor activities. In addition a downloadable Air Quality Index mobile app is available for smart phones.

Mr. Speaker, this month, it is important to support the nearly 26 million Americans who suffer from asthma. I am encouraging Americans to educate themselves on the chronic respiratory disease, asthma.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to observe National Teacher Appreciation Week and to thank teachers across the nation for their dedication. Teachers touch the lives of so many children throughout their careers and have a unique role in bringing together families and communities to develop our Nation's most valuable resource, our children.

Our former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt first introduced the idea of a National Teachers' Day in 1953. Mrs. Roosevelt said, ``I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.'' Thankfully, our children do have such figures in their lives: the teachers who instill curiosity and a love of learning. I think we can all point to a teacher in our past who inspired imagination and a sense of discovery.

As a former preschool teacher, I understand the difficulties teachers face today. With growing class sizes, shrinking budgets, and harsh scrutiny of standardized testing, this important profession has become more challenging than ever, and we must do more to reaffirm our commitment to educators.

Education is the key to our economic success. The quality of our education system affects us as a country and as individuals who provide for ourselves and our families. We cannot remain competitive without an educated and passionate workforce, and supporting our teachers is the wisest investment we can make in our country's future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give a heartfelt thanks to the hardworking teachers of the 37th Congressional District and across the Nation. I encourage students, parents and school officials to participate in the events of National Teacher Appreciation Week.

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H. Res. 242, Recognizing May As National Foster Care Month, I rise to recognize this month dedicated to celebrating selfless foster families who open their hearts and their homes for children in need as well as rededicate myself to ensuring that every child has an opportunity for a brighter future.

I am honored to be a charter member of the Congressional Caucus for Foster Youth, a caucus that allows Members to gain a better understanding of the current state of foster care throughout the nation and identify potential federal policy modifications that could improve outcomes for the children in our country's foster care systems. On February 24, 2012, in an effort to address many of the ongoing issues foster youth face, members of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth launched a national listening tour which began in my district.

Mr. Speaker, currently there are over 463,000 children living in foster care. These children have been placed in homes on the account of the physical, sexual and emotional abuse they have endured with their biological caretaker. My state of California currently has the largest foster care population with the number of youths in foster care tripling since 1981.

Sixty-five percent of children who are not placed in a permanent home emancipate themselves from the system often left unemployed, without a place to live and resorting to homeless shelters. Less than 3 percent go on to college and emancipated females end up four times more likely to receive public assistance compared to the overall population of the United States.

Almost 30,000 children who are victims of abuse and neglect are entrusted to the care of the Los Angeles County Juvenile Dependency Court system. The court's primary mission is to ensure that these youth are safe, happy and secure. As a result, Los Angeles established the country's first courthouse especially designed for children and families.

Mr. Speaker, it is vital that we provide more programs, events, activities, and funding that will educate Americans about the success of children placed in permanent homes, debunk myths about the process and acknowledge the thousands of children who could potentially become a part of these statistics. Through these efforts we can increase the rate of adoption, decrease the rate of homelessness among the youths in this group and help develop future leaders and innovative thinkers of tomorrow.

I would like to take a moment to recognize the families who have opened their hearts and homes to foster children. Foster parents play a critical role in the lives of some of the most vulnerable youth in California and across the country. They help hold our nation's social fabric together by ensuring that thousands of young people in this country stay on track towards successful futures.

In addition, I would like to commend SHIELDS for Families, an internationally recognized organization in my district that transforms the lives of parents by providing them with resources to prevent children from going into the foster care system. This month, we celebrate these unsung heroes and their efforts to change the lives of these children.

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud cosponsor H.R. 2012, Foster Care Mentoring Act, focused on connecting foster youth with responsible and caring adults and I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact legislation that addresses the very real and persisting needs of young people in our foster cares system.

During this month, we recognize all those who are helping to improve the lives of children in foster care but it also serves as a reminder that more must be done. These children deserve to grow up in a loving home that is safe, happy, and most importantly one they can call their own.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of May as Stroke Awareness Month and High Blood Pressure Awareness Month. I encourage Americans to fight against stroke and high blood pressure and support individuals and their families who suffer from these devastating and debilitating afflictions.

In the United States, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. In fact, one in four deaths in California is related to heart disease and stroke. While all ages, races and classes are at risk, African Americans are disproportionately at risk of experiencing high blood pressure and are almost twice as likely as other groups to experience a stroke.

As we enter into the month of May, we can all spread knowledge on prevention, changing the risk factors over which we have control. The Stroke Association of Southern California has reported that 70 percent of strokes are preventable through lifestyle changes, control of risk factors, and medical care. Several dangerous factors include physical inactivity and obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking.

The good news is that efforts aimed at prevention are working. Between the years 2000 and 2008, stroke mortality rates in California have declined from an average of 61.2 deaths per 100,000 people to 38.9 deaths per 100,000 people. We can continue this trend by raising awareness of risk factors and reducing inequalities in access to information and healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, American families deserve healthy and happy lives. This month let us rededicate ourselves to helping our families and neighbors become more aware of the risks and causes of high blood pressure and stroke.

Mr. Speaker, May 5 is the 150th anniversary of Cinco de Mayo which marks the historic triumph of the Mexican people over the French Army in Puebla. This holiday commemorates the Battle of Puebla where General Zaragoza and his ragtag band of patriots fought off the powerful and large French Army for their independence.

This battle and victory is an example of the many common bonds Mexicans and Americans have, such as, liberty and democracy.

This is also an example of the Mexican people's positive influence on the American people and culture through their continuous struggle for freedom. Today, young Mexican women and men serve in the Armed Forces defending our country from those who would do us harm.

Mr. Speaker, there are over 44 million Mexican-Americans living and contributing to the United States through their tenacious work ethic, positive energy and love for this country. As a representative of the 37th Congressional District of California which is home to over 300,000 constituents with Mexican and Latino heritage, it is my honor to rise in celebration of the Mexican and Latino people's struggles and achievements.

I am proud that Latinos have risen to leadership roles in every sector of American life--politics, law, medicine, entertainment, the media, sports, business, and the arts. Today there are 30 Latino Members of the United States Congress, including 7 California Democrats. I am privileged to serve with them in our fight to create jobs for Latinos and Latinas; make college more affordable for Latino young people, including by preventing interest rates on need-based student loans from doubling in July; and protecting Social Security and Medicare for the millions of Latino seniors who rely on these programs.

So on this glorious day let me wish my constituents, and all Americans, a very Happy Cinco de Mayo.

Offered By: Ms. Richardson

Amendment No. 12: Page 32, Line 4, after the dollar figure

insert ``(decreased by $30,000,000)''.

Page 46, Line 8, after the dollar figure insert

``(increased by $26,000,000)''.

Page 46, Line 10, after the dollar figure insert

``(increased by $26.000.000)''.

Offered By: Ms. Richardson

Amendment No. 13: Page 32, line 4, after the dollar amount

insert ``(reduced by $35,000,000)''.

Page 43, line 15, after the dollar amount insert

``(increased by $30,000,000)''.

Page 43, line 17, after the dollar amount insert

``(increased by $30,000,000)''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of our service men and women by celebrating National Military Appreciation Month.

Since 1999, veteran and service organizations have held events around the country to demonstrate to current and former men and women in uniform and their families that we honor their service. From Military Spouse Appreciation Day to Victory in Europe Day, and from Loyalty Day to Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day, the month of May is a time for our Nation to come together. It is important for all of us to recognize the tremendous service of military members and families across the globe.

The men and women who serve in uniform are guided by their tremendous sense of duty to America and their fellow citizens. In California's 37th District, we've had over 190,000 troops deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001. It has been my honor to represent these constituents and I am extremely proud of their service.

In my district, we suffered the loss of 12 remarkable servicemen. We remember Long Beach residents: Pfc. Stephen A. Castellano, Sgt. 1st Class Randy D. Collins, Sgt. Anthony J. Davis, Jr., Sgt. Israel Garcia, Pvt. Ernesto R. Guerra, Pfc. Lyndon A. Marcus, Jr., Spec. Roberto L. Martinez Salazar, Spec. Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda, Pfc. David T. Toomalatai, Pfc. George D. Torres and Staff Sgt. Joshua Whitaker, as well as Carson resident Pfc. Daniel P. Cagle, who were all killed in action.

As we acknowledge our former, current and future military men and women, it is essential that we provide the resources necessary to help wounded warriors and their families adjust to life outside of the military. I am extremely proud that from 2007 2010, under Democratic Leadership, Congress showed unprecedented support for the troops, their families, and veterans by strengthening health care for more than 5 million veterans, giving troops a pay raise, and strengthening support for military families.

Mr. Speaker I rise today to praise our most heroic citizens. I hope you'll all join me in reflecting on the valor and courage our solemn warriors display in defense of our freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to announce that one of my constituents, Mrs. Georgia McGlory of Compton, California, celebrated her 90th birthday this past Monday, April 23. Mrs. McGlory was born in Oklahoma in 1922. She moved to California in 1956. Like so many other families during that time, including mine, Mrs. McGlory was attracted to the promise of a better life offered by the Golden State. She settled in Compton and has resided in the same home for the last 56 years.

Mrs. McGlory labored at Paramount Cleaners for many years, but her desire to further her education was unstoppable. She went back to school to learn Office Administration and enjoyed a productive career in the field. But her hard work and accomplishments did not end there. She saw the importance, and had the need, to be of service to community. So Mrs. McGlory volunteered at Compton High school, and has been an active member of Avalon Church in Compton for over 40 years.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. McGlory has achieved all of this while raising ten wonderful children, and she shows no signs of slowing down as she moves gracefully into her nineties. Mrs. McGlory has already held several elected offices at the Friendship Club at the Dollarhide Senior Center, and is continuously working to make the Senior Center a fun and inviting place to be.

So on her 90th birthday, I say to Mrs. McGlory, my dear friend Georgia: Happy Birthday! Keep going strong for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to observe April 28 as Workers' Memorial Day and to commemorate all the workers who have suffered or died from workplace injury and disease. April 28 marks a day of solidarity with workers around the world and of renewed commitment to occupational safety and health.

Since the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1970, the safety and rights of workers has become a high priority. Workplace fatalities have dropped by 65 percent. We have made significant progress in protecting Americans' right to a safe and healthy workplace. However, we can and must do more to protect our workers and hold accountable employers who do not comply with safety standards and regulations. Even one death or injury is one too many.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 3.3 million people in the United States suffer a workplace injury each year, and 12 Americans are killed each day on the job. The direct and indirect costs of these occupational injuries in the year 2010 alone are estimated to fall between $159 and $318 billion. The sad truth is that these injuries and deaths are entirely preventable.

As a proud member of the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus, I have strongly supported legislation to protect the safety and wellbeing of American workers and their families. I was a cosponsor of the ``Protecting America's Workers Act,'' which would increase protections for whistle-blowers, increase the penalties for certain violations, and give more rights to injured workers. I have opposed any effort to repeal, delay, or weaken the enactment of any health and safety standards.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join workers and union members across the country in recognizing Workers' Memorial Day and keeping in mind its slogan: ``Remember the dead, fight for the living.'' On this day, I would like to honor those who have lost their lives simply by going to work and their families who have sacrificed so much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Taiwan President Ma Ying-Jeou on his second inauguration, to take place on May 20, 2012.

The free and fair January election continued Taiwan's long tradition of being a strong and stable democracy. On October 10, 2011, Taiwan celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. In the past century, Taiwan has matured into a free market, multi-party democracy that is a model for the world. Taiwan is an important partner in maintaining peace and stability in the region, and channels of communication have been open and smooth between Washington and Taipei.

As a proud member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I have had the privilege to travel to Taiwan last year as part of a bipartisan delegation. I had the pleasure of meeting President Ma Ying-Jeou and other government officials. I was strongly encouraged by their commitment to maintaining strong ties with the United States.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am also pleased to note Taiwan's nomination for inclusion in the U.S. Visa Waiver, VWP, program in December 2011. A key step towards their VWP status came when a U.S. Department of Homeland Security team recently visited Taiwan to inspect the island's anti-terrorism and immigration procedures. I continue to support Taiwan's inclusion in key international organizations, and I believe we can set a strong example at home by granting these privileges.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating President Ma on his upcoming inauguration. I look forward to maintaining the strong U.S.-Taiwan relations under his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4628, the Interest Reduction Act. At a time when 7.4 million low- and middle-income students are counting on Congress to extend the current interest rate on federal student loans, the majority has brought to the floor a partisan bill that would take billions of dollars away from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the Affordable Care Act.

Mr. Speaker, the Prevention and Public Health Fund is a critical part of health care reform. Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the Fund has already been used to:

Improve prevention services in low-income and underserved communities;

Expand mental health programs, including suicide prevention efforts;

Invest in public health workforce development;

Provide vaccines to underserved and underinsured children and adults, and provide support for state and local systems to promote and track immunization; and

Promote healthy diets and active lifestyles.

The GOP bill to extend the current interest rate on federal student loans would permanently end this vital program--cutting off basic preventative care services to millions of Americans.

We must extend the current interest rate on federal student loans, but not on the backs of women and children who will benefit from the prevention fund. This bill takes a short-sighted and misguided approach to solving the issue at hand.

If this body fails to act responsibly to extend the current interest rate on student loans, students who take out the maximum $23,000 in subsidized student loans will see their interest increase an additional $5,200 over a 10-year repayment period and $11,300 over a 20-year repayment period.

By extending the current interest rate, we are making an investment in our country's future--our economy depends on an educated citizenry to out-compete and out-innovate the rest of the world. Maintaining access to a quality and affordable education is central to preserving America's status as a center for academic research and technological innovation.

I urge my colleagues to vote against this politically-motivated legislation that will threaten the long-term well-being of women and children, and request that a more serious alternative be considered.

Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

I stand today in support of the Richardson amendment to H.R. 3523; but I would like to take a moment to thank the majority leader, Mr. Cantor, Chairman Rogers, and Ranking Member Ruppersberger for their tolerance in allowing us to come to the floor. I was ranking member of a committee that was in operation at this time, and I thank you for allowing us to come forward.

The Richardson amendment ensures that owners and operators of critical infrastructure systems that are potential targets to cyberattacks receive information about cyberthreats. Some examples of our critical infrastructure systems that this amendment would apply to are: energy facilities, banking and finance facilities, chemical facilities, dams, nuclear plants, emergency services, agriculture and food systems, water treatment systems. Many of these would be in great danger and would need information.

Every single Member of Congress has critical infrastructure sectors in their districts, whether they be public or private, and every community in this Nation has some critical infrastructure presence that should be protected and advised of threats. In my district, I have the Home Depot Athletic Center, which holds up to 27,000 people. There is the Boeing Company, which manufactures the C 17 planes. There is the Long Beach Police and Fire Department EOC center, the Long Beach Gas and Oil Department, and water treatment facilities. The numbers go on. We need to make sure that not only ports and government facilities but also private facilities are approved and entitled to have this same information.

Some inherent complications are that there are 18 different Federal Government agencies that have jurisdiction over critical infrastructure sectors. For example, the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over chemical, commercial facilities, dams, emergency services, and nuclear power alone.

H.R. 3523, as currently drafted, does not mention how critical infrastructure sectors that do not fall within the jurisdiction of government intelligence agencies would receive critical cyberthreat information or have the systems in place to share information appropriately. This amendment makes an important improvement to that legislation.

I would like to commend Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger, who mentioned in their testimony before the Rules Committee and the Intelligence Committee that there was a key fault here in this critical infrastructure section. I am further pleased that the Rules Committee acknowledged that by finding this amendment in order, and I urge my colleagues to consider this seriously.

While Chairman Lungren's original cyber bill did not make it to the House floor, I offer this Richardson amendment in the same bipartisan spirit that I did when his bill was brought forward in our subcommittee. Mr. Lungren and Mr. Langevin spoke earlier on the bipartisan amendment regarding critical infrastructure, hence my building my comments on that.

Richardson amendment No. 10 ensures that our critical infrastructure sectors will not be left out from receiving information that could protect their systems against a terrorist attack.

This amendment makes sure that industries most at risk of a cyberattack receive information that they need to protect the public and the facilities at large. My amendment makes explicit that critical infrastructure sectors be included in information-sharing relationships and does not include any new Federal authorities.

With that, Madam Chairwoman, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. ROGERS from Michigan. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Again, I'd like to thank both the chairman and the ranking member and look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

I would just give you one analogy to consider as we move forward. As you recall on 9/11 when the planes hit those two Twin Towers, the government had the ability to notify the private airlines to scramble the planes and to demand that all of the planes would be landed because we didn't know where they were going to go.

At that point, the government had the ability to work with the private sector, with the airline industry, to communicate information that they were now becoming aware of.

I'm certainly not suggesting that we interfere with the free-flowing ideas of the Internet. What this amendment is suggesting, and I look forward to working with you in the future, is that the government does have the ability if in the event something happens with dropping some chemicals into water, for example, treatment facilities, that the government should certainly have the ability to work with those private sector companies to be able to notify them and ensure that the public is protected.

I thank you for hearing the amendment, and I look forward to working with you going forward.

I yield back the balance of my time.