Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5441, the Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report.

As a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, it has been an honor to work with Chairman Hal Rogers and with our Ranking Member Martin Sabo who is retiring from Congress at the end of this session.

Congressman Sabo has served our country with honor and distinction throughout his distinguished career in the House of Representatives.

I have had the privilege to serve with him on the Budget Committee and for the past 4 years on the Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee.

As the ranking member on the Budget Committee, Martin fought hard for fiscally responsible budgets and funding priorities that would enhance the quality of life of all Americans.

As the ranking member on the Homeland Security Subcommittee, he has been a true champion and advocate for real and effective security for our Nation.

He has led the fight, for example, to protect our ports, our aviation system, and our chemical plants.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Martin Sabo is a gentleman Congressman and a respected Member of the House. He has been the voice of calm and reason in a process that has had the potential to be partisan and acrimonious.

It has been a genuine privilege to serve with him in the U.S. House of Representatives and particularly on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

I will miss him, and this House will miss him. Martin, I wish you the best in the future.

Mr. Speaker, the conference report before us makes several improvements to the House-passed bill and is a testament to Congressman Sabo's leadership. The increased funding for Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant funds is essential to cities like Los Angeles that continue to be potential terrorist targets. UASI grants are badly needed by our local law enforcement officers who are the first line of defense in a disaster or terrorist attack. These funds are critical to local efforts to prevent, prepare, respond and recover from acts of terrorism or mass disaster. I am happy that the UASI grants are funded in the conference at the House level of $770 million, $13 million or 2 percent above 2006.

I am pleased that this conference report has increased funding for fire grants to $662 million; this is above the House-passed level and $14 million (2 percent) above 2006. Included in the grant money is $115 million for hiring additional personnel under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters Act (SAFER Act). These funds are critical to firefighters such as those in my state of California. The funds will help fire services obtain additional personnel, equipment and training to better protect the American public.

The conference report also increases port security grants to $210 million. This is $173.25 million above last year's level. While this is an improvement over previous years' funding, it still is insufficient to meet the needs identified by the Coast Guard to adequately secure our ports. With only 6 percent of containers entering our seaports and fewer than half of our ports having radiation portal monitors, much work remains to be done.

I am pleased also that the conference report includes my report language on unaccompanied alien children, detention standards, alternatives to detention, increasing Customs and Border Protection operations at Ontario International Airport, and bill language that prevents the Department of Homeland Security from moving forward with its potentially dangerous plan to privatize key immigration officer positions at the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. I am thankful that this inherently governmental work will continue to remain the responsibility of trained and experienced Federal employees directly accountable to the Department and not to the bottom line of a private company. I am also pleased that Senate language limiting the tenure of the university centers of excellence was not included in the conference report.

Nevertheless, Mr. Speaker, I also have a few concerns about this conference report. First, I am disappointed and greatly concerned that this bill's report expresses support for the expansion of the 287(g) program which allows State and local law enforcement officers to perform immigration enforcement functions. Many local law enforcement officers have stated that if they are required to enforce Federal immigration policies it would hamper their ability to successfully fight crime in their respective communities.

Secondly, I am concerned about certain provisos regarding chemical plant security. Preventing the Secretary of Homeland Security to disapprove a security plan based on the presence or absence of a particular security measure, undermines the Secretary's authority to require meaningful and comprehensive security measures.

Furthermore, shielding from public discourse information submitted on security plans, treating the information during court proceedings as if it were classified material, and making scrutiny of the implementation and enforcement of the security requirements the sole purview of the Secretary, prohibits the needed transparency and oversight of a system intended to provide security for all Americans. Finally, I am concerned that allowing the Secretary to approve alternative security programs

established by private sector entities, Federal, State, or local authorities may allow the Secretary to pre-empt State laws that impose more stringent requirements.

Mr. Speaker, in spite of these concerns, I believe the passage of this conference report is important to our efforts to improve the safety of our Nation and the American people. As Chairman Rogers has said on numerous occasions, those who seek to do us harm only have to do their job right occasionally. We have to do our jobs to protect America 100% of the time. This is a step toward that important goal. I urge my colleagues to support this conference report, and fund these efforts to protect our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, the STOP Act is a result of an enormous commitment to the future well-being of our children by a bipartisan coalition of Democrats and Republicans from both Houses who have worked in partnership with our public health advocacy groups and the alcohol beverage industry.

I thank my Senate colleagues, Chris Dodd and Mike DeWine, for their tireless support of this bill over the past 3 years.

And I also thank my colleague from the House, Frank Wolf, for his early and steadfast support of this issue in the Appropriations Committee, as well as my colleagues Tom Osborne, Zach Wamp, and Rosa DeLauro for their unwavering perseverance in addressing the problem of underage drinking in this country.

I particularly want to acknowledge Tom Osborne and thank him for his friendship and his support on this issue and for his lifetime commitment to building a better future for our youth. Tom, your legacy here in Congress will not soon be forgotten.

I would also like to thank my advocacy friends, as well as those in the industry, for their efforts to help pass this bill in this 109th Congress.

And finally, and but certainly not least, I would like to thank my staffer, Debbie Jessup, and especially my chief of staff, Ellen Riddleberger, who has worked with me on this issue for the past 7 years. Her many talents and knowledge of the issue are greatly responsible for this bill being before us today.

Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago, this House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 864. Last night the Senate unanimously passed this bill with an offset and language that addresses some of the technical concerns of our Senate and House colleagues. The substance of the bill, however, remains the same as the bill the House passed on November 14.

The bill makes permanent the national anti-underage drinking media campaign directed at parents. It authorizes research to find effective strategies to deter childhood drinking, as well as makes grants available for communities and colleges to address this crisis.

In addition, the STOP Act requires an annual report by the Secretary of HHS on the progress States are making to address underage drinking.

Mr. Speaker, this effort shows what can be accomplished when we put our differences aside and work together for the future of our children. I ask my colleagues in this House to join me and the sponsors of this bill in passing it today so that we can successfully address underage drinking and turn this tragedy into a public health success story.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the passage of the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act is an opportunity for this House to make a historic commitment to the well-being of our children and our Nation.

I extend my sincere thanks to my colleagues, Frank Wolf, Tom Osborne, Zach Wamp, Rosa DeLauro for their original cosponsorship of my bill. Their commitment and steadfast efforts throughout the years have helped to make possible today's consideration of this significant piece of legislation.

I particularly want to acknowledge the efforts of Congressman Osborne. Passage of the STOP Act would be an important part of his legacy as he retires from Congress at the end of this session. Tom, I wish you well, and I thank you for being a champion on behalf of our children.

I also thank Senators DeWine and Dodd for sponsoring the companion bill in the Senate. I thank the public health groups, especially MADD, CAMY, CSPI and CADCA for working with me over 10 years on this critical issue. Their advocacy has raised the level of awareness in Congress and throughout the Nation about our public health crisis of underage drinking, and I commend them for their efforts. I also thank the alcohol beverage industry for its efforts this year in support of the STOP Act.

Mr. Speaker, prior to being elected to public office, I worked for a nonprofit agency which focused on alcohol abuse. At that agency, I witnessed firsthand the many devastating consequences of irresponsible drinking. That experience is what motivated me to find ways to address underage drinking. Initially, my colleagues and I commissioned a landmark study by the Institute of Medicine to determine the extent of the problem in our country.

The IOM study was published in 2003, and its findings were more than alarming. The study found, for example, that in the United States, in any given month, nearly 11 million of our youth between the ages of 12 and 20 drink alcohol. This number includes nearly 1 in 5 of 8th graders, 1 in 3 of 10th graders and half of all 12th graders. It also includes the over 5,000 youth in our Nation under the age of 16, who will take their first drink by the end of today.

Mr. Speaker, the result of these facts is that today alone at least three teenagers will die from drinking and driving, and six more will die from alcohol-related causes such as a homicide, suicide and drowning. To add to these tragic consequences is a recent scientific study that suggests that youth who drink alcohol can lose as much as 10 percent of that which they learn compared to those who don't drink.

When one considers the additional problems associated with drinking before the legal age of 21, like car accidents, violent crime, unsafe sexual activity and teenage pregnancy, one begins to sense the extent and tragic consequences of underage drinking, which,

according to the American Medical Association, costs our country more than $61 billion a year.

Using the Institute of Medicine's study as a guide to help address this crisis, my colleagues and I initiated an interagency council which brought together for the first time Federal agencies with jurisdiction over programs related to underage drinking.

Also, in December 2005, with Federal funds we secured, the Ad Council began airing a national media campaign to educate parents about the dangers of consuming alcohol before the age of 21.

In the 108th Congress, based on the recommendations of the IOM report, my colleagues and I introduced the STOP Act. The STOP Act is the first comprehensive piece of national legislation to address underage drinking in this country. This legislation makes permanent the national anti-underage drinking campaign directed at parents and makes permanent the interagency council to coordinate Federal efforts.

In addition, the STOP Act requires an annual report by the Secretary of HHS on the progress States are making to address underage drinking. H.R. 864 also makes available research grants to find effective strategies to deter childhood drinking and grants to communities and colleges to address this crisis.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation must no longer be complacent about underage drinking and its alarming consequences. We must bring this national public health crisis out of the shadow and into the bright light of a national priority.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the passage of H.R. 864, the STOP Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate October as National Spina Bifida Awareness Month.

It is estimated that 3000 babies are born in the United States each year with a serious birth defect of the brain or spine called a neural tube defect. Spina bifida, the most common neural tube defect, is the leading cause of childhood paralysis. There are approximately 70,000 people in the United States currently living with this permanently disabling birth defect.

Spina Bifida can be accompanied by significant social, emotional and financial burdens. But with proper medical and family care, people affected by Spina Bifida can live productive lives with the help of braces and/or a wheelchair. The key to a better life for Americans who live with Spina Bifida is research and improved quality-of-life, and this goal must be a national priority.

Along with developing new methods for treatment and care, a critical effort must also be aimed at prevention. In response to research that showed the incidence of Spina Bifida could be reduced by up to 75% with the addition of folic acid in a woman's diet, the United States Public Health Service recommended that all women of childbearing years should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to prevent having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect.

Based on this recommendation, I introduced the Folic Acid Promotion and Birth Defects Prevention Act, which was passed into law as part of the Children's Health Act of 2000. This Act authorized a program within CDC to provide professional and public education for folic acid awareness.

The good news is that progress has been made in educating women about the importance of consuming folic acid supplements and maintaining diets rich in folic acid. However, the majority of women in this country are still not aware of the benefits of folic acid, and only 40 percent of women ages 18 to 45 take a daily vitamin with the recommended level of folic acid.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, reports that the rate of Spina Bifida in the Hispanic population is almost seven in 10,000 births, nearly 40 percent higher than the non-Hispanic rate. And tragically, Hispanic women continue to have the lowest reported folic acid consumption of any racial or ethnic group.

To that end, I am happy to report that Gruma--one of the world's largest producers of corn flour and tortillas--has begun researching and conducting product testing with a year-end goal of enriching with folic acid its corn products sold in the United States. Imported corn flours--unlike most wheat flour and cereal products--are currently not enriched with folic acid. This important voluntary action by Gruma has significant implications for improving the health and well-being of the U.S. Hispanic/Latino population.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the role of the Spina Bifida Association. The Spina Bifida Association, SBA, is an

organization that has helped those affected by this debilitating disease for over 30 years and is the Nation's only organization solely dedicated to advocating on behalf of the Spina Bifida community. With almost 57 chapters in more than 125 communities, the SBA brings families together to answer questions, voice concerns, and lend support to one another.

Together the SBA and various local SBA California chapters work tirelessly to help families living with Spina Bifida meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of raising their children. I thank the local chapters of SBA, especially those in my State of California for all they have done and all that they will continue to do to advance the needs of the Spina Bifida community.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, we have come a long way in the prevention of new incidences of spina bifida, as well as in the treatment and care of those individuals impacted by this serious birth defect. But there is still much to do. During this month of National Spina Bifida Awareness, we must commit ourselves to the goals of increased prevention, expanded health education, more thorough research, and improved quality of life for all those living with Spina Bifida.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I rise today to pay tribute to all U.S. service members and veterans for their service and dedication to our Nation. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we would like to pay special tribute to service members and veterans of Hispanic decent who have served with pride, valor and distinction since the revolutionary war.

In particular, we want to recognize World War II veteran Guy Gabaldon, who passed away recently. Born in Los Angeles, California on March, 22, 1926, Mr. Gabaldon grew up in Boyle Heights. He died on August 31, 2006 in Old Town, Florida. Mr. Gabaldon is an excellent example of the dedication that Latinos in uniform have demonstrated while providing the highest service to our country.

As a child, Marine Private First Class Guy ``Gabby'' Gabaldon, befriended and eventually moved in with a Japanese American family. When the U.S. entered WWII, Gabaldon joined the Marines, and served as a mortar crewman and scout observer. Through his familiarity with the Japanese language and culture, Mr. Gabaldon gained the distinction of capturing more enemy soldiers than anyone else in the history of U.S. military conflicts.

While serving in Saipan, he received a Silver Star for obtaining vital information and capturing more than 1,000 enemy personnel in the face of direct fire. PFC Gabaldon was able to persuade the weakened Japanese soldiers to surrender, in spite of their orders to fight. His commanding officer and fellow Marines nominated him for the Medal of Honor. He was awarded the Silver Star, which was elevated to a Navy Cross in December of 1960.

Mr. Gabaldon and the more than one million Latino service members and veterans deserve our gratitude and admiration. They have always been an integral part in the fabric of our military. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Mr. Gabaldon, and all of our nation's Latino service members and veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 6095--the Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006--and H.R. 6094-- the Community Protection Act. Like my colleagues, I am firmly committed to protecting our borders and strengthening our immigration policies. However, these bills do neither.

Instead of a comprehensive immigration reform bill that provides real security to our Nation's borders, these bills are band aids with harmful provisions that will not make us safer or fix our broken immigration system.

For example, the Immigration Law Enforcement Act will empower state and local police to enforce immigration laws. This provision, which is opposed by state and local officials, will take valuable time and resources away from urgent police responsibilities, weakening their ability to respond to serious crimes such as murder, rape, and gang activity. State and local law enforcement officials are also opposed to the legislation because this provision will break down any trust that has been established between the police and local communities and will deter immigrants from reporting crimes or talking to state and local officials, for fear that their immigration status or that of a loved one could come under scrutiny. As a result, crimes and dangerous situations will go unreported, allowing criminals to roam free, and make us all less safe. Dealing with our Nation's immigration issues should remain the responsibility of the federal Department of Homeland Security.

The Community Protection Act would also permit the indefinite and permanent detention of noncitizens, who through no fault of their own, cannot be deported. This includes asylum seekers fleeing persecution from countries such as Iran, North Korea and Vietnam. Mr. Speaker, our government already has clear authority to detain immigrants and seek prolonged detention of suspected immigrants; it is inhumane and dangerous to our democracy and the rule of law to grant the government nearly unrestricted authority to lock up indefinitely individuals who are not serving a criminal sentence.

Finally, the Community Protection Act renders deportable a noncitizen whom the government only suspects to be a gang member. I strongly support efforts to deport criminal aliens out of our country and our efforts to combat gang violence, which threatens communities throughout the country. My objection to this bill is that it makes people deportable who have never committed a crime, but are merely considered by DHS to be a member of a group deemed by the Attorney General to be bad. This makes it possible for immigrants to be deported with little or no opportunity to defend themselves even in the case of guilt by association. Mr. Speaker, this bill is unnecessary because our government can already deport gang members, or any other foreign national convicted of an aggravated felony, or a misdemeanor such as shoplifting.

If we are truly to protect our borders and address our immigration issues, Congress must resolve the differences between the House and Senate passed immigration bills and pass comprehensive immigration and border protection legislation. No one can deny that our borders need protection or that our immigration system is broken and that it is in serious need of overhaul. These bills do nothing to effectively address these critical issues.

It is unfortunate that as serious as our border and immigration problems are these bills ignore the real solutions necessary to effectively address our legitimate immigration and border problems. I urge my colleagues to join me in defeating these two bills.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my best wishes and sincere gratitude to Rusty Hammer, who, after 5 fruitful years, left his position as president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

In keeping with the chamber's 118-year history, Rusty dedicated himself to improving the quality of life and economic prosperity of the Los Angeles Chamber's 1,500 members, who represent more than 600,000 employees throughout the Los Angeles region. Under Rusty's strong leadership, the Los Angeles Chamber has successfully built partnerships between business, community, labor and civic organizations. These partnerships have reestablished the chamber as the Los Angeles region's premier business advocacy organization.

During Rusty's tenure, he pioneered many noteworthy projects. For example, Rusty spearheaded the chamber's effort on local business tax reform and established a highly successful workforce development program. His leadership role in creating ``Mobility 21,'' a transportation advocacy coalition, helped secure over $2 billion in State and Federal funding for transportation improvements in Los Angeles. By partnering with the organization UNITE LA, Rusty helped create a badly needed and extremely valuable college scholarship program that has provided scholarships, application assistance, and college access information to nearly 30,000 students in the Los Angeles region.

Under Rusty's stewardship, the chamber's annual trip to Washington, DC, has become one of the most successful advocacy efforts on behalf of the Los Angeles region and the Los Angeles business community. In addition, his weekly opinion article, ``The Business Perspective,'' provides an insightful and informative look at business issues facing the Los Angeles region.

Rusty's talents, innovative strategic thinking and willingness to work with stakeholders on all sides of the political spectrum have played an integral role in the Los Angeles area's economic growth. He has truly earned the respect, admiration and gratitude of all who know him and have worked with him.

While Rusty Hammer will truly be missed in Los Angeles and at the Los Angeles Area Chamber, we will all continue to benefit from his many contributions. We are fortunate that we will also gain from his talents as he continues to work on issues that affect California's economy and quality of life.

My husband, Ed, and I are fortunate to have Rusty and his very special wife, Pam, as dear friends. I am proud to join the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in thanking Rusty Hammer for his great leadership and many contributions to the Los Angeles region and the business community. Ed and I send our best wishes and sincere gratitude to Rusty, Pam and his wonderful family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the City of Huntington Park and its more than 64,000 residents on the occasion of the city's 100th year anniversary.

I am proud to have this great city as part of my 34th Congressional district of California.

With a long and distinguished history and a vibrant community, the city of Huntington Park has evolved from a small community of 526 residents in 1906 to a bustling retail center for the Los Angeles County region in 2006.

In the latter part of the 18th century, the land which would eventually become the city of Huntington Park was a vast, unexplored territory. The first European of record to arrive to the area was Francisco Salvatore Lugo, a soldier-explorer and personal friend of the King of Spain. For almost a hundred years, the early history of the area was the history of the prosperous Lugo Family.

In the early 20th century, ownership of the land was passed from the Lugo Family to the farmers, developers, and settlers who were preparing the way for the birth of the city of Huntington Park. Among the prominent names in the city's history was a pair of land developers named A.L. Burbank and E.V. Baker who arrived in the area in 1899. By 1901, these two developers controlled a 100-acre tract of land, which they named ``La Park''. Burbank and Baker were prominent names in the area, but they themselves had no intention of founding a city. Their vision of La Park was for a commercial center and way station for all transport of goods between Los Angeles and San Diego. In 1902, prominent industrialist Henry Huntington extended a line of his Pacific Electric Railway to La Park, and changed the name to ``Huntington Park''.

A group of early residents became the city founders. They were: George A. Garlow, Dr. Louis Weber, Dr. Clinton W. Hubbard, A.E. Walters, O.G. Jones, A.A. Weber, D.B. Lyons, William Linsey, and Frank Tate. These men of true pioneer spirit and foresight formed the Huntington Park Improvement Association and things began to happen. On September 1, 1906, with 526 residents, the area was officially established and recognized as the City of Huntington Park.

Today, Huntington Park, ``The City of Perfect Balance,'' is a dynamic city with exceptional recreation and social service programs. The city provides superior-quality public safety, transportation, and community development services to its residents and businesses while cultivating a unique small town ambiance. The stretch of Pacific Boulevard in downtown Huntington Park is a major, thriving commercial district serving as a major retail center for the largely, working-class communities of southeastern Los Angeles County.

As part of the City of Huntington Park's 100th anniversary, a centennial celebration will be held at the city's civic center. The city's year-long celebration will include special recognitions from local organizations including the Huntington Park Police Department and the Greater Huntington Park Area Chamber of Commerce.

The 100th year anniversary of The City of Huntington Park is another milestone in the rich history of the city, as well as in the history of the state of California and the United States. I am honored to represent this thriving community in Congress, and I join the Huntington Park community in celebrating this wonderful anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Tim Friedman on his retirement after 30 years of service to the House of Representatives.

Tim began his career on Capitol Hill on July 19, 1976, as a doorkeeper under the Hon. James T. Molloy. In 1982, he began to work for the office of the House Sergeant at Arms as an assistant to the Hon. Jack Russ. Recognizing Tim's talents, knowledge, and understanding of the intricacies of the House, he was appointed as Assistant Manager of the House Democratic Cloakroom in 1985. Tim's friendly manner and his wealth of experience has been an outstanding asset to the members of the Democratic Caucus.

I sincerely thank Tim for the assistance he has given me and for his dedicated service to the House of Representatives. I wish him and his wife Colleen all the best for their future. He will be truly missed by all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 895. I strongly support efforts to track and pursue suspected foreign terrorists by monitoring their financial transactions. This Republican resolution, however, shamefully distorts the facts and turns the critical issue of national security into a venue for Republican political gain.

There is no doubt that our country must effectively and responsibly monitor the financial transactions of terrorists. It is for that reason I have cosponsored H.R. 900, the Democratic alternative resolution. This resolution reaffirms Democrats' commitment to protecting our national security by tracking suspected terrorists. It also reaffirms that, when confidential information is leaked, bipartisan Congressional review and oversight are critical--regardless of who may be responsible for that leak. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership has denied the Members of this House the opportunity to debate and vote on this Democratic alternative.

As a result, we are forced only to consider this flawed and misleading Republican resolution.

This resolution claims that the Terrorist Financial Tracking Program is legal, that it protects individual civil liberties, and that Congress has been appropriately informed about its activities.

The fact is that we do not know if the Terrorist Financial Tracking Program is legal or if it protects our civil liberties because no court has ruled on these critical issues. In essence, this resolution asks Members of Congress and the American people to simply accept their word on the legality and civil protections of this program.

The resolution's claim that Congress has been appropriately informed about the Terrorist Financial Tracking Program is simply not true. In fact, few Members knew about this program. Only after its existence was exposed to the public by the press did the Bush Administration offer to brief the appropriate members of Congress. As a result, this questionable program failed to receive critical Congressional oversight.

The Republican philosophy of selective oversight is also exemplified by the fact that this resolution fails to even mention one of the most egregious leaks in recent history--the 2003 identity leak of a CIA agent by a member of the Bush Administration.

This Republican resolution instead attempts to shield the administration and Republican leadership from public scrutiny by shifting the blame for the leaks to the press and diverting attention from the fact that the majority party has had no hearings, no briefings, and certainly no resolutions highlighting this serious issue.

The lack of Congressional oversight on cases of leaked confidential information is another example of the Republican pattern of negligence.

If the Republican leadership were truly sincere about addressing national security issues through this resolution, they would not have brought it to the floor without review by the appropriate Congressional Committees and with a rule that blocks any consideration of a Democratic alternative.

Mr. Speaker, this Republican resolution is deceitful, politically motivated, and an insult to the very American democracy that Republicans claim they want to protect.

I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 895 and to cosponsor the Democratic alternative, H.R. 900.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the reauthorization of the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation, known as the

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jo Merrill, a tireless public health advocate for healthy babies, on the occasion of her retirement from the March of Dimes after 22 years.

Today is a bittersweet day for all of us in Congress who have been involved in the effort to improve the health of babies in this country. For many Members, Jo Merrill has become the face of the March of Dimes. She educated us with the facts, challenged us to take action, and supported our efforts to improve the lives of infants through public health policy. The legacy that she leaves behind is one of healthier babies across this country, and we here in Washington will miss her wisdom and her dedication.

Jo joined the March of Dimes National Office of Government Affairs in 1984, after 10 years working for several members of Congress. The first twelve years of her tenure with the March of Dimes she focused on state based advocacy, working closely with their Chapters and Regional offices. In 1996 she moved to her current position as Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs.

Jo has played a key role in gaining enactment of a number of bills important to the March of Dimes and the health of babies. Jo made an important contribution to the creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), an effort that has resulted in the expansion of health insurance for countless uninsured children across our country. She also gave guidance for the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998, which authorized a comprehensive birth defects surveillance, research and prevention program at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). She was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Children's Health Act of 2000, which established the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at CDC, expanded the National Folic Acid Education Campaign, and authorized a Federal newborn screening program. And finally, Jo was a strong advocate for the reauthorization of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities in 2003.

It has been my privilege to have worked with Jo to improve the health of infants through two of these major public health efforts. The first was policy aimed at increasing folic acid consumption by women in order to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in babies. Jo was instrumental in helping my staff and I draft the Folic Acid Promotion and Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1999, which was successfully passed into law as part of the Children's Health Act of 2000. Since that time, Jo has been an effective advocate in pushing for increased funding for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to carry out a national folic acid education campaign, and we have been successful in making incremental progress each year in preventing these unnecessary birth defects.

My staff and I have also worked closely with Jo on the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act. My bill will educate parents and health care providers about newborn screening, improve follow-up care for infants with an illness detected through newborn screening, and help states expand and improve their newborn screening programs, in order to help save thousands of babies each year from unnecessary disability and death. It is our hope that this legislation will pass the House and Senate in the very near future, and when it does, it will become yet another piece of the legacy that Jo leaves here in Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to personally congratulate Jo Merrill on her retirement from the March of Dimes. I wish her the very best in her new life on the South Carolina coast. Charleston is inheriting a woman of great wisdom, charm and commitment, and I am sure that she will continue to make significant contributions in her efforts as a Public Affairs volunteer.

It is my hope that this accomplished and deserving woman will find much happiness and fulfillment in this new phase of her life. Godspeed, Jo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to House Resolution 861.

While I reaffirm my commitment to do everything possible to support the men and women serving our country in Iraq, I will not dishonor them by supporting this sham resolution.

This resolution is no more than a deceitful effort by the Republican leadership to justify an ill conceived war--a war based on faulty and manipulated intelligence and years of reckless and costly decisions.

These decisions have increased threats to our national security and drained our treasury of valuable resources needed for critical programs such as education, healthcare, research and job training.

The reality, Mr. Speaker, is that the President has lost support for this war as America has become increasingly aware of the Administration's deception and lack of a clear plan for success. A plan such as the one outlined in Congressman Murtha's resolution would protect our troops and bring them home as safely and as quickly possible.

The resolution before this House is nothing more than a ploy to regain support and political advantage by once again blurring the lines between the devastating 9/11 attacks and the ongoing war in Iraq. This connection has repeatedly been discredited.

In the aftermath of 9/11, the United States justifiably invaded Afghanistan in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden, who is the man we know was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

U.S. intelligence sources tell us we were close to capturing him, but then the President redirected our troops and resources to invade Iraq.

As a consequence of the President's decision, the terrorist responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans is still free, Iraq has in fact become a breeding ground for terrorists, and the invasion has inflamed hatred towards our country and has jeopardized our ability to quickly form a strong international coalition to fight terrorism abroad and protect us at home.

If the Republican leadership were sincere about honoring our troops, they would have provided them with the full equipment they are still lacking, and they would not for example, have passed a budget with a $6 billion cut to Veterans Healthcare, or rejected Democratic amendments to increase badly needed funding in the Military Quality of Life appropriations bill.

Mr. Speaker, sending our troops into Iraq ill equipped, with no plan for success, and no exit strategy was a shameful mistake.

For the Republican leadership to play politics with this resolution and mask true support for our troops with mere words and rhetoric is disgraceful.

I, like every American, support our troops and honor their patriotism.

Their heroism and resolve to fight for our country, despite the deplorable circumstance under which they were sent to Iraq, heightens my pride in their service and strengthens my resolve to bring them home quickly and safely.

I will not dishonor them by supporting this Republican charade.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5441, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2007. As a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, it has been an honor to work with Chairman Hal Rogers and with our ranking member, Martin Sabo, who sadly is retiring at the end of the 109th Congress. Congressman Sabo has served our country with honor and distinction. It has been a privilege to serve with him in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Chairman, Chairman Rogers has once again been presented with an inadequate budget allocation. He has done his best to strengthen our ability to effectively respond in times of national emergency and fund the critical programs in the bill that protect our Nation against terrorist attacks and national disasters.

Nevertheless, I am disappointed that due to the lack of funds resulting from hundreds of billions of dollars in Republican tax cuts for the very rich, the bill reduces badly needed funds for programs critical to our first responders' ability to efficiently and safely respond to a terrorist attack or national disaster. I am particularly concerned about cuts to grants that fund communication capability such as interoperability. Radio interoperability is essential for our police, fire, and emergency medical service departments to communicate with each other in times of emergency. This was demonstrated by the horrors in New York on 9/11 when many of the New York police and firefighters died because of the inability to warn each other of the dangers ahead. Four and a half years after 9/11 it is unconscionable that interoperable communications remain an unmet urgent need. It is also unfortunate that the Democratic amendment by Mr. Obey that would have added funding for port security, border security, and first- responder equipment and training failed on a party line vote.

I am also disappointed and greatly concerned that this bill's report expresses support for the expansion of the 287(g) program which allows State and local law enforcement officers to perform immigration enforcement functions. Many local law enforcement officers have stated that if they are required to enforce Federal immigration policies it would hamper their ability to successfully fight crime in their respective communities.

Furthermore, I am disappointed that the report does not include a solution to the miscalculation of the Letters of Intent contract between the TSA and the Los Angeles World airports, LAWA. According to LAWA, TSA's contractor made errors in calculating the cost of installing inline baggage screening equipment at Los Angeles and Ontario airports. These calculating errors have resulted in a contract dollar amount lower than what is needed to complete the required equipment purchase and installation. I hope to work with the chairman in conference to resolve this problem.

Despite these concerns, I thank Chairman Rogers and Congressman Sabo for including many of the items I requested in the Homeland Security report. The following report language addresses serious issues raised during subcommittee hearings with representatives of the Department of Homeland Security.

(1) The report language addresses the need to continue the use of Legal Orientation Programs in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, detention centers around the country. Legal Orientation Programs are legal presentations given to persons in immigration detention, prior to a first hearing before an immigration judge by nongovernmental agencies. The presentations facilitate access to justice for detained immigrants in removal proceedings. The program also saves money on immigration detention and makes the Immigration Court more efficient.

(2) The report recognizes the success of the Intensive Supervised Appearance Program, ISAP, which prevents families from being detained in jail. The bill includes an additional $5 million for the expansion of this program.

(3) The report expresses concern regarding reports that children apprehended by DHS continue to be separated from their parents. The committee's report language encourages ICE to work with reputable nonprofit organizations to consider allowing family units to be placed in the Intensive Supervised Appearance Program. If detention is necessary, the report language encourages ICE to house family members together in nonpenal, home-like environments until the conclusion of their immigration proceedings.

(4) The report includes language that expresses concerns regarding recent media reports of health care deficiencies at ICE detention facilities. The committee's report language correctly directs ICE to report on the activities it undertakes to ensure compliance with detention standards.

(5) The report highlights concerns with the backlog at the National Records Center. This backlog results in few, if any, of the asylum applicants who requested their files through the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, receiving their files in time to prepare for their appearance in immigration court. The report language directs Citizenship and Immigration Services to develop a plan to ensure that such requests are filled in a timely and expeditious manner.

(6) The report expresses concern that the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services has not issued regulations on the U-visa for immigrant victims of a crime. This visa was established 6 years ago in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Due to the lack of regulations, few victims have applied because only interim relief exists. The report directs CIS to report on its plan for issuing U-visa regulations.

(7) I was pleased that the report recognizes the important efforts of the Directorate of Science and Technology, S&T, to encourage universities to become centers of multi-disciplinary research on homeland security issues. An outstanding example of such a center is the University of Southern California's Center for Risk and Economic Analysis in Los Angeles. Given the high threat of acts of terrorism to large cities like Los Angeles, these centers can help prioritize countermeasures to terrorism, by computing relative risks among potential terrorist events and by identifying where homeland security investments can be most effective.

(8) I am also pleased that Customs and Border Protection is directed to report on their plans to address the increased workload at Ontario International Airport and to provide

quarterly reports to the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Homeland Security on international flight arrivals at Ontario that take customs longer than the standard 60 minutes to process.

(9) The report includes language that expresses concern about reports that unaccompanied alien children are being detained in unacceptable conditions, such as jail-like facilities, and not routinely transferred within the required 3-5 day timeframe from DHS custody to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, ORR. The report directs ICE to immediately contact ORR upon apprehension of children and to ensure ORR gains custody within 72 hours.

(10) When the age of an unaccompanied alien child is unknown, the report directs ICE to consider using holistic age-determination methodologies recommended by medical and child welfare experts. These methodologies recommend taking into account the child's physical appearance and psychological maturity, rather than relying exclusively on forensic evidence.

(11) The report expresses concern about the dearth of repatriation services for unaccompanied alien children. These children are removed from the United States to face uncertain fates in their homelands. The report urges the Department, in close consultation with the Department of State and ORR, to develop policies and procedures to ensure the safe repatriation of these children to their country of origin including placement with family or a sponsoring agency.

(12) I am very grateful that Chairman Rogers once again included language I drafted to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from moving forward with its potentially dangerous plan to privatize key immigration officer positions at the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Officers currently filling these positions are responsible for handling classified information used to prevent fraud and exploitation of our immigration laws. I am thankful that this inherently governmental work will continue to remain the responsibility of trained and experienced Federal employees directly accountable to the Department and not to the bottom line of a private company.

(13) I am pleased that the report recognizes the important work of Operation Archangel, located in my home city of Los Angeles. Operation Archangel is a national model for protecting critical infrastructure. The Department should continue this important program and replicate it throughout the country.

Lastly, I commend Chairman Rogers for withholding funds from DHS until it meets its obligations to this Congress and to the American people. It is a tragedy that the Department of Homeland Security is so dysfunctional that the chairman had to take this step. I congratulate him for standing up for the safety of our Nation and the American people. As he has said on numerous occasions, those who seek to do us harm only have to do their job right occasionally. We have to do our jobs to protect America 100 percent of the time. To date, the Department is far from reaching that 100 percent mark.

Mr. Chairman, I support this bill because in spite of its deficiencies, Chairman Rogers has done his best to effectively allocate the limited funds he was given to help ensure our country's safety. Fully addressing critical national security concerns requires resources that the administration simply did not propose and which the Republican majority did not provide in this bill. While this bill is an improvement over the administration's request, it nevertheless is lacking in fully meeting our critical homeland security needs.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Republican Budget Resolution.

Today, this Congress has the opportunity to send a clear message of hope for a better future to American families by investing in critical programs that enhance our children's ability to go to college, protect our public health against diseases and epidemics, and protect our public safety from gang violence and terrorist attacks.

Regrettably, the Republican leadership has chosen to squander this opportunity in order to make way for additional tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

The negative impact of this unnecessary and misguided budget is that programs essential to the safety, health and well-being of American families are cut and even eliminated.

Please permit me to cite examples that illustrate my point.

First, this Republican Budget Resolution sacrifices services vital to women and families by eliminating the funding for the National Resource Center on Workplace Responses. This Center was included in last year's reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It provides critical support to help employees who are victims of domestic violence maintain job security as they empower themselves to end the violence in their lives. It also provides employers with valuable information and expertise needed to make their workplace safe from abusers who often stalk their victims at the workplace.

Second, this Budget Resolution eliminates the funding for the National Institutes of Health's crucial National Children's Study. This study is examining the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of our nation's children. When completed, this national study could answer critical questions that will enable us to more effectively protect our children's health and future well-being.

By eliminating this important program, the Republican budget once again chooses giving tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals in America at the expense of our children.

Third, this budget resolution jeopardizes the future of millions of America's children by recommending the elimination of 42 education programs designed to provide our Nation's disadvantaged and middle- income children with the opportunities for a better and more fulfilling life.

Some of the programs the Republican budget proposes to eliminate are the Even Start program, which promotes family literacy in low-income areas; the School Drop-out Prevention Program, which helps at-risk children stay in school; and the Education Technology Block Grant, which integrates technology into the classroom to help students and teachers succeed in today's 21st Century workforce.

Once again, in order to pay for the $70 billion tax cut primarily for the wealthy, this Republican budget strips away the safety net needed to protect the future of our children who must be prepared to compete in our ever-growing and highly technical global economy.

I urge my colleagues to put the future of our children and our country first and vote against this misguided Republican Budget Resolution.