Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for rollcall Nos. 19 and 20 on Tuesday, January 22. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 19 to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4211 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 725 Roanoke Avenue in Roanoke Rapids, NC, as the ``Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office'' and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 20 to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 866 honoring the brave men and women of the United States Coast Guard whose tireless work, dedication, and commitment to protecting the United States have led to the Coast Guard seizing over 350,000 pounds of cocaine at sea during 2007, far surpassing all of our previous records.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to recognize the passing of our former colleague and my fellow Angeleno, Augustus Freeman Hawkins.

I had the privilege of meeting Congressman Hawkins on several occasions during the years he served with my father, Congressman Edward R. Roybal, and I was struck by his warmth, intelligence, courage, and his dedication to serving the people of his Los Angeles congressional district.

Known affectionately as ``Gus'' to his colleagues and friends, Congressman Hawkins served his Los Angeles-area community, the State of California and the Nation with distinction. Dedicating his life to public service, Congressman Hawkins served for 27 years in the California Assembly and 28 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

His entry into Congress in 1962 could not have come at a more auspicious time. With the Civil Rights Movement already coming to the forefront of our Nation's consciousness, Congressman Hawkins became a powerful advocate for civil rights for all Americans. As the first African-American from the western United States to serve in the House of Representatives, he keenly understood the importance of the minority voice in American politics, and he worked to magnify this voice by becoming a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. The CBC's current success can be traced back to Congressman Hawkins' vision and commitment to the organization in its formative years.

His achievements during his nearly three-decade tenure as a legislator are too numerous to recount. He was chairman of the powerful House Education and Labor Committee and the House Administration Committee, and he used his role as chairman to champion critical civil rights measures that expanded opportunities for millions of Americans.

Most notably, he sponsored a section of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 that established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC has been a critical tool in efforts to enforce laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability.

Reacting to rising inflation and unemployment in the 1970s, Congressman Hawkins introduced, along with Senator Hubert Humphrey, the Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act, better known as the Humphrey- Hawkins Act of 1978. This measure was signed into law by President Carter and proved to be a blueprint for debates on how Government should interact with private enterprise to bring about national growth and fiscal responsibility. And, true to his nature as a defender of civil rights, the Humphrey-Hawkins Act specifically prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, age, gender, or national origin.

On the home front, Congressman Hawkins served his district during a tumultuous time in Los Angeles' history. Gus had been in Congress only 3 years when the 1965 Watts riots occurred, ultimately claiming the lives of dozens of his constituents. He decried the abusive actions of the police, and he redoubled his efforts to secure funds to fight poverty in his district and underserved minority communities across the Nation.

Congressman Hawkins' forceful defense of Americans held back by discrimination and poverty made him both an effective advocate and a devoted mentor to young minority lawmakers. Indeed, many of my colleagues in the House have been touched and inspired by Gus Hawkins' advice and mentorship. I know that my father, who was his counterpart in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, valued him as an ally and deeply respected and admired his leadership role as a civil rights advocate and promoter of equal opportunity for all.

Congressman Gus Hawkins will be remembered as an outstanding legislator, a trailblazer, as a trusted mentor, and as a friend. As a colleague, he will be remembered for the hard work, dedication, and dignity he always brought to his life, his work in public service, and to this people's House of Representatives.

I extend my condolences to his family and to the many people whose lives he touched.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 822, recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Port of Los Angeles, and I commend Congresswoman Laura Richardson for her leadership and introduction of this resolution.

When the port opened in 1907, the population of the City of Los Angeles stood at only 300,000 residents. Today the City of Los Angeles is a thriving metropolis of more than 4 million residents, the second largest city in the Nation. This transformation into a sprawling urban giant was enhanced by the ever-growing global trade that passes through the Port of Los Angeles.

As a major gateway to the Pacific Rim, the L.A. port handles an estimated $225 billion worth of cargo a year, and with its neighboring Port of Long Beach, it is the largest container port complex in the Nation and the fifth largest in the world.

The Port of Los Angeles plays a critical role in our local and State economy. It contributes $1.4 billion in State and local tax revenues, provides 259,000 jobs, and pays $8.4 billion in wages annually. Equally as important, if not more so, the Port of Los Angeles is also a strong economic engine for our national economy.

Goods arriving through the port complex account for more than 40 percent

of our Nation's total import traffic and 24 percent of its total exports. In fact, more than 60 percent of arriving cargo has destinations outside of Southern California.

In 2005, the number of direct and indirect jobs associated with the trade activity generated by the L.A. ports was 3.3 million jobs nationwide. This is a 200 percent increase over 1994 data.

On this historic 100th anniversary, I salute the Port Authority; the City of Los Angeles; the communities of Wilmington and San Pedro, which host the port; and I especially want to salute the thousands of hardworking men and women who ensure the port's daily operations and its reliable movement of goods. And I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was not present for rollcalls 1090 and 1091 Wednesday, November 14. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 1090 on Agreeing to the Conference Report on H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act and ``yea'' on rollcall 1091 to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3845 PROTECT Our Children Act.

Madam Speaker, domestic violence is a widespread tragedy that indiscriminately affects families of all races and classes. It is a serious crime that has no social barriers.

Thanks to the leadership of the women in Congress, this body has made great strides in addressing many issues surrounding domestic violence.

For example, The Violence Against Women Act of 1994, helped dispel the myth that living with domestic violence was a lifestyle choice of the victim. This landmark legislation directly impacted federal and state laws which today recognize domestic violence as a crime for which the abuser, not the victim, is responsible.

Unfortunately, much more still needs to be done to help victims become survivors.

For example, studies estimate that in the United States close to one- third of women will be physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend in their lifetime.

Credible research has also found that the inability to financially support themselves and their children is a critical factor contributing to one staying in an abusive relationship.

Without the ability to be self-sufficient, many survivors are left with the terrifying choice of staying with their abuser or being unable to provide for themselves and their children.

While many states, including my home state of California, have taken action to help survivors retain their financial independence, the job protections offered by state laws vary dramatically.

For example, in 21 states when a survivor is forced to quit a job due to the abuse, she or he is not eligible for unemployment benefits.

And only nine states protect a survivor's job if they are attacked by a partner or spouse and need time off to find a safe place to live.

These discrepancies in state laws often determine whether a person will continue to be a victim of abuse or a survivor.

On October 31, I, together with Representative Poe from Texas, introduced three bills to help victims of domestic violence become survivors regardless of where in the country they live.

Our bills address three key economic factors that prevent many survivors from leaving an abusive relationship by providing victims of abuse with the employment protections and the increased economic stability they need to leave an abuser.

The three bills are: The Job Protection for Survivors Act, the Insurance Non-Discrimination for Survivors Act, and the Unemployment Insurance for Survivors Act.

The Job Protection for Survivors Act will allow survivors of domestic violence, without the fear of losing their jobs, to take limited leave from work to make necessary court appearances, and get help with safety planning. Employees will also have job protection if they ask for reasonable safety modifications in the workplace.

The Insurance Non-Discrimination Act for Survivors will prohibit employers or insurance providers from basing hiring or coverage decisions on an individual's history of abuse. This will help address the fear many have of seeking help because they know companies may use documents such as police records to drop or reject their insurance coverage.

The third bill, the Unemployment Insurance for Survivors Act, guarantees that survivors are eligible for unemployment benefits. Current Federal law remains inadequate in ensuring survivors have the resources they need while seeking new employment and a safe place to live.

Madam Speaker, for many this package of bills can literally make the difference between life and death.

I want to thank the many dedicated advocates who labor every day to end domestic violence for their support of these bills. I have worked closely with them for many years, and their input and expertise has been invaluable in crafting these measures.

I also thank Representative Poe for his co-sponsorship and I look forward to working with him to pass these bills.

Madam Speaker, violence in America's families has a devastating effect not only on the target of the abuse but on the family unit. It is especially damaging to the children who suffer emotionally or are themselves the target of physical abuse.

I urge my colleagues to join me and Congressman Poe and co-sponsor the Job Protection for Survivors Act, the Insurance Non-Discrimination for Survivors Act, and the Unemployment Insurance for Survivors Act to empower survivors against the violence in their lives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 75th anniversary of a very prominent business located in my 34th Congressional District, Crowell, Weedon & Co., the largest independent investment firm in the western United States.

In 1932, during the depths of the Great Depression, Warren Crowell and George Weedon had the vision, courage and conviction to open the doors of a stock and bond brokerage firm on Spring Street in Downtown, Los Angeles. The venture posed a significant risk at the time considering the nation was still grappling with the fallout from the 1929 stock market crash and the nation's financial center, New York City, was considered the likely home for such ventures. Nevertheless, Mr. Crowell and Mr. Weedon were determined to help individuals and small business owners re-enter the stock market. They felt very strongly that families and businesses should establish savings and investment plans with the long-term goal of achieving financial independence.

Three generations and 75 years later, Crowell, Weedon & Co. continues to be guided by the same core principles upon which it was founded: confidence in the vitality of the American free enterprise system; reliance in long-term investing, rather than short-term speculation; a conservative philosophy of investing in select enterprises; and an enduring commitment to serving clients by making their individual investment needs a priority.

Crowell, Weedon & Co.'s approach to working with their clients is reminiscent of a time when investing was less complicated and more personal. As its motto ``Built on Integrity. . . Grown on Trust'' reflects, the firm places a strong emphasis on developing strong and enduring firm-client relationships. Crowell, Weedon & Co.'s business approach has produced an insightful investment philosophy, which has strengthened the company and enabled it to withstand numerous market fluctuations. Crowell, Weedon & Co. today boasts of a partnership with more than 70 owners and 75 years of consistent profitability since its first day of operation.

The company's proud legacy is reflected in the firm's leadership. Donald Crowell, the founder's son, served as Managing Partner for over forty years. Today, Donald's sons, Andrew and Don, Jr. serve as two of the firm's 70 partners. Together, they carry on the proud Crowell family tradition.

Madam Speaker, on October 19, 2007, more than 500 employees and guests will gather at the Los Angeles Westin Bonaventure to celebrate the company's 75th year. I congratulate Crowell, Weedon & Co. on this landmark achievement and ask my colleagues to join me in extending to the firm's management and employees best wishes for many more years of continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the city of Bellflower and ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating its residents on the city's 50th anniversary. I am proud to represent this unique city as part of my 34th Congressional District of California.

And while we honor 50 years of official incorporation, Bellflower's roots date back to 1784, when a Spanish leatherjacket soldier named Manuel Nieto received a 300,000-acre land grant on which to graze livestock. After Nieto passed away in 1804, his land was divided into five smaller ranchos that were distributed to his heirs in 1832. His daughter, Manuela Cota, received a 27,000-acre plot known as Rancho Los Cerritos. After several changes in ownership, the rancho was eventually purchased by Lewellyn Bixby during the 1860s. Bixby's brother, Jotham, who was selected to manage the ranch, divided the land into several sections, including a 4,000-acre area called Somerset Ranch. This is the land on which much of Bellflower as we now know it would eventually sit.

During the late 1800s, a settlement began to sprout up along the banks of the San Gabriel River, but the community remained small and the population numbered less than 100 through the early part of the 20th century. The completion of a Pacific Electric Railway line through Somerset Ranch in 1905, and the vision of founders Emil Firth and Frank E. Woodruff to subdivide large ranches into town-sized lots provided a catalyst for growth. By 1912, Bellflower's population numbered more than 1,200.

Bellflower remained a rural community for many years and became known for its dairy and poultry farming. Many Dutch, Portuguese, Hispanic and Japanese immigrants settled in

the area to take advantage of the community's thriving agriculture industry, and by the late 1940s, Bellflower's population boomed to more than 44,000. As the town's population continued to grow, the community began to consider incorporation. And on September 3, 1957, the proud community was granted a certificate of city incorporation and became California's 348th city.

Fifty years later, Bellflower has blossomed into a dynamic and diverse community of more than 77,000 people. The city has left its rural roots behind, and is now focused on attracting new, quality businesses to a community that houses more than 3,000 merchants. Bellflower also remains committed to community development and has several projects in the works that will help beautify an already attractive city, including the opening of Pirate Park--a pirate-themed play area--the restoration of the historic Pacific Electric Railway Depot and the development of the three-acre Palm Street Linear Park, which will feature bike and walking trails.

Bellflower will mark its 50th anniversary in mid-October with a week of exciting events, including its annual Liberty Day Parade, a fireworks show, a cow-milking contest and several concerts. I'm honored to recognize this historic milestone in this city's rich history.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Bellflower's first 50 years as this thriving community continues to live by its motto of ``Growing Together'' and works toward a prosperous future.

Mr. Speaker, I hoped I would rise today in strong support of this SCHIP conference agreement that ensures millions of additional children access to health care.

While I am pleased that we are increasing our investment in children's health, I'm deeply disappointed that final product denies health care to legal immigrant children.

The Senate Republicans' failure to include the House-passed Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act in the conference agreement is a tragically missed opportunity to address existing health disparities among vulnerable legal immigrant children and pregnant women.

More than 20 States, including California, have recognized that increasing access to care for legal immigrant children and pregnant women is good public health policy and cost-effective care.

Unfortunately, this bill ignores that fact.

This debate is not about immigration. This debate is about health care and our moral imperative to value the life of every child and to ensure that race and income do not determine the health status of any child in our wealthy Nation.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the millions of children without health insurance, and the millions of seniors who need the added Medicare benefits in this bill, I rise in support of HR 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007.

Because the CHAMP Act will have such a huge impact on improving the health and well-being of millions of America's children and seniors, it is without doubt one of the most important pieces of legislation this Congress will pass.

As a mother and grandmother, I believe one of our country's greatest responsibilities is to ensure the health and well-being of our children. The CHAMP Act honors that responsibility by providing states with $50 billion in new funds to provide an additional 5.1 million children with health care coverage.

The bill also provides comprehensive Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment health services to all infants, children, and adolescents enrolled in Medicaid. These services, weakened by a Republican-controlled Congress in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2006, will help ensure vulnerable children have health problems diagnosed early and avoid more complex and costly treatment.

In addition, the CHAMP Act establishes a pediatric health care quality measurement program which will provide a long-overdue federal investment in quality and performance measurements. The grants made available to States will improve the delivery of health care services to children under Medicaid and SCHIP.

As a daughter, I have watched with concern the health challenges my parents have faced as they aged. Luckily, they have had the resources to receive the care and medication they have needed.

Sadly, this is not the case for a vast majority of seniors such as those in my congressional district. While they face many of the same health challenges that my parents experienced, they struggle every day to make ends meet, often unable to afford their costly medications.

The CHAMP Act helps these seniors by extending the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund, and simplifying and expanding the existing programs designed to help low-income Medicare beneficiaries pay for Medicare premiums and prescription drugs.

Of great importance is also the fact that this bill encourages wellness by extending badly needed preventive and therapeutic services. The CHAMP Act eliminates co-payments and deductibles for current and future evidence-based preventive benefits, gives parity to mental health services by reducing the 50 percent co-payment on outpatient mental health treatment, and ensures our seniors have access to physical, occupational, and speech therapies.

The CHAMP Act also extends agreements with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow states, including my home state of California, to continue providing services to our most vulnerable seniors through adult day care health programs.

As a Latina and a Member of Congress who represents a large multicultural constituency, I am also concerned about the barriers that prevent minorities from enrolling in Medicaid and SCHIP. For example in the Latino community, barriers such as the lack of culturally sensitive outreach efforts have resulted in keeping more than 70 percent of eligible Latino children uninsured.

The CHAMP Act addresses this deficiency by encouraging culturally appropriate enrollment and retention practices. The bill funds translation and interpretation services for families where English is not the primary language and authorizes community health workers to provide outreach services.

Finally, the CHAMP Act restores the states' option to cover legal immigrant children and legal immigrant pregnant women in SCHIP or Medicaid. It also amends the requirements for documentation of citizenship to allow a reasonable amount of time for families to gather the necessary papers and information.

As a proud American who cherishes the values upon which our country was founded, I believe this bill takes a giant step forward in honoring our moral imperative to ensure that age, race and income do not determine the health status of our children, seniors, and citizens with disabilities.

With the expansion of SCHIP coverage to millions of children, and the additional benefits made available to Medicare beneficiaries, the CHAMP Act may well be the most important pro-life bill the 110th Congress will pass in 2007.

I commend Chairman Dingell from the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Chairman Rangel from the Ways and Means Committee, as well as the dedicated staff members who have invested so much time and effort to craft this very important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to vote for its passage today, to honor our commitment to our children, our seniors and our citizens with disabilities, and to offer them the promise of a healthier tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late Joel Bloom, a beloved community leader, activist and business owner in my district, who passed away recentry after a long battle with cancer.

At a memorial service last month held in front of Joel's business, Bloom's General Store in the Arts District, more than 200 admirers, family members and friends gathered to celebrate his remarkable life. It was a happy occasion, just as Joel would have wanted.

On a personal level, I am extremely grateful to Joel for his unwavering advocacy on behalf of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension. Joel knew that the Gold Line light-rail extension linking Union Station to destinations that included the Arts District and East Los Angeles would play a critical role in the economic development of much-neglected communities. At many MTA meetings when the extension was discussed, I could always count on Joel to represent the transportation needs of Arts District residents with passion and zeal. It saddens me that Joel will not be with us to ride the trains when rail service begins in late 2009 that he fervently believed would spur economic development similar to what occurred in his Chicago birthplace.

Madam Speaker, in honor of Joel's life and many accomplishments, I would like to submit for the record his obituary that appeared in the Los Angeles Times on July 14. It captures the many facets of a man who will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

[From the Los Angeles Times, July 14, 2007]

Joel Bloom, 59; L.A. Arts District Activist

(By Valerie J. Nelson)

Joel Bloom, a pioneering community activist who helped

shape the downtown Los Angeles arts district and was its

unofficial mayor, with his shoebox-sized general store

serving as the area's town hall, has died. He was 59.

Bloom, who also was a playwright and actor, died of soft-

tissue sarcoma Friday at the West Los Angeles VA Medical

Center, said his son, Randy. Bloom had fought cancer since

2000.

``He gave the arts district its personality, and he was

unabashed in his great love for it,'' said Councilwoman Jan

Perry, who represents the area sandwiched between Little

Tokyo and the banks of the Los Angeles River. ``Joel was

charismatic and ruled the roost over there for many, many

years.''

In late June, the city gave him an honor rarely accorded a

living Angeleno--a sign was posted at East Third Street and

Traction Avenue that declared the area ``Joel Bloom Square.''

The humble Bloom's General Store, founded in 1994 to give

the growing community a place to pick up toothpaste or rent a

video, stands nearby.

``There's a spark here--hopefully we can light it,'' Bloom

told The Times in 1994 before opening the store in the

industrial corridor.

The downtown arts district began in the late 1970s as a

haven for artists who worked in the lofts and often illegally

lived in them.

By the time Bloom moved there in 1986, the city had

legalized the live-work spaces, and hundreds of artists had

flocked to the area then known as the warehouse or lofts

district.

``I get a feeling here I haven't gotten anywhere else. It

may look desolate, but it's not. There's no place I'd rather

be,'' Bloom said in the 1994 article.

A City Council resolution passed earlier this month

recognized Bloom's community activism, which encompassed

fighting to bring light-rail projects to downtown

neighborhoods, advocating for affordable housing, organizing

a well-regarded neighborhood watch program and leading

downtown neighborhood councils.

The resolution also saluted him as a lifelong baseball fan

and as a member of the Second City improv group ``who raised

the term `grumpiness' to an art form.''

Offstage, he was seen as equally cantankerous.

``He was a very gruff old man,'' said Edward Walker, a

longtime friend who works at Bloom's store. ``He could yell

at you one moment, but the next he would be your friend.

Still, if you needed something, he would be the first one

there.''

Bloom reveled in being a character, friends said, and in

creating them.

In 1987, Bloom wrote and staged a production in a downtown

parking lot that spoofed drive-in movies. Patrons were handed

2-D glasses--the wearer could see out of the left lens but

not the right--and watched ``Mayhem at the Mayfield Mall,'' a

parody of sci-fi movies.

When the play was restaged in 1998, The Times reported, the

Drive-In Drama lot on Imperial Street was thought to be the

only venue where live theater could be enjoyed from the

comfort of an automobile. Audience members honked to signal

laughs or boos, and the national media tweaked L.A. for

redefining ``car culture.''

A Bloom musical, ``Showdown at Sonoratown: The Lady Who

Stole Hollywood,'' satirized Los Angeles history when the

play was performed in 1990 on Hewitt Street at Al's Bar,

which turned into Al's National Theater on slow nights.

As an actor, Bloom appeared in plays such as ``The Juke Box

Never Plays the Songs You Want to Hear,'' a takeoff on ``A

Midsummer Night's Dream'' in which the audience sat on stage

and the action unfolded on the floor of Al's, said TK Nagano,

Bloom's bookkeeper and friend.

Away from the stage, Bloom burnished his reputation as

``the godfather'' of the community of 1,500 by helping to

spearhead a campaign that resulted in the city officially

designating it in the 1990s as the arts district, Walker

said.

Bloom also led the successful fight to keep the Los Angeles

Unified School District from building a distribution

warehouse in the neighborhood. In 2000, the Southern

California Institute of Architecture moved into the area

instead.

``Without Joel, we wouldn't have an arts district in its

present form,'' Walker said. ``It's kind of a Mayberry filled

with bohemian artists. Everyone knows everybody, and everyone

knows Joel.''

The second of three children, Joel Alan Bloom was born May

30, 1948, in Chicago. His father worked for a paper company.

In 1969, he graduated from Pasadena Playhouse's school of

theater arts.

During the Vietnam War, Bloom served in the Air Force,

documenting the soldiers' daily life on film and from the

air.

After leaving the service in 1974, he earned a degree in

psychology from the University of Illinois, then joined

Second City as a stage manager in Chicago.

In the late 1970s, he moved to Los Angeles along with

Second City comedian George Wendt, with whom he roomed in

Chicago.

Bloom bartended at Al's, joined Shakespeare Festival/LA as

stage manager and put down roots in what would become the

arts district.

``We've always been dismissed as that industrial area east

of downtown,'' Bloom told The Times in 1997. ``Well, we're

more than that. There's a heart here. And a soul.''

The corner of Traction Avenue and Hewitt Street came to be

known as the heart of the community, the site of a scruffy

general store where Bloom was known to greet customers by

bellowing, ``Whaddaya want?''

Bloom had been divorced since 1977. In addition to his son,

Randy, of Azusa, he is survived by a brother, Michael; a

sister, Lynn; and two grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 781, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3074. As a new member of the subcommittee, it has been an honor to work with Chairman John Olver and Ranking Member Joe Knollenberg. I commend them for crafting a quality, bipartisan bill in the face of serious budgetary constraints. I also commend clerk Kate Hallahan and the committee staff on both sides of the aisle for their professionalism and hard work on this bill.

Madam Chairman, the bill before us is carefully crafted to make important investments to meet our Nation's crucial housing and transportation needs. For the first time in over 5 years, this bill provides new section 8 vouchers to help address our Nation's housing shortage. It also fully funds authorized section 8 housing vouchers, essential to States like California, where there are over 300,000 vouchers in use. This number is more than one-seventh the national total.

While there still remains a great need for additional vouchers, I am pleased that this bill is an important step forward in helping to meet the housing needs of our most vulnerable populations.

I am also pleased that this bill has restored funding for the Public Housing Capital fund. The administration's proposed cut would have had a severe impact on the ability of public housing authorities to renovate our Nation's dilapidated housing facilities, including those in my Thirty-fourth Congressional District. By restoring funding to last year's level, public housing authorities can continue critically needed renovations.

Under the leadership of Chairman Olver, this bill also funds our Nation's transportation systems in a way that reaffirms the natural link between housing and transportation. The bill directs HUD and the Transportation Department to better coordinate public transportation with housing policies and programs. Improved coordination will help ensure that affordable housing is located closer to public transportation systems and job centers. The bill supports that directive through increased funding for transit.

To enhance the public's use of mass transit and alleviate congestion on our Nation's highways and city cores, the bill provides additional Capital Investment Grants for commuters and light rail transit systems. Funding for these Capital Investment Grants is expected to generate as many as 17,400 new jobs and yield $1.8 billion in economic benefits to State and local communities.

Our highways remain a critical element of our Nation's transportation system. This is especially true in my community of Los Angeles. To improve and maintain our Nation's aging highway infrastructure, the bill includes increased investments designed to ease automobile traffic and improve the flow-of-goods movement from our seaports to communities across the Nation. The investment in highway infrastructure will create over 59,000 additional jobs across all sectors of our economy.

The passage of this bill is essential to maintaining our Nation's transportation infrastructure to keep America moving, our economy strong and our country's most vulnerable sheltered. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding

member of the Los Angeles-area business and civic community and a woman of true distinction, Gilda Bojorquez-Gjurich.

Raised in east Los Angeles, Gilda graduated from Garfield High School and Woodbury University in Burbank, where she majored in accounting. Following graduation, she put her education to work, pursuing a career as a general contractor and becoming a partner in an Alhambra-based construction firm. It was a successful and top-rated venture, reflecting her keen business sense and her ability to break through the glass ceiling as a woman in the construction industry.

Complementing her success in the business community, Gilda has spent decades making extensive civic contributions, serving on the board of directors for various nonprofit organizations and working to improve the lives of those less fortunate in the greater Los Angeles community.

For many years, Gilda has been a key member of Las Madrinas, an informal group of dedicated advocates mentoring the young women at Ramona Continuation High School in east Los Angeles. She has provided financial resources, and recruited volunteers and role models to help inspire and guide these young women working to turn their lives around in the school's alternative learning environment.

In 1989 Gilda became a founding member of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality, HOPE, and she continues to play a dynamic and influential role in the organization. Over the past two decades, HOPE has become a vibrant nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to ensuring political and economic parity for Latinas through leadership, advocacy, and education.

In 1991 Gilda cofounded HOPE's annual symposium entitled, A Proud Past . . . A Powerful Tomorrow. To date, the symposium has welcomed more than 3,000 Latinas who have come together to learn about issues important to our community. Gilda was also instrumental in getting local, county, and State officials to declare the annual symposium date as Latina History Day, celebrated on the second Friday in March to commemorate the historic achievements of Latinas.

Gilda was also pivotal in the growth and success of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, established in 1963 to serve disadvantaged individuals and families in the Los Angeles area. She was chair of the foundation's National Hispanic Women's Conference, and is credited with helping the group become a multi-million dollar organization that serves more than 100,000 low-to-moderate income Latinos throughout seven counties in California providing high quality social services and programs to those communities where need is the greatest. Gilda continues to serve on the board of directors for the organization.

While her advocacy on behalf of Hispanics has made her a loved and well known figure throughout Los Angeles, Gilda has also served with distinction and earned recognition at the State and national level. Over the years, she has served three Presidents in appointed positions, including her appointments to the Commission on International Women's Year, the National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs, and as an emissary to evaluate the revolution in Nicaragua. California Governor Gray Davis presented her with a commendation for exemplary community service in recognition of her years of service on behalf of her fellow Angelenos.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Gilda as she celebrates her 80th year and a lifetime of commitment to the economic empowerment of Los Angeles communities and Latinas across the Nation. Gilda exemplifies what it is to be a role model--not just for Latinas, but for all Americans. Latino families in Los Angeles, the State and the Nation are truly fortunate to have such a devoted advocate, and I am equally blessed by her friendship that I look forward to cherishing for many years to come.

Madam Chairman, I rise in support of this bill, and I commend Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Walsh for their strong leadership in crafting this bipartisan legislation.

Our commitment to expand access to health care and other essential human services is reaffirmed in this bill by restoring funding to programs that put health care within the reach of an additional 2 million Americans.

For example, under the provisions of this bill, community health centers can provide an additional one million medically underserved Americans with primary and preventive care.

Education funding levels in this bill also demonstrate our deep- seated commitment to investing in educational opportunity for all America's children. For example, this bill helps level the playing field for disadvantaged minority students by beginning, finally, to provide adequate resources for title I. The bill reinvests in the American workforce by restoring funding to critical education and job training programs that have been neglected in recent years. In particular, the bill provides a much needed increase to America's migrant and seasonal farmworkers who are the backbone of the agricultural industry.

Finally, on the issue I have worked on for many years, I am particularly gratified that the committee has provided funds for the STOP Underage Drinking programs. This recently enacted initiative will go a long way toward reducing the crises of underage drinking in our country and the tragic consequences it has on our youth and society as a whole.

I look forward to continuing to work with our Democratic leadership and my colleagues in the House to move our Nation closer to the goal of ensuring every American has access to quality health care, every student has a real chance to succeed, and every worker is given the tools to prosper.

Madam Chairman, in closing, I thank Chairman Obey for his hard work and for his commitment to improving the lives of Americans. I extend my gratitude to Cheryl Smith and the rest of the subcommittee staff for their dedication and commitment as well.

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, during the full committee markup of this bill, an amendment was added that would prohibit the use of Federal funds for administering thimerosal-containing influenza vaccines to children under 3 years of age. While

I respect the good intentions of the author of this amendment and my colleagues who supported it, this provision creates significant public health concerns for the protection of our youngest children from both seasonal and pandemic influenza.

This past week, I have heard from numerous public health and scientific groups with expertise in immunizations. They all agree that there is no credible scientific or medical evidence that vaccination of young children with vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal causes autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Madam Chairman, our national immunization policies must be based on science. I strongly believe that the United States Congress should not substitute its judgment about which vaccines are safe for our children for that of the major vaccine and public health experts.

Perhaps the most convincing statements against the amendment are in a communication from Dr. Julie Gerberding, the Director of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, dated July 16, 2007. Her opposition to the thimerosal amendment is as follows:

``There is no scientific basis to support a prohibition of use of thimerosal-containing vaccine. In particular, science does not support a causal association between thimerosal and autism. In fact, the Institute of Medicine concluded that, `the evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism.'

``CDC respects this IOM conclusion.''

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a diverse group of expert advisers on vaccine use, has made its position explicitly clear. ``The benefits of influenza vaccination for all recommended groups including pregnant women and young children, outweigh the unproven risk from thimerosal exposure through vaccination.''

Instead, ACIP recommends that children and adults who need vaccination may receive any available vaccine preparation licensed for use in the person's age and risk factor group with or without thimerosal.

The supply of thimerosal-free vaccine is increasing, but we do not know precisely how many doses of vaccine licensed for use in children 6-35 months of age will be available in 2008-2009. Based on information from the manufacturers, the supply is not likely to be large enough to vaccinate all the children whose parents want this protection for them.

Even if the supply increases more than we expect, the realities of vaccine distribution make it impossible to precisely align supplies with vaccine demand in every practice or community.

Passage of the proposed amendment would mean that some children would not have access to influenza vaccine because the supply would be reduced. Tragically, some of these unvaccinated children would suffer the more severe consequences of influenza, even though vaccination would otherwise have helped protect them. For this reason, CDC strongly opposes the proposed amendment.

Madam Chairman, these are Dr. Gerberding's compelling arguments against this provision. I will not be offering an amendment today to strike it from the bill. However, considering the overwhelming outcry from the public health community against this amendment, I hope we will continue this discussion, and I look forward for a way to address these concerns in conference.

Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.