Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Special Agent Mark D. Clookie, Director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, NCIS, who has announced his retirement from NCIS effective March I, 2013, after nearly 31 years of highly distinguished service.

Mr. Clookie joined NCIS in 1982, and during his tenure he has served in a variety of organizational assignments and mission areas, both within the United States and overseas. As a Special Agent, Mr. Clookie served overseas in both the Kingdom of Bahrain and in Japan. Domestically he held leadership positions in Newport, RI, and at NCIS headquarters in Washington, DC. He also served in leadership positions in several overseas tours as NCIS Resident Agent in Charge in Bahrain, as NCIS Resident Agent in Charge in Okinawa, Japan, and as Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Middle East Field Office, located in Manama, Bahrain.

In August 2001, Special Agent Clookie reported to the Pentagon as the Chief, Joint Staff Support Branch, Joint Counterintelligence Center. Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, he assumed duties as the Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Middle East Field Office in Manama, Bahrain. From there he directed all counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal investigative operations throughout the Middle East, East Africa, and Southwest Asia. His primary focus was direct support to Navy and Marine Corps Forces Central Command and the Navy's Fifth Fleet.

After more than two years in the Middle East directing the NCIS Global War on Terrorism mission, SA Clookie returned to NCIS Headquarters, where he served as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Management and Human Resources. In this role, he led NCIS modernization initiatives and subsequently, was promoted to Assistant Director for Human Resources.

As Assistant Director for Human Resources, Mr. Clookie oversaw the creation and implementation of a leadership development program to identify and train future NCIS leaders.

In October 2007, Mr. Clookie was promoted to the Senior Executive Service and assumed responsibilities as the Executive Assistant Director for Middle East and Pacific Operations where he built systems that have integrated the work of 44 offices across the Western U.S., Asia, Pacific, and Middle East.

In April 2009, SA Clookie was reassigned as the Executive Assistant Director for Combating Terrorism. In this capacity, he developed and managed programs to protect U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps personnel, families, and property from global terrorist threats. He also significantly expanded NCIS engagement with foreign government counterparts.

On February 14, 2010, Mr. Clookie was appointed Director of NCIS and became the agency's fourth civilian director. From the onset, Mr. Clookie established capabilities and realigned resources to meet the evolving requirements of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, while at the same time, reducing overhead and creating efficiencies. During his tenure, 100 percent of NCIS' programs and field elements were evaluated annually for quality and effectiveness by the executives overseeing operations and by teams led by Headquarters-based senior NCIS leaders. He institutionalized a collaborative and disciplined method to identify efficiencies throughout the agency, facilitating the reprogramming of over $10 million across NCIS to meet emerging mission requirements.

During his time as Director, Mr. Clookie restructured the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to align the headquarters with the missions of man, train, and equip the workforce while transitioning operational oversight to field level supervisors, empowering lower level managers and resulting in quicker responses to changing priorities and threats.

Under Director Clookie's leadership, NCIS has filled every validated Combatant Commander request for forces for Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa on a volunteer basis. NCIS personnel have also deployed to Kuwait, Djibouti, Guantanamo Bay, and other sites in support of contingency operations.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Clookie for his 31 years of

outstanding public service and to wish him fair winds and following seas as he begins the next chapter of his life.

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, March 9, 2013, the nation will celebrate Passport Day in the USA. On this day, I would like to recognize the San Diego Passport Agency for two years of dedicated service to San Diego and Imperial County residents.

Since opening their doors in April 2011, the San Diego Passport Agency has continued to raise travel awareness for all San Diego and Imperial County communities. Thanks to their work, travelers who are days away from an international getaway with an expired passport can breathe a sigh of relief by getting same-day service. Their effort to serve all travelers, especially those with urgent travel plans, exemplifies careful and efficient public service.

The San Diego Passport Agency is happy to serve the public, and welcomes area residents to celebrate Passport Day by applying for or renewing their passports. Last year, the San Diego Passport Agency ranked number one in the region and second in the nation for applications accepted from the public. On Saturday, March 9, 2013, let's make the San Diego Passport Agency #1 in the region and nation for this year's Passport Day in the USA.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with great sorrow to mourn the passing of one of San Diego's greatest leaders and humanitarians, Murray Galinson.

Every city should have a Murray Galinson. On paper, Murray's impressive biography tells of a bank CEO and President, the head of a local synagogue, a former assistant U.S. attorney, a member of the board of trustees for California State University and a philanthropist playing a pivotal role in developing so many local charities.

But in life, Murray was so much more than that. Murray was San Diego's go to person. When you wanted to know anything you went to Murray. When you wanted to vent frustration, you went to Murray. When you wanted someone to talk to, you went to Murray.

He was a very, very special person at the center of everything. For someone so prominent Murray was not intimidating. He was open to me almost 40 years ago at the beginning of my career as he has been to so many other people starting careers in public service. He has mentored countless people who have gone to be great successes in the San Diego community.

Perhaps most striking was Murray's deep care for the city of San Diego and how translated that into political and charitable action. Murray was not involved in politics to be a power broker or to push an ambitious partisan agenda. Murray wanted to support whoever he thought would make the city stronger for the long haul. He really cared who was in office and supported people from the very beginning. He was a leading Democrat but he crossed the aisle and supported Republicans when he thought that was the right thing to do.

Murray was such a great listener. And he was supportive and insightful. And he was funny. He was warm and witty and never shy about telling it like it is. I never had a conversation with Murray that I didn't walk away from feeling generally better.

Originally from Minnesota, Murray never lost his Midwestern sensibility. We're so fortunate in San Diego that Murray left the Minnesota snow behind him and brightened the lives of so many people in our city.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.

As the ranking member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, I'm very pleased that this bill includes a number of provisions that continue our commitment to our men and women in uniform and their dedicated families. I want to thank my chairman, Joe Wilson, for his support and assistance, and recognize the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Buck McKeon, and Adam Smith, the ranking member, for their leadership.

Here are a few highlights from the conference report.

There will be a 1.7 percent pay raise, a critically important recognition of what our servicemembers do for us, particularly during economically challenging times.

It provides separation authorities as the services reduce their end strength. These authorities will be crucial to the Department's ability to execute its drawdown in a responsible manner that ensures that long- serving members and their families are compensated appropriately.

We continue our focus on mental health by codifying the Suicide Prevention and Community Health and Response Program for the National Guard and Reserves. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to providing training on suicide prevention, resilience, and community health, and it expands the scope of providers who may conduct pre-administrative separation medical examinations for post-traumatic stress disorder to include licensed clinical social workers and psychiatric advanced practice registered nurses.

We all know sexual assault remains a focus for the Congress, and there are a number of provisions that help to address the problem, including prohibiting the granting of waivers for commissioning or enlistment of an individual who has been convicted of sexual offenses under Federal or State law, and it requires the services to establish special victim capabilities for investigation, prosecution, and victim support in connection with child abuse, serious domestic violence, or sexual offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The bill authorizes the Defense Department to establish transition assistance programs for members of the Guard and Reserve components who serve on active duty for more than 180 days, a program that previously did not exist.

And the bill provides female servicemembers and dependents with the same reproductive rights in cases of rape and incest that other women in Federal health plans can already exercise.

I want to note, Mr. Speaker, that the bill continues to recognize the sacrifices of those who serve our Nation in uniform. During a time when many young Americans of all stripes--male and female, gay and straight, from every ethnic background conceivable--are forward deployed and all around the globe, we in the Congress have an obligation to ensure that these men and women are provided for. We must stand up to this important obligation. I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, as a Nation, we are gaining momentum as our economy gets back on track. For my constituents in San Diego, home prices are on the rise and most employers are adding jobs and hours instead of cutting back. We cannot afford to undo the progress we are making, especially for the middle class.

The only way to accelerate our economic progress is to balance economic development with protection for the most vulnerable Americans from job losses, tax increases, and program cuts. Americans young and old need to know that Congress believes in the future and that we'll work together to keep our country on the rise.

I think often of Gandhi's statement: The future depends on what we do in the present.

Let's not waste this critical opportunity to advance economic growth and invest in our future.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to offer my bill, H.R. 6166, for consideration to designate the new courthouse at 333 West Broadway Street in San Diego as the James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse.

First, I would like to thank Chairman Mica, Ranking Member Rahall, Subcommittee Chairman Denham and Subcommittee Ranking Member Norton, the Democratic and Republican staff of the Committee, and my colleagues from California who came together to move this legislation honoring two highly deserving judges and human beings.

By way of background, when this iconic new courthouse construction project in downtown San Diego was nearing completion and the time had come to consider a name for the new building, my office sought input from the San Diego legal community to determine a consensus choice.

After considering hundreds of submissions, it became clear that, among many worthy options, San Diegans preferred to honor two former, prominent San Diegan judges--Judge James Carter or Judge Judy Keep.

After reviewing their achievements, I decided that the right thing to do would be to honor both of these individuals--as they were both true trailblazers in the San Diego community.

And reflecting San Diego's widespread support for honoring Judge Carter and Judge Keep my legislation was endorsed by the San Diego City Council, the San Diego County Bar Association, and San Diego's Mayor at the time, Jerry Sanders.

Judge Carter was the moving force behind the creation of the Southern California District.

In response to the tremendous population growth in San Diego after World War II, Judge Carter successfully convinced the Judicial Conference of the United States to create the Southern District-- allowing the people of San Diego and its neighboring communities access to the federal court system.

In 1966, after its creation, Judge Carter became the first Chief Judge of the District Court, serving in that position until his appointment to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Judge Keep was instrumental in opening up the San Diego legal field to women.

Judge Keep graduated from San Diego Law School as its valedictorian-- at a time when fewer than 5% of lawyers were women!

She then worked as a Staff Attorney at Defenders, Inc. where she was the first female staff attorney representing indigent criminal defendants in federal court.

In 1980, Judge Keep was nominated to become the first female judge for the District Court of the Southern District of California, and later she became the District Court's first female Chief Judge.

Displaying true dedication to public service, both Judge Carter and Judge Keep worked tirelessly off the bench to better the San Diego community.

Judge Carter founded the Federal Defenders of San Diego and was instrumental in the creation of the University of San Diego Law School.

Former law clerks of Judge Carter remember him as a giant of his time, a man who was revered by the San Diego legal community, and whose service was an example for all those who followed in his footsteps.

Judge Carter even touched the life of one of our colleagues, Senator Mike Crapo. Like many law clerks who passed through the judge's chambers, he was in awe of Judge Carter's service and work. And in Senator Crapo's words, there is ``no more appropriate way to honor his legacy than to name this federal courthouse for Judge Carter.''

Judge Keep was a Chair of both the Task Force on Judicial Wellness and the Conference of Chief District Judges for the 9th Circuit, and she worked with the San Diego Community Foundation and the Armed Forces

Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank my colleagues from Connecticut for the way in which they've conducted themselves through this horrific tragedy that the whole country has experienced.

Mr. Speaker, I came to sit and listen and to be here to support my colleagues, but I did want to say a few words because I had an opportunity to speak with the press in San Diego over the last few days.

I'm almost haunted by the question that I was asked, which was, Isn't this all just going to go away? People will get on with their lives, and a period of time will commence and maybe something else horrible will happen again.

What is it that we can do? I think it is a collective responsibility. It is certainly all of our responsibility. The President, I believe, has to take the lead, and he has begun to do that. We also have to reach out to our entire communities. I know that there are differences throughout this country. Of course there are. It's not even so much partisan differences. It's geographic in some cases. It's the way that people have chosen to live and their backgrounds and what they do.

But I think that we would be pretty surprised if we had the kinds of meetings throughout this country to allow that conversation to take place because parents throughout my district--and I know throughout the district of all of my colleagues--want to say something about how we can do better. I believe we can. If we can't, then what are we about?

I thank the President for his comments. I thank my colleagues, because I wonder could I have responded as well as they have done through this. And I certainly express my profound sorrow to the families who are enduring the absolute unthinkable. We are all parents and grandparents here, and we do identify, and we want to make a difference.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to instruct at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Five years ago, I led a congressional delegation of female Members to Afghanistan on Mother's Day to visit our troops and meet with Afghan women, and I've continued to participate in this trip every year since.

On that first trip, we flew to Qalat in the southwestern region of Afghanistan and met the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the women of the village they worked with. Like much of Afghanistan, Qalat is rural and impoverished. The women we met had the same aspirations of women across the globe: they seek to send their children to school and a learn a trade in order to support themselves and their family.

During that first visit in 2008, the school headmaster told us stories of how acid was thrown into the faces of several female students who attended the school. These young girls overcame enormous challenges in coming to school every day, but their desire to learn surmounted the obstacles they faced. And there, just like at home, we heard these young girls talk of being doctors and teachers and anything else that they could dream of.

Each year, we have continued to visit the women of Qalat, and their message remains clear and consistent: they need security for themselves and their families if they are going to succeed.

During these visits, we have seen slow but steady progress being made as security in the area has improved. This year, during our visit, instead of talking about wanting the kids to come to school and being fearful that their parents would keep them at home, the school headmaster spoke about the 4,000 students who are coming to school each day and the need for additional desks and supplies. What a tremendous turnaround in such a short period of time.

But, Mr. Speaker, steep challenges remain for women in Afghanistan. Security, especially for women, has been at the heart of the problem that needs to be addressed as we transition responsibility to Afghan forces. Just this week, we had a reminder of those security concerns.

On Monday, the Director of Women's Affairs was killed in the Laghman province. She replaced the previous director, who was also assassinated just 6 months ago. It is heartbreaking to hear of these female leaders being assassinated in an area that is trying so hard to move their people and their country forward. A country cannot disenfranchise nearly 50 percent of their population while seeking to achieve a strong prosperous economy.

The language included in the Senate bill is a step in the right direction. So many organizations have been active in the transformation of Afghanistan, and I would encourage my colleagues at the Department of Defense and the Department of State to ensure that this is a multi- pronged effort. We must involve all the entities, not only here in the United States and Afghanistan, but also in Pakistan and India, where women there understand the daily challenges that Afghan women face, and create opportunities for these groups to work together. It is the least that we can do to support the women of Afghanistan and leave their country with a sustainable path for stability.

But, Mr. Speaker, this is more than the security of women and their ability to prosper in Afghanistan. It is also about our military servicemembers. Women on Provincial Reconstruction Teams have worked hard to help the women of Afghanistan, and members of the Female Engagement Teams have been tremendous role models for young Afghan children.

Our brave military men and women have sacrificed so much in Afghanistan, and to leave without the ability

for continued security there would be a dishonor to all those who have served. We must ensure that the strides Afghan women and girls have achieved over the last decade do not erode.

Next year, I hope to visit Afghanistan again on Mother's Day. And I want to tell the women we meet with--again, the same group of women we have met with over the last number of years--that their security is important and that this Congress recognizes that importance.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this motion to instruct the House conferees and accept this language.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank Mr. McKeon for his leadership and for his remarks this morning because this has been a bipartisan trip, and I can say that we have many hours together on these trips. To experience it with the Afghan women and with our female troops particularly has been an incredible experience. And I particularly enjoy the support and the collegiality of my colleagues that Mr. McKeon referenced. It really has been very meaningful to all of us, and I look forward to continuing trips.

I now want to yield 3 minutes to Ms. Tsongas of Massachusetts. Ms. Tsongas has been with us on those trips, and I know she will share some of her experiences, as well.

I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlelady of Massachusetts.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, as I know that she has been very involved in developing democracies and working with women.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Lee), who has also been an extremely strong leader on this topic.

I yield the gentlelady an additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich). I want to thank him for his outspokenness and for his strong belief in peace and in the role that women play in those initiatives.

(Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky). I want to thank her, as well, for her bold leadership in preparing women for democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews). I want to thank him for all of his support as well.

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I just wanted to acknowledge and thank my colleague, Mrs. Biggert, because she co-led with me that first trip we took to Afghanistan, to Zabul province, and we had that opportunity to observe women who had very, very incredibly difficult lives and yet were as aspirational as so many women that we meet every day. I wanted to acknowledge her for that leadership.

I now yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) and thank her for her leadership as well.

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, so I reserve the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I'm certainly prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to again thank my colleague for his kind words. It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of this and to have worked with our female troops, all of our troops, of course, in Afghanistan, but to see the difference that they're making. There is an approach that they have, and it seems to work. They are able to bring people along and actually make the situation safer for the families and the community in which they are serving.

I want to thank everyone who spoke today, and I also certainly want to thank everyone who has traveled on this particular trip. This is an important motion to instruct. It defines something just as basic as ensuring the mobility of women within their own country.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the anti- immigration bill brought before us today.

The supporters of this legislation would have you believe that immigration is a zero sum game--that for every door you open for one person you have to close it on another. That's what this bill aims to do by increasing the number of visas for STEM graduates while eliminating them from the Diversity Visa Program. This troubling precedent of creating visa offsets will foreclose the promise of the American Dream for countless immigrants.

Our country remains the beacon of opportunity and freedom. For many, the only path to getting here is through the diversity program. People like Yulia, who is a constituent of mine, that lucky draw in the lottery was her best hope for coming to America from Kazakhstan.

It is irresponsible, Mr. Speaker, to hold the much-needed--and I would say we need it--STEM visa bill hostage just to dismantle a program that has helped new Americans like Yulia. It's bad policy, and I urge my colleagues to reject the bill.

Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.

Hispanic Serving Institutions are colleges and universities that are working to keep the dream of college education alive for Hispanic students.

I'm pleased that a college in my district, San Diego State University, was named a Hispanic Serving Institution this year, making it only the third public research university in California to receive that designation.

SDSU is number one in the nation for improvements in college graduation rates over the past 6 years.

Even more remarkable is that it has done this while dramatically increasing graduating rates for students of color, and virtually closing the achievement gap!

I commend SDSU and other Hispanic Serving Institutions that are bringing greater equity to higher education, preparing our young adults for the workforce of the future, and strengthening America's economic competitiveness.

Mr. Speaker, last week the San Diego Chamber of Commerce sent its largest ever delegation of community and business leaders to Washington. They came because they know Washington can help them spur the economy, innovate, and employ local workers if we can all get on the same page.

What grand request did they have for this Congress to help make progress happen? Well, just that we do our job: that we roll up our sleeves, work together across party lines, and find a sensible, not an arbitrary, balance of cuts and spending.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, this country is facing some hard choices, and, yes, there is division in this Chamber, but we do not need to add to the serious challenges facing American businesses and families by sitting on the sidelines watching a completely manmade disaster explode upon our economy.

Let's work together to come to decisions now. The American economy should not be facing a fiscal cliff; it should be receiving a fiscal roadmap. By actually doing our jobs, we can make the jobs of our hardworking constituents a little easier.

Our job is not done, Mr. Speaker. Cancel the congressional recess.

Mr. Speaker, San Diegans are very sad today because they learned yesterday that two of the Libya victims were from the San Diego area. As we know, they were killed in the consulate in Benghazi, protecting fellow Americans there with Ambassador Chris Stevens and Sean Smith.

The two victims from San Diego were Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. In talking about Mr. Doherty, a friend said:

You never take off your uniform. You hang it in the closet,

but everything that went along with it is still there. All

the training and the dedication that you have to your Nation

is what drives these guys.

And also for Tyrone Woods, a friend said:

If there were more people like him, the country would be in

much better shape. We need people to keep doing what he was

doing because he really believed in freedom, and he really

believed in the United States.

As we know, these were two highly decorated military SEALs who had left the community of SEALs and were serving with the consulate there and with the State Department in Libya. We certainly celebrate their life and we mourn their death. I want to recognize their families and let them know that our thoughts and our prayers are with them.

Thank you.

I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 1410 and also for H. Res. 484. This bill and resolution really embody a great concern of many of my constituents at home as well as of Americans across this country.

As Americans, we often take for granted the rights and privileges that are guaranteed to each and every individual in this country. We can speak out at town halls, and we can protest in front of the Capitol steps. When all else fails, we can register our votes at the polls to make our voices heard. Those rights and privileges that we enjoy are being denied every single day to the people of Vietnam.

So, today, we vote on this bill and this resolution in order to send a clear message that these abuses will not be tolerated. We must make it clear that progress needs to be made on these issues before we can move forward on other issues that are important to both of our countries, including the issue of trade. Our efforts are aimed at bringing about a brighter future in Vietnam where citizens are not in prison for the songs they write and where individuals are not arrested for carrying books on nonviolent resistance. It's sad, but these remain to be the facts of life for the people of Vietnam. In the words of one of my constituents, We can make a difference if we come together.

Let's start by voting ``yes'' on H.R. 1410 and also on the resolution that we will next be talking about, H. Res. 484.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute today to the Women PeaceMakers Program at the University of San Diego, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

The award-winning Women PeaceMakers Program, which is based at the university's Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, IPJ, documents the stories and practices of international women leaders who are involved in human rights and peacemaking efforts in their home countries. It was founded on the idea that history is rarely recorded from women's perspectives, especially women on the frontlines of efforts to end violence and secure peace.

In 2011, the power of such documentation was confirmed when three women received the Nobel Peace Prize. One was Leymah Gbowee, whose story of pushing for peace in Liberia might have been forgotten if not for the documentary ``Pray the Devil Back to Hell.'' Similarly, the Women PeaceMakers Program in San Diego records the stories that are overlooked or neglected in the media and in history books.

To date, the program has documented the stories of 35 Women PeaceMakers from 30 countries. This year it has selected four more women, from Colombia, Kenya, Nepal and the Solomon Islands, to reside for two months on the campus of the University of San Diego and have their stories recorded by professional writers and a documentary film team. The location of the university, overlooking San Diego's Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean, is an idyllic one for rest and reflection for women who often face violence on a daily basis, and who must struggle for space and security to do their work for peace.

The process of reflection that the women undertake as they share their stories, contemplating their motivation to become leaders, and why the initiatives they developed were successful teaches them how to be more effective peacebuilders when they return to their countries.

It is not only the professional writers, however, who get to hear the women's stories and learn of their methods of building peace. Members of the local community, as well as students and professors at the University of San Diego and neighboring schools and colleges, have the opportunity to attend the Women PeaceMakers' lectures and other public events, and those events are often streamed live online for national and international audiences as well. Last year, the university received the Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award from NAFSA: The Association of International Educators, in recognition of the Women PeaceMakers Program and its success in internationalizing the campus.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and the University of San Diego on a momentous 10th year of the Women PeaceMakers Program.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Lemon Grove Little League Senior Division All-Stars on becoming U.S. champions and coming in second at the Senior Division World Series in Bangor, Maine.

Getting to the World Series in Maine was no small task, and Lemon Grove showed how practicing hard and working together can really pay off.

Actually, Congress could probably learn a lot from how well this group worked together.

Lemon Grove's run to becoming U.S. champions was inspiring for everyone in the community, and we are all very proud.

Congratulations to all the families, the coaches, and of course, the players!

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Lemon Grove Little League All-Stars and wishing them the very best in all of their future endeavors.