Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I was unavoidably absent and

missed rollcall votes Nos. 251 through 255. Had I been present, I would have voted:

``Yes'' on rollcall No. 251, H. Res. 794--Recognizing the 17th anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, in the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes;

``Yes'' on rollcall No. 252, H. Res. 804--Condemning the unauthorized, inappropriate, and coerced ordination of Catholic bishops by the People's Republic of China;

``Yes'' on rollcall No. 253, H. Res. 608--Condemning the escalating levels of religious persecution in the People's Republic of China;

``Yes'' on rollcall No. 254, H. Con. Res. 338--Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the activities of Islamist terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere, and

``No'' on rollcall No. 255.

Mr. Speaker, today I was unavoidably absent and missed rollcall votes Nos. 177 and 178. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 177, S. 1235, the ``Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2005'' and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 178, H.R. 3858, the ``Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2005.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Officer Osbaldo ``Ozzie'' Ramos for being named a 2006 ``TOP COP'' by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO).

The TOP COP is given annually by NAPO to pay tribute to outstanding law enforcement officers whose actions have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

Officer Ozzie Ramos was nominated by his fellow Los Angeles Police Department Officers for his heroism in the face of grave danger last spring. On March 10, 2005, Officer Ramos and three fellow LAPD officers brought down two dangerous gunmen. That day the two suspects loaded a SUV with 500 rounds of ammunition and a rifle and lured officers into a chase. Several police cars joined the pursuit, including Officer Ozzie Ramos and his partner Officer Trevor Jackson, when suddenly the suspects opened the door of the van and began firing shots at the police cars.

While Officer Ramos drove the patrol car, Officer Jackson returned the suspects' fire using his shotgun. When Officer Jackson ran out of ammunition, Officer Ramos courageously maintained their position in proximity to the SUV while simultaneously pulling out his weapon and firing a full magazine at the suspects.

The Officers' fire caused the SUV to crash in a parking lot, but the suspects continued firing at Officer Ozzie Ramos and his comrades. Officer Ramos exited his vehicle and while firing, crossed an unprotected area to gain a better shot and more accurately relay information on the suspects' position. As a result of Officer Ramos' information, another officer fired through the door of the vehicle and ended the standoff.

Officer Ramos' heroism that day is a reflection of his distinguished career in law enforcement. A 12-year veteran, Officer Ramos graduated from the Police Academy at the young age of 22. Upon graduation Officer Ramos was assigned to the 77th Street Patrol Division as a probationary officer. After completing probation, Officer Ramos served one year in the Central Traffic Division as a Collision Investigator before joining the Gang Enforcement Unit. He was certified as a gang expert and promoted to the ranks of Police Officer III and Assistant Squad Leader in the Gang Unit. After serving a tour in the Gang Unit, Officer Ramos continued his work as the Assistant Squad Leader in the Special Enforcement Unit. Presently Officer Ramos is a Field Training Officer in the 77th Street Patrol Division and he has received thirty-one Commendations for various acts, works, and accomplishments since 1998.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, please join me in honoring Officer Ozzie

Ramos for being honored with the TOP COP award for 2006. He is an exemplary police officer whose dedicated and fearless service is keeping the people of southern California safe.

Mr. Speaker, a year ago in this body, we were talking about this Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA's terrible labor provisions.

At that time, Member after Member raised serious concerns about CAFTA's failure to protect working people here in the United States and abroad. However, the Bush administration ignored every single one of those serious flaws with the CAFTA trade deal. Now the Bush administration is asking this House to consider the Oman and Peru Free Trade Agreements.

I would call it a new deal, except there is nothing new about it. I have looked at the labor provisions in the deal, Mr. Speaker, and they are identical to those in CAFTA. The administration has changed nothing, absolutely nothing at all.

So, Mr. Speaker, again I need to say that there is a message we need to send to the President. The message is very simple: No on the CAFTA model, no to inadequate labor protections, and no to the Oman and Peru agreements.

If you want to protect workers' rights, if you stand for labor protection, if you want to halt job losses in this country, then say no to the CAFTA model, say no to inadequate labor protection, and say no to the Oman and Peru agreements.

The CAFTA model hurts hardworking people here in the United States, in Oman and in Peru. Not surprisingly, the Oman and Peru trade deals will hurt U.S. workers in the same industries that were alienated by CAFTA. It is not a surprise to anyone that I am talking about textiles and sugar production.

The labor standards in Oman and Peru are simply not acceptable. As recently as last year, the Bush administration's very own State Department publicly stated that Oman has an unacceptable standard for the trafficking of people into involuntary labor.

The same was formally acknowledged regarding Peru, including a special note that child labor was a serious problem there.

Honestly, I do not understand this administration. At the same time that the administration negotiated these agreements, it also published a report detailing the extensive labor problems in both of these countries. Even children working in a factory making bricks in Lima, Peru, do not have the legal right to, and I quote the administration's report, ``remove themselves from potentially dangerous situations''.

We need to say no to the Oman and Peru agreements, not just to protect our labor rights here in the United States but also, importantly, to set the global standard for labor rights around the world.

It was not so long ago that many in this House rejected and argued against CAFTA. Guess what? The arguments against the Oman and Peru agreements are the exact same ones, because it is the exact same agreement.

I ask my colleagues not to be fooled. Do not believe that this is a new approach for trade, because absolutely nothing has changed.

I, for one, am going to stand up again for labor rights here in the United States and abroad, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I am excited and honored to be here tonight to help celebrate Women's History Month. I am hoping tonight that my colleagues and I can share with everyone what it is like to be a young woman in Congress and how we got our start here.

In addition, I am interested in sharing my thoughts on where women stand in today's workforce. I am proud

to stand here tonight with Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Representative Stephanie Herseth because together we make up the youngest women in the U.S. House of Representatives. It is my hope that someday soon there will be more than just three of us standing up here. In fact, I think it would be fantastic if we could fill up at least half of this Chamber with bright energetic women from across America.

I want to talk for a moment about women in the workforce, because every morning in households across America, women rise. We rise for work, we rise to care for children, we rise for the love of our jobs and for the love of our families. We rise to put food on the table, and we rise to make ends meet. Above all, we rise to our calling because we can, because we are capable.

No matter what a woman does for a living, we as women have a lot in common because it was not so long ago that women were forced to hide in the shadows of the American workforce. Today, we are a strong and vital part of the American economy and more women work outside the home than ever before. We continue to gain more career opportunities and achieve professional successes in all fields. But have we truly reached equality in the American workforce? Sadly, the answer is no.

The Equal Pay Act was passed more than 40 years ago, yet women still only make 76 cents for every dollar that a man makes, even when accounting for factors such as occupation, industry, race, marital status and job tenure. This gap has persisted for two decades. The glass ceiling is as shiny as it ever has been. According to a recent op-ed in USA Today, we still have miles to go before we can claim true equality.

Women make up less than 15 percent of Congress and law-firm partners, 12 percent of big-city mayors, 9 percent of judges, and just 1 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs. Women and men have had equal levels of post-high school education for 30 years, but the gender and color of those in power has not changed much in that time.

My experiences during my first year in Congress are very similar to the experiences that I had as a young female attorney. You have to work twice as hard as men to dispel people's doubts about preconceived notions that they might have of you. I had to deal with that from day one in Washington. Many people in Washington, D.C. are still not convinced that I am a Congresswoman because I am young, female, and Latina. A lot of people still assume that Members of Congress are men, and that leads to a whole lot of double standards here. In addition, I was surprised to learn that I am the first Latina in the history of the United States House of Representatives to serve on the Judiciary Committee and the Immigration Subcommittee.

In every field, the higher up you look, the fewer women you see. And if you look in the other direction, women still remain disproportionately concentrated in lower-paying jobs. This means that it is far more likely for women to live in poverty than men. The bottom line? Don't be fooled. While we are making gains, true workforce equality still remains an elusive goal. But it is a goal I am not willing to give up on.

Tonight, we celebrate Women's History Month because we have come so far after so much struggle and we deserve an opportunity to reflect our successes. Today, we are here to honor the successes of pioneering women who came before us, to examine where we are now, and to prepare for the future.

We already know that women are smart, but no matter how smart you are, it is tough to win when the rules dictate unequal pay for unequal work. A colleague of ours, Congresswoman DeLauro, has introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that would take critical steps to empower women to negotiate for equal pay, create strong incentives for employers to obey the laws that are in place, and strengthen Federal outreach and enforcement efforts. I encourage people to contact their Member of Congress and let them know they support H.R. 1687, the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Right now, there are only 88 cosponsors on Congresswoman DeLauro's bill. Out of the 435 elected voting Members of the House of Representatives, that still leaves 347 Members of Congress who have yet to support this bill. Now, I cannot imagine why 347 Members are not willing to stand up for women's pay equality for our daughters, mothers, and sisters. Mr. Speaker, I hope people pick up the phone and remind their Representatives to get on this bill and show that they truly value women's contributions in the workforce.

Women's increased access to higher education will be a moot point until our society provides better policies for working women. We owe it to our mothers, sisters and daughters. And while talking about better policies, I want to briefly touch as well on the minimum wage. Democrats in Congress are committed to raising the minimum wage to ensure that no one who works for a living lives in poverty.

While the number of Americans in poverty has increased by 4.3 million since President Bush took office, the minimum wage has been frozen at $5.15 since 1997. Democrats introduced the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2005, legislation that would raise the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour and help lift millions of Americans out of poverty. Women and children are the number one victims of poverty in this country, so I think it is important to remember that by raising the minimum wage we will be significantly raising the status of women and children.

In order to truly commemorate Women's History Month, I think we need to remember that actions speak louder than words. I know the American public is tired of hearing politicians highlight our country's problems without offering any real-life solutions. Tonight, I have touched on two problems and I have named two real solutions that are on the table right now. All that is left for us to do is to act.

Let us achieve real pay equity for women and raise the minimum wage. Together, America can do better on behalf of all women and all working families.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am pleased to yield back to the Representative from Florida.

When I ran for Congress, I had sort of a unique situation in that I had an older sister who was a trailblazer. She was elected in 1996, and when I ran and was elected, we were the first two women of any relation to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

There have been over 1,000 male relationships, either fathers and sons, uncles and nephews, male cousins. Never in the history of Congress until the year 2002 had two women of any relation served in Congress. It is a stark contrast in terms of we are making those strides, but we still have so much further to go.

If I could just add, one of the things, and you are raising excellent points, women have so many challenges. Young women have so many challenges today. Young mothers have so many challenges today, such as access to affordable health care and access to quality and affordable child care.

Women disproportionately have lower-paying jobs that pay minimum wage, and we have not seen a raise in minimum wage to keep pace with inflation.

Really oftentimes I talk about the glass ceiling because there are still so many opportunities denied to women in the upper echelons of our workforce, but many women are just struggling to get up off the floor because they are working minimum-wage jobs and trying to raise kids. They are the heads of households. They face all of these challenges. And one of the best ways for women to get ahead, and this is something my immigrant parents really instilled in all of my brothers and sisters, I come from a family of seven, they said education is the key to opportunity in this country; you need to go to college.

When they told me this, it was a pretty radical notion for a traditional Latino family to say not just the boys need to go to college, but the girls also should go to college. One of the ways I financed my education was with Pell grants and students loans, loans which I am still paying back today.

I still owe on my student loans. I make out that check every month. But it was the best investment I could have made in myself, because it opened the doors of opportunity.

When you talked about the President, his priorities being so out of place and opposite of what they should be, the first thing that jumped to my mind was they want to cut student aid programs. They want to freeze the maximum Pell Grant. Many young women who want to go to college rely disproportionately on Pell Grants and student aid to finance that and make that dream happen. Yet they are slashing that, which is, again, one of the best investments you could make.

If you talk about a young woman who is bright, she gets into college and cannot finance a college education, you are talking about not just making it that much harder for her to access these economic opportunities, but let's look at this realistically. If she is earning less because she is not able to get a college education or additional training, she is contributing less in the tax base in terms of our economy.

It is such a wise investment to help people further their education and careers, because they become higher income earners, they pay more into the

tax base, they spend more in their communities to help stimulate the economy. Yet we have an administration and a President who thinks nothing of making the biggest cuts to the student loan program in the whole program's history. Now, more than ever, we should think about investing in young women, not foreclosing those opportunities for them.

May I mention that my older sister, who was the older of the two to be elected to Congress, was a Head Start child. That program helped her become prepared for school, and helped my mother understand an education system that was totally foreign to her.

If you will yield, since we are on the topic of breast cancer, I want to mention two weeks ago I lost a Member of my staff in my district office. She had a 3-year battle with breast cancer. She died at the age of 49. She was the most wonderful, outspoken, helpful caseworker in our office.

Her husband said at her memorial service, ``You know, Idalia Smith did not die. She was killed. She was killed by cancer.'' He was angry that more had not been done to try to help eliminate breast cancer in terms of one of these horrible diseases that causes such suffering and takes people from us far, far too soon.

I just have this to say. We have talked a little bit about priorities and we have talked about some very worthwhile programs that are being cut to the core, to the point where these kinds of services are going to be eliminated altogether, will be so crippled by lack of funding that they are not going to really function and serve the people they need to serve.

The question for me, and I get angry about this, I hear colleagues talk about how they care about breast cancer research, they care about preparing kids for kindergarten, they care about making sure that educational opportunities are available, yet they have no qualms about voting to slash these programs to the core so they can give tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.

If that is not the clearest example of misplaced priorities, I don't know what is, because there is an old saying, you put your money where your mouth is. So you can talk about supporting something, but if you are not willing to put your money into that to support it, you are just giving lip service to it.

If I could just add, you have mentioned some of the great benefits to girls and women participating in sports. It leads to better physical health. It leads to better mental health, lower levels of depression in women who engage until regular physical activity. For girls, it promotes self-esteem and confidence that comes from gaining competence in something that they enjoy doing.

There are studies that even show that girls who engage in sports when they become women are more likely to leave abusive relationships than women who don't engage in sports.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mrs. Idalia Luna Smith. Idalia was a caseworker in my district office. She was also a dear and loving friend to hundreds in our region of California. She was a community activist, and she was a loving wife and mother of three children.

Idalia passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2006, ending a long and difficult battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband, John, and her two sons and daughter: Jack, Patrick, and Veronica.

Idalia was born and raised in East Los Angeles. Her interest in politics and social justice developed early in life. At the age of 14, she was influenced by her father's involvement in the famous 1970 Chicano Moratorium, an event which raised political consciousness for thousands in the Mexican America community of greater Los Angeles. As a teenager and college student, Idalia became politically active in her community, fighting for the equal treatment of Latinos and other underrepresented people.

Idalia graduated from Sacred Heart of Mary High School, then studied pre-medicine at Immaculate Heart College and Chicano studies, journalism and theatre at East Los Angeles Community College. She then earned her bachelor of science degree in biology at the University of La Verne.

Upon graduation, Idalia went to work for the Southern California Edison Company. In her 20 years there, she worked in many departments, including power production, informational technology, health care, and occupational health and safety. As a testament to Idalia's good will and generosity, she organized several blood donation drives and health fairs at Southern California Edison.

In 2001, seeking to combine her love of science, children and education, Idalia went back to school to earn a teaching credential at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. From 2001 to 2003, she taught science to young children at Beatitudes of our Lord School at La Mirada, California. However, her time at Beatitudes was unfortunately cut short by breast cancer. For the next 3 years, Idalia underwent the difficult rigors of chemotherapy and other treatments. Through her strength and courage, she was determined to return to help her community.

In 2003, Idalia did just that as she joined her husband, John, in founding the Robert F. Kennedy Democratic Club in La Mirada. In this way, Idalia continued the legacy of fighting for social justice that she began in East Los Angeles 30 years earlier.

In just one year, Idalia and John Smith increased the RFK Club's membership from 20 to 112 people. In acknowledgment of her work, Idalia was named the 2005 Democrat of the Year for the 60th Assembly District of California by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, and that same year she was honored by her local peers with the 2005 Community Service Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Democratic Club.

Over the past year, I had the pleasure of getting to know Idalia well as she worked in my district office as an office manager first and then a caseworker. Idalia's humor, optimism, and general goodwill always brightened our office and the lives of the constituents that she served. Not a day went by that she did not make us smile and laugh.

As a caseworker, she tirelessly worked to help others with their problems, all while she struggled with cancer. Despite her own health concerns, Idalia always lent an empathetic ear and dedicated herself to the individuals she helped. She was incredibly modest, humble, and charming. My staff and I will miss her greatly.

Through it all, Idalia believed in being proactive. She was committed to learning about her disease and did what she could to help others facing the same pain. I urge everyone to follow Idalia's example and make a personal commitment to ease the suffering of others as well and to help eradicate the horrible disease of cancer.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, please join me in honoring Idalia Luna Smith. May God bless her and ease her family's pain as they mourn for their loss.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Doris Wahl's 50 years community service and HIV/AIDS advocacy in Whittier, CA. Doris and her husband Wally Wahl, moved to Whittier 50 years ago where they raised four beautiful children, Michael, Margie, Christopher and Paul. For over 20 years, Doris was an active PTA member serving as president and chairwoman of several District Advisory Committees.

Over the years, Doris's community involvement extended to local government where she served as commissioner of Parks and Recreation for the city of Whittier and served twice as its chairwoman. Doris also served as president of the Whittier League of Women Voters, promoting civic participation in government and the political process.

On August 26, 1989, Doris lost her son Christopher due to complications with AIDS. Doris's loss and intimate involvement with the disease motivated her to found the Whittier Rio Hondo AIDS Project, WRHAP, 2 years later. What she learned during her son's illness and in subsequent years was that AIDS is not a disease solely driven by a virus but also by fear, loneliness and depression. It is for this reason that WRHAP provided a compassionate support group for those suffering with AIDS. Doris realized the true scope of the local epidemic when the support group grew to over 30 members after only 3 months. In 1993, 2 years later, WRHAP was incorporated as a nonprofit organization.

Since opening its doors, WRHAP has served thousands of people living with AIDS and provided HIV prevention information to over 12,000 youth. WRHAP currently serves over 100 persons living with HIV/AIDS, conducts over 1,200 outreach contacts per year, and provides over 500 confidential HIV tests.

Under Doris's leadership, WRHAP has become a one-stop resource for people with AIDS. WRHAP's clients receive case management assistance, mental health care, and support group therapy. Through collaboration with other agencies, WRHAP's clients can also obtain outpatient medical and dental care.

In August 2004, Doris founded the Christopher Wahl Youth Center in Whittier as a safe haven and HIV prevention resource for youth.

Doris has become a nationally recognized figure in advocating for appropriate services for people with AIDS, and she co-founded the Southern California HIV/AIDS Advocacy Coalition in 1998. Doris was twice selected as

Woman of the Year, once by the California State Assembly, once by the California State Senate and received a Special Congressional Recognition in honor of Women's History Month.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, please join me in honoring Doris Wahl for her many years of service to the community and for her many years of HIV/AIDS advocacy. Let us wish her and her family the very best in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. C. Thomas Keegel for his 45 years as a committed member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. James P. Hoffa for his strong leadership and commitment to working families.

As the only son of James R. Hoffa, former General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Mr. Hoffa grew up on picket lines and in union meetings. James P. Hoffa became a Teamster member himself on his 18th birthday when his father swore him in. As a young Teamster, Hoffa worked as a laborer in Detroit and Alaska, loading and unloading freight from ships, driving trucks and buses and operating heavy equipment.

At Michigan State University, Hoffa played football for legendary Coach Duffy Daugherty and graduated with a degree in Economics. He went on to receive his Law degree from the University of Michigan, and worked as a Teamster attorney from 1968 through 1993. From 1993 to 1998, Hoffa worked at Michigan Joint Council 43.

In 1999 Hoffa was elected General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Under his leadership, Teamsters are winning industry-leading contracts, engaging in contract enforcement and organizing thousands of new members.

The Union's renewed commitment to political action includes DRIVING America's Future, a new initiative that encourages and supports Teamster members running for political office. This effort will ensure even more Teamster influence in state and national government.

James P. Hoffa has spent a lifetime preparing for the challenge of running the Teamsters Union. He knows, first-hand, what Teamsters can accomplish when they work together. He is determined to lead a Union that is a credit to its proud history.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, please join me in honoring Mr. James P. Hoffa for his life's work in building better lives for our families, our communities and our country.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4437. Americans are right to demand better border security and better enforcement of our immigration laws, but this bill is just a false sense of security. It does not secure our borders, it leaves our ports of entry exposed, and does nothing to reform our broken immigration system. What is needed is enforcement of laws that work, and we cannot have this without comprehensive immigration reform. Even President Bush agrees on this.

We should not be debating a bill thrown together at the 11th hour before we adjourn for recess, a bill that basically opens the door for witch hunts of anyone who looks foreign and a bill that erodes basic civil liberties and human rights for migrants, legal immigrants, and even citizens.

In looking at the lack of merit in this bill, we need to ask ourselves what kind of America do we want to live in. Do we want an America where we have mass deportations? Do we want an America where police officers can randomly ask foreign-looking Americans to produce identification to prove their legal status? Do we want an America where people can be detained for life when their home country is unwilling to take them back? Do we want an America where American citizens will have to carry national identification cards to travel, work, or just walk down the street? Do we want an America that criminalizes 1.6 million children? Because that is exactly what this bill will do.

As the daughter of immigrants, I am offended by this bill, and I urge my colleagues to think long and hard about the vote they are about to cast and the detrimental impact it will have on the proud tradition of immigration that this country was built on.

Mr. Speaker, in this morning's Washington Post, one of the paper's columnists implied that I and other Members who oppose Medicare cuts are simply ``demonizing Republicans.''

Well, Mr. Speaker, I hate to break it to you, but I am more concerned with the people who live in my district than the current image problems affecting the Republican Party. Truly, what concerns the people in my district is what Congress is considering doing this week.

We are right now waiting to see the latest version of a bill that takes away food from children, makes it more difficult for young people to go to college, and slashes funding for foster parents.

I know that many of my colleagues would like to spin this bill as a fine example of fiscal discipline; but rather than taking from children, why do we not think we should start with, oh, I do not know, honestly accounting for future deficit projections, or eliminating billion-dollar pork barrel projects for the chairmen of certain committees, or how about an open and competitive bid on huge government contracts.

Five years ago, Mr. Speaker, this country had record surpluses. In half a decade, we have dishonest accounting, the largest deficit in history, and a budget reconciliation process that is conducted behind closed doors. Believing that America can do better is not a partisan attack.

Mr. Speaker, I couldn't agree more with my colleagues and the parents whose children were subject to a flawed, distasteful survey in Palmdale, California. The survey was clearly improper. However, I disagree that we should condemn the decision of the 9th Circuit Court. We should hold the Palmdale school district responsible for the content and the manner in which the survey was conducted.

School districts should and must ensure that parents are fully informed about all survey topics. In addition, school districts must guarantee that parents consent to their children's participation in a survey.

I will be voting no on H. Res. 547 because I believe it misses the mark--the Palmdale school district should be condemned for conducting the survey as opposed to condemning the 9th Circuit for their interpretation of the Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, this evening I honor and celebrate the life of former Representative Edward Ross Roybal.

Edward Roybal is a role model and a hero to us all. Congressman Roybal was a founding member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Much is owed to him for his foresight and leadership in establishing these organizations. Today, these organizations are among the leading voices for the Latino community.

I quickly want to share a story that I think epitomizes Ed Roybal's life in the House. In 1982, he opposed a comprehensive immigration reform bill that had many bad provisions and many punitive provisions in it. He threatened to offer more than 100 amendments to the bill and demand a recorded vote on each amendment if the bill was brought to the floor.

Fortunately for him and the Latino community, the House leaders backed down from this battle. This also is a clear example of how much respect folks had for this man because he stood up for what was right. The powers that be recognized him for his leadership.

In June of 1984, this bill was brought up again; and this time he offered seven amendments to amend the bill. His actions showed his relentless commitment and passion for immigration and its human impact on the Latino community.

Today, we face a similar challenge defending those seeking a better life. It is my hope that Members will remember his courage and integrity when we debate this matter.

Mother Teresa once said, ``I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.'' Ed Roybal serves as a shining example of the profound impact that one person can have on his or her community and country. He is a model for selflessness and eternal optimism, and I wish to honor him this evening.

``Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves.'' For over a quarter of a century, the people of California had such a leader in Edward Roybal. As we all know, the name Ed Roybal has become synonymous with leadership and integrity in the local and national political arena. Indeed, Ed Roybal was blessed for selflessly giving his energy and love and for dedicating his life to those most in need. Let us honor and celebrate his life's work in public service.

Through his life, Edward Ross Roybal was a tireless champion of the most vulnerable--the elderly and sick in the country. That is why in 2001 President Clinton awarded Congressman Roybal the Presidential Citizens Medal for ``exemplary deeds of service for our Nation.''

Edward Roybal graduated from the University of California Los Angeles and Southwestern University, where he studied law. After working for the California Tuberculosis Association, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II from April 1944 to December 1945.

Edward Roybal was first elected to the House in 1962. Early in his congressional career, he served on various committees where he distinguished himself for his leadership. In 1971, Congressman Roybal was selected to serve on the Appropriations Committee, where he remained for the rest of his tenure in the House. He was a powerful advocate for funding education, civil rights, and health programs. Most notably, he was one of the first Members of Congress to press for HIV/ AIDS research funding.

Representative Roybal also served on the Select Committee on Aging, serving as chair from 1985 to 1993. In 1980, he led a campaign for the restoration of funds to programs for the elderly. In 1982, he was successful in maintaining the Meals on Wheels program.

After Congress, former Representative Roybal used his leftover campaign funds to found a non-profit research agency dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of health and human services to older persons, now called the Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology at the California State University--Los Angeles campus. Clearly, Roybal was committed to public health issues that affected the most vulnerable. To this end, in 1999 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) honored Congressman Roybal's support for public health programs by naming its main campus in Atlanta in his honor and awarding him its Champion of Prevention Award.

Congressman Roybal was also a founding member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Much is owed to him for his foresight and leadership in establishing these organizations. Today, these organizations are among the leading voices for the Latino community.

Mother Teresa once said, ``I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.'' Ed Roybal serves as a shining example of the profound impact one person can have on his or her community and nation. He is a model for selflessness and eternal optimism. Ed Roybal is a role model and a hero to us all.

Madam Speaker, when I was

elected to Congress, I never thought I would be asked to participate in crushing the dreams of American children. But that is exactly what the House majority is asking me to do. The House budget reconciliation bill includes $14.3 billion in overall cuts to Federal student aid programs over the next 5 years. This cut will be the single largest cut in the entire history of the student aid program. I thought the majority did not want to leave any child behind. But obviously what this cut means is they do not want to leave you behind, until you want to go to college.

I know firsthand the importance of student aid. I would not be standing on the floor of this House if it were not for student aid programs. These loans made my education dreams a reality. I am the only member of the California congressional delegation still paying off her student loans. Each month I proudly write that check because I know the best investment I and my seven brothers and sisters could have made was our investment in our own education.

Can you imagine where we will be in 20 years when we lack the professionals that we need in this country? Make no mistake, these proposed cuts to student aid programs will negatively impact the future of our workforce and our economy.

Mr. Speaker, today I was unavoidably detained in District-related events and missed rollcall votes Nos. 570, 571 and 573. Had I been present, I would have voted:

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 570, H. Con. Res. 260--A bill to recognize the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate, and the continuing need for mutual interreligious respect and dialogue,

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 571, H.R. 1973--The ``Water for the Poor Act of 2005,'' and

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 572, H.R. 444--The ``Gynecological Resolution for Advancement of Ovarian Cancer Education.''