Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Brian Foss in his retirement as the Port Director of the Santa Cruz Port District. Brian served the Port District for 34 years, managing Santa Cruz Harbor, as well as the Santa Cruz Port.

After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1964, Brian spent the next 22 years serving as a pilot for the United States Coast Guard, and as a Lieutenant Colonel Combat Rescue Pilot for the California Air National Guard Rescue. During his time working as a rescue pilot. Brian earned two air medals and one Coast Guard Commendation medal.

In 1977, Brian ended his career as a pilot, and moved to Santa Cruz to work as Harbormaster for the Santa Cruz Port District. Brian's upbeat attitude and friendliness with coworkers gained him many friends, and 2 years later, Foss worked his way up to Port Director for the Santa Cruz Port District. For the next 31 years, Foss continued his tenure as Port Director, serving as the Chief Executive Officer for the District.

Outside of work, Brian was, and still is, a passionate and active supporter of ocean preservation. Brian was the former Chairman of the California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference, a 35-year-old California port and harbor advocacy association. Today, he is a member of the Bay Planning Coalition, the California Marine Parks and Harbors Association, and he is a harbor representative for Santa Cruz County Inter-Agency Task Force on economic development relevant to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

But Brian's enthusiasm is not limited to the oceans, but extends into his personal life as well. As a devoted father, Brian founded the 129th for Kids fund, a benefit program for military children who have lost parents in service.

His dedication to the harbor and passion for life also extended to his employees. His coworkers described him as a fun, considerate, and polite guy to hang around, who made a difference in the lives of others; he always made sure to let everyone feel welcome and to have a say in decisions. Additionally, Brian taught many of his workers how to effectively work in public service, and always made sure to try to do the right thing for everyone.

Madam Speaker, I would like to extend our Nation's deep gratitude for Brian's service to the United States and his local community. I know I speak for every Member of Congress in expressing my bittersweet feelings towards his retirement, and our thankfulness for his contributions to our Nation. Though Brian Foss may be retiring, he will not be leaving the hearts of all whom he has touched.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to rise today to congratulate the committee chair, Ike Skelton, and the ranking member, Duncan Hunter, for producing a bill that includes a component that may not be a traditional national defense item but will certainly make our Nation more secure.

I would further like to thank Vic Snyder, Mac Thornberry, and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman for making sure the military will have a strong and capable civilian partner to do stabilization work in the future.

Mr. Chairman, included within this en bloc amendment is a provision that will improve what is already a very good bill. For nearly half a decade, Members of Congress and foreign policy experts have been wringing their hands about our civilian capacity to effectively conduct stabilization and reconstruction operations.

Now, in a bipartisan fashion, in this bill and with this en bloc amendment, we are strengthening our government's ability to respond to crisis by standing

up a civilian response corps. Our Nation must do a better job, not just in waging wars, but also in winning the peace. If we cannot translate security gains into economic growth, social well-being and justice and reconciliation, all of the military power in world cannot secure long- term peace and prosperity for the world.

This bill, together with this en bloc amendment, will improve our Nation's ability to win the peace. I encourage all the Members to support the en bloc amendment.

I'd like to welcome our guests in the gallery today because this week is the 25th anniversary of National Tourism Week.

As co-chair of the Congressional Tourism Caucus, along with my co- chair Jon Porter of Nevada and nearly 100 Members of Congress, we recognize the importance of the tourism industry to our national economy and to our local communities.

It is the fastest growing industry in the world. From mom and pop restaurants to local unique shops to local State and national parks to this Capitol, which is a tourist attraction, there is so much to experience in this great country.

The tourism industry also shows America's best face. Travelers experience warm, friendly and compassionate people that make up our country. This person-to-person contact between different cultures can help dissolve stereotypes and misconceptions. As Mark Twain once said, ``Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.''

So remember that while our economy grows, tourism plays a multibillion-dollar aspect of that, employing more than 7.5 million people. I hope you will join me in welcoming the representatives of the tourism industry that are here this week and celebrating National Tourism Week.

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.

Mr. Speaker, in the Peace Corps we say, ``Once a volunteer, always a volunteer.'' There was a time when I thought that those words were just a slogan. However, over the years I've watched the friends I made in the Peace Corps in Colombia continue to volunteer in their communities and around the world. And this continuity of volunteerism is not unique to the Peace Corps.

In fact, it has become clear to people who understand public service and volunteerism, that to `'give back'' is a habit. And you can get more of it, if you open up more opportunities to people involved in volunteer service. There is a virtuous cycle in volunteerism and it is a cycle that we do well to encourage.

AmeriCorps is one of the great innovations in public policy that has created opportunities for Americans all across the country to volunteer. From working in inner city schools to working in food back in small towns, AmeriCorps opens the doors for people to volunteer and in so doing provides a stepping stone to a life of service.

I commend AmeriCorps for all it does and for all the doors to service it has opened. So, today as the House of Representatives recognizes AmeriCorps, I encourage all those who can do so to find a way to volunteer in their community and to give back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1512, legislation to compensate the States for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens.

The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SCAAP, is a very effective federal-local government partnership that deserves robust funding from the Bush Administration.

Currently, SCAAP funding is about $175 million less than what it was in fiscal year 1998, and falls far short of meeting the actual costs incurred by local jurisdictions. In my home state of California, we received about $110 million for this program in 2007. However, the California Department of Corrections actually spent more than $912.5 million of its own money to arrest and hold these criminal aliens. Like many other states, California is cutting funding in education and other programs in an effort to balance its budget; by underfunding SCAAP, the Bush Administration is forcing California to spend upwards of $800 million of its own money, foisting a federal responsibility on our local governments.

H.R. 1512 restores the original partnership and allows our local law enforcement officials to focus on protecting our communities. If we are truly serious about removing these dangerous criminal aliens from our country, we must make sure that we provide state and local law enforcement officers with all the tools they need to succeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an invaluable member of the Santa Cruz community. After two decades of service, Ceil Cirillo has announced her retirement from her post as director of Redevelopment/Economic Development for the City of Santa Cruz. Ceil began her work in the Santa Cruz community after numerous buildings and homes had been destroyed in the Loma Pierta earthquake of 1989. As a part of her work as a director, Ceil acquired the challenge of reconstructing a devastated historic downtown Santa Cruz. Her success is evident today by the vibrant destination for shopping and dining that Pacific Avenue is today. Yet this endeavor was only the beginning of her accomplishments and contributions that continue to benefit the Santa Cruz commnunity.

To rebuild the commerce affected by the quake, Ceil oversaw local building expansion. Under her direction, the agency created a new department for the redevelopment of downtown, as well as a business outreach program to ensure commercial success both downtown and citywide.

Ceil's humanitarian efforts made a great impact on Santa Cruz citizens who needed help the most. One of these accomplishments was overseeing the construction of low-rent units; providing housing for families with limited incomes. She also facilitated the installment of emergency housing units, 26 of which are in their planning stages or already under construction. These projects, along with others, have resulted in 407,000 square feet of newly available housing; placing roofs over the heads of those who would otherwise have no place to call home.

In her reconstruction aid, Ceil has not let her artistic side go but rather channeled her passion for the arts in her efforts. She is keen on preserving and cultivating the rich culture of the community, and instituted the Tannery Arts Center and Pacific Avenue Multi-Modal Station, which today serve as outlets for local artists. In addition, in the unique spirit of Santa Cruz, she instated commercial facade projects, murals, landscaping and similar projects all over the city. These public artworks give significant aesthetic appeal to a city that had once been reduced to shambles.

Prior to coming to Santa Cruz, Ceil was the Director of Redevelopment for the City of Signal Hill, California, and in addition to some private sector employment, was a Special Assistant to the City Manager in Pasadena, California. She has received numerous awards in recognition of her works in the Santa Cruz community and has served on the Board of Directors of several local charities.

Madam Speaker, the City of Santa Cruz will miss Ceil's vision and leadership, but there is no doubt that she has left the City in a better place from when she first arrived. I wish Ceil the best in retirement and look forward to her continued involvement in the Santa Cruz community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in observance of a National Day of Silence, and in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 328.

This Friday marks the 12th National Day of Silence, a day in which students remain silent for a day to highlight the discrimination some of their peers endure when they speak out about their sexual orientation and their personal gender identity.

Though the United States has made great progress toward ensuring civil rights for all of its citizens, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals still face persecution, often violent, from teachers, school officials, and their classmates in our schools.

This year the National Day of Silence will be held in memory of Lawrence King, an 8th-grade student in California who was shot and killed by one of his classmates because of his sexual orientation.

Our country was founded on the ideal of equality for all, with the self-evident right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We must always be mindful that our Nation's history is a chronicle of the blending of many formerly separate cultures and languages, ideas and lifestyles, into one American identity

that celebrates its diversity. I look forward to a day when we can all be tolerant.

The National Day of Silence recognizes that diversity is a cornerstone of American democracy--that all people are individuals and have a right to be treated with dignity and respect.

I look forward to a time where anti-GLBT harassment is no longer a problem in our schools. But until that happens, I am pleased to celebrate those students who recognize and appreciate the diversity of their classmates. I urge my colleagues to do the same and support H. Con. Res. 328.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to speak in support of House Resolution 322, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel.

For the past six decades, Israel has persevered in its quest to establish a free, open and democratic society--a society that reveres the same values that we do here in the United States. It is for that reason that we have been a stalwart ally of Israel. And it also for that reason that we will be allies for the next 60 years to come.

For as long as it has existed, Israel has been a beacon for the Jewish Diaspora and a lone democracy in the Middle East. It has given refuge to those in search of a homeland and provided a safe haven for people around the world who have fled from persecution.

While it has struggled with its neighbors to find a workable peace, Israel and its people have never ended its pursuit for a permanent solution. Over the years we have witnessed too much bloodshed and considerable sorrow, but we have also seen the enduring faith that peace will reign.

Israel has proven itself capable of monumental achievement and I see no reason to despair that peace with its neighbors will not be yet another of Israel's achievement.

I commend Israel on its 60th anniversary and believe its future is bright. And I continue to hope that its future will be free of the violence of much of its past.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, with my colleagues Anna Eshoo and Dennis Kucinich to honor the memory of an optimistic, vivacious woman whose positive outlook and zeal for life inspired many. Eleanor Wasson, a driving force behind WomenRise for Global Peace, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2008. She was 100 years old.

Miss Wasson grew up in Los Angeles, California and was raised by a loving, supportive family. In her life she was always conscious of the importance of giving back to the community. She devoted her life to fighting for political and social causes in the United States and abroad. Miss Wasson was an active volunteer, working three decades as a coordinator of Volunteer Services for UCLA, and later, creating her own organization. Miss Wasson helped introduce volunteerism to the rest of the world through the creation of International Volunteer Education, which was designed to teach foreign countries to recruit and train large numbers of volunteers.

A feminist ahead of her time, Miss Wasson's activism and longevity was fueled by her uplifting outlook on life. Miss Wasson was noted for the ability to befriend people from all over the world and from diverse walks of life. Her warm heart led her to treat each individual with equal respect and friendliness; noting that having plenty of friends attributed to her own longevity. Above all, she led her life believing in the universal power of love, and that we all had power, providing that every action was motivated by love.

Later in her life, Miss Wasson was drawn to the beauty of California's Central Coast. She moved to Santa Cruz in 1989, where she continued to cultivate her spirit of volunteerism, contributing much to a local environmental organization. EarthSave. There, she continued to make friends and spread her contagious optimism with Santa Cruz locals. Old age could not stop Miss Wasson as she continued her activist lifestyle up until her recent passing. Her memories live on, along with her book ``28,000 Martinis and Counting,'' which details her centenarian life of ``living, learning, and loving.''

Eleanor is survived by her daughters Joan Smith and Diane Wright; along with numerous beloved family members and friends.

Madam Speaker, I would like to extend our Nation's deep gratitude for Eleanor's service to the United States and her own local community. I know I speak for every Member of Congress in offering our condolences to Joan, Diane and the entire Wasson family for the loss of their beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to express my support for the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation Act.

This Jubilee Act is a vital piece of legislation that will liberate poor countries from the burden of heavy indebtedness. These countries simply cannot invest in their futures if they are tethered to the illegitimate debts of their past.

Today we have the opportunity to take a major step forward in our effort to combat global poverty and elevate our Nation's moral standing in the world. For that we should all feel a great sense of accomplishment.

By one simple act here in the U.S. House of Representatives, we have the ability to strike a blow against one of the great scourges of the world: poverty. I have spent a lifetime in public service fighting the root causes of poverty--from my time in Colombia as a Peace Corps volunteer, straight through to this vote today as a Member of Congress.

It has long been apparent to me that steady and adequate investments in health care, education, housing, and sanitation are absolute minimums to be able to eliminate poverty and hopelessness. And this bill makes those investments possible for a whole swath of the world where they would not be otherwise.

This bill lifts the burden of past debts off the backs of governments that are behaving responsibly and have a proven record of investing in their own people. This is important to note, because many of these indebted nations incurred their debt, not under their current democratically elected governments, but under past autocratic regimes that pilfered the money and left the people of these countries in utter poverty.

The Jubilee Act is a follow-on extension to a debt relief program with proven results. Since 1996, 30 countries have received nearly $80 billion in some form of debt relief. The money that these countries have saved in debt financing charges have gone directly into fighting poverty. By passing this bill, an additional 24 countries will have the opportunity to throw off the yoke of severe debt and begin anew to confront the conditions that perpetuate poverty with additional resources at their disposal.

I am pleased to join today with so many of my colleagues, from both political parties, to reinvigorate our effort to fight global poverty. I am pleased to join today with so many of my colleagues, from both political parties, to reinvigorate our effort to fight global poverty.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1187, the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification and Protection Act authored by my friend Representative Woolsey.

I am proud to say that I represent the 2nd largest National Marine Sanctuary in the system, which also includes the longest stretch of coastline. I can attest to their value in preservation of some of the most stunning seascapes in the world and in education of the public. The Gulf of the Farallones and the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries are adjacent to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and they have national and international significance. These sanctuaries exceed the biological productivity of tropical rain forests and support high levels of biological diversity.

The sanctuaries were established ``to maintain the natural biological communities in the national marine sanctuaries, and to protect, and, where appropriate, restore and enhance natural habitats, populations, and ecological processes.'' They are the ``National Parks'' of our ocean. As such, they were the first application of ecosystem-based management to our oceans. This type of management is recommended by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, which we in Congress created and charged with the study of the state of the oceans and the management of this shared, valuable resource.

The expansion of the boundaries of the Gulf of the Farrallones and the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries will protect a vital part of the California Coast and the upwelling zones, which form the basis of the fisheries in the Pacific Ocean. Expanding these boundaries will also help to preserve these exceptional underwater environments. We are the stewards of our oceans and coasts, and we are failing them. The oceans belong to all the people of the United States, and we must protect them and manage them for everyone's best interest.

Madam Speaker, with our oceans in crisis, the Sanctuaries are a beacon of hope for future generations. I support H.R. 1187 and urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2342, the National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems Act authored by my friend and fellow co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Allen.

The Integrated Ocean Observing System has the following goals: To improve the safety and efficiency of marine operations; to more effectively mitigate the effects of natural hazards; to improve predictions of climate change and its effects on coastal populations: to improve national security; to reduce public health risks; to more effectively protect and restore healthy coastal marine ecosystems: and to enable the sustained use of marine resources. This bill will coordinate and manage the existing regional Ocean Observing Systems.

In my district, the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System has proven invaluable in understanding and managing the ocean. The esoteric task of observing surface currents was indispensable in reacting and responding to the Cosco Busan oil spill in the

San Francisco bay. The Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System assisted in the spill tracking as well as using HF Radar systems to provide real-time information on ocean currents to the response teams. They also provided information to and continue to collaborate with the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, NOAA HAZMAT, NOAA Sanctuaries, and the Oil Spill Prevention and Response program.

These systems are at the forefront of the science of understanding harmful algal blooms, which affect human health and can cause fish kills. Ocean observing systems aid in the study of waterborne diseases and can provide vital information for navigation of ships and small boats. They also have national security implications. This set of Coordinated Regional Ocean Observing Systems will improve coastal monitoring and assist the Coast Guard in their mission to secure our waters and to provide search and rescue for those endangered at sea.

These Ocean Observing Systems are the foundation we need to apply ecosystem-based management of our oceans. This type of management and even this very system of National Integrated Ocean and Coastal Observing Systems is recommended by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, which we in Congress created. The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, created to continue to advise Congress on the Ocean Commission's suggestions, lists this as one of their chief priorities.

I cannot emphasize enough the need to show our ocean stewardship now, so we can turn the tide on the dire consequences facing our oceans and Great Lakes. The oceans and the Great Lakes belong to all the people of the United States and it is our duty to ensure that we provide the coordination and the funding necessary to protect these precious resources. This is why I support H.R. 2342 which will re-align and coordinate the existing Ocean Observing Systems.

Madam Speaker, the effects of climate change on the ocean are just beginning to be understood, while the ocean's impact on the growing coastal population increases daily. We need the Ocean Observing Systems in order to understand and respond to the challenges we are facing. I strongly support H.R. 2342 and urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Madam Speaker, in mid-March, the Chinese government conducted a bloody crackdown, grossly violating the human rights of the peaceful protestors in Tibet.

The protest by the Tibetans touched a nerve and rapidly spread beyond the capital city of Lhasa into other areas of Tibet and around the world. The peaceful protest drew a violent and disproportionate reaction from the Chinese government who sought to tamp down the Tibetan desire for autonomy and self-determination. Not only did the Chinese government react with terrible force upon the protesters, the authorities also tried to discredit the Dalai Lama and his movement for a free Tibet.

The Dalai Lama is as determined and committed to nonviolence as he is to seeing the emergence of a peaceful, prosperous, autonomous and self- determined Tibet. The brutal crackdown that seeks to derail the inevitable movement toward a free Tibet resulted in the deaths of more than 100 Tibetans and caused a great deal of social upheaval.

While we live a safe distance away from the struggle, comfortably ensconced in a liberal democratic society, we cannot act as though we do not have a role to play to support the Dalai Lama. We do.

I am enormously grateful to Speaker Pelosi, who has offered this House resolution which calls upon the Chinese to end this crackdown. This violent reaction is shortsighted and unproductive and, furthermore, it's not the long-term solution that respects the human rights and dignity of every Tibetan.

Rather, the Chinese Government must enter into a serious, substantive negotiation directly with the Dalai Lama and must allow independent monitors into Tibet. Only then will we be on the path toward a solution to this crisis. Furthermore, I join Speaker Pelosi and other supporters of a free Tibet, to ask for the immediate release of all Tibetans who were arrested for non-violent protest.

I am pleased this evening to express my support for the struggle toward a free Tibet, and I would encourage all my colleagues to join me by supporting this important House resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Quarrier Gourley, who passed away on Friday, March 14, 2008.

Mary, who was known to most people as Molly, was born in 1932 and grew up in Modesto, California. She attended Modesto Junior College and later Zweegman's School for Medical Assistants in San Francisco. In 1957, she married William H. ``Bill'' Gourley, who was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. While Bill traveled the world for the United States Army, Molly was at his side. Over a 35-year span they covered every corner of the United States and Europe. Even after Bill retired, they continued to hit the road often. Among Molly's favorite places to visit were Washington DC., Germany and Turkey.

Molly loved to spend her time researching her genealogy, gardening, traveling, and entertaining her friends and family. Through genealogy, she discovered her families' extraordinary history. She had family members who took part in the American Revolution and joined the Daughters of the American Revolution. Molly had a great amount of pride in her family origins. It was that pride in her family history that she imbued in her own family and what built strong bonds among them, bonds that keep them close despite being settled in disparate places.

I always knew Molly as a vivacious, bubbly person--always full of life and laughter. But that bubbly spirit was not to be confused with frivolousness. Absolutely not. Molly was a person of depth and substance, a woman of strength. Hers was a presence always felt and will be sorely missed.

Molly is survived by her husband, William Gourley, who attained the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army and is now retired: her son Michael; and daughter Cecily, Carolyn, Mary Jane; and her nine grandchildren. She will be laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery later this month.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mary Quarrier Gourley, who was a thoughtful and loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Women's History Month. April was designated as Women's History Month in 1987 to honor women and the achievements they have made throughout the years. I want to pay special tribute to my female colleagues in the California delegation.

I am proud that California has led the way in electing women to some of the highest offices in the federal government. Currently, there are 19 women from California in the House of Representatives, more than any other state. Among these are the Speaker of the House, a Chair and a vice-Chair, and 12 subcommittee Chairs. These women, who hold leadership positions, wield an enormous amount of power that was un- heard-of just a couple of decades ago.

In the fall of 2006, the American people elected the Democrats to the majority and as a result, they put into motion a process that would ultimately break one of the ``glass ceilings'' for women in politics. After she was sworn in, Nancy Pelosi, the first ever female Speaker of the House said, ``It says to women everywhere that not only a glass ceiling but a marble ceiling can be broken and that anything is possible.'' This was an historical day for women, not only from the United States, but from around the world. I have talked to numerous women who have mentioned watching this momentous occasion on TV.

These women hold their positions in part because of the hard work of women like Jeannette Rankin of Montana, who served from 1917-1919 and again in 1941-1943; Mae Ella Nolan of California, who served from 1923- 1925; Florence Kahn of California, who served from 1925-1937; and Helen Douglas of California, who served from 1945-1951. These women were pioneers in the field of politics at a time when politics was a man's purview. Thanks to these women, we have elected the first woman Speaker of the House, who is third in line for the Presidency.

Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to the women across the country, and around the world, who have made history by their varied accomplishments. And the women who have come before you and have helped lead the way for women in the political arena.