Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his great leadership in bringing this very important legislation to the floor.

And I want to commend Leader Hoyer and Whip Cantor for the bipartisan spirit with which this bill was brought to the floor. The leadership of the committee, Mr. Berman, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, thank you to both of you for your leadership in bringing us together around this very important issue.

I am proud to rise in strong support of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act, which will provide the President with more tools to address the looming nuclear threat from Iran.

All Members of Congress, regardless of party, agree: A nuclear Iran is simply unacceptable. It is a threat to the region, to the United States, and to our allies across the globe.

The Iranian regime has demonstrated time and again its refusal to work in good faith to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons in the Middle East and around the world. In the last year, Iran has concealed major nuclear facilities, repeatedly blocked U.N. nuclear inspectors from doing their job, and openly threatened to, as the Iranian President said, ``wipe Israel off the face of the map.'' These actions reflect a clear record of defiance. Now Iran must take steps to demonstrate its willingness to live as a peaceful partner in the international community, and we must use all of the tools at our disposal to stop Iran's march toward nuclear capability.

This month, under President Obama's leadership, the U.N. Security Council passed its most far-reaching set of sanctions yet, targeting Iran's nuclear program and financial system. Today, with the passage of this legislation and when it goes to the President's desk to be signed, we will give the President new tools to impose sanctions against companies that sell Iran technology, services, know-how, and materials for its energy and petroleum sector. And we offer foreign banks a choice, they can deal with institutions that support weapons of mass destruction and terrorist activities or they can do business with the United States. This is the strongest Iran sanctions legislation ever passed by the Congress.

My colleagues, no discussion of Iran at this time is possible without condemning the actions of the Iranian regime of 1 year ago when they responded to public protests with deadly force.

The American people stand for peace and security for the people of Iran. We look forward to a relationship with them. We look forward to a day when Iran is a productive partner for us, for its neighbors, and the world. Until that day, we must ensure that Iran is prevented from obtaining the nuclear weapons that would threaten global and regional security.

Again, I thank our distinguished chairman, Mr. Berman, Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Hoyer, and Mr. Cantor for giving us this opportunity, in a strong bipartisan way, to support the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act, and hope that we can have a unanimous vote today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of a much beloved San Francisco community leader and decades-long advocate for our elderly and physically-disabled residents: John King. Until we lost him on June 8, John was the Godfather of Visitacion Valley, bringing hope and dignity to the elderly.

Born in Texas, John King moved to San Francisco in 1948, where he worked for many years as a butcher. He also worked for nearly two decades as a Merchant Seaman, circling the globe seven times.

Upon retirement John King turned his attention to his underserved neighborhood, Visitacion Valley, especially the safety and well-being of its elderly population. He started Visitacion Valley Escort Services to provide transportation for the elderly, frail and physically challenged.

The crime-ridden, dilapidated Geneva Towers apartments had been demolished creating a critical low-income housing shortage for the seniors and families who had lived there.

Working together, John and I helped to secure funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development to build the John King Senior Center. It stands today as a testament to Mr. King's vision, knowledge and perseverance. In his lifetime, John was proud to witness its growth and success.

The John King Senior Center is an oasis in our city: its beautiful garden is tended by seniors, meals are an opportunity for celebration, and holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas are made special for the residents.

This multi-purpose, multi-ethnic neighborhood center provides a safe haven for seniors, including transportation services, social opportunities, hot nutritious lunches, health and nutrition education and housing assistance. In John's name, it offers love and care to those who need it most.

John will be remembered by its residents for his secret, and mouth- watering, barbecue recipe, but also for the concern he showed to every member of the community.

John King's contributions to Visitacion Valley and the City of San Francisco demonstrated remarkable generosity, and we all benefitted from his vision, leadership and service.

I have lost a wise and cherished friend. I hope it is a comfort to his beloved wife Violette, his sons John `Subiani' King, Jr. and Jerome King, and his grandchildren that countless San Franciscans join them in mourning John King's passing.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a longtime literary advocate and community leader, Effie Lee Morris, who died in San Francisco last November 10. On June 14, family, friends and San Francisco dignitaries will gather at the San Francisco Public Library to celebrate her lifetime of work as a librarian and advocate for underserved children and the visually impaired. They will pay tribute to her life as a visionary who recognized the power of literacy and education in overcoming racism, inequality and poverty.

Morris began her life's work as a literary activist as a public librarian in Cleveland, Ohio more than 60 years ago. Recognizing that education is the most important investment we can make in our future, she focused primarily on children's literacy in African American communities and low-income urban areas, and helped to establish the first Negro History Week. In 1955, she moved to New York City where she worked for the New York Public Library. There she continued to work with children and began advocating for the rights of the visually impaired, eventually becoming a children's specialist at the New York Public Library's Library for the Blind from 1958 to 1963.

In 1963, San Francisco was blessed when Morris arrived in our city and became the first Coordinator of Children's Services at our Public Library, where she established the Children's Historical and Research Collection. It stands in tribute to her today. The children's literature section that she created is named in her honor.

In 1968, Morris helped found the San Francisco Chapter of the Women's National Book Association and served as the first African American president of the Public Library Association.

Upon retirement, Morris continued to serve the San Francisco Bay Area community, and taught courses on children's literature at Mills College and the University of San Francisco. Morris served as the first female chairperson of the Library of Congress as well as the President of the National Braille Association for two terms. She also served on the California State Library Board, and was a lifetime member of the San Francisco African American Historical and Cultural Society.

We grieve Effie Lee Morris' passing, but celebrate her legacy, which will live on in the many lives she touched.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for his recognition and also for the excellent job he has done to bring this bill to the floor today, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act.

Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility here, almost an ethical one really, to create jobs for the American people. Equally important is to reduce the deficit. So any of the pieces of legislation that we bring to the floor must strive to do both, to strike that balance.

I congratulate the chairman on this important legislation because it does both, creates jobs and helps to reduce the deficit. If I had four words to describe the bill, it would be the same four words--it's a four letter word, I prepare you for that--jobs, jobs, jobs, and jobs. It's about jobs, it's about summer jobs for young people, it's about Build America bonds, jobs and the infrastructure sector, it's about jobs that are produced by our investments in research and development tax credits in the legislation to have research into higher skilled jobs and bring us to a different place technologically. That's very important.

It's about helping people who have lost their job through no fault of their own. And that's important to them individually; but it's also important, as economists tell us, that unemployment insurance is the fastest way to inject demand into the economy, thereby creating jobs immediately. These and in other ways in this legislation we are creating jobs. And we are doing so in a way, as I say, the unemployment insurance will create jobs, create a revenue stream which will help to reduce the deficit. The rest of the bill is all paid for in a fiscally sound way, and I congratulate distinguished Chairman Levin for making that so.

I am particularly pleased about a benefit for our veterans as we go into Memorial Day. Other Members have mentioned the SGR, how important it is to have that provision in this legislation. I myself wish it were permanent. It's 19 months. We have to move to giving more certainty to our physicians and to our seniors. This is about our seniors and their ability to keep the doctors that they have if they so wish, and under this legislation they will do so.

But as I close, I just want to make note that as we gather here on Memorial Day weekend, as we go forward, there is a very important provision in this bill that I hope all Members will take home and convey with our gratitude to our men and women in uniform, and that is the issue of concurrent receipt. We call it the veterans disability tax repeal. Its technical term is concurrent receipt. If you are a veteran and if you are disabled, you will recognize this term. And in this legislation there is funding--it is paid for--there is funding to cover the concurrent receipt, the repeal of it for the next--to address it in a positive way for the next 2 years.

So if it's about young people and summer jobs, if it's about building the infrastructure of America, if it's investing in research and development and the high technologies that will make us competitive and keep us number one, if it's about helping those who

through no fault of their own have lost their jobs, but recognizing that that investment injects demand into the economy and creates jobs, this is a bill that does just that in a fiscally sound way, while honoring our veterans on this Memorial Day.

So I thank the gentleman for this very important legislation and urge my colleagues to give a big strong ``aye'' vote to the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act. It's named that for one very important reason. In this legislation, which is job creating, it closes the loophole which has allowed businesses to ship jobs overseas. Can you believe that we have a tax policy that enables offshoring?

So if you have one thing to say about this bill to your constituents, you can say that today you voted to close the loophole to ship U.S. jobs overseas and giving businesses a tax break to do so. It's not right. It will be corrected today. Thank you, Mr. Levin.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Herb Shanks, the Cloakroom attendant of the House Democratic Cloakroom for the last 38 years. Herb is retiring today after serving this institution much longer than probably most Members of the Congress. Indeed, he has served under seven Speakers of the House, and generations of Members have depended upon him.

As the Doorkeeper and Cloakroom Attendant, Herb has ensured the safety and security of House Members and staff by controlling access to the Democratic Cloakroom. He has also been a face of warm welcome to all Members.

Herb's dedicated service is representative of the many staff who serve this institution, particularly those who work in both the Democratic and the Republican Cloakrooms, and the nonpartisan officers who ensure smooth operations on the House floor. They may not be household names, but they proudly serve our Nation's families. Herb is joined here today by his twin daughters, Andrea and Angela; we thank them for sharing their father with us.

We also note that Herb is the proud grandfather of four and great grandfather of three. Today, we will present Herb with a flag that flew over the Capitol in his honor on this, his day of retirement, after 38 years of service. It is a fitting tribute to this great patriot, Herb Shanks.

Thank you, Herb.

I would now like to yield to the distinguished majority leader, Mr. Hoyer.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and his leadership on this important bill before us.

I commend Congresswoman Eshoo for her attention to this important matter, her leadership in bringing this amendment to the floor.

Mr. Chairman, as you all know, protecting American people is our first responsibility. Their security is what we take an oath to uphold, protect, and defend. In order to do that, we recognize the importance of intelligence gathering to preventing violence and to protecting the American people, especially in this age when we're fighting terrorism at home and abroad.

The issue before us is if the responsibilities of Congress can be honored without the knowledge that we are entitled to. This is a very important issue. We all recognize, as the gentleman said, the importance of having information be kept secret when it's in our national security interest to do so. Not to overdo that to the extent of having Congress not have the information it needs to do its job of proper oversight to protect the American people.

We are preventing harm. And if we're going to prevent harm, we have to have information to do so. And the members of the Intelligence Committee have a responsibility to hold that information close. This doesn't apply to every piece of information of intelligence that comes to the committee, but it does say that the GAO has a proven track record of conducting thorough and professional investigations. Their work has informed the Congress and led to significant changes that have enhanced our government's effectiveness. GAO staff are professionals who protect information held by the intelligence community. A vote for this amendment is a vote for enhancing intelligence oversight. It is a vote for Congress.

I urge our colleagues to support the Eshoo amendment.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership and service to our country.

Madam Chair, this weekend, on Memorial Day, America will come together to honor all those who have served our Nation in uniform, and those brave Americans have no better friend than the chairman of our Armed Services Committee, Mr. Skelton.

Today, by repealing the discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, we also honor the service and sacrifice of all who dedicated their lives to protecting the American people. We honor the values of our Nation, and we close the door on fundamental unfairness.

In 1993, I spoke on this same House floor, calling on the President ``to act definitively to lift the ban that keeps patriotic Americans from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces because of their sexual orientation.'' Instead, despite everyone's good intentions, Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enacted--a policy which has been discriminatory to our brave men and women in uniform.

Under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, more than 13,000 men and women in uniform have been discharged from the military. Thousands more have decided not to reenlist. Fighter pilots, infantry officers, Arabic translators, and other specialists have been discharged at a time when our Nation is engaged in two wars.

That is why I support repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and that support has come from all over the country. Nearly 8 out of 10 Americans want to end this era of discrimination.

Admiral Mullen, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said, ``It is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. We have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.'' He went on to say, ``For me, personally, it comes down to integrity--theirs as individuals and ours as institutions.''

General Colin Powell, who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs when this policy was implemented, has said that he now thinks this restrictive policy should be repealed.

Then, in a letter to Congress, 51 retired generals, admirals, and a former Army Secretary called for the repeal of this policy, saying that they ``have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish.''

Passing this amendment today respects the timeline of the Pentagon's Implementation Study Group. Repeal would take place only after the study group completes its work in December 2010 and after the President, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Defense all certify that repeal will not hurt military readiness or unit cohesion. No one in this body would jeopardize our national security.

America has always been the land of the free and the home of the brave. We are so because of our brave men and women in uniform who have been willing to fight for our country. Let us honor their service by recommitting to the values they fight for on the battlefield.

I urge my colleagues to vote for the repeal of this discriminatory policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and to make America more American.

Madam Speaker, I submit for the Record a copy of a letter signed jointly by myself and the Republican Leader, Mr. Boehner. It is addressed to President Obama. In it, we express our views on the limits of the ``pocket-veto'' power. I also submit a copy of the letters referenced therein.

Congress of the United States,

House of Representatives,

May 24, 2010.

Hon. Barack Obama,

The President, The White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. President: This is in response to your actions of

December 30, 2009, on House Joint Resolution 64, a short-term

continuing resolution of appropriations that was presented to

you on December 19, 2009. That measure was intended to

accommodate your review and approval of the regular

appropriations but was rendered unnecessary when you were

able to act swiftly on the regular appropriations. You

therefore decided not to approve the joint resolution.

Although you cited The Pocket Veto Case, 279 U.S. 655 (1929),

you returned the parchment to the House with a memorandum of

disapproval stating that you wanted to leave no doubt that

the joint resolution was being vetoed as unnecessary.

You acted on the joint resolution on the ninth day of the

10-day period during which you could approve it. The standing

rules of the House made the Clerk available to receive your

message. The House and Senate stood adjourned sine die but

with provision for reassembly of the first session and with

the certainty of reassembly for the second session of the

instant Congress. Thus, each body was in a position to

reconsider the vetoed measure in light of your objections,

either in the second session or even in the first session.

The circumstances surrounding the presentment and return of

House Joint Resolution 64 and the readiness of Congress to

reconsider the joint resolution in light of Presidential

objections compel us to question the assertion that a pocket

veto did or could have occurred. We think you agree that the

pocket veto and the return veto are available on mutually

exclusive bases and, therefore, during mutually exclusive

periods. We think you also should agree that the

constitutional concern that a measure not become law without

the President's signature when an adjournment prevents a

return veto does not arise when the President is able to

return the parchment to the originating House with a

statement of his objections. Accordingly, we believe that

your return of House Joint Resolution 64 with your objections

is absolutely inconsistent with this most essential

characteristic of a pocket veto, to wit: retention of the

parchment by the President for lack of a legislative body to

whom he might return it with his objections. Your successful

return of House Joint Resolution 64 establishes that you were

not prevented from returning it.

After an enrolled measure is presented for Presidential

approval, the parchment ultimately meets one of four ends. It

might be tendered to the Archivist by the President because

he signed it or allowed it to become law without his

signature. It might be referred to committee by the first

house to sustain a veto. It might be tendered to the

Archivist by the second house to override a veto. Or it might

be retained by the President because he ``pocketed'' it. If

the President returns a parchment to the Congress, then he

has not pocketed it, and it therefore is subject to

reconsideration. Either the Congress has prevented the

President from returning the parchment with a statement of

his objections or it has not. By returning the parchment a

President is admitting that he is not prevented from

returning it.

The House has treated your message of December 30, 2009, on

House Joint Resolution 64 as a return veto. On January 12,

2010, the message--comprising the parchment and your

memorandum of disapproval--was laid before the House. After

the memorandum was read, your objections were entered in the

Journal and the House obeyed the command of the Constitution

to ``proceed to reconsider'' the joint resolution. Rather

than immediately considering the ultimate question of

overriding or sustaining the veto, the House chose as its

first mode of reconsideration a postponement until January

13, 2010. On that day the House reconsidered the joint

resolution in light of your objections and voted by the yeas

and nays on the question of overriding or sustaining the

veto. The House sustained your return veto.

We enclose for your consideration copies of previous

letters to President George H. W. Bush, to President Clinton,

and to President George W. Bush, respectively dated November

21, 1989, September 7, 2000, and April 14, 2008. Those

letters from Speaker Foley and Leader Michel, from Speaker

Hastert and Leader Gephardt, and from the two undersigned,

respectively, expressed the profound concern of the

bipartisan leaderships over similar assertions of pocket

vetoes. We echo those concerns and urge you to give

appropriate deference to such judicial resolutions of this

question as have been possible.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best regards,

Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker of the House.

John A. Boehner,

Republican Leader.

Mr. Speaker, the flood waters in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi have begun to recede, but the thoughts and prayers of all Members of Congress remain with the residents of those States. As thousands of Americans work to put their lives back together in the aftermath of record-breaking flooding, this Congress stands with them.

We are particularly saddened by the tragic loss of more than 20 people. For families who have lost loved ones, the sympathies of all Americans are with them in these tragic times.

The Nation has been particularly affected by the situation in Nashville, where entire neighborhoods were under water. But as Russ Hazelton, resident of Nashville, said, ``We have no choice but to solve this problem, and we're going to solve it with enthusiasm . . .'' That enthusiasm will be matched by the Federal Government.

President Obama has declared the situation in Tennessee to be a major disaster. Congress will continue to work with those Members whose constituents have been affected by this tragedy to provide the assistance necessary.

With this resolution today, we also honor the efforts of our brave first responders, and State and local government officials, who have risked life and limb and worked tirelessly to safely evacuate people and return communities to normalcy. We stand with them today, and in the days ahead.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Before I begin my remarks on the legislation before us today, I want to join my colleagues in saluting the wonderful work of Muftiah McCartin. She began her work on the Hill--it couldn't be 1976. I can't believe that. She has worked on the Appropriations Committee and is now leaving her tenure as staff director on the Rules Committee.

We all know that she loves this institution. She has poured her heart and soul into her work. We were all so proud when she became the staff director of the Rules Committee. Her policy and technical expertise have served both sides of the aisle over many years. She is a mother of four children. It's hard to imagine she is now a grandmother. We have been blessed with her service over many, many years. She will be sorely missed.

Muftiah, thank you very much for all that you have done. This is coming as news to me, by the way, so I'm quite taken aback by the fact that you're leaving us. But thank you for your service. I wish you well in the future. We have been very blessed by your service. Congratulations on where you're going next.

Madam Speaker, 10 years ago, President Kennedy summed up America's commitment to innovation when he launched the ``man on the Moon initiative'' to send a man to the Moon and back--in those days, they said a man--but a man to the Moon and back safely in 10 years. At that time, he said, ``The vows of this Nation can be fulfilled only if we are first, and therefore, we intend to be first. Our leadership in science and industry, our hopes for peace and security, our obligations to ourselves as well as others, all require us to make this effort.''

Over the past half century since then, Americans have lived up to these words. Science and technological innovation have formed the backbone of our progress as a people and our prosperity as a Nation. And today in passing this innovation bill, this COMPETES Act, we are reaffirming our leadership in science and in industry, and we are keeping America first.

Few have done more for the cause of innovation in the Congress than Chairman Bart Gordon, and I'm sorry he is not on the floor yet--he will be momentarily to manage this bill--who was first in sounding the alarm and heeding the call of the report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm.'' That was a report presented by a great innovation leader, Norm Augustine, and the National Academy of Sciences. It provoked us to send a team of Members, legislators around the country.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren from the Silicon Valley invited Chairman George Miller, chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee and the Education and Labor Committee, to a meeting at Stanford University to launch a series of meetings in a bipartisan way to develop an innovation agenda.

We met, of course, with academics. We met with workers. We met with venture capitalists to see where the private dollar would go because we believed that this had to be a market-oriented initiative to build the competitiveness of America. We met with every aspect of putting together an innovation agenda, and we met all across the country to do that. We had particularly strong presentations from members of the Asian American community who were quite impatient with the lack of progress that was happening in terms of public policy, and that accelerated the pace of our time table for this.

So what came from that was the COMPETES Act that Chairman Bart Gordon was instrumental in bringing to the floor in 2007. We had strong bipartisan support in passing that legislation, I am pleased to say. And again, we are here today to reauthorize the COMPETES Act, to spur innovation, invest in cutting-edge research, modernize manufacturing, and increase opportunity. And I thank you for your remarks, Mr. Perlmutter, and your leadership on this subject as well.

As a result, new industries will provide good jobs for our workers, markets for American products will expand, we will reassert our leadership throughout the world and give future generations a better chance to realize the American Dream. It's about jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.

Simply put, this legislation supports our efforts to keep America number one, following President Kennedy's lead to keep America first and following the call of President Obama at his inauguration for swift, bold action now to do just that. The COMPETES Act will keep our Nation on the path that we promised, to double the funding for the scientific research over 10 years, create jobs with innovation technology loan guarantees for small- and medium-sized manufacturers and enhanced manufacturing extension partnerships--these MEPs are a very valuable tool for job creation, promote regional innovation clusters--this is new--that strengthen regional economies and expand scientific collaboration, and invest in high-risk/high-reward research through ARPA-E--again, this is a major initiative of Mr. Gordon-- helping ensure American energy independence.

Since we know that innovation begins in the classroom, I want to commend Mr. Miller for yielding to Chairman Gordon because we didn't want this bill held up by one jurisdiction or another of committee, and Mr. Gordon has carried that principle that innovation begins in the classroom, and we have those considerations in the bill. This bill will help raise up the next generation of entrepreneurs by improving science, math, technology and engineering education at all levels. It will also train young people to think in an entrepreneurial way and will secure a central role for women and minorities in these fields.

As we go forward with this innovation--we had the industrial revolution, we had the technological revolution, and now we have this revolution--we want to do so in a way that brings everyone into the fullest participation in the new prosperity of America and will strengthen and diversify our workforce as, again, we create jobs, jobs, jobs, and jobs.

In this Congress, in addition to jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, which is a four-letter word we use all the time, there are four words that describe our agenda. They are: science, science, science and science. Science to provide health care for all Americans. And in our health care bill that we passed and in the Recovery Act of last year, we have major investments in science and technology to make America healthier; science to keep America number one in innovation. In the new technologies to protect the environment and the rest, we have to be competitive. Science and technology will take us there; science to keep our air clean and our water clean for our children and the safety of the environment in which they live; and science to promote our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil and to advance the technologies to keep us preeminent in terms of our country's defense.

This bill comes down to good-paying jobs for Americans, strong American leadership in the global economy and long-term growth for America's workers and families. It does so in a way that doesn't just put people back to work as we are trying to address the need for more jobs. It puts them back to work in better jobs. It puts more people to work, some who have been unemployed no matter how well educated they are or how economically deprived their areas have been. Some of this is really ground floor, ground floor. We're bringing women, minorities, people from urban areas and rural areas, again, people with a wide range of educational backgrounds but with a prospect for great success.

So with this, we are not just solidifying the disparities in our economy. We are opening up avenues for, again,

everyone to participate in the prosperity for our country.

With that, Madam Speaker, I urge all of our colleagues to make a very strong bipartisan vote for jobs, for science, and to keep America number one by voting for the COMPETES Act.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank him for bringing this resolution to the floor so that we can all rise and sing the praises for the vigilance and sense of community of New Yorkers, the courage of our first responders, and the professionalism, commitment, and determination of our local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers. We salute them. They were prepared. They were ready to act. They calmly did what was necessary. And because of their swift action, the people of New York and the entire Nation remain safe.

I thank Congressmen McMahon, Himes, Hall, and all of our colleagues who have sponsored this resolution, recognizing the bravery and, again, the vigilance of individuals and officers of New York and Connecticut as well as the leadership of the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Obama administration.

In the wake of this foiled terrorist plot, we are inspired by the true character of the American people. We recall that our country's spirit can always be found in the hearts and deeds of its citizens, people like Lance Orton and Duane Jackson, ``two alert citizens''--and aren't we fortunate for that--as this resolution calls them, who notified the NYPD of a suspicious vehicle in Times Square. The whole country learned of their vigilance and their sense of community.

Our country's resolve rests with police officers such as Wayne Rhatigan of the NYPD, who responded immediately to the scene and, with his fellow officers and with the men and women of the New York Fire Department, thwarted the detonation of the car bomb.

Our country's strength remains with first responders who run into danger when others run out, who safely and promptly evacuated Times Square, protecting those in harm's way. Our country's determination lies with law enforcement at the local, State, and Federal levels who worked together, pursued leads, and detained the bomber within 2 days of the attempted attack, never resting until the job was done.

At moments like this, Congress reaffirms our responsibility, as we do each day, Mr. Speaker, as we pledge to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That responsibility is to protect the American people as well. That is our first responsibility.

As this resolution states, we ``urge all Americans to remain vigilant about potential terrorists or suspicious activity within their own communities.'' We must follow the example of the people of New York who, as President Obama has said, ``have reminded us once again of how to live with their heads held high.''

Mr. Hall, in his closing remarks, said that the attempt by this terrorist to instill fear was thwarted. The goal of terrorists is to instill fear. The damage is one thing to them, but the fear is really their goal. In that way, in both parts of the attempt, it was thwarted. The violent attack was thwarted, but also, as the President said, we will not be intimidated.

This past weekend, everyday Americans joined our police officers, firefighters, first responders, Homeland Security officials, FBI agents, and other law enforcement personnel as heroes. They are all heroes, and we salute them as such on the floor of the House. Their efforts represent the best in America. Their response serves as an inspiration to us all to stay prepared and do everything we can to keep our great country safe.

Again, I thank Mr. Pascrell for bringing this resolution to the floor and join in a bipartisan way in saluting the heroes of New York.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay final tribute to a great champion of the environment, Dr. Edgar Wayburn. At age 103, Dr. Wayburn passed away on March 5th surrounded by his beloved family. His accomplishments on behalf of our planet are unsurpassed.

Joining me in tribute today is Congressman George Miller.

Working for five decades as a physician, Dr. Wayburn understood that the human condition is inextricably linked to the environment. When Dr. Wayburn first arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1933, he was stunned by the uninterrupted expanse of green beginning in San Francisco and crossing the Bay to Marin. He made a lifelong commitment to ensuring that it remained protected.

He had the same experience when he first visited Alaska fifty years ago with his wife Peggy. They were captivated by the unique beauty of the Alaskan landscape. The national campaign that flowed from that first visit resulted in the Alaska Lands Act: the largest public lands legislation in the history of the U.S. Congress. Today, more than a million acres remain wild largely because of Dr. Wayburn's first trip to what he called ``the last frontier.''

Dr. Wayburn simultaneously fought to preserve and expand one of America's pristine ancient forests, Redwood National Park in Northern California. Today, these giant redwoods have a permanent home and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Preserve.

In San Francisco he orchestrated the creation of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), an almost continuous greenbelt stretching down the Pacific Coast from Point Reyes Seashore to the Peninsula. In the 1960s, the idea of an urban national park was an alien concept to Congress and the National Park Service. Thanks to the tireless labors of Congressman Philip Burton and Dr. Wayburn, along with the support of the local community and local environmentalists, GGNRA is today the most visited national park and one of our nation's great natural treasures. Within its boundaries are redwood forests, beaches, dramatic headlands, marshes, abundant wildlife, historic forts, islands in the Bay, and a world-famous prison--and all of this incredible diversity lies within easy reach of one of the largest metropolitan populations in the United States. It is a living testament to the tenacity of Dr. Edgar Wayburn.

Many of us were fortunate to work with Dr. Wayburn on the monumental achievement of transferring the Presidio of San Francisco in 1994 from a military post to an urban national park. He helped craft a model for the nation in a place which respected the stewardship and traditions of the military Presidio's tradition as a military base, while enhancing the opportunities for volunteerism and environmental education for youth.

Dr. Wayburn received many awards to honor his accomplishments: the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism from Johns Hopkins University, the Starker Leopold Award by the Nature Conservancy, the John Muir Award by the Sierra Club, and in 1999 Dr. Wayburn's life work was recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor that our country can bestow. As President Clinton said at the time, Dr. Wayburn ``saved more of our wilderness than any other person alive.''

Dr. Wayburn, the honorary president-for-life of the Sierra Club, was the stealth force behind so many environmental movements to save the world's wild lands, forests and waters for the benefit of future generations. The magnificent landscapes that he preserved for future generations will stand as a lasting monument to him.

Above all, Dr. Wayburn was devoted to his family: his beloved late wife Peggy who was his partner in preserving the environment, his children Diane, Laurie, Cynthia and William and three grandchildren. We celebrate his life and we honor his memory.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, I thank him for his leadership, and I am very pleased today that we have bipartisan support for this important legislation to benefit our veterans.

I, too, join my colleagues in rising to honor the sacrifice and service of the bravest among us, the men and women of our Armed Forces. In the name of our safety, they lay their lives on the line. In the name of our security, they fight our enemies far from home. In the name of our values, they serve as our Nation's greatest ambassadors, as champions of America's families.

Each and every day our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines earn the respect of a grateful Nation. And as long as those in uniform continue the battle abroad, we must do everything in our power to support them here at home.

I would like to thank all Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who worked so hard to strengthen this bill and bring it to the floor today. Again, I want to commend Bob Filner, the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Chairman Mike Michaud of the Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

I also want to recognize the hard work and commitment to those who have worn our Nation's uniform by three key freshmen Members of Congress, Congressman Tom Perriello, Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, and Congressman Harry Teague.

In both Houses, this has been a bipartisan effort, and I commend Ranking Member Buyer for his leadership. I know that everything is not in this bill. There is an endless list of everything we want to do for our veterans, but we are very proud of Senator Burr and the role that he has played in the Senate and all of the Members here. Thank you, Mr. Buyer.

The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act is a landmark moment in the ongoing effort to give back to our veterans and their families. It's a tribute to their service. In the words of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, it will ``provide valuable benefit for veterans and their families, benefits they need, have earned and so richly deserve.''

This legislation will support family members and others who care for the disabled, ill or injured veterans. This is very important to families, military families. Our wounded soldiers and their families have made a serious sacrifice for our country, and this bill will bring them some relief. It will expand mental health services and health care access for veterans in rural areas and prohibit copays for our most severely wounded warriors.

Thank you, Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin, as this bill marks a step forward for the 1.8 million women in uniform, removing existing barriers to female veterans seeking medical care. In a sweeping change long overdue and with strong bipartisan support, we will provide care for newborns in the first time in history. Thank you, Congressman Henry Brown, for your leadership as well, my friend.

Today's vote is one in a series of actions taken by this Congress to give back to America's veterans. Our signature achievement remains our new GI Bill, providing those who serve with a full, 4-year college education. This is also transferable to a family member, and also a new improvement that we made was if a serviceman or woman dies in combat, that this opportunity is provided for their children or another family member.

Late last year, again in a bipartisan way, we celebrated the passage of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, ensuring that the VA has timely and predictable funding and our veterans receive the high quality care they have earned. Working to make sure that our economic recovery truly benefits all Americans, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act offered a tax credit for hiring veterans and a $250 payment to disabled veterans.

Just this past month we passed the TRICARE Affirmation Act, stating explicitly that our health care reform legislation will not impact the excellent health coverage our veterans and servicemembers already receive. In the last 3 years, we have given our troops a pay raise, helped restore military readiness and bolstered support for our military families. Today we strengthen the benefits our men and women in uniform receive.

Mr. Speaker, in the course of our meetings with the veterans service organizations and with the families of our men and women in uniform and our veterans, we hear directly from them what their needs are and try to establish their priorities and to make it a priority in allocating the resources of our country. In the course of those conversations, we have heard from the families that in the survey they took of their own membership of Blue Star Families, that 94 percent of them thought that most Americans did not have a clear understanding of their needs.

We promised them that in all we do here we will remove doubt in anyone's mind among our military families that we understand their needs, especially if they present them in a prioritized way and will make them our priority in the Congress. In every action we strive to live up to that commitment.

Just as the military on the battlefield has said, on the battlefield we will leave no soldier behind. So too when they come home, we will leave no veteran behind.

As the leaders of the American Legion have stated, this legislation offers bold solutions to major challenges facing servicemembers, veterans and their families on behalf of every American who wears the uniform.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Buyer. The chairman has this legislation, as you may be aware, and it is going to Ways and Means and we will be taking it up soon, but we will look forward to working with you and will bring it together in a bipartisan way in the spirit that we owe our veterans. They are all Americans and so are we.

Thank you, Mr. Buyer, and thank you, Mr. Brown, for your leadership as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank him and Mr. Lungren for bringing this important resolution to the floor. It is indeed a joy for us to salute our friend, our Chaplain, but our friend, Father Coughlin.

I am rarely in awe of anybody's opportunity. As the Speaker of the House, I am afforded many. But when Mr. Sensenbrenner said that he and his wife Cheryl were present at the 50th anniversary of Father's ordination as a priest, I was frankly jealous. What a great honor for you to be there. What a great honor for Father Coughlin that you were there. And Mr. Lipinski, the maker of this motion, he was there as well. So we were proud to be represented in a bipartisan way at that celebration. And it was a reflection of the esteem that we all have for Father Coughlin in this House.

Father Coughlin has told me with great pride--now, not usually a proud man, usually a humble man--with great pride that 35 priests concelebrated the Mass that celebrated Father Coughlin's 50th anniversary of his celebration. How proud we all are of you.

But the proudest person in the world is Father's mother Lucille, 95 years old. To see her precious son 50 years a priest of the church, for 10 years the Chaplain of this House of Representatives, the first Catholic. It's really a remarkable achievement.

Every day of those 10 years when Father has opened the House with a prayer we have all listened attentively because we know that we will be guided well, that he will be our anchor, he will inspire us with words that reflect the values of faith and country.

His particular strength I believe springs from a sense of humility that he conveys. After his ordination, he spent time at a Trappist monastery in Kentucky, building strength and his religion and his faith. He spent time working among the poor in Calcutta, India, again living his faith.

St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of my City of San Francisco, has said, ``Preach the Gospel. Sometimes use words.'' While using words or deeds, Father Coughlin has been preaching the Gospel for these many decades. And we have been blessed that his path has crossed ours in this Congress.

Every Sunday in Catholic churches, and I know in other Christian churches as well, we hear the words ``Do this in memory of me,'' the words of Christ at the Last Supper. But I view it as not just about doing what happened at that Last Supper, but doing the good works that Christ performed here and set as an example for us.

And every day in saying the Mass, Father Coughlin does this in memory of Christ. But beyond the Mass, in his personal guidance to us and his work among the poor in India and his prayerfulness in the Trappist monastery in Kentucky, in his stint--is that the word, stint, Father, in Vatican City?--his stay in Vatican City, his enrichment, the enrichment of his faith and religiosity became more intense.

So we are all grateful to Dennis Hastert as Speaker of the House and the committee that worked with him to make the choice of what would be a new Chaplain for us 10 years ago. We were blessed that Father Coughlin had worked with Cardinal Bernardin in Chicago and Cardinal George after that, and he was recommended to our former Speaker, who was from Illinois and was well known to the people in Chicago. That connection is a connection that has blessed all of our lives.

So as we honor his 10 years of service to the Congress, that is a small number of years--I mean it is a long time to be in Congress and to serve as Chaplain--he has seen us through the dark and through the bright. He has helped us personally, and he has helped us understand our responsibilities to God's creation. And he has always understood. His generosity of spirit has given him an understanding so that when he speaks to any of us we know that we are hearing words of wisdom, words of values, words that are faith-based, but words that recognize our responsibilities to this great Nation as elected officials. He knows to render unto Caesar and to render unto God. We could not be better served.

And so it is with great joy that I join our colleagues, some little regret that fate had not placed me in a situation where I could be where Mr. Sensenbrenner and his wife Cheryl were last weekend, and Mr. Lipinski and 35 concelebrants of the Mass of Holy Eucharist to celebrate the 50th anniversary of--how could it be 50 years, Father?

Congresswoman Eshoo and I were just talking about when we all went together in a bipartisanship delegation to Rome for the funeral of Pope John Paul, and what a moving experience that was. And what a force you were for all of us. To have us see the role that His Holiness played in history of course is well known to us. And I just want to mention Paula Nowakowski here, former staff person to John Boehner, for whom John Paul II was a hero, as he was a personal hero to many of us. But the guide that you were to us to that funeral, to that liturgy, to that transition is something that we will never forget.

So for this and for every reason every single day that we serve, we thank you. Anyone who cares about the success of our Nation and our ability to work together is deeply indebted to you. Thank you, Father Coughlin. God has certainly blessed America with your service to this House and to our country. We love you. Thank you.

I thank the chairman for yielding and for giving us this opportunity to honor the life, legacy, and contributions of the godmother of the civil rights movement and a champion of social justice, Dr. Dorothy Height. Her loss is felt by all of us who knew her, respected her, and followed in her footsteps; but it is also felt by people who may never know her name, but for whom she worked, for whom she led, and for whom she made a difference. The Nation mourns the passing of this giant of American history; and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and the loved ones of this extraordinary woman.

Men and women of every race and faith are heirs to the work, passion, and legacy of Dorothy Height. From her earliest days as an activist, she fought for equality under the law for every American, recognizing that the battle for civil rights extended to African American women and anyone denied the chance to succeed because of who they are.

For four decades, she stood at the helm of the National Council of Negro Women, continuing the struggle for an America that lived up to the ideals of liberty and opportunity for all. In every fight, Dorothy Height turned the tides of history toward progress. Because of what she achieved, schools are no longer separate and unequal, and

the voting booth is open to all striving to participate in our democracy. Because of what she did, a steady job and a decent home are not limited to a person based on their background, color of their skin, or means.

Today, we live in an America Dorothy Height helped to build, a Nation defined by equality, shaped by civil rights, and driven by the pursuit of justice for all. The pledge we take every day, ``liberty and justice for all,'' that is what Dorothy Height was about.

I was very proud to join President Bush and the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, in 2004 when we presented the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow, on Dr. Dorothy Height. At that time, President George W. Bush said, ``In the presence of Dorothy Height, you realize you're in the presence of grace. But you've got to realize that behind that grace there is a will of steel and absolute determination.'' The President later quoted from her book, but then he went on to say how Dorothy Height ``always stressed the importance of institutions closest to us: our families, our churches and our neighborhoods.'' He said: ``She understands that those institutions are important in shaping the character of an individual, and therefore the character of the Nation.''

President Bush--President of the United States, imagine--even quoted Dorothy Height's memoir where she wrote: ``It is in the neighborhood and communities where the world begins. That is where children grow and families are developed, where people exercise the power to change their lives,'' President of the United States quoting Dorothy Height as we presented her with a Congressional Gold Medal.

It is important to note that with all of those honors, it was also a pleasure for us to hear from Dr. Alexis Herman; she was the Secretary of Labor. Secretary Herman was very, very close personally and professionally, in every way, to Dorothy Height. And at that time she sang her praises and talked about what she did in the civil rights movement and what she did to advance women and young girls and the rest, but she also talked about how she made the best sweet potato pie. So personally, professionally, patriotically, Dorothy Height was all systems go.

I have been passed a note because I was asking about a film that I recently saw on TV that I hope can be available now again. It is called, ``The Life and Surprising Times of Dorothy Height.'' It is an inspirational presentation of the life of a person, a person who was instilled by her own mother with the idea that she could do whatever she set out to do and had a responsibility to do so.

Over Dorothy Height's lifetime in the trenches for social justice, human rights, and equality, Dorothy Height advocated on behalf of our neighborhoods and our communities. She stood tall for our children and families. She truly exercised her power to change lives.

As we state in our resolution today: ``Dr. Height was a tenacious and zealous civil rights activist, social worker, advocate, educator, and organizer in the quest for equality.'' And I join my colleague, Congresswoman Edwards, in focusing on that equality for women as well.

I last saw Dorothy Height about a month ago at the 70th birthday party for John Lewis, our colleague. As others regaled us about stories of the civil rights movement, there she sat, as dignified as a queen reigning over the proceedings, one who had seen it all, seen the struggle, seen the change, and now recognized then by the Congress of the United States and now in her passing by the entire Nation.

Our country is better off because of Dorothy Height's commitment, compassion, grace and patriotism. We will miss her tenacity and zeal for the fight for equality--our Nation's heritage and our hope. We will each take inspiration from the story of progress and her countless victories for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, earlier today in the House, a resolution was brought onto the floor honoring the 10 years that Father Coughlin has served us as the Chaplain of the House of Representatives.

We recognize that 10 years ago under the leadership of then-Speaker Dennis Hastert, he reached back to Illinois and named a parish priest, Father Coughlin, as the Chaplain of the House of Representatives. For those of us who are Roman Catholic, it was an honor because it was the first time a Catholic was the Chaplain of the House.

Five years after that, Father Coughlin took us to Rome for the funeral for Pope John Paul II, and in doing so, he was visiting Vatican City where he had participated in his priesthood. Before he came here, he was a parish priest. Before he came here, he had lived in a Trappist monastery in Kentucky and deepened his faith there. Before he came here, he had served the poor in Calcutta, India.

My own patron saint of the City of San Francisco, as I said earlier, he used to say, Preach the gospel; sometimes use words. That is what Father Coughlin did. He preached the gospel by ministering to the needs of the poor following the message of the gospel, and he also then served as a parish priest and came here to this House of Representatives.

In the meantime, last Sunday, as these two events converged--it's quite a coincidence--in Chicago, he was honored at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of his becoming a priest. The 50th anniversary. We all know Father Coughlin as a modest man, but in a moment of immodesty he told me earlier that 35 priests concelebrated the mass, the celebration of his ordination.

And there in the church to see was his mother, Lucille, 95 years old. Mr. Lipinski, the presenter of the resolution, was there as well, as well as Mr. Sensenbrenner and his wife, Cheryl. And I'm almost jealous of them for having that opportunity to be at that church to see that celebration, because every single day here we see his holiness, his goodness. We see him lead us in prayer at the beginning of the day under the engraving ``In God We Trust.'' When he is not presenting that inspiration to us, he has invited other faith leaders to present at the invitation of Members of Congress.

But his goodness shines through. His inspiration to us is endless. The debt of gratitude that we have to him and to Lucille for what he has brought to us is endless. His service here has indeed been a blessing to this House of Representatives, and I am so pleased that we are all going to unanimously support the resolution honoring his 10 years of service here and recognizing his 50 years as a priest.

Thank you, Father Coughlin, for serving us so well.

I am pleased to yield to Leader Boehner.

I thank the chairman for yielding. I thank him for his leadership on this important issue and the attention that he has called to it over time and the focus that he has had since day one when we learned of this tragedy.

I want to join our colleagues, Chairman Rahall, in whose district this tragedy occurred, Mr. Mollohan and Mrs. Capito to extend condolences to them. Because while this occurred in Mr. Rahall's district, I know the grief is felt throughout the State of West Virginia as it is being felt throughout our country.

Mr. Speaker, today in towns across Raleigh County, West Virginia, flags are flying at half staff. Their residents are mourning the loss of their fathers, brothers, and sons in last week's deadly mine explosion in Montcoal. Since then, people across our country have cried for them, have joined in the mourning; and today in the Congress we officially join these proud Americans in expressing our deepest condolences for the loss of 29 coal miners, 29 coal miners, in the worst mining accident in four decades.

We do so led by Chairman Nick Rahall, who has been on the scene of this catastrophe the last 1\1/2\ weeks. Congressman Rahall has prayed with his constituents, and he has consoled them. He has committed to work for better conditions, vigorous oversight of the mining industry, and rigorous enforcement of safety standards for America's mines. In doing so, he has worked with our chairman, Mr. Miller, in this regard.

As Congressman Rahall and other West Virginia leaders, including Congressman Mollohan and Congresswoman Capito, often remind us, this Nation is indebted to our coal miners for the difficult and dangerous work they do. Their contributions are a rich part of our Nation's history. Their labor makes our way of life possible.

But, last week, 29 families received a phone call that every coal miner's family fears; and as the communities of West Virginia grieved, the Nation grieved with them.

Now, with this tragedy first in our minds, we must redouble our efforts to minimize the risks to our mine workers and to ensure that they can do their jobs without a threat to their well-being.

When this tragedy occurred, I called Mr. Rahall, and his concerns were very personal about the families who were affected. I called the President of the United Mine Workers, Cecil Roberts, a visionary leader in our country, and his concerns were about the families.

But as we move away from that tragedy, our concern for the families must be reflected in our decisions here and the insistence that we have on upholding standards. We must, as I say, redouble our efforts to minimize the risk to those workers.

Today we acknowledge the brave efforts of their fellow coal miners who were part of the response team and other first responders who worked tirelessly in the hope of rescue and bravely on behalf of recovery.

Mr. Speaker, many of the families who lost miners this week have spoken of their deep faith and how that has comforted them.

On this House floor this morning, we were led in prayer by Bishop Simms from West Virginia, Mr. Rahall's constituent, and he shared with us how faith can see us all through, especially these families. On this House floor today we join them knowing that 29 brave souls are now in a better place.

Again, our condolences to every member of those families. To the communities, as Mr. Cecil Roberts said to us, we are all one family here in the mining community. I know Mr. Rahall expressed that sentiment to me as well.

Well, at a time like this it's important for the families of West Virginia and the coal mining community to know that, as a Nation, we are one family with them as well. I hope it is a comfort to them that so many people in our country mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time.