Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Festival of Diwali.

Over one billion individuals celebrate the cultural and religious holiday of Diwali each year. Diwali is one of the most joyous festivals celebrated on the South Asian subcontinent. The festival is celebrated in the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain traditions, and has cultural significance for South Asians. Within the United States there are over 2 million celebrating Diwali making it a significant holiday in our country.

Diwali literally means ``The Festival of Lights,'' translated from Hindi. Celebrations of Diwali usually involve the lighting of lamps to symbolize hope and joy. I joined Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the White House yesterday, as President Obama lit a lamp in the White House in the observance of the festival, after signing an executive order restoring the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

In the Hindu faith Diwali is often linked to Rama's triumphant return following his victory over Ravana as told in the epic The Ramayana. Following Rama's victory his people lighted lamps along the capital city to celebrate as their King returned. The clay lamps which the people lit, were called Deepavalis which Diwali is a shortened version of. In many Hindu calendars Diwali corresponds with the start of a new year. Diwali is one of the most significant holidays within Hinduism.

In Jainism, Diwali marks the date upon which Lord Mahavira achieved the state of absolute bliss or Nirvana. It is said that King Chetaka, upon Lord Mahavira achieving Nirvana, light a multitude of lamps to create a material light to replace the light of intelligence that had been lost.

In the Sikh tradition, the foundation of the Golden Temple is said to have been laid on Diwali. In this tradition, the 6th Sikh guru Hargobind was released from prison on the festival of Diwali.

There is great diversity among the faiths that celebrate this joyful holiday. Across all these traditions, Diwali holds significance across the South-Asian community as a time of hope, happiness and the renewal of life. I am very proud to have been a co-sponsor of House Resolution 798, conveying the best wishes of the House of Representatives to those celebrating Diwali. The resolution recognizes the importance of Diwali and extends the House of Representatives' deepest respects to all those celebrating Diwali. I would like to join with all those celebrating this joyous time and wish Shubh Diwali to all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my support for the National Council of Asian American Business Associations (NCAABA), and for the important work the NCAABA has done for the Asian American and Pacific Islander business community.

NCAABA was founded in 2000 to be the voice of Asian American business owners at the national level, serving as a conduit of resource and information, to educate the public, private and business sectors, to advance America's economic growth and stability.

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Other Pacific Islanders (AA NHOPIs) are the fastest growing demographic group in America. In 2002, there were 1.1 million Asian American-owned firms in America, generating $326 billion in revenues, with the number of Asian American- owned firms growing 24% from 1997, about twice the national average for all businesses. In addition, there were 29,000 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI)-owned firms, generating $4.3 billion in revenue, with the number of NHOPI-owned firms growing 49% from 1997, roughly 4 times the average for all businesses. In fact, California, with more than 1/3 million Asian American-owned firms has the largest number of Asian American-owned firms of any state in America.

As America's companies aim to meet the demands of the emerging markets in America, and Asia, AA NHOPIs, who have the cultural and communications skills to create new opportunities, new jobs, and new investments, are in demand.

Given this dramatic growth of AA NHOPI business owners, supplier diversity or the use of minority owned vendors as suppliers, has become a practice that is increasingly important to the success of any business. I want to take this opportunity to commend the National Council of Asian American Business Associations, and presenting sponsor Wells Fargo, in launching the NCAABA Supplier Academy at UCLA on October 14-15, 2009, to ensure that AA NHOPIs will have the cultural and linguistic leadership skills to optimize the resources of the global market, to create sustainable economic change and climate change.

Madam Speaker, this August, I had the honor of traveling to Kangwon National University in South Korea, where I was awarded an honorary doctorate in Education. As a former high school teacher, principal, and school board member, education has always been my top priority. I believe education is a powerful investment in our future, and I have continued my pursuit of both learning and teaching during my tenure in Congress. I was humbled to receive the high honor of an honorary doctorate from Kangwon National University, an institution I have come to deeply respect.

During my visit to Korea, I met with Prime Minister Seung-Soo Han, whose passion for moving President Myung-Bak Lee's ``Low Carbon, Green Growth'' initiative forward is something that I admire. As a representative from Silicon Valley, which is at the forefront in our country's efforts in renewable energy, I know the importance of Korea's investments in green technologies.

Many individuals helped make my visit to Korea successful and memorable, and I would like to thank the following people who helped to make my degree and visit possible: Prime Minister Seung-Soo Han; Foreign Minister Myung-Hwan Yu; Kangwon Province Governor Jin-Sun Kim; Kangwon National University President Yong-Jung Kwon; National Assemblywoman Nak-Kyun Shin; National Assemblywoman Mi-Kyung Lee; U.S. Ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens; former Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Tae-Sik Lee; American Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman David Ruch; House of Sharing, Comfort Women Survivors and Grandma Koon-Ja Kim; Sokcho City Mayor Yong-Sang Chae; and Korean American Voters' Council of New York and New Jersey Leader Dong-Suk Kim.

During my visit, I delivered the following remarks upon accepting my honorary doctorate at Kangwon National University.

It is a pleasure to be here with you here in Korea at Kangwon National University. Thank you for the warm welcome and the kind introduction, and for this wonderful honor.

I'd like to thank the President, distinguished members of the faculty, and students of Kangwon University. I would also like to express my appreciation to Governor Jin-Sun Kim of Kangwon province, and Mr. Dong-Suk Kim of the Korean American Voters' Council.

This is my fourth time in this great country, and each time I leave with stronger friendships and a deeper understanding and connection to Korea. My visits to Korea and the warmth of the Korean people have made a long lasting impression me.

This trip is especially meaningful to me, and I am extremely honored to receive an honorary doctorate in education here at Kangwon National University. As a former teacher, principal, and school board member, education has played an integral role throughout my life, so receiving this degree is very personal.

Education is my passion, and I believe it is the most powerful tool and investment we can provide children with. Quality education assures the economic competitiveness of any nation, advances the arts and sciences, and provides the means for people to achieve individual success. I have worked hard towards providing every child with a high quality education, both as a former educator and as a Member of Congress.

Education also means being able to teach others in order to learn from past mistakes, and flourish as a society. If society cannot look back and learn from previous mistakes, trust and progress between nations is stunted.

To this end, I have spent a portion of my career in Congress educating and working on a historical issue that has grown very close to my heart: that of the 200,000 sex slaves known as comfort women. These comfort women, many of whom were Korean, were forced into dehumanizing sexual slavery, forced to serve up to 30 soldiers a day in some cases. They suffered serious physical, emotional, and psychological damages as a result.

Yesterday, I had the chance to visit with some of the comfort women survivors. I have met these women on several occasions, both in the United States and in Korea at the House of Sharing, and each time I meet them, I am renewed by how strong they are. I cannot emphasize enough how much I admire their perseverance.

The hope of the comfort women is an extremely modest one: That the government of

Japan formally acknowledges, apologizes and accepts full historical responsibility for this crime. To date, they have still not received such a formal apology. That is why I introduced House Resolution 121, which calls on Japan to do so.

I believe the U.S. must have a strong founding in historical reconciliation. For example, in 1988, Congress passed, and President Ronald Reagan signed into law, H.R. 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which was a formal apology to United States citizens of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly put into internment camps during World War

Madam Speaker, people of color, both women and men, have historically been underrepresented in the medical profession, biomedical and biotechnology research, and clinical trials in the United States. As we move toward an era of personalized medicine,

we realize that small differences between people become critically important in devising more effective, tailored treatments to improve and extend quality of life while helping doctors and patients better prevent and treat disease. Language and cultural barriers, stigma about participating in studies, and a historical lack of diverse community involvement in clinical trials by industry must be overcome so that all of our communities can be assured that they equally participate in the future of medicine.

To address this problem, we need more studies that reflect the changing face of the HIV/AIDS and other epidemics, both on effective messaging and education campaigns for the diverse group of affected individuals and on possible vaccines. One notable example of this kind of effort is the Gender Race and Clinical Experience (GRACE) study conducted by Tibotec Therapeutics, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies. The GRACE study, findings from which were recently presented at the International AIDS Society conference in South Africa, is the largest study to date to examine gender and race differences in response to an HIV therapy. In addition, the trial was designed to help overcome some of the barriers, identified by the advisors, which have historically deterred women and people of color from participating in clinical studies, including stigma, lack of child care, transportation and personal support systems. Based upon advisor and community input, study participants could obtain assistance to cover costs associated with their participation in the study, including funds for travel and childcare, as well as food vouchers. Through innovative strategies like these, the GRACE study was able to enroll seventy percent women, sixty percent African Americans and twenty-two percent Latinos. I believe that the GRACE study is significant for reasons beyond just its clinical results. Studies like this, which are designed to overcome the barriers to participation and engage affected communities and providers show that with greater industry effort, meaningful numbers of women and racial and ethnic minorities can be enrolled in important clinical trials.

For example, studies in the United States and across the world are seeking an answer to the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic. The epidemic is changing its face, spreading into new populations and presenting new challenges to education and outreach efforts. In the United States, women are increasingly affected by HIV/AIDS, accounting for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses, with African American and Latina women representing seventy-nine percent of women living with the disease. HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacts our African American and Latino communities, and the infection rate is rising among Asian American and Pacific Islanders as well. In my home state of California, there are almost 150,000 people living with AIDS, and Latinos represent about one-quarter of these cases. There are over 60,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the greater Los Angeles area alone. In terms of new HIV infections, Latina women are infected at a rate almost four times as high as white women. African Americans in my district are also highly impacted by HIV/AIDS.

I commend Tibotec Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson, and all researchers and companies actively engaged in diversifying their clinical trials and creating new relationships with affected communities. As Congress moves forward with health reform, with outcome and effectiveness-based reimbursement models, we must strongly encourage the expansion of efforts industry and academia are making to reflect the diversity of our nation in their workforce and clinical trials.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 707 and for designating the week of September 13, 2009 as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

I commend Representative Jared Polis, sponsor of the resolution, and the House Education and Labor Committee for recognizing the importance of literacy among adults and families, particularly in relation to the economic well being of these individuals.

Having been an educator for over 30 years, I am keenly aware that education and literacy are crucial to helping individuals achieve economic success. It has been shown that parental involvement is a key indicator to a child's success, and parental engagement increases as educational attainment increases.

Sadly, however, many over 90 million adults in the United States lack the literacy, numeracy, or English language skills needed to succeed at home, in the workplace, and in society. These adults are unable to be involved in their children's education, which perpetuates the cycle of illiteracy.

Of this group, here are still over 54.8 million people who speak a language other than English at home. According to the Census Bureau, between 2000 and 2005, the native-born Limited English Proficient population nearly doubled, and it is increasing at a higher rate than the immigrant population. In spite of this growth, there continue to be 1- to 3-year waitlists for English literacy education in many areas, leaving employers and communities with opportunities to invest in the education of their workforce.

As we work to address adult education and family literacy, we remember the need to extend literacy and education programs to new populations to help them fully integrate into our society. To help achieve this goal, I introduced H.R. 3249, the Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Skills Act of 2009. H.R. 3249 seeks to provide individuals with civics education and basic education programs and assist local communities in this integration process through impact aid and community-based solutions. This legislation will also provide businesses with tax credits for providing English-as-a-second-language programs to their employees, incentivize teachers with tax credits when they teach English Language Learners, and authorize more funding for such instruction.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 707 and the laudable goal of designating the week of September 13, 2009 as Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. The resolution encourages people across the United States to support programs to assist those in need of adult education and family literacy programs, and I urge my colleagues to do so not only by supporting the resolution, but also by supporting the Strengthen and Unite Communities with Civics Education and English Skills Act of 2009, which would forge productive dialogues in our country about newcomers and provide real and concrete solutions to our communities by giving them the means and resources to help families learn English and integrate into U.S. society.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to express my support for repealing the United States military's ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy.

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Patrick Murphy for organizing this Special Order Hour on the importance and urgent need for repealing ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell.''

I have long been a friend and an ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and I am committed to the cause of equality.

I understand first hand discrimination based on racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19th, 1942 which forced 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II.

Many of these families, including mine, lost their property and possessions during the several years they were jailed behind barbed wire.

Once again we find ourselves in perilous times. Our country and our civil liberties are constantly in jeopardy after the attacks of September 11th launched our nation in a ``war'' against terror.

It is more important than ever to speak up against unjust policies. There is much to be learned from my experience during World War II, as well as the experience of other groups about the destructive consequences of discrimination.

For over 60 years, it has been the U.S. military's official policy to exclude individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identification. Reflecting one of our country's last officially sanctioned forms of bigotry, this policy stigmatizes patriotic Americans by excluding them from military service.

In 1993, President Clinton introduced the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy as a `compromise' when he was not able to overcome Congressional opposition to lifting the ban on LGBT participation in the armed forces. Unfortunately, this policy works to silence LGBT personnel among the ranks of our military, making them invisible to the American public they bravely volunteer to protect and defend.

Notwithstanding the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy, countless veterans have served and continue to serve selflessly in the defense of our nation. Yet while thousands of our men and women continually serve to protect our freedom and liberty and put their lives on the line to do so, many are dismissed once their orientation or identification becomes known.

This policy is not only unfair to LGBT individuals, it also hinders our military's ability to perform its mission. Despite our need for language specialists, almost 800 mission-critical troops and at least 59 Arabic and nine Farsi linguists have been discharged under ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' in the last five years solely based on their sexual orientation.

It is the right of all Americans to live open lives within society, free from prejudice, intolerance, and fear, irrespective of race, ethnicity, age and perceived sexual orientation and gender. The contributions made by LGBT veterans, and those in active duty in an atmosphere hostile to them, underscores the tremendous sacrifices they make to serve this nation and I commend and thank them for their commitment and perseverance.

I have the honor of knowing Ashwin Madia, a former Marine Corps JAG officer now living in Minnesota, who was one of the first attorneys to successfully defend a fellow Marine from treatment under the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy and who told me about his work on this case. If convicted this Marine would have faced an ``Other Than Honorable Discharge'' and lost his benefits.

When this Marine returned to service, he was welcomed by his comrades and was treated with respect and honor. Sadly, since the ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy went into effect in 1994, nearly 13,000 servicemembers were not as fortunate and were discharged.

Today there are over one million gay and lesbian veterans and over 65,000 LGBT members of the military serving in fear of being discharged for simply being themselves.

Repealing ``Don't Ask Don't Tell'' is long overdue. On this the military courts have spoken, military leaders have spoken, servicemembers have spoken, and our President has spoken. Today Congress is speaking as well. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009, H.R. 1283, has 176 cosponsors united and committed to ending this discriminatory policy.

It is time to support our troops by honoring their right to live and serve as their true selves. It's time to ask, it's time to tell, and it's time to get over it.

As policy makers, we are often faced with choices between what is urgent and what is important. But it's a false choice. The urgent issues of the day should never drown out what's important. Full equality for every person under the law is both urgent and important.

Thank you to our active military and to our veterans for their service to this great country. It is in your honor that this Congress will ensure every women and man wishing to serve can do so, without fear or prejudice.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to end discrimination of LGBT people in the workplace and in our immigration policies as well expanding hate crimes to include perceived sexual orientation and gender identity and providing Federal recognition of the commitment between same-sex couples.

I want to thank Mr. Carson for this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 215, congratulating the Minority Business Development Agency on its 40th anniversary and its achievements in fostering minority businesses in the United States.

Since its inception in 1969 by President Richard Nixon's Executive Order 11458, the MBDA has operated as the only Federal agency created to serve minority-owned businesses through its nationwide network of more than 40 business development centers and hundreds of strategic partners.

Over that time, MBDA has served over 625,000 minority-owned businesses and assisted in securing more than $25 billion in loans and bonding, greatly contributing to the growth of our minority-owned businesses and the welfare of our communities in general.

I would like to share a couple of success stories of minority-owned businesses and companies from my 15th Congressional District of California in San Jose. First, Mr. and Mrs. Pradeep Aswani, immigrants from India, founded Securematics in Santa Clara, California. In 2002, this IT network solution distributor started with $4 million in revenue. In just 6 years, they grew their company sales to nearly $115 million by exploiting opportunities found while participating in MBDA's forums, facilitated by the Northern California Minority Business Development Center.

Another success story, Central Computers, was established in 1986 from very humble beginnings in Santa Clara, California, by Saul and Sherry Yeung, two Chinese Americans who immigrated from Hong Kong. Through their perseverance and resourcefulness, including taking advantage of the services provided by the Northern California Minority Business Enterprise Center, the Yeung family successfully transformed their home apartment operation into the largest independent computer retailer and servicer in the Bay Area, grossing nearly $30 million annually. Last September, MBDA recognized Central Computers as the National Minority Retail Firm of the Year for 2008.

The Northern California Minority Business Enterprise Center contributed to both of these successes. Funded by the MBDA and operated by Asian Inc., a nonprofit technical assistance and research organization that aims to strengthen minority communities, this center has assisted many of my district's minority-owned businesses. In fact, the Center participated in my Small Business Resource Fair held last May.

Now, these two stories are also prime examples of how successful minority-owned companies can give back to their local communities. Mr. Aswani finds time to mentor many local small business enterprises by providing free business strategy counseling. Saul and Sherry Yeung are significant contributors to local charities, community organizations, and educational institutions, including a $1 million donation to the University of California Berkeley's new Tien Center for East Asian Studies.

As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I appreciate the support in introducing this resolution from my fellow Chairs of the congressional minority caucuses--Hispanic Caucus, Black Caucus, and Native American Caucus. We recognize the importance of minority-owned businesses not only as critical economic contributors to our communities but also their significant influence on the well-being of the U.S. economy.

Minority groups represent 26.1 percent of the population but only own 11.6 percent of the Nation's businesses and receive only 6.2 percent of total sales. This disparity between minority-owned businesses compared to those nonminority-owned represents a significant loss of economic opportunity for the Nation. If economic parity was achieved, minority- owned businesses would create 16 million jobs, generate $2.5 trillion in gross receipts and an unrealized tax base of more than $100 billion per year.

Despite the MBDA's admirable services to foster the growth of minority-owned businesses, many more resources are needed to achieve economic parity now and in the future. By 2050, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that minorities will comprise more than half of the U.S. population. It is easy to foresee the increased reliance our Nation's economy will have on minority communities and businesses.

As difficult as this mission is, I believe the MBDA and its new national director, David Hinson, are up to the challenge. David Hinson brings to the Agency over 20 years of business expertise and academic excellence. Among Director Hinson's new priorities are the creation of a new generation of $100 million revenue-producing minority-owned businesses and fostering the growth of minority-owned businesses in clean energy, in green technology, health care, and information technology.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Minority Business Development Agency for its 40 years of dedicated work, fostering the growth and development of our Nation's minority-owned businesses, and I look forward to continuing to work with the MBDA to ensure the success of its noble endeavors.

I would like to thank the Chairs of the congressional minority caucuses for introducing this resolution with me. I appreciate the support of the cosponsors, and I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting H.R. 215.

Before I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to express again the local impact that this program has had in my community, not only because I know the two companies and the folks who had done it, but there are many, many more success stories that go untold. And there are yet more potential success stories out there with the continuation of this project.

Mr. Speaker, I am just a little bit concerned about information that has been shared with the public and through the media about the student loans and about the criticism of the fact that banks and other financial institutions were being eliminated from this ability to provide direct student loans to our students and were charging them interest rates.

As a teacher and as a person who used to receive student loans, I think that it's really misleading the public when we say that they're being put out of business when, in fact, the Federal Government subsidizes these banks and these financial institutions to provide the student loans, and then they add on top of that the subsidy that they're going to charge interest to the students so that these banks and financial institutions will be making money on Federal dollars and on the backs of students. That is so wrong, and I think that that has to be clarified.

So I just wanted to make that clarification, not only as a person who used to receive student loans and who made it through school, but also as a teacher who wants to make sure that our students get a fair break and that the taxpayers get a fair break.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of the committee for bringing H.R. 3119 forward.

I rise in strong support of this legislation honoring the first Chinese American Postmaster General in the United States, Lim Poon Lee, by naming a post office after him.

At the time of his appointment, he was the highest ranking federally appointed Chinese American official. He served the United States honorably in World War II as a counterintelligence specialist. He spoke three languages, Chinese, Japanese and English. During his tenure as Postmaster General, he worked to change the face of the post office by hiring women, racial and ethnic minorities and the disabled.

Postmaster Lee was a key activist in the fight against the Chinese Exclusion Act, and during his long career in public service, he served as a social worker, juvenile probation officer, and preacher, sitting on numerous community boards and councils. I think it is

fitting to also say that we do look into the background of folks to see if they should be honored in this way. I think that when we talk about him, it is obvious that he has contributed quite a bit to his country. But one more thing that I think we need to understand is that he also was a victim of anti-Asian legislation in this country. And when he was able to reach and attain a certain level of responsibility, I think he also understood this concept of not perpetuating these kinds of behaviors, but correcting it and making it easier for other folks to be able to participate in this country. And I think that is why he is recognized in being able to work with other folks. I guess we call that ``acting affirmatively in positions of influence.'' I think that he is a great example of someone who understood how to implement things like affirmative action and looking at going beyond the arena of comfort in doing the right thing and extending the conduct and the principles of the Constitution of this country.

I and other members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus have worked to highlight the accomplishments of and contributions to American society made by Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

In this spirit, I thank the Speaker and the other leaders for bringing forth this resolution and urge my colleagues to rise in support to honor a pioneering Chinese American who contributed much to this country.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to the Stearns amendment, which would reduce the amount appropriated to the Peace Corps from a much needed $450 million to a little more that $373 million. As a former Peace Corps Volunteer and a member of the House Appropriations committee, I was pleased to see Chairwoman Lowey answer President Obama's call to double the size of the Peace Corps, beginning with increased funding.

Since President John F. Kennedy's call to serve in 1960, over 195,000 people have served as Peace Corps Volunteers spanning 139 countries. The Peace Corp gives Volunteers the chance to travel the world and help some of the most impoverished people in the world develop better lives for themselves and their communities. Beyond that, my experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador was a defining moment in my life-- I developed both personally and professionally, and tested my physical, emotional, and spiritual limits. I returned with a passion for teaching, and quickly put my skills, including fluency in Spanish, to use in Santa Clara county schools and started a lifelong commitment to public service.

There are currently just under 8,000 Peace Corps volunteers serving around the world, with thousands more ready, willing, and eager to join, but held back by the lack of funding and opportunity. A $450 million dollar funding level is necessary to help the Peace Corps modernize its systems, optimize the number of Volunteers and staff in existing countries, strengthen and expand recruiting and diversity efforts, expand to new nations, and maximize safety and security training and compliance efforts. I hope that with increased funding, a commitment to double the size of the Peace Corps, and a renewed call to service by President Barack Obama, people from all walks of life will bear the torch of peace and goodwill that many Americans in the past have carried proudly to other countries.

The Peace Corp's budget is 1% of the foreign policy budget of the United States, which, in itself, is only 1% of the entire federal budget. For the good this does around the world, it is a critical investment. With a bleak economic outlook and an international community under pressure, the Peace Corps mission is more vital than ever, and so I urge mu colleagues to oppose the Stearns Amendment and urge full funding of the Peace Corps at the $450 million level agreed upon by the Appropriations Committee.

I would like to thank my chairman for this opportunity.

I rise in opposition to the gentleman from California and his amendment. I'm pleased to have this opportunity to talk about what may well be the most important problem facing our world today, global warming, and about this important project to help us deal with it.

The gentleman and many of his colleagues on that side of the aisle may wish to keep their heads in the sand about global warming, but I believe we need to prepare to deal with the problem today. And I'm not alone in this view.

The United States Global Change Research Program, which coordinates and integrates Federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society, released a new report yesterday that provides authoritative assessment of national and regional aspect of global climate change in the United States.

This new report provides a valuable, objective scientific consensus on how climate change is affecting and may further affect the United States. It reveals that climate change will alter precipitation patterns on the timing of mountain snow melt, and predicts that climate change could bring parching droughts to the southwest, home of the gentleman offering this amendment.

One of the keys to dealing with these changes is going to be adaptation, developing ways to protect people and places by reducing their vulnerability to climate changes.

To properly adapt to more extreme climate events, we need to have more data, accurate weather forecasting, weather forecasters trained to predict the extreme events expected with climate change, can give the American people the advanced warning needed to deal with--or even escape from, if necessary--these dangers and avoid tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina.

The funding for this amendment would be used by San Jose State University to complete the development of a field experience curriculum to supplement the existing bachelor of science in meteorology program. This will allow San Jose State University to better train the next generation weather forecasters helping to ensure that government can plan and respond properly.

By the way, this is a one-time shot that will be used over and over again as instruction goes on.

The field experience will improve the quality of the graduates by exposing them to a wider array of weather phenomenon that is typically experienced where the school is located. This will enhance their ability to recognize and forecast the wide array of weather that is likely to be experienced in California and across the Nation in the next 30 years as we experience climate change.

I know the gentleman often asks why this project and others are not worthy projects. Well, the Department of Meteorology at San Jose State University is the only meteorology department in the public university system in the State of California, the Nation's most populous, with a strong focus on the undergraduate program. There are very few bachelor of science in meteorology programs in the western States, so the benefits of this program will extend to other States in the region whose students will attend San Jose State. There are not a lot of options for developing this important curriculum, and San Jose State University has the faculty base capable of developing and offering this new course.

The gentleman also often asks, why should the Federal Government be funding this? I think NOAA makes that point for me. The headline from a NOAA News online story from the agency's Web site reads, ``NOAA leads climate impact and adaptation activities.'' This is what NOAA does.

In its own words, NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events. The curriculum that the funding in this bill will complete will help NOAA achieve this mission.

The university will seek other funding sources in order to offer the class after it has been geared up. But to get the program started, I think it is perfectly appropriate for NOAA to make a small investment in the development of a field experience course that will help to better train the next generation of weather forecasters to predict the extreme weather events that are expected to accompany climate change.

Just a side word on this. When I was going to San Jose State back in the sixties, several new words like ``ecology,'' ``food web,'' ``smog'' and other terminologies which are common among youngsters today started then at universities, and today, these are concepts that are necessary for understanding the kinds of things we are faced with.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Just to respond to my friend on the other side who indicated that on my Web site the item of San Jose State University for training the next generation of weather forecasters was not on my Web site. Mr. Campbell, I have a copy of my Web site here. So I am going to tell you right now that it is on the Web site and has been there. So when you make those kinds of accusations, I think that you need to double check what it is that you are going to be saying.

To the idea of $180,000, although it may be small, what about this: by 2025, it is estimated that the four global warming weather kinds of damages in terms of energy costs, estate costs, hurricane damage, those four kinds of global warming impact damages will cost approximately--I want you to hear this number, Mr. Campbell--$271 billion. That is estimated damages in the future. So $180,000 doesn't seem like a lot of money, but it is a great investment.

I come from an area called Silicon Valley where we understand ROI, immediate return on investment, and I think if we can reduce the damages of $271 billion with a $180,000 investment, that is a good investment by any means. And these are not only damages to property, but how about lives? Being able to predict properly the weather and do it in a way where people can avoid a holocaust because of the weather, I think $180,000 is a good investment.

Coupled with $271 billion in anticipated costs by the losses due to global warming and climate changes, and the saving of lives, $180,000 is a minuscule amount, but it is a good investment by any standard.

So, I just want to reiterate, it is good to be able to say that it is not on the Web site, and when you are not there in front of your computer, it is hard to say that he is wrong. But I just had to take this opportunity to let you know that going back to my Web site, I can show you, if you would like to see it, the iteration that we have on our Web site.

I suspect that any other comments regarding other Members' Web sites, that these things are not apparent on the Web sites, could be questioned.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to support strongly the issue of

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

Madam Speaker, l rise today to mourn the passing of Judge Sandra Otaka, who died of natural causes at the age of 57 on the 6th of June, 2009. As the first Asian-American to be elected judge in Cook County, and the second in Illinois, she was a strong advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Born in California as a sansei, or third-generation Japanese American, she was a politically active young woman. She campaigned against the Vietnam War before enrolling as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley at the age of 28. During her time at Berkeley, Otaka worked to overturn the conviction of Fred Korematsu, a Japanese-American who was arrested in 1942 for not reporting to his designated assembly center for internment. Her fight for justice and equal opportunity continued during law school, where she protested the university's plan to scale back its affirmative action program. After graduating, Otaka moved to Chicago to work for a commercial law firm and later as counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

After a racist comment by a Cook County Circuit Court Judge, Otaka, as co-chair of the judiciary committee of the Asian American Bar Association, led the effort to have him removed. She succeeded, with the judge failing to win the sixty percent of the vote required for retention.

In 2000, Sandra Otaka was appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court, and in 2002, she was reelected--the first Asian American judge in Cook County to do so.

Judge Otaka is remembered for her continual fight for the Asian American community and as an advocate for diversity on the bench. She is survived by her sister, Susan Smith, and her nephew, Jeffery, who she raised as her own after her brother's death.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning the passing of Sandra Otaka. She is truly deserving of our respect and admiration.

Mr. Speaker, as millions of Americans are now aware, Dr. George Tiller was assassinated in his church on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 because of his political beliefs and profession. Dr. Tiller provided legal abortions, and his dedication to his profession, to the health and well-being of the women he cared for, cost him his life. I join President Obama, members of Congress, and millions of Americans in professing horror, shock, and sadness over this blatant act of terror. I hope that all Americans--regardless of their personal stances on the issue of abortion--will join in opposing those who would seek to control the actions of women and doctors through the use of violent intimidation.

Abortion doctors and women's clinics across this country which provide a range of women's health services including abortion face threats and violent acts every day. I sincerely hope that in the wake of this terrible event, the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies across this country take future threats directed toward women's health providers seriously. Justice and the rule of law demand nothing less.

Madam Speaker, last week I reintroduced the ``Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (E-STEM) Act of 2009,'' H.R. 2710. This legislation, improved from last Congress, provides comprehensive mechanisms to coordinate the Nation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education initiatives. Forty-nine members of the United States House of Representatives signed on as original cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation.

The intent of this bill is to increase the coordination, collaboration, and coherence to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives for the students of today and the citizens and workers of tomorrow.

As a former teacher, principal and school board member I am deeply committed to improving the education we provide our young people. Developing citizens that are critical thinkers and scientifically literate will help drive a vibrant society and create sound economic policy. Our economy depends on our country's education.

Today, more than ever, our economic resiliency depends on the competitiveness of our labor force. Unfortunately, the signs are not good. Over 25 years ago, ``A Nation at Risk'' identified America's need to improve STEM education to ensure that we remain competitive in an increasingly global economy. In this country we have many successful STEM education programs. The challenge is that these programs are not coordinated. Over a dozen agencies are engaged in STEM education and often not aware of the efforts of other agencies--they are working in isolation. Our Nation is not maximizing the impact of our STEM education initiatives.

The E-STEM Act will provide a framework for federal agencies, the states and all stake-holders, to work collaboratively. It will help them establish national STEM education goals, coordinate STEM education initiatives, and avoid unnecessary duplication among these efforts.

The bill has four major components:

(1) Elevating the STEM Education Subcommittee at the President's Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP) to the standing committee level. This change would give STEM education a higher profile within OSTP and establish the mechanism for the coordination of federal STEM education initiatives.

(2) Establishing an Assistant Secretary for STEM Education at the U.S. Department of Education. This Office would bring together the Department's STEM education efforts and manage programs such as Math and Science Partnerships, Math Now, Math Skills for Secondary Students, Minority Science and Engineering Improvement, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow, and Upward Bound Math-Science as well as the non- financial aid components of the National Science and Mathematics Access Retain Talent (SMART grants), the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH grants), and the Academic Competitiveness grants.

(3) Creating the State Consortium on STEM Education. This voluntary group of states will be provided with support to align their STEM education efforts. Their mission is to coordinate policies to address weaknesses in STEM education. For example, the Consortium will work with stakeholders to identify strategies to improve the representation of women and minorities in STEM fields.

(4) And lastly, this bill establishes the National STEM Education Resource Repository (NSERR). This clearing house will be a portal to information about all federally funded STEM education programs, making the results of the more than $3 billion the Federal Government spends annually on STEM education available to local educators. NSERR will make STEM education resources, research and promising practices and exemplary programs widely available to educators, search engines, and third party developers to create applications to enhance STEM teaching and learning.

We need to ensure that all our children are prepared for citizenship in a world that is increasingly dependent on STEM literacy. The bleak outlook for our economy should be a wake-up call that we cannot continue to move forward without a blue print for our students and our future economic well-being. This is why I reintroduced the E-STEM Act.

I want to thank all my colleagues for joining together to address the critical needs of our Nation. I look forward to working together to move this legislation through this Congress.