Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, every American was troubled to learn about the attempted terrorist bombing in Times Square last weekend, but we should all be heartened and we should all be proud of the swift action by law enforcement authorities to apprehend the suspect. By all accounts, the system worked seamlessly. New York City Police worked in tandem with the FBI, Customs and Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies, and the man was in custody by Monday. He was read his Miranda rights and continues to cooperate. And there is reason to believe he can provide valuable intelligence that will allow us to detain other terrorists. Everything by the books. No extralegal coercion. Rule of law and the Constitution upheld. This is the way to combat terrorism, Madam Speaker.

You'll recall that the notion of counterterrorism as primarily a law enforcement operation has often been met by ridicule and by bluster on the other side of the aisle. This isn't police work, they've said. This is war. Well, we've now had 8\1/2\ years of war, and in addition to costing us thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, it has not made terrorism go away. If anything, it has animated and emboldened the people who want to harm America. And as people have watched their home countries invaded and their communities destroyed at the hands of the U.S. military, they've become prime recruits for terrorist networks.

The bottom line is that our current strategy isn't an antiterrorism strategy at all. By its very nature, it's spawning more terrorists than it's killing or detaining.

What if we took just a fraction of our war budgets and used it to make our domestic counterterrorism infrastructure that much stronger? And what if we took another fraction and launched a smart security strategy that emphasized peaceful, civilian, humanitarian outreach instead of military occupation? Because contrary, Madam Speaker, to the assessment of our previous President, it appears that ``fighting them here'' is exactly the way to go. ``Fighting them there,'' on the other hand, leads to an endless cycle of violence, recrimination, and hatred.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who played a role in the successful arrest of the Times Square bomber. Now let's give them even more tools, resources, and support. Let's bring the troops home and make the work of our talented law enforcement personnel the focal point of our struggle against terrorism.

Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor Everett H. Shapiro, who passed away April 24, 2010, at the age of 82. A beloved leader in Santa Rosa, CA, Mr. Shapiro was as well known for his sense of humor as for his community support and his active law practice. He was the embodiment of one of his favorite expressions, a ``quality human being.''

I.had the honor of entering remarks in the Congressional Record for Everett Shapiro eight years ago on the occasion of a tribute to his role as Trustee Emeritus of Social Advocates for Youth, SAY, an agency that serves children and their families. But the list of local, and some national, organizations which enjoyed his support is lengthy, including The Boy Scouts of America, Sonoma County Junior Achievement, B'nai Brith, Special Olympics, Red Cross, Kid's Street Theatre, Santa Rosa Human Rights Commission, Santa Rosa Parks and Recreation Commission, Canine Companions, Rotary Club, the Gray Foundation, the Schulz Museum, Congregation Beth Ami, the Brady Gun Control Commission, and the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.

He received many awards over the years, but as a fan of Don Quixote, Snoopy, and the Marx brothers, Mr. Shapiro's focus was on doing good deeds with a sense of humor that was as strong as his sense of caring. To many of us who received his phone calls, he will always be known as ``God'' or ``Robert Redford,'' but generations of kids know he is really ``The Tootsie Roll Man.'' Over the past 60 years, he gave out more than 300,000 to children all over the community.

Everett Shapiro founded Shapiro, Galvin, Shapiro & Moran, one of Santa Rosa's leading law firms, where he worked on a broad range of legal issues. He served in numerous professional organizations such as California Trial Lawyers Association, Sonoma County Bar Association, and American Arbitration Association. He also earned honors for his legal work, such as a ``Careers of Distinction'' award from the Sonoma County Bar Association. He retired from the firm in the 1990s and was pleased that his son Tad remained a partner.

The son of Russian Jewish emigrants, Everett was proud to have lived his entire life in Santa Rosa. He dismissed as a technicality the fact that he was born in Stockton, CA, where his mother happened to be visiting when she gave birth. Everett and his wife Phyllis, whom he met at UC Berkeley, raised their two sons, Tad and David, in the Santa Rosa community. After graduating from UC Berkeley and serving two years in the army, he joined the family wool buying business.

He learned to value the diverse agriculture of Sonoma County and appreciate the ranching lifestyle, but when Tad began kindergarten, Mr. Shapiro, with Phyllis' encouragement, began law school. He graduated just before his fortieth birthday. Years later he was able to sponsor both of his sons for membership in the Supreme Court Bar Association, a high point of his legal career.

Everett Shapiro always valued spending time with his family and broad circle of friends. He is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 57 years; his sons Tad and David and their wives Debbie and Barbara; his brother Marvin and his wife Darryl; and five grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, the community of Santa Rosa will miss Everett Shapiro's leadership, compassion, and warmth. We will take inspiration from the example he set and comfort from knowing that he felt God had been very good to him, and, in his words, ``I like to think I've been fair with Him or Her.''

Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment our chairman, Bart Gordon, and I would like to compliment Congresswoman Fudge and our ranking member, Mr. Hall, for this resolution because it is greatly important.

I support H. Res. 1213, a resolution in support of improving participation in the STEM fields, STEM--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and of the House Science and Technology Committee, it is absolutely clear to me that our country's ability to develop, to prosper, and to compete will depend upon investing in our children's educations and in the scientific community.

A central piece of this effort must be to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to be involved in STEM at the K-12 undergrad and graduate levels so they can, if they choose, turn their educations into careers. They don't have to take the careers of STEM, but they have to be prepared to make those choices by the time they get to college.

That is why I sponsored the Patsy T. Mink Fellowships, which President Bush signed into law in 2008 as part of the Higher Education Reauthorization Act. The Patsy T. Mink Fellowships provide encouragement for women and minorities to go into the graduate programs where they are represented, such as into the STEM programs, and then to move into teaching in these fields.

I am also preparing to reintroduce a bill, Go Girl, as it has been previously entitled for the many, many years that I've been here, which will provide grants to schools to promote STEM education for girls, and we have included underrepresented minorities for K-12 students.

Mr. Speaker, helping young women and minorities go into these STEM fields is an investment in our future as a country, so I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H. Res. 1213.

Madam Speaker, last week the Pentagon released its 6- month status update on the war in Afghanistan. It is a sobering report indeed, one that should make all of us question the very legitimacy of this mission.

There has been a huge uptick in violence, including a 240 percent increase in roadside bomb attacks. The Karzai government's support has sunk to embarrassing lows as more than 80 percent of Afghan citizens say government corruption has an impact on their lives and barely one in four Afghans rate U.S. and NATO forces as ``good'' or ``very good.''

This isn't Lynn Woolsey or the Congressional Progressive Caucus talking at this moment, this is a report from

the very people responsible for the strategy. And yet at the same time contrary to all apparent evidence, we continue to get the same spin and happy talk from the Pentagon.

After the report was delivered to Congress last week, one senior defense official said: ``We have the beginning of the potential for real change.''

Madam Speaker, it is long past the moment when we should be talking about the ``beginning of the potential for real change.'' I think 8\1/ 2\ years is plenty of time for real change and not just the beginning of its potential.

We have been patient. We have seen more than a thousand of our fellow Americans killed. We have seen about $270 billion in taxpayer money fly out of the Treasury. And after all that, Afghanistan is still a terrifyingly dangerous place that can't stand on its own two feet, unable to handle its own security, with an incompetent government that enjoys little confidence or credibility.

The whole point of our counterinsurgency strategy was to get the people on the side of the government and our military forces. But, Madam Speaker, continued instability is instead driving the civilian population straight into the arms of the Taliban. Again, don't take it from me. The Pentagon report notes a ``ready supply of recruits is drawn from the frustrated population, where insurgents exploit poverty, tribal friction and lack of governance to grow their ranks.''

Mr. Speaker, with the Kandahar offensive about to begin, the situation figures to get even worse, especially given that more than 80 percent of the Kandahar population embraces the Taliban as ``Afghan brothers'' while 94 percent oppose U.S. troop presence. That is according to the Army's own research, as cited by defense scholar Michael Cohen. The security situation in Kandahar is already bad enough that the U.N. has pulled its people out.

Madam Speaker, we need a complete reorientation of U.S. policy towards Afghanistan. We need a smart security approach that rebuilds the country instead of tearing it apart. We need to send legal scholars who can help establish rule of law and a functional judicial system. We need to send agricultural experts who can give Afghan farmers an alternative to the poppy trade which is controlled by the Taliban. Most of all, Madam Speaker, we need an immediate military redeployment. It is time to bring our troops home.

Mr. Speaker, this body took an important step today by passing the IMPROVE Acquisitions Act, which will bring badly needed reforms to the defense procurement process. The Pentagon, of course, is legendary for bureaucratic inefficiency, cost overruns, and even outright corruption in its purchasing practices. Remember the $640 toilet seat that the Navy bought back in the 1980s? Remember our soldiers in Iraq sifting through scrap heaps for makeshift body armor?

For too long, Mr. Speaker, the Pentagon has been the irresponsible teenager who gets a ridiculously generous allowance, loses part of it, and then spends the rest on junk food. With this new bill, though, mom and dad will begin to exercise some oversight over that allowance. Given the size of the DOD budget and the nature of its mission, it is about time. It's remarkable that up until now, there's been no effective performance metric system to assure that taxpayers are getting value for their defense dollars.

We're living through a time, Mr. Speaker, when nearly every American family is tightening its belt and making sure that every dollar it spends is on something it truly needs. We owe it to these families to ensure that the government agency charged with keeping them safe is doing the same.

As pleased as I am with the passage of the IMPROVE Act, I can't help but think that we are nibbling around the edges of a much, much larger problem. The issue is not just a managerial one of how the Pentagon goes about its acquisitions. The more significant matter is the Nation's overall defense policy and budget priorities. For example, we continue to spend billions of dollars every year on sacred cow weapons systems that were designed for a bygone era.

Finally, last year, we cut off funding for the F-22 Raptor, designed to neutralize the next generation of Soviet planes. I guess it took almost 20 years to figure out there has been no generation of Soviet plane because there's been no generation of the Soviet Union. But we're still throwing money at the V-22 Osprey, a plane so wasteful and unnecessary that even former Vice President Cheney was trying to kill it as far back as the late 1980s when he was Secretary of Defense. According to our analysis at the Congressional Progressive Caucus, we can save $60 billion, at least, a year by eliminating such Cold War relics.

And, Mr. Speaker, then there's the biggest ticket item of all, purportedly keeping us safe but actually spending us into bankruptcy and undermining our national security interests. I'm referring to the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Every day, at a predicted price tag of around $1 trillion, we are sending American soldiers to die for a strategy that is a moral outrage and a practical failure. For a fraction of the cost, we could take a smarter approach by expanding poor countries' capacity to provide for their own people. That means more resources for democracy promotion, physical infrastructure, human capital development, et cetera, et cetera. That would be the way to fight terrorism--with compassion, not aggression; using diplomacy, not destruction; by investing, rather than invading.

So let's do more than streamline procurement, because, Mr. Speaker, if we overhaul the way we go about protecting America and we redefine what it means to provide for the common defense as the Constitution instructs us to do, we will do the right thing, and the right thing will be to start by bringing our troops home.

Madam Speaker, on April 26, 2010, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to record my vote for rollcall No. 221-223. Had I been present I would have voted:

Rollcall No. 221: ``Yes''--Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building.

Rollcall No. 222: ``Yes''--Celebrating the life of Sam Houston on the 217th anniversary of his birth.

Rollcall No. 223: ``Yes''--Steve Goodman Post Office Building.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize World Malaria Day which was April 21.

Malaria kills almost 1 million people every year, and afflicts as many as half a billion. Just think of this startling fact, Mr. Speaker: every 30 seconds, a child in Africa dies from malaria. We owe it to the children and we owe it to mothers to do more to eradicate this preventable and treatable disease.

We must support programs that provide bed nets and safe indoor spraying. Malaria doesn't just affect the sick, it keeps kids out of school, it keeps adults out of the fields and away from the workplace, and brings down the economy. Sick parents can't care for their children.

Malaria prevention is key to preventing smart maternal health policies worldwide. I urge my colleagues to support funding for international malaria and survival programs to keep the world's children and their mothers healthy.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1240) supporting the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Day, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1240 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1240, a resolution to support the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Day. Global Youth Service Day is an annual worldwide event that highlights and celebrates the ongoing contributions of youth to their communities through volunteer service and service learning.

Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world, and over the past 21 years it has brought together more than 40 million people in thousands of communities worldwide. This past weekend it was observed for the 22nd consecutive year in the United States, and for its 11th year globally, in more than 100 countries.

Mr. Speaker, service learning extends the classroom into the community, providing young people with the opportunity to give back locally. It is also an academic tool that builds real-life applications into student curriculum, keeping students engaged in their education. High quality service learning that is integrated with academic curriculum increases students' cognitive engagement, motivation to learn, school attendance, and academic achievement. Global Youth Service Day takes that one step further by promoting projects that encourage youth to work collaboratively across national borders to address global issues, to increase intercultural understanding, and to promote the sense that we are all global citizens.

There are countless benefits associated with volunteerism and service. Evidence shows that there exists a conclusive correlation between youth service, character development, lifelong adult volunteering, philanthropy, and other forms of civic engagement.

Opportunities like Global Youth Service Day provide avenues for youth to apply their knowledge, idealism, energy, creativity, and unique perspectives to improve local communities by addressing critical issues such as poverty, hunger, illiteracy, education, natural disasters, climate change, and so very much more, Mr. Speaker.

As part of Global Youth Service Day here in the District of Columbia, Greater D.C. Cares organized 7,000 volunteers as part of its annual Servathon to restore national monuments, landscape parks and playgrounds, prepare and distribute food, and paint murals on schools in 100 locations within the metro area.

In Detroit, Michigan, more than 125 students from an inner city Detroit school educated their classmates and families about having a healthy diet and nutrition and incorporating exercise in their daily lives. In Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Speaker, the local YMCA coordinated with over 100 community partners and 1,000 young people in feeding the homeless, in yard work for the elderly, community gardening with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, among many other things.

Both young people and their communities will benefit greatly from expanded opportunities like these which allow youth to engage in volunteer community service and service learning worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution serves to recognize and commend the significant contributions of youth of the United States and to support the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Day 2010.

I thank Representative Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the author of H. Res. 1240.

Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to compliment Congresswoman DeLauro and Congressman Ehlers for their amazing efforts in this regard, and I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1240, a resolution to support the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Day.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1293) expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1293 into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1293, which supports the goals and ideals of National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Our children are our most precious resources, and they need our support to thrive and to grow into healthy, productive adults.

During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we raise awareness of the critical necessity of responding to child abuse, to promoting healthy families, and to nurturing our children in safe environments free from abuse, neglect, or fear.

The effects of child abuse and neglect have enormous consequences on our Nation's children. On average, five children every day are killed as a result of child abuse or neglect, and a report of child abuse is made every 10

seconds in the United States--the wealthiest nation on Earth, I must remind us.

In 2008, an estimated 1,740 children died as a result of such abuse, and that number leaves out many more deaths which are not properly reported for their actual causes. Tragically, sexual, emotional, and physical abuse threaten too many of our Nation's children every single day.

Studies have shown that abused or neglected children have a higher risk in adulthood for developing other health problems, including alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, obesity, suicide, and certainly other chronic diseases.

Our entire communities--parents, guardians, relatives, neighbors, and organizations--all share the responsibility of preventing the crime of child abuse, and our government plays an important role as well. We must support families to help them stay together and to raise children into becoming happy, stable, and successful adults.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month is about increasing awareness of the problem so that we can stop child abuse and neglect before it starts. Together, we can protect children. We can strengthen families. We must ensure that every child grows up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month highlights the roles of important prevention resources, such as early childhood programs, family resource centers, parent support groups, respite and crisis care, and educator training, which can help reduce the risk factors for child abuse and promote healthy families.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution in support of National Child Abuse Prevention Month serves to remind us of our collective responsibility to protect our children from maltreatment and to ensure that all of our kids have childhoods free from abuse and free from neglect.

I thank Representative Petri for introducing the resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1293, authorized by the gentlewoman from Illinois, Congresswoman Judy Biggert. I gave Congressman Petri the credit, but he does so many good things that I just made that mistake. I ask my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of National Child Abuse Prevention Month by voting for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1131) expressing support for designation of the week of April 18, 2010, through April 23, 2010, as National Assistant Principals Week, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous materials on H. Res. 1131 into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1131, which supports the goals and ideals of National Assistant Principals Week. With this resolution, we recognize the critical role that assistant principals serve in our Nation's schools, and we honor their hard work and dedication.

Many of us have fond memories of the assistant principals who served in our schools. They were the ones who made sure we were safe in the hallways and that we didn't miss our buses. They stopped by our classrooms to make sure we had all of the supplies we needed, and they counseled us through mistakes and successes to help us grow and to learn as students and citizens.

Assistant principals are the unsung heroes of our schools. They serve as a behind-the-scenes link between every sector of the school community. Their job description has expanded significantly over the past decades, and they are the backbone of a school's administrative team. They interact with students, with teachers, with staff, and with parents on a daily basis to ensure that every child is receiving the best education possible. National Assistant Principals Week recognizes their important contributions.

Since 2004, the National Association of Secondary School Principals and Virco have partnered to applaud secondary school assistant principals in their dedication and success in school leadership as part of National Assistant Principals Week. Their National Assistant Principal of the Year program recognizes outstanding middle level and high school assistant principals who have demonstrated success in leadership, curriculum, and personalization.

I would like to congratulate Mr. Nathan McCann, assistant principal at Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, Arizona, who has been named the 2010 National Assistant Principal of the Year. Mr. McCann is leading an effort to reform his school's curriculum in response to student feedback, and he has worked closely with school counselors to help the graduates of Flowing Wells to pursue their goals of postsecondary education.

I thank Mr. McCann for his hard work, for his dedication to his school and for being the role model he is for assistant principals nationwide.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for National Assistant Principals Week, and I thank the Nation's assistant principals. I thank Representative Fudge for bringing this resolution to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1131, authored by Congresswoman Marcia Fudge from Ohio, and I urge my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of National Assistant Principals Week.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 375) supporting the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day in order to honor and remember the workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 375 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 375, which supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day.

A number of recent tragedies serve to remind us of the importance of occupational and mine safety. In early February, six workers were killed and 26 injured in a natural gas explosion at the Kleen Energy Power Plant in Middletown, Connecticut. On April 2, seven workers were killed in an explosion and fire at the Tesoro Refinery in Anacortes, Washington. On April 5, 29 miners lost their lives in a massive explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. This incident was the worst U.S. coal mining disaster in 40 years.

And, finally, Mr. Speaker, today our thoughts and prayers remain with the friends and families of those 11 miners who went missing after an explosion last week at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Seventeen workers were also injured, and we wish for their speedy recovery.

Too many workers in this Nation are subjected to dangerous conditions at work and have sacrificed their lives and health as a result. Everyone is entitled to a safe and healthy workplace. Every family deserves to know that when they send their loved one off to work, that loved one will come home that evening.

Mr. Speaker, with this resolution we remember and we honor all of these fallen workers, and we redouble our commitment to make our Nation's workplaces safe and healthy for all workers.

I thank Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the author of H. Res. 375.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Braley), who has played a significant part in making this bill come forward.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honored to yield 4 minutes to the chair of the Education and Labor Committee, the number one champ for workers in our Congress, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as we've heard, every year about 5,000 workers are killed and 4 million are injured on the job, with an additional 50,000 dying each year from occupational diseases. There are about 4 million cases of reportable workplace injuries and 3.7 million occupational illnesses and injuries on an annual basis. While coal mining remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, every single day hardworking miners show up to the mines in order to provide for their families. We need to do whatever we can to ensure that they and other workers return home safely each and every night.

To honor those who have sacrificed their lives, their health, and their loved ones who sacrificed the lives of those that went to work and didn't come home, we must do more. We have to do more than talk. We have to bring OSHA and MSHA into the 21st century. That is my commitment to the workers of America. That is what I'm working on with the support of my subcommittee in Education and Labor, the Workforce Protection Subcommittee, and our chairman, George Miller. That is what we know must happen.

So I urge my colleagues, in closing, to support H. Res. 375, support the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, and I thank Congresswoman Johnson and Congressman Braley and those that worked with her on this amazing resolution. It is so important.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 561) congratulating the Onondaga Community College Lady Lazers for winning the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Women's Lacrosse Tournament.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 561 into the Record.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Onondaga Community College Lady Lazers for winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women's Lacrosse Tournament.

On May 10, 2009, the Onondaga Community College Lady Lazers team celebrated their National Junior College Athletic Association Division I championship title with a solid winning score of 9-7 over Monroe Community College. This was an especially notable victory for the Lady Lazers, winning the national title in their first year of existence. Winning the championship game was the conclusion to an outstanding season where their only loss all season was to Monroe College during the regular season. Getting to avenge that loss, resulting in the winning of the championship, made the triumph even sweeter for the team of young athletes.

Each Lady Lazers team member is a proud representative of the community college which is located in the heart of Upstate New York, near the Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence Seaway as well as the Adirondack Mountains. The community college takes pride in a history of excellence and athletics with more than 200 athletes who participate in one of the institution's 11 competitive teams.

Lady Lazers attacker Lauren Welch was named first team NJCAA All- American in addition to being named the Region III Player of the Year. Midfielders Amanda Cizenski and Emily Pierson were also named First Team All-Americans. Welch, Cizenski, and Pierson were also First Team All-Region selections.

I congratulate these residents as well as the fans all across the great State of New York for their support, dedication, and pride in the Lady Lazers champion team, and I wish them great success in the 2010 season.

I thank Representative Maffei for bringing this resolution forward, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Maffei), who is the author of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 561, congratulating the Onondaga Community College Lady Lazers for winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women's Lacrosse Tournament.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 563) congratulating the Onondaga Community College Lazers for winning the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous materials on H. Res. 563 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Onondaga Community College Lazers for winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament. On May 10, 2009, the Onondaga Community College Lazers men's lacrosse team defeated Nassau Community College with a final score of 9-8 during the finals of the NJCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament at Herkimer County Community College.

The game that secured the Lazers' victory was remarkable, as it marked the third national title for Onondaga Community College's men's lacrosse program. The victory was also especially sweet as it concluded an undefeated season for the team. In addition to winning the NJCAA division championship, the 2009 men's team also won its fifth consecutive NJCAA Region III championship as well as its ninth consecutive Mid-State Athletic Conference title in 2009.

I congratulate Head Coach Chuck Wilbur on winning eight consecutive Mid-State Athletic Conference championships, five consecutive Region III championships, and three national championships. Chuck was named the NJCAA Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 2009, the third time he was given that honor.

I also wish to congratulate attack man Jerome Thompson and midfielder Jeremy Thompson, who were named the offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively, by the NJCAA Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association. In addition to Jerome Thompson and Jeremy Thompson, midfielder Ed Prevost, defenseman Pete Mumford, and goalie Jon Fiorillo were all named to the NJCAA All-American First Team.

In 2009, Mr. Speaker, Onondaga Community College became the first college in NCAA history to achieve two simultaneous national championships in men's and women's lacrosse, with both the men's Lazers team winning the title along with the Lady Lazers team. Onondaga Community College is very proud of its athletes as well as its academic programs.

I congratulate each member of the team, and I congratulate the community college family on winning the NJCAA Division I championship, and I wish them great success in 2010 for their men's lacrosse season.

I thank Representative Maffei for bringing this resolution forward, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from New York (Mr. Maffei) for such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 563 congratulating the Onondaga Community College Lazers for winning the NJCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1280) expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1280 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1280, a resolution recognizing the goals and ideals of National Healthy Schools Day.

Every year we celebrate National Healthy Schools Day to promote healthy and green school environments for all children. Across the country, more than 55 million children and 7 million adults spend their days in over 125,000 public and private schools in the United States. That is why it is essential that we recognize the importance of healthy learning environments. This year, National Healthy Schools Day 2010 focuses on the importance of good indoor air quality, nontoxic cleaning supplies, and environmentally friendly building materials.

The need for healthy schools is clear. Scientific studies show that poor environmental conditions in schools harm students' health and academic achievement. On the other hand, healthy

schools help students reach their maximum potential. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, more than half of the schools in the U.S. have problems linked to unhealthy indoor air quality. Too many school districts struggle with the poor physical condition of their facilities, and this reality has only become worse because of the fiscal crisis affecting our country.

Schools in urban and rural areas are often overcrowded, unhealthy, inadequately maintained, and reduce quality learning. Healthy school environments encourage better school attendance and participation. Kids who feel healthy are more likely to stay in school. Healthy schools also encourage students to spend time at school for extracurricular activities, which is a key part of President Obama's goal to make our schools the community centers that they should and could be. All students deserve dry, clean, and quiet facilities with good indoor air, lighting and sanitation.

National Healthy Schools Day highlights simple steps we can take that can improve school environments for our children. This year's healthy schools campaign focuses on the importance of green, nontoxic cleaning products. Approximately 25 percent of chemicals in cleaning products used in schools are toxic and contribute to poor indoor air quality, smog, cancer, asthma and other diseases. Simply replacing toxic products with all natural cleaners could immediately improve the health of our students.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides guides and assessments on their Web site to help schools improve indoor air quality. National Healthy Schools Day raises awareness of tools like these to help make our schools healthier and safer for kids.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution in support of National Healthy Schools Day serves to recognize the importance of healthy, safe, and green learning environments in our Nation's schools. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko) for introducing this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), the author of this legislation, for as much time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution recognizing National Healthy Schools Day authored by Congressman Tonko from New York, and recognizing the importance of ensuring healthy and green school environments for all of our children.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have no greater obligation as a Congress and as a Nation than to look after the Americans who selflessly and patriotically have volunteered themselves into harm's way in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. When they come home wheelchair-bound or with missing limbs or with a traumatic brain injury, they deserve nothing less than the very best treatment and care. Often, that care is provided not by health care professionals at a hospital, but by spouses, parents, other family members, or a loved one that isn't even next of kin. Many of these wonderful folks are already living on a tight budget. They're likely to be already caring for young children and/or aging parents. And often they have jobs they can't afford to lose.

I've fought to give these families the support they need. I introduced the first-ever expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which provided Americans with 6 months of unpaid leave--unpaid, should be paid--of unpaid leave to care for wounded servicemembers and their families. Last week, a bipartisan majority in the House took important new steps by passing the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act. This would ease the enormous burden falling on those whose loved ones return from war with a severe injury. It provides tools and training so they can be better caregivers. When they accompany a veteran on medical visits, their lodging would be paid for. They would also be eligible for a monthly stipend as well as health care benefits of their own. And when the stress becomes too great, which of course it does, counseling and respite care would be available.

The bill also makes huge strides in recognizing the unique challenges faced by women who wear the uniform. It includes treatment for sexual trauma, which affects a staggering number of servicewomen. There is a child care pilot program so that women veterans can get the care they need without sacrificing the care of their children. Also, for the first time ever, there's neonatal care for the infants of returning soldiers giving birth.

I wish I didn't have to vote for that bill last week because I wish that bill

hadn't been necessary in the first place. Because the best way to support the men and women of the United States military, I believe, would be not to send them to fight in unnecessary wars in the first place.

The tragedy is all the more poignant, Mr. Speaker, because these injuries are being sustained in conflicts that are doing little or nothing to advance our national security interests. I can't help but think how many military families would have been spared the struggle if we had taken a SMART security approach to fighting terrorism or if we had doubled down on humanitarian aid rather than resorting to aggression, invasion, and occupation.

But as fiercely as I am in opposition to these two wars, I will never turn my back on the men and women who have been asked to fight them. In fact, the more skeptical you are about Iraq and Afghanistan, the greater you should be in your obligation to our troops on the front lines. There's one big solution to the strain on our veterans health care system and family caregivers, and that would be to reverse the disastrous policy that is creating more wounded combat veterans every single day.

So, Mr. Speaker, I can think of no better way to honor our soldiers than to end these wars and to bring all of them home--and bring them home now.