Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I rise to lend my strong support to H.R. 2651, The Maritime Workforce Development Act which will help strengthen our maritime industry by providing loans to students who are pursuing a maritime education. I want to thank my colleague Representative Cummings for bringing this bill to the floor and bringing attention to this important issue.

Having the port of Long Beach in my district, I know the importance of a well educated maritime industry. I also know how few Americans now pursue careers in the maritime industry and we should do what we can to make maritime education possible and affordable to all.

This bill goes a long way towards rectifying problems in our maritime training and I want to thank Mr. Cummings for his work rectifying this important issue. I ask that my colleagues today support this bill, and continue to support our maritime industry.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud the economic and environmental benefits the landmark Clean Truck Program has brought to southern California during its first year.

California is home to one of our nation's largest and most vibrant economic hubs: the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the ports are also home to emissions generated by the short-haul transport of goods. The neighborhoods surrounding the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are disproportionately impacted by the air pollution caused by trucks and suffer from associated health problems including emphysema, asthma, and cancer.

Successfully addressing localized air pollution and climate change will require a national strategy and a federal framework to coordinate implementation of air quality goals. Cities, local communities and local government can and should play a role in our national strategy.

As seen by the Clean Truck Program's success, local governments are already making important contributions to federal efforts to improve air quality. On October 1, 2008 the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles implemented a ban on trucks with model years prior to 1989. Today, port officials estimate that approximately 1,500-2,000 ``dirty'' diesel trucks have been removed from drayage operations. The new trucks that replaced them generate 90 percent fewer emissions than the old dirty diesels.

Beyond cleaning the air the Clean Truck Program has successfully stimulated local economic activity. The program's financial incentives have stimulated $500 million in private investment. Nationwide, new truck sales are down 60 percent. In contrast, truck dealers near the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have reported a 33 percent year over year increase in sales due to the financing made available by the Clean Truck Program. These new truck sales include the sale of several liquefied natural gas trucks, which draw upon one of America's greatest energy assets.

Almost 800 trucking companies have embraced the program's financial incentives, resulting in the deployment of more than 5,000 2007 EPA compliant trucks. At the program's current pace, the ports estimate that by January 2010, more than 90 percent of the cargo transit at port terminals will be made by trucks meeting USEPA 2007 heavy duty truck emissions standards. This achievement will allow the ports to meet their 2012 goal of 80 percent emissions reductions from overall drayage operations two years ahead of schedule.

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles Clean Truck Program has been a tremendous success and has brought economic and environmental benefits to the Area. I congratulate the ports on the first year of an innovative solution, and I optimistically look forward to the results of the program next year.

Mr. Speaker, as one of the House conferees of this report, I have no confusion in terms of why I'm here and what we're doing to support the troops. I rise in strong support of this rule and the conference report of H.R. 2647, and I will submit my full statement for the Record.

I thank Chairman Skelton for his continued skillful leadership, for the Speaker appointing me as a conferee, and Mr. Oberstar for recommending me. What is the report about? There's no covers here. The report is clear. It's about restoring and enhancing the readiness of our troops and the equipment. It's about taking care of our military personnel, and it also authorizes needed investments to keep our Nation strong.

So let's talk about what that means. Troops, enabling that the Department of Defense would have 213 C-17s so we can support our men and women; that our military families would not have to wait on a 3.4 percent military raise that they've long deserved. But let me focus my final moment on why and what my specialty is and what I think is so important in this bill, talking about port security as national security.

When we consider the provision that is in this bill, port security, infrastructure, development program, it will enable our ports to finally come up to speed where we can be competitive, as well as the economic engine that we reside in.

Now, let's talk about the ports. The role of our ports is not just economics. It's to connect the ports. That's the point. And when you look at 14 commercial ports currently in the United States, two of which are in my area, they are called strategic ports for that very reason. When you look at Operation Enduring Freedom, that was the largest area where we had the sealift tonnage and troops that were moved through the ports to enable us to respond.

So when we talk about this Defense authorization bill, it's quite clear why

we're here today. We're here to talk about our troops, to prepare them and to give them the resources that they so richly deserve. Currently, our ports are struggling without enough money for the Army Corps to do the proper dredging.

I urge my colleagues to support this, and I stand in support of Ms. Slaughter as we move forward on this rule.

Mr. Speaker, as one of the House conferees on this report, I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying Conference Report on H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, which provides $550.2 billion in budget authority for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy.

I thank Chairman Skelton for his skillful leadership in shepherding this legislation to the floor. I also wish to express my appreciation to Speaker Pelosi for appointing me as a conferee. And I cannot say how much it means to me to have the confidence of my chairman, Mr. Oberstar, who recommended me to the Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I support the conference report for three reasons: (1) it restores and enhances the readiness of our troops, equipment, and defense infrastructure; (2) it takes care of our military personnel and their families; and (3) it authorizes the needed investments to keep our nation strong, safe, and respected in the world.

Let me briefly highlight some of the key provisions. This legislation:

Troop and Equipment Readiness

Increases the size of our overstretched military by 30,000 Army troops, 8,100 Marines, 14,650 Air Force personnel, and 2,477 Navy sailors as requested by the President and Commander-in-Chief;

Provides $6.9 billion to address equipment shortfalls in the National Guard and Reserves;

Provides $4.7 billion for training opportunities for the Army;

Adds $350 million for Army trainee barracks construction and $200 million to support National Guard and Reserve military construction projects;

Requires DoD to maintain a strategic airlift fleet of 316 aircraft, an increase of 24 over previous requirement, which should help bring us closer to the goal of maintaining the full complement--at least 213--of C-17's, the incomparable and irreplaceable air transport that is assembled in my congressional district.

Help for Military Families

Provides a 3.4 percent military pay raise;

Prohibits fee increases on TRICARE inpatient care for 1 year;

Provides $2.2 billion for family housing programs;

Adds $276 million to support the Housing Assistance Program that helps service members forced to sell their homes at a significant loss;

Provides travel and transportation for three designated persons, including non-family members, to visit hospitalized service members.

Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan

Bans permanent bases in Iraq and prohibits U.S. control of Iraqi oil;

Requires report on responsible redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq;

Bans permanent bases in Afghanistan;

Requires reports to assess progress toward security and stability in Afghanistan and in Pakistan;

Requires a system to register and track all U.S. defense articles provided to Afghanistan and Pakistan;

Directs GAO to provide separate reports assessing the strategic plans for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Port Security and National Security

Mr. Speaker, in my remaining time let me discuss an additional reason why I support the conference report. Working together constructively, the conferees were able to reach agreement and included in the Conference Report provisions establishing a port infrastructure development program. Let me explain why this is a significant, constructive, and necessary enhancement to the bill. The subject is very important but I will be brief.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, I was unavoidably detained and thus missed rollcall vote No. 740.

Had I been present I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 740, Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 905, as amended, ``Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act of 2009,'' I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 731, the ``National Preparedness Month Resolution.'' September is National Preparedness Month and this resolution honors the public servants of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Response Personnel for their commitment to securing our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my dear friend and colleague, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, for calling on Members and the rest of the country to join her in commending and recognizing the men and women who dedicate their lives to preventing and preparing for any future terrorist attack.

The Department of Homeland Security was born out of the tragedy of September 11 and through the hard work and commitment of the employees of the Department of Homeland Security, our Nation has remained safe and secure from terrorist threats for the past 8 years. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Department of Homeland Security and other emergency response personnel for committing themselves to this noble and necessary cause.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the employees of the Department of Homeland Security that work tirelessly in my district, the 37th Congressional District of California. These men and women can be seen hard at work in various local branches of the Coast Guard, Immigration Services, Law Enforcement, Army, and Navy. I appreciate the sacrifices and commitment of those men and women who work every day to secure the community of Long Beach, California.

As we celebrate National Preparedness Month, I urge all Members to take a moment to honor the men and women that dedicate their lives to emergency preparedness and protecting this country from another terrorist attack.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to lend my voice in support of the Surface Transportation Extension we are considering today. We must continue to fund ongoing projects and ensure ongoing programs don't grind to a halt. However we must continue to build on the work of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and reauthorize our surface transportation programs. Transportation is an issue that affects virtually every American every day and should never be put on the back burner. When I came to Congress I fought to become a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee because I know the importance of these issues for the people of the California 37th as well as every American. I support limiting the extension to 3 months so these issues stay on the forefront of our agenda.

Report after report has outlined the unacceptable current state of our deteriorating transportation system and called for major and immediate reform. As a country we waste billions of dollars every year with unnecessary delays due to a crumbling and over-congested surface transportation system. We need to fundamentally rethink the way we move people and goods. We must simplify our transportation programs and focus on a performance based system. Finally, we must make the tough choices about how to fund these programs and avoid having to continuously patch the highway trust fund.

Transportation experts around the country agree this is a time for a bold new transportation vision and I look forward to working with my colleagues to reauthorize the Surface Transportation Program before the extension before us today runs out.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 186, ``Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.''

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects nearly 100,000 Americans. This disease causes red blood cells to mutate and deliver less oxygen to the body. Numerous medical complications result including bone pain, fatigue, fever, jaundice, chest pain, rapid heart rate and ulcers. Most people afflicted with the disease also suffer painful episodes called vaso-occlusive crises, which vary in frequency and severity. Ultimately, this disease limits a person's average life span to just 45 years.

In the United States, while 1 in 1,000 infants are born with the disease, the rate of disease for African-American infants is 1 in 500. The sickle cell disease gene is carried by 2,000,000 Americans, yet this number is 1 in 12 within the African-American community. If both parents of a child have sickle cell, there is a 1 in 4 chance that their child will inherit the disease. Millions of people world-wide suffer from sickle cell disease, and those of African and Caribbean ancestry are primarily affected.

Despite these devastating statistics, a cure has not been found. Researchers are hopeful that if sickle cell disease is properly treated and diagnosed early, it will not interfere with the growth and mental development of afflicted children. Educating our communities about this disease will enable researchers and advocacy organizations to develop effective treatments and ultimately a cure.

I thank Congressman Danny K. Davis for introducing this legislation and look forward to working with my colleagues to raise awareness of sickle cell disease.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Kilpatrick for introducing this resolution honoring Howard University School of Law's 140-year legacy of social justice and commitment to training social engineers.

If it were not for the legal battles waged by and won by lawyers from the Howard University School of Law, it is very unlikely that neither the progress or individual accomplishments obtained would have reached the heights we enjoy today.

As the first law school dedicated to educating African Americans, the doors of Howard University School of Law opened in 1869. The school was created to meet the need to train African Americans in protecting their newly established rights granted by the 13th and 14th Amendments of the Constitution. During this first year, six students committed to legal activism met in the homes and offices of part-time faculty.

As the years progressed and the number of students and the number of faculty grew, the school's commitment to public service was unwavering.

The mission of this school is guided by the wise words of Charles Hamilton Houston, who is widely regarded as the ``man who killed Jim Crow.'' He later went on to serve as the NAACP litigation director and Dean of Howard University School of Law. Charles Hamilton Houston once said, ``A lawyer's either a social engineer or a parasite on society.'' These inspiring words have led many students to enroll in the law school because of their interest and devotion to public service.

This quote and many other quotes from African American leaders line the halls of the school to inspire students, professors, and visitors every day.

Indeed, the men and women who graduated from Howard University School of Law became early pioneers and changed the fabric of our Nation.

The law school served as a training ground for graduates such as Oliver Hill, Spottswood Robinson II, and Thurgood Marshall who all played important and influential roles in the Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education. Thurgood Marshall was the lead litigator in Brown, where the Supreme Court ruled that the segregation of students in public schools ultimately led to unequal educational opportunities. This case, which was decided in 1954, led to the abolishment of racial segregation.

The very halls of this Congress are filled with Howard Law School alum who are dedicated to social change and public service.

Mariel Lim, an able and exceptional attorney who is a member of my staff, spent her most formative year of law school at Howard and applies the formidable skills she acquired there in the service of the residents of the 37th Congressional District of California and the Nation.

My Legislative Director, Gregory Berry, taught Torts, Legal Methods, Legal Writing 2, Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing to hundreds of students who graduated and became social engineers. During the 8 years he taught at Howard, Gregory coached Howard's acclaimed National Moot Court Team, which afforded students the opportunity to hone their writing and advocacy skills in intercollegiate competitions. Additionally, Gregory Berry was counsel of record on the amicus curiae brief he and two faculty colleagues submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Howard's law students in the Grutter v. Bollinger case, which upheld affirmative action in law school admissions.

I am not the only Member who benefits from these dedicated graduates. There are numerous other Howard alumni serving the cause of justice here on the Hill.

I congratulate the Howard University on their 140th anniversary of its extraordinary law school.

I know our Nation will be well-served for years to come by its graduates who will continue to provide, ``Leadership for America and the Global Community.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3548, the ``Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.'' This bill will provide much-needed relief to the millions of unemployed American workers who are struggling to find jobs today. With the adoption of this bill, Congress will provide up to 13 additional weeks of desperately needed unemployment benefits to workers who are about to run out of unemployment benefits, particularly focusing on those people who live in states where unemployment rates are highest.

California has the 4th highest unemployment rate in the Nation and in terms of my district the numbers are staggering:

Carson--12.6 percent

Compton--20.9 percent

Long Beach--13.7 percent

Signal Hill--9.4 percent

Mr. Speaker, although job losses have begun to decline more recently, unemployment is still too high, and the American people need relief now. With the national unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, we must enact legislation that will assist the American people during this precarious economic time of availability at an all-time low. At least 300,000 will run out of their unemployment benefits by the end of September and over 1 million people will run out of their benefits by the end of December.

It is very important that we pass H.R. 3548, but let us not forget that our real task in the coming months is to ensure that every American that wants a job has one. I have been working in Congress to continue to create and pass meaningful reform that will spur job growth and help communities in crisis. One of the most powerful pieces of legislation that we have already passed is the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, which helped create and save 3.5 million American jobs.

The American people are struggling to make ends meet while they search for new jobs in this challenging economy. I urge my colleagues to support this necessary and timely legislation. If we do not pass this bill, we will not only face a financial crisis but a moral deficit in this country as well. We cannot allow that to happen. I urge all members to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall vote No. 620, I am recorded as voting ``aye''. That was not my intention. It was my intention to vote ``no'' on the Hensarling Amendment.

The American people know something for sure, and that is premiums have doubled over the last 9 years growing three times faster than what we've seen in wages. The American families know that they're spending more than $1,000 a month than what they have had to do in the past.

So let's talk about what really the American solution is. It's having lower costs for consumers to no longer have copays or deductibles for preventative care, to have an annual cap to end that cap on out-of- pocket expenses, to end the rate of increases for preexisting conditions and, of course, looking at group rates.

We're ready for action. We've had six decades of discussions; we've had 45 hours of bipartisan debate, and 79 House hearings. It's time and it's time to move now.

Colleagues, it's with great pleasure that we come before you to announce the incredible success that we had last night at the First Annual Congressional--may I say--Bipartisan Women's Softball Game.

We want to recognize our two captains, Republican JoAnn Emerson and, of course, our fearless leader who did it all, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. We want to thank all of you, our teammates.

And from mine.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize June 19, 2009, or ``Juneteenth,'' the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

The observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865, and is now celebrated around the United States. This day was chosen because it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free--a full two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation became official on January 1, 1863. The day was largely celebrated within African-American communities until the Civil Rights movement, when Reverend Ralph Abernathy called for people of all races, economic levels, and professions to come to Washington, D.C. to show support for the poor at the Poor People's March on Juneteenth in 1968. Many of the participants returned home and initiated Juneteenth celebrations in their own communities.

Every year, the celebration of Juneteenth grows in popularity across the United States. It is a day when we recognize and remember the evils of slavery and the suffering it caused. But it is also a day that celebrates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. Participants of all races, nationalities and religions celebrate and take the time to reflect on the past and rejoice in the present and future.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to note that in California's 37th Congressional District the city of Carson, Compton, and Long Beach, which I am proud to represent, celebrated Juneteenth in a very special way. In Long Beach, The MusicUntold Orchestra and Chorale performed the Bicentennial Symphony, by composer Roy Harris, which is considered the most powerful musical statement ever made on slavery in the United States. Ollie Woodson, formally of the Temptations, performed at the Carson celebration and the Compton celebration featured Howard Hewitt and the Whispers.

As we celebrate Juneteenth, Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to recognize this day and take a moment to honor the women and men that dedicated their lives to ending slavery.

Mr. Speaker, America cannot afford to wait for health care reform. Right now, more than three out of four Americans are dissatisfied with the total cost of health care. That is why Congress is working hard to craft legislation to fix the health care system for American families, for American businesses, for future generations, and of course, for our own fiscal survival.

Since 2000, wages have only increased 3 percent while health insurance has increased more than 50 percent. This has caused many families to delay visits to the doctor, to skip treatments and to allow their health coverage to lapse. Despite having the most expensive health care system in the world, Americans are no healthier than many of our global partners.

President Obama and this Congress are working together to provide adequate, accessible and affordable health care now.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 435, celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I thank Chairman Towns and my California Delegation colleague, Congressman Honda for their work in bringing this resolution to the floor today.

This is a very exciting time for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and with the Obama Administration to advance the AAPI objectives.

The 37th Congressional District of California, which I am privileged to represent, is home to one of the largest Asian constituencies in the nation, including large representations of Filipinos, Samoans and Cambodians. My district is home to the largest Cambodian population in the United States, and the second largest Cambodian population outside of Cambodia. Because of the diversity of my district and in our nation, I am a proud member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

This year's theme for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is ``Lighting the Past, Present, and Future.'' The past is filled with rich cultural, economic, and technological contributions from the Asian community. The month of May was chosen to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage for two significant reasons. On May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived to our country and on May 10, 1860, the first transcontinental railroad was completed. The transcontinental railroad transformed our nation and could not have been completed without the inclusion of Chinese immigrants.

Here in Congress, Dalip Singh Saund was the first Asian American elected in 1957 and less than a decade later, Patsy Mink became the first Asian American woman elected to Congress. Both overcame adversity to pave the way for all minorities, including a distinguished American and Medal of Honor winner, Senator Daniel Inouye, who has served in the other body for nearly a half century. Today, we have seven Members of Congress of Asian descent and 25 Members of Congress, including myself, in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

The AAPI theme, the ``present'' demonstrates the great progress we have made as a country. Despite the challenges and adversity that Asian Pacific Americans have experienced, many have forged ahead and made significant contributions. History was made when this nation elected a President with such significant personal ties to the Asian Pacific community. President Obama spent his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia. One of President Obama's first guests to the Oval Office was the Prime Minister, Taro Aso of Japan. Further, President Obama appointed three Asian Americans to his cabinet: Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu; Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke; and Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki.

I have much hope for the future because Asian Pacific Americans and all Americans are working together hand in hand with others to ensure equality and advancement not only of their community, but all communities.

Madam Speaker, let me again thank Congressman Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, for his leadership in introducing this resolution. I look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americans this year and for years to come.