Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Friday, July 25, marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). In 1974, Congress, with bipartisan support, established LSC to be a major source of funding for civil legal aid in this country. LSC is a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by Congress, as well as by state, local, and private contributions, with the mission to ensure equal access to justice under the law for all Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it. LSC distributes nearly 94 percent of its annual Federal appropriations to 134 local legal aid programs, with nearly 800 offices serving every congressional district and U.S. territories.

LSC-funded legal aid programs make a crucial difference to millions of Americans by assisting with the most basic civil legal needs, such as addressing matters involving safety, subsistence, and family stability. These low-income Americans are women seeking protection from abuse, mothers trying to obtain child support, families facing unlawful evictions or foreclosures that could leave them homeless, veterans seeking their duly-earned benefits, seniors defending against consumer scams, and individuals who have lost their jobs and need help in applying for unemployment compensation and other benefits.

In my district, LSC provides funding to California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), an organization that served 27,000 individuals, and recovered over $2.5 million dollars for their low-income clients, in 2012. CRLA serves a wide array of clients, such as farmworkers, individuals with disabilities, immigrant populations, school children, lesbian/gay/bisexual and transgender populations, seniors, and individuals with limited English proficiency. Nearly 60 percent of CRLA clients are women. It is crucial that we continue to provide adequate funding to LSC so organizations like CRLA can provide these essential services.

In my role as a senior member of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, I have fought to increase LSC funding, and have sought to remove federal restrictions on how LSC can use state, local, and private funds to more efficiently use the resources it has available to serve low-income clients. I will continue to work to provide LSC with the resources and flexibility it needs to ensure equal access to justice.

On this 40th anniversary, I salute the Legal Services Corporation, and LSC-funded attorneys, for the vital work they do every day on behalf of Americans who need qualified counsel.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Grayce Uyehara who was instrumental in securing redress for the Japanese Americans incarcerated during the Second World War.

Born Grayce Kaneda on July 4, 1919, in Stockton, California, Uyehara and her family were incarcerated at the Stockton Assembly Center and the Rohwer Relocation Center. A leader in the Japanese American community, Uyehara served in leadership positions at all levels of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), including as president of the Philadelphia chapter and governor of the Eastern District Council, in addition to service on national JACL committees.

In 1985, Uyehara was appointed as the executive of the JACL Legislative Education Committee, which was established to advocate for the final phases of the redress campaign. Uyehara was a catalyzing force in organizing participation of the community across the nation. During the push for final passage of the Civil Liberties Act, Uyehara mobilized a grassroots campaign through her Action Alerts and inundated the White House with letters of support. The Japanese American community celebrated on August 10, 1988, when President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act into law, which formally apologized for the violations of the civil liberties and constitutional rights of Japanese Americans and issued monetary reparations.

Uyehara's spirit, activism, and drive served and continue to serve as a model of leadership for succeeding generations of Japanese Americans. I was honored to work with her on the passage of redress and I celebrate her many achievements.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to welcome Mr. Rajan Zed to offer the opening prayer before the U.S. House of Representatives.

A native of the State of Nevada, he attended San Jose State University in San Jose, California, my alma mater.

As president of the Universal Society of Hinduism and a senior fellow/religious adviser to the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, he has advocated for religious freedom and tolerance throughout the world.

His contributions to the religious community worldwide led him to be invited by the president of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, for a meeting to promote interfaith dialogue. He is particularly known for his work within the Roma community, acting as a voice for the human rights of the 15 million Roma in Europe.

That this body supports diversity of spirituality and cultures is a testament to our great institution.

For his continued spiritual leadership and for traveling from afar, I would like to thank Mr. Zed for leading us in prayer.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the words that have been expressed this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness. My heart goes out to the families and friends of all the victims killed in the tragic events of May 23 in Isla Vista, California.

Three of the victims were from my California Congressional District 17. I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of Cheng ``James'' Yuan Hong, George Chen, and Weihan ``David'' Wang. The lives of these young men were cut short in the senseless tragedy that happened this past Memorial Day weekend.

``James'' Hong and George Chen--from San Jose--and ``David'' Wang-- from Fremont--were all from immigrant Chinese families. They were all studying engineering at UC Santa Barbara. I ask everyone to please keep in your thoughts and prayers these young men and their families.

As we struggle to make sense of what happened, we must seriously examine our gun laws and ask why people who are mentally disturbed can continue to possess and obtain firearms.

These acts of violence cannot be allowed to continue. How many more tragedies must our Nation suffer before Congress acts?

We in Congress promised our Nation we would do better after the shootings at Sandy Hook, but we have not made good on that promise.

Instead, the shootings have continued. Just since the Isla Vista killings on May 23, there have been two more mass shootings.

I am outraged that we have not done more to protect the public from gun violence. Congress has failed to act. Congress has failed the American people. It is up to us to pass comprehensive, commonsense gun laws to prevent these tragic deaths from occurring.

The brutal violence exacted on the victims in Isla Vista, California, was horrific. What was particularly horrific was the nature in which those three young men were killed. They were stabbed to death before the perpetrator went on a shooting spree that claimed the lives of more victims.

We will always remember those who are no longer with us, but we must also honor them. We must enact real change to our gun laws to protect not only the young people but all of our citizens. It is our moral obligation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 100th anniversary of Iglesia Ni Cristo--the Church of Christ. This is a historic anniversary which is being celebrated around the world. This year also marks the 46th anniversary of Iglesia Ni Cristo in the U.S.

On July 27, 1914, Iglesia Ni Cristo was officially registered with the Philippines government by Felix Y. Manalo. On July 27, 1968, this church held their first ever worship service in the U.S. at Ewa Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii--which was officiated by Erano G. Manalo. A month later, the church members established a congregation in San Francisco.

In June 1987, Iglesia Ni Cristo established its U.S. main office in Daly City, California, to better coordinate with the central office in Manila, Philippines. Recently, the U.S. main office moved to the City of Burlingame, California. I am honored that my district plays host to three of these local congregations--San Jose, Milpitas, and Fremont.

I commend the good work of the many members of Iglesia Ni Cristo to provide assistance to the needy, especially those impacted by disasters. Their civic and community outreach includes relief operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and Typhoon Haiyan.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate the members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, including their Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, on this noteworthy occasion of the church's centennial anniversary. I wish them continued success in their service and faith.

Mr. Speaker, I want to add my thanks to the work that has been done up to now. I became an original cosponsor of the USA FREEDOM Act because I was disturbed about the revelations of surveillance programs.

The bill was a good step toward balancing security and privacy, but this amendment does not. It leaves open the possibility that bulk surveillance could still continue, and it no longer protects the public through a special advocate in the FISA Court.

I am disappointed that this popular, bipartisan bill has been so drastically weakened. I can no longer support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Thursday, May 1, 2014 as the National Day of Reason.

The National Day of Reason celebrates the application of reason and the positive impact it has had on humanity. It is also an opportunity to reaffirm the Constitutional separation of religion and government.

Each day, scientists and engineers in my Silicon Valley district are developing innovative new technologies through the use of the scientific method and the application of reason. Such advances throughout history have offered hope for human survival on Earth, improved the conditions within which we live, and cultivated intelligent, moral and ethical behaviors and interactions among people.

Our Founding Fathers based the Constitution of the United States upon philosophical principles that have their origins in the historical Age of Reason. On the National Day of Reason, we remember and celebrate this history, including the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of religion and freedom from the imposition of religion by the state. Our nation's founders knew that the best way to protect religious freedom was to keep the government separate from religion.

The National Day of Reason is also a time to continue the effort our Founding Fathers began to form a more perfect union, something I work toward each day as a Member of Congress. Every year on this day, events such as food drives and blood drives are held in which Americans help their fellow citizens and our nation as a whole. These community service events are just some of the many ways Americans will be working to help those in need on the Day of Reason and throughout the year.

I encourage all citizens, residents and visitors to join in observing this day and focusing upon the employment of reason, critical thought, the scientific method, and free inquiry to the resolution of human problems and for the welfare of human kind.

Mr. Speaker, on April 28th, communities in the U.S., Israel, and around the world will gather to observe Holocaust Remembrance Day, known in Hebrew as Yom Hashoah. We remember the six million Jews who were deemed ``undesirable'' and thereby systematically murdered by Nazi Germany. On this day--and everyday for that matter--we remember the power racism and bigotry can wield, as well as the enduring spirit and lessons of humanity.

I am reminded of the Jewish concept of tikkun olam which embraces our shared humanity and duty to heal the world. Having experienced injustice and intolerance in some of its most brutal forms, I have dedicated my life to protecting and expanding the civil rights of all people around the world. I believe it is up to each and every one of us to stand against hatred and intolerance. We must create the more peaceful world we want our children to inherit. As human beings, we have a responsibility to keep the Holocaust at the forefront of our collective historical memory.

This week, we dedicate a memorial tree in honor of Anne Frank on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. The Anne Frank Memorial Tree is an offspring of the original chestnut tree that grew outside of the Amsterdam building where she and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II. This tree was featured in Anne's diary writings. Anne's experience has been immortalized beyond cultures and languages. She has become a symbol of the human cost of the Holocaust.

Mr. Speaker, as we plant the new sapling on the Capitol Grounds, may we always live by the words, ``never again.'' Like the new sapling, may Anne's words of hope for a better humanity take root within each of us, wherein ``nobody need wait a single moment before beginning to improve the world.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the state of knowledge about climate change and the impact it will have on our Nation.

Secretary of State John Kerry called climate change ``the greatest challenge of our generation.'' Al Gore was the first to call us to action more than 30 years ago. Even with his courageous leadership, we still have not taken the necessary actions.

The number of Americans who do not believe in climate change has increased since last year, and this is unacceptable. Our citizens need to be informed about climate change and the very real consequences it holds for all of us. This is why I introduced the Climate Change Education Act of 2014.

The Climate Change Education Act will create formal and informal education opportunities for all age groups. It will ensure people understand the complexity and seriousness of the problems we are facing. It will also give them ways to start fighting climate change. Climate change impacts every ecosystem on Earth--our oceans, forests, rivers, lakes, and everything that lives in them.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, many of our Democratic colleagues have already spoken about what is wrong with the House Republican budget and how it slashes our investments in education, infrastructure, research and development, job training, and medical research; how it repeals all the benefits of the Affordable Care Act; how it leaves 7 million Americans without health insurance, ends the Medicare guarantee, and institutes massive cuts to our most vulnerable populations; how it pays for new tax cuts for millionaires by taking away tax breaks that help the working poor and the middle class--and that is all true. But I want to talk about the alternative vision for this country that we in the Progressive Caucus have crafted.

The Better Off Budget meets the challenges that our communities face head-on. It expresses our belief that America's future is bright and worth investing in.

One of the pieces I am most proud of is the application of the CPI-E to all Federal retirement programs. The CPI-E uses the most accurate and sensible measure of the real costs that seniors face for programs like civil service retirement, military retirement, Supplemental Security Income, and the veterans' pensions.

Seniors deserve a cost of living that accounts for the rising costs of retirement, such as health care. I urge my colleagues to support a better deal for our seniors, support a better future for our middle class, and support a vision that will leave us all better off. The Better Off Budget offers all of this.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, April 4, 2014, I was unavoidably detained while questioning the Attorney General in the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee and so I was not present for rollcall vote No. 159.

Had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 159 amendment offered by my good friend Mr. Connolly of Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and contributions of my dear friend, Ms. Florence Fang, as she celebrates her 80th birthday and a lifetime of serving her community.

In her historic trip to China, First Lady Michelle Obama highlighted the work of the 100,000 Strong Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening US-China relations by sending American students of all economic and social backgrounds to study abroad in China as exchange students. By emphasizing foreign exchange education, programs like the 100,000 Strong Foundation are training young Americans to become global leaders in a new world where countries and economies are increasingly connected.

It comes as no surprise that the founders of the 100,000 Strong Foundation include leaders from the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, notably the energetic and passionate Florence Fang. Ms. Fang is known internationally for her civic work, especially on building positive relationships with China, and in helping to develop our nation's future leaders.

Ms. Florence Fang was born in China and educated in Taiwan. In 1960, she immigrated to America, and was later adopted by the United States as an American citizen.

Ms. Fang and her husband, John T.C. Fang, had three sons who were born and raised in San Francisco: James, a graduate of Hastings Law School and currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system; Teddy, an Ethnic Studies graduate from UC Berkeley who was publisher of the Independent and SF Examiner newspapers; and Douglas, who received his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Southern California and passed away in 2003.

In 1991, when the White House held a National Leadership Conference to discuss America giving China ``Most Favored Nation'' status, Ms. Fang was the only delegate invited to stand on the dais beside former U.S. President George H.W. Bush in the White House ceremony.

At the May 29, 1992 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Presidential Dinner, Ms. Fang shared the same stage with President George H.W. Bush, where she delivered a speech about her life in America, titled ``An Asian American Story''.

In 2006, she donated the priceless San Francisco Examiner newspaper archives to the UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library, where she delivered a speech and drew applause from UC Berkeley's Chancellor and professors. It is one of her most prized moments.

Also in 2006, she donated $3 million to help build UC Berkeley's East Asian Library. And in 2008, she donated a building to Peking University for the School of Chinese as a Second Language Department to teach the whole world Chinese language and culture.

In January 2013, together with the Ford Foundation, she became a co- founder of the 100,000 Strong Foundation, which was born out of U.S. President Obama's initiative in 2008 when he visited China's then- president Hu Jintao, to send 100,000 American students to study in China.

On March 22, 2014, Ms. Fang accompanied First Lady Michelle Obama when she spoke to students in Peking University on the First Lady's trip to China.

On April 4, 2014, over 100 organizations will join together to host Ms. Fang's 80th birthday celebration. They also arranged to have two Kepler celestial bodies or stars named after Ms. Fang as recorded with the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Ms. Fang has held many local and national positions. She was appointed as National Small Business Commissioner by former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Stature for Women Commissioner by California Governor, and San Francisco Film Commissioner by former Mayor Willie Brown Jr. Currently, she holds the titles of: Honorary Trustee of Peking University, Honorary Professor of Wuhan University, Founder and Board Member of the 100K Strong Foundation, and Chairwoman of the Florence Fang Family Foundation.

As a result of her own life experiences, Ms. Fang has particularly focused her life on education and American and Chinese cultural exchange.

When she first immigrated to the United States in 1960, Ms. Fang did not speak any English and had never had a chance to study in an American school. Then, in the early 1970s, her husband suddenly became very ill and was hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Ms. Fang was forced to make a living for her family, and she had to single handedly run her husband's printing shop business. It was during these years that she learned much of her English from reading invoices coming into the business.

Today she has achieved her American dream, and it is articulated by what former U.S. President George H.W. Bush wrote in his 1999 preface for Ms. Fang's unpublished biography:

America is a tale of immigrants who came to this land to

build a nation and better their own lives.

The Florence Fang story is yet another chapter on the

American experience. Her pursuit and fulfillment of the

American dream serves as a reminder that America is truly the

land of opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Congressman Sam Farr to honor the life and contributions of our dear friend, Ms. Norma Wright, who recently passed away after a lifetime of serving her community.

Norma Wright dedicated her life to improving education and was respected by all who knew her. She initially became involved in the education system while raising her three children: Bill, Beth, and Nancy. Her passion for educating the children in her life inspired her to return to college to gain a teaching credential. Upon earning her credential, she served as a special education teacher in Gilroy, CA, and then became a Social Studies teacher. Not long after, her innovative and effective teaching style made her the Community Schools Director for the district.

After she married Mr. Kenneth D. Wright, she became more active in local politics and educational policy. For many years, both Norma and Kenneth were deeply involved in both the California Teachers Association and the National Education Association.

Eventually, Ms. Wright returned to school to obtain her Master's Degree in Public Education. With her degree, she became the Social Studies Coordinator at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. During her tenure, she established the Youth at Risk Program, a program that was recognized and replicated statewide. Soon after, she was asked to become the Assistant Director of the Community Juvenile Justice Program.

A few years later, Ms. Wright met two individuals who shaped the future of her career in education and politics. With Mr. Roy Erickson, she helped establish the Constitutional Rights Foundation's training programs. And with Mr. Chuck Quigley, she launched her career-long work with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Center for Civic Justice Education, and the Youth for Justice Network.

In 1990, Ms. Wright left her position as the Social Studies Coordinator at the Santa Clara County Office of Education and became the Director of Justice Programs at the Center for Civic Education. In this capacity, Norma worked to influence education programs across the country to include civic education and high quality social studies programs. She also traveled internationally to share her ideas about democracy, justice, fairness, and equality. The California Council for the Social Studies honored her with the Roy Erickson Award for her work.

Through her law-related education programs and work with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Norma helped establish the Youth for Justice Network, a coordinated law-related education program that helped promote professional development through a consortium of the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Public Education Division of the American Bar Association, Street Law, the Center for Civic Education, and the Constitutional Rights Foundation-Chicago.

Her political activism and work to improve social studies programs in the Bay Area made her an asset to many of California's elected officials, including ourselves, Representatives Don Edwards and Lynn Woolsey, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and former U.S Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta. Through her dedication to the promotion of civic education, she also forged relationships with several federal judges and state legislators.

It is in thanks for, and in admiration of, Ms. Norma Wright's commitment to civic education that we offer these words today. We hope her commitment of public service continues to be an inspiration to the young people of generations to come. Thank you Norma, we will miss you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the version of H.R. 4015 that Republican leadership has brought to the floor of the House.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created SGR in an attempt to control spending in the Medicare program, and it was adopted for TRICARE as well. For years, this methodology has consistently produced unrealistic expenditure targets. These targets trigger untenable reductions in payment rates to doctors providing services to Medicare patients.

As a result, Congress has buried the true cost of this policy through annual Congressional overrides of these scheduled cuts. Each of these short-term ``fixes'' has achieved the important goal of averting an immediate crisis in access to physicians for Medicare beneficiaries, but has exacerbated a longer-term crisis in Medicare financing.

Continued short term patches create instability in the health care system and the economy as a whole. Doctors have been hamstrung by yearly doubt about what reimbursement rates will be, and patients have had to pay the eventual price in uneven, substandard quality of care.

The SGR needs to be repealed and the Medicare payment system needs to be reformed now. To accomplish this, I signed on as a co-sponsor of the original version of the bipartisan bill H.R. 4015, the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014.

H.R. 4015 proposes five years of 0.5% payment increases for the Medicare physician fee schedule before freezing payments at that level for five additional years. It also supports alternative payment models, and creates a new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for those who stay on the fee-for-service payment model.

Despite months of bipartisan work to forge this compromise, House Republicans amended the bill to delay the individual mandate requirement in the Affordable Care Act. This unconscionable political stunt to undermine the Affordable Care Act puts our Medicare health system in jeopardy at a critical time, with payment rates set to drop dramatically on April 1, 2014.

I am committed to reforming our Medicare system and repealing the SGR, but the bill House Republican leadership brought to the House floor fails to strengthen Medicare, or help Americans get access to affordable health care. I cannot support the flawed amended version of the bill.

Medicare has guaranteed essential health protections to seniors and certain disabled persons for nearly four decades. I believe Medicare is more than just a program, it is a covenant that exists between the government and the American people.

I support fixing and reforming this system permanently, but H.R. 4015 as amended is not the way to do that, and so I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote No. 98 on Wednesday, March 5, 2014, I was inadvertently recorded as ``nay'' when I intended to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 2126, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014, as amended.

I've long been a proponent of improving energy efficiency across the board. I know the cheapest and cleanest kilowatts are the ones we don't need to generate because we are using energy more efficiently.

I've even authored my own bill to improve the energy efficiency of consumer electronics, the Smart Electronics Act. I whole heartedly support the package of measures that were included in H.R. 2126, which include improving energy efficiency at federal data centers, increasing efficiency standards for grid-enabled water heaters, promoting efficiency retrofits on low-income housing, and creating incentives for landlords and tenants to boost energy savings in commercial properties.

I hope that House passage of this bill will enable progress in the Senate on energy efficiency legislation; and I want to reiterate my support for H.R. 2126, which I had intended to express through an ``aye'' vote.