Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to rise to indicate that we have an opportunity to be good Americans and to be the kind of resilient, strong, patriotic Nation that all of us love. We love this country.

I gathered this morning with a group of leaders who addressed the question of working issues, union leaders. Every last one of them said, let us create jobs, jobs in America. Part of it could be passing the jobs bill that the President has introduced dealing with the question of infrastructure. One Member who was coming to the meeting said, I was late because of our infrastructure problems. This would create jobs, bring back our law enforcement, police officers and teachers, where classrooms are going up and up and up in size because we don't have enough teachers.

And as you well know, the President has announced that we will be bringing home our valiant troops from Iraq, 150,000 of these young people that will need jobs. Let's get them in a training program where they have to get a stipend that will help support them, legislation that I have introduced.

This last bill that I had to vote against, it's sad that we would take Medicaid to help our small businesses and our vendors, whereas 2 years ago I voted on it because we used the stimulus funds to do so. There are many pay-fors to help small businesses, but what we need to do is to focus on paying and creating--paying people, Americans, so they can eat and put food on their table. We need to create jobs and stop taking money from Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

Let's all work together, pull together, balance this budget on the basis of the fact that the Nation is not broke. We can do this.

Mr. Speaker, I will begin by thanking Congressman Al Green and Congressman Ted Poe for organizing this evening's Special Order in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

As a Senior Member of the Judiciary Committee, I believe we need stronger laws to protect survivors of abuse and their families. In 1994, I was an original co-sponsor of the Violence Against Women's Act (VAWA) which was a landmark piece of legislation that sought to improve the criminal justice system and community-based response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in the United States. In addition, we must do more to address the causes of domestic abuse and to aid the victims of this violence.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month serves as an important reminder about this important issue. It is a travesty that domestic violence is one of the most underreported crimes in our country. 1 out of every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. This is an epidemic that does not discriminate based on age, race, religion or gender.

Across the country there are non profits, community based organizations, and religious groups that are diligently working to address all the issues that rise from domestic violence. One such organization is the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and another is in my hometown of Houston, TX, the Houston Area Women's Center.

I sat on the board of the Houston Area Women's Center and I witnessed firsthand the challenges they faced when addressing the needs of men, women, and children who are the victims of violence.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) 85 percent of all domestic violence victims are women. It is disturbing that every 9 seconds a woman in the United States is assaulted or beaten; more often than not she knows her abuser.

The numbers are alarming, between 2001 and 2005, about 63 percent of nonfatal intimate partner victimization against women occurred at home, 9.4 percent of these attacks were near home and 11.1 percent of the abuse occurred at a friend or neighbor's home.

The aggressors were often intimate partners, relatives, friends, acquaintances and even strangers. Every year nearly 5.3 million women over the age of 18 will be the victims of domestic violence. According to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this violence will result in nearly 2 million injuries and 1,300 deaths.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. It's really a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak this morning and to congratulate President Obama for keeping his promise and keeping his promise to the American people.

I've had the privilege of traveling to Iraq on many occasions, the privilege of greeting our soldiers coming from Texas, Houston, and all over America. I've had the sadness of attending the memorials and funeral services of fallen soldiers, the sadness of talking to parents and relatives asking the question: ``Why?'' I've even gone and mourned with mothers around the issue of convincing Presidents, in this instance, President Bush, to end the war.

I've been amidst tiny white crosses that have symbolized the numbers of those who died in Iraq; and in my office, for a period of time, we accounted for the numbers of individuals who died in Iraq, in particular, from the State of Texas.

I cochair the Afghan Caucus. In times that I have gone to Iraq in the Green Zone that is familiar to many, I've even taken enemy fire; and that is, of course, enemy fire attempting to hit those in the Green Zone, nothing in comparison to our soldiers and certainly never experienced the heinous act of an IED.

It is time to bring those warriors home and to say thank you, spending almost $900 billion, close to $1 trillion. And I'd like to see the amendment that I passed in the Defense authorization bill utilized. It was a national proclamation, a day to welcome home all of our combat veterans. It would include those who have fought wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other wars in times past and other incidents around the world.

It's time to have a celebration and a response to our soldiers like we've never had before. It's time to place ribbons; it's time to stand in streets; it's time to celebrate through parades. And I would commend those who have served and continue to serve and our veterans. It seems that that is the appropriate response.

And how silly it seems that in the State of Texas we have to be fighting the potential implementation of a Confederate flag. We had a press conference in my district with persons from around the State and around the county standing up against the State-issued Confederate flag. In fact, we announced for the State of Texas: Why couldn't we put the American flag on our plates, our license plates, to symbolize our commitment to our soldiers and our respect for the unity of this Nation?

But yet, under Governor Perry, we are fooling around with the idea, with his appointees, of a Confederate flag license plate, one that does not honor the Confederate soldier. For those who wish to honor them, there are places and museums in your home. But to put on the State license plate a flag that symbolized fear, intimidation, oppressive actions, brutality, slavery, and the death of slaves, some 20 million that came over, many that were thrown overboard, and the brutality of Jim Crowism is an outrage and will not be tolerated.

While there is continued growth of millions of millionaires and the average salary in the United States is $26,000, it seems that we should stay focused on job creation and not be distracted in a State as large as Texas, with the largest majority minority community of Latinos and African Americans and the largest number of uninsured, that the government of the State of Texas would take time to fool around with a Confederate flag, a hostile symbol that is so egregious to many in this country.

And so, Mr. Speaker, I hope that Congress will focus on passing the jobs bill, recognizing the need of the American people. I hope my colleagues will look toward States that would create a hostile atmosphere such as a Confederate license plate in a way that would show that many times they're not worthy of receiving Federal funds if they want to spend their time spending money on something as dastardly as that--and I come from the State--because there are so many needs, such as was mentioned earlier by my colleagues, in the limitations in the SNAP and food stamps where children are starving.

Why don't we focus on the goodness of bringing us together such as my earlier comment of welcoming home our troops with a national proclamation pursuant to the amendment that I passed on this floor of the House 419-0? Why don't we get rid of things like Confederate flag symbols that represent oppression? And why don't we come together in this Congress to pass the President's American Jobs Act so salaries are not going down? And why don't we hold States accountable when they get Federal dollars that if they don't hire small businesses and those who are unemployed, Mr. Speaker, that we cut their Federal funds? And I truly mean that.

I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your indulgence. Again, let's get rid of the bad things in the United States, such as symbols of Confederate flags insulting much of the American people, let's support SNAP, let's support people going to work, and let's make sure that there are people earning more than $26,000 by getting them back to work.

I want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina and the gentleman from Missouri for their courtesies.

This is an emotional time for all of us. As we pay tribute to the Montford Point Marines, we must pay tribute to Congresswoman Corrine Brown. We thank you, first of all, for restoring our faith in this country and showing us that we can work together as Members of Congress.

To be able to bestow the Congressional Gold Medal on the Montford Point Marines is something that we would want to be the first legislation of this week. It awards the gold medal to the first African American marines at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Then, of course, it acknowledges their personal sacrifice and their service to the country.

My father-in-law was a Tuskegee Airman. It took so long to be able to honor them. And as we begin to build this country on a more solid ground, it is important to acknowledge the first African American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, Sergeant William Harvey Carney. He received it during the Civil War. Then, of course, at its inception, the Marine Corps refused to recruit African Americans from 1775 until 1942. But immediately after the racial restrictions were lifted, nearly 20,000 African Americans signed up to become marines and began their basic training at the segregated Camp Montford Point during World War II until 1949. Yet they were still faced with segregation and racism.

We all know that the Marines are the first in; and as the Marines are the first in, then others follow. They're well known for taking the bullet first, in many instances, as they work with other members of the United States military.

So today it is more than appropriate, Mr. Speaker, to be able to honor these fine heroic individuals. I salute them. I thank God that we have the opportunity to honor them at this time. It is great that America can unite together and go forward under a unity of understanding the dignity of all people.

Thank you, Montford Point Marines. It is an honor to support the Congressional Gold Medal being awarded to them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2447, ``To Grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines,'' which awards the Congressional Gold Medal to the first African American Marines at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in recognition of their personal sacrifice and service to their country.

African Americans have a long and proud history of serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Since the founding of our fine nation, African Americans have fought to protect our nation. The first African American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor was Sergeant William Harvey Carney. He achieved this honor for his heroism during the Civil War. Although Sergeant Carney received our nation's highest military honor he would not have been allowed to join the Marines. The measure before us today honors the African American tradition of service and recognizes how far we have come as a society.

From its inception in 1775 until 1942, the Marine Corps refused to recruit African Americans. On June 25, 1941, against heated objections from the Marine Corps leadership, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 8802 to establish fair employment practices which ended racial discrimination in the military. President Roosevelt recognized the need for social change in the armed services. African Americans, who were long denied access to the Marines, now had the opportunity to become Marines.

Immediately after the racial restrictions were lifted, nearly 20,000 African Americans signed up to become Marines and began their basic training at the segregated Camp Montford Point during World War II until 1949. Yet, African American Marines still faced the challenges of segregation and racism.

Railroad tracks divided White Marines at Camp Lejeune from Camp Montford Point. African American Marines could only enter Camp Lejeune if accompanied by a White Marine. Even under these conditions African Americans persevered, completed training and fought to protect our country.

By 1945 all drill instructors and officers at Montford Point were African Americans. In the same year, Frederick Branch became the first African American Marine to be commissioned as a second lieutenant.

Marines from Montford Point landed at Iwo Jima on D-Day, and engaged in combat in Okinawa. The largest number of African-American Marines to serve in combat during World War II took part in the seizure of Okinawa in the Ryuku Islands with some 2,000 African-American Marines seeing action during the campaign. Overall, 19,168 African-Americans served in the Marine Corps in World War II.

In 1949 Camp Montford Point was deactivated and new African American recruits were sent to Paris Island in South Carolina and Camp Pendleton in California. In less than five years, the African American men who served at Camp Montford Point forever changed U.S. history.

We should all celebrate the legacy these heroes have given us. We celebrate this legacy with pride and are optimistic that our children and their grandchildren will forever remember those who have made this country

what it is today. The combat services of the Montford Point Marines certainly advanced the cause of civil rights. These African American men fought fiercely and with honor. Their actions in combat had a strong impact on President Truman's decision to order the desegregation of the Armed Forces in 1948.

We have a duty to recognize Americans who have endured tremendous odds. Let these Marines remind us of a yesterday of segregation and inequality.

Also, let them remind us that, as Americans, we are one in service and patriotism to our great nation. I stand with my colleagues in support of this recognition of the history of such a prestigious group of men--the first African American Marines of Montford Point.

I spoke about this early this morning, and I want to reiterate my appreciation to Corrine Brown and to this resolution that was passed to honor the Montford Point Marines, 20,000 of them, African Americans, that served their country in such esteem, and the fact that we have this gold medal, which causes me again to raise the coming home of our troops from Iraq and again thank President Barack Obama for that decisive decision, recognizing that we are safe and secure as we protect the homeland and build up our military preparedness, bring our troops home and provide jobs for them, and have them restored to their families.

I just had an opportunity to meet with the Texas Air National Guard Reservists who have served well in Iraq and Afghanistan. I met with their general and want to offer my deep commitment to them. That is why it makes no sense for the State of Texas to issue a Confederate flag for the license plate.

Let us get an understanding of what is accolades and appreciation for our military. Let us go forward. I denounce the issuance of a Confederate flag. Let's issue the United States flag for the United States of America.

Let me thank Congressman Al Green and Congressman Poe for convening us today on such a very important topic that includes the issue of domestic violence in this Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

As a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, it's been my privilege, sadly, however, to have worked on the Violence Against Women Act for a very long time and be an original cosponsor and author of the reauthorization of that bill some years ago.

My initial premise on this day that we express our concern is that the laws need to be stronger. I simply want to acknowledge, as we have worked on these issues, that domestic violence has not decreased in spite of the hardworking advocacy groups and places of refuge for the women in our community.

I want to acknowledge the Houston Area Women's Center, of which I served as a member of the board for a number of years, and the great work that they do, along with many other organizations in the Houston area that are refuges for women.

But let me cite these numbers to you:

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 85 percent of all domestic violence victims are women. I

do want to acknowledge that men suffer domestic violence as well. We are sympathetic and want to include them in fighting against this dastardly deed.

It is disturbing that every 9 seconds a woman in the United States is assaulted or beaten. More often than not, she knows her abuser. The numbers are alarming.

Between 2000 and 2005, about 63 percent of nonfatal intimate partner victimization against women occurred at home, 9.4 percent of these attacks were near home, and 11.1 percent of the abuse occurred at a friend's or neighbor's home. The aggressors were often intimate partners, relatives, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers.

Every year, nearly 5.3 million women over the age of 18 will be victims of domestic violence. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this violence will result in nearly 2 million injuries and 1,300 deaths.

In the State of Texas, for example, at least 74 percent of Texans know someone who has experienced some form of physical, sexual, or verbal abuse, yet these incidents remain underreported because there is great fear.

According to the Houston Area Women's Center, which, as I indicated, I served as a member of the board, 142 women were murdered in Texas by an abusive partner. The youngest of these victims were only 17 years old and the oldest was 78. In 2007, the center served over 2,800 survivors of domestic violence and took almost 39,000 calls.

As I conclude, I want to just give this brief story of a recent 17- hour attack that occurred in Houston, which was noted as one of the worst local domestic abuse cases ever. A man's tortured wife follows years of abuse, and this lady never reported it because of a fear of the impact or the abuse or the violence against her four children. While this horrific act was taking place, it was occurring while her 1- year-old daughter was in another room.

This 33-year-old woman was violated by this vicious man with a long record of absolute insanity and violence using a hairspray can and a lighter match and taking a match with that hairspray to her breasts and her genitals. Right now I stand on this floor in absolute outrage. Sheriff Adrian Garcia likened the suspect to an animal and that he is-- rabid dog.

The terrible part of this is that he is charged with assault to a relative. I, frankly, want him to be charged with a much more heinous act because--in many instances when you are charged with this particular action, which the legislature probably thought that these were relatives against relatives, but this was a heinous act--this gentleman should never see the light of day. And there are actors like this around the Nation--and around the world, by the way, because there is that kind of violence around the world--that should never see the light of day.

As we continue to work on this, I will continue to advocate funding, as I provided funding for our local agencies in Houston. I will continue to champion stronger laws to prevent, if I can, in terms of the stronger laws and intervention, so that women can have the strength to go to places like the Houston Area Women's Center and to save them from this heinous and dastardly act. This woman will be mutilated for life and will have to have reconstructive surgery--again, a can of hairspray and a lighter match for 17 hours while her 1-year-old child remained in the room.

Let me thank, again, our colleagues for allowing us to come to the floor and, again, let me make a commitment to all of the women out there and those in Houston and Texas that I will never step away from fighting for you not to suffer this indignity. Please, leave the home and go to a refuge like the Houston Area Women's Center and other places to save your life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 441, ``The Kantishna Hills Renewable Energy Act of 2011,'' which authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue permits for microhydro projects in the Kantishna Hills area within the Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. These projects will harness the power of water to create up to 100 kilowatts of electricity that will be used to serve much of the area.

As the Representative from the 18th Congressional District in Houston, TX, our nation's energy capital, I firmly believe in supporting viable renewable energy projects. In my home state the energy industry and its supporting businesses has created thousands of jobs and has fostered economic growth. It is imperative that we find ways to meet our nation's grown appetite for energy.

According to the National Hydropower Association, in the United States hydropower projects are responsible for providing 81 percent of the nation's renewable electricity generation and about 10 percent of the nation's total electricity. In terms of everyday use, this is enough to power 37.8 million homes.

The average Americans consumes 10,896 kilowatts of electricity each year. In Texas, alone, over 9 million residences are using electricity, at a rate of about 1,000 kilowatts a month. This costs Texans an estimated $141.23 a month in electric bills. At a time when we are all tightening our belts. If one of our solutions can be found by simply harnessing water, then it deserves more than a second glance.

Water has been used as a power source for centuries, from Africa to Asia to Europe. As of today, there are 85,000 small-scale hydro power plants in China alone. We are not talking about large-scale projects that have an impact on wildlife habitats.

A large-scale hydro project often requires a sizeable dam. These large-scale dams have raised numerous environmental concerns. Micro projects have significantly less impact on the environment because they use the natural flow of a river and make only minute modifications to the stream channel and flow of water in order to generate power.

Before us, today, are renewable energy projects that will have a marginal impact on the environment (when compared to large-scale plants); a project that will create jobs; and a project that will create much needed energy. On balance this project appears to find symmetry between protecting the environment, creating jobs and meeting our nation's energy needs.

I believe that finding ways to address and meet our growing energy needs is vital to the economic success of our nation. We should allow the expansion of renewable energy projects that have a limited impact on the environment, will create jobs, and will meet our energy needs. I believe working with the energy community to bolster creative industry approaches and protecting our environment will result in job creation. I believe that sound energy policies not only will protect our environment but are important to the long term health and wellbeing of our citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 295, ``the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation, delineating the United States extended continental shelf, and the monitoring and description of coastal changes'' which amends the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with the funds necessary to accurately map the U.S. Arctic.

Thomas Jefferson signed into law legislation that would result in a complete survey of our coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been honoring this mandate by charting our waters for over 200 years. NOAA develops and supplies a variety of products which enables vessels to safely navigate our waterways. These products include nautical charts, tide, current and weather information. These projects are vital to safe navigation of our coast.

I represent the 18th District of Texas, which contains one of the world's leading ports, the Port of Houston. I understand the importance of providing pilots and captains with precise and accurate maps. Having a detailed representation of our nation's terrain ensures the safety of ships, their crew and their cargo. We must remember that every single day, thousands of vessels enter America's ports. These ports are vital to our economy.

The Port of Houston, which consists of the uppermost 26 miles of the Houston Ship Channel, is a significant economic engine locally, regionally and nationally. Each year, the port is responsible for nearly $285 billion in economic activity, supports more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs and generates $16.2 billion in tax revenue annually nationwide. Ships that enter ports like the Port of Houston carry cargo that is going to enter our stream of commerce and boast our economy. Across our nation this is a one trillion dollar industry that supports more than 13 million jobs in the United States. It is important to note that over 98 percent of the tonnage and more than 59 percent of the value of our foreign trade is conveyed via the maritime transportation system.

By expanding our map to include the Arctic, we expand the ability of ships and airplanes to safely maneuver through those waters, thereby expanding commerce and creating jobs. In addition, having a detailed map of the Arctic is vital to our national security and can aid in the detection of climate change in the region.

As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection and Member of the Border and Maritime Subcommittee, I know that it is imperative that we protect our borders by land, air and by sea. As any Commander would agree, it is difficult to mount a defense without having a map to clearly navigate the terrain. The services provided by NOAA would allow us to map terrain that has not been adequately mapped in decades.

Over the last five years there has been a dramatic change in sea ice extents. They have decreased in thickness by 35 percent. This may be a significant sign for environmental change. The decrease in sea ice means that more ships may have access to the area, thereby opening additional trade routes. To be clear, the erosion of sea ice has a serious impact on the livelihoods of people living in the region. The only way to begin to find an answer to the issues posed in the Arctic is to have a studied and detailed analysis of its current structure and how that structure has changed and may continue to change. These maps will help to generate commerce, which will create jobs and help our economy. At the same time these maps will be vital to noting any significant changes to our environment. Lastly, knowing our waters ensures that we will be able to defend ourselves against all enemies. If indeed the erosion of the sea ice extends, it will provide additional access to trade routes. It also provides additional access to our nation. These maps will be an invaluable aid to protecting our borders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 320, ``Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act,'' which designates a Distinguish Flying Cross National Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California. Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross are awarded to any officer of enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by ``heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.''

The March Field Air Museum serves as the appropriate location for such a prestigious honor. Its home sits on the March Air Force Base. March Air Force Base dates back to a time when the United States was rushing to build up its military forces in anticipation of entering World War I. It continued to be used as a pilot training center and as well as an operational base throughout World War II. March Air Force Base was a part of outstanding achievements in test flights and other contributions to the science of aviation. For over seventy years, March has been a key component in the advance of aviation and in the growth of the modern Air Force.

The March Field Air Museum is representative of American ingenuity in aviation. The museum hosts a collection of military and vintage aircraft that presents an extraordinary look at the history of aviation and the use of aviation in modern warfare. The museum tells the story of how aircraft were first used in warfare and how they have become a vital part of our nation's military power.

As all of our military, we hold a special place in our hearts for those pilots who operated those aircraft. These aviators supported our ground troops from the air during times of war. This honor will bestow the nation's gratitude upon those who are so deserving of recognition. I am happy to share in this opportunity with my colleagues to place in our nation's history the recognition of these heroes of the skies. Our nation is better for the heroism of these brave men and women.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about something happy, and that is the Happy/Sad Pillow that is made by the parents of AVANCE in my district. With this toy, parents can teach numbers, cause and effect, colors, emotions, motor skills, social skills, and textures.

I was fortunate enough to be with them today. They have a very healthy Head Start program, but we were able to give them $8 million in stimulus to help their infrastructure to build new buildings, and then a $3.2 million grant for a healthy marriage that helps grandparents and single parents to be able to raise up our children that are preschool.

It is noted that the children that go through this program test with higher scores than those who have not and do much better in the public school system. It also evidences that the government can be a partnership, a private-public partnership, to make America great.

We can create jobs. We can improve the education. We can lay out a pathway for our children. There is nothing wrong with the government being productive and forceful and working on behalf of the American people.

So to the Congress here, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, let's work together.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1263, ``to amend Service Members' Civil Relief Act.'' This legislation would provide surviving spouses of service members with certain protections relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosures.

The proposed bill to amend Service Members Civil Relief Act will afford surviving spouses of service members who die while in the military and whose death is service-connected, the same protections against sale, foreclosure, and seizure of property currently applicable to their husbands who while in military service are unable to meet an obligation on real or personal property. It is in a spirit of deep gratitude and appreciation that I fight to provide for the surviving spouses of our deceased military men and women, in order to provide them with the tools they need to maintain ownership of their homestead after supporting members of our community who served our country. It is the responsibility of all Members of Congress and the Administration to fulfill our moral obligation to those men and women who have fought to protect our freedom and democracy, and the families that supported their courageous lives.

In the State of Texas, we have nearly 1.7 million veterans, and 18th District is home to 32,000 of them. Of the 200,000 veterans of military service who live and work in Houston, more than 13,000 are veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additionally, there are almost 34,000 soldiers from Texas currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am pained by the numbers of fine men and women who have lost their lives during their deployment.

As of August 2, 4,683 brave Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) on October 7, 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began with the invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003. Of the total deaths, 3,708 were due to hostile fire, and the remainder due to non-hostile actions (such as accident, suicide, or illness).

In August, 66 American troops died in violence, the bulk of them during a devastating helicopter crash on Aug. 6, which killed 30 special operations troops and eight Afghans on a high-risk raid. The 66 deaths were the highest count for that war since July 2010, when 65 Americans were killed. Nora Bensahel, a military strategist with the Center for a New American Security, said the numbers may not mean as much as they seem. ``In Afghanistan, the number of people killed overall was very high, but that doesn't say much about number of attacks--half of those [killed] were from a single incident--a particularly devastating one,'' referring to the Aug. 6 crash.

Monthly American casualties in Iraq have largely been in the single digits for several years now, but the war there has not been without perils: last July, 14 American servicemen died amid fighting there, many of whom leave spouses and children behind.

According to the Department of Labor, as of June 2011 there have been more than 2,500 coalition troops that have now been killed--with 1,644 of them being American. Further, the Defense Manpower Data Center Statistical Analysis Division has identified 3,215 Americans killed in the Iraq war, with 23 having been from Texas. This legislation addresses a need to find ways to provide mortgage assistance to the surviving spouses of the men and women who have fought for our country.

After dedicating their lives to serving our country it is important to assist the family members of deceased service members.

In order to address this obstacle to employment, The Veterans Opportunity Work Act (VOW) makes the Transition Assistance Program mandatory. The Department of Labor must thereby create a system by which licensure and certifications are translatable to those available at the state level. This is done in an effort to address the barriers between the skills and training received in the military and requirements for civilian licenses and other credentials.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1263, to amend Service Members Civil Relief Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2074, ``the Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention and Healthcare Enhancement Act of 2011.'' This legislation requires the Veterans' Administration, VA, to report and track sexual assaults and other safety related incidents at its medical facilities. Further, it requires: a payment of nursing home care for veterans with service- connected disabilities, requires individualized care for traumatic brain injuries (TBI), allows service dogs on VA properties, and establishes a three year pilot program to assess the effectiveness of mental health and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments of veterans who are utilizing dog training therapy.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have remained committed to meeting the needs of veterans. They have kept their promise to serve our nation and have willingly risked their lives to protect the country we all love. We must now ensure that we keep our promises to our veterans. It is only prudent to require the VA to take steps to ensure that our veterans are safe while in their care.

In the State of Texas, we have nearly 1.7 million veterans, and 18th District is home to 32,000 of them. The veterans I represent are aware of the services provided by the Veterans' Administration. When they return home, the least we can do is to ensure that while they are receiving care their physical safety concerns are being addressed.

The Veterans' Administration is charged with providing for the healthcare needs of our nation's veterans. Part of this care includes providing for their safety. Although the majority of the men and women who have served our country are upright and law abiding citizens there are always a few bad actors. The veterans must be protected against bad actors in the same way that they have helped to protect the United States against our enemies.

The Department of Defense estimates that in 2010 alone, there were over 19,000 sexual assaults in the military, which amounts to nearly 52 sexual assaults per day. It is not unreasonable to imagine that those tens of thousands of survivors and their perpetrators vanish after they are discharged from the military. There are substantial numbers of veterans who are survivors of sexual trauma, survivors utilizing the VA services. According to a VA report in FY 2010 68,379 patients had at least one outpatient visit to a VHA facility that was for the treatment of a condition related to military sexual trauma: 61 percent, or 41,475, of those patients were women; 39 percent, or 26,904, were men.

We must remember that the Veterans' Administration does serve tens of thousands of veterans every year. This number will continue to grow as more of our troops return home. As with any institution that meets the needs of so many the VA must ensure the safety of the patients under their care. To do so the VA must train members of their staff on sexual harassment and sexual assault responses, and educate patients on the process to file a sexual assault allegation.

According to the Government Accountability Office, GAO, there were nearly 300 sexual assault incidents reported to the VA police from January 2007 through July 2010--including alleged incidents that involved rape, inappropriate touching, forceful medical examinations, forced or inappropriate oral sex, and other types of sexual assault incidents. Many of these sexual assault incidents were not reported to officials within the management reporting stream which is a direct violation of VA policy and Federal Regulations.

H.R. 2074 addresses some of the factors identified by the GAO, namely that the VA did not have a consistent sexual assault definition that could be utilized for reporting purposes. The VA also did not have clear expectations for incident reporting across VA medical facilities. In addition, the VA does not have the ability or mechanisms in place to monitor sexual assault incidents reported through the management reporting stream. H.R. 2074 would require the VA to establish a comprehensive policy to report and track all incidents of sexual assault and other safety concerns.

It is important that the men and women receiving care at VA medical facilities are adequately protected from harm. It is unfathomable that this issue has not been addressed sooner. We must remember that although sexual assault is often considered an issue only affecting women, in fact, both men and women have suffered sexual assaults. Further, victims may be assaulted by predators of the same or the opposite sex. Like other types of trauma, sexual trauma can leave lasting scars upon the physical and mental health of its victims. Veterans who are already receiving care for their wounds should not be left to defend themselves against aggressors.

In addition, the GAO determined that five VA medical facilities visited, had poorly monitored surveillance cameras, alarm system malfunctions, and the failure of alarms to alert both VA police and clinical staff when triggered. Inadequate system configuration and testing procedures contributed to these weaknesses. Further, facility officials at most of the locations GAO visited said the VA police were understaffed. These issues could have dire consequences, as it could lead to delayed response time to incidents and seriously erode the VA's efforts to prevent or mitigate sexual assaults and other safety incidents. This is simply outrageous.

H.R. 2074 requires the VA to take this matter seriously. As it stands this bill requires the VA to have clear accountability goals for VA staff. Every VA medical facility is required to have a military sexual trauma coordinator; considering the volume of patients who are coping with this condition that should not be a surprise. What is surprising is that at most VA facilities this position is not a full time job. These employees are often given additional duties and obligations not related to military sexual trauma. This legislation should be a wakeup call. Protecting the safety of our veterans while they are in our care is a top priority.

In addition, this legislation opens the possibility of meeting the health needs of veterans who reside in nursing homes, are receiving treatment for PTSD and other mental health services. It is important to note that when a solider returns from the battlefield he or she brings with them both physical and mental wounds. It is our duty to ensure that each and every one of those veterans who survive the fields of combat are able to receive the care they need when they make it home.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2074, the Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention and Healthcare Enhancement Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2349, ``Veterans' Benefits Training Improvement Act of 2011,'' which directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to annually assess the skills of appropriate Veterans Benefits Administration employees and managers responsible for processing VA compensation and pension benefit claims, implement individualized training plans related to such skills, provide remediation for deficiently skilled employees or managers receiving a less than satisfactory result on any portion of the assessment, take appropriate disciplinary actions with respect to individuals failing to receive a satisfactory result after being given two opportunities for such remediation, and requires the Secretary to submit a related annual report to Congress.

It is essential that employees and managers responsible for VA compensation receive sufficient training to better assist our veterans. These employees need to be well aware of the range of possible benefits and packages that are available for our service men and women so that they can take full advantage of every opportunity that they rightfully deserve. I suspect that this legislation will address any areas of concern in regard to training so that the Veterans Benefits Administration can be of better service to our veterans.

As the Representative from the 18th Congressional District of Houston I am thoroughly familiar with the issues faced by our veterans when they return from deployment. I believe that any man or woman who risks their lives for the freedom and rights of others deserves to receive the benefits they have earned. I know first-hand how my constituents feel regarding this issue. In the State of Texas, we have nearly 1.7 million veterans, and 18th District is home to 32,000 of them. I feel that it is my duty, as well as that of my colleagues to ensure that employees and managers who are responsible for VA compensation and pension benefit claims adhere to proper protocol when processing funds for our veterans.

My office receives calls from disheartened constituents who cannot understand why it is such a challenge to receive the appropriate VA benefits. The fact that anyone has to call and to seek help outside of the VA regarding VA benefits deeply concerns me.

This matter can be addressed by properly training those responsible for determining the benefits in the first place. The role of these individuals is to assist veterans in the process and to adequately educate veterans about what is and is not available to them. We must remember that there is no greater love than for that of a man or a woman who is willing to lay down their life for their country. I hope

that my colleagues would agree with me when I say there is no greater love than this. We owe it to the men and women who have risked their lives for our freedom to ensure that procedures are being adhered to where VA benefits are concerned.

H.R. 2349 will benefit the well-being of the public by ensuring that employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration possess the adequate skills that are necessary to fulfill their duties, and if any train employees when necessary. This is the least we can do to assist our service men and women when they seek to attain the benefits that they have already earned.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2433, ``the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act 2011.'' This legislation would provide honorably discharged, unemployed veterans who are between the ages of 35 to 60 with who are currently not eligible for certain veterans benefits

will be provided with retraining assistance for a limited period of time.

The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act provides services for the courageous men and women who served in the Armed Forces. It is in a spirit of deep gratitude and appreciation that I fight to provide for our veterans with the tools they need to find employment after serving our country. It is the responsibility of all Members of Congress and the Administration to fulfill our moral obligation to those who have fought to protect our freedom and democracy.

In the State of Texas, we have nearly 1.7 million veterans, and 18th District is home to 32,000 of them. Of the 200,000 veterans of military service who live and work in Houston; more than 13,000 are veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additionally, there are almost 34,000 soldiers from Texas currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am supporting this legislation to ensure that our men and women in uniform are taken care of when they return from combat.

According to the Department of Labor as of June 2011 there are over 1 million unemployed veterans; over 632,000 are between the ages of 35 and 54. As Iraq and Afghanistan veterans come home, and as Vietnam, Cold War, and Persian Gulf War veterans can't find or lost their jobs, this results in a real loss of talented leaders and workers. Currently, there are 236,000 Vietnam Era veterans; 258,000 Cold War Era veterans; 182,000 Persian Gulf War veterans, and 192,000 Iraq and Afghanistan Era Veterans who are unemployed. These men and women have faced the enemy and lived to tell the tale, the least we can do is give them an opportunity to retain and enhance their skills in order to attain civilian employment.

This legislation addresses a need to find ways to provide training and employment assistance for the men and women who have fought for our country. Post 9/11 veterans who are now leaving the military may go to school on the 9/11 GI Bill; however veterans of previous conflicts are not afforded the same opportunity. To address the needs of these veterans this bill will provide for a limited time an educational benefit to unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 to 60 at community colleges and technical training schools.

After dedicating their lives to serving our country it is important to assist veterans at all stages of their transition back to civilian life. A major part of transiting into civilian life is to ensure that skills that were attained while in service are translatable to civilian employment. Veterans face a variety of obstacles to employment namely the language used to describe particular skill sets in the military does not correspond with the terminology used by civilian employers. This disconnect has created problems for veterans who are seeking certain types of employment and or licenses. The veterans are not able to translate their skills into terms that would demonstrate to civilian employers that they already posses the certain key skills.

In order to address this obstacle to employment, The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (VOW) makes the Transition Assistance Program mandatory. The Department of Labor must thereby create a system by which licensure and certifications are translatable to those available at the state level. This is done in an effort to address the barriers between the skills and training received in the military and requirements for civilian licenses and other credentials'.

In addition, under H.R. 2433 the Department of Labor must work with states to implement new performance measures to evaluate the priority of services provided to eligible veterans and mandates that Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists and Local Veterans Employment Representatives sole duty will be to assist eligible veterans in finding suitable employment.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have remained committed to meeting both the needs of veterans of previous wars, and to those who are now serving. Veterans have kept their promise to serve our nation; they have willingly risked their lives to protect the country we all love. We must now ensure that we keep our promises to our veterans.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2433, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act.

I have an amendment at the desk.

I thank the Chairwoman, and I thank the committee for its courtesies and the Rules Committee for their courtesies.

It would seem unusual to have a poster that says ``Make It in America'' on this discussion. But I think I'll lay the groundwork that we have no angst against the assets and natural resources that are in this particular country generating opportunities for work. But what my friends, in putting forward this legislation on the other side of the aisle, are asking us to do is to take a, if you will, word action and simply quash the EPA; take a sledge hammer and sledge-hammer the EPA.

And what we're saying is that there is a place for State regulations, and there is a place for the involvement of the Federal response.

Let me give you the most potent example. In 2008, failure of a coal ash impoundment in Kingston, Tennessee, spilled more than 5 million cubic yards of coal ash and will require approximately $1.2 billion for cleanup. It is a stark reminder that we must have mutual involvement of the State and the Federal Government.

Now, many of you may have seen the news clips on that story. I remember seeing a couple come out and look in utter amazement at the loss of their beautiful property and their home, wondering how they were going to recoup. We call that a natural disaster.

But the point in this legislation, even as I believe that we have the opportunity to grow economies with knowing how to do things in the right way, is that there is a failure to recognize the importance of the health and the safety of the American people.

My amendment is simply requiring the EPA to study the impact of these permits on our environment and health. This is a reasonable request, considering our use of coal generates 130 million tons of waste a year.

The bad part about it is that the Federal Government, the President of the United States, who has introduced a jobs bill which cannot get an iota of attention here, is indicating that this bill will be vetoed because, in fact, what it wants to do is to leave everything to the State without cooperation.

What I'm suggesting is, let's cooperate. And so my amendment says that the EPA will have a broad report containing the results of a study to determine a long-term impact of State coal combustion residuals permit programs on human health and the environment. It has nothing to do with shutdown, but it does have to do with saying that the EPA must have a role in the protection of the quality of life of all Americans.

So, for example, they have a responsibility, as the States do, to take care of Tennesseans or Illinoisans or Texans who happen to be in Texas. But remember, folks, we live in America. Most of us don't want to secede from the Union, if you will, or the Nation, and we want the protection of the Federal Government.

That $1.2 billion involves the Federal Government in helping to clean up what was a disaster. My only point is that we are champions of Make It In America. We are champions. And on this poster, you will see a number of individuals--a hard hat, a teacher, and someone who is dealing with the health and safety of Americans. We are champions of this. That's why many of us want to vote on the American Jobs Act to create jobs for our teachers, our firefighters, and our law enforcement.

But I would share with you that these are also Americans whose quality of life we have to protect. And while we're Making It In America, while we're manufacturing, while we have the assets that this bill attempts to address, can we also respect the quality of life of our children and our seniors

and those who suffer from respiratory ailments and individuals that are pregnant and newborns and toddlers who may be impacted by this particular issue? Kingston, Tennessee, is a Superfund location, as we speak, because of that terrible disaster.

So I would ask my colleagues to support a simple amendment of cooperation. That cooperation is for the EPA study to assess the impact on not only those in a State, but on Americans. I believe that we're all in this together. We live in a great country, and we're all patriots.

I might conclude my remarks by saying for those who are on the front lines fighting for us, they would like us to recognize that it is important to keep America great. America is great as we build, keep the quality of life that allows our citizens to thrive and prosper, protect our seniors, protect our children, protect those families and protect businesses as they continue to try and do what is right for the American people. Make It In America the right way. That means the EPA must be able to do its job as well.

With that, I ask my colleagues to support the amendment.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment #4 to H.R. 2273, ``Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act,'' as it requires the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study to determine the long-term impacts of State Coal Combustion Residuals Permit programs on human health and the environment.

As the Representative of the 18th Congressional District, located in Houston, Texas, I understand the role that the coal industry plays in our economy and will continue to play in the future. As Houston is the Nation's energy capital. Our Nation needs a concrete and viable strategy for gaining independence from foreign energy sources.

My amendment is simply requiring the EPA to study the impact of these permits on our environment and health. This is a reasonable request considering our use of coal generates 130 million tons of waste. Most of this waste consists of coal ash which is filled with many life- threatening substances. The manner in which this coal ash is stored can have an extreme impact on the environment, public health and public safety. If this bill prevents the EPA from issuing regulations on this ash, then the EPA should at least be allowed to review the effectiveness of state level programs.

I am well versed in the importance of addressing energy industry concerns. Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States, and is home to nearly 3,500 energy companies and related firms. There is no denying the importance the energy industry has in creating jobs in Houston and across our Nation.

We must not forget that the coal industry in the United States is responsible for producing nearly half of our Nation's electricity. At the same time we must balance environmental and public health concerns. I understand the need to put the hard-working people back to work, and I believe it can be done in compromise with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Every industry has its share of risks. Industries that have a significant impact on the environment, health and safety of people living in the United States must meet high standards to ensure that public health and the environment are protected. The waste produced by the coal industry should not receive special treatment.

Coal ash is the second largest industrial waste stream in the United States. Every year, over 130 million tons of coal ash is produced. This ash contains a significant list of cancer causing and neurotoxin chemicals including arsenic, lead, chromium, cadium and mercury. Remember mercury has possible ties to causing birth defects in pregnant women.

This ash is stored in ponds and landfills around our Nation. Today, this bill is enabling states to attain permits in order to deal with this ash. It is important to remember that these byproducts can seep into our water and fly about our air. This cancer causing ash and we need to ensure that it is properly regulated.

As it stands most states do not have regulations in place to keep coal ash, or as I would like to call it toxic ash, safely away from our air and our drinking water. When this ash is stored in dry, lined impoundments it is perfectly safe; however when this ash finds its way into the nearly 500 wet ponds across our Nation, there are serious risks poised to those living near those locations.

I remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the BP oil spills. I was among the first voices calling for additional scrutiny and stiffening of safety measures. Well, in Kingston, Tennessee, the residents found up to a billion gallons of coal ash coating their community.

The Kingston, Tennessee, coal ash spill was 100 times larger than the Exxon Valdez oil spill and 5 times larger than the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010. In its volume it is the largest environmental disaster in the United States. It will require approximately $1.2 billion for clean-up. We all pay when these sites fail. This legislation does not include any language to increase new safety standards. These decisions are all going to be done at the state level. When you think about this, remember the residents of Kingston, Tennessee.

The Kingston disaster should cause each of us to take a look at how this coal ash is stored and managed. At least every three years since 2002 there have been major breaks in coal ash ponds, this has resulted in millions of pounds of toxic sludge entering our waterways and thereby our drinking water sources.

My amendment would require the EPA to study the long-term effects of these ponds and landfills on public health and the environment. It also requires that the EPA reports their findings to Congress.

We must take the steps necessary to address this potentially dangerous hazard. I understand that coal ash can be stored safely, I just want to ensure that it is stored properly.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.