Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, each February we celebrate Black History Month. This year, with the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the centennial of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birthday, our celebration of the unique contributions of African Americans to our communities and our Nation is particularly meaningful. Black History Month gives us a chance to reflect on those individuals who have changed the course of American history. We remember political leaders, such as Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr. who fought valiantly to bring civil rights and social equality to African Americans. We honor athletic heroes, such as Jackie Robinson and Willie Thrower, gifted artists such as Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles, and scientists and inventors such as George Washington Carver and Benjamin Banneker, who for decades showed African Americans that they could make a mark in the world.

Race relations in our Nation have come a long way since the days of its founding, and even since the 1960's when equal rights were equal on paper only in many places. Last month, amid adoring cries and astronomical crowds, Americans inaugurated their first African American President: President Barack Obama. In years past, we have been able to read our children stories of great accomplishments made by African Americans. We have been able to encourage our children, showing them by example that they can achieve anything they set their hearts to. This year, parents and teachers around the country will read to their children not only the stories of Douglass, of Parks, and of Booker T. Washington, but also the story of an African American boy who grew up to become the President of the United States. The story of the Black people in America continues to develop with each passing year, and this year proved a climactic chapter, full of hope and opportunity for the future.

As the proud founder and chairman of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, one of my goals is to increase awareness around the United States of the important contributions that members of the Ethiopian American community have made to our society. I am truly grateful for the diverse contributions of African Americans to our Nation and I encourage everyone to take time to learn more about their achievements during Black History Month. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 83, which recognizes the significance of Black History Month, and I thank my friend Representative Al Green for introducing the resolution.

Madam Speaker, as a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, I am honored to formally recognize the work of the Peace Corps on the 48th Anniversary of its inception and to help kick off National Peace Corps Week. Countries from all over the globe will celebrate past contributions to the international community from the Peace Corps as well as look forward with anticipation to what the future holds for the organization.

During National Peace Corps Week, we salute and honor the men and women of this Nation who have selflessly served abroad as Peace Corps Volunteers, as well as those current Volunteers who continue to carry out the Peace Corps mission: world peace and friendship.

The Peace Corp provides a unique opportunity for Volunteers to travel the world and help some of the most impoverished people in the world while improving oneself. I fondly remember my time as a volunteer in El Salvador after answering President John F. Kennedy's call to service where I built schools and health clinics. The experience meant much to me personally and professionally, the beginning of my lifelong commitment to public service. I returned with a passion for teaching, and quickly put my skills, including fluency in Spanish, to use in Santa Clara County schools. Most importantly, I returned to the United States with a deeper understanding of humanity and a personal commitment to speak on behalf of the marginalized and powerless.

Since President John F. Kennedy's call to service in 1960, over 195,000 people have served as Peace Corps Volunteers spanning 139 countries. I hope that these numbers can be greatly expanded as a new era of hope and service begins. Today, a renewed call to service has been issued by President Barack Obama challenging Americans from all walks of life to bear the torch of peace and good will that many Americans in the past have carried proudly to other countries.

I am greatly encouraged by President Obama's commitment to expand public service by building upon the Peace Corps and creating innovative programs that inspire Americans to volunteer and serve. In addition, President Obama supports the expansion of the Peace Corps to 16,000 by 2011, the Peace Corps 50th Anniversary. I am in total support of the expansion of this worthy and necessary organization.

Today, I honor the Peace Corps and its brave Volunteers for their service to our Nation and to the international community. For years, the volunteers of the Peace Corps have helped developing nations fulfill their needs for trained men and women, championed the cause of charity and philanthropy, found common ways to address global challenges, and set forth a dialogue of understanding between Americans and locals from other countries. Peace Corps Volunteers set a universal standard for how we are to embrace the realities of an ever-shrinking world.

With a bleak economic outlook and an international community under pressure, the Peace Corps mission is more vital than ever. I look forward to helping President Barack Obama fulfill his promise of renewing America's reputation worldwide and revitalizing America's commitment to service.

Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise today in support of H.R. 44, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, which recognizes the great suffering and loyalty of the people of Guam during the Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II.

On December 8, 1941, concurrent with the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japanese forces invaded and seized control of the island of Guam, a United States Territory. Guam was occupied for the following thirty months, during which time its people were subjected to executions, beatings, rape, forced labor, and forced marches. In the final months of the occupation, all residents were interned in concentration camps.

The Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945 provided some relief to residents of Guam, but in 2004, the Guam War Claims Review Commission determined that there was a lack of parity in war claims for the people of Guam compared to other war claims programs authorized by Congress for similarly-affected U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals. The Commission felt that the U.S. government had a ``moral obligation'' to provide redress for the people of Guam, which is the goal of H.R. 44. As an original cosponsor of the bill, I support this objective wholeheartedly.

I am proud to honor and recognize the patriotism shown by the people of Guam and the sacrifices they made during World War II and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 44. This is long-overdue legislation to compensate eligible residents of Guam for deaths and injuries suffered during the Japanese occupation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 554, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act.

I commend Chairman Bart Gordon and the other members of the Science and Technology Committee, on which I am proud to have once served, for the hard work and thoughtful consideration that went into this bill. I am pleased that this bill includes numerous provisions that I originally proposed in my own legislation, the Nanotechnology Advancement and New Opportunities (NANO) Act, H.R. 820.

Nanotechnology has the potential to create entirely new industries and radically transform the basis of competition in other fields, and I am proud of my work with former Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert on the Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 to foster research in this area.

But one of the things policymakers have heard from experts is that while the United States is a leader in nanotechnology research, our foreign competitors are focusing more resources and effort on the commercialization of those research results than we are.

Both H.R. 554 and my own bill would focus America's nanotechnology research and development programs on areas of national need such as energy , health care, and the environment, and have provisions to help assist in the commercialization of nanotechnology.

In recent months, there has been much discussion about potential health and safety risks associated with nanotechnology. Uncertainty is one of the major obstacles to the commercialization of nanotechnology-- uncertainty about what the risks might be and uncertainty about how the federal government might regulate nanotechnology in the future. Both my bill and H.R. 554 require the development of a nanotechnology research plan that will ensure the development and responsible stewardship of nanotechnology.

Other important areas that are addressed by both H.R. 554 and H.R. 820 include: the development of curriculum tools to help improve nanotechnology education; the establishment of educational partnerships to help prepare students to pursue postsecondary education in nanotechnology; support for the development of environmentally beneficial nanotechnology; and the development of advanced tools for simulation and characterization to enable rapid prediction, characterization and monitoring for nanoscale manufacturing.

I am also pleased that H.R. 554 will require that the NNI Advisory Panel must be a stand-alone advisory committee. This is a concept I originally proposed in 2002 in the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Advisory Board Act (H.R. 5669 in the 107th Congress).

I would like to thank the members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Nanotechnology (BRTFN), a panel of California nanotechnology experts with backgrounds in established industry, startup companies, consulting groups, non-profits, academia, government, medical research, and venture capital that I convened with then-California State Controller Steve Westly during 2005, for the important recommendations included in its report, Thinking Big About Thinking Small, many of which are reflected in the bill we are considering today. I would also like to thank Scott Hubbard, who was the Director of the NASA Ames Research Center at that time and who served as working chair of the BRTFN, and all of the staff at Ames whose hard work made the task force run so well and helped produced a great report. The report is available on my Web site at http://honda.house.gov/issues/links/brtfn_report_final.pdf.

Again, I congratulate the Science and Technology Committee and Chairman Gordon for their work on this bill and thank them for incorporating so many of the provisions from my bill into H.R. 554, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation to reauthorize the nation's nanotechnology research and development program.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the introduction of the Nanotechnology Advancement and New Opportunities (NANO) Act.

The NANO Act is a comprehensive bill to promote the development and responsible stewardship of nanotechnology in the United States. The legislation draws upon the work of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Nanotechnology, a panel of California nanotechnology experts with backgrounds in established industry, startup companies, consulting groups, non-profits, academia, government, medical research, and venture capital that I convened with during 2005.

Nanotechnology has the potential to create entirely new industries and radically transform the basis of competition in other fields, and I am proud of my work with former Science Committee Chairman Sherry Boehlert on the Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 to foster research in this area.

But one of the things I have heard from experts in the field is that while the United States is a leader in nanotechnology research, our foreign competitors are focusing more resources and effort on the commercialization of those research results than we are.

In its report Thinking Big About Thinking Small, which can be found on my website, the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Nanotechnology made a series of recommendations for ways that the nation can promote the development and commercialization of nanotechnology. The NANO Act includes a number of these recommendations.

In addition, the bill addresses concerns that have been raised about whether the federal government is doing enough to address potential health and safety risks associated With nanotechnology. The NANO Act requires the development of a nanotechnology research strategy that establishes research priorities for the federal government and industry that will ensure the development and responsible stewardship of nanotechnology. This strategy will help to resolve the uncertainty that is one of the major obstacles to the commercialization of nanotechnology--uncertainty about what the risks might be and uncertainty about how the Federal government might regulate nanotechnology in the future.

The NANO Act also includes a number of provisions to create partnerships, raise awareness, and implement strategic policies to resolve obstacles and promote nanotechnology. It will: create a public- private investment partnership to address the nanotechnology commercialization gap; establish a tax credit for investment in nanotechnology firms; authorize a grant program to support the establishment and development of nanotechnology incubators; establish a Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for ``nano-CAD'' tools; establish grant programs for nanotechnology research to address specific challenges in the areas of energy, environment, homeland security, and health; establish a tax credit for nanotechnology education and training program expenses; establish a grant program to support the development of curriculum materials for interdisciplinary nanotechnology courses at higher education institutions; direct NSF to establish a program to encourage manufacturing companies to enter into partnerships with occupational training centers for the development of training to support nanotechnology manufacturing; and call for the development of a strategy for increasing interaction on nanotechnology interests between DOE national labs and the informal science education community.

I look forward to working with Science and Technology Committee Chairman Gordon to incorporate these provisions as his committee works to reauthorize the Nation's nanotechnology research and development program.

Madam Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague Congressman Bobby Scott for his leadership in seeking to bring transparency to the operation state and local prisons.

Congressman Scott's legislation, the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2009, compels state and local governments to report deaths of prisoners in state prisons and local jails, and juvenile correctional facilities. This reporting is an incredibly useful oversight tool, and ensures accountability and transparency in our state and local facilities.

The data that will be reported under the bill will allow public officials and those in the nonprofit sector to track mortality rates as related to illness, suicide, homicide, drug and alcohol use, and other causes of death. This data is crucial if we hope to reduce deaths in custody, and promote safer custody through the reduction of suicide, drug abuse, violence, and the provision of proper medical care.

Again, I applaud Congressman Scott for his efforts and leadership and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. I thank my Chairman, Mr. Obey, for his hard work and the hard work of his staff on the Appropriations Committee's portion of the bill, and I thank the other committee chairs and staff for their work on the other portions of this bill.

This recovery package is the first crucial step in a concerted effort to create and save up to 4 million jobs and jumpstart our economy while transforming it for the 21st century.

As a former teacher and principal, I firmly believe that education is the key to our nation's future. H.R. 1 makes bold investments to provide children with a 21st century education, create hundreds of thousands of education related jobs, and build a top-notch workforce trained for jobs of the future. The bill includes $20 billion for school modernization, $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent the layoff of teachers and other cutbacks in education, $13 billion to help disadvantaged students reach high academic standards through Title I grants, and $13 billion to help special needs children succeed through IDEA special education grants.

I had suggested some specific ideas that could provide a significant ``bang for our buck'' and stimulate the economy in the short-term while also making a long-term investment in education, which unfortunately did not make it into the bill. In particular, I think there is value in the idea of prizes for educational innovation in areas of high need such as multimedia video lessons, individualized interactive learning software, rigorous assessments that measure critical thinking and problem solving, longitudinal data systems, and affordable portable computers. Small investments in prizes for achievements in each of these areas, $10 million for each for a total of $50 million, can leverage private contributions immediately and produce teaching tools that will be useful for years to come. I plan to continue to seek support for this and other novel approaches to education funding in the coming year.

As a representative from Silicon Valley, I am pleased that the bill renews America's investment in basic research and development and in deploying new technologies, including broadband internet access, into the marketplace. Internet connectivity is essential to giving everyone in America an equal chance to succeed. One particular area deserving attention as we move forward is the usefulness of broadband access for first responders. President Obama's inauguration was incident free because the Washington region's first responders had access to a dedicated wireless broadband network. Establishing similar systems around the country could generate jobs and enhance public safety.

Silicon Valley has been focusing an ever greater portion of its resources on developing clean, efficient, renewable energy solutions, and so I support the inclusion of investments and incentives for the development and deployment of both renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The steps we can take to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels will both save people much needed money and put people to work. Some are as simple as installing attic insulation in insufficiently efficient homes, others are more technically advanced efforts to research and develop new energy technologies. I am glad this bill includes all of these.

I appreciate the inclusion of $300 million for Diesel Emissions Reduction Act programs. These grants and loans will put people to work retrofitting vehicles and manufacturing the needed equipment. Again, this is both a good government measure, in that it will help achieve clean air goals, and it is a temporary stimulative effort. My only regret is the bill

does not include even more funding--my state of California alone can make use of $1.6 billion. If there is an opportunity to increase the funding for DERA during conference, I would support that effort.

In Silicon Valley, we face many of the same transportation challenges as other communities across our nation--deteriorating roads and bridges, traffic congestion, limited transit capacity, and limited state and local funds that are keeping construction workers out of work. H.R. 1 will create more than 800,000 jobs nationwide through investment in transportation, with $30 billion for highway construction and additional funding for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion.

In these difficult economic times, all Americans are worried about the rising cost of health care. H.R. 1 invests $20 billion in health information technology, which will bring Silicon Valley innovation to the health care field to cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help reduce health care costs. As the saying goes, ``an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'' and this bill makes a real investment of $3 billion in prevention, which will help reduce health care spending, saving billions of dollars per year. I note that a few diseases are singled out in the bill, and I have some concerns that all of it could be taken up by HIV/AIDS programs, and look forward to working with Chairman Obey and Secretary Daschle to ensure that some of the funding is available for the Division of Viral Hepatitis in CDC.

I would like to express my thanks to Chairman Obey for including of $1 billion in sorely needed funding for the decennial census, particularly for the $150 million for expanded communications and outreach programs. Not only is this funding essential for good government, but it will put people to work right away in essential jobs. This funding is by definition temporary because the Census is a periodic effort, so it meets all the criteria for an economic stimulus.

Finally, I would like to highlight an area that is at the core of our current economic crisis, housing affordability and the freeze up of the credit markets. Well meaning efforts to develop affordable housing are currently facing significant challenges in getting started because they cannot find financing in today's credit markets. The Ways and Means Committee has included some provisions related to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit programs in the bill, including a grant program to help fill the capital gap and get construction on these projects started. I support the inclusion of appropriations for this grant program to the level needed so that these tax credits can provide the benefit they were designed to deliver.

Again, I thank Chairman Obey, Chairman Rangel, Chairman Waxman, and all of the other committee chairs and their staff for their hard work on this legislation and their efforts to help all those across our nation who desperately need the programs included in this bill and who are calling upon us to return our nation's economy return to health.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 11, I was caught in traffic from Dulles, and had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2, the State Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. Over the last 2 years, it has become necessary to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program in some States through supplemental appropriations as program wait-lists grew and children waited for care. Now, with the country in the midst of the severest financial crisis in decades, parents are more concerned than ever about the health and well-being of their children. The bill before us today represents an investment in our Nation's safety net; by preserving and expanding the program to provide coverage for 11 million children over the next 4\1/ 2\ years, the bill alleviates some of the stress placed on men and women faced with unemployment.

My home county of Santa Clara was the first in the Nation to ensure that every child with parents at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level has real access to regular health care as a result of being insured. The county's Children's Health Initiative raises its own money to add to State and Federal funding in order to keep all the children of my district healthy--last year, the program enrolled over 144,000 children and serves as a model for 17 other California counties.

This innovation is threatened by the county's $220 million projected budget deficit for fiscal year 2009; and we in Santa Clara County face the possibility of deep cuts in our healthcare system totaling nearly $100 million. The budget woes of the State of California limit the assistance it can provide, and so without this reauthorization of SCHIP, the financial burden on the county would be significantly heavier. I'm proud to vote today for legislation that will provide our program and our county's children with much needed stability for the next 4\1/2\ years.

As the chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, it is particularly gratifying to see the inclusion of a provision in this bill that will allow States to waive the 5-year waiting period for Medicaid and SCHIP imposed on pregnant women and children who are legally present in the United States. It is morally unconscionable that pregnant women and innocent children have been made victims of a raucous and frequently misleading immigration debate. Hundreds of thousands of people from Asian countries immigrated legally to the United States in 2007 and 2008; at the very least the children in those

families deserve to have health insurance and access to care. CAPAC has consistently joined with the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus in advocating for protection of this vulnerable population and I thank Speaker Pelosi and our other House leadership for redressing this injustice.

The passage of this bill protects the health of millions of American children. It is the first step in a long journey toward repairing our healthcare system and providing universal coverage, care, and access to the people of our Nation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to complete that journey. I urge the Senate to act in as swift and responsible manner as we do today and pass this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 41, supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month, observed each January. It is a time to celebrate and highlight the positive impact adult and student mentors have on the youth of the Nation. Young people from all walks of life have the potential and ability to succeed and contribute to society. Unfortunately, not all students receive the support necessary to realize their full potential. As many as 15 million young students in our country lack the vital guidance they need to support the emotional, social, cognitive, and academic development that will enable them to reach their maximum potential and become prospering adults.

With limited resources and the considerably high teacher to student ratios in our schools, teachers in the classroom face the daunting task of providing students with emotional and personal support in addition to academic instruction. The work accomplished by our teachers is admirable, but teachers alone cannot prepare young students to become fruitful, mature adults. Mentors are critical to helping foster the personal growth of each individual child.

Together with parents, mentors provide youth with a wide array of guidance and support to enhance their social and character development. A good mentor is willing to sacrifice for his or her mentee and gives attention in all areas of life. Mentors provide encouragement in student endeavors, private counsel in delicate matters, leadership through difficult times, and advice. Such mentoring produces students who perform better in school academically, become more actively involved in their schools, have more self-confidence, and take responsibility for their own actions. As a mentor, I have seen and experienced the mutual benefits of mentorship both for the student and the mentor. Mentors are doing incredible work and I praise their commitment to our children and their future. However, more mentors than ever are needed, and our Nation faces a shortage of mentors.

As a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue to support funding for student-mentor programs and to greatly expand awareness of the benefits of mentoring. Together with my colleagues, I will encourage more adults to mentor young students as well as help train adults and students to support, guide, and lead young students. Students need more caring mentors and our children desperately need access to them. We cannot depend solely on our teachers to guide our children. It is my hope that each child in America will some day have access to his or her own mentor. Although we face a faltering economy and tight budgets, the choice to cut corners on our children's future is not an option. Our children deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential and the opportunity to succeed in every endeavor they pursue.

I would like to thank Representative Susan Davis for introducing this legislation and providing this opportunity to renew the commitment of Congress to expanding and enhancing mentoring relationships for our Nation's youth. In addition, I want to thank all the mentors across America for their dedication and generosity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with the great pleasure of supporting of H. Res. 43, which recognizes the hard work of those who serve in their communities on Martin Luther King Day and promotes the holiday as a day of national service.

During Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s lifetime, he worked tirelessly towards creating a more just America, seeking to not only heal this nation's racial divides, but to empower all Americans to take responsibility for bettering their communities through service. Recognizing this legacy, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act in 1994, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service and asking Americans of all backgrounds and ages to honor Dr. King's legacy by engaging in service projects in their communities. Since Congress passed the act 14 years ago, millions of Americans have come together on the third Monday of January to engage in service projects ranging from mentoring children to building homes. By bringing together neighbors who might not normally meet, the King Day of Service strengthens our communities and country by breaking down barriers that have historically divided us and promoting civic engagement.

Although participation in the King Day of Service has increased each year, many Americans remain unaware of the service component of the holiday, making it essential for more organizations to promote this fitting tribute to Dr. King's memory. As the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I am proud to join the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the National Service Caucus in co-sponsoring a food drive to support the Capitol Area Food Bank, whose resources are running thin. In Washington, DC alone, 56,000 children are at risk of being hungry on any day of the year. But with the convergence of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal holiday and the Presidential Inauguration, these children face a long 5-day weekend when the school breakfasts and lunches upon which they depend will not be available.

I am proud to recognize the millions of Americans inspired by the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to serve their communities and encourage all my colleagues in Congress and our fellow Americans to join their neighbors in community service projects on this important day and throughout the year.

Mr. Speaker, every day, despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963, millions of American women are denied equal pay for performing comparable work. In the case of Lilly Ledbetter, the Supreme Court of the United States compounded the indignity of discrimination by ignoring years of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and lower court decisions, narrowly interpreting the law that should have protected her, thus denying her the justice she deserved.

Justice has not been achieved over the past 45 years, with women's wages rising from 59 cents for every dollar earned by a man in 1963 to just 77 cents per dollar earned by a man in 2008. Minority women face even greater disparity, a gap that widened even more last year. These women are from all walks of life. They calculate our taxes. They teach our children. In California's District 15, my home district, they are developing the technologies of the future. Our sisters, daughters, and granddaughters deserve better from our country. We should have told them that they can do anything, reach for and achieve any dream.

I urge my colleagues to support this.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my comments on H. Res. 34, a resolution which reaffirms our commitment to Israel and its right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza and Hamas.

I have always been a strong supporter of Israel, and consider myself a good friend to Israel. Israel's right to exist as a country is unquestionable in my mind, and I support its right to defend itself from those who would do harm to its people.

I also strongly support a durable and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, and support a resolution to the conflict through diplomacy and negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. I have consistently supported efforts to increase peacemaking efforts in the region, including asking the President to appoint a special envoy to the Middle East.

For these important reasons, I voted in favor of H. Res. 34. This resolution rightly reiterates our support for the safety, security, and welfare of Israel. However, Madam Speaker, H. Res. 34 is not perfect, and my vote for it today is not unequivocal. The resolution does not adequately address the civilian casualties in Gaza, or the worsening humanitarian situation there. The world has a responsibility to join together to help solve this crisis. I also hope that the incoming Administration will turn this hope into reality.

The human consequence of this violence has taken a tragic toll on Gaza civilians, where access to basic humanitarian needs is limited, and dangerous. Some reports by the International Committee of the Red Cross describe the movement of ambulances and aid workers as extremely difficult, and attribute that difficulty to Israel's restrictions. In addition to this challenge, existing hospitals are running out of fuel, power, and supplies to treat victims.

We are right to support Israel's right to defend itself, but we must not forget that innocent Gaza civilians are living under harsh, even desperate, conditions right now. Both the Israeli and Palestinian people deserve to live a life free of the threat of attack or psychological fear. It has always been my hope that our involvement in the region may be used to improve the lives of the people affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Once again, Madam Speaker, my vote in favor of H. Res. 34 reflects my strong support for Israel, but the severe humanitarian plight of Gaza civilians is something we must not ignore.

Madam Speaker, as chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise to celebrate Citizenship Day.

Today, we celebrate our allegiance to the United States of America, a country that honors freedom, opportunity, and justice for all; whose promise of opportunity has inspired people--from around the world-- throughout our history, to leave their homelands to take part in the American dream.

Citizenship Day gives us the opportunity to reflect upon our country and its dream.

From our founding and at our very core, America has always been a nation of immigrants, documented and undocumented, who have made great contributions to our Nation. They built our transcontinental railroad that injected new life and industry into the American West, and their entrepreneurship and labor spurred the economy in our early American cities.

By now, we should know that ``immigrant'' is not a dirty word. In 2006, the Boston Globe reported that immigrants started one in four venture-backed companies since 1990, and two in five in high technology. Foreign-born entrepreneurs have certainly made their mark in my district in Silicon Valley, helping to found companies including Intel, Ebay, Yahoo and Google.

Their contributions are also felt in the small business sector, as immigrants are one of the fastest-growing segments of small business owners in the U.S. Immigrant women are starting businesses at a rate 57 percent higher than native-born women. And immigrant men start businesses at a rate 71 percent higher than native-born men.

Looking toward our future with our aging workforce and our Social Security crisis, we need their contributions now more than ever. And despite this tough economy and in this tough economy, their entrepreneurial spirit is helping to keep our American dream alive.

After all, generation after generation of immigrants have taken oath to become American citizens with love of country and commitment to America's promise. The faster we embrace each generation, the faster they become integrated as new Americans, and the stronger we are as a truly united country.

That is why I introduced The Strengthening Communities through Education & Integration Act. The Act would invest in adult education programs for English-language learners, including civics programs that teach newcomers about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. As a former principal and school teacher, I know the importance of investing in our youth. This bill would ensure that our Nation's children and schools have adequate funding and resources for vital literacy programs for English-language learners. It would assist schools with teacher recruitment for English-language learners. It would provide tax incentives for employers to offer training and ESL programs to their employees, and would support State and local initiatives in English-language and civics education.

My legislation is supported by a broad coalition of business groups, labor unions, literacy and education coalitions, immigrant advocacy organizations, Asian American and Hispanic advocates, and faith-based organizations, all who realize the importance of integrating new American communities.

In the spirit of Citizenship Day, I invite you to join me as a cosponsor of H.R. 6617.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge Congress to restore U.S. veteran status to the surviving soldiers of over 250,000 Filipinos who were called into military service to the United States Armed Forces by President Roosevelt on July 26, 1941.

Every year, I meet with the Filipino World War II veterans who walk the halls of Congress seeking to undo the injustice of the 1946 Recission Act which denied these veterans of their rightful benefits. Of all the Filipinos ordered into combat, only 18,000 are alive today, with each passing day bringing another funeral. These veterans remain loyal to this country. You know in your hearts that these veteran soldiers who fought under our flag deserve the promise we made to them six decades ago. We are a country of promise makers, and therefore, we should be a country of promise keepers.

America's greatness is in its strength of character. Now it is our turn in the House to right this injustice. This is not just about the benefits for a few surviving heroes; it is also about our honor as a country and as a legislative body.

Let's do the right thing and return to the Filipino World War II veterans their due--recognition of a grateful nation that their service to our country is just as equal as the soldiers with whom they stood shoulder to shoulder on the field of battle.