Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, research shows that school leadership can be one of the most positive and effective factors in improving student learning. In fact, a strong school principal is often the principle reason behind a successful, well-functioning school that attracts and maintains quality instructors. In high-need schools, strong school leadership is especially crucial.

When the No Child Left Behind Act is reauthorized, the federal government will look to provide additional resources to help high-need schools improve student achievement. With a strong and inspirational principal at the helm, a high-need school will be more likely to achieve success.

Representative Todd Russell Platts and I are introducing the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act of 2009 to put the nation on the right track toward creating a new generation of effective school leaders. The legislation provides competitive grants to recruit and train high-caliber aspiring and current principals to lead high-need schools and stay in their positions.

As part of the training, principals will be mentored by other successful school leaders, and they will receive on-going education even after their placement. The legislation includes a data and reporting component so successful outcomes can be disseminated and replicated at other high-need schools.

Madam Speaker, I urge consideration of this legislation as we continue the effort to improve education in the United States and close the Achievement Gap.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address a serious and expanding health problem. Rates of type 2 diabetes continue to rise--despite our knowledge of how to prevent it--and it is time we took action to reverse the disturbing trend.

Thirty years ago, there was no known or proven strategy to fight the onset of type 2 diabetes. Now, we know how to delay onset of this disease, or prevent it completely, according to the National Institutes of Health, NIH. And yet, we are not using this potentially life-saving knowledge to our greatest benefit.

Meanwhile, those who develop the illness still suffer from and can't always properly recognize its symptoms, including fatigue and vision problems. When type 2 diabetes causes those symptoms to progress, it can lead to detrimental and heartbreaking results.

Furthermore, the cost to care for diabetes patients reached $174 billion in 2007, and that number is only expected to get larger. The illness is a growing problem in the population as a whole, and appears to be increasing among children and adolescents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. It makes sense to work to prevent onset of type 2 diabetes. This will both ensure quality of life for patients and reduce overall health spending--especially when the number of Americans at risk is predicted to grow.

I am introducing the Diabetes Prevention Act of 2009 to put our medical knowledge to use to reduce and delay instances of type 2 diabetes. Through the CDC, communities will be able to apply for grants to establish prevention programs designed to assist those diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Working with local medical officials, the programs will help patients with good diet, exercise plans, and other lifestyle changes needed to prevent or delay onset of the illness.

The Diabetes Prevention Act of 2009 builds on the success community organizations have had with similar programs in preventing illness. It is crucial that we address this serious problem and act now to stem the number of cases of type 2 diabetes developing in our country.

I urge consideration of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to discharge the Committee on House Administration from further consideration of the bill (S. 1860) to permit each current member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance to serve for 3 terms, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, the statute we are amending limits the terms of the current Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance to two consecutive five year terms. The Board consists of five legal practitioners from around the country, each of whom is an expert in labor and employment matters. They were originally appointed in 1999 and 2000, and reappointed to second terms in 2004 and 2005. The terms of three Board members expired last month, and the terms of the remaining two Board members will expire this coming May. The Congressional Accountability Act does not allow for holdovers, so the current Board has already lost its quorum.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in 2004 that term limits for Board members caused a loss of leadership, and negatively impacted the Office's continuity of operations. To avoid that negative impact, the Committee proposes to amend the law to allow the current Board to serve for an additional term.

This particular Board has demonstrated extraordinary productivity and balance in its handling of multiple cases, and its issuance of a number of substantive regulations. The current Board operates collegially, and appreciates the operating environment in which they perform their responsibilities. Over the last decade, the Board has met its statutory mandate without cause for concern from the Congress. The Board has been a neutral body, committed to advancing safety, health, and workplace rights, while working with the Congress to promulgate regulations that reflect the unique nature of the Legislative Branch.

The Congress amended the Congressional Accountability Act five years ago to allow for a second term. The GAO's 2004 report on the operations of the Board noted that, in comparable administrative regulatory agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Board, and the National Labor Relations Board, there were no limitations on board members serving consecutive terms.

The Board members have provided an excellent balance, and unnecessary change to the composition of this Board creates a risk of loss of such balance. The Committee therefore recommends that the term limits for the current Board members be extended by an additional five year term. By enacting S. 1860, we will accomplish this purpose.

The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record on S. 1860.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today on a motion offered pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at 3 p.m. on Monday, November 23, 2009, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 214, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Madam Speaker, I was absent for three rollcall votes on Monday, November 16, 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote Nos. 889 and 890, and ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 891. The items of legislation I would have voted on are as follows:

Yea on S. 1314--A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 630 Northeast Killingsworth Avenue in Portland, Oregon, as the ``Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Post Office''.

Yea on H.R. 3539--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 427 Harrison Avenue in Harrison, New Jersey, as the ``Patricia D. McGinty-Juhl Post Office Building''.

Aye on H.R. 3767--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 170 North Main Street in Smithfield, Utah, as the ``W. Hazen Hillyard Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I support the Democratic bill because it will keep women and their families healthy, not just take care of them when they are sick.

Parliamentary Inquiries

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to raise this issue also on behalf of my colleague from California, Congresswoman Speier.

Unfortunately, the provisions in section 309 allowing States to enter health insurance compacts may bring unintended consequences that could threaten long-established patient protections, and I know that that is not the intention.

I certainly plan on supporting this legislation today; but I would ask you for the commitment, Mr. Chairman, to continue working on the language in section 309 to ensure it does not impact strong State consumer safeguards such as we have in California.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to that.

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Consumer Protection Committee in the California State Assembly, I worked hard to maintain and improve the protections and the rights that Americans deserve.

In the health care industry, which is really the most important of all sectors that deal with people's basic needs, millions of consumers are being taken advantage of on a daily basis and have few rights.

This bill changes that. It changes that and it puts us on the track of giving Americans and their families the peace of mind that they will never lose their health coverage.

I look forward to voting on this historic bill which puts consumers and puts Americans first.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 896)

providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1299, with an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the measure now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, on March 31, the House passed H.R. 1299, to make technical corrections to laws governing administration of the Capitol Police. In the weeks since, the Senate Rules Committee has worked with us to improve the bill even further. The results of our joint effort are incorporated into the motion before the House.

I especially want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) and his able staff for their invaluable assistance on this important bill, and I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I now want to yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) such time as she may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I yield once again to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt).

My colleague from California, I certainly appreciate the work that we have done together on the Administration Committee. He speaks of this propitious time for trade, for travel promotion, and what we are trying to speak to here today.

I would suggest to him that it's also a propitious time, as it was on travel promotion, to work together in a bipartisan fashion and to try to work out the details of this kind of legislation over a period of time. It's been that same kind of propitious time that we would have liked to have worked on health care in that way, to have had people come together and really want to try and solve these issues for the American people.

What we have tried to do is keep the American people in the center of this discussion, to keep consumer protections for the American people in the center of this discussion. We saw that Consumers Union recently endorsed the health care proposal. People trust Consumers Union. When they are going to purchase something, a major purchase, they want to look it up in Consumer Reports, and they want to see what they are saying about it. I think it speaks well to what we have brought together here that Consumers Union is supportive of our efforts. It is a propitious time.

It's too bad that we weren't able to work together in the way that my colleagues were able to work on this trade promotion. But I have to think about the people in my district who have become bankrupt because of their health care bills. I have to think about the people who know that they are just an illness away from losing their insurance; that preexisting conditions can even be a pregnancy in some cases. That's wrong.

We're focusing on the American people, on consumers, on people who would love to be able to even change a job that they have been in, that they know they can do better, they can innovate, they can change. They can't do that today because they are too afraid of losing their health insurance.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are able to address the issues governing the administration of the Capitol Police here today. I am very pleased as a Californian and as a San Diegan that we are addressing these issues on trade promotion today. That is very important. It is a propitious time to do that. But we also acknowledge that it's a propitious time for us to work together on the issues that the American people care about. That's what we are trying to do.

I urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues, I rise to express my deepest sympathies for the families and loved ones of all affected in the tragedy that occurred at Fort Hood. They are certainly in our thoughts and in our hearts. As someone whose committee works hard to look out for and care for our servicemembers who dedicate themselves to our country, news like this, of course, is devastating.

As the stories unfolded yesterday, I could only think of the fact that we had sent so many of our men and women to the most dangerous places in the world; and here they were, probably in what they might have thought was the safest place in the world.

We also have to think about our mental health providers today as well because we know that we have mental health care professionals who are very professional, providing the most highly demanding, specialized, emotional and invaluable care to our servicemembers; and it's important to emphasize at these rare times that the actions of one individual certainly don't reflect on all those serving in the profession. It would only add to the tragedy if we let this tarnish those working in the very profession that provide so much help to our troops and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say, having spoken to so many families, that a tiny percentage serve, and often families don't believe that the American people really understand what they go through. Today in a tragedy like this, we must do our best. We must make certain this does not happen again and that we reach out to the families and let them know we are listening. We will try harder.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 748) to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2777 Logan Avenue in San Diego, California, as the ``Cesar E. Chavez Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage passage of S. 748, a bill to name a post office in the Logan Heights community of San Diego after Cesar Chavez.

I originally introduced this bill, and I am very pleased to see Senator Boxer's companion legislation move forward. Cesar Chavez was born in Yuma, Arizona, in 1927, and he spent the majority of his life advocating for safe working conditions and fair wages for migrant workers.

This work of his was driven by a commitment to the principles of nonviolence and community building, which has become his legacy. Cesar Chavez means so much to my constituents in San Diego because he embodied the spirit of our city, a big Navy town.

In addition to his community activism, Mr. Chavez served in the Navy, was a World War II veteran, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Though most well-known for his work with farm workers, in San Diego we know him best for his work improving conditions for the men and women who worked on fishing boats and in the local canneries.

Let me tell you a little bit about Logan Heights. Logan Heights is actually one of the oldest communities in the City of San Diego, and it's a neighborhood rich in Hispanic heritage. Cesar Chavez is a hero to the people of Logan Heights.

Every year the community holds a parade in honor of him on his birthday, March 31, which is celebrated in California as a State holiday. In fact, many young people devote themselves to service on that day.

In 2003, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor Cesar Chavez. A post office named in his honor in our community would be a lasting tribute to his legacy and symbolic of how one person can truly make a difference.

Please join me in recognizing an American hero and honoring the community of Logan Heights.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague from California (Ms. Zoe Lofgren).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my colleague and friend from San Diego, Mr. Filner, who, by the way, actually represented this district and had carried similar legislation.

Mr. Speaker, before closing, I include for the Record this letter from the council president of San Diego, Mr. Ben Hueso, who also is celebrating and encouraging us to support this post office for Cesar Chavez in the community and recognizing what a hero he is to the people.

The City of San Diego,

San Diego, CA, October 6, 2009.

Hon. Susan A. Davis,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Ms. Davis: Cesar Chavez is a hero in my community, so

I heartily endorse the proposal that the United States Postal

Service facility located at 2777 Logan Avenue, San Diego, be

renamed the Cesar E. Chavez Post Office in his honor. Though

he passed away in 1993, this union leader's accomplishments

continue to impact the quality of life for farm workers and

other laborers.

I am happy that you have sponsored H.R. 1820 to effect this

change, and that the bill has 15 House cosponsors. I am not

surprised that support for the redesignation of the post

office is widespread. This proposal was unanimously endorsed

by the Senate in August, cosponsored by Senator Barbara

Boxer.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to

support your effort to honor Cesar Chavez.

Sincerely,

Benjamin Hueso.

Council President.

Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to mention in closing, I mentioned the fact that we have a holiday in California that young people devote to service. I think what is so really engaging about that particular holiday is that we have young people throughout the community that are so eager to carry on his legacy. They do it throughout the community in multiple ways, with the environment, educating others, educating their peers and going into schools and preschool centers to really feel that they are part of his legacy and to speak to the students.

To see the way that they really tell you so proudly of the experiences that they have had in his memory is very, very appealing; and I think it is continuing to make a difference in the lives of young people in San Diego today.

With that, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 748.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 868) honoring and recognizing the service and achievements of current and former female members of the Armed Forces.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days with which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, every time I visit military installations I am constantly impressed by the tremendous job our servicemembers are doing.

Today, I rise to pay special tribute to the women of America's military, past and present, who have served their Nation in peace and at war at great personal sacrifice for both themselves and their families.

With Veterans Day approaching, we should recognize that our servicewomen play an increasingly important role in America's modern military forces, and our country is the better for it.

As Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel and co-Chair of the Women's Caucus Task Force on Women in the Military and Veterans, I am privileged to honor the legacy of servicewomen in the past, the courage with which women serve today, and the enthusiasm of the young women who dream of serving this great Nation in the future. Part of honoring them is asking the tough questions about the expanding roles our servicewomen are taking on. We hear from women in the military, in person and through the media, about their contributions in combat zones and their willingness to risk their lives in defense of their fellow servicemembers, our country, and our families.

Last year, Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet a group of servicewomen that are an extraordinary example of what female servicemembers are capable of. Their mission is to provide culturally sensitive search and engagement activities for combat units deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are referred to as the Lionesses, and this is a very apt name. Like a lioness, their work demands a unique combination of sensitivity and strength on the ground, underlined by loyalty to their units and their country.

In my conversations with them, I was astounded by their work and their bravery. And yet, despite that dedication, these women have encountered difficulties in gaining proper recognition for their service, both within the services and in seeking assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A recent article in the New York Times underscores this problem. Female veterans worry that their combat-related physical and psychological injuries will not be validated by a military system that defines combat as an all-male activity. Because the military and the VA have not adapted to the reality of women's roles, these veterans often have to work harder than they should to prove their eligibility for benefits and combat titles that they so greatly deserve. For example, servicewomen who volunteered to accompany units during the Battle of Fallujah in 2004 have had to rely on the support of an outside organization to get recognized for their work under fire so that they can receive health care and disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Yet, it's not just agencies that must catch up. Female veterans confront confusion and sometimes outright disbelief about their service from those of us on the homefront. This continuous demand for proof can be exasperating. They deserve better. One veteran explained that she no longer cared about getting money; she simply wanted a little more recognition. In her own words, ``Just admit it happened.''

Resolutions like this one today before the House help show support for women like the Lionesses and all of the other female servicemembers and veterans, but it is legislation like the National Defense Authorization Act that truly puts our congressional sentiments into action.

Last week, I had the chance to stand by the President as he signed the NDAA into law. Contained in the House report of that bill were provisions to better recognize the service of these courageous women by reviewing the way the additional duties some servicemembers perform are documented.

There were also provisions to ensure a systematic training program that takes into account the unique mission for which Lionesses have volunteered so that they feel just as equipped as their male counterparts when on active duty.

I will continue to work to ensure women in the military are treated equally and with respect, and that they receive all of the training, the support, and the services that they need. They certainly deserve nothing less.

The dedication of women in the Armed Forces and the insight they offer about it is invaluable, but they are adamant that they do not want to be treated differently. They do not seek special recognition, but their service is just as real as their counterparts'. This resolution recognizes the sacrifices our servicewomen and their families make to keep everyone's family safe.

Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to offer this resolution. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Madam Speaker, it has really been an honor to present this resolution today.

I was recalling the trip that we last made to Kandahar, Afghanistan. We had an opportunity to meet with about 40-plus, maybe 50, women there in all of the different services, just asking them about why they were there and about why they joined the service. The kind of work they were doing was truly inspiring; and, of course, they always wanted to tell us about their children, who were at home.

These women are providing a tremendous service to our country. We honor them, and I certainly encourage and know that all of my colleagues will be supporting this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution

(H. Con. Res. 139) congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 139, congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing their many contributions to our Nation.

I thank my colleague, Mr. Lamborn of Colorado, for introducing this measure.

According to Forbes Magazine, the United States Air Force Academy is among the most selective public colleges in the United States. It is among only five colleges with a special mission of educating, training and inspiring young men and women in the military to serve as officers of character and preparing and motivating them to lead in its service to our great Nation. As such, the Air Force Academy has developed a strong reputation that distinguishes itself for consistently producing America's future leaders both in military service and in our society.

The youngest of the five United States service academies, the United States Air Force Academy has produced excellent officers. Since opening its doors in 1955, the academy has produced over 41,000 cadets, which includes 495 general officers, 35 Rhodes Scholars, 10 Marshall Scholars, 13 Harry S. Truman Scholars, 116 Kennedy School of Government Scholars, 92 Guggenheim Fellows, and 32 Gearhart scholarships to study in France.

Additionally, academy graduates have served in every major military conflict since the Vietnam War with the highest level of integrity and honor and, at times, paying the ultimate price in service to America, as 172 graduates have been killed in combat and another 36 were repatriated prisoners of war. Two graduates are combat aces, and one is a Medal of Honor recipient.

Their contributions to every industry and component of American life has been significant: 34 astronauts, the second highest number of astronauts of any higher learning institution, are Air Force Academy graduates. There are Olympic gold medal winners, NFL Super Bowl championship winners, and CEOs and presidents of Fortune 500 corporations. Truly, the United States Air Force Academy produces professional officers who have the knowledge, the character and the motivation which make them leaders in our military and in other aspects of society.

House Concurrent Resolution 139 is our way, as the United States Congress, of recognizing the exemplary service and contributions made by the United States Air Force Academy to the Air Force and to our Nation. This resolution also commends the first graduating class of the United States Air Force on their 50th anniversary and on their significant contributions to shaping the Air Force Academy and the Air Force to the excellence it is known for today.

I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the United States Air Force Academy.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in America, if you get overcharged on a telephone or cable bill, you have recourse to get your money back. If a mechanic does an unnecessary repair, there are agencies that can help you. On the government level, we work to defend consumers and guard against markets being too concentrated. That was one of the goals when I chaired the Consumer Protection Committee in the California State assembly.

And yet when it comes to health care, strong consumer protections just don't exist and Americans are suffering because no one is looking out for them. That's why the Consumers Union, which Americans trust for information on major purchases, calls our health care system a ``consumer crisis'' and endorses our efforts to reform the system.

Once the bill's provisions take effect, no insurance company can deny or drop your coverage. Every insurance company would have to provide a minimum set of benefits, including prescription drugs, hospital care, and mental health. This reform will give Americans the reliability and security they deserve.

Madam Speaker, our brave student servicemembers defending the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries abroad are often charged interest on their federal college student loans while deployed. Because this interest is costly and unfair, I rise today to introduce the Servicemember Student Loan Interest Relief Act to end the practice.

This legislation builds upon a provision included in the Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R. 4137) in the 110th Congress, which prevents interest from accruing on loans originated after October 2008 during activations. The provision provided important relief to servicemembers who intended to take out loans in the future, but it did not address those who currently had student loan debt.

The bill I introduce today corrects that issue and provides interest relief to all active duty servicemembers with eligible loans. Our students in uniform could save up to $1,479 during a 12- to 15-month activation under this bill, according to estimates.

As our servicemembers put themselves in harm's way, the least we can do is put their student loans on hold until they return home. I'm pleased to work with Senator Bayh on this important issue.

I urge passage of this legislation and yield back the balance of my time.