Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1312, a resolution celebrating the roles and contributions of America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-being. On National Teacher Day, thousands of communities and schools take time to honor their local educators and acknowledge the crucial role that teachers play in making sure that quality education is a right for every student, not a privilege for some.

I strongly support this resolution because I believe that we in Congress must do our part to thank those teachers who have dedicated their lives to providing a quality education for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. We trust our teachers with our Nation's most precious asset-- our children--and we must pause to thank them for the seriousness with which they take that charge.

In my district alone, there are thousands of teachers working hard every single day to make sure that the students in Long Beach, Carson, Compton, Signal Hill, and Watts develop a love of life-long learning and that they have the tools and the knowledge they need to succeed in school and in life. Teachers do more than just teach; they also help build communities. They foster a sense of school community and they bring learning to the neighborhoods and communities that surround our schools. The NEA has asked that on National Teacher Day this year we do more than just pay lip service to our teachers. Better than an apple or a thank you card, a community's active support of the work that educators do to teach and care for the community's students would be ample reward.

But our recognition and support should not stop there. Many States have announced this year that they will solve their budget crises by laying off thousands of teachers and staff from our public schools. For example, in my home city of Long Beach, more than 1,000 teachers, counselors and social workers were formally notified in March that they may lose their jobs at the end of this school year. I was particularly upset by this news because Long Beach Unified School District is one of the best urban school districts in the country. It was awarded the prestigious Broad Prize for excellence in Urban Education in 2003, and it has been nominated for the prize four times since the prize's inception in 2002. The last thing we should do is lay off our Nation's teachers, particularly in places such as Long Beach Unified School District where the teachers and staff are out-performing other schools throughout the country. We should celebrate and recognize those teachers and schools that are excelling, and use them as the model for how to improve teachers and schools that are struggling to meet their standards.

We are facing one of the worst economic downturns in our country's history and I know that we must make tough choices about where to invest our scarce resources. However, our children are our future and without a proper, high-quality education they will not have the tools they need to succeed. I believe we must honor the commitment our teachers have made to our children by finding ways to balance states' budgets that do not result in widespread layoffs for public school educators and staff. Education is a civil right and we in Congress must do our part to protect that right for all children in all communities around the country.

I applaud our Nation's teachers for their dedication to educating our most valued population in this country--our children. Without high- quality teachers in all schools, many of our children would be at a great disadvantage academically. Our teachers, particularly those who dedicate their lives to teaching in underserved communities, do their part to ensure that all children have the tools they need to succeed every day in school and to contribute to society's future. I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1312.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1295, which celebrates the role of mothers in the United States and supports the goals and ideals of Mother's Day. Mother's Day is one of the most important holidays in our country. It is critical that we honor and recognize the central role that mothers play in raising the youth of our nation and shaping the future of our country.

I was fortunate enough to be raised by a wonderful mother who lovingly cared for me and taught me the skills that I would need to excel in my adult life and career. There are more than 82 million mothers in the United States and each one of them deserves to be recognized on Mother's Day. Mothers work tirelessly every day to raise their children in loving households while juggling careers and countless other responsibilities.

We owe special recognition to the single mothers across the country, who work longer and harder to ensure that their children have the resources and care they need to experience a fulfilling childhood and grow into well-rounded adults.

We also must not forget the grandmothers and aunts, in California's 37th district and across the country, who raise their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. No one requires them to assume this responsibility; many of them have already raised or are currently raising children of their own. But they do so selflessly and without complaint, loving these children as if they were their own. Mother's day is a celebration of these individuals too--it is a salute to all of the women across the country who shape the lives of America's youth.

We can never repay the mothers of this country for their hard and often thankless work. Especially in these tough economic times, many of them struggle financially, taking on extra jobs to make sure that they can put food on the table and send their children to school in new clothes. These individuals deserve our support. This Congress has responded to that need with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which will ensure for women across the country that equal work gets equal pay. We also passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which will help mothers provide themselves and their children with quality health care and end health insurance discrimination against women. Ensuring this basic fairness is the least we can do for the mothers who mean so much to our country.

Our nation's most influential leaders shared this reverence for our nation's mothers. George Washington once said, ``All I am I owe to my mother, I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from her.'' Abraham Lincoln

echoed this sentiment, concisely stating, ``All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.''

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1295.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1247, which commends public servants across the United States for their continued service to the nation during Public Service Recognition Week and throughout the year. This legislation honors the men and women who recognize that service is a solution to serious challenges and selflessly dedicate themselves to the betterment of communities across the country.

I thank Chairman Towns for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congressman Lynch, for acknowledging the importance of a strong culture of service in the United States.

It is important that we continue to honor and commend the public servants who tirelessly dedicate their lives to serving our nation. I have personally witnessed the transformative power of public service in my own state. Last year, in California, the Corporation for National and Community Service helped 230,000 individuals of all ages and backgrounds meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase civic engagement through 366 projects state-wide.

We also must honor and commend employees at all levels of government, many of whom dedicate the majority of their lives working to ensure that government is responsive, innovative, and--most importantly-- attuned to the needs of the American people. Public servants in government are critical to promoting and protecting the core American values of democracy and representation.

Finally, we cannot forget those in the medical profession who care for the sick, young and old; the teachers who educate our children to become future leaders in our classrooms, colleges, and universities; the police and firefighters who protect our streets and keep us safe; or the construction workers who build our roads and bridges so we can get to work. Public service comes in many forms, all of which are equally vital in promoting the economic and moral strength of our nation.

Madam Speaker, it is entirely fitting that applaud those who serve the public good--whether through their careers, community organizations, or on their own in their spare time--and commend them for their efforts improve the lives of millions of Americans.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1247.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res 1301, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Train Day. I want to thank my colleague and friend Chairwoman Brown for her tireless efforts and leadership on behalf of the rail.

Looking back, this past year has been one of the most exciting years for rail in quite some time and we have a lot to celebrate on National Train Day. With the Obama Administration's focus on bringing high-speed rail to this country and the funding they have dedicated towards high- speed rail, the future of rail seems brighter now than it has in a long time.

Just this past month I helped form the California High-Speed Rail Caucus. The Caucus is working to bring a world class high-speed rail system to California. My home State of California received $2.3 billion dollars of American Recovery and Reinvestment Funds to build a high- speed rail system, and this is on top of the voter approved bond measure which will provide nearly $10 billion for the system.

The California High-speed rail line is projected to create 160,000 construction jobs in California to plan, design, and build the system. It is also estimated that an additional 450,000 jobs will be created once the system is up and running. The rail line is expected to reduce congestion, increase mobility, improve air quality, and reduce fatal auto accidents, and it could serve as a model that can be replicated across the country to create a national world-class rail system.

I am glad to be recognizing National Train Day with such excitement across the country with the reemergence of rail as a viable transportation alternative. The United States is finally taking steps to catch up with the rest of the world and create a truly world class rail system.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1278, to recognize April as National Safe Digging Month. The Common Ground Alliance, an association dedicated to ensuring public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices, has designated April as National Safe Digging Month in order to increase awareness of safe digging practices across the country. This resolution also celebrates the anniversary of the designation of 811 as the national `Call Before You Dig' number.

I would like to recognize Congressman Shuster for his hard work authoring this resolution and bringing it to the Floor. The United States has over 2,500,000 miles of pipelines, of which 2,200,000 are for distribution of natural gas, 320,500 for transmission of natural gas, and 168,900 for hazardous materials including oil. Unfortunately, each year there are over 200,000 incidences of unintentional damage to underground utility infrastructure (including pipelines, electrical, telecommunications, water, and sewer lines). Many of these incidents are a result of an individual who fails to have underground utilities lines located before digging, as some utility lines are buried only a few inches underground.

To prevent these accidents, Congress required a 3-digit, nationwide toll-free number be established to be used by State one-call systems in the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002. These one-call notification programs allow homeowners and excavators to have underground utilities located and marked before conducting digging or excavation activities. I am pleased to say that the one-call system has helped reduce the number of digging damage caused by failure to locate underground utilities prior to digging from 57 percent in 2004 to 37.5 percent in 2009. And as April is the beginning of the peak of excavation projects around the Nation, I am pleased to join Congressman Shuster and the Common Ground Alliance in raising awareness about this topic.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in supporting H. Res. 1278.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 5013, the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010, which will implement reforms that reduce waste within the Department of Defense, DOD. This important legislation will help ensure that our government's second largest department acts efficiently and effectively in its pursuit of our national security.

I thank Chairman Skelton for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congressman Robert Andrews, for his dedication to enacting substantive government reform that protects taxpayers and makes our Federal Government work more efficiently on behalf of the American people.

Mr. Chair, in 2009, the DOD's budget was $680 billion, the second largest budget of all executive branch departments. The American taxpayer deserves our best effort to ensure that this money is spent efficiently, effectively, and in areas of the most need. H.R. 5013 will aid in this effort by ensuring the DOD gets the maximum value possible from its acquisitions. The bill will require that the DOD set performance standards and goals for all acquisitions. It then requires all acquisitions to be subjected to regular assessments to ensure that these goals are being met.

This legislation also directs the Secretary of Defense to manage and develop a highly skilled workforce that ensures that the DOD

gets the best possible value out of its expenditures. The bill requires that an enhanced system of incentives be put in place to encourage employees to reach performance goals. Finally, H.R. 5013 will require that all companies receiving DOD contracts are subjected to comprehensive audits that ensure that their federal dollars are spent wisely and efficiently.

I have long been an advocate of increased government efficiency and accountability. As the holder of a master's degree in business administration and a former employee in the private sector, I understand the importance of government being as economically efficient as possible. At a time of economic hardship across in the United States, government should spend its money carefully and efficiently, just like households and businesses across the country.

Moreover, increased efficient and accountability is the fair thing for the American people. The American people deserve a government that works for them. If government is going to spend their hard-earned tax- payer dollars, it must do so in a way that gets the best possible value out of every single dollar. H.R. 5013 will help achieve this goal. By ensuring that the DOD limits waste, this bill will play a critical part in the effort to run our government more effectively and in a way that protects the American taxpayer.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5013.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H. Res. 375, which supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, recognizes the importance of worker health and safety, and encourages the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, employers, and employees to support activities aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of workplace safety. This legislation serves as an important tribute to the men and women who have been killed or injured in the workplace and a reminder of the need for a national effort to ensure that workplaces across the country are as safe as possible.

I thank Chairman Miller for his leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, for her dedication to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all workers in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, every year, about 5,000 individuals are killed due to workplace related injuries. That is an average of 14 workers each day that die due to an accident in the workplace. In an advanced, industrialized society, these numbers are simply unacceptable. Many workers in my district are employed by the Port of Long Beach, where they operate complicated machinery and move heavy equipment to help facilitate the movement of goods throughout the United States. They deserve our best effort to provide them with a safe workplace as they perform this important work. Recent workplace tragedies, such as the death of the 29 coal miners in the disaster at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia, and the explosion of the Transocean Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that left 17 workers injured and 11 missing, have made even clearer the need for increased workplace protections in the United States. Hopefully, we can take these horrible tragedies as a call to ensure that the necessary workplace safety and health regulations are in place for all Americans. Regardless of whether you work in an office complex or a textile mill, a steel plant or on an oil rig, every American deserves the assurance of knowing that he or she is safe at work.

Mr. Speaker, our nation needs a sustained and heightened focus on safety in the workplace, so that every employee in the United States can work in a healthy environment and return home safely to his or her family at the end of the day. This resolution is an important step in that effort.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 375.

Madam Speaker, what does the unveiling of the Sojourner Truth Memorial in the U.S. Capitol mean to me?

I feel extraordinarily proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial to Sojourner Truth in the United States Capitol. I am inspired by the legacy of Sojourner Truth, who was born a slave and overcame daunting odds to become one of the most influential figures in both the women's rights movement and the African-American struggle for equality.

The existence of such an eloquent memorial statue in her honor in the U.S. Capitol ensures that her legacy will never be forgotten. Lawmakers and visitors alike will be reminded of her spirit, dedication and courage each time they pass by her memorial. Just as Sojourner Truth paved the way for so many who came after her, this memorial reminds all visitors and those who work and serve here that the fight for freedom is hard fought but worth the victory.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3253, which extends the Small Business Act.

I support this legislation because it is crucial that the Small Businesses Administration programs that have helped launch and sustain so many small businesses are allowed to continue.

Small businesses employ just over half of all private sector employees, with a payroll of about $175 billion, and create many of the new jobs we need. More than half of all Americans work at or own a small business. Small businesses have been responsible for the majority of new jobs created in this country. Anyone who talks about getting our economy on track and does not talk about what we need to do for small business is missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

In my district, the 37th Congressional District of California, there are approximately 16,300 small businesses.

But in the global economy of the 21st century, small businesses, very much like the banks and the auto industry, need sound fiscal options to remain competitive, especially in difficult economic times for them and their customers.

This is where the Small Business Administration can help.

The SBA exists to aid and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.

The SBA was established in 1953 by the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.

The SBA's Office of Business Development assists firms owned and controlled by economically and socially disadvantaged individuals enter the economic mainstream by providing firm-specific analyses, counseling, management training, professional consulting and monitoring services, and access to business development opportunities under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act.

Much like the loan guarantee program, the Section 8(a) program is well intended. But one of its problems is that too often program participants are ``graduated'' before they are sufficiently prepared to compete for contracts with large and established companies in the private sector.

This has resulted in a large number of former 8(a) companies failing to remain in business shortly after leaving the development program.

I have introduced legislation that can build upon the loan guarantee program extended by H.R. 493 and which would eliminate the problem of ``graduating'' Section 8(a) program participants before they are sufficiently prepared to compete for contracts with large and established companies in the private sector.

My legislation, H.R. 4897, the ``Not Too Small to Succeed in Business Act,'' reforms and modernizes the Section 8(a) program to help more small and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) remain in business and hire more workers by doing the following:

1. Amending the Small Business Act to increase the net worth limits (to $750,000) used by SBA in determining whether an applicant satisfies the ``economically disadvantaged'' requirement for admission to the program and increases to $2.25 million the net worth required for early graduation from the program.

2. Extending the Section 8(a) program period to 11 years, from the current 9 years.

3. Granting a one-time 2-year reinstatement in the Section 8(a) program for companies who were graduated from the program at the expiration of the 9-year term.

Mr. Speaker, extending the programs under the SBA Act, including the Loan Guarantee Program and amending the Section 8(a) Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program are a necessary part of strengthening our ability to help small businesses succeed and provide jobs for our people. I urge all members to join me in voting for S. 3253.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1104, which supports the mission and goals of 2010 National Crime Victims' Rights Week and promotes public awareness of the rights, needs, and concerns of victims and survivors of crime. This is an important measure that helps to ensure that all victims are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect, and that victims have access to the support and treatment that they need and deserve.

I thank Chairman Conyers for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congressman Jim Costa, for his dedication to ensuring that our society is committed to the rights and compassionate treatment of crime victims.

Mr. Speaker, over 25,000,000 individuals are victims of crime every year; more than 6,000,000 of them are victims of violent crimes. In my district, nearly 7 out of every 1,000 residents of Long Beach, California suffered a violent crime in 2008. Over the past 40 years, the United States has made significant progress in expanding rights, services, and support for crime victims. However, as this resolution appropriately acknowledges, there is still work to be done.

Crime victims in underserved and low-income communities often do not have access to the support and services needed to help them move past their traumatic event and achieve normalcy in their lives. Access to services for crime victims should be available in every community across the country. Observing the rights of all victims is not only a fundamental requirement of a just society, but also serves the public interest by engaging victims in the justice system, inspiring respect for public authorities, and promoting confidence in public safety.

Additionally, every year, thousands of crimes go unreported to law enforcement. However, the victims of an unreported crime are no less deserving or in need of professional support than those of reported crimes. We must ensure that victims off all crimes--reported or unreported--have equal access to services. Our communities, neighborhoods, and homes are made stronger, safer, and healthier by guaranteeing that all crime victims are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

Mr. Speaker, victims of crime suffer traumatic experiences that alter their lives and those of their family members. A just society acknowledges that crime victims have unique needs and provides the proper support services. National Crime Victims' Rights Week reminds us of this important obligation.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1104.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1239, which recognizes the tremendous accomplishments of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team. The University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team has emerged as one of the most outstanding teams in the history of college sports. On April 6, 2010, the Huskies defeated the Stanford Cardinal in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, Division I women's basketball national championship in San Antonio, Texas.

This victory gave the Huskies their seventh national championship, second only to the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers' eight championships. This season the Huskies went undefeated, ending the season on a record 78 game winning streak, a streak that has lasted since the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. As a former college basketball player, I understand the hard work, intense focus, and tireless dedication required to achieve a single season as successful as the Huskies' was this year. So, the kind of repeated success that the University of Connecticut women have seen over the years is truly impressive.

The Huskies' coach, Geno Auriemma, is the president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and holds the highest winning percentage among active coaches. Coach Auriemma is also a coach of the 2012 United States Olympic Team. In addition to these successes, Coach Auriemma should be most appreciated for the role model that he is to his players and the positive impact he has on their lives.

The Huskies basketball team is comprised of some of the most talented athletes in the Nation. Junior forward Maya Moore and senior center Tina Charles were both selected as first team All-Americans and as members of the Final Four All-Tournament Team. Maya Moore was also chosen as the State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year and the Women's Final Four Most Valuable Player. Tina Charles was selected as the winner of the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award, the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year Award, and the Associated Press Player of the Year Award.

I salute the hard work and dedication of the University of Connecticut Huskies players and coaches. I commend their exceptional record, athleticism, and consistent display of sportsmanship.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1239.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H. Res. 1276, which commemorates the first anniversary of the Serve America Act. For the last year, the Serve America Act has been promoting service to help meet national challenges, expand opportunities to serve, and support social innovation. The Serve America Act is a historic milestone for national service, but signing the bill is just the beginning--we need every American to rise to this national call to service.

I thank Chairman Miller for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank him for sponsoring this legislation and taking the time to chronicle the crucial achievements of the Serve America Act.

Mr. Speaker, last year President Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the most sweeping expansion and strengthening of national service in a generation. The strong bipartisan support for this legislation was a testament to the proven impact of national service and the widespread recognition that service is a solution to tough challenges. There is strong momentum for citizen service--volunteering increased last year to the highest level since 2003, AmeriCorps applications continue to increase on a yearly basis, and the service field is experiencing a wave of new innovation and collaboration. In California, last year 230,000 individuals of all ages and backgrounds helped meet local needs, strengthen communities, and increase

civic engagement through 366 projects state-wide. This year, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the organization implementing the Serve America Act, will commit over $75 million to support California communities through national service initiatives.

The Serve America Act has empowered individuals, nonprofits, state governments, and local communities to address our nation's most pressing challenges through service. The significant progress already made since the passing of this legislation, and the attitude of selflessness that it has promoted make it entirely fitting that we take this time to honor and commemorate the first anniversary of the Serve America Act. Thanks to the leadership of the President, the bipartisan support of Congress, new authorities under the Serve America Act, historic funding for programs, and a growing consensus that service is a solution, we stand at the dawn of a new era of service in America.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1276.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1963, the ``Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009,'' which will finally give our brave men and women in uniform the benefits they deserve and provide their families and caregivers with the support that they need. Too many of our veterans return home--many of them wounded or disabled--after risking their lives on our behalf and do not receive adequate health care or benefits. Too many families fall into debt as they assume the responsibility of caring for a loved one who has returned from Iraq or Afghanistan. This bill will right these injustices.

I thank Chairman Filner for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Senator Akaka, for working hard to ensure that our Nation's dedication to its veterans matches their selfless devotion to this country.

Mr. Speaker, representing a district that is home to over 24,000 veterans and the VA Medical Center of Long Beach, I understand the work that must be done to uphold our Nation's obligation to its veterans. Unfortunately, for years the health care services provided for our Nation's veterans have been inadequate. Veterans' families have been especially over-burdened by this failure. When wounded or disabled veterans return home from overseas, family members often become their primary caregivers. However willing these individuals may be to care for their loved one, the truth is that family members often lack the resources or skills needed to provide the care that our veterans deserve. S. 1963 will provide training and financial assistance to family caregivers, so that veterans' families can afford to provide them with quality care.

In addition, S. 1963 will improve health care for female veterans. For too long, female veterans have lacked access to comprehensive health care. We cannot stand for this kind of discrimination. S. 1963 will break down this barrier and give female veterans access to health professionals specializing in the specific health care needs of women. Among many other things, the bill will provide counseling and care to female veterans suffering from sexual trauma.

This bill will also provide an array of new health services for veterans, ensuring that every veteran has access to the care that he or she deserves. The bill will expand care for veterans in rural areas, because where veterans live should never determine the quality of care that they receive. It will improve mental health support for veterans, because we must respond to traumatic experiences that our men and women in uniform are braving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally, this legislation will help homeless veterans find housing, because it is simply unacceptable for our veterans to risk their lives for our country and return home to live on the streets.

Mr. Speaker, our men and women in uniform have assumed the responsibility of protecting us and the values that we cherish as American citizens; we, then, have a responsibility to them. We must provide them with support they need to live healthy and financially stable lives upon returning home. This bill will do just that. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 1963.

Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of the Native American Caucus, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3553, the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act, which will address a critical need in tribal lands.

First, I would like to acknowledge Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman Rahall, and Congresswoman Kirkpatrick for their leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor. My colleague Congresswoman Kirkpatrick, the author of this legislation, has worked hard to ensure that underserved communities, including tribal lands, have the housing necessary to support our growing population.

H.R. 3553, the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act, makes an important fix to the existing bill for providing Native American housing. The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) is the foundation for providing housing assistance to low-income Native American families on Indian reservations, in Alaska Native villages, and on Native Hawaiian Homelands.

In California, the State I represent, there are over 100 Native American tribes, many of varying levels of economic success. Based on the 2000 Census, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has determined that nationwide, almost 543,000 American Indian and Alaska Native households have ``severe housing needs,'' meaning they live in conditions that are overcrowded, substandard, or cost- burdensome.

To complicate matters further, the NAHASDA statute does not contain an income exception for service-disabled veterans or families of soldiers killed in action. The Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act remedies this situation by revising the definition of income for NAHADA to exclude payments for service-related disability, dependence, or indemnity. Veterans are especially likely to fall into these categories, which is unacceptable considering the role they have played in the defense of our country. Native Americans have the highest rate of enlistment in our armed services out of any group of Americans, and they deserve our support. Therefore, as a long time friend and supporter of the Native American community, I am so pleased to champion a bill such as H.R. 3553, which provides the housing this community needs.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3553 because it ensures that Native American veterans do not face extraordinary obstacles when procuring or financing housing after serving this country. The Native American servicemen and women benefiting from H.R. 3553 deserve our full support. I am proud to work with my colleagues to ensure that they are not overlooked.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3553.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1271, which remembers Rev. Benjamin Hooks, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 85, and honors this heroic figure's life and achievements. This important measure is a deserving tribute to Rev. Hooks, a true champion of justice and equality. Rev. Hooks fought tirelessly for civil rights and, in doing so, made our country a better place for all Americans.

Rev. Benjamin Hooks was a critical figure in the fight for civil rights in the United States. He fought segregation through his many successful careers as a businessman, lawyer, judge, minister, and public servant. Rev. Hooks was the first African-American criminal court judge in Tennessee and the first African-American commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission.

Rev. Benjamin Hooks is most well known for his work with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Rev. Hooks was a pioneer of the NAACP-sponsored restaurant sit-ins and boycotts in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1976, the NAACP elected Rev. Hooks as the executive director of the organization. Rev. Hooks reenergized the NAACP, increased its enrollment dramatically, and enhanced the group's effectiveness. At a time when the Civil Rights Movement was widely considered to have ended, Rev. Hooks recognized that much work was left to be done and recommitted the NAACP to tirelessly fighting for the rights of disadvantaged communities across the United States. Rev. Hooks guided the NAACP through decades of activism and oversaw the constant modernization and adaptation of the organization to respond to the new challenges of changing times.

Rev. Benjamin Hooks was a giant in the fight for civil rights in America over the last 60 years. Even as he and his family were targeted in bombings against civil rights leaders in the 1990s, his resolve and commitment to an equitable society never faltered. In characteristic modesty, Rev. Hooks often referred to himself as ``just a poor little old country preacher,'' but the truth is that he was much more than that. He left an indelible mark on American society and helped improve the lives of countless Americans. Rev. Hooks was honored for his life of service with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which President George W. Bush presented to him in 2007.

I extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Rev. Benjamin Hooks as they grieve the loss of this truly special individual. Rest in peace, Rev. Hooks--``there is a balm in Gilead.''