Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5 - Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 for April 28, 2014

[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Issue]
[Pages 6239-6329]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

[[Page 6239]]

SENATE--Monday, April 28, 2014

The Senate met at 2 p.m. and was called to order by the Honorable
Christopher Murphy, a Senator from the State of Connecticut.
______

prayer

The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer:
Let us pray.
Lord of history, strong to save, remind us that You are not an
indifferent spectator to the progress and pathology in our world. Help
us, dear God, to view our world as You see it, becoming Your
ambassadors of reconciliation. Empower us to love our enemies, to bless
those who curse us, and to pray for those who maliciously use us.
Today, guide our Senators through all their deliberations, keeping
ever before them the vision of a better world that is yet to be. May
they work for justice and peace, advancing Your kingdom on Earth.
Sustain us all with the knowledge that our prayers are not in vain.
We pray in Your merciful Name. Amen.

____________________

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Presiding Officer led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

____________________

APPOINTMENT OF ACTING PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will please read a communication to
the Senate from the President pro tempore (Mr. Leahy).
The assistant legislative clerk read the following letter:

U.S. Senate,

President pro tempore,

Washington, DC, April 28, 2014.
To the Senate:
Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby appoint the Honorable
Christopher Murphy, a Senator from the State of Connecticut,
to perform the duties of the Chair.
Patrick J. Leahy,
President pro tempore.

Mr. MURPHY thereupon assumed the Chair as Acting President pro
tempore.

____________________

RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.

____________________

MINIMUM WAGE FAIRNESS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 354, S.
2223.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the motion.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 354, S. 2223, a bill to
provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage and to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend increased
expensing limitations and the treatment of certain real
property as section 179 property.

Cloture Motion

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have a cloture motion at the desk.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The cloture motion having been
presented under rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the
motion.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

Cloture Motion

We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the
provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate,
hereby move to bring to a close debate on the motion to
proceed to Calendar No. 354, S. 2223, a bill to provide for
an increase in the Federal minimum wage and to amend the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend increased expensing
limitations and the treatment of certain real property as
section 179 property.
Harry Reid, Tom Harkin, Jeff Merkley, Patrick J. Leahy,
Cory A. Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Jack Reed, Richard J.
Durbin, Benjamin L. Cardin, Thomas R. Carper,
Christopher A. Coons, Bill Nelson, Al Franken, Kirsten
E. Gillibrand, Sheldon Whitehouse, Robert P. Casey,
Jr., Bernard Sanders.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the mandatory quorum
under rule XXII be waived.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.

Schedule

Mr. REID. Mr. President, following my remarks and those of the
Republican leader, if any, the Senate will be in morning business until
5:30 p.m., with the time equally divided and controlled between the two
leaders or their designees.
At 5:30 p.m. there will be up to four rollcall votes. The first vote
will be on the confirmation of the Friedland nomination to be a U.S.
circuit judge for the Ninth Circuit. The next vote will be a cloture
vote on the Weil nomination to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour
Division of the Department of Labor, and then a confirmation vote on
the Weil nomination. The last vote will be a vote on confirmation of
the O'Regan nomination to be Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development.

Seemingly Real

Mr. REID. Mr. President, Nevada, and especially Las Vegas, is home to
the best entertainment on the planet. Those who visit Las Vegas and
Reno know they will find the best musical, theatrical, and comedic
performances anyplace on Earth. Some of the most popular performers in
Nevada are magicians and illusionists who entertain their audiences by
making the impossible seem real. Through misdirection, these performers
distract viewers from what they know to be true and instead funnel
their attention to something entertaining--and it is really fake.
It seems that the Republican party has decided to follow in Houdini
and Copperfield's footsteps and employ a bit of misdirection of its
own. For example, last week the Wall Street Journal reported that the
Republican Party has a newly adopted campaign strategy to defeat Senate
Democrats. They are going to attack me because their attacks and
fabrications regarding the Affordable Care Act have borne little fruit.
In Senate races across the country, Republicans will avoid the issues
that matter most to Americans and instead will try to focus attention
on a Senator who is not even up for election--and that Senator is me.
What are those issues that Republicans so desperately want to avoid?
How about immigration? That bill was introduced a year ago, and it
passed the Senate many months ago. It is a good piece of legislation
and the vast majority of the American people think it is a good idea.
Yet instead of explaining to the American people why this bipartisan
bill sits idle in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives,
they want to change the subject.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives refuses to allow a vote.
If a vote were allowed to occur, it would pass overwhelmingly. It is a
good piece of legislation. Not only is it fair and equitable, but it
would also reduce the debt by $1 trillion.
While struggling American families plead to Congress for help in
providing work or getting paid fair, livable wages, House Republicans
prefer to talk about anything other than what is relevant? Why? Because
their billionaire sugar daddies are not interested in helping middle-
class Americans.
Charles and David Koch are not concerned with the long-term
unemployed families, and so the Republicans they sponsor in the House
of Representatives are content to do nothing. These

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billionaire oil barons don't care that working women are being deprived
of fair wages.
My daughter--or the Presiding Officer's wife--can do the exact same
work as a man but only get 77 cents while the man gets paid $1. We want
to change that. The Koch-driven Republican Congress refuses even to
allow us to have a vote on it. They have started filibusters here in
the Senate time and time again on this issue, and they will not bring
this matter to a vote in the House either.
As the Senate turns its attention to increasing the Federal minimum
wage, which we moved to earlier today, is there any question as to
whether Republicans will once again do the Koch brothers' bidding? Of
course not. They are not going to give millions of Americans a fair
shot at earning a decent wage.
Eighty billion dollars is not enough for these two brothers.
Evidently the Kochs think that $10.10 is too much for a hard-working
American with a family to take care of. If a person works 40 hours at
$10.10, you just hit the magic spot where you are no longer in poverty.
They refuse to allow millions of Americans the opportunity to get out
of poverty and to give millions of Americans a raise.
The Republicans in Congress yawn at the idea of giving the American
middle class a fair shot at financial stability and instead have chosen
to distract the American people by attacking me. Like all illusions,
they are using misdirection to call the American people's attention
away from reality and attempting to buy America with their billions.
The Koch brothers and their accomplices continue to put millions upon
millions of dollars into attacking anyone and anything that stands in
their way of getting richer--and already rich they are.
Senate Democrats refuse to stand idly by while two megarich
individuals attempt to create an American oligarchy.
I have spoken on the Senate floor against the Koch brothers' attempts
to rig the system in their favor because it comes at the expense of
families in Nevada and families across this great country. In response,
one of the Kochs' puppet organizations announced its plans to run ads
against me in the State of Nevada.
I am not running for anything for a few more years. As I said before,
being the target of a couple of rich billionaires is not going to
intimidate me.
Shockingly, the leadership of the Republican Party has decided to
follow suit with their new campaign strategy. It is obvious their
previous strategy of attacking ObamaCare has proven to be a miserable
failure. Over 8 million Americans have chosen the coverage of the
Affordable Care Act, plus 3 million more who are on their parents'
insurance because of the Affordable Care Act. Up to 6 million people
are on their way to having health care because of Medicaid, which is
also as part of ObamaCare.
For example, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 413,000 people have
already signed up for the State-sponsored health care they have in
Kentucky. So with one failed strategy behind them, Republicans and
their benefactors are trying something new, but it is still the same
smoke-and-mirrors routine they tried in the past. Divert and obstruct
is what they do.
To those Republicans who would rather bash me than speak out about
what matters most important to their constituents, I say fire away.
To Charles and David Koch and their radical henchmen, feel free to
attack me as much as you want. I can take it. Don't expect the American
people to be fooled by this newest sleight of hand strike. Ultimately
voters will see the new tactic for what it is--a distraction that is
keeping American families from getting a fair shot at financial
stability.
In the meantime Senate Democrats will continue to speak against the
shadowy influence of two power-drunk billionaires and their devoted
followers on Capitol Hill.
Most importantly, Senate Democrats will continue working on
meaningful legislation that will get our Nation's middle class back on
track.

Reservation of Leader Time

Will the Chair announce the business of the day.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the
leadership time is reserved.

____________________

MORNING BUSINESS

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the
Senate will be in a period of morning business until 5:30 p.m., with
Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the
time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders and their
designees.
Mr. REID. I note the absence of a quorum and ask to have the time
charged equally against both the majority and minority.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. King). Without objection, it is so
ordered.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO MAREN SANCHEZ

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, in just a couple of hours in Milford,
CT, at 7 p.m. this evening there will be a vigil that will bring
together many different members of the Milford community to celebrate,
mourn, and grieve the life of a beautiful young woman who suffered a
senseless and brutal death last Friday morning. In this inexplicable
act of violence, she was killed by a fellow classmate shortly after 7
in the morning.
Jonathan Law High School was turned into a crime scene as members of
the emergency responder team--first the police and then the medics--
sought to save her life. Tragically and unfortunately, they were unable
to do so. The evening that was to be their junior prom instead became a
vigil.
We will perhaps never know what prompted this horrific and
unimaginable act of brutality. This horrific event has united and
brought together people who are now mourning Maren's death.
We know with certainty what a wonderful human being Maren Sanchez
was, and we also know this community has shown strength and courage by
coming together and uniting to help each other--particularly those
students who knew her. We also know with certainty how gifted,
talented, compassionate, and caring she was as the manager of sports
teams, a gifted singer, an athlete, school president, and an honor
student. Her whole future was ahead of her. Most remarkably, she was a
person of consummate caring and compassion for her fellow students.
Those students struggle today to make some sense of this violence, to
derive some meaning and maybe some comfort.
I went to Jonathan Law High School yesterday for part of the
afternoon and spoke with Chief of Police Keith Mello, whose men and
women have helped the community so deeply; the mayor of Milford Ben
Blake, who has demonstrated leadership in this crisis; the
superintendent of schools and principal of Jonathan Law High School;
and the many teachers and parents and students and the grief counselors
and therapists who came to speak with those students and help them to
think and live through this horrible tragedy.
What is remarkable and so impressed me yesterday was the love and
caring that people from disparate parts of this community showed for
each other and continue to show in this testing time. This is a time of
extraordinary adversity and tragedy. People who might otherwise be
strangers are drawn together by the thread of grief and will reform the
fabric of a community by simple acts of caring. They are united today
in their grief and bewilderment. They are seeking to honor Maren's
legacy and sustain it with the very qualities of courage, strength,
caring, and compassion she demonstrated throughout her life. Those
qualities of caring, compassion, courage, and strength will

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see them through this tragedy as they come together for the vigil
tonight.
We can all honor the legacy of this remarkable young woman by looking
for ways to make the world better, as she sought to do, and filling it
with song and color, the lust for life, and the joy and pride in her
contemporary accomplishments.
We need to search for steps we can take to make our schools better
and safer. The time to talk about policy or steps to better school
safety will come, and I hope we will all be a part of that continuing
effort in exploring how to protect anyone and everyone who comes to
school, which should be a haven of safety and insulated from violence--
particularly against the most vulnerable members of our community. But
those policy responses can wait until after the days of grief and
mourning have passed as we celebrate this remarkable young life. She
was described by members of her class as an angel. Her cousin Edward
Kovac said on Friday:

Maren should be celebrating at her prom this evening with
her friends and classmates. Instead, we are mourning her
death and we are trying to understand this senseless loss of
life.

He said:

She was a bright light full of hope and dreams. In fact,
she was among the brightest of lights, full of the most
wondrous hopes and dreams.

So today my heart and prayers are with her family, her friends, the
Milford community, as they gather for this vigil tonight. Separated by
distance, I will be with them in spirit, as I know my colleagues who
know of this tragedy will be as well. This kind of tragedy is
indecipherable, incomprehensible to young men and women--16-year-olds--
but equally so to all of us of any age. My hope is that we will honor
Maren Sanchez's legacy, that our hearts and prayers will go to her
family, her parents, and all who knew her and all who would like to
have known her because she was such a remarkable and wonderful human
being.
Thank you. I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up
to 20 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

THE MINIMUM WAGE

Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, we are told that this week, on
Wednesday, we are going to have a vote on the so-called minimum wage,
the so-called 40-percent increase in the minimum wage. This is part of
a jobs plan by my friends on the Democratic side. Now, it is not a plan
that is intended to pass anything, and that was revealed in a New York
Times article by my distinguished friend from New York, Senator
Schumer, who may be an architect of this. It is to highlight political
differences, which is a fair thing to do in the Senate. But lest anyone
think that someone is trying to pass a law here, they should not be
confused by that.
We have had three hearings on the minimum wage in the Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, of which I am the ranking
Republican member. We have had time to have those three hearings, but
the chairman of the committee, the Senator from Iowa, has said we do
not have time to markup the bill in committee or consider any
amendments to this idea with better proposals to create jobs. It was
reported in one of the Hill newspapers that somebody said: Well, why
don't you have time for amendments on the minimum wage, and he said:
Well, there might be embarrassing amendments. I think there probably
would be votes on embarrassing amendments--embarrassing only if you
voted against them.
So let me talk a little bit about this proposal by my Democratic
friends to create jobs by raising the minimum wage.
Now, they are on the right issue. The issue is jobs. We have been
home in Maine and Tennessee and around the country, and too many people
are having a hard time finding a job. Too many people have been out of
work for more than 6 months. We call them the long-term unemployed. Mr.
President, 10.5 million people are unemployed right now. Unemployed
Americans have been out of work an average of 9 months. That is beyond
the time for unemployment compensation, on the average.
It is hard to find a job. It is hard to create a job. It is
especially tough on people in their forties and fifties and sixties.
Family incomes are lower than we would like for them to be. The
critical problem is, there are too few jobs, especially for low-wage
workers. Then, we saw a report this morning that said that most of the
jobs created since 2008 have been lower-wage jobs rather than higher-
wage jobs.
So the issue is right. It is jobs. The American people want it to be
easier to find a good-paying job. The Democratic proposal we are going
to vote on this week as a solution to the jobs problem is a proposal
that will eliminate 500,000 jobs. Now, let me say that again in case
anyone thought I misread my page of notes. We are talking about jobs,
and the Democratic proposal--this is the big deal this week. We are not
going to do anything in the Senate this week of any significance on the
floor, so far as I know--a few nominations--except have a procedural
vote Wednesday on the minimum wage proposal, and the Democratic
proposal to make it easier to find a job is to eliminate 500,000 jobs.
In case you think I am making this up, let me quote where I got this
piece of information. This is from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget
Office. The Congressional Budget Office is something we set up by law
because we will make our Republican points and we will make our
Democratic points, and we may shade it a little bit this way or a
little bit that way. So we say to the CBO: You tell us the truth as
best as you can tell. They are nonpartisan. We do not always like what
they say. This is what they said about the Democratic proposal to
create more jobs:

Once fully implemented in the second half of 2016, the
$10.10 option [to raise the minimum wage] would reduce total
employment by about 500,000 workers, or .3 percent. . . .

That is according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Should we believe the Congressional Budget Office?
Senator Heller, the distinguished Senator from Nevada, asked Janet
Yellen, President Obama's recently confirmed head of the Federal
Reserve Board, what her thoughts on the CBO study and the impact of
raising the minimum wage would be. This is what she said. I quote
President Obama's new Fed chief, Janet Yellen:

The CBO is as qualified as anyone to evaluate that
literature.

And she said:

I wouldn't want to argue with their assessment.

So there we have the Congressional Budget Office saying it will
reduce 500,000 jobs and the new head of the Federal Reserve Board--
appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate--saying she
``wouldn't want to argue with their assessment.''
We will be hearing more from Democrats this week about the number of
people whose wages will be raised by the minimum wage. There will be
that. But the CBO also reported that $4 out of $5 earned from the
increase in the minimum wage will go to workers in families who are
above the poverty level. Mr. President, $4 out of $5 will go to workers
in families who are above the poverty level, and nearly one-third of
those families who would benefit from the minimum wage increase already
earn more than three times the poverty level.
This reminds me of ObamaCare in this way: According to a recent
Washington Post story, only about 1 in 4 people signing up for
ObamaCare were previously uninsured. About three-quarters of people
with ObamaCare insurance already had insurance before

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we went through all the turmoil of the last 3 or 4 years.
In the same sort of way, the minimum wage is said to benefit low-
income Americans, but only 1 in 5 of the dollars from an increase will
go to families below the poverty line. And that is not all.
In addition to cutting 500,000 jobs and providing 80 percent of the
benefits to families above the poverty level, the Democratic jobs
proposal imposes one more burden on the only Americans who are capable
of solving this problem, and that is the job creators.
I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record following my
remarks the testimony of Laurie Palmer of Waterville, ME, who owns four
Burger King franchises with approximately 140 employees. I say to the
distinguished Presiding Officer, I had no idea he might be presiding
today, but I am glad to have a Maine story.
Ms. Palmer says in her testimony:

An increase in the minimum wage will directly and
negatively impact my ability to create new jobs while
limiting the benefits available to my current employees. I
currently employ 60 people who work an average of 25 hours
per week and earn the current minimum wage as defined by
Maine law--$7.50 per hour. All but a handful of these people
were hired within the last 6 months. Mathematically, an
increase in the federal minimum wage would cost me an extra
$3,900 per week or $208,000 per year . . . my net income for
last year was approximately $35,100--with an extra $208,000
in expenses, I will very likely be forced to close my
business.

She also notes, ``One hundred percent of my current staff starting at
minimum wage are under 25.''
Republicans believe that if we want to create jobs, there is a better
way. We would like to offer our ideas through the Health, Education,
Labor & Pensions Committee. But as I mentioned, we only had time for
three hearings. Although we are able to spend a whole week on this on
the floor for one procedural vote, we are not allowed to offer
amendments in the committee and, so far as I know, here because there
might be embarrassing amendments.
Let's consider what those embarrassing amendments might be. They
might be about the earned-income tax credit. Senator Rubio of Florida,
and Congressman Paul Ryan, have all suggested the earned-income tax
credit is a better way to make sure the lowest earning workers in
America have a better wage if we are going to get the government
involved in it.
Of course, if we are going to do that, we are going to have to deal
with some problems, including the Internal Revenue Service estimate
that 21 or 25 percent of the payments are improperly made in 2012. We
could consider the proposals that, rather than giving those earned-
income tax credits out in a lump sum each year, they might be given out
with each paycheck.
But the Congressional Budget Office also said something about earned-
income tax credits. They said one-third of low-wage workers would be in
families [benefiting from the minimum wage increase] whose income was
more than three times the Federal poverty level in 2016. By contrast,
said CBO, an increase in the earned-income tax credit would go almost
entirely to lower income families. CBO also noted that the earned-
income tax credit encourages more people in low-income families to
work, a value we should encourage.
So if our goal as a country is to provide a minimum wage for working
Americans, why is it fair to assess the cost of that goal on just the
Americans who create the jobs? Of course it makes creating the jobs
harder, but even more importantly, why should not every one of us who
pays taxes share in the burden of increasing America's workers' pay?
That is what happens with the earned-income tax credit.
There is another proposal, a bipartisan one. We call it the 30-to-40-
hour workweek. Senator Collins of Maine is one of the principal
sponsors. The Senator from Indiana I believe is the lead Democratic
sponsor. It is a bipartisan proposal that would, in effect, be a 33-
percent pay increase for millions of American workers who already have
seen their hours cut because of ObamaCare. It is a way to prevent--to
say it another way--millions more workers from getting a 25-percent pay
cut.
The reason all of this occurs is because ObamaCare defined full-time
work as 30 hours. We would like to change it to 40 hours. ObamaCare
says employers with 50 or more full-time workers must offer government-
approved insurance or pay a fine. Full time is defined as 30 hours or
more. That sounds as though it was written in France.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says 74 percent of their members say the
health care law makes it harder for their firms to hire workers.
Changing the definition of full time to 40 hours would make it easier
to hire. Senators Collins and Donnelly have introduced the Forty Hours
is Full Time Act. It would change the definition of full time in the
law to 40 hours per week. We could be discussing that this week. We
could have brought that up in our committee, had we been allowed to, or
the SKILLS Act.
There are 47 separate Federal jobs programs for which taxpayers are
spending $18 billion. The Government Accountability Office says 44 of
those programs are duplicative. The SKILLS Act, passed by the House,
consolidates 35 Federal programs and creates a single workforce
investment fund. Members of the Senate have been working with Members
of the House to see if we can agree on a revision of the Workforce
Investment Act. We are making good progress.
If we can do a better job spending those dollars across America, that
would be a good way to help create more jobs in America or at least
make them easier to obtain. But we do not have time for that in our
hearings. We could spend time debating amendments to transform long-
term unemployment compensation into job training. But we do not have
time for that amendment.
Today, Americans have been out of work for an average of 9 months.
They need new skills. They need skills that help them get a job. Then
ask almost anyone on either side of the aisle what is the best long-
term way to make sure that children of low-income families are prepared
for a good job. Almost every Governor I know is focused like a laser on
this. That is the chance to go to the best possible school.
I have introduced legislation that would allow States, such as
Tennessee or Maine, to take their money from approximately 80 existing
federal elementary and secondary education programs and turn it into
$2,100 scholarships that would follow 11 million low-income children to
the school they attend. We could create $2,100 scholarships for 1 out
of 5 school-aged kids in America.
When I say ``schools they attend,'' that could include a private
school, if the State decided that. But this would not be a Federal
mandate to that effect. The State would make that decision. It would
simply make sure these Federal dollars follow the child to the school
the child attends. If the State wants it to be public, if the State
wants it to be on this corner, that is up to the State. We could offer
and discuss that amendment.
Why not give elementary and secondary children a ticket to a better
school? We give them a ticket to a childcare development center. We did
that in a bipartisan way last month. We have tickets to college. We
call those Pell grants. Why not help them go to better schools?
Then there are other amendments that we think, on our side of the
aisle, have more to do with creating jobs than a so-called minimum wage
proposal that the Congressional Budget Office says will destroy 500,000
jobs. For example, we could build the Keystone Pipeline, which passed
the Senate last year during our budget discussions 62 to 37. That would
create jobs.
We could pass trade promotion authority. President Obama has asked us
to do that. Both in Europe and in Asia, the President has a chance to
negotiate trade agreements that would create more jobs in America as we
ship automobiles and soybeans from Tennessee and other places to the
rest of the world. But the majority leader of the Senate says: No, that
is dead for this year.
We could debate a proposal to reform the National Labor Relations
Board. I

[[Page 6243]]

do not like the fact that they have become more of an advocate than an
umpire, with micro unions, with ambush elections, with undermining
state right-to-work laws. But Democrats come back and say: Well, when
the Republicans are in power, they are more of an advocate for
employers. Maybe there is some truth to that. Let's pass a law saying:
It would be better to create jobs in America if employers and employees
could count on the NLRB to be a fair and unbiased tribunal, an umpire,
not an advocate.
We could create jobs in America and slow the spread of jobs to Europe
from America by repealing the medical device tax. That also passed the
Senate last year, 79 to 20, which means there are lots of Democrats for
it as well as lots of Republicans. So as I say, the only thing
embarrassing about these amendments to a jobs bill would be voting
against them.
On the most important issue facing the country, surely we can do
better than the stale, bankrupt idea that will be voted on this week on
the floor of the Senate, that according to the office we are supposed
to trust for advice, the Congressional Budget Office, would, No. 1,
destroy 500,000 jobs; No. 2, concentrate most of the benefits on those
above the poverty line; No. 3, make it more expensive to create jobs;
and, No. 4, tax only some taxpayers for a policy designed to benefit
the entire society.
This kind of thinking is right in line with ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank,
and all of the other policies that have spread a big wet blanket of
rules and regulations over our free enterprise system and made it
harder to create a job and harder to find a job in the United States of
America. That is why we have 10.5 million people unemployed in America
today for an average of 9 months. It is this constant parade of ideas
that increases the big, wet, smothering blanket of rules and
regulations over the free enterprise system and that does nothing to
make it easier to create jobs and easier to find a job.
There are better ideas. Reform refundable tax credits to benefit all
low-income workers; replace long-term unemployment compensation with
job training; change ObamaCare's workweek definition from 30 hours to
40 hours to encourage full-time work; use existing Federal education
dollars to give children of low-income families a $2,100 scholarship to
choose a better school. All of those would create an environment in
which the job creators could create more jobs and in which these who
want them could find a job more easily.
That is what we should be about, instead of pretending we can pass a
law in America and give many people a higher income. We can do that. We
can do that. But when we do it, make no mistake about it, we are
destroying 500,000 jobs and giving benefits to people above the poverty
line instead of below.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:

Statement From Laurie Anne Palmer, Burger King^' Franchisee,
Waterville, Maine

Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Alexander and members of
this Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit my
testimony today. My name is Laurie Anne Palmer and I own
Waterville Burger Corporation which runs four Burger
King^' restaurants in the Waterville area of Maine.
I would like to note that I am a small business owner; my
views are my own and may not reflect those of the Burger
King^' brand.
In 1972, my father, David Palmer, purchased the only
existing Burger King^' restaurant in Maine. Over
the next 8 years, my mother and father expanded to 5
restaurants around Portland and Waterville, Maine. After
selling their Portland stores, my parents formed Waterville
Burger Corporation and began growing their operations in the
Waterville area, eventually turning the company over to me in
1996. As a teenager and into college, I had worked part time
in their restaurants, so it was a natural fit for me to take
over upon their retirement. I've always considered my
parents' employees as my second family, and I still do so
today.
In 1998, I was forced to close one of my restaurants. This
restaurant was located in Boothbay Harbor, Maine--a very
seasonal small fishing town. The State of Maine's Department
of Transportation had rerouted the tourist traffic off I-95
resulting in a bypass of the town. My other restaurants were
supporting this restaurant financially and it just did not
make sense to continue to lose money at that location. I have
invested significant time and money in my four remaining
stores, including transferring $25,000 of my personal savings
this year alone into the business to keep it afloat. I will
always do what it takes to keep my company healthy. Personal
sacrifice is the first step in cutting costs. I learned this
from my parents and will continue this method of operation. I
am proud to employ 140 people, 30 of which are full time and
110 are part time.
I am here today to talk to you about the Fair Minimum Wage
Act of 2013 (S. 460). As I understand it, this bill seeks to
increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to
$10.10 per hour, which equates to a 39.3 percent increase. It
would also increase the cash wage for tipped employees from
$2.13 per hour to $7.07 per hour, a 232 percent increase. If
this legislation becomes law, small business owners like
myself--who already face minimal profit margins--will either
be forced to recoup the costs elsewhere or close their
businesses entirely. In a business that has been solely owned
and run by my family, this possible outcome would be
devastating not only for me, but for my second family--my
employees.

The Franchise Model

It is important to understand that, as a franchisee, the
business model under which I operate is much different than
other small business owners. By signing a franchise
agreement, my businesses must carry certain trademarks and
other identifiers consistent with the Burger King^'
brand. Burger King^' Corporation also receives a
monthly royalty fee of 3.5 percent and a monthly advertising
fee of 4 percent of my gross sales.
As a franchisee, I am often seen as an agent of the brand
and not a small business owner. In fact, my salary comes from
the net income generated after royalty and advertising fees,
payroll, supplier bills, utility bills, and other costs
associated with running my business. My net income last year
was $35,100. In particularly slow months, I didn't receive a
salary at all. In the months devastated by weather I had to
contribute money into the business. Further, I am currently
preparing my business for the implementation of the
Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is going to cost me
thousands of dollars, if not more.
It is crucial to understand that, as a franchisee,
government mandates are paid out of my pocket--not that of my
franchisor. That's why additional proposals like an increase
in minimum wage will put yet another financial strain on my
business--one that's already struggling to keep its doors
open.

Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Industry

As a franchisee in the QSR industry, my profit margins are
minimal. As a businessperson, I look at the penny profits of
the products I sell. Data from a P&L benchmark report
prepared by my purchasing cooperative, Restaurant Services,
Inc. (RSI), shows that, from November 2012-October 2013, the
average net profit per Burger King^' Restaurant was
approximately $78,000. An increase in the minimum wage to
$10.10 per hour ($2.85/hour) for a small business owner
employing 10 minimum wage workers working 40 hours per week
is an increase of $59,280 per year. Simple math reveals that
an increase in minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would reduce
the average net income of a Burger King^'
franchisee to $18,720 per year--a figure lower than the 2014
federal poverty level for a family of three. For a franchisee
like me whose net profits are less than half of the $77,000
average, it would simply put me out of business.
Further, a calculation of profits per employee reveal that
those in the QSR industry like me cannot afford to absorb the
impact of costs such as a minimum wage increase. In fact, a
study from the University of Tennessee's Center for Business
and Economic Research concluded that the average net income--
or profit--per employee for those in the hospitality industry
is $754--significantly lower than almost every industry in
the United States (see attached PPE Executive Summary). An
increase in minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would cost me
$5,928 for each full-time (40 hours per week) minimum wage
employee per year ($2.85 x 40 x 52)--a figure far below
the income generated per employee. Again, the math shows that
I simply cannot afford this minimum wage increase and, unless
I can recoup the costs somewhere else, will go out of
business.

Impact on My Business

An increase in minimum wage will directly and negatively
impact my ability to create new jobs while limiting the
benefits available to my current employees. I currently
employ 60 people who work an average of 25 hours per week and
earn the current minimum wage as defined by Maine law--$7.50
per hour. All but a handful of these people were hired within
the last 6 months. Mathematically, an increase in the federal
minimum wage would cost me an extra $3,900 per week or
$208,000 per year ($2.60 x 25 x 60 x 52). As I
mentioned above, my net income for last year was
approximately $35,100--with an extra $208,000 in expenses, I
will very likely be forced to close my business.
In order to remain in business and continue to employ over
140 individuals, these

[[Page 6244]]

costs must be recouped somewhere. Most likely, I will be
forced to cut employee hours, increase menu prices and/or
freeze all possible new hires. The industry has developed
equipment engineered to reduce labor hours in the
restaurant--an increase in minimum wage would make the
purchase of this equipment a more likely consideration. These
employees are my second family--many of them have worked for
me for over 10 years. A small handful have even been with me
for over 20 years. Having to cut their hours or even lay off
employees would be almost as devastating to me as it would to
my employees.
While an increase in the minimum wage doesn't take into
account the overwhelming financial burdens of ACA
implementation, I have additional costs that are cutting into
my already minimal profits. Increases in food and energy
costs have been rising steadily over the last several years.
I must additionally consider the fact that my higher paid
employees will also be seeking an increase in pay as a result
of an increase in minimum wage. My payroll costs are at 30
percent of my net sales with the current wage structure.
Simply put, another costly government mandate such as an
increase in minimum wage may be the nail in my business's
coffin.

The Actual ``Minimum Wage''

In truth, the ``minimum wage'' is not a floor--it is an
opportunity for those who may neither want nor have access to
other employment. It is a ``starting wage'' in which
primarily young, inexperienced workers are given the training
and experience they would have not otherwise received. As a
result of hard work and dedication, many quickly receive pay
increases and are promoted within the organization.
The majority of my employees have been promoted due to
their hard work and dedication and now serve as managers in
my restaurants. In fact, my four General Managers began their
careers with me earning the minimum wage and have worked
their way to the top position in each of my restaurants. All
of my hourly managers began by earning the minimum wage and
have each worked hard to earn a management position. I
strongly believe in developing the talent of individuals.
One hundred percent of my current staff starting at minimum
wage are under 25. In fact, 47 percent of federal minimum
wage restaurant employees are teenagers, while 71 percent are
under the age of 25. The average household income of a
restaurant worker that earns federal minimum wage is $62,507.
Minimum wage income is often a supplement to family wages or
as ``spending money'' for younger workers.
An increase in the federal minimum wage will likely and
directly hurt those it was intended to benefit. By increasing
costs, small business owners like me will be forced to
eliminate entry-level jobs and redistribute tasks to more
senior employees. The availability of job opportunities for
those who need it the most will decrease and unemployment
will likely rise. In sum, a minimum wage increase will hurt
both small business owners and their potential employees
across the country--the last thing we need in an already
stagnant economy.
I'm proud of the opportunity I offer my employees and of
course I wish I could pay them more, but my industry business
model makes it very difficult. As I referenced previously,
this is a labor intensive business with tight margins. It is
challenging enough competing with McDonalds, Wendy's and
others, but when mandates like ACA and this proposed wage
hike are thrust upon me, I get scared, I really do . . . for
me and my employees.
Thank you for the opportunity to explain the effect of a
minimum wage increase on my business.

Mr. ALEXANDER. I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a
quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CRUZ. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call
be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

ISRAEL

Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, every Member of this body has expressed our
bipartisan commitment for the United States to stand resolutely with
our friend and ally, the nation of Israel. Doing so is right, and it is
overwhelmingly in the national security interests of the United States
of America.
It was therefore with great sadness that I read this morning about
the comments of Secretary of State John Kerry, who reportedly suggested
at the Trilateral Commission that Israel could become an apartheid
state if his proposed two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
peace process fails.
Secretary Kerry has long experience in foreign policy, and he
understands that words matter. Apartheid is inextricably associated
with one of the worst examples of state-sponsored discrimination in
history--the apartheid system in South Africa that was ultimately
brought down by the heroic resistance of Nelson Mandela inside the
country, supported by a concerted campaign of diplomatic and economic
sanctions by the international community.
There is no place for this word in the context of the State of
Israel. The term ``apartheid'' means apart, different, and isolated--
the state of the victims of apartheid with which the Jews are
tragically all too familiar. The notion that Israel would go down that
path--and so face the same condemnation that faced South Africa--is
unconscionable. The United States should be aggressively asserting that
Israel can never be made an apartheid nation while America exists and
stands beside her because America will be with Israel regardless of the
status of the diplomatic process.
Fifteen months ago, almost to the day, John Kerry was confirmed by
this body by a vote of 94 to 3. Despite my preference for giving the
President the Cabinet members of his choice, I found that I could not
join the vast majority of my colleagues and support his nomination
because I was convinced that as Secretary of State, John Kerry would
place what he considered to be the wishes of the international
community above the national security interests of the United States.
I fear that with these most recent ill-chosen remarks, Secretary
Kerry has proven these concerns well founded. Rather than focusing on
our clear national security interests--which is continuing to guarantee
Israel's security through our unquestionable commitment to it--
Secretary Kerry has instead repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to
countenance a world in which Israel is made a pariah because it will
not sacrifice its security to his diplomatic initiatives; likewise, he
has previously suggested that Israel might probably be subject to
boycotts for the same grounds.
It is no wonder Israel's Defense Minister remarked in January that
``the only thing that can `save us' is for John Kerry to win a Nobel
Prize and leave us in peace.''
Indeed, my colleague, the senior Senator from Arizona, has suggested
that the foreign policy carried out by Mr. Kerry is the equivalent of a
``human wrecking ball.'' The fact that Secretary Kerry sees nothing
wrong with making a statement comparing Israel's policy to the
abhorrent apartheid policies of South Africa--and doing so on the eve
of Holocaust Remembrance Day--demonstrates a shocking lack of
sensitivity to the incendiary and damaging nature of his rhetoric.
Sadly, it is my belief that Secretary Kerry has proven himself
unsuitable for the position he holds and, therefore, before any further
harm is done to our national security interests and to our critical
alliance with the nation of Israel, that John Kerry should offer
President Obama his resignation and the President should accept it.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

CONCLUSION OF MORNING BUSINESS

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning business is closed.

____________________

EXECUTIVE SESSION

______

NOMINATION OF MICHELLE T. FRIEDLAND TO BE UNITED STATES CIRCUIT JUDGE
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT--Resumed

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will
proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination,
which the clerk will report.

[[Page 6245]]

The assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of Michelle T.
Friedland, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the
Ninth Circuit.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, more than 2 weeks ago, the Senate voted to
end the filibuster on the nomination of Michelle Friedland of
California to fill a judicial emergency vacancy on the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. That vote was the fourth time this year
that the Senate had to overcome a Republican filibuster of a highly
qualified circuit court nominee. In stark contrast, the Senate
confirmed 18 of President Bush's circuit nominees within a week of
being reported by the Judiciary Committee.
The Ninth Circuit is the busiest circuit court in the country. It has
the highest number of appeals filed, the highest pending appeals per
panel and the highest pending appeals per active judge. It also takes
far longer than any other circuit court to resolve an appeal. The delay
in resolving these appeals hurts the American people. After the
confirmation last month of John Owens and what I expect will be today's
confirmation of Michelle Friedland, the Ninth Circuit will be operating
at full strength for the first time in more than 9 years. This is an
important milestone, but we should not stop there. There are five
additional circuit court nominees awaiting Senate confirmation. I hope
that Senators who care about Americans having access to the courts will
allow the Senate to confirm these nominees without further delay.
Michelle Friedland is an exceptionally talented attorney, who like
the other 19 judicial nominees confirmed earlier this year, could and
should have been confirmed last year. She was first nominated last
August and after her hearing was delayed due to the Republican shutdown
of our government, she finally came before the Judiciary Committee for
a hearing in early November.
In January, Ms. Friedland's nomination was voted out of the Judiciary
Committee with bipartisan support and she has the strong support of
both of her home state Senators--Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer.
Nevertheless, we were once again forced to follow the costly ritual of
filing and voting on cloture and wasting valuable floor time. There is
no good reason we could not have voted to confirm Ms. Friedland last
year, and there is no good reason that we did not have a vote to
confirm her 2 weeks ago. Meanwhile, it is our Federal judiciary and the
American people who suffer from these delays.
If confirmed, Michelle Friedland would increase the gender diversity
on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She would be the seventeenth
woman to ever sit on this appellate court. In comparison, 83 men have
been appointed to the Ninth Circuit over the course of its history. Her
confirmation will bring the percentage of active female judges sitting
on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to nearly 38 percent. Her
confirmation will also mark the first time since the 29th judgeship was
added in 2007, that it has had a full complement of active judges
serving on this busy appellate court.
I hope my fellow Senators will join me today to confirm Michele
Friedland to the Ninth Circuit so that she can get to work for the
American people.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I wish to express my opposition to
the nomination of Michelle Friedland to the Ninth Circuit Court of
Appeals.
Although Ms. Friedland has a fine resume, it is not her work
experience that concerns me but, rather, her views on many issues--
views that should give anyone reason to question her appointment as a
U.S. Circuit Court judge. Most troubling to me is Ms. Friedland's views
that the International Court of Justice preempts U.S. law, despite the
Supreme Court's repeated rejection of this notion. For those who don't
know, the International Court of Justice is the judicial arm of the
United Nations and Ms. Friedland believes decisions from this court
should be binding on state courts in the U.S. I am thankful that the
Supreme Court hasn't agreed with her and I'm fearful that her
appointment to the Ninth Circuit will give her the opportunity to
surrender U.S. sovereignty to foreign courts and international law.
Another reason we, as legislators, should oppose Ms. Friedland is
that she has expressed views that indicate judges are free to legislate
from the bench. As we all learn in grade school, the legislative branch
creates the laws, the executive branch enforces them, and the judicial
branch interprets them. Despite this, Ms. Friedland believes laws have
no force unless a judge says they do. So when legislators, elected by
the people, pass a law or a constitution is amended, the new law has no
power until a judge deems it enforceable and a constitution, state or
U.S., does not create any rights unless the judiciary says it does.
This is a dangerous notion that tells me that Ms. Friedland is likely
to only enforce laws and constitutional rights with which she agrees.
It is for these reasons that I am opposed to this nomination.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the question occurs
on the nomination.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to
be a sufficient second.
The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination
of Michelle T. Friedland, of California, to be United States Circuit
Judge for the Ninth Circuit?
The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons),
the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the Senator from Iowa (Mr.
Harkin), the Senator from Louisiana (Ms. Landrieu), and the Senator
from Arkansas (Mr. Pryor) are necessarily absent.
Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the
Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the Senator from Kansas (Mr.
Moran), the Senator from Florida (Mr. Rubio). and the Senator from
Oklahoma (Mr. Inhofe).
Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Arkansas (Mr.
Boozman) would have voted ``nay,'' and the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr.
Inhofe) would have voted ``nay.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Donnelly). Are there any other Senators in
the Chamber desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 51, nays 40, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 108 Ex.]

YEAS--51

Baldwin
Bennet
Blumenthal
Booker
Boxer
Brown
Cantwell
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Collins
Donnelly
Durbin
Feinstein
Franken
Gillibrand
Hagan
Heinrich
Heitkamp
Hirono
Johnson (SD)
Kaine
King
Klobuchar
Leahy
Levin
Manchin
Markey
McCaskill
Menendez
Merkley
Mikulski
Murphy
Murray
Nelson
Reed
Reid
Rockefeller
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Shaheen
Stabenow
Tester
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Walsh
Warner
Warren
Whitehouse
Wyden

NAYS--40

Alexander
Ayotte
Barrasso
Blunt
Burr
Chambliss
Coats
Coburn
Cochran
Corker
Cornyn
Crapo
Cruz
Enzi
Fischer
Flake
Graham
Grassley
Hatch
Heller
Hoeven
Isakson
Johanns
Johnson (WI)
Kirk
Lee
McCain
McConnell
Murkowski
Paul
Portman
Risch
Roberts
Scott
Sessions
Shelby
Thune
Toomey
Vitter
Wicker

NOT VOTING--9

Begich
Boozman
Coons
Harkin
Inhofe
Landrieu
Moran
Pryor
Rubio
The nomination was confirmed.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the rest of the
votes tonight be 10 minutes in duration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

CLOTURE MOTION

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, pursuant to rule
XXII, the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture.

[[Page 6246]]

The assistant bill clerk read as follows:

Cloture Motion

We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the
provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate,
hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of
David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Wage
and Hour Division, Department of Labor.
Harry Reid, Tom Harkin, Jon Tester, Barbara Boxer,
Charles E. Schumer, Benjamin L. Cardin, Patrick J.
Leahy, Richard J. Durbin, Robert P. Casey, Jr.,
Christopher A. Coons, John D. Rockefeller IV, Carl
Levin, Bill Nelson, Sheldon Whitehouse, Christopher
Murphy, Patty Murray, Tom Udall.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum
call has been waived.
The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that debate on the
nomination of David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the
Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor, shall be brought to a
close?
The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.
The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant bill clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the
Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from Louisiana (Ms.
Landrieu), and the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Pryor) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the
Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the Senator from Kansas (Mr.
Moran), and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Rubio).
Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Florida (Mr. Rubio)
would have voted ``nay.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber
desiring to vote?
The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 51, nays 42, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 109 Ex.]

YEAS--51

Baldwin
Bennet
Blumenthal
Booker
Boxer
Brown
Cantwell
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Donnelly
Durbin
Feinstein
Franken
Gillibrand
Hagan
Harkin
Heinrich
Heitkamp
Hirono
Johnson (SD)
Kaine
King
Klobuchar
Leahy
Levin
Manchin
Markey
McCaskill
Menendez
Merkley
Mikulski
Murphy
Murray
Nelson
Reed
Reid
Rockefeller
Sanders
Schatz
Schumer
Shaheen
Stabenow
Tester
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Walsh
Warner
Warren
Whitehouse
Wyden

NAYS--42

Alexander
Ayotte
Barrasso
Blunt
Burr
Chambliss
Coats
Coburn
Cochran
Collins
Corker
Cornyn
Crapo
Cruz
Enzi
Fischer
Flake
Graham
Grassley
Hatch
Heller
Hoeven
Inhofe
Isakson
Johanns
Johnson (WI)
Kirk
Lee
McCain
McConnell
Murkowski
Paul
Portman
Risch
Roberts
Scott
Sessions
Shelby
Thune
Toomey
Vitter
Wicker

NOT VOTING--7

Begich
Boozman
Coons
Landrieu
Moran
Pryor
Rubio
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote the yeas are 51, the nays are 42.
The motion is agreed to.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I have many concerns with the
nomination of Dr. David Weil to be the Administrator of the Wage and
Hour Division at the Department of Labor--DOL.
The Wage and Hour Division is an important agency that oversees the
enforcement of more than a dozen laws that govern just about every
private sector employment relationship in America. To fill this
position, we need someone who can be trusted by both employees and
employers to enforce the law without bias, and we need a qualified
manager. Unfortunately, I think Dr. Weil fails to meet that standard.
My greatest concern is about his ability to be impartial in carrying
out the duties of his office. This role requires that he be a neutral
arbiter of law. But we have a number of writings and lectures by Dr.
Weil that suggest he may use the power of government to pursue how he
thinks the employer/employee relationship should be defined.
Dr. Weil has written a new book called ``The Fissured Workplace: Why
Work Became So Bad for So Many and What Can Be Done to Improve It.'' In
this book, he suggests the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division--
the division he is nominated to lead--could look for ways to expand its
current interpretations of labor law and should target employers who
use certain business models. In addition, in his book, Dr. Weil singles
out a number of major employers, such as Marriott, Time Warner, Bank of
America, Walmart, Hershey, AT&T, Verizon, Subway, Hyatt, Apple, and
FedEx. Dr. Weil states that current labor laws and traditional
regulatory enforcement allow companies such as these to ``have their
cake and eat it too,'' because they use common business models such as
subcontracting and supply chains and, therefore, can push liability for
compliance with workplace statutes off to other entities that are in
their business model.
He further says that companies use multilayer business models ``to
avoid unionization,'' and appears to be critical of that, stating that
employers ``she[d] employment'' to find ``more subtle ways to shift
away from a highly unionized workforce or move work to forms of
employment that are both legally and strategically difficult for unions
to organize[.]''
Dr. Weil has been critical of the franchising industry as a whole.
For example, Dr. Weil believes the Wage and Hour Division should
investigate corporate entities for wage and hour violations at
individual franchises/locations even though a direct employer-employee
relationship may not exist. He recommends investigating industries that
employ significant numbers of low-wage workers, such as the fast food,
hotel/lodging, and construction industries.
The franchising industry has been an incredible engine of economic
growth in this country and, according to the International Franchise
Association, has created hundreds of thousands of successful small
businesses, employing over 8 million individuals. Many of these
businesses are owned by people who started on the bottom rung of the
economic ladder, making minimum wage, and worked their way up all the
way to the top. Many of them are owned by women and minorities. For so
many people, franchising has been the path to the American Dream.
Take, for example, Laurie Palmer of Waterville, ME, who owns four
Burger King franchises and employs approximately 140 people. She is
already worried about the prospect of closing her business with
possible minimum wage increases and the cost of Obamacare. The last
thing she should be worrying about is being singled out for a wage and
hour investigation simply because she is a franchisee.
Dr. Weil's responses to written questions while his nomination was
before the HELP Committee also raised several questions about his
policy positions. He gave non-answers to some pretty simple questions.
He would not answer yes or no when asked if he supports instructing
Wage and Hour Division investigators to presume a worker is an employee
even if the employer has told investigators the worker is an
independent contractor. In other words, if an employer hires an
independent contractor, Dr. Weil may feel that he has the discretion to
decide that person is really an employee.
This is important because, just this month, a Texas Federal district
court judge slapped DOL, and ultimately the taxpayer, with half a
million dollars in costs for a failed wage and hour lawsuit. The Wage
and Hour Division unsuccessfully tried to claim that a company's
independent contractors were employees. After multiple investigative
missteps noted by the court, including a wage and hour investigator
improperly shredding and burning interview notes and incorrectly
assessing a $6 million penalty against the company, the court found
``DOL failed to act in a reasonable manner'' and did not believe a
reasonable person would conclude the folks in question were employees.
If Dr. Weil is confirmed, I hope he reads the court's decision closely
to ensure this type of investigative behavior does not happen again.

[[Page 6247]]

Dr. Weil's writings suggest he may have a bull's eye on industries
that use subcontracting and franchising. And he would not answer yes or
no when asked to commit to treating all complaints equally based on the
merits instead of the industry. Instead, he committed to giving the
agency's investigators guidance on how to prioritize complaints, but
made no indication of what complaints he thinks should be a priority.
I am also concerned about Dr. Weil's lack of management experience.
If confirmed, Dr. Weil will be charged with supervising the work of
more than 1,800 employees in 54 field offices covering all of our
states and territories, with a $224 million budget. Dr. Weil has no
management experience beyond supervising small teams of people at
Boston University and Harvard.
Several outside groups, including the Associated Builders and
Contractors, the International Franchise Association, and the National
Restaurant Association have also expressed their opposition to Dr.
Weil. The Wall Street Journal underscored its concerns with Dr. Weil by
describing him as ``a life-long, left-wing academic with labor union
sympathies, no private-sector experience or legal training, and limited
management experience.''
Last, I will note that this position has not had a confirmed
Administrator since the Bush Administration and this fact cannot be
blamed on Republican delays or use of the filibuster. The President has
nominated two individuals to this position, both of whom voluntarily
withdrew before any HELP Committee votes were scheduled. The last
nominee withdrew his nomination in August of 2011--a full 32 months
ago.
After waiting this long, we need to get this right. I cannot support
a nominee who has advocated expanding current law beyond what Congress
intended, nor could I support a nominee who is a proponent of targeting
industries and employers who use certain business models rather than
being responsive to complaints of breaches of the law or one that has
the underlying goal of increasing unionization without regard to the
desires of employees themselves. Therefore, I cannot support Dr. Weil's
confirmation.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong support
for the nomination of Dr. David Weil to serve as Administrator of the
Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor.
The Wage and Hour Division oversees some of the most fundamental
protections for American workers: it ensures that people are paid
fairly in accordance with our minimum wage and overtime laws. It
protects vulnerable children when our child labor laws are abused. It
ensures that workers can spend time with their families when a new baby
is born or a health crisis is looming. In short, this relatively
unknown agency plays a huge role in how Americans experience their day-
to-day working lives.
However despite this important mission, this critical agency was
unfortunately allowed to atrophy during the last administration. The
division took a backseat approach that relied almost exclusively on
complaint-driven enforcement--relying on the questionable assumption
that vulnerable workers know their rights and will approach the agency
to report violations of the law--rather than taking a more proactive
approach to educate workers and seek out industries and populations
where abuses are likely to happen. Furthermore, even this complaint-
driven system was often poorly managed--the Government Accountability
Office issued a harshly critical report finding that Wage and Hour
``frequently responded inadequately'' to those complaints that it did
receive.
The current administration has corrected these problems and beefed up
enforcement, revitalizing this essential agency. It has improved the
complaint process and encouraged ``strategic enforcement'' that is
geared to efficiently using limited resources to maximize compliance
with the law.
With this new vision, the division has made great strides. Over the
past 5 years, the Wage and Hour Division has returned more than $1.1
billion in stolen wages to workers whose rights were violated. They
have done the best job ever of targeting their investigations to the
workplaces that have the most violations, even when the workers felt
too threatened or too disempowered to complain. The Division also
successfully completed vital regulations to expand minimum wage and
overtime protections to nearly 2 million home health aides. As a result
of the division's efforts, these hardworking people will soon get the
most basic of worker protections, and our country will benefit from a
more stable and reliable workforce to assist people with disabilities
and our elderly loved ones live full and independent lives.
There are certainly more challenges ahead for Wage and Hour. In
addition to implementing the new minimum wage rules for home care
workers in a careful and thoughtful manner, the division will be tasked
with developing an important new Obama administration initiative to
update our outdated overtime rules. I am a strong supporter of this
effort. Too many Americans are working longer and harder without
anything to show for their efforts in their paycheck. Often low-wage
and modestly paid workers can be forced to work long hours without
overtime compensation because the threshold for determining which
workers are automatically eligible for overtime pay is set too low. It
is long past time to update these rules, to prevent abuses of low-wage
workers and ensure fair compensation for those who work long hours.
The Wage and Hour Division will also be tasked with implementing any
minimum wage legislation passed here in Congress. While we will, of
course, set the contours of the law here in Congress, the Wage and Hour
Division will be tasked with ensuring that employees and employers are
educated about the new law and that employers are complying with its
requirements.
In facing these critical challenges, I can think of no one better to
lead the Wage and Hour Division into the future than Dr. David Weil.
Dr. Weil is one of the Nation's leading experts on enforcement of wage
and hour, safety and health, and other workplace regulations. He has
spent the last 20 years teaching at Boston University's School of
Management, where he has done extensive empirical research on the
prevalence of wage and hour violations and the effectiveness of
different enforcement strategies. Because of his expertise, he has been
called on to work extensively with Labor Department officials for many
years to help them improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Wage
and Hour Division. He has served as a consultant to the Department of
Labor under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and has
also advised both Democratic and Republican officials at the State
level. His expertise on these issues is indisputable.
Dr. Weil also approaches these issues from a unique perspective. He
has spent two decades as a professor of management at a business
school, teaching a course on strategic decision-making for businesses.
This insight into businesses' decision-making process will be
invaluable to working at the Wage and Hour Division--both to understand
businesses better and to work with them more effectively. Dr. Weil also
has extensive experience in collaborating with a variety of groups,
often playing a role of mediator and advisor--skills that will help him
work effectively with both worker advocates and the business community
to advance the mission of the Wage and Hour Division.
Some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have taken issue
with Dr. Weil's scholarship promoting strategic enforcement. I will
confess that I find these criticisms hard to understand. The basic idea
that Dr. Weil has articulated is that we have limited enforcement
resources, and that we should target those resources--to the best of
our ability--to industries where there is an objectively verifiable
pattern of noncompliance and where workers are particularly vulnerable
to abuse.
This is a commonsense approach, especially in times of tight budgets.
We need to be trying to get the best bang for our enforcement buck, and
Dr. Weil

[[Page 6248]]

has some great ideas for how to do that. I would think all the fiscal
conservatives in this Chamber would be applauding his suggestions to
build a more efficient and effective Wage and Hour Division. This sort
of innovative thinking and strategic and efficient planning will be a
tremendous asset to the agency.
Indeed, a group of Dr. Weil's peers, respected academics at a variety
of universities, strongly agree with this conclusion. They note: David
is one of if not the nation's leading expert on enforcement of safety
and health, wage and hour, and other workplace regulations. He has done
extensive research on the effectiveness of different enforcement
strategies and has worked intensively with Labor Department officials
for many years to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the
policies he will be entrusted to administer. The letter also notes his
``long history of public service,'' including his work with current and
former agency leadership on both the Democratic and Republican sides. I
ask unanimous consent to have the text of this letter printed in the
Record.
As this letter confirms, while Dr. Weil has never worked directly for
the division, he is intimately familiar with its mission and
operations. He knows the Department, he knows the laws, and he can hit
the ground running to move this important agency forward.
It is clear that Dr. Weil is an exemplary candidate to administer the
Wage and Hour Division. It is unfortunate that the Wage and Hour
Division has been without a Senate-confirmed leader for many years now,
and I am glad that we will soon be able to change that. I thank Dr.
Weil for his willingness to go through this process, and for his
commitment to public service. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to support this nomination and allow it to move forward quickly
so that Dr. Weil can get to work doing the important business of the
Wage and Hour Division.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
October 29, 2013.
Hon. Tom Harkin,
Chairman.
Hon. Lamar Alexander,
Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Alexander: We are
all academics who study different aspects of employment
relations and public policy. Each of us has worked in and/or
advised the Department of Labor and other federal and state
government agencies in both Democratic and Republican
administrations. While we do not all share the same views on
employment policy issues, we share a tremendous respect for
David Weil and believe he would be an excellent Administrator
of the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor.
David is one of if not the nation's leading expert on
enforcement of safety and health, wage and hour, and other
workplace regulations. He has done extensive research on the
effectiveness of different enforcement strategies and has
worked intensively with Labor Department officials for many
years to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the
policies he will be entrusted to administer.
He brings a long history of public service to this
position. Among other things he worked closely with the late
John Dunlop, Secretary of Labor in the Ford Administration,
on a major study of work practices and productivity in the
apparel and textile industries. He currently serves as Co-
Director of the Transparency Policy Project at Harvard
University's Kennedy School of Government. He is recognized
by his colleagues at Boston University as an extremely
competent, fair, and thorough administrator.
For the past eight years he has served as the neutral Chair
of the Dunlop Agricultural Labor Commission, a position that
requires gaining and maintaining respect and trust from
diverse groups of employers, contractors, employees,
immigrants, and unions.
For all these reasons, we are pleased to endorse the
President's nomination of David Weil to be the Administrator
of the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Please
feel free to contact any of us if we can be of further help
to your Committee.
Sincerely,
Richard Freeman, Professor, Department of Economics,
Harvard University;
Harry Katz, Dean, School of Industrial and Labor Relations,
Cornell University;
Lawrence Katz, Professor, Department of Economics, Harvard
University;
Thomas Kochan, Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management;
David Levine, Professor, Haas School of Business,
University of California-Berkeley;
Lisa Lynch, Dean, Heller School for Social Policy and
Management, Brandeis University;
Robert McKersie, Professor Emeritus, MIT Sloan School of
Management;
Paul Osterman, Professor MIT Sloan School of Management;
James Rebitzer, Chair, Dept. of Economics, Law & Policy,
School of Management, Boston University.

____________________

NOMINATION OF DAVID WEIL TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE WAGE AND HOUR
DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR--Resumed

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination.
The legislative clerk read the nomination of David Weil, of
Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division,
Department of Labor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
Mr. REID. This should be the last vote this evening. The next vote
will be by voice.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination of David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be
Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor?
Mr. WICKER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There is a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the
Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from Louisiana (Ms.
Landrieu), and the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Pryor) are necessarily
absent.
Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the
Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman), the Senator from Kansas (Mr.
Moran), and the Senator from Florida (Mr. Rubio).
Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Florida (Mr. Rubio)
would have voted ``nay.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber
desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 51, nays 42, as follows:

[Rollcall Vote No. 110 Ex.]

YEAS--51

NAYS--42

NOT VOTING--7

Begich
Boozman
Coons
Landrieu
Moran
Pryor
Rubio
The nomination was confirmed.

____________________

NOMINATION OF KATHERINE M. O'REGAN TO BE AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the clerk will
report the O'Regan nomination.
The legislative clerk read the nomination of Katherine M. O'Regan, of
New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development.
Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all time be
yielded back.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination
of Katherine M. O'Regan, of New York, to

[[Page 6249]]

be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development?
The nomination was confirmed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motions to
reconsider are considered made and laid upon the table and the
President shall be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday,
April 29, 2014, at 11 a.m., the Senate proceed to executive session,
and that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate proceed to vote on
cloture on Executive Calendar Nos. 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, and 590;
further, that if cloture is invoked on any of those nominations, all
postcloture time be considered expired; that following the series of
votes, the Senate resume legislative session; further, that on
Wednesday, at a time to be determined by me, after consultation with
the Republican leader, the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of
the nominations in the order upon which cloture was invoked; that there
be 2 minutes for debate prior to each vote and all rollcall votes after
the first vote be 10 minutes in length; further, with respect to the
nominations in this agreement, that upon disposition on Wednesday, the
motions to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table and the
President be immediately notified of the Senate's action and the Senate
resume legislative session.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

LEGISLATIVE SESSION

______

MINIMUM WAGE FAIRNESS ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will
resume legislative session.
The Senator from Ohio.
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in
morning business for up to 15 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I rise to discuss partly the state of our
economy but more precisely the state of our workers. Working Americans
are in some sense being attacked from both ends. We have seen an
orchestrated attempt to cut safety net programs where a low-income
worker making $9, $10, or $11 an hour might be eligible in some cases
for SNAP or is surely eligible for the earned income tax credit.
Opponents strongly say that programs such as SNAP foster a culture of
dependency and do not reward work. Those same elected officials--some
of whom, I might add, have voted to raise their own pay--oppose efforts
to ensure that hard work is reworded with fair pay. Last fall one House
Republican said: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
I am all for quoting Scripture. I do not think it should be used to
vilify hard-working people. Detractors of SNAP, opponents of the
minimum wage, cannot have it both ways. By raising the minimum wage, it
means, frankly, fewer people will be eligible for SNAP, because if
their wages are higher, they cannot and should not be eligible for
certain benefits. So we create opportunities for Americans to earn a
living wage and no longer need those benefits.
One hundred years ago in January, Henry Ford, in 1914, announced that
he was going to pay his workers $5 a day. Nobody thought, when they
looked at Henry Ford and his life, nobody thought he was doing it out
of the kindness of his heart. But that did not matter; he decided to
pay everybody in his plant $5 a day because he understood that paying
them more would mean a more prosperous workforce who could then,
presto, have the money in their pocket to begin to buy a car, to buy a
Model T or to buy one of Henry Ford's cars.
We should be taking a page from Ford's playbook. Productivity has
increased 85 percent in this country since 1979. It used to be as
productivity went up, wages went up. Since World War II, between 1945
and 1973, productivity went like this: Wages pretty much paralleled the
increase. In other words, workers who were producing more for their
boss would get part of the wealth, would share in the wealth they were
helping to create for their company, for their boss.
So while productivity has increased 85 percent in the last 35 years,
inflation-adjusted wages increased 6 percent, and the value of the
minimum wage fell 21 percent. Think about that. Productivity went up 85
percent. Profits went up significantly. Wages went up only 6 percent.
The value of the minimum wage fell 21 percent. The value of the minimum
wage, since 1968, is actually one-third less today--the minimum wage
today is worth one-third less in buying power of the minimum wage in
1968.
Simply put, workers, while they are earning more for their bosses,
they are making their companies more profitable, workers are not seeing
the wealth they helped to create. Fundamentally, the contract--not
literally a legal contract but the contract we once had in this country
was, if you work hard, if you take responsibility, if you are
productive, if you do things according to sort of society's mores, you
would benefit. You would benefit in higher wages. You would benefit in
a higher standard of living.
In the aftermath of the recession, the job growth, the increase in
jobs, has been in the low-wage job sectors. Men and women who lost
good-paying middle-class jobs, generally through no fault of their own,
are returning to work at low-wage jobs, jobs that make it difficult to
support a family.
Enrollment for programs such as SNAP has grown. I hear some of my
sort of tea party colleagues complain that more and more people are
getting SNAP. They are, because wages are not going up, because the
minimum wage has less buying power than it used to. So many workers
that were union, middle-class workers now are making lower wages 45
million people. So, yes, the number of people who are receiving SNAP
benefits, food stamps has gone up.
In 2011, 45 million people relied on those benefits. SNAP spending
increased, but that is a reason to pass the minimum wage. Increase
their wages and fewer people will need that. Too many people who work
harder than ever are barely getting by despite their best efforts. That
is why millions of fast-food workers in cities across the country took
to the streets in December for a National Day of Action, asking for and
demanding an increase in the minimum wage.
More than half of frontline fast-food workers, more than half of
those who work more than 40 hours per week, earn so little that they
are forced to enroll their family in public assistance. Think of all
the companies, all the companies where workers are making such low
wages and they are getting food stamps.
So I come to the floor to talk about the minimum wage and to
specifically discuss support for the Fair Minimum Wage Act. Majority
Leader Reid has been supportive of this measure, as have most of my
colleagues in this Chamber. We have not yet been able to corral 60
votes, which is what we need to break a filibuster, from those who I
think are far out of step with the country, with their constituents,
who oppose the minimum wage.
The Fair Minimum Wage Act would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an
hour in three 95-cent increments. In other words, it is $7.25 now. Upon
the President's signature, it would be $8.20. One year later it would
be $9.15. Then one year later it would be $10.10 an hour. The bill
also--this is important to note because it is rarely talked about. The
bill also raises the Federal minimum wage for tipped workers from the
current $2.13 an hour to 70 percent of the regular minimum wage. If you
work in a restaurant, if you are a server, if you push a wheelchair at
an airport, if you are a valet, if you are working in a hotel where you
get tips, in most cases those employers are only required to pay the
subminimum wage, assuming that you are going to get up to the minimum
wage with tips.
It does not always happen that way. It is a Federal law that it
should, but it does not always happen that way. As

[[Page 6250]]

Senator Durbin and I were talking earlier, it is not so easy to enforce
that. So if you are in a diner and you are talking to your server, the
chances are that your server is making significantly less than the
minimum wage, maybe higher than $2.13--that is the law--but maybe no
more than $3 or $4 an hour.
If you are in an airport and you see someone pushing an older person
in a wheelchair, usually down the concourse, or someone who is disabled
for whatever reason, they are only making $3, $4 or $5 an hour.
The tipped minimum wage, $2.13, has not been raised since 1991. So
every time we have raised the minimum wage--we did it bipartisanly;
President Bush signed it in 2007. We did one a few years before that--I
was in the House then--bipartisanly. The Presiding Officer from Indiana
supported these minimum wage increases. But every time we have raised
the minimum wage since 1991, the $2.13 subminimum wage, the tipped
wage, has been stuck. It has never been raised. This will raise the
tipped wage.
Let me share a couple of letters. I got a letter from Tom in Cuyahoga
County, the county I live in, in Northeast Ohio:

Senator Brown, I'm a 50 year old food service worker with a
college degree, and I make $7.40 an hour. I just closed my
retirement account that had $2,500 in it to pay my bills--and
it's still not enough to cover everything. Now with that
money gone, I should be able to qualify for food stamps. I
only have the most basic bills, and I don't have any credit
card debt or loans. How much longer do we have to wait for a
livable wage?

The people whom I have met who are working minimum wage or close to
minimum wage, $8-, $9-, $10-an-hour jobs, are people who often hold two
jobs. They are working hard. They have so little to show for it. For
somebody who is willing to work as most people in this country do, they
should have a livable wage.
We know there are many more stories such as Tom's that all of us will
hear if we go out in our States and listen. Pope Francis I exhorted his
parish priests to go out and ``smell like the flock.'' The illusion of
the Old and New Testaments and sheep and shepherds was obviously what
he was referring to, but he was also referring to the fact of how
important it is for people in his church, in the Roman Catholic Church,
the priests, the people who minister to people, should understand how
people live.
It is an important admonition for politicians too. I think more of my
colleagues should get out of Washington and ``smell like the flock'' as
Pope Francis said, meet people trying to make a go of it on a minimum
wage, put food on their table to support their families, to put a
little aside maybe for retirement someday; all of those are so
important.
When we are seeing people working harder and harder, and, frankly,
getting paid less and less money for it because of the decline of the
buying power of the minimum wage, we know it is time for change.
I ask my colleagues to support the Fair Minimum Wage Act. It will
pull millions of people out of poverty. It will help our economy
because it will put money in people's pockets that they will
immediately spend, generating other economic activity and creating
jobs.
I yield the floor.

____________________

MORNING BUSINESS

Mr. BROWN. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a
period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein
for up to 10 minutes each.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

Mr. REID. Mr. President, today as we convene, I call to the Senate's
attention today's commemoration of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the
systematic genocide of 6 million Jews and countless others, carried out
by Adolf Hitler and his minions.
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is a reminder that we must
continue to fight against genocide, racism, hatred, and violence. Yet
with Holocaust Remembrance Day also comes the hope provided us by the
survivors.
I think of my friend the late Tom Lantos, a Congressman from
California. Tom was a Hungarian Jew and a survivor of the Holocaust--
and a survivor he was. I had the good fortune of traveling to Hungary
and meeting with him there, and he showed us a number of places where
he escaped from the Nazis. It was a remarkable story, and he was a
remarkable man.
He once said: ``I like to work hard to make this a better country, to
provide a just government for our people and make sure we have learned
from the past.'' Tom Lantos' statement should apply to all of us.
Today we remember those who were lost, honor those who survived, and
share our grief with the families who suffered the tragedy of Nazi
Germany during the Holocaust.
Let us remember the words of Congressman Lantos who, in spite of all
he suffered, had great hope and faith that we would work to stop
genocide in the future.

____________________

IATSE LOCAL 720 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize the 75th
anniversary for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts,
IATSE, Local 720. Local 720 was chartered on February 23, 1939, by the
nine original members--Mickey Burton, Barney Deussen, Clyde Gilbert,
Harry Beuford, Arden Lusch, Rudy Rear, Harry Keller, Wally Roper, and
Howard Folley. Since that time, because of the hard work and dedicated
service of its founding members and their predecessors, it has grown to
represent over 2,500 professionals in the entertainment industry,
performing over 50,000 dispatches and receiving $60 million in gross
wages in the last year alone.
The union may have started with nine stagehands, but today it
represents some of the most highly trained and skilled technicians in
the country, including theatrical carpenters, electricians, riggers,
audio/video technicians, video projectionists, camera operators, grips,
gaffers, trade show technicians, audio engineers, stitchers,
hairstylists, and make-up artists. It is the hard work and passion of
these members that helped make Las Vegas the Entertainment Capital of
the World.
For 75 years Local 720 has fought for the rights of Nevadan workers.
I applaud and celebrate with IATSE Local 720 on their 75th anniversary.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO MARKO MEDVED

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it has come to my attention that one of
our finest Civil Engineer Corps officers, CAPT Marko Medved, who is the
officer in charge of Construction, Marine Corps Installations West, has
announced his retirement from the U.S. Navy.
Captain Medved was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. He and his wife
Maria Nagy, reside in San Diego, CA, with their children Jack, 15, and
Carly, 13,
I ask unanimous consent that his biography be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:

Captain Marko Medved, P.E., Civil Engineer Corps, United States Navy

Officer in Charge of Construction Marine Corps Installations West

CAPT Medved's first duty assignment was onboard USS
Leftwich (DD 984), home ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where
he served as the Damage Control Officer, Missile Officer and
Fire Control Officer. He deployed with Leftwich to serve in
Desert Storm and Desert Shield in 1989-1990 and returned
again to the Persian Gulf in 1992-1993.
CAPT Medved transferred to the Civil Engineer Corps (CEC)
in the summer of 1993. He reported to his first CEC
assignment at Resident Officer-in-Charge of Construction,
Puerto Rico Area, in January 1994. Here he managed
construction contracts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and at
Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. CAPT Medved was then
reassigned to the Public Works Department (PWD) where he
directed the Technical Management Division, then Customer
Service for the Base Operating Support Contract. In October
of 1997,

[[Page 6251]]

CAPT Medved joined the ``Professionals'' of Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion Five, leading a Detachment for
Training to assist in disaster recovery in Sao Miguel,
Azores, Portugal. He later deployed to Okinawa as Charlie
Company Commander and Air Detachment Commander. Upon
completion of graduate school in August 2000, he reported to
the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Fleet Readiness and
Logistics) staff to serve as Action Officer for Range
Planning and Base Realignment and Closure. During the 107th
Congress, CAPT Medved served as a Legislative Fellow for
Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, working on Defense
Appropriations. He then served as the Public Works Officer at
Naval District Washington, Indian Head, Maryland--the Center
for Naval Energetics, until June 2005. Shifting coasts, CAPT
Medved lead the Coastal Integrated Process Team at NAVFAC
Southwest, supporting bases in San Diego, Ventura County and
Monterey. In his next assignment as the Assistant Regional
Engineer for Navy Region Southwest, he led the facilities
programs for naval bases and reserve centers across six
states. Deploying as an Individual Augment, he served as the
Public Works Officer for Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, where he
supported Marine and Army Division Commanders in Operation
Iraqi Freedom.
CAPT Medved graduated with distinction from Annapolis with
a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering in May
1989. He later attended postgraduate school at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a Master of
Science degree in Construction Engineering and Management in
August 2000. In the summer of 2011, he completed the Advanced
Management Program at the Duke Fuqua School of Business. He
holds qualifications in Seabee Combat Warfare and Surface
Warfare, is a member of the Acquisition Professional
Community, and is a registered Professional Engineer in
Virginia. CAPT Medved's awards include the Legion of Merit,
Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Navy Commendation
Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal (three awards),
and the Combat Action Ribbon.

____________________

REMEMBERING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 99th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide--a tragedy that has left a dark
stain on the collective conscience of the world.
Between 1915 and 1923, more than 1.5 million Armenians were marched
to their deaths in the deserts of the Middle East, murdered in
concentration camps, drowned at sea, and forced to endure unimaginable
acts of brutality at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.
The Armenian Genocide--along with the Holocaust is one of the most
studied cases of genocide in history. Countless experts have documented
the atrocities that occurred, compiling an overwhelming body of
historical evidence on the Armenian Genocide.
However, successive U.S. administrations have refused to call the
deliberate massacre of the Armenians by its rightful name, continuing
only to refer to it as an annihilation, massacre, or murder.
It has been nearly a century since the Armenian Genocide began and
each day that goes by without full acknowledgement by the United States
prolongs the pain felt by the descendants of the victims, as well as
the entire Armenian community.
For years, I have been urging both Democratic and Republican
administrations to finally acknowledge the Armenian Genocide for what
it was--genocide. I do so again today.
The United States has often led the international community in
speaking out against violence and suffering wherever it occurs. But
tragically, our Nation is on the wrong side of history when it comes to
the Armenian Genocide. I hope that this year we right this terrible
wrong once and for all.
It is time for the United States to join the list of countries from
Argentina to France as well as 43 U.S. States that have unequivocally
affirmed the Armenian Genocide.
Genocide is only possible when people avert their eyes. Any effort to
deal with genocide--whether past, present or future--must begin with
the truth.
So this April 24, as we pause to remember the victims of the Armenian
Genocide and to celebrate the many contributions Armenian Americans
have made to our great nation, I hope that the United States will
finally and firmly stand on the right side of history and call the
tragedy of 1915-1923 by its rightful name.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO H. SAWIN MILLETT

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, on May 30, H. Sawin Millett will step
down as commissioner of the Maine Department of Administrative and
Financial Services, one of many positions he has held during a
remarkable career of more than 55 years of dedicated service at all
levels of government. I rise today to join the people of Maine in
thanking him for his many contributions as he retires to his family,
his farm, and his beloved hometown of Waterford, ME.
Sawin has served five Maine Governors--Republican, Democratic, and
Independent--and in the cabinets of four. His energy, expertise, and
commitment to responsible and accountable government have been applied
to such diverse areas as education, finance, and mental health
services.
Sawin served six terms in the Maine legislature and was lead House
Republican on the Appropriations Committee during the last three. His
institutional knowledge and keen understanding of the State budget
process and fiscal operations has been invaluable to our State.
Building on his early career as a teacher, coach, and principal, he was
the first executive director of the Maine School Management Association
and an assistant professor at the University of Southern Maine.
It is fitting that Sawin's life in public service began at the local
level, serving as selectmen in the towns of Dixmont and Waterford, and
as a town meeting moderator.
The appreciation of Sawin's service crosses party lines. When the
announcement of his retirement was made, both sides of the aisle were
united in praise for this generous mentor and effective leader who has
always been devoted to the people of Maine.
I have had the privilege of knowing Sawin for many years. We served
together in the cabinet of Gov. John McKernan, and I was fortunate to
have him on my State staff during my first term in the Senate. I also
have had the pleasure of knowing his wonderful wife Barbara, who has
been a strong and loving partner for more than 57 years. On behalf of
the people of Maine, I wish them health and happiness in the years to
come.

____________________

LET FREEDOM RACE CELEBRATION

Mr. BURR. Mr. President, I rise to thank the great people at the
Charlotte Motor Speedway for their hard work in honoring our Nation's
military and veterans' families. This Memorial Day Weekend, the 55th
Let Freedom Race Celebration at CMS will bring together more than
100,000 military guests to celebrate our military heroes and honor
their service. This Memorial Day tradition will, once again, showcase
our military strength by demonstrating patriotic unity and pride for
those who served in our Armed Forces to protect us.
Over the 55 years of the Memorial Day weekend celebration at
Charlotte Motor Speedway, millions of race fans have joined together to
celebrate America's military heroes and honor their service.
Generations of men and women have worn their Nation's uniform with
pride and put their lives on the line to protect and preserve our most
precious commodity: freedom. Many of them paid the ultimate price and
should always be remembered for their sacrifice. I commend all those at
Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the wider racing community, for their
continuing support of our men and women in uniform.
Please join me in recognizing those at the Charlotte Motor Speedway
for their efforts in promoting the Let Freedom Race Celebration each
May.

____________________

COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Columbus State
Community College in recognition of its 50th anniversary and the
opportunities it has provided to students throughout Ohio. On September
30, 1963, Columbus State was founded in the basement of Central High
School in Columbus, OH. Since its inception, Columbus State has grown
tremendously by expanding

[[Page 6252]]

its enrollment and academic offerings from an initial 67 students to
more than 25,000 students. The diverse student body has come from more
than 130 countries and all of Ohio's 88 counties.
The mission of Columbus State is ``to educate and inspire, providing
[its] students with the opportunity to achieve their goals.'' This
mission is vital to the Columbus community. Throughout its 50 years,
Columbus State has provided exemplary educational opportunities through
more than 200-plus degree and certificate programs. It has awarded
nearly 50,000 degrees and has a nearly $1 billion annual impact on the
local economy. The school also provides several transfer options and
continuing education opportunities to students.
I have visited Columbus State and seen firsthand the excellent
education and training it provides to students, including the resources
available through the Center for Workforce Development. The center
collaborates with companies in the Columbus region to address workforce
needs through innovative approaches to education and customized
training. It is helping to ensure that students are prepared with the
skills they need for the jobs of the 21st century.
I am pleased to honor Columbus State Community College and
congratulate everyone who was a part of making its first 50 years a
success.

____________________

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

____________________

TRIBUTE TO IVON PADILLA-RODRIGUEZ

Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Ivon
Padilla-Rodriguez, an honors program student at the University of
Nevada, Reno.
Ms. Padilla-Rodriguez was selected for a prestigious 2014 Harry S.
Truman Scholarship from among the Nation's most competitive applicants.
The award is given annually for those of demonstrated leadership and
public service. She is the fourth student in UNR's history to receive
the award. Her hard work is deservingly rewarded through the
scholarship, as she plans to utilize the funds toward her goal of
becoming a legal advocate.
Focused, bright, and driven are just a few of the words used by Ms.
Padilla-Rodriguez's mentors and colleagues to describe her attributes.
Overcoming homelessness and becoming a Truman Scholar are far from her
only accolades: this year she was also named one of the 10 Top College
Women by Glamour Magazine, and in 2011, she secured $100,000 as a
scholarship from Dr. Pepper in one of their annual Tuition Giveaway
challenges.
A dedication to the community is evident through her commitment to
adolescent outreach. In 2012, Ms. Padilla-Rodriguez co-founded
Spotlight, a free improvisational theater program in Reno for youth,
and she even carried her improvisational talents to Costa Rica, where
she shared the skills with orphans while studying abroad.
Above all, Ms. Padilla-Rodriguez has maintained a dedication to her
studies. A junior honors student, she is double majoring in English and
history, and working toward a minor in philosophy of law, ethics, and
politics. In all of her free time, she conducts research at UNR's
Latino Research Center on immigration reform. She has been invited as
one of 60 college students in the Nation to present her research on
Capitol Hill later this month.
I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Ivon Padilla-
Rodriguez on all of her successes thus far.

____________________

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

A message from the President of the United States was communicated to
the Senate by Mr. Pate, one of his secretaries, on Friday, April 11,
2014.

____________________

EXECUTIVE MESSAGE REFERRED

As in executive session the Presiding Officer laid before the Senate
a message from the President of the United States submitting a
nomination which was referred to the Committee on Health, Labor,
Education, and Pensions, on Friday, April 11, 2014.
(The message received today is printed at the end of the Senate
proceedings.)

____________________

MEASURES READ THE FIRST TIME

The following bill was read the first time:

S. 2262. A bill to promote energy savings in residential
buildings and industry, and for other purposes.

____________________

EXECUTIVE AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS

The following communications were laid before the Senate, together
with accompanying papers, reports, and documents, and were referred as
indicated:

EC-5318. A communication from the Congressional Review
Coordinator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Department of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
report of a rule entitled ``Consolidation of Permit
Procedures; Denial and Revocation of Permits'' ((RIN0579-
AD76) (Docket No. APHIS-2011-0085)) received in the Office of
the President of the Senate on April 11, 2014; to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-5319. A communication from the Director of Regulations
Policy and Management Staff, Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Listing of
Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Spirulina
Extract'' (Docket No. FDA-2012-C-0900) received in the Office
of the President of the Senate on April 11, 2014; to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-5320. A communication from the Director of Regulations
Policy and Management Staff, Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Irradiation
in the Production, Processing and Handling of Food'' (Docket
No. FDA-2001-F-0049, Formerly Docket No. 01F-0047) received
in the Office of the President of the Senate on April 11,
2014; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry.
EC-5321. A communication from the Director of Regulations
Policy and Management Staff, Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Advisory
Committee: Bone, Reproductive and Urologic Drugs Advisory
Committee'' (Docket No. FDA-2014-N-0355) received in the
Office of the President of the Senate on April 11, 2014; to
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-5322. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of State Plans for
Designated Facilities and Pollutants; Air Emissions from
Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills; State of Missouri''
(FRL No. 9909-45-Region 7) received in the Office of the
President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-5323. A communication from the Acting Under Secretary of
Defense (Personnel and Readiness), transmitting a report on
the approved retirement of Lieutenant General Stephen P.
Mueller, United States Air Force, and his advancement to the
grade of lieutenant general on the retired list; to the
Committee on Armed Services.
EC-5324. A communication from the Director of Defense
Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Department of Defense,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Clauses
with Alternates-Transportation'' ((RIN0750-AH90) (DFARS Case
2012-D057)) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Armed Services.
EC-5325. A communication from the Assistant Secretary of
the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition),
transmitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled ``Report to
Congress On Repair of Naval Vessels in Foreign Shipyards'';
to the Committee on Armed Services.
EC-5326. A communication from the Chairman and President of
the Export-Import Bank, transmitting, pursuant to law, a
report relative to transactions involving U.S. exports to
China; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs.
EC-5327. A communication from the Assistant General Counsel
for Legislation, Regulation and Energy Efficiency, Department
of Energy, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``Energy Conservation Program: Energy
Conservation Standards for Certain Consumer Products''
(RIN1904-AD08) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 11, 2014; to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources.
EC-5328. A communication from the Chief of the Permits and
Regulations Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of
the Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``Endangered and

[[Page 6253]]

Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reinstatement of the
Regulation that Excludes U.S. Captive-Bred Scimitar-Horned
Oryx, Addax, and Dama Gazelle from Certain Prohibitions''
(RIN1018-BA47) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5329. A communication from the Chief of the Branch of
Listing, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the
Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;
Designation of Critical Habitat for Mazama Pocket Gophers''
(RIN1018-AZ37) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5330. A communication from the Chief of the Recovery and
State Grants Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of
the Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and
Plants; Removing the Island Night Lizard from the Federal
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife'' (RIN1018-AY44)
received in the Office of the President of the Senate on
April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works.
EC-5331. A communication from the Chief of the Branch of
Listing, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the
Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;
Threatened Species Status for the Olympia Pocket Gopher, Roy
Prairie Pocket Gopher, Tenino Pocket Gopher, and Yelm Pocket
Gopher, with Special Rule'' (RIN1018-AZ17) received in the
Office of the President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to
the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5332. A communication from the Acting Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``2013-2014
Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations''
(RIN1018-AZ87) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5333. A communication from the Chief of the Endangered
Species Listing Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department
of the Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and
Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Jaguar''
(RIN1018-AX13) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5334. A communication from the Chief of the Endangered
Species Listing Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department
of the Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and
Plants; Determination of Threatened Species Status for the
Georgetown Salamander and Salado Salamander Throughout Their
Ranges'' (RIN1018-AY22) received in the Office of the
President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5335. A communication from the Chief of the Endangered
Species Listing Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department
of the Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and
Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for the Lesser
Prairie-Chicken'' (RIN1018-AY21) received in the Office of
the President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the
Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5336. A communication from the Chief of the Endangered
Species Listing Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department
of the Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and
Plants; Special Rule for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken''
(RIN1018-AY21) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5337. A communication from the Wildlife Biologist, Fish
and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest in Alaska; Harvest
Regulations for Migratory Birds in Alaska During the 2014
Season'' (RIN1018-BA02) received in the Office of the
President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5338. A communication from the Director of Congressional
Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``NRC
Assessment Program for a Medical Event or an Incident
Occurring at a Medical Facility'' (Management Directive 8.10)
received in the Office of the President of the Senate on
April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works.
EC-5339. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality
Implementation Plans; New Hampshire; Reasonably Available
Control Technology for the 1997 8-Hour Ozone Standard'' (FRL
No. 9908-53-Region 1) received in the Office of the President
of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works.
EC-5340. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality
Implementation Plans; Connecticut; Reasonable Further
Progress Plan and 2002 Base Year Emission Inventory'' (FRL
No. 9908-51--Region 1) received in the Office of the
President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5341. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans;
Louisiana; Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter''
(FRL No. 9909-57--Region 6) received in the Office of the
President of the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5342. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality
Implementation Plans; Louisiana; Clean Data Determination for
the Baton Rouge Area for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standard'' (FRL No. 9909-53--Region 6) received in
the Office of the President of the Senate on April 10, 2014;
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5343. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans;
State of Missouri'' (FRL No. 9909-43--Region 7) received in
the Office of the President of the Senate on April 10, 2014;
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5344. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans;
Texas; Reasonably Available Control Technology for the 1997
8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard'' (FRL No.
9909-51--Region 6) received in the Office of the President of
the Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works.
EC-5345. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical
Substances; Withdrawal'' (FRL No. 9909-25-OCSPP) received in
the Office of the President of the Senate on April 10, 2014;
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-5346. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Underground Storage Tank Program: Codification of
Approved State Program for South Carolina'' (FRL No. 9909-
12--Region 4) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5347. A communication from the Director of the
Regulatory Management Division, Environmental Protection
Agency, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans;
State of Alaska; Revised Format of 40 CFR Part 52 for
Materials Incorporated by Reference'' (FRL No. 9908-23--
Region 10) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 10, 2014; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-5348. A communication from the Chief of the Publications
and Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department
of the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Update for Weighted Average Interest Rates,
Yield Curves, and Segment Rates'' (Notice 2014-27) received
in the Office of the President of the Senate on April 11,
2014; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-5349. A communication from the Chief of the Publications
and Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department
of the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Application of the Windsor Decision and
Rev. Rul. 2013-17 to Qualified Retirement Plans'' (Notice
2014-19) received in the Office of the President of the
Senate on April 11, 2014; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-5350. A communication from the Paralegal Specialist,
Federal Aviation Administration, Department of
Transportation, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Establishment of Class E Airspace;
McConnellsburg, PA'' ((RIN2120-AA66) (Docket No. FAA-2013-
0558)) received in the Office of the President of the Senate
on April 11, 2014; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
EC-5351. A communication from the Deputy Assistant
Administrator for Regulatory Programs, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries,

[[Page 6254]]

Department of Commerce, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
report of a rule entitled ``Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf
of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Revisions to Headboat
Reporting Requirements for Species Managed by the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council'' (RIN0648-BD49) received
in the Office of the President of the Senate on April 11,
2014; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
EC-5352. A communication from the Acting Deputy Director,
Office of Sustainable Fisheries, Department of Commerce,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big
Skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska''
(RIN0648-XD120) received in the Office of the President of
the Senate on April 11, 2014; to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation.
EC-5353. A communication from the Deputy Chief of the
Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland
Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Service Rules Governing Public Safety Narrowband Operations
in the 769-775/779-805 MHz Bands'' (WT Docket No. 96-86)
received in the Office of the President of the Senate on
April 11, 2014; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
EC-5354. A communication from the Acting Deputy Director,
Office of Sustainable Fisheries, Department of Commerce,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska;
Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands Management Area'' (RIN0648-XD111) received in the
Office of the President of the Senate on April 11, 2014; to
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
EC-5355. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report relative to the designation of a
group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Secretary of
State (OSS 2014-0491); to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
EC-5356. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Amendment to
the International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Central
African Republic'' (RIN1400-AD56) received in the Office of
the President of the Senate on April 11, 2014; to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
EC-5357. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Amendment to
the International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Changes to
Authorized Officials and the UK Defense Trade Treaty
Exemption; Correction of Errors in Lebanon Policy and
Violations; and Adoption of Recent Amendments as Final;
Correction'' (RIN1400-AD49) received in the Office of the
President of the Senate on April 11, 2014; to the Committee
on Foreign Relations.
EC-5358. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report relative to section 36(c) of the
Arms Export Control Act (DDTC 14-035); to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-5359. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report relative to section 36(d) of the
Arms Export Control Act (DDTC 14-018); to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-5360. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report relative to section 36(c) of the
Arms Export Control Act (DDTC 14-190); to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-5361. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report relative to section 36(c) of the
Arms Export Control Act (DDTC 13-149); to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-5362. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report relative to section 36(c) of the
Arms Export Control Act (DDTC 13-136); to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-5363. A communication from the Secretary of Commerce,
transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the
export to the People's Republic of China of items not
detrimental to the U.S. space launch industry; to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.

____________________

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES DURING ADJOURNMENT

Under the authority of the order of the Senate of April 11, 2014, the
following reports of committees were submitted on April 25, 2014:

By Mr. NELSON, from the Special Committee on Aging:
Special Report entitled ``Pushing the Envelope: Publishers
Clearing House in the New Era of Direct Marketing'' (Rept.
No. 113-153).

____________________

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

The following reports of committees were submitted:

By Mr. WYDEN, from the Committee on Finance, without
amendment:
S. 2260. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to extend certain expiring provisions, and for other purposes
(Rept. No. 113-09154).
S. 2261. An original bill to amend the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 to make technical corrections, to remove
provisions that are no longer applicable, and for other
purposes (Rept. No. 113-09155).

____________________

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

The following bills and joint resolutions were introduced, read the
first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as indicated:

By Mr. TOOMEY:
S. 2257. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to provide an exemption from the tax on early distributions
for certain Bureau of Prisons correctional officers who
retire before age 55, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Finance.
By Mr. REID (for Mr. Begich (for himself, Mr. Sanders,
Mr. Burr, Mr. Rockefeller, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Brown,
Mr. Tester, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Boozman,
Mr. Heller, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johanns, and Mr.
Moran)):
S. 2258. A bill to provide for an increase, effective
December 1, 2014, in the rates of compensation for veterans
with service-connected disabilities and the rates of
dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of
certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr.
Cardin):
S. 2259. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 to allow for data collection about
military-connected students; to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
By Mr. WYDEN:
S. 2260. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to extend certain expiring provisions, and for other
purposes; from the Committee on Finance; placed on the
calendar.
By Mr. WYDEN:
S. 2261. An original bill to amend the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 to make technical corrections, to remove
provisions that are no longer applicable, and for other
purposes; from the Committee on Finance; placed on the
calendar.
By Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Ayotte,
Mr. Bennet, Ms. Collins, Mr. Coons, Mr. Franken, Mr.
Hoeven, Mr. Isakson, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Manchin, Ms.
Murkowski, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Wicker):
S. 2262. A bill to promote energy savings in residential
buildings and industry, and for other purposes; read the
first time.
By Ms. AYOTTE (for herself and Mrs. McCaskill):
S. 2263. A bill to appropriately limit the authority to
award bonuses to employees; to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs.
By Mrs. McCASKILL (for herself, Mr. Blunt, and Mr.
Rockefeller):
S. 2264. A bill to designate memorials to the service of
members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and
for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources.

____________________

ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS

S. 357

At the request of Mr. Cardin, the name of the Senator from Missouri
(Mr. Blunt) was added as a cosponsor of S. 357, a bill to encourage,
enhance, and integrate Blue Alert plans throughout the United States in
order to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is
seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.

S. 375

At the request of Mr. Tester, the names of the Senator from Hawaii
(Ms. Hirono) and the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz) were added as
cosponsors of S. 375, a bill to require Senate candidates to file
designations, statements, and reports in electronic form.

S. 462

At the request of Mrs. Boxer, the name of the Senator from Arizona
(Mr. McCain) was added as a cosponsor of S. 462, a bill to enhance the
strategic partnership between the United States and Israel.

S. 466

At the request of Mr. Menendez, the name of the Senator from Michigan
(Ms. Stabenow) was added as a cosponsor of S. 466, a bill to assist
low-income

[[Page 6255]]

individuals in obtaining recommended dental care.

S. 539

At the request of Mrs. Shaheen, the name of the Senator from South
Carolina (Mr. Graham) was added as a cosponsor of S. 539, a bill to
amend the Public Health Service Act to foster more effective
implementation and coordination of clinical care for people with pre-
diabetes and diabetes.

S. 553

At the request of Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, the name of the
Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) was added as a cosponsor of S. 553,
a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for an
exclusion for assistance provided to participants in certain veterinary
student loan repayment or forgiveness programs.

S. 878

At the request of Mr. Franken, the name of the Senator from Maryland
(Ms. Mikulski) was added as a cosponsor of S. 878, a bill to amend
title 9 of the United States Code with respect to arbitration.

S. 942

At the request of Mr. Casey, the name of the Senator from Michigan
(Ms. Stabenow) was added as a cosponsor of S. 942, a bill to eliminate
discrimination and promote women's health and economic security by
ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability
to perform the functions of a job are limited by pregnancy, childbirth,
or a related medical condition.

S. 1239

At the request of Mrs. Gillibrand, the name of the Senator from
Connecticut (Mr. Murphy) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1239, a bill to
expand the research and awareness activities of the National Institute
of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention with respect to scleroderma, and for
other purposes.

S. 1510

At the request of Mr. Coburn, the name of the Senator from Minnesota
(Ms. Klobuchar) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1510, a bill to provide
for auditable financial statements for the Department of Defense, and
for other purposes.

S. 1562

At the request of Mr. Sanders, the names of the Senator from Ohio
(Mr. Brown) and the Senator from Montana (Mr. Walsh) were added as
cosponsors of S. 1562, a bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act of
1965, and for other purposes.

S. 1635

At the request of Mr. Casey, the name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr.
Brown) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1635, a bill to amend the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to extend the period
during which supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits are
temporarily increased.

S. 1697

At the request of Mr. Harkin, the name of the Senator from New
Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1697, a bill to
support early learning.

S. 1756

At the request of Mr. Blunt, the name of the Senator from Idaho (Mr.
Crapo) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1756, a bill to amend section 403
of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to improve and clarify
certain disclosure requirements for restaurants, similar retail food
establishments, and vending machines.

S. 1828

At the request of Mr. Donnelly, the names of the Senator from
Arkansas (Mr. Pryor) and the Senator from Maine (Mr. King) were added
as cosponsors of S. 1828, a bill to amend the Truth in Lending Act to
modify the definitions of a mortgage originator and a high-cost
mortgage.

S. 1839

At the request of Mr. Portman, his name was added as a cosponsor of
S. 1839, a bill to make certain luggage and travel articles eligible
for duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences,
and for other purposes.

S. 1862

At the request of Mr. Blunt, the names of the Senator from
Connecticut (Mr. Blumenthal), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Casey), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) and the Senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) were added as cosponsors of S. 1862, a bill
to grant the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the Monuments
Men, in recognition of their heroic role in the preservation,
protection, and restitution of monuments, works of art, and artifacts
of cultural importance during and following World War II.

S. 1956

At the request of Mr. Schatz, the name of the Senator from New Mexico
(Mr. Udall) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1956, a bill to direct the
Secretary of Defense to review the discharge characterization of former
members of the Armed Forces who were discharged by reason of the sexual
orientation of the member, and for other purposes.

S. 2013

At the request of Mr. Burr, his name was added as a cosponsor of S.
2013, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the
removal of Senior Executive Service employees of the Department of
Veterans Affairs for performance, and for other purposes.

S. 2022

At the request of Mr. Rockefeller, the name of the Senator from
Connecticut (Mr. Blumenthal) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2022, a
bill to establish scientific standards and protocols across forensic
disciplines, and for other purposes.

S. 2075

At the request of Mr. Warner, the name of the Senator from New York
(Mr. Schumer) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2075, a bill to prohibit a
reduction in funding for the defense commissary system in fiscal year
2015 pending the report of the Military Compensation and Retirement
Modernization Commission.

S. 2118

At the request of Mr. Blunt, the name of the Senator from Oklahoma
(Mr. Inhofe) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2118, a bill to protect the
separation of powers in the Constitution of the United States by
ensuring that the President takes care that the laws be faithfully
executed, and for other purposes.

S. 2160

At the request of Mr. Hoeven, the name of the Senator from Alaska
(Mr. Begich) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2160, a bill to amend the
Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act to require
background checks before foster care placements are ordered in tribal
court proceedings, and for other purposes.

S. 2192

At the request of Mr. Markey, the names of the Senator from Colorado
(Mr. Bennet), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Inhofe) and the Senator
from Delaware (Mr. Coons) were added as cosponsors of S. 2192, a bill
to amend the National Alzheimer's Project Act to require the Director
of the National Institutes of Health to prepare and submit, directly to
the President for review and transmittal to Congress, an annual budget
estimate (including an estimate of the number and type of personnel
needs for the Institutes) for the initiatives of the National
Institutes of Health pursuant to such an Act.

S. 2223

At the request of Mr. Harkin, the names of the Senator from Rhode
Island (Mr. Whitehouse), the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray) and
the Senator from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) were added as cosponsors of S.
2223, a bill to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage and
to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend increased
expensing limitations and the treatment of certain real property as
section 179 property.

S.J. RES. 19

At the request of Mr. Udall of New Mexico, the names of the Senator
from Nevada (Mr. Reid) and the Senator from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) were
added as cosponsors of S.J. Res. 19, a joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution of the United States

[[Page 6256]]

relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect
elections.

____________________

NOTICES OF HEARINGS

Committee on Indian Affairs

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the
Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate
on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office
Building, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct a legislative hearing to receive
testimony on the following bills: S. 1603, to reaffirm that certain
land has been taken into trust for the benefit of the Match-E-Be-Nash-
She-Wish Band of Pottawatami Indians, and for other purposes; S. 1818,
to ratify a water settlement agreement affecting the Pyramid Lake
Paiute Tribe, and for other purposes; S. 2040, to exchange trust and
fee land to resolve land disputes created by the realignment of the
Blackfoot River along the boundary of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation,
and for other purposes; S. 2041, to repeal the Act of May 31, 1918, and
for other purposes; and S. 2188, to amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to
reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land
into trust for Indian tribes. Those wishing additional information may
contact the Indian Affairs Committee (202) 224-2251.

Committee on Indian Affairs

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the
Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate
on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office
Building, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct an oversight hearing to receive
testimony on: ``Indian Education Series: Ensuring the Bureau of Indian
Education has the Tools Necessary to Improve.'' Those wishing
additional information may contact the Indian Affairs Committee at
(202) 224-2251.

Committee on Indian Affairs

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I would like to announce that the
Committee on Indian Affairs will meet during the session of the Senate
on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, in room SD-628 of the Dirksen Senate Office
Building, at 2:30 p.m., to conduct an oversight hearing to receive
testimony on: ``Wildfires and Forest Management: Prevention is
Preservation.'' Those wishing additional information may contact the
Indian Affairs Committee at (202) 224-2251.

____________________

MEASURE READ THE FIRST TIME--S. 2262

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I understand that S. 2262, introduced
earlier today by Senators Shaheen, Portman, and others is at the desk,
and I ask for its first reading.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the title of the bill for
the first time.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

A bill (S. 2262) to promote energy savings in residential
buildings and industry, and for other purposes.

Mr. BROWN. I ask for its second reading and object to my own request.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The bill will be read for
a second time on the next legislative day.

____________________

ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the
Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. on
Tuesday, April 29, 2014; that following the prayer and pledge, the
morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved
to date, and the time for the two leaders to be reserved for their use
later in the day; that following any leader remarks, the Senate be in a
period of morning business until 11 a.m., with Senators permitted to
speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided
and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the
majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the
final half; that at 11 a.m. the Senate proceed to executive session
under the previous order; further, that following the votes, the Senate
recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; and,
finally, that the majority control the time from 2:15 p.m. until 3:30
p.m. and the Republicans control the time from 3:30 p.m. until 4:45
p.m.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

____________________

PROGRAM

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, there will be six rollcall votes starting
at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

____________________

ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 10 A.M. TOMORROW

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come
before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the
previous order.
There being no objection, the Senate, at 7:09 p.m., adjourned until
Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 10 a.m.

____________________

CONFIRMATIONS

Executive nominations confirmed by the Senate:

THE JUDICIARY

MICHELLE T. FRIEDLAND, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE UNITED STATES
CIRCUIT JUDGE FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

DAVID WEIL, OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

KATHERINE M. O'REGAN, OF NEW YORK, TO BE AN ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

[[Page 6257]]

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--Monday, April 28, 2014

The House met at 2 p.m. and was called to order by the Speaker pro
tempore (Mr. Petri).

____________________

DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Speaker:

Washington, DC,

April 28, 2014.
I hereby appoint the Honorable Thomas E. Petri to act as
Speaker pro tempore on this day.
John A. Boehner,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.

____________________

PRAYER

The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, offered the following
prayer:
Dear God, we give You thanks for giving us another day.
Bless abundantly the Members of this people's House as they return
from a long recess, when millions of Americans remembered who they were
as men and women of faith. Their prayers must certainly include hope
that our Nation's ongoing challenges might be met with wisdom in
solutions forged by all those who represent them.
During this season of new growth, may Your redemptive power help
those who have been elected by their fellow citizens to see new ways to
productive service, fresh approaches to understanding each other,
especially those across the aisle, and renewed commitment to solving
the problems facing our Nation.
May they, and may we all, be transformed by Your grace, and better
reflect the sense of wonder, even joy, at the opportunities to serve
that are ever before us.
May all that is done this day be for Your greater honor and glory.
Amen.

____________________

THE JOURNAL

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has examined the Journal of the
last day's proceedings and announces to the House his approval thereof.
Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

____________________

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Wilson) come forward and lead the House in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

____________________

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST FOR MOX REPORT

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, in February, the
President, sadly, announced his plan to terminate the Mixed Oxide Fuel
Fabrication Facility, also known as MOX, at the Savannah River Site.
The administration blamed the cost estimate as the reason to halt
construction. Shutting down this project halts environmental cleanup,
which is converting weapons-grade plutonium into green fuel.
South Carolina and Georgia are at risk of being a nuclear waste dump
site, breaking a nonproliferation agreement with Russia. This highly
exaggerated cost was assessed in a report that is closed to the public.
Constituents living in Aiken and Barnwell Counties, adjacent to
Georgia, deserve to know the truth. I am grateful that the Aiken
Standard has filed a Freedom of Information Act request in pursuit of
the cost analysis.
We should be working together for environmental cleanup, for
nonproliferation compliance, and for national security to support the
Savannah River Site in its vital mission with dedicated employees.
In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget
September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

____________________

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

(Ms. FRANKEL of Florida asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today, on Holocaust Remembrance
Day, we solemnly reflect on the 6 million Jews who were systematically
murdered by a madman known as Hitler and his Nazi followers.
We remember the children torn from the arms of their parents as they
marched to the gas chambers. We remember the teenagers who were forced
to dig their own graves. We remember the men and women who perished in
labor camps from disease and starvation.
This day is a tribute to the enduring memory of the destruction of
humanity during the Jewish Holocaust. It is a forceful reminder for
generations to come: never forget, and never again.

____________________

ARMY RESERVE 106TH BIRTHDAY

(Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the
United States Army Reserve, which this week celebrates 106 years of
service defending our country.
For generations, the Army Reserve has played an essential role in the
defense of this Nation. These citizen-soldiers are also actively
engaged citizens in every community throughout the country. They
continue to be a true testament to America's All-Volunteer Armed
Forces.
Most reservists must strike a balance between family life, full-time
employment, and the growing demands of serving in our Nation's
professional Army. This upcoming weekend I will have the honor of
meeting with several Army Reserve units throughout Pennsylvania to
highlight the important role that these men and women play in our
national defense and also our local communities.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the Army Reserve for continuing to play an
important role in the defense of our great Nation.
I rise and reiterate how very proud we are of these men and women and
all that they do for our country and to wish a special 106th birthday
to our Army Reserve.

____________________

GROUNDBREAKING OF THE CONNECTICUT TREES OF HONOR MEMORIAL

(Ms. ESTY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, last week Connecticut broke ground on a new
memorial to honor the 65 men and women who died serving our country in
the war on terror.
Like all memorials, this beautiful place will serve both as a source
of comfort for loved ones, as well as a lasting reminder of the cost of
freedom. That cost is measured in lives, but also in promises kept.

[[Page 6258]]

We have a duty to honor our veterans and support their families. That
is why I am a proud author of the Caregivers Expansion and Improvement
Act. My bill would assist home caregivers of all veterans injured
during their service, allowing them to recover in the comfort of their
own homes.
I stand with the VFW and the DAV to do my part to ensure that we care
and honor all those who so bravely serve our country.
I urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 3383.

____________________

IF YOU LIKE YOUR DOCTORS, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR DOCTORS, BUT WE WON'T PAY
THEM

(Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, just late last week there was a news story
that healthcare.gov was still not finished. The back-end portion, the
part that deals with payments to doctors and hospitals, still has not
been constructed.
Now, that was odd because just the week before the President held a
big press conference down at the White House and said, Mission
accomplished; everything we wanted to do has been done.
Well, how do you reconcile these discrepancies? What, in fact, is the
timeline for this to be accomplished?
Mission accomplished: the patients, the doctors, and the hospitals
who are going to end up the ones on the hook for these payments that
are not going to be received, I wonder if they feel the same way.

____________________

WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY

(Mr. MAFFEI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. MAFFEI. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate Workers'
Memorial Day, which is today, and honor those Americans who have lost
their lives.
From steel mills to nursing homes, offices to construction sites, we
must work to strengthen safety measures for all those who still face
hazards in the workplace. We must ensure that workers in all areas are
able to do their jobs in a safe environment. That includes agriculture.
Whether in a factory or on a farm, even one death on the job is too
many. But in central New York, we are seeing far too many farmworkers
being hurt and killed. In fact, two died in farm accidents in a single
week recently. That is why I support the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration's local emphasis program. My office and I have worked
hard to ensure that dairies know the standards and have a reasonable
time to comply.
But on this Workers' Memorial Day, let's dedicate ourselves to making
our farms safe workplaces and support OSHA's efforts to do so.

____________________

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 4 of rule I, the
following enrolled bill was signed by Speaker pro tempore Thornberry on
Thursday, April 10, 2014:

S. 2195, to deny admission to the United States to any representative
to the United Nations who has been found to have been engaged in
espionage activities or a terrorist activity against the United States
and poses a threat to United States national security interests.

____________________

COMMUNICATION FROM THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Clerk of the House of Representatives:

Office of the Clerk,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, April 10, 2014.
Hon. John A. Boehner,
The Speaker, U.S. Capitol,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the permission granted in
Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of
Representatives, the Clerk received the following message
from the Secretary of the Senate on April 10, 2014 at 5:32
p.m.:
That the Senate passed S. 994.
With best wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Karen L. Haas.

____________________

COMMUNICATION FROM THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Clerk of the House of Representatives:

Office of the Clerk,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, April 11, 2014.
Hon. John A. Boehner,
The Speaker, U.S. Capitol,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the permission granted in
Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of
Representatives, the Clerk received the following message
from the Secretary of the Senate on April 11, 2014 at 11:33
a.m.:
Appointments: National Commission on Hunger.
With best wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Karen L. Haas.

____________________

COMMUNICATION FROM THE HONORABLE GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN, MEMBER
OF CONGRESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Honorable Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Member
of Congress:

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, April 17, 2014.
Hon. John A. Boehner,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: This is to notify you formally pursuant
to Rule VIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives
that I have been served with a subpoena, issued by the
Superior Court for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, for both documents and testimony in a criminal case.
After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I
will determine whether compliance with the subpoena is
consistent with the privileges and rights of the House.
Sincerely,
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,
Member of Congress.

____________________

COMMUNICATION FROM DIRECTOR OF APPROPRIATIONS, THE HONORABLE CHAKA
FATTAH, MEMBER OF CONGRESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from Michelle Anderson-Lee, Director of Appropriations,
the Honorable Chaka Fattah, Member of Congress:

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, April 21, 2014.
Hon. John A. Boehner,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: This is to notify you formally pursuant
to Rule VIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives
that I have been served with a subpoena, issued by the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, for testimony in a criminal case.
After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I
will determine whether compliance with the subpoena is
consistent with the privileges and rights of the House.
Sincerely,
Michelle Anderson-Lee,
Director of Appropriations.

____________________

RECESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the
Chair declares the House in recess until approximately 4 p.m. today.
Accordingly (at 2 o'clock and 13 minutes p.m.), the House stood in
recess.

____________________

{time} 1610
AFTER RECESS

The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the
Speaker pro tempore (Ms. Foxx) at 4 o'clock and 10 minutes p.m.

____________________

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair
will postpone further proceedings

[[Page 6259]]

today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the
yeas and nays are ordered, or on which the vote incurs objection under
clause 6 of rule XX.
Record votes on postponed questions will be taken later.

____________________

DIGITAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2014

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (S. 994) to expand the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 to increase accountability and transparency in
Federal spending, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

S. 994

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Digital Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2014'' or the ``DATA Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) expand the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) by disclosing
direct Federal agency expenditures and linking Federal
contract, loan, and grant spending information to programs of
Federal agencies to enable taxpayers and policy makers to
track Federal spending more effectively;
(2) establish Government-wide data standards for financial
data and provide consistent, reliable, and searchable
Government-wide spending data that is displayed accurately
for taxpayers and policy makers on USASpending.gov (or a
successor system that displays the data);
(3) simplify reporting for entities receiving Federal funds
by streamlining reporting requirements and reducing
compliance costs while improving transparency;
(4) improve the quality of data submitted to
USASpending.gov by holding Federal agencies accountable for
the completeness and accuracy of the data submitted; and
(5) apply approaches developed by the Recovery
Accountability and Transparency Board to spending across the
Federal Government.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL FUNDING ACCOUNTABILITY AND
TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2006.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of
2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note) is amended--
(1) in section 2--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``this section'' and inserting ``this Act'';
(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as
paragraphs (2), (4), and (7), respectively;
(iii) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so
redesignated, the following:
``(1) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget.'';
(iv) by inserting after paragraph (2), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(3) Federal agency.--The term `Federal agency' has the
meaning given the term `Executive agency' under section 105
of title 5, United States Code.'';
(v) by inserting after paragraph (4), as so redesignated,
the following:
``(5) Object class.--The term `object class' means the
category assigned for purposes of the annual budget of the
President submitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United
States Code, to the type of property or services purchased by
the Federal Government.
``(6) Program activity.--The term `program activity' has
the meaning given that term under section 1115(h) of title
31, United States Code.''; and
(vi) by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of the Treasury.'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (3), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget''; and
(ii) in paragraph (4), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget'';
(C) in subsection (c)--
(i) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(ii) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) shall have the ability to aggregate data for the
categories described in paragraphs (1) through (5) without
double-counting data; and
``(7) shall ensure that all information published under
this section is available--
``(A) in machine-readable and open formats;
``(B) to be downloaded in bulk; and
``(C) to the extent practicable, for automated
processing.'';
(D) in subsection (d)--
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget'';
(ii) in paragraph (2)--

(I) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget''; and
(II) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget'';

(E) in subsection (e), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget''; and
(F) in subsection (g)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ``of the Office of
Management and Budget''; and
(2) by striking sections 3 and 4 and inserting the
following:

``SEC. 3. FULL DISCLOSURE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.

``(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act
of 2014, and monthly when practicable but not less than
quarterly thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Director, shall ensure that the information in subsection (b)
is posted on the website established under section 2.
``(b) Information To Be Posted.--For any funds made
available to or expended by a Federal agency or component of
a Federal agency, the information to be posted shall
include--
``(1) for each appropriations account, including an expired
or unexpired appropriations account, the amount--
``(A) of budget authority appropriated;
``(B) that is obligated;
``(C) of unobligated balances; and
``(D) of any other budgetary resources;
``(2) from which accounts and in what amount--
``(A) appropriations are obligated for each program
activity; and
``(B) outlays are made for each program activity;
``(3) from which accounts and in what amount--
``(A) appropriations are obligated for each object class;
and
``(B) outlays are made for each object class; and
``(4) for each program activity, the amount--
``(A) obligated for each object class; and
``(B) of outlays made for each object class.

``SEC. 4. DATA STANDARDS.

``(a) In General.--
``(1) Establishment of standards.--The Secretary and the
Director, in consultation with the heads of Federal agencies,
shall establish Government-wide financial data standards for
any Federal funds made available to or expended by Federal
agencies and entities receiving Federal funds.
``(2) Data elements.--The financial data standards
established under paragraph (1) shall include common data
elements for financial and payment information required to be
reported by Federal agencies and entities receiving Federal
funds.
``(b) Requirements.--The data standards established under
subsection (a) shall, to the extent reasonable and
practicable--
``(1) incorporate widely accepted common data elements,
such as those developed and maintained by--
``(A) an international voluntary consensus standards body;
``(B) Federal agencies with authority over contracting and
financial assistance; and
``(C) accounting standards organizations;
``(2) incorporate a widely accepted, nonproprietary,
searchable, platform-independent computer-readable format;
``(3) include unique identifiers for Federal awards and
entities receiving Federal awards that can be consistently
applied Government-wide;
``(4) be consistent with and implement applicable
accounting principles;
``(5) be capable of being continually upgraded as
necessary;
``(6) produce consistent and comparable data, including
across program activities; and
``(7) establish a standard method of conveying the
reporting period, reporting entity, unit of measure, and
other associated attributes.
``(c) Deadlines.--
``(1) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act
of 2014, the Director and the Secretary shall issue guidance
to Federal agencies on the data standards established under
subsection (a).
``(2) Agencies.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B),
not later than 2 years after the date on which the guidance
under paragraph (1) is issued, each Federal agency shall
report financial and payment information data in accordance
with the data standards established under subsection (a).
``(B) Noninterference with auditability of department of
defense financial statements.--
``(i) In general.--Upon request by the Secretary of
Defense, the Director may grant an extension of the deadline
under subparagraph (A) to the Department of Defense for a
period of not more than 6 months to report financial and
payment information data in accordance with the data
standards established under subsection (a).
``(ii) Limitation.--The Director may not grant more than 3
extensions to the Secretary of Defense under clause (i).
``(iii) Notification.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget shall notify the Committee on Homeland
Security

[[Page 6260]]

and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services
of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives of--

``(I) each grant of an extension under clause (i); and
``(II) the reasons for granting such an extension.

``(3) Website.--Not later than 3 years after the date on
which the guidance under paragraph (1) is issued, the
Director and the Secretary shall ensure that the data
standards established under subsection (a) are applied to the
data made available on the website established under section
2.
``(d) Consultation.--The Director and the Secretary shall
consult with public and private stakeholders in establishing
data standards under this section.

``SEC. 5. SIMPLIFYING FEDERAL AWARD REPORTING.

``(a) In General.--The Director, in consultation with
relevant Federal agencies, recipients of Federal awards,
including State and local governments, and institutions of
higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), shall review the
information required to be reported by recipients of Federal
awards to identify--
``(1) common reporting elements across the Federal
Government;
``(2) unnecessary duplication in financial reporting; and
``(3) unnecessarily burdensome reporting requirements for
recipients of Federal awards.
``(b) Pilot Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Digital Accountability and Transparency
Act of 2014, the Director, or a Federal agency designated by
the Director, shall establish a pilot program (in this
section referred to as the `pilot program') with the
participation of appropriate Federal agencies to facilitate
the development of recommendations for--
``(A) standardized reporting elements across the Federal
Government;
``(B) the elimination of unnecessary duplication in
financial reporting; and
``(C) the reduction of compliance costs for recipients of
Federal awards.
``(2) Requirements.--The pilot program shall--
``(A) include a combination of Federal contracts, grants,
and subawards, the aggregate value of which is not less than
$1,000,000,000 and not more than $2,000,000,000;
``(B) include a diverse group of recipients of Federal
awards; and
``(C) to the extent practicable, include recipients who
receive Federal awards from multiple programs across multiple
agencies.
``(3) Data collection.--The pilot program shall include
data collected during a 12-month reporting cycle.
``(4) Reporting and evaluation requirements.--Each
recipient of a Federal award participating in the pilot
program shall submit to the Office of Management and Budget
or the Federal agency designated under paragraph (1), as
appropriate, any requested reports of the selected Federal
awards.
``(5) Termination.--The pilot program shall terminate on
the date that is 2 years after the date on which the pilot
program is established.
``(6) Report to congress.--Not later than 90 days after the
date on which the pilot program terminates under paragraph
(5), the Director shall submit to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on the
Budget of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform and the Committee on the Budget of the
House of Representatives a report on the pilot program, which
shall include--
``(A) a description of the data collected under the pilot
program, the usefulness of the data provided, and the cost to
collect the data from recipients; and
``(B) a discussion of any legislative action required and
recommendations for--
``(i) consolidating aspects of Federal financial reporting
to reduce the costs to recipients of Federal awards;
``(ii) automating aspects of Federal financial reporting to
increase efficiency and reduce the costs to recipients of
Federal awards;
``(iii) simplifying the reporting requirements for
recipients of Federal awards; and
``(iv) improving financial transparency.
``(7) Government-wide implementation.--Not later than 1
year after the date on which the Director submits the report
under paragraph (6), the Director shall issue guidance to the
heads of Federal agencies as to how the Government-wide
financial data standards established under section 4(a) shall
be applied to the information required to be reported by
entities receiving Federal awards to--
``(A) reduce the burden of complying with reporting
requirements; and
``(B) simplify the reporting process, including by reducing
duplicative reports.

``SEC. 6. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.

``(a) Inspector General Reports.--
``(1) In general.--In accordance with paragraph (2), the
Inspector General of each Federal agency, in consultation
with the Comptroller General of the United States, shall--
``(A) review a statistically valid sampling of the spending
data submitted under this Act by the Federal agency; and
``(B) submit to Congress and make publically available a
report assessing the completeness, timeliness, quality, and
accuracy of the data sampled and the implementation and use
of data standards by the Federal agency.
``(2) Deadlines.--
``(A) First report.--Not later than 18 months after the
date on which the Director and the Secretary issue guidance
to Federal agencies under section 4(c)(1), the Inspector
General of each Federal agency shall submit and make
publically available a report as described in paragraph (1).
``(B) Subsequent reports.--On the same date as the
Inspector General of each Federal agency submits the second
and fourth reports under sections 3521(f) and 9105(a)(3) of
title 31, United States Code, that are submitted after the
report under subparagraph (A), the Inspector General shall
submit and make publically available a report as described in
paragraph (1). The report submitted under this subparagraph
may be submitted as a part of the report submitted under
section 3521(f) or 9105(a)(3) of title 31, United States
Code.
``(b) Comptroller General Reports.--
``(1) In general.--In accordance with paragraph (2) and
after a review of the reports submitted under subsection (a),
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
Congress and make publically available a report assessing and
comparing the data completeness, timeliness, quality, and
accuracy of the data submitted under this Act by Federal
agencies and the implementation and use of data standards by
Federal agencies.
``(2) Deadlines.--Not later than 30 months after the date
on which the Director and the Secretary issue guidance to
Federal agencies under section 4(c)(1), and every 2 years
thereafter until the date that is 4 years after the date on
which the first report is submitted under this subsection,
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit and
make publically available a report as described in paragraph
(1).
``(c) Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board Data
Analysis Center.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may establish a data
analysis center or expand an existing service to provide
data, analytic tools, and data management techniques to
support--
``(A) the prevention and reduction of improper payments by
Federal agencies; and
``(B) improving efficiency and transparency in Federal
spending.
``(2) Data availability.--The Secretary shall enter into
memoranda of understanding with Federal agencies, including
Inspectors General and Federal law enforcement agencies--
``(A) under which the Secretary may provide data from the
data analysis center for--
``(i) the purposes set forth under paragraph (1);
``(ii) the identification, prevention, and reduction of
waste, fraud, and abuse relating to Federal spending; and
``(iii) use in the conduct of criminal and other
investigations; and
``(B) which may require the Federal agency, Inspector
General, or Federal law enforcement agency to provide
reimbursement to the Secretary for the reasonable cost of
carrying out the agreement.
``(3) Transfer.--Upon the establishment of a data analysis
center or the expansion of a service under paragraph (1), and
on or before the date on which the Recovery Accountability
and Transparency Board terminates, and in addition to any
other transfer that the Director determines is necessary
under section 1531 of title 31, United States Code, there are
transferred to the Department of the Treasury all assets
identified by the Secretary that support the operations and
activities of the Recovery Operations Center of the Recovery
Accountability and Transparency Board relating to the
detection of waste, fraud, and abuse in the use of Federal
funds that are in existence on the day before the transfer.

``SEC. 7. CLASSIFIED AND PROTECTED INFORMATION.

``Nothing in this Act shall require the disclosure to the
public of--
``(1) information that would be exempt from disclosure
under section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly
known as the `Freedom of Information Act'); or
``(2) information protected under section 552a of title 5,
United States Code (commonly known as the `Privacy Act of
1974'), or section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

``SEC. 8. NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.

``Nothing in this Act shall be construed to create a
private right of action for enforcement of any provision of
this Act.''.

SEC. 4. EXECUTIVE AGENCY ACCOUNTING AND OTHER FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT REPORTS AND PLANS.

Section 3512(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, is
amended by inserting ``and make available on the website
described under section 1122'' after ``appropriate committees
of Congress''.

SEC. 5. DEBT COLLECTION IMPROVEMENT.

Section 3716(c)(6) of title 31, United States Code, is
amended--

[[Page 6261]]

(1) by inserting ``(A)'' before ``Any Federal agency'';
(2) in subparagraph (A), as so designated, by striking
``180 days'' and inserting ``120 days''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) The Secretary of the Treasury shall notify Congress
of any instance in which an agency fails to notify the
Secretary as required under subparagraph (A).''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.

General Leave

{time} 1615

Some scholars have even deemed the permanent bureaucracy as the
``fourth branch'' of the Federal Government.
In order to better oversee the Federal Government, Congress, and even
the President and his appointees, must better leverage the technology
available today. The DATA Act will allow us to do just that.
I introduced the first version of the DATA Act in 2011. Its
inspiration came from a relatively small expense in the Obama
administration's 2009 stimulus spending bill, a bill that I overall did
not approve of but which did have this important accountability
standard.
The stimulus temporarily established an entity called the Recovery
Accountability and Transparency Board. The Board was chaired by a
respected inspector general, Earl Devaney. Under Chairman Devaney's
leadership, the Board established direct reporting requirements for
stimulus projects and standardized Federal agency reporting. This
allowed inspector generals and other law enforcement agencies to more
effectively prosecute fraud and prevent improper payments.
Furthermore, this information was made available to the public online
in an easy-to-download, easy-to-manipulate format so that journalists,
academics, and government watchdogs could more easily analyze stimulus
spending.
I met with Vice President Joe Biden in November of 2010, prior to
even becoming the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee. Despite possible disagreements on some aspects of the
stimulus, we found ourselves very much in support of the Recovery
Board's successes and knew that it could be replicated across the
entire Federal Government.
I want to thank Vice President Biden for his continued public and
private support for the kinds of reforms embedded in this legislation
today, and particularly for continuing to be a champion of the Recovery
Board's work and the transparency it brought.
In order to do what we agreed to back in 2010, the Federal Government
would need standardized data and reporting by all Federal agencies and
improved recipient reporting. That is the only way that you could
accomplish this, and legislative action was needed.
After months of working with leading experts in the field of
standardized reporting, I introduced in July of 2011 the first version
of the DATA Act, H.R. 2146. Later that year, I joined with Ranking
Member Elijah Cummings to refine the legislation and mark it up through
our committee.
I want to thank Representatives on both sides of the aisle here today
for the bipartisan nature in which we worked on this kind of
transparency work. It is technical. It is sometimes hard. Of course, it
is a pushback from bureaucrats, but it is what Congress is supposed to
do: make the institutional changes that make government more
accountable.
In April 2012 we brought it to the floor on a bipartisan basis and
passed the first version of the DATA Act unanimously. While a companion
version, S. 3600, was introduced by Senator Mark Warner of Virginia and
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio that year, the Senate did not act on either
it or the House-passed bill.
Last year we reintroduced the DATA Act as H.R. 2061 and approved it
unanimously out of our committee. We made significant changes to
streamline the bill, but we maintained the focus on its core elements.
Simultaneously, Senator Warner and Senator Portman introduced a new
Senate companion, S. 994, the bill before us today. The House acted
quickly again and approved H.R. 2061 by a vote of 388-1.
Knowing that the legislative calendar was short, House and Senate
sponsors worked with Senator Carper and Senator Coburn in a
preconference process that ensured the bill would be taken up by the
full Senate and which anticipates our passage here today.
We also were able to bring to the table those reformers in the
administration--both political appointees and career civil servants--to
offer technical improvements to the bill, and they are incorporated in
this legislation.
While the bill does not contain all reforms the House advanced in its
two previous votes on the DATA Act, the bill before us today does
contain the core elements of the two prior versions of the bill and
maintains the most important step: common data standards and recipient
reporting.
The DATA Act is more than just better tools to fight waste and fraud.
It requires agencies to report their financial information in standard
formats program by program. The DATA Act also gives policymakers in
Congress and in the executive branch better information to make better
decisions. More importantly, we give the American people better
information to evaluate our performance.
In addition to the strong data standards and requirements for
agencies to

[[Page 6262]]

produce program-by-program information, the House-Senate agreement
contains two key provisions from previous versions of the DATA Act.
First, the bill authorizes the Treasury Department to establish a
cutting-edge data analysis center modeled specifically after the
successful Recovery Operations Center, also known as the ROC. This is
the center I spoke earlier about that was established by now-retired
but still-distinguished friend of government Earl Devaney as part of
the Recovery Board's stimulus transparency efforts.
This new center will build on the innovative technology and ideas of
the ROC and expand their use throughout the Federal Government. The
DATA Act specifically provides for the transfer of that technology
still in place at the ROC.
This new Treasury Department data analysis center will be a vital
tool for law enforcement agencies and the IGs in their criminal and
other investigations. The new center will also serve agencies who
strive to prevent improper payments.
Second, the DATA Act agreement before you today establishes a pilot
program to develop consolidated reporting for recipients of Federal
funds. And I want to emphasize that, Madam Speaker. Federal recipients,
people who get taxpayer money, will now have a transparent and
consolidated way to send the information as to how they are spending it
so you and the public will know.
Hundreds of billions of Federal taxpayer dollars are spent every year
by State, local, tribal governments, universities, and private
institutions. These institutions end up inevitably wasting millions of
taxpayer dollars complying with duplicative and complicated reporting
requirements.
At the end of a 2-year pilot program where some recipients will
report to a single entity in a standardized manner, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget will issue guidance to all Federal
agencies on how to streamline and consolidate reporting requirements.
Just like with stimulus funds, the same data standards that apply to
Federal agency reporting will apply to recipient reporting.
The DATA Act will give the American people the ability to track how
we spend their tax dollars. Instead of sifting through PDFs--a form of
visual, nondata-based standard--posted online that only let's you see a
picture of the spending--and many different formats--you now will in
fact have all Federal spending information available for bulk download
in a single, machine-readable format.
That is a big mouthful, Madam Speaker, but what it really means is
that both individuals and entities, large and small, will be able to
create tools where, on your iPhone or Android, you will be able to ask
a question and get back an answer as successfully as the programs that
have previously been made available.
The DATA Act will give lawmakers and public watchdogs powerful tools
to identify and root out fraud, waste, and excess spending in the
government. It will put at the American people's fingertips today the
kind of information that only long and arduous research could unveil.
More importantly, by simply opening up this information, we will
enable journalists, academics, and even private sector businesses to
use the data to create products that will deliver real value to the
American people.
This is just one example:
The National Weather Service some years ago did just what we are
proposing by opening up their data, making it freely available to the
public some years ago. Today it supports a multibillion-dollar weather
analysis industry, and every American with a smartphone or a computer
can find out what the weather is and what it is forecasted to be at any
location in America. That wouldn't be possible without that open data
standard.
I am very proud that it was a start, but there is more to do.
The DATA Act will have the same ability to create jobs, which is why
this bill is so important. It is endorsed by dozens of private sector
technology companies.
New York University Business School Professor Joel Gurin wrote in a
recent book that ``the value of government open data is that it's a
long-term, permanent resource that innovators can use for decades,
developing new ideas and new companies as technology makes them
possible.''
That is a mouthful, but it says what we need to say, which is that
this is going to create new industries that are able to leverage the
information that today is not available to the American people and not
available to the innovators in Silicon Valley and around America.
I ask that my colleagues join with me today in sending this bill to
the President for his signature, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am pleased to rise in support of S. 994, the DATA Act. This is a
landmark piece of bipartisan and bicameral legislation that will change
the way the government operates.
I applaud the sponsor of S. 994, Senator Mark Warner, who put a lot
of passion and hard work into this legislation; as did the principal
sponsor here, whom you have just heard from, House Oversight Committee
Chairman Darrell Issa, who put considerable energy into this bill over
more than one session; as well as Senate Chairman Tom Carper of the
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; and House
Oversight Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, who worked very
diligently to get us to the House floor today.
The DATA Act will provide the public with information about how the
government is spending money, pure and simple. This will hold agencies
accountable for their spending, and it will result in a more effective
government.
On April 8, 2014, the Comptroller General of the United States, Gene
Dodaro, testified in support of this legislation. Here is what he said:
``I think the DATA Act is one of the biggest single things that could
be done in order to provide more transparency on the costs of these
program activities.''
The Comptroller General went on to say that the DATA Act would
``standardize the data''--and that is the operative word, ``standardize
the data''--``so that you would be able to compare data across
agencies, which you can't do right now. It would also provide more
consistent information and at a lower program spending level that we
found to be a big obstacle in us identifying additional savings
opportunities.''
The DATA Act will require the Secretary of the Treasury and the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget to establish
government-wide data standards. This will improve the quality of the
data that agencies make available about their spending.
Under this bill, spending data will be available through a single Web
site. The bill will require that spending data be available for each
agency and each program activity in a searchable, downloadable format.
The DATA Act is a bipartisan bill across both Chambers that will
improve transparency and, in turn, make government work better. I urge
every Member to support this legislation.

{time} 1630

I would like, again, to express my strong support for this bill and
to thank Chairman Issa for his many efforts to get it passed and
through committee more than once.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, in closing, this last weekend, the
Associated Press talked about the waning days of this Congress and
expected to have a do-nothing Congress.
That is easy to say, but in this case, today, we are showing, on a
bipartisan, bicameral basis, with our friends in the Senate, that there
are major pieces of legislation that will save countless billions of
dollars and provide better information to the American people and to
the watchdogs who want to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in our
government.

[[Page 6263]]

So this is not a controversial bill because it has taken years of
hard work to get it right. But, in fact, this is a major piece of
legislation.
I want to close by thanking Senator Carper, Senator Coburn, Senator
Portman, and Senator Warner, the author of the bill today, in addition
to Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, and of course, my ranking member,
Congressman Cummings.
This has been bipartisan. It is one of the many pieces of bipartisan
legislation that take a long time, they hold a lot of hearings, but at
the end of the day, the American people can trust that the American
people's work does get done, in spite of some of the things we are
unable to do. This is a major piece of legislation.
I want to thank, lastly, leadership for bringing this to the floor
today in a timely fashion so that we can get it to the President's desk
for signing next week.
Madam Speaker, I urge support and yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Black). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 994.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

CLARIFICATION OF RULES APPLYING TO HUMAN OCCUPANCY OF PENTHOUSES IN
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUILDINGS

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4192) to amend the Act entitled ``An Act to regulate the
height of buildings in the District of Columbia'' to clarify the rules
of the District of Columbia regarding human occupancy of penthouses
above the top story of the building upon which the penthouse is placed,
as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 4192

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CLARIFICATION OF RULES APPLYING TO HUMAN OCCUPANCY
OF PENTHOUSES IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
BUILDINGS.

(a) Permitting Human Occupancy of Penthouses Within Certain
Height Limit.--The eighth paragraph of section 5 of the Act
entitled ``An Act to regulate the height of buildings in the
District of Columbia'', approved June 1, 1910 (sec. 6-
601.05(h), D.C. Official Code) is amended--
(1) by striking ``penthouses over elevator shafts,'' and
inserting ``penthouses,''; and
(2) by striking ``and no floor or compartment thereof shall
be constructed or used for human occupancy above the top
story of the building upon which such structures are placed''
and inserting ``and, except in the case of a penthouse which
is erected to a height of one story of 20 feet or less above
the level of the roof, no floor or compartment thereof shall
be constructed or used for human occupancy above the top
story of the building upon which such structures are
placed''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

General Leave

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the bill hereto under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, in 1910, the Height of Buildings Act was signed into
Federal law. That bill, in fact, envisioned a prevention of New York-
style skyscrapers from being erected here in the Nation's Capital. That
bill is every bit as important today as it was in 1910.
The District of Columbia has a unique visual requirement. We should
not, cannot, and will not obstruct the Mall and the major parts of this
historic city.
It is important that we maintain the skyline and the access, and we
do so in every single consideration in this city. The memorials and
monuments and public safety must be considered.
However, over the last two Congresses, the committee has been working
on several small modifications that, really, time has said its time has
come. After 100 years, the current legislation makes a small but
meaningful change. Let me put it in words the American people can
easily understand.
One hundred years ago, they put a limit on the height of these
buildings, and then they put 20 feet beyond that limit of occupancy for
water towers, coal stacks for the chimneys, and, of course, the tops of
elevators. Those water towers, elevator shafts, chimneys, they were
certainly pretty hideous, but they were necessary.
It is now 100 years later, and, in fact, the absence of other uses
for these buildings often means that these tops of these buildings are
not considered to be an aesthetically important part, and there is no
funding and no source of revenue to make them better.
Under this modification to the Height Act, we allow for what have
been called penthouses but, in fact, are simply industrial rooftop air
conditioners and the like to be covered, wrapped, if you will, by
architecturally pleasing structures.
These structures may be occupied. They may be offices, cafeterias,
or, in the case of a residential apartment complex, it could be a top
apartment.
Under the legislation, they have to have a setback. The setback is
roughly 1 foot per foot of height, or 20 feet of setback if they go to
the full 20 feet. So these are not a monolithic increase and, in fact,
a setback consistent with that 100-year-old law.
Last Congress, the committee held numerous hearings on the Height Act
and listened to countless witnesses. I subsequently wrote to the
National Capital Planning Commission, often called the NCPC, and the
mayor's office, asking them to jointly study modifications to the
Height Act and recommend any changes they saw appropriate. For those
who are unaware, NCPC is the regional planning commission that includes
representatives of both the Federal interests and local interests.
The Height Act study is impressive. Aside from the research work, a
series of meetings were held featuring considerable input from experts
and the general public alike. Afterward, the mayor's office and NCPC
provided separate recommendations.
The mayor's specific recommendation: increase the height limits in
downtown. The mayor also recommended that the city and NCPC work
together to be able to use the city comprehensive plan as a tool to
adjust height limits outside the L'Enfant city region.
This is not in today's proposal. Ultimately, only after considering
these broader changes, NCPC's only recommendation from the overall plan
submitted by the mayor is, in fact, the modest proposal before you
today.
Let's understand: the height of buildings in this city will not
change by 1 foot under this act, but the beauty of the tops of
buildings and the usability will.
The revenue to the city can increase because of the value of these
top floors, and, yet, we will cover up mechanical penthouses that,
today, are simply elevator shafts, rooftop air conditioners, water
towers and the like.
So long as that ratio of setback and the other provisions of the 100-
year-old act are maintained, the city will have the ability to approve
structures.
But let's understand: those structures will still go through a
rigorous program before they can be approved, and they will continue to
be consistent with the 1910 Height Act.
NCPC itself recommended that human occupancy be allowed in such
rooftop penthouses, so long as the setback ratio was maintained and
that

[[Page 6264]]

the penthouse does not exceed one story and that no more than 20 feet
of height be maintained.
Our bill does everything in the NCPC recommendation. So this bill
simply gives the city a little more latitude in allowing human
occupancy in penthouses where ugly mechanical penthouses already exist
and are allowed.
I would like to have gone a little further on this bill, and I am
very candid. There are areas well outside the city, as most people
interpret it, far up in Northeast, where there are railroad tracks and
industrial buildings, and down in Southeast, an area that Eleanor
Holmes Norton has worked tirelessly to improve, that could have been
given additional options for higher buildings because they are outside
of the area of concern for the Mall and monuments.
The city is not prepared to take that authority yet, and Congress is
not prepared to give authority that, in fact, its city council is not
prepared to handle. That is the consensus that came from the city
council in their own resolution, and we respect that if the city does
not want an authority, we are not going to thrust an authority on them.
So, with respect to the Height Act, let me close by saying there will
always be somebody who doesn't want a law changed, who, in fact, wants
the buildings shorter. There are people who want their private home to
be able to see all the way to the Mall. I would love to own one of
those homes, quite frankly.
A few feet away from here I would like to be able to walk out onto
the Speaker's deck, his balcony. I would like to be able to see the
White House, but I can't because the Treasury building was built in
front of it and others.
This legislation will not cause any of those shortcomings that have
occurred in the past; just the opposite. It will beautify the tops of
buildings if the city approves those specific projects, while
maintaining the absolute limit that has been on these buildings since
1910.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 4192, and I appreciate the initiative of
the chairman, Chairman Issa, who has just spoken, who has always
observed the self-government rights of the District of Columbia, and
puts forward this bill in the same spirit of home rule.
This legislation will amend the Height Act of 1910, which limits the
height of all building in the District of Columbia. The District is
prohibited, under the Home Rule Act, from permitting any structure
anywhere in the city in excess of the height limitations contained in
the Height Act.
The current law permits structures above the top story of buildings,
including so-called penthouses, to exceed the height limitations, but
no human occupancy is permitted in mechanical penthouses, and it gives
the District the authority to set the maximum height for such
structures.
Currently, the structures have a height limit of 18.6 feet. The
legislation will allow human occupancy of these penthouses. In
addition, the legislation will mandate a 20-foot maximum height, one
story, and a 1 to 1 setback for penthouses. The absolute height of any
penthouse used for human occupancy will be 20 feet.
I thank Chairman Issa for examining the Height Act when he saw that
it had received little congressional oversight in the century of its
existence.
I supported Chairman Issa's request that the District of Columbia and
the National Capital Planning Commission conduct a joint study of the
Height Act because more than 100 years had passed since the heights of
D.C. buildings were systematically discussed in the Halls of Congress.
The District and the NCPC came to different conclusions as to whether
or how the Height Act should be amended, but agreed with respect to
removing the prohibition on human occupancy of penthouses, and setting
a maximum height of 20 feet, or one story, for penthouses.
The mayor and D.C. Council expressed divergent views, but I
encouraged them to work together to find common ground. I am pleased
that the mayor and council chairman reached an agreement with regard to
penthouses, and that agreement, in essence, is before the Congress
today.
Under today's bill, the city, through its local zoning process, will
have the home rule ability to permit human occupancy of penthouses if
it would desire. However, this bill is not a mandate directing the city
to make any changes to penthouses or to its existing comprehensive
plan, or local zoning laws, more generally.
Again, I would like to thank Chairman Issa for working to give the
District of Columbia more authority. I also deeply appreciate the
chairman's work in so many other ways, for budget autonomy, and his
strong support on many occasions for home rule, which he has raised as
a factor in connection with the Height Act as well.
I support the passage of this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

{time} 1645

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to
the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).
Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I thank both of my colleagues. I am
extremely pleased with the sensitivity that is expressed for the people
of Washington, D.C., because that is what we should have here.
This is an amendment to the bill regarding the height of Washington,
D.C., buildings that passed in 1910, as changing the height
restrictions that were put in place in 1899; and as my colleague from
the District of Columbia had pointed out, this really hasn't been
discussed in detail in over 100 years.
I recently had someone here in Washington tell me that: Gee, as
property gets so valuable here in Washington, you are going to see, at
first, exceptions made to the height restrictions, then soon followed
by a lifting of those restrictions because the money will be just too
much for either party to turn down.
I am so grateful that the height is not being changed, as the
chairman said, by one inch; but I am very concerned about beginning to
make these exceptions for residence levels, even though ``residence''
is the change, basically, in essence, and I have looked at the change.
I have reviewed the prior law.
But, Madam Speaker, I am concerned that this is the camel's nose
going under the tent. You are beginning to put residences above the
height that was previously allowed. It may dress some up, it may change
some in ways that we are not crazy about, but I am just concerned about
changing the height restrictions, even with these exceptions, after 114
years of being in existence.
So as a result, I thank the chairman and my friend from the District
of Columbia, like I say, for their sensitivity, but I like the height
restriction because of the emphasis that continues to be pushed.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. ISSA. I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Texas.
Mr. GOHMERT. I thank the gentleman from California.
Madam Speaker, I am concerned about beginning the exceptions that may
move in a direction that we don't wish to have. The chairman mentioned
that no one is granting that kind of authority, and nobody is seeking
it, yet; and I want us to stop it before we have to get to that
``yet.''
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I just want to thank the gentleman for
speaking in favor of the bill.
I understand his concern. I do want to indicate that no exception is
really being made in this bill. The height can go no higher than it can
go right now, and somebody in the District of Columbia can't make an
exception because the Congress of the United States controls heights
still under this bill.
Of course, we have our local zoning laws in the District, so there
are many, many parts of the District where you can't begin to go as
high as the Height Act.
I am a third-generation Washingtonian, and I must say that I adore
the

[[Page 6265]]

residential quality of this city, which is essentially built on the
notion of private homes and not large-scale apartments. The city really
did not want to dislodge that, and that has not occurred here.
There may still be some disagreement among residents, but I do know
that when the council, which expressed some real disquiet at any
change, has finally been able to come to an agreement, that there is
not enough of a change here to warrant dissent within the city and had
come to an agreement that--and when, in addition, those who have been
most adamant about maintaining the Height Act, including the
organization which has been the real guardian of the Height Act, the
Committee of 100, says it has no objection to this compromise, I think
we have finally reached a compromise of the kind that we would like to
see more often occur right here in the House of Representatives.
And with that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In closing, I want to urge all Members to support the passage of H.R.
4192, and I want to close by reminding people that this is, in fact,
the best vetted piece of legislation for Congress to pass in
cooperation with the city in my tenure.
Thirteen D.C. city councilmen signed on to a sense of council-
introduced resolution in November that stated: The Height Act should
not be amended at this time.
All 13 now support this modest recommendation, and I understand the
additional member also would. I am glad that the city council is seeing
this modest reform as in their favor--their benefit to enhancing the
beauty of those buildings, those few buildings that reach the maximum
of the Height Act.
In closing, I think it is important that we echo what Delegate Norton
just said. The vast majority of homes and buildings in the District of
Columbia are far lower than the Height Act. In fact, it is a relatively
small part of what some people sometimes call K Street and some other
corridors, where the infrastructure of the city has pressed to occupy
more densely.
My hope is, by maintaining the height, the total occupancy, these
penthouses will enhance that property, in many cases, with cafeteria or
public access areas while still continuing to induce people to make
reasonable changes in outlying areas if, in fact, additional capacity
is needed either for residents of this city or, in fact, the thriving
businesses of this city.
Madam Speaker, we seldom come to you with a 100-year-old bill that
hasn't been dusted off. We come to you today with a 104-year-old bill,
which has not been dusted off and not for a lack of a reason.
The water towers of 1910 are gone. It is time for us to use this
space to maintain a view that is unmarred by highrises, but is, in
fact, enhanced by the architectural creation, invention, and ingenuity
of the architects who work and strive to make the buildings of
Washington, D.C., pleasant and functional.
With that, I urge passage and yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4192, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

____________________

GOVERNMENT REPORTS ELIMINATION ACT OF 2014

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4194) to provide for the elimination or modification of
Federal reporting requirements, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 4194

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Government Reports
Elimination Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.

TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Sec. 101. Reports eliminated.

TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Sec. 201. Reports eliminated.

TITLE III--CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Sec. 301. Reports eliminated.

TITLE IV--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Sec. 401. Reports eliminated.

TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Sec. 501. Report on Impact Aid construction justifying discretionary
grant awards eliminated.

TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Sec. 601. Reports eliminated.

TITLE VII--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Sec. 701. Great Lakes management comprehensive report eliminated.

TITLE VIII--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Sec. 801. Report relating to waiver of certain sanctions against North
Korea eliminated.

TITLE IX--GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

Sec. 901. Reports eliminated.
Sec. 902. Reports modified.

TITLE X--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Sec. 1001. Reports eliminated.

TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 1101. Reports eliminated.

TITLE XII--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Sec. 1201. Royalties In-Kind Report eliminated.

TITLE XIII--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Sec. 1301. Reports eliminated.

TITLE XIV--OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Sec. 1401. Reports eliminated.

TITLE XV--DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Sec. 1501. Reports eliminated.

TITLE XVI--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Sec. 1601. Reports eliminated.
Sec. 1602. Reports modified.

TITLE XVII--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Sec. 1701. Reports eliminated.

TITLE XVIII--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Sec. 1801. Reports eliminated.

TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

SEC. 101. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Information on Administrative Expenses on Commodity
Promotion Programs.--Section 501 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7401) is
amended--
(1) by striking subsection (d); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections
(d) and (e), respectively.
(b) Unfair Trade Practices Report and Related Meeting.--
Section 108 of the Act of August 28, 1954 (commonly known as
the Agricultural Act of 1954; 7 U.S.C. 1748) is repealed.
(c) Farmland Protection Policy Act Annual Report.--Section
1546 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7 U.S.C. 4207)
is repealed.
(d) Peanut Base Acres Data Collection and Publication.--
Section 1302(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008 (7 U.S.C. 8752(d)) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
(e) Other Base Acres Data Collection and Publication.--
Section 1101(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008 (7 U.S.C. 8711(d)) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
(f) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Individual Development
Accounts Pilot Program Report.--Section 333B of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1983b)
is amended by striking subsection (e) and redesignating
subsections (f) through (h) as subsections (e) through (g),
respectively.
(g) Rural Broadband Access Program Report.--Section 601 of
the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (d)(1)(B), by striking ``(k)'' and
inserting ``(j)''; and
(2) by striking subsection (j) and redesignating
subsections (k) and (l) as subsections (j) and (k),
respectively.
(h) Report on Export Credit Guarantees to Emerging
Markets.--Section 1542(e) of

[[Page 6266]]

the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
(Public Law 101-624; 7 U.S.C. 5622 note) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(1) Effect of credits.--''; and
(2) by striking paragraph (2).
(i) Commodity Credit Corporation Quarterly Report.--Section
13 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C.
714k) is amended by striking the second sentence.
(j) Evaluation of the Rural Development, Business and
Industry Guaranteed Loan Program Financing of Locally or
Regionally Produced Food Products.--Section 310B(g)(9)(B) of
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1932(g)(9)(B)) is amended by striking clause (iv) and
redesignating clause (v) as clause (iv).
(k) United States Grain Standards Act Reports.--Section 17B
of the United States Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 87f-2) is
repealed.
(l) Listing of Areas Rural in Character.--Section 6018 of
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (122 Stat.
1933; Public Law 110-246) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(a) Rural Area.--''; and
(2) by striking subsection (b).
(m) Notifications to Congress on Release of Names and
Addresses of Producers Operating Under Marketing Agreements
and Orders.--Section 8d(2) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act
(7 U.S.C. 608d(2)) is amended by striking ``The Secretary
shall notify the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of
the House of Representatives not later than 10 legislative
days before the contemplated release under law, of the names
and addresses of producers participating in such marketing
agreements and orders, and shall include in such notice a
statement of reasons relied upon by the Secretary in making
the determination to release such names and addresses.''.
(n) Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster
Prevention Action Plans Reports.--Section 420(c) of the Plant
Protect Act (7 U.S.C. 7721(c)) is amended by striking
paragraph (3).
(o) Quarterly Export Assistance Reports.--Section 603 of
the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5713) is
repealed.
(p) Rural Collaborative Investment Program.--
(1) Secretarial report on regional rural investment
boards.--Section 385C(b)(7) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd-2(b)(7)) is amended--
(A) by adding ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (B);
(B) by striking ``; and'' at the end of subparagraph (C)
and inserting a period; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (D).
(2) Report by regional rural investment board to national
rural investment board and the secretary.--Section 385D(a)(7)
of such Act (7 U.S.C. 2009dd-3(a)(7)) is amended--
(A) by adding ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C); and
(B) by striking subparagraph (D) and redesignating
subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (D).
(q) Status Report for Food for Progress Program.--
Subsection (j) of the Food for Progress Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C.
1736o) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
(r) Status Report for Foreign Market Development.--Section
702 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5722) is
amended by striking subsection (c).
(s) Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Status
Reports.--Section 3205 of the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 5680) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (d); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).
(t) Southeastern Alaska Timber Reports.--Section 706 of the
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act is repealed.

TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

SEC. 201. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Efforts and Progress in Becoming Designated as Sea
Grant College or Institute.--Section 207 of the National Sea
Grant Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1126) is amended by striking
subsection (e).
(b) Enterprise Integration Standardization and
Implementation.--Section 3(c) of the Enterprise Integration
Act of 2001 (15 U.S.C. 278g-5 note) is repealed.
(c) Ensuring Equal Access to Sea Grant Fellowship
Program.--Section 208(a) of the National Sea Grant Program
Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(a)) is amended by striking the fourth
sentence.
(d) TIP Activities.--Section 28(g) of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n(g))
is repealed.
(e) TIP Advisory Board Annual Report.--Section 28(k)(5) of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278n(k)(5)) is repealed.
(f) Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Activities.--Section 212
of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention Act of 1995
(16 U.S.C. 5611) is repealed.

TITLE III--CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

SEC. 301. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Reports by Other Federal Agencies to the Corporation.--
Section 182 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12642) is amended by striking subsection (b).
(b) Service-Learning Impact Study.--The National and
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12565) is amended by
repealing part IV of subtitle B of title I.

TITLE IV--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

SEC. 401. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Amendments to National Defense Authorization Acts.--
(1) Display of annual budget requirements for air
sovereignty alert mission.--Section 354 of the Duncan Hunter
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
(Public Law 110-417; 10 U.S.C. 221 note) is hereby repealed.
(2) Annual report on reliability of department of defense
financial statements.--Section 1008 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Public Law 107-107;
10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended--
(A) by striking subsections (a) and (b); and
(B) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``(b) or''.
(b) Amendments to Title 10.--
(1) Annual report on emergency and extraordinary
expenses.--Section 127 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by striking subsection (d).
(2) Report on assistance provided to foreign nations to
account for missing u.s. personnel.--Section 408 of title 10,
United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (f).
(3) Inclusion of net floor area in requests to build
military family housing.--Section 2826 of title 10, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) by striking ``(a) Local Comparability.--''; and
(B) by striking subsection (b).
(c) Amendment to Small Business Act Commercialization
Readiness Program.--Section 9(y)(5) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 638(y)(5)) is amended--
(1) by striking subparagraph (B);
(2) by striking ``authorized to--'' through ``establish
goals'' and inserting ``authorized to establish goals''; and
(3) by striking ``; and'' at the end and inserting a
period.

TITLE V--DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

SEC. 501. REPORT ON IMPACT AID CONSTRUCTION JUSTIFYING
DISCRETIONARY GRANT AWARDS ELIMINATED.

Section 8007(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7707) is amended by striking paragraph
(7).

TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

SEC. 601. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Science and Engineering Education Pilot Program.--
Section 983(d) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
16323(d)) is repealed.
(b) Strategic Unconventional Fuels Development Program.--
Section 369(i)(3) of Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15927(i)(3)) is repealed.
(c) Energy Efficiency Standards for Industrial Equipment.--
Section 342(a)(6)(C)(v) of Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(C)(v)) is repealed.

TITLE VII--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

SEC. 701. GREAT LAKES MANAGEMENT COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
ELIMINATED.

Section 118(c)(10) of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(c)(10)) is repealed.

TITLE VIII--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

SEC. 801. REPORT RELATING TO WAIVER OF CERTAIN SANCTIONS
AGAINST NORTH KOREA ELIMINATED.

Section 1405 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008
(22 U.S.C. 2799aa-1 note) is amended by striking subsection
(c).

TITLE IX--GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

SEC. 901. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Expenditures of Local Educational Agencies.--Section
1904 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6574) is repealed.
(b) Use of Recovery Act Funds by States and Localities
Report.--Section 901 of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 191) is
repealed.
(c) Help America Vote Act Funds Audit.--
(1) Elimination of audit.--Section 902(b) of the Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15542(b)) is amended--
(A) by striking paragraph (3); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6) as
paragraphs (3) through (5).
(2) Preservation of authority to recoup funds resulting
from prior audits.--Section 902(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
15542(c)) is amended by inserting after ``subsection (b)''
the following: ``prior to the date of the enactment of the
Government Reports Elimination Act of 2014''.
(d) State Small Business Credit Initiative Audit and
Report.--Section 3011 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010
(12 U.S.C. 5710) is amended by striking subsection (b).
(e) Small Business Lending Fund Program Audit and Report.--
Section 4107 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (12
U.S.C. 4741 note) is amended by striking subsection (c).

[[Page 6267]]

(f) Housing Assistance Council Financial Statement Audit
Report.--Section 6303(a) of the Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1490e note) is amended by
striking paragraph (3).

SEC. 902. REPORTS MODIFIED.

(a) National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health
Council.--Subsection (i) of section 4001 of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 300u-1) is
amended by striking ``The Secretary and the Comptroller
General of the United States shall jointly conduct periodic
reviews'' and inserting ``The Secretary shall conduct
periodic reviews''.
(b) Postcard Mandate.--Section 719(g)(2) of title 31,
United States Code is amended--
(1) by striking the first sentence and inserting the
following: ``The Comptroller General shall make each list
available through the public website of the Government
Accountability Office.''; and
(2) in the second sentence, by inserting ``of Congress''
after ``committee or member''.
(c) Annual Audit of the Congressional Award Foundation.--
(1) Use of private auditor.--Section 107 of the
Congressional Award Act (2 U.S.C. 807) is amended to read as
follows:

``audits

``Sec. 107. (a) Contracts With Private Auditor.--The Board
shall enter into a contract with an accredited private
auditor to conduct an annual audit of the financial records
of the Board and of any corporation established under section
106(i), and shall ensure that the auditor has access for the
purpose of the audit to any books, documents, papers, and
records of the Board or such corporation (or any agent of the
Board or such corporation) which the auditor reasonably
determines to be pertinent to the Congressional Award
Program.
``(b) Annual Report to Congress on Audit Results.--Not
later than May 15 of each calendar year, the Board shall
submit to appropriate officers, committees, and subcommittees
of Congress a report on the results of the most recent audit
conducted pursuant to this section, and shall include in the
report information on any such additional areas as the
auditor who conducted the audit determines deserve or require
evaluation.''.
(2) Conforming amendment relating to compliance with fiscal
control and fund accounting procedures.--Section 104(c)(2)(A)
of such Act (2 U.S.C. 804(c)(2)(A)) is amended--
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Comptroller
General of the United States'' and inserting ``The accredited
private auditor conducting the annual audit of the financial
records of the Board pursuant to section 107(a)''; and
(B) in the second sentence, by striking ``the Comptroller
General'' and inserting ``the auditor''.
(d) Annual GAO Review of Proposed HHS Recovery Threshold.--
The third sentence of section 1862(b)(9)(B)(i) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(b)(9)(B)(i)) is amended by
striking ``for a year'' and inserting ``for 2014''.

TITLE X--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

SEC. 1001. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Prohibition on Importation of Products Made With Dog or
Cat Fur.--Section 308 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.
1308) is amended by striking subsection (e).
(b) Port of Entry Infrastructure Assessment Study and
National Land Border Security Plan.--The Border
Infrastructure and Technology Modernization Act of 2007
(title VI of division E of Public Law 110-161; 6 U.S.C. 1401
et seq.) is amended by striking sections 603 and 604.
(c) Fees for Certain Customs Services.--
(1) Repeal.--Section 13031 of the Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-272; 19
U.S.C. 58c) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(9), by striking subparagraph (C) and
redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and
(B) in subsection (f)--
(i) in paragraph (3)--

(I) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(II) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (D);

(ii) by striking paragraph (4); and
(iii) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Subsection (f) of such section
is further amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``paragraph (5)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (4)''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``paragraph (5)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (4)''.
(d) Modernization of National Distress and Response
System.--Section 346 of the (Public Law 107-295) Maritime
Transportation Security Act of 2002 (14 U.S.C. 88 note), and
the item relating to such section in the table of contents in
section 1(b) of such Act, are repealed.

TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

SEC. 1101. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Information Technology Spending Plan for Transformation
Initiative.--The first sentence of the second paragraph under
the heading ``Department of Housing and Urban Development--
Management and Administration--Transformation Initiative'' in
title II of division A of Public Law 111-117 (123 Stat.
3093), as amended by section 2259 of title XII of division B
of Public Law 112-10 (125 Stat. 197), is amended by striking
``: Provided, That'' and all that follows through
``Government Accountability Office''.
(b) Sole Source Contracts Report.--Section 218 of the
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (division C of Public Law
112-55; 125 Stat. 699) is repealed.

TITLE XII--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SEC. 1201. ROYALTIES IN-KIND REPORT ELIMINATED.

Section 342(e) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15902(e)) is amended by striking subsection (e).

TITLE XIII--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

SEC. 1301. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Older Americans Act.--Section 515 of the Older
Americans Act (42 U.S.C. 3056m) is repealed.
(b) Andean Trade Preference Act.--Section 207 of the Andean
Trade Preference Act (19 U.S.C. 3205) is repealed.

TITLE XIV--OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

SEC. 1401. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.--Section
2(5)(E) of the Senate resolution advising and consenting to
ratification of the Document Agreed Among the States Parties
to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) of
November 19, 1990, adopted at Vienna May 31, 1996 (Treaty
Doc. 105-5) (commonly referred to as the ``CFE Flank
Document''), 105th Congress, agreed to May 14, 1997, is
repealed.
(b) Reports on Commerce With, and Assistance to, Cuba From
Other Foreign Countries.--
(1) Repeal.--Section 108 of the Cuban Liberty and
Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (22 U.S.C. 6038)
is repealed.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of such Act is amended by striking the item relating to
section 108.
(c) Identification of Countries of Concern With Respect to
the Diversion of Certain Goods, Services, and Technologies to
or Through Iran.--
(1) Repeal.--Section 302 of the Comprehensive Iran
Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22
U.S.C. 8542) is repealed.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 303(b) of such Act (22
U.S.C. 8543(b)) is amended--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``a
report--'' and inserting ``a report notifying those
committees of the designation of the country.''; and
(B) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2).
(3) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of such Act is amended by striking the item relating to
section 302.

TITLE XV--DEPARTMENT OF STATE

SEC. 1501. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Report on Progress Toward Regional Non-Proliferation in
South Asia.--Section 620F of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2376) is amended by striking subsection (c).
(b) Report on Tibet Negotiations.--Section 613 of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (22
U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 613. TIBET NEGOTIATIONS.

``(a) In General.--The President and the Secretary should
encourage the Government of the People's Republic of China to
enter into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his
representatives leading to a negotiated agreement on Tibet.
``(b) Compliance.--After such an agreement is reached, the
President and the Secretary should work to ensure compliance
with the agreement.''.

TITLE XVI--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

SEC. 1601. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Reports of Air Traffic Services Committee.--Section
106(p)(7) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking subparagraph (H); and
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph (H).
(b) Annual Summaries of Airport Financial Reports.--Section
47107(k) of title 49, United States Code, is repealed.
(c) Annual Report on Pipeline Safety Information Grants to
Communities.--Section 60130 of title 49, United States Code,
is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c).
(d) Annual Report on Pilot Program for Innovative Financing
of Air Traffic Control Equipment.--Section 182 of the Vision
100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (117 Stat. 2515;
49 U.S.C. 44502 note) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (e); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e).
(e) Reports on Justifications for Air Defense
Identification Zones.--Section 602 of the Vision 100--Century
of Aviation Reauthorization Act (117 Stat. 2563), and the
item relating to that section in the table of contents
contained in section 1(b) of that Act, are repealed.

[[Page 6268]]

(f) Annual Report on Standards for Aircraft and Aircraft
Engines To Reduce Noise Levels.--Section 726 of the Wendell
H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st
Century (114 Stat. 167; 49 U.S.C. 47508 note) is amended by
striking subsection (c).

SEC. 1602. REPORTS MODIFIED.

Section 1138(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended
by striking ``at least annually, but may be conducted''.

TITLE XVII--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

SEC. 1701. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Annual Report on the North American Development Bank.--
Section 2 of Public Law 108-215 is repealed.
(b) Report on Voting on International Financial
Institutions Loan Proposals.--Section 701 of the
International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262d) is
amended by striking subsection (c) and redesignating
subsection (d) through subsection (g) (as added by section
501(g) of Public Law 96-259) as subsections (c) through (f),
respectively.
(c) Report on New IMF Arrangements Regarding Rates and
Maturities.--Section 605 of the Foreign Operations, Export
Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1999 (112
Stat. 2681-223), as enacted into law by section 101(d) of
division A of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277),
is amended by striking subsection (d).
(d) Report on Significant Modifications.--The Government
Securities Act Amendments of 1993 (Public Law 103-202) is
amended--
(1) by striking section 203; and
(2) in the table of contents for such Act, by striking the
item relating to section 203.

TITLE XVIII--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

SEC. 1801. REPORTS ELIMINATED.

(a) Annual Report on Activities and Proposals Involving
Contracting for Performance by Contractor Personnel of Work
Previously Performed by Department Employees.--Section 8110
of such title is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as
subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively.
(b) Annual Report on Procurement of Health-Care Items.--
Section 8125 of such title is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (d); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).
(c) Annual Report on Staffing for Nurses and Nurse
Anaesthetists at Department Facilities.--Section 7451(e) of
such title is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (5); and
(2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5).
(d) Annual Report on Use of Authorities To Enhance
Retention of Experienced Nurses.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of such title
is amended by striking section 7324.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by striking the item
relating to section 7324.

General Leave

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ISSA. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4194, the Government Reports
Elimination Act of 2014. The Government Reports Elimination Act is part
of the committee's efforts to reduce waste and duplication in the
Federal Government.
It eliminates 69 unnecessary agency reports to Congress and
eliminates or streamlines 10 required GAO, Government Accountability
Office, mandates.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 4194 will save
several million dollars. That doesn't sound like a lot in the Federal
budget, but think of the key people who have to prepare those reports.
The people that are most knowledgeable of what is going on are often
the people taken away for these reports.
These reports were vetted by sending out a questionnaire to every
chairman and every ranking member in the House, asking them do they
still need these reports. After going through multiple rounds, we
determined that these were the reports that no Member of Congress or no
committee any longer needed.
This is a modest reform. I would have liked to have done a few more.
In fact, I would like to make sure that, in every Congress, every 2
years, a similar bill be brought, asking are those reports still needed
and eliminating the ones that are not.
I am assured that if we do so, as we create 69 new reports every
year, we can eliminate 69 old reports, saving millions of dollars, but
more importantly, freeing up the most valuable people often in the
executive branch that must participate in the preparation of these.
The GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 directs agencies and the OMB to
work together to identify duplicative and outdated reports to Congress.
In January of 2013, the Office of Management and Budget posted that
list on their Web site, www.performance.gov, and these reports come
from that list.
Madam Speaker, I think enough has been said. The American people want
us not to waste their money. Congress is determined that we should
eliminate unnecessary reports. The Office of Management and Budget has
produced a list. We have culled through that list, worked with all the
chairmen, and today give you this list of savings.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I
rise in support of this important legislation. I am pleased to join my
colleagues and Chairman Issa today in support of H.R. 4194, the
Government Reports Elimination Act, as amended.
Congress often requires reports from executive branch agencies, and
these reports can be a valuable tool to scrutinize performance and
assess agency goals. However, with the passage of time, reporting
requirements can become outdated and unnecessary.
Congress and the executive branch recognized in the Government
Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 that improved
coordination across the Federal Government benefits the taxpayer and
government alike.
Pursuant to that act, the Office of Management and Budget publishes a
list of plans or reports that are produced by the executive branch
pursuant to congressional mandate. The act requires the administration
to identify potentially outdated or duplicative plans and reports and
provide views for their elimination.
In January 2013, the Office of Management and Budget produced a list
that identified over 300 congressionally-mandated plans and reports as
potentially outdated or duplicative. Majority and minority staffs of
our committee worked together to identify specific reports that are
currently produced, but should be eliminated.
H.R. 4194 would eliminate the statutory requirements to prepare
reports that are produced by 18 Federal agencies. Implementing H.R.
4194 would reduce the administrative costs to these agencies by
reducing the number of reports that must be prepared and printed.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the bill
reduces the costs that are subject to appropriation by about $1 million
over the next 5 years. The bill contains no intergovernmental or
private sector mandates and would impose no costs on State, local, and
tribal governments.
H.R. 4194 provides for greater efficiency for a more effective
Federal Government with the elimination of duplicative or unnecessary
reports.
Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
this bill, and I am pleased to yield back the balance of my time.

{time} 1700

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of
H.R.

[[Page 6269]]

4194, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4194, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

BATTLE OF MILL SPRINGS STUDY

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 298) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
conduct a special resource study to evaluate the significance of the
Mill Springs Battlefield located in Pulaski and Wayne Counties,
Kentucky, and the feasibility of its inclusion in the National Park
System, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 298

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. BATTLE OF MILL SPRINGS STUDY.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
(1) In 1994, the Mills Springs Battlefield in Pulaski and
Wayne Counties in Kentucky was designated as a National
Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior.
(2) The Battle of Mill Springs was the first significant
Union victory in the western theater of the Civil War.
(3) The outcome of the Battle of Mill Springs, along with
Union victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson paved the way
for a major battle at Shiloh, Tennessee.
(4) In 1991, the National Park Service placed the Mill
Springs Battlefield on a list of endangered battlefields,
noting the impact of this battle to the course of the Civil
War.
(5) In 1992, the Mill Springs Battlefield Association
formed, and utilizing Federal, State, and local support has
managed to preserve important tracts of the battlefield,
construct an interactive visitor center, and educate the
public about this historic event.
(6) There is strong community interest in incorporating the
Mill Springs Battlefield into the National Park Service.
(7) The Mill Springs Battlefield Association has expressed
its desire to give the preserved battlefield as a gift to the
United States.
(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
(1) Mill springs battlefield.--The term ``Mill Springs
Battlefield'' means the area encompassed by the National
Historic Landmark designations relating to the 1862 Battle of
Mill Springs located in the counties of Pulaski and Wayne in
Kentucky.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(c) Study.--Not later than 3 years from the date funds are
made available, the Secretary shall conduct a special
resource study to evaluate the significance of the Mill
Springs Battlefield in Kentucky, and the feasibility of its
inclusion in the National Park System.
(d) Criteria for Study.--The Secretary shall conduct the
study authorized by this Act in accordance with 8(b) of
Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(b)).
(e) Content of Study.--The study shall include an analysis
of the following:
(1) The significance of the Battle of Mill Springs to the
outcome of the Civil War.
(2) Opportunities for public education about the Civil War
in Kentucky.
(3) Operational issues that should be considered if the
National Park System were to incorporate the Mill Springs
Battlefield.
(4) The feasibility of administering the Mill Springs
Battlefield considering its size, configuration, and other
factors, to include an annual cost estimate.
(5) The economic, educational, and other impacts the
inclusion of Mill Springs Battlefield into the National Park
System would have on the surrounding communities in Pulaski
and Wayne Counties.
(6) The effect of the designation of the Mill Springs
Battlefield as a unit of the National Park System on--
(A) existing commercial and recreational activities,
including by not limited to hunting, fishing, and
recreational shooting, and on the authorization,
construction, operation, maintenance, or improvement of
energy production and transmission infrastructure; and
(B) the authority of State and local governments to manage
those activities.
(7) The identification of any authorities, including
condemnation, that will compel or permit the Secretary to
influence or participate in local land use decisions (such as
zoning) or place restrictions on non-Federal lands if the
Mill Springs Battlefield is designated a unit of the National
Park System.
(f) Notification of Private Property Owners.--Upon
commencement of the study, owners of private property
adjacent to the battlefield will be notified of the study's
commencement and scope.
(g) Submission of Report.--Upon completion of the study,
the Secretary shall submit a report on the findings of the
study to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.

General Leave

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. At this time, I yield whatever time he may
consume to the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Hal Rogers.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the chairman for yielding me this
time.
Madam Speaker, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, we have dozens of
historic sites and landmarks that demonstrate our Nation's proud
history to thousands of visitors every year. I am pleased that one of
these sites is the Mill Springs Battlefield, which sits in my home
county of Pulaski and my birth home county of Wayne, Kentucky. The bill
we have before us would give the National Park Service 3 years to
complete a study on including this historic battlefield into the
National Park System.
The Battle of Mill Springs is a source of great pride and interest to
my constituents especially. In late 1861, Confederate forces had
advanced into Kentucky on its southern border, and on January 19, 1862,
they launched an attack on the Union Army camp that was stationed at
Logan's Crossroads, later to be called Mill Springs. After a heavy
night of marching, the Confederate troops attacked but were driven
back, with their commander, Brigadier General Felix Zollicoffer, being
killed in the fighting. In the confusion, the Union troops received
reinforcements and were able to repel another Confederate attack, this
time driving them back into Tennessee.
Although this battle did not generate the number of casualties seen
at such battles as Antietam or Gettysburg, it was a critically
important battle and one of the first major Union victories in the
Civil War. As a border State in the conflict between the North and
South, Kentucky sat at a dangerous and strategically critical
crossroads, with both sides vying for control of its territory. In
fact, President Lincoln has been quoted as saying, ``I hope to have God
on my side, but I must have Kentucky.'' Victory in the Battle of Mill
Springs held off the Confederate advance into Kentucky and laid the
groundwork for later Union successes at Fort Donelson, in now
Nashville, Tennessee, in February 1862, and at Shiloh, in April, under
General Ulysses S. Grant.
Despite the importance of this battle, like many battlefields
throughout the country, the site of the Battle of Mill Springs became
threatened over the years by disrepair and development. In the early
1990s, the U.S. Department of the Interior classified the site of the
Battle of Mill Springs as one of the most endangered battlefields in
Kentucky. It might have slipped into the pages of history with no
living monument to it had it not been for a group of concerned citizens
in the community who came together in 1992 out of concern that the site
would be lost forever.
Today, thanks to the Mill Springs Battlefield Association, along with
determination from State and local officials and the Civil War Trust
and the National Parks Conservation Association, hundreds of acres of
battlefield land have been diligently preserved. Through a partnership
of public and private funds, the association has constructed a
fantastic 10,000-square-foot Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center
and Museum, established interpretive signage, and led driving and
walking

[[Page 6270]]

tours of the battle. Above all, they have created a vibrant tourist
attraction which hosts thousands of visitors and students each year,
preserving the memory of this historic battle for generations to come.
Periodically, Madam Speaker, there is a reenactment of the Battle of
Mill Springs with thousands of participants from all across the
country.
After years of work preserving this precious historic site, the Mill
Springs Battlefield Association has expressed its desire to turn the
site over to the National Park Service and the people of the United
States so that the joy of learning and history will be enjoyed by many
more people through the years. This bill, H.R. 298, will start this
process by evaluating the feasibility of adopting this important site
into the Park Service. I am proud to associate myself with this effort
and to have this battlefield and generous group of citizens in my
district.
Madam Speaker, our Nation has been truly blessed. We have a
remarkable array of natural beauty which people from all over this
country and the world flock to see. Additionally, we have a great
number of historical sites which have been dutifully and faithfully
preserved so that new generations can appreciate what this country has
been through and what their forefathers cared for. The Mill Springs
Battlefield is a jewel of this group and will be an excellent addition
to the National Park Service.
I am proud of the work that they have done, and I look forward to
many years of this site being an inspiring and educational attraction
for our Nation. So I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill,
and I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I would congratulate the gentleman from Kentucky on his eloquent
description of Mill Springs and its significance in our history in the
Civil War. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993, but
the gentleman makes an eloquent case that it should be upgraded from a
National Historic Landmark to look at as a part of the National Park
System.
This bill would allow the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
special resource study in anticipation of making this a part of the
National Park System. And I want to congratulate the gentleman on his
advocacy and thank him for his dedication to protecting and promoting
this resource.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. At this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, and I would like to
thank the gentleman from my home State, Mr. Rogers, for his advocacy of
this important issue, and I appreciate Mr. Young yielding me some time
to talk about this legislation that I am proud to cosponsor, which
would study the feasibility of including the historic Mill Springs
Battlefield within the National Park System.
Perhaps nowhere more than the Commonwealth of Kentucky does the maxim
that the Civil War ``pit brother against brother'' ring truer. While it
never seceded, a slaveholding Kentucky had rival Union and Confederate
governments and was represented by the central star of the Stars and
Bars. It is no exaggeration to say that Kentucky families and
communities were often split along blue and gray lines.
A border State at the nexus of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers,
Kentucky was of vital strategic importance to both the Union and
Confederate causes. As Chairman Rogers pointed out, President Abraham
Lincoln noted, ``I hope to have God on my side, but I must have
Kentucky.'' The loss of the Commonwealth would have been a significant
blow to the cause of keeping the Union intact.
Both sides recognized this, and so in the first 2 years of the war,
some of the bloodiest fighting occurred in the Commonwealth. Major
hostilities in the Bluegrass State were bookended by the Union
victories at Mill Springs in January 1862, which largely ended the
Confederacy's eastern Kentucky offensive, and the Battle of Perryville
in October of that year, which ended the Confederacy's hope of victory
in the Kentucky Campaign.
The Battle of Mill Springs is notable not only as the first major
battle and Union victory in Kentucky, but also the first battle of the
Western Theater in which a Confederate general--Brigadier General Felix
Kirk Zollicoffer--would be killed in action.
Inclement weather the night before the battle had slowed the
Confederate infiltration of the area costing them the benefit of a
surprise attack. Despite early success by Confederate troops, a Union
rally in the fog and gun smoke that clouded the dense woods sowed
confusion and disarray among the rebels.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of New York). The time of the
gentleman has expired.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.
Mr. BARR. I thank the gentleman.
As the Confederate lines fell back, Brigadier General Zollicoffer was
separated and mistakenly approached the 4th Kentucky Infantry and,
believing them to be his own troops, was cut down.
The result of the battle of Mill Springs was a hasty retreat by
Confederate forces across the Cumberland River back into Tennessee. In
hindsight, it was the last opportunity for the Confederacy to gain a
foothold in eastern Kentucky. For the Union Army, which had been
humiliated at the Battle of First Manassas in the summer of 1861, the
battle was its first major victory of the war and a needed boost to
morale.
In 1991, the National Park System placed Mill Springs Battlefield on
its list of the Most Endangered Battlefields. Today, thanks to the
coordinated efforts of the Mill Springs Battlefield Association and
several other public and private organizations, the battlefield has
been largely restored and now offers walking and driving tours, as well
as a 10,000-square-foot visitor center and museum.
H.R. 298 is an important step to recognize and build upon the good
work of these organizations and passionate Civil War history
enthusiasts from eastern Kentucky and throughout the country. While the
feasibility study would only be a first step in the process, inclusion
in the National Park System would help ensure that the story of Mill
Springs and the battlefield itself are preserved and maintained for
future generations and that the memories and sacrifices of the fallen
are never forgotten.
Again, I commend Chairman Rogers on his efforts to preserve this
piece of American and Kentucky history, and I am a proud cosponsor of
H.R. 298.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I have no requests for further speakers, so I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 298, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

{time} 1715
NEW PHILADELPHIA, ILLINOIS, STUDY ACT

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 930) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
conduct a special resource study of the archeological site and
surrounding land of the New Philadelphia town site in the State of
Illinois, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 930

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``New Philadelphia, Illinois,
Study Act''.

[[Page 6271]]

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) Frank McWorter, an enslaved man, bought his freedom and
the freedom of 15 family members by mining for crude niter in
Kentucky caves and processing the mined material into
saltpeter;
(2) New Philadelphia, founded in 1836 by Frank McWorter,
was the first town planned and legally registered by a free
African-American before the Civil War;
(3) the first railroad constructed in the area of New
Philadelphia bypassed New Philadelphia, which led to the
decline of New Philadelphia; and
(4) the New Philadelphia site--
(A) is a registered National Historic Landmark;
(B) is covered by farmland; and
(C) does not contain any original buildings of the town or
the McWorter farm and home that are visible above ground.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(2) Study area.--The term ``Study Area'' means the New
Philadelphia archeological site and the surrounding land in
the State of Illinois.

SEC. 4. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

(a) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a special resource
study of the Study Area.
(b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall--
(1) evaluate the national significance of the Study Area;
(2) determine the suitability and feasibility of
designating the Study Area as a unit of the National Park
System;
(3) consider other alternatives for preservation,
protection, and interpretation of the Study Area by--
(A) Federal, State, or local governmental entities; or
(B) private and nonprofit organizations;
(4) consult with--
(A) interested Federal, State, or local governmental
entities;
(B) private and nonprofit organizations; or
(C) any other interested individuals;
(5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition,
development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance
associated with the alternatives considered under paragraph
(3); and
(6) determine the effect of the designation of the Study
Area as a unit of the National Park System on--
(A) existing commercial and recreational activities,
including but not limited to hunting, fishing, recreational
shooting, and on the authorization, construction, operation,
maintenance or improvement of energy production and
transmission infrastructure; and
(B) the effect of the authority of State and local
governments to manage those activities; and
(7) identify any authorities, including condemnation, that
will compel or permit the Secretary to influence or
participate in local land use decisions (such as zoning) or
place restrictions on nonfederal land if the Study Area is
designated a unit of the National Park System.
(c) Applicable Law.--The study required under subsection
(a) shall be conducted in accordance with section 8 of Public
Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5).
(d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which
funds are first made available for the study under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report
containing--
(1) the results of the study; and
(2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.

General Leave

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as
he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schock) who authored
this bill.
Mr. SCHOCK. I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska for yielding me
this time, and for his leadership on the committee to make these bills
law.
Mr. Speaker, New Philadelphia, Illinois, was the first town founded
and built by a freed slave, and it happened before the Civil War.
Today, this historic town in my district deserves designation as a
national park, and H.R. 930 will pave the way for official recognition.
The man who founded New Philadelphia was Frank McWorter, a Kentucky
slave who worked to buy his own freedom and that of his wife and 15
family members. At a time of immense cultural and political hostilities
over the issue of slavery, the McWorter family and other citizens of
New Philadelphia built a town where free African Americans and European
settlers lived and worked side by side.
Due to their hard work and strong faith, the scourge of racial
violence never gained a foothold in the town, despite the upheaval
around them. Think of the significance of that. The people of New
Philadelphia built the dream of Martin Luther King a full 127 years
before his immortal words were spoken on the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial. Long before the Supreme Court ordered the desegregation of
American schools, these Illinoisans were teaching their children in the
same classrooms, letting them play in the same parks, and drawing water
from the same wells. The story of New Philadelphia is a proud heritage
for central Illinois, and it deserves to be shared with all Americans.
Today, we are honored to have a direct descendant of Frank McWorter
here in the gallery, Sheena Franklin. This family, this town, are
examples of the best of America, and they accomplished it during the
worst of our times.
I also want to especially thank members of the New Philadelphia
Association, especially Charlotte King, who have worked for more than a
decade to document, preserve, and restore the extraordinary history of
the town. It is through their efforts that this unique chapter in our
history can be preserved for generations as a national park, and I look
forward to continuing to work with them toward that goal.
This legislation is another step in the direction of racial justice.
It is another sure stitch in the healing process for a Nation once
divided so bitterly and tragically over the issue of slavery. I urge
passage of H.R. 930.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
referring to occupants in the gallery.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This bill by the gentleman from Illinois, he has already eloquently
described the history and the purpose. It is an extraordinary history
in New Philadelphia, and it certainly deserves more national
recognition. In this case, the gentleman's legislation, H.R. 930, would
direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource
study of the New Philadelphia archaeological site and the surrounding
land. It would require the Secretary to evaluate the national
significance of the study area and determine the feasibility of
designating the study area as a unit of the national park system.
Therefore, we support this legislation.
I thank the majority and the gentleman from Illinois for bringing
this up, and urge all of my colleagues to support this important
legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 930, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

HUNA TLINGIT TRADITIONAL GULL EGG USE ACT

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 3110) to allow for the harvest of gull eggs by the
Huna Tlingit people within Glacier Bay National Park in the State of
Alaska, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 3110

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page 6272]]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Huna Tlingit Traditional
Gull Egg Use Act''.

SEC. 2. LIMITED AUTHORIZATION FOR COLLECTION OF GULL EGGS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to
in this Act as the ``Secretary'') may allow the collection by
members of the Hoonah Indian Association of the eggs of
glaucous-winged gulls (Laurus glaucescens) within Glacier Bay
National Park (referred to in this Act as the ``Park'') not
more frequently than twice each calendar year at up to 5
locations within the Park, subject to any terms and
conditions that the Secretary determines to be necessary.
(b) Applicable Law.--For the purposes of sections 203 and
816 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
(16 U.S.C. 410hh-2, 3126), the collection of eggs of
glaucous-winged gulls within the Park in accordance with
subsection (a) shall be considered to be a use specifically
permitted by that Act.
(c) Harvest Plan.--The Secretary shall establish schedules,
locations, and any additional terms and conditions that the
Secretary determines to be necessary for the harvesting of
eggs of glaucous-winged gulls in the Park, based on an annual
harvest plan to be prepared by the Secretary and the Hoonah
Indian Association.

General Leave

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 3110 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to permit members
of Hoonah Indian Association to harvest sea gull eggs in portions of
Glacier Bay National Park, subject to terms and conditions the
Secretary deems necessary.
This traditional Native subsistence harvest had been conducted long
before the establishment by Congress of the national park, where the
practice was subsequently forbidden by law.
In 1980, Congress passed the Alaska Lands Act, which, among other
things, provided for the subsistence use of natural resources on public
lands in Alaska by rural residents. The traditional harvest of sea gull
eggs in Glacier Bay National Park, however, remained off limits.
A study conducted by the National Park Service determined the local
Native people should be able to resume their harvest of sea gull eggs
at specific locations in the park. Accordingly, I introduced H.R. 3110
to authorize the Hoonah Indian Association and the Secretary of the
Interior to develop a plan for the traditional Native collection of
certain gull eggs.
Under H.R. 3110, the Hoonah Indians may harvest the eggs not more
frequently than twice each calendar year at up to five locations within
the park, subject to any terms and conditions that the Secretary
determines to be necessary.
On February 5, 2014, the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native
Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on H.R.
3110 where the National Park Service testified in support of this bill.
On February 27, the Natural Resources Committee ordered the bill
reported by unanimous consent.
This bill allows a group of Natives in Alaska to resume an important
cultural tradition and to pass it on to future generations. I urge the
House to pass the bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The collection and the consumption of gull eggs is an integral part
of the culture of the Tlingit people of southeast Alaska. Eggs were
gathered at rookeries long before Glacier Bay National Park and
Preserve were ever established.
The provisions of this bill are in accord with the recommendations of
a study mandated by Congress on the issue, and the bill is widely
supported throughout the environmental and conservation communities, as
well as the Alaska Native community. The harvesting of gull eggs would
only have a minor impact on the gulls, but the cultural benefits that
would be realized by the Native community would be great.
I applaud the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) for his leadership on
this issue, and I ask my colleagues to stand with him in support of
this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no other requests for time,
and so I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 3110, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

NORTH TEXAS INVASIVE SPECIES BARRIER ACT OF 2014

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 4032) to exempt from Lacey Act Amendments of 1981
certain water transfers by the North Texas Municipal Water District and
the Greater Texoma Utility Authority, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 4032

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``North Texas Invasive Species
Barrier Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. COMPLIANCE WITH LACEY ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1981.

Section 5 of Public Law 112-237 (126 Stat. 1629) is amended
by inserting after ``zebra mussels'' the following: ``and
other fish, wildlife, and plants present in Lake Texoma that
are prohibited under section 3 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 3372)
or under section 42 of title 18, United States Code''.

General Leave

[[Page 6273]]

Lake Texoma into the Wylie, Texas, water treatment plant, where the
water will be cleaned of zebra mussels without being in violation of
the Lacey Act.
It is safe to say that wherever zebra mussels are found, their
partner in crime--quagga mussels--are more than likely to be found as
well. Today's bill, H.R. 4032, expands the exemption from zebra mussels
to all aquatic invasive species and plants, and will enable the North
Texas Municipal Water District to do its job. It does not encourage
extra pumping that would harm Lake Texoma's current low water levels.
Such action will better serve more than 1.5 million north Texans in a
manner that provides safe water and much-needed jobs.
I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation that
provides safe and clean water to north Texans.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 4032, the North Texas Invasive Species Barrier Act, provides a
very specific and necessary exemption to the Lacey Act Amendments of
1981.
The bill would allow the North Texas Municipal Water District and the
Greater Texoma Utility Authority to transport water that contains
potentially invasive species from the Oklahoma side of Lake Texoma into
Texas. However, all water would be kept in closed conveyance systems
and would be fully treated, with all zebra mussels, quagga mussels, and
other potentially harmful aquatic life being fully removed before being
released into any water body.

{time} 1730

Two years ago, we passed legislation that allowed the water district
to pump water containing zebra mussel larvae from Lake Texoma, but now,
quagga mussels have emerged as a threat there as well.
These species are the bane of many a power plant and municipal water
plant operator. Hundreds of millions will be spent in the near future
to deal with these problems in intake and outflow pipes and other
infrastructure.
They also harm our fisheries by crowding out native species and
taking their food. They are driving out our native mussels toward
extinction. The Lacey Act is vital to our Nation's interests because it
prevents--or hopefully prevents the spread of undesirable, injurious
species like zebra and quagga mussels. A strong Lacey Act is vital to
our economy and our environment.
That said, Texas needs access to this water. The aforementioned
entities have a comprehensive plan for ensuring that these water
transfers do not cause invasive species to spread.
For those reasons, we will support H.R. 4032; but we need to remember
that this bill, which was put forward as a remedy to a very difficult
and a very unique situation, is not a precedent for broad-spread
exemptions to the Lacey Act.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 5 minutes to
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions).
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alaska, the
former chairman of the committee.
I also want to thank the gentleman Ralph Hall and the gentleman Sam
Johnson, also from north Texas, that joined with me in this important
bill.
I want to thank my friends on the Democratic side, in particular Mr.
DeFazio, for his not only effort and understanding, but an effort in
making sure that water resources all across this country, the needs of
the people, are understood.
Mr. Speaker, we are under increased problems all across this country,
distressed because of the lack of water. We have lots of areas of the
country that are undergoing tremendous changes, and that means that
local people have to make accommodations; but that also means that,
many times, they have to work with the Federal Government, in this
case, through the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
I would like to also thank the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the North
Texas Municipal Water District for their hard work on this important
issue. The opportunity for us to resolve this issue means that 1.5
million north Texans who need to make sure that they have adequate,
safe, and good water resources, that we can continue a plan in north
Texas that we agreed to. We agree this is the right thing to do.
We also agree that we are after the good Lord to help us out with
some rain; but in the meantime, the Lord also says those that help
themselves, that that is the right way to do it.
We are trying to work together. Today, as Mr. Hall has said, it is an
opportunity to see Republicans and Democrats, those people in
Washington who have come to represent the American people, many of us
just for our own district, but all of us working together can work to
resolve differences and problems that sometimes occur back home for the
benefit of so many other people.
Today, I want to thank the chairman of the committee, Doc Hastings,
for carefully reviewing, understanding, looking at what we are trying
to do, and making sure that, if we showed up with a bill that had been
well vetted back home where we had agreement, where we knew what we
were talking about and tried to make it as narrow as was necessary, but
large enough to handle the issue, that we could move forward with this.
This is the kind of leadership in Washington, D.C., quite honestly,
that we need, where we are challenged back home appropriately, where we
have to bring our ideas to Washington, where we have to, in essence,
think with each other, and then come up with a good plan. This is true
of not just Republicans and Democrats in this instance, but also true
of the Corps of Engineers.
I want to thank the administration for their help in this effort.
Many times, people can jump in the way of a great idea to help people.
In this case, it didn't happen.
I am in full support of H.R. 4032 as it stands tonight. Many people
in north Texas will perhaps not even know what we are doing, but this
will be a sigh of relief for those who do know what we are doing this
week and head into the very, very difficult summer months. This way,
people can plan forward and do the right thing.
I want to thank Mr. Young for not only allowing me to be on the floor
today, but for him scheduling time to have a bunch of Texans come and
plead their case. It is my hope this Congress, this House of
Representatives, will in fact support and agree to this.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. If the gentleman will listen for a moment, big
brothers have to think of little brothers. Alaska is the big brother,
and Texas is the little brother.
This is a good bill. I want to compliment the Texas delegation
supporting Mr. Hall especially, Mr. Sessions and Mr. Johnson.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4032, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

EXTENSION OF NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM ACT TERMINATION DATE

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 4120) to amend the National Law Enforcement Museum
Act to extend the termination date.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 4120

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM ACT TERMINATION
DATE EXTENDED.

Section 4(f) of the National Law Enforcement Museum Act
(Public Law 106-492) is amended by striking ``13 years'' and
inserting ``16 years''.

[[Page 6274]]

SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

The provisions of this Act shall take effect as if this Act
were enacted on November 8, 2013.

General Leave

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alaska?
There was no objection.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4120 provides a 3-year extension to allow the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to begin construction
of the National Law Enforcement Museum.
This fund has expended almost $30 million in private funds to
complete the design, obtain approvals, and move all of the utilities on
the site in preparation for construction.
However, the authority to begin construction has expired, and this
extension will provide the time necessary to secure adequate private
funds to complete construction of the National Law Enforcement Museum.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for his
advocacy on this issue. It is critical that we recognize the sacrifice
of law enforcement officers on an ongoing day-to-day basis here in the
United States of America, those who have sacrificed and given their
lives in the past and those who will continue to serve selflessly into
the future.
In 1984, Congress authorized the Memorial Fund for the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial. Nine years later, Congress passed the
National Law Enforcement Museum Act to establish a National Law
Enforcement Museum adjacent to the existing memorial in Judiciary
Square.
Raising money, even for the most meritorious of causes, in developing
a design acceptable to all of the affected parties, is laborious and
time consuming. Tremendous effort has been expended on this. They are
making great progress, but they need a little bit more time.
This legislation brought to us by the gentleman from Maryland would
extend the deadline by 3 years, which most parties feel will be
adequate to see the museum to completion.
With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young), and my friend, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr.
DeFazio), for bringing this legislation to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I have cosponsored this legislation with my dear friend
Frank Wolf, with whom I have served for 33 years. He will be leaving.
His father was a policeman in Philadelphia, so he has a strong
attachment to this bill as well.
Our bipartisan bill would enable the construction, as has been said,
of the National Law Enforcement Museum to move forward.
In 2000, Congress passed the National Law Enforcement Museum Act to
authorize the development of plans for and the construction of a museum
to honor the nearly 20,000 local, State, and Federal law enforcement
officers who have fallen in the line of duty since 1791.
All of them, Mr. Speaker, put their lives in danger to serve their
communities and their country, leaving us with an enduring example of
service and sacrifice. They are a part of our domestic defense corps.
While we honor their memory each year at the National Law Enforcement
Memorial in May and on the west front as well, Congress agreed that a
museum would be a fitting way to tell their stories year-round,
especially to the many school children who are expected to visit us
every year and who will visit this museum as well.
We extended the original authorization, as has been said, in 2010,
and now, after years of work to obtain permits, receive design
approvals, and secure outside funding, the National Law Enforcement
Officers Museum Fund is ready to break ground. The funds, of course,
are private, but this is a public good and a public end.
But first it is up to Congress, therefore, to reauthorize this
project through 2016, so we can see this magnificent museum completed.
In closing, let me congratulate Craig Floyd, who worked in the
Congress, who has spearheaded this effort for a very long time. His
leadership, his vision has made it possible for us to be on the cusp of
realizing this museum's establishment.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve this
legislation; and, again, I thank Mr. Young and Mr. DeFazio for bringing
it to the floor.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I would like to compliment Mr.
Hoyer for his work and Mr. Wolf. They testified before the committee. I
asked the question about the extension as far as the length of time.
They have assured me that it will be completed. I hope it will be
completed. This is a memorial that should be open for the general
public. Our police officers are sometimes overlooked.
I urge the passage of this legislation as quickly as possible, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4120.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

____________________

PRISON SHIP MARTYRS' MONUMENT PRESERVATION ACT

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1501) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to
study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Prison Ship
Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park, in the New York City borough of
Brooklyn, as a unit of the National Park System, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 1501

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PRISON SHIP MARTYRS' MONUMENT STUDY; REPORT.

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Prison
Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act''.
(b) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall
complete a study to determine the suitability and feasibility
of designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort
Greene Park, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, as a
unit of the National Park System.
(2) Applicable law.--The study required under this
subsection shall be conducted in accordance with section 8(c)
of the National Park System General Authorities Act (16
U.S.C. 1a-5(c)).
(3) Content of study.--The study shall include--
(A) an analysis of operational issues that should be
considered if the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument were to be
designated as a unit of the National Park System;
(B) an analysis of the feasibility of administering the
Prison Ships Martyrs' Monument, considering its size,
configuration, and other factors, including an annual cost
estimate;
(C) an analysis of the economic, educational, and other
impacts of the designation of the Prison Ship Martyrs'
Monument as a unit of the National Park System;
(D) an analysis of the effect of the designation of the
Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument as a unit of the National Park
System on--
(i) existing commercial and recreational activities, and on
the authorization, construction, operation, maintenance, or
improvement of energy production and transmission
infrastructure; and

[[Page 6275]]

(ii) the authority of State and local governments to manage
those activities; and
(E) an identification of any authorities, including
condemnation, that will compel or permit the Secretary of the
Interior to influence or participate in local land use
decisions (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-
Federal lands if the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument is
designated as a unit of the National Park System.
(c) Notification of Private Property Owners.--Upon
commencement of the study, owners of private property in or
adjacent to the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument shall be
notified of the study's commencement and scope.
(d) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall
transmit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report containing the conclusions
of the study required by subsection (b).

General Leave

{time} 1745

The site has been managed by the New York Department of Parks and
Recreation, but the gentleman from New York has rightly pointed out in
his advocacy that this should actually be a site that has national
significance. He therefore has authored--and hopefully today we will
successfully see passed--H.R. 1501, which would direct the Secretary of
the Interior to complete a study within 1 year on the feasibility of
designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park in
Brooklyn, New York, as a unit of the National Park System. I would hope
that this legislation would be broadly supported.
With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Jeffries).
Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Oregon for
yielding, for his support, and for his leadership, as well as to Mr.
Young.
Mr. Speaker, the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument pays homage to
American Revolutionary War heroes and patriots who lost their lives
while fighting for our Nation's independence.
This structure was first erected in 1908 to memorialize and contain
the remains of 11,500 patriots from the Revolutionary War who died
while in British custody on ships anchored in the East River,
immediately adjacent to Brooklyn, New York. The British maintained
approximately 16 prison ships during the war, which became necessary
after the limited land-based prison space reached capacity shortly
after New York City fell to the British in August of 1776. These
prisoners of war were housed in inhumane conditions; disease was
rampant; and food and water were scarce. Each ship typically contained
more than 1,000 men and boys.
More Americans died in British captivity than in all of the battles
of the Revolutionary War combined. Many perished on these prison ships.
The deceased represent patriots from all Thirteen Colonies and of more
than a dozen nationalities. Accordingly, this is one of the only
international war monuments in the world. The individuals housed on the
prison ships could have obtained their freedom had they acceded to
requests to join the British forces. However, very few opted to save
their own lives, instead believing in the promise of America.
According to a written newspaper account of the situation:

American prisoners suffered so egregiously, in part,
because the British refused to recognize them as enemy
soldiers, which would have, of course, amounted to
legitimizing the colonial government, and therefore denied
them the basic rights ordinarily accorded to prisoners of
war.

It was not until 1908 that their remains were properly memorialized
in a 149-foot-tall Doric column atop a 95-foot hill in Fort Greene,
Brooklyn, beneath which is the crypt.
During the Great Depression, the monument as a whole fell into
disrepair due to a shortage of funds, neglect, and a lack of public
interest. The monument originally had four bronze eagles mounted to the
corner granite posts. After repeatedly being vandalized, these eagles
were removed, never to be returned to the park again. This is
emblematic of the overall treatment of the monument, treatment that
continued for much of the previous century.
In 2005, as part of a $3 million reconstruction project, which took
18 months, the condition of the monument improved somewhat. However, it
is still under great threat as vandals continue to deface the property.
This monument should be a place to memorialize forgotten martyrs and
Revolutionary War heroes. Instead, it is now more frequently used as a
skate park and as a casual recreation space.
To that end, the potential designation of the crypt and the monument
as a unit of the NPS should be studied given its national significance
and the ability of the NPS to protect our national treasures. The story
of these brave heroes--with the atrocities they suffered--has been
described as one of the least known accounts of the American
Revolution. I respectfully urge my colleagues in the House to support
H.R. 1501. Preserve the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument, and help
illuminate the sacrifices made by these forgotten patriots and American
Revolutionary War heroes.
Again, let me thank the distinguished gentleman, the ranking member,
for his support and for his leadership as well as that of Mr. Young's.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1501, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

RECESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the
Chair declares the House in recess until approximately 6:30 p.m. today.
Accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 51 minutes p.m.), the House stood in
recess.

[[Page 6276]]

____________________

{time} 1830
AFTER RECESS

The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the
Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Webster of Florida) at 6 o'clock and 30
minutes p.m.

____________________

REPORT ON RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4414,
EXPATRIATE HEALTH COVERAGE CLARIFICATION ACT OF 2014

Mr. BURGESS, from the Committee on Rules, submitted a privileged
report (Rept. No. 113-422) on the resolution (H. Res. 555) providing
for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4414) to clarify the treatment
under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of health plans in
which expatriates are the primary enrollees, and for other purposes,
which was referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

____________________

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, proceedings
will resume on motions to suspend the rules previously postponed.
Votes will be taken in the following order:
H.R. 4192, by the yeas and nays;
H.R. 4120, by the yeas and nays.
The first electronic vote will be conducted as a 15-minute vote. The
remaining electronic vote will be conducted as a 5-minute vote.

____________________

CLARIFICATION OF RULES APPLYING TO HUMAN OCCUPANCY OF PENTHOUSES IN
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BUILDINGS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The unfinished business is the vote on the
motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4192) to amend the
Act entitled ``An Act to regulate the height of buildings in the
District of Columbia'' to clarify the rules of the District of Columbia
regarding human occupancy of penthouses above the top story of the
building upon which the penthouse is placed, as amended, on which the
yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, as amended.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 367,
nays 16, not voting 48, as follows:

[Roll No. 178]

YEAS--367

Aderholt
Amodei
Bachmann
Bachus
Barber
Barletta
Barr
Barrow (GA)
Barton
Bass
Beatty
Becerra
Benishek
Bentivolio
Bera (CA)
Bilirakis
Bishop (NY)
Black
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boustany
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Bridenstine
Brooks (IN)
Broun (GA)
Brownley (CA)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Burgess
Bustos
Byrne
Calvert
Camp
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Carter
Cartwright
Cassidy
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chabot
Chaffetz
Chu
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Coffman
Cohen
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Conaway
Connolly
Conyers
Cook
Cooper
Costa
Cotton
Courtney
Cramer
Crawford
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Daines
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
Davis, Rodney
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Duckworth
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Edwards
Ellmers
Engel
Enyart
Eshoo
Esty
Farenthold
Farr
Fattah
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foster
Foxx
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Garcia
Gardner
Garrett
Gerlach
Gibbs
Gibson
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Guthrie
Hahn
Hall
Hanabusa
Hanna
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hastings (FL)
Heck (NV)
Heck (WA)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Higgins
Himes
Holt
Honda
Horsford
Hoyer
Huelskamp
Huffman
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurt
Israel
Issa
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jones
Joyce
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kelly (PA)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kirkpatrick
Kline
Kuster
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
Latta
Levin
Lewis
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren
Long
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lummis
Maffei
Maloney, Sean
Marchant
Massie
Matheson
Matsui
McAllister
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Meadows
Meehan
Meeks
Meng
Messer
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, George
Moore
Moran
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (FL)
Murphy (PA)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Negrete McLeod
Neugebauer
Noem
Nolan
Nugent
Nunes
Nunnelee
O'Rourke
Olson
Palazzo
Pallone
Pascrell
Paulsen
Payne
Pearce
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Perry
Peters (CA)
Peterson
Petri
Pingree (ME)
Pittenger
Pitts
Polis
Pompeo
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Scalise
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schock
Schweikert
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sewell (AL)
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Sinema
Slaughter
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Southerland
Speier
Stewart
Stivers
Stockman
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tierney
Tipton
Titus
Tonko
Tsongas
Turner
Valadao
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walorski
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waxman
Webster (FL)
Welch
Wenstrup
Westmoreland
Williams
Wilson (FL)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Womack
Woodall
Yarmuth
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IN)

NAYS--16

Amash
Brooks (AL)
Frelinghuysen
Gohmert
Griffith (VA)
Holding
Hudson
Poe (TX)
Posey
Rooney
Sanford
Schrader
Stutzman
Upton
Weber (TX)
Whitfield

NOT VOTING--48

Bishop (GA)
Bishop (UT)
Brown (FL)
Butterfield
Campbell
Clay
Deutch
Ellison
Franks (AZ)
Gingrey (GA)
Grayson
Griffin (AR)
Grijalva
Grimm
Gutierrez
Hastings (WA)
Hinojosa
Jenkins
Jordan
Kind
King (IA)
Kingston
Labrador
Lankford
Lee (CA)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Marino
McCarthy (NY)
McClintock
McHenry
Miller, Gary
Owens
Pastor (AZ)
Peters (MI)
Pocan
Rahall
Richmond
Rogers (MI)
Ruiz
Runyan
Ruppersberger
Rush
Schwartz
Sires
Smith (TX)
Waters

____________________

{time} 1857

Messrs. WHITFIELD, HUDSON, and FRELINGHUYSEN changed their vote from
``yea'' to ``nay.''
Mr. FLEMING and Mrs. LUMMIS changed their vote from ``nay'' to
``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and
the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

EXTENSION OF NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM ACT TERMINATION DATE

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Byrne). The unfinished business is the
vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4120)
to amend the National Law Enforcement Museum Act to extend the
termination date, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill.

[[Page 6277]]

This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 384,
nays 0, not voting 47, as follows:

[Roll No. 179]

YEAS--384

Aderholt
Amash
Amodei
Bachmann
Bachus
Barber
Barletta
Barr
Barrow (GA)
Barton
Bass
Beatty
Becerra
Benishek
Bentivolio
Bera (CA)
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Black
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Boustany
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Broun (GA)
Brownley (CA)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Burgess
Bustos
Byrne
Calvert
Camp
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Carter
Cartwright
Cassidy
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chabot
Chaffetz
Chu
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Coffman
Cohen
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Conaway
Connolly
Conyers
Cook
Cooper
Costa
Cotton
Courtney
Cramer
Crawford
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Daines
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
Davis, Rodney
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Duckworth
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Edwards
Ellison
Ellmers
Engel
Enyart
Eshoo
Esty
Farenthold
Farr
Fattah
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foster
Foxx
Frankel (FL)
Frelinghuysen
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Garcia
Gardner
Garrett
Gerlach
Gibbs
Gibson
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Griffith (VA)
Guthrie
Hahn
Hall
Hanabusa
Hanna
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hastings (FL)
Heck (NV)
Heck (WA)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Higgins
Himes
Holding
Holt
Honda
Horsford
Hoyer
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huffman
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurt
Israel
Issa
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jolly
Jones
Joyce
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kelly (PA)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
King (NY)
Kinzinger (IL)
Kirkpatrick
Kline
Kuster
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
Latta
Levin
Lewis
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren
Long
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lummis
Maffei
Maloney, Sean
Marchant
Massie
Matheson
Matsui
McAllister
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Meadows
Meehan
Meeks
Meng
Messer
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, George
Moore
Moran
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (FL)
Murphy (PA)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Negrete McLeod
Neugebauer
Noem
Nolan
Nugent
Nunes
Nunnelee
O'Rourke
Olson
Palazzo
Pallone
Pascrell
Paulsen
Payne
Pearce
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Perry
Peters (CA)
Peterson
Petri
Pingree (ME)
Pittenger
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Polis
Pompeo
Posey
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rangel
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rice (SC)
Rigell
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanford
Sarbanes
Scalise
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schock
Schrader
Schweikert
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sewell (AL)
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Sinema
Slaughter
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Southerland
Speier
Stewart
Stivers
Stockman
Stutzman
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tierney
Tipton
Titus
Tonko
Tsongas
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walorski
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waxman
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Welch
Wenstrup
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Williams
Wilson (FL)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Womack
Woodall
Yarmuth
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IN)

NOT VOTING--47

Bishop (UT)
Bridenstine
Brown (FL)
Butterfield
Campbell
Clay
Deutch
Franks (AZ)
Gingrey (GA)
Grayson
Griffin (AR)
Grijalva
Grimm
Gutierrez
Hastings (WA)
Hinojosa
Jenkins
Jordan
Kind
King (IA)
Kingston
Labrador
Lankford
Lee (CA)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Marino
McCarthy (NY)
McClintock
McHenry
Miller, Gary
Owens
Pastor (AZ)
Peters (MI)
Pocan
Rahall
Richmond
Rogers (MI)
Ruiz
Runyan
Ruppersberger
Rush
Schwartz
Sires
Smith (TX)
Waters

{time} 1906

So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and
the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________

RESIGNATION FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
resignation as a member of the Committee on Financial Services:

Congress of the United States,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, April 28, 2014.
Hon. John Boehner,
Speaker of the House,
Washington, DC.
Dear Speaker Boehner: In light of recent events, I am
writing this letter to respectfully request to be removed
from my position on the House Financial Services Committee.
Upon a successful resolution of pending legal matters my
intention is to resume said position as an active member of
the committee.
Respectfully submitted,

Michael G. Grimm,

Member of Congress, Eleventh District
of New York.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the resignation is
accepted.
There was no objection.

____________________

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, there were a number of votes that I
missed because I was unavoidably detained for the memorial services at
Fort Hood, Texas, on April 9, 2014, and for honoring President Lyndon
Baines Johnson on April 10, 2014.
Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:
On rollcall vote No. 171, the substitute amendment of Mulvaney, I
would have voted ``no.''
On rollcall vote No. 172, which involved the budget resolution on the
Congressional Black Caucus budget, I would have voted ``yes.''
On rollcall vote No. 173 on the Progressive Caucus budget, I would
have voted ``yes.''
On rollcall vote No. 174 on the Expatriate Health Coverage
Clarification Act, I would have voted ``no.''
On rollcall vote No. 175 on the Woodall of Georgia substitute budget
amendment, I would have voted ``no.''
On rollcall vote No. 176, the Democratic alternative for Mr. Van
Hollen, I would have voted ``yes.''
On rollcall vote No. 177, the Republican fiscal year 2015 budget
resolution of Mr. Ryan, I would have voted ``no.''
This concludes the votes that I missed due to the memorial at Fort
Hood and the honoring of President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

____________________

HONORING THE LIFE OF FAITH, GRACE, AND ACHIEVEMENT OF SISTER FRANCESCA
ONLEY

(Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, my friend, Sister Francesca Onley, has
served as president of Holy Family University for 32 years and is
recognized as an outstanding and effective administrator. She led the
expansion of the institution in Philadelphia while maintaining the
integrity of its educational philosophy. Sister Francesca guided Holy
Family to its university status. She expanded enrollment and grew the
endowment fund substantially.
Sister Francesca also attained leadership positions in educational
associations, including charter president of the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education, the prestigious
International Association of

[[Page 6278]]

University Presidents, and the United Nations Commission on Disarmament
Education, Conflict Resolution and Peace.
She addressed the Commission's goal to nurture peace concepts through
education by establishing outreach programs in Africa. Sister Francesca
is being honored in Philadelphia for a life of faith, grace, and
achievement. Her family, friends, and associates look forward to the
future accomplishments of this most remarkable woman.

____________________

SAFE CLIMATE CAUCUS

(Mr. PETERS of California asked and was given permission to address
the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. PETERS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of
the Safe Climate Caucus to highlight an important program for
resiliency and preparedness.
America's PrepareAthon! is taking place this Wednesday as a reminder
to communities across the country that while we hope for the best, we
must prepare for the worst.
In California, 1,108 wildfires have been reported this year--well
above the year-to-date average. In 2003 and 2007, wildfires devastated
communities in the San Diego region, especially affecting the 52nd
District communities of Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta, Rancho Bernardo,
and Poway and claiming 29 lives.
The PrepareAthon! is a national day to refocus our attention on
emergency planning and resiliency, as well as exercises and drills that
can save lives in a disaster. Last year, I introduced the bipartisan
STRONG Act to equip communities, State and local governments with
better information and data on preparedness so we don't reinvent the
wheel with every disaster.
While there is debate in this Chamber about climate change, there
isn't among scientists. We must prepare our communities, families, and
businesses for the hurricanes, more powerful storms, and wildfires
becoming more common and powerful every day.

____________________

MR. PUTIN: THE AGGRESSOR IN EASTERN EUROPE

(Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last week I traveled with a bipartisan
delegation to see firsthand the situation on the ground in ``Putin's
Ukraine.'' The Napoleon of Siberia has driven his tanks over the
administration's ``reset'' button. He launched a blitzkrieg-style
aggression, stole Crimea, and he doesn't appear to be through.
The West's timid response to Putin's aggression has failed to stop
his crusade to restore the former Soviet empire. He does not fear the
United States. With our response so far, why should he?
Instead of retreating, Putin has brought back his imperialistic
tactics from the old Soviet playbook. The consensus on the ground is
that the worst is yet to come. It is time for the administration to
stand up against Putin.
We must implement sanctions that actually work where it will hurt
Russia's economy the most--and start with the financial and energy
sectors. We must expedite the approval of U.S. natural gas export
permits so Ukraine and other European countries can buy American
instead. And we can end Russia's monopoly and stranglehold over Europe
when it comes to energy. We need to put the Russian bear back in the
cage.
And that's just the way it is.

____________________

RECOGNIZING YOM HASHOAH, HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

(Mr. GARCIA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. GARCIA. I rise today to recognize Yom Hashoah, Holocaust
Remembrance Day.
All over the world, people like south Floridian David Mermelstein,
who is currently in Poland on the March of the Living, are honoring the
memories of all those who suffered and died.
We must also redouble our commitment to the survivors who are still
with us. This past Sunday, I had the privilege of attending a Yom
Hashoah ceremony at the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial and hearing from
the survivors.
It is unacceptable that billions are still owed to deserving
survivors and that many insurers have made it nearly impossible for
beneficiaries to collect their payments. These are men and women who
suffered from unimaginable physical and emotional pain and who carry
their injuries and scars with them to this day. We must do right by
them.
I urge my colleagues to honor the dead as well as the living and take
action to return what is due to the Holocaust survivors.

____________________

{time} 1915
CONGRATULATING CLEMENTS RANGERS

(Mr. OLSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, 1 week ago, the Clements men's soccer team
left our home Sugar Land, Texas, with a dream. A few days later, they
came home living their dream. They were the Texas 5A State champions.
The Rangers were underdogs in the finals. But, behind a raucous
crowd, and led by Coach Todd Ericson, the Rangers crushed defending
champion Coppell by a score of 3-0.
The Rangers started a new tradition. They did something no Ranger
team had done before: they won State. And they gave me a new tradition,
because every time they win a championship in the future, I get to
rearrange the Styrofoam cups in the chain link fence that surrounds
Clements High School off Elkins Drive.
Ranger pride is alive and well in Sugar Land, Texas. They are the
2014 Texas 5A State soccer champions.

____________________

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY

(Mr. CARDENAS asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, April 26 marked World Intellectual
Property Day, and this year's theme, ``Movies: A Global Passion,''
truly represents the importance of innovation and creativity to my
district and to our entire country.
Today, this industry extends beyond Hollywood studios to the millions
who are involved in the filmmaking process. Whether it is working in
the industry, or watching films on the big screen, people of all ages
are captivated by movie magic.
Not only does the industry bring enjoyment across the globe, it is a
huge economic engine for California and the entire United States.
Intellectual property protections will ensure the film industry
continues to fuel the economy and keep jobs right here in the United
States of America.
Today, let's celebrate the ingenuity of the film industry and
continue to defend the intellectual property rights that let us all
experience a little magic.

____________________

COON RAPIDS LIONS CLUB CELEBRATES 60TH ANNIVERSARY

(Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Coon Rapids
Lions Club for celebrating their 60th anniversary this year.
Since its inception, the Coon Rapids Lions Club has played an
integral role in the community. Over the course of its history, more
than 500 members have donated their time, money, and energy in
supporting endeavors that benefit the local area and its residents. For
instance, the Lions Club has helped youth in Coon Rapids by financially
supporting school, scouting, athletic organizations, and by founding
literacy

[[Page 6279]]

programs that have provided over 110,000 books to students. They have
also donated tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to local high
school and college students.
In addition, the Coon Rapids Lioness Club will also be marking their
45th anniversary of service this year as well.
Mr. Speaker, the Coon Rapids Lions and Lioness clubs are proof of how
civic groups can absolutely make a difference in their community and
make our community a better place. Their service deserves our thanks
and praise.

____________________

SAD WEEK IN AMERICA

(Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, over the last week there was an
unseemly, sad connection between a Supreme Court decision, the comments
of Mr. Bundy, and the comments of the Los Angeles owner in the NBA.
Justice Sonia Sotomayer had it right with respect to the affirmative
action decision: the Court's decision perpetrated harm to African
American, Hispanic, and Native American students, but it also provided
a harm to Michigan's public schools when they were trying to ensure the
next generation of diverse persons who could in fact be part of a new
America.
Mr. Bundy's comments about government subsidies and wouldn't we be
better off as slaves and picking cotton were outrageous, disgraceful,
and disgusting.
Sadly, sports groups, the National Basketball Association that brings
people together, the owner decided to talk about not putting Black
people and others together in a public setting. America must move
beyond that, and we as Members of Congress and others must stand
against it and denounce it. This was a sad week. I hope we will move
beyond it. I hope we will get better, and I hope we will denounce those
ugly, racist, outrageous comments.

____________________

CELEBRATING SISTER JEANNE O'LAUGHLIN'S 85TH BIRTHDAY

(Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to wish a happy and
healthy 85th birthday to Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin.
For 23 years, Sister Jeanne served as the fifth president at Barry
University, and made it the fourth-largest private university in my
home State of Florida. It is because of Sister Jeanne's vision and
enthusiasm in taking on such a challenging responsibility that Barry
University has now expanded from 16 to 55 buildings on its campus, and
increased its enrollment to more than 9,000 while maintaining its goal
of academic excellence.
Sister Jeanne has also been an active member of our community in
civic and professional associations, and has been the recipient of
several accolades related to her work. She became the first woman to be
a member of both the Orange Bowl Committee and the Non-Group of Miami-
Dade County. The south Florida community is truly blessed to have the
benefit of Sister Jeanne's experience. Her tenacity is a beacon of hope
to us all.
Happy birthday, Sister Jeanne, and many more.

____________________

CONGRATULATING UNION COLLEGE DUTCHMEN HOCKEY TEAM

(Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. TONKO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the Union College
Dutchmen hockey team and congratulate its players on winning their
first NCAA Division I national championship.
The Dutchmen wrapped up a dream season on April 12, defeating
Minnesota by a score of 7-4 in the finals of the Frozen Four. Union
College, a school of just 2,200 students from Schenectady with a stress
on academic excellence, a college that doesn't even give out athletic
scholarships, overcame the Big 10 giant to become national champions.
The Union Dutchmen are a reminder that it does not matter how big you
are or whether the average person can pronounce the city you represent;
persistence, selflessness, and willpower can achieve great things.
From Schenectady, that lights and hauls the world, to the Union
hockey team that lit up the scoreboard and hauled the campus into
national attention, I thank the Union hockey program, its players,
their parents, head coach Rick Bennett, President Ainlay, his
administration, faculty, and staff for inspiring us all with an
unforgettable season.
Go, Dutchmen.

____________________

SECRETARY KERRY SHOULD NOT BE SPEAKING FOR NATION

(Mr. GOHMERT asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, today Secretary of State Kerry accused the
Jewish people of Israel of risking guilt for the crime of apartheid. He
said that about Israeli Jews whom the U.N. unanimously provided a
nation after the worst genocide in history. Secretary Kerry is both
ignorant of history and of the offense of apartheid. Our Secretary of
State has effectively cursed Israel.
It is not Israel who sent suicide bombers against Palestinians, nor
denied the right of Palestinians to work in Israel, nor advocated for
completely wiping them off the map, nor taught their children in their
textbooks to hate others like vermin or rats, nor named landmarks and
holidays for murderers with suicide bombs, nor launched rockets every
day, hoping to terrorize and kill innocent people. It is Israel that
has fought against such racism and hatred.
Secretary Kerry stands for those who support the destruction of
Israel. He should not be speaking for this Nation. He needs to stand
down before he brings judgment upon us all.

____________________

CLIMATE CHANGE

(Mr. HONDA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the state of
knowledge about climate change and the impact it will have on our
Nation.
Secretary of State John Kerry called climate change ``the greatest
challenge of our generation.'' Al Gore was the first to call us to
action more than 30 years ago. Even with his courageous leadership, we
still have not taken the necessary actions.
The number of Americans who do not believe in climate change has
increased since last year, and this is unacceptable. Our citizens need
to be informed about climate change and the very real consequences it
holds for all of us. This is why I introduced the Climate Change
Education Act of 2014.
The Climate Change Education Act will create formal and informal
education opportunities for all age groups. It will ensure people
understand the complexity and seriousness of the problems we are
facing. It will also give them ways to start fighting climate change.
Climate change impacts every ecosystem on Earth--our oceans, forests,
rivers, lakes, and everything that lives in them.

____________________

IMPORTANCE OF TRADE

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Wenstrup). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, tonight Republicans from the Ways and
Means Committee, from the Agriculture Committee, and from the Rules
Committee intend to speak with the American people and to you, Mr.
Speaker, about the importance of trade and trade policies, the
implications of growing jobs in not just America, but also our world
role where we work with other Nations to ensure that the benefits and
the great

[[Page 6280]]

things that we not only create here in the United States but also use
as trading elements around the world, that each of these issues will be
thoughtfully discussed and appropriately given an item of what I
believe is encouragement as this United States Congress moves forward
into its last few months of this second session.
We believe that trade is important. We believe that as the United
States continues to grow in its respect for others, that we share
intellectual property, but expect the same back from others. We trade
with our partners around the globe with an expectation of not only a
good product but also an even playing field as we deal with others
around the world.

General Leave

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on this important topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight because we want and need to
understand more about the implications of trade, a pro-trade growth
agenda, and the opportunities that lie before not just the American
people but the United States House of Representatives to further
understand this key and critical issue that is a part of job creation
for the American people.
Expanding trade throughout the globe creates economic growth and
good-paying jobs here at home. Trade works because it allows America to
be globally efficient and to compete all around the globe trading our
products for others. And when America competes, I believe America wins,
and the world is a better place. History shows that allowing greater
access to a global marketplace for American exports has always been a
powerful engine for economic growth and job creation.

{time} 1930

Trade provides new opportunities for businesses and spurs innovation
and entrepreneurs.
Opening our market to world imports also helps increase the
purchasing power of American consumers. I believe there is a balance
here, and it is part of this balance and the miracle of having a pro-
growth trade agreement which we Republicans wish to speak about
tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to welcome a young man who sits on
the Ways and Means Committee, a relatively new Member, a second term
Member, from Indiana.
Todd Young represents not only an opportunity for him to bring forth
ideas from the heartland of America, but also his expertise as a member
of the United States military, ideas about world affairs, and most of
all about jobs in America. I would defer to the gentleman at this time,
Mr. Young.
Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the
chairman from Texas, for his leadership on this and so many other
issues.
I am a passionate proponent of free trade because we have the most
productive workers in the world, the most productive businesses in the
world. Frankly, we need to open up new markets for our commodities, for
our manufactured items, for our services. That is what this initiative
is all about.
Trade promotion authority, or TPA as it is popularly known, reflects
decades of debate, cooperation, and compromise between Congress and the
executive branch in finding a pragmatic accommodation to the exercise
of each branch's respective constitutional authorities over trade
policy.
I applaud our Ways and Means Committee Chairman Camp, as well as
Chairman Sessions and Chairman Nunes, for all of their hard work
pushing renewal of trade promotion authority. In January, they together
introduced the bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act, which
updates and expands negotiation and consultation requirements.
For me, supporting trade is a no-brainer. It is important back home
in Indiana, where over 8,000 companies exported from locations within
the State in 2011. Eighty-five percent of these companies were small
and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.
Indiana's export shipments of merchandise in 2013 totaled a whopping
$34 billion. Fifty-four percent of Indiana's exports go to countries
with whom the U.S. currently has a free-trade agreement.
Trade is important for the strength of our entire country's economy.
Trade supports in total more than 38 million jobs across America. U.S.
exports accounted for 14 percent of America's gross domestic product in
2012 alone.
TPA is the only way we can successfully bring international trade
negotiations to a close and unlock job creating opportunities for these
U.S. exports.
The administration has laid out a bold 2014 trade agenda and is
currently negotiating a regional free-trade agreement, TPP, with 11
Asia-Pacific countries; another regional trade agreement, TTIP, with 28
member counties of the European Union; and TISA, a trade and services
agreement with 22 other countries.
Combined, U.S. negotiations related to the Asia-Pacific and EU
agreements would open markets with nearly 1 billion consumers, covering
nearly two-thirds of the global economy and 65 percent of global trade.
TISA covers about 50 percent of the global economy and over 70 percent
of global services trade.
As a cochair of the House TTIP Caucus, the ongoing U.S.-EU
negotiations are a particular interest to me. The transatlantic economy
is the largest and most integrated in the world, comprising 50 percent
of global GDP and generating approximately $5 trillion in total
commercial sales each year.
The EU and U.S. account for 30 percent of world trade, and $2.7
billion of goods and services are traded bilaterally each day. There
are a lot of numbers, but all these things speak to the power of trade
and its importance, not just to my home State of Indiana, but the
United States of America.
I want to further emphasize that Europe is, by far, the largest
market for U.S.-outbound investment, so I continue to work hard there
in conjunction with my colleagues.
By one estimate, approximately 15 million workers are employed as a
result of transatlantic trade. As for my home State of Indiana, in
2012, the EU purchased goods worth $9.1 billion or 25 percent of our
overall Indiana exports.
In 2011, Hoosier services worth $2.4 billion went to the EU. That is
32 percent of Hoosier services exports. So successful implementation of
TTIP is estimated to increase Indiana exports to the EU by roughly 33
percent and could boost net employment by up to 13,780 Hoosier jobs.
Currently, major Indiana exports to the EU include pharmaceuticals,
aerospace products and parts, and medical equipment and supplies.
Again, I am a strong advocate of free trade, free markets. I think
that trade agreements have the opportunity to strengthen our economy by
creating new global markets and supporting existing ones.
I encourage all of my colleagues to support the bipartisan
Congressional Trade Priorities Act, so we can further and hopefully
finalize many of these ongoing negotiations and bring final trade
agreements before Congress for approval.
I once again thank the chairman.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for discussing not
only the impact in Indiana, but with the knowledge that Indiana, in
fact, is really a microcosm of what this country really looks like,
where you come from a strong manufacturing base, you come from a strong
base of agriculture, you come from a strong base of the heartland of
this country that wants and needs to be economically viable; and by
growing jobs, which means that you can continue to pay for your
schools, you can continue to pay for your roads and bridges, but more
importantly, I believe, an innovative opportunity where you are allowed
to compete around the globe with your ideas, your products, and your
services.
I applaud the gentleman not only for his service to the United States
military, but I applaud you for your service

[[Page 6281]]

to the people of Indiana, as you have served us so ably during your
tenure here in Congress, and a hearty congratulations. I thank the
gentleman very much.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to have Republicans who have not only a
background in agriculture, in understanding the United States military,
which is the world, the world we live in, how America has neighbors and
partners all around the world; but also, we continue to have people who
come, once again, from the heartland of this country who see firsthand
how important trade is.
They come from agricultural areas, they come from areas that have
strong natural resources and reserves that are, I am sure, God-given,
but an opportunity for us as Americans to benefit by virtue of living
in the greatest Nation in the world.
One of those people that sits on our trade team and is perhaps one of
the most active and thoughtful members is a young woman from South
Dakota.
Congresswoman Kristi Noem has just returned from a trip that she took
representing the United States Congress. I would defer to the
gentlewoman now for her discussion on not only TPP Japan, but also
agriculture and the things which she represents so well.
Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, and I want
to thank him for the honor of being a part of this group today that is
talking about TPP and the importance of trade in the region.
I did have a chance to get back this morning from a weeklong trip in
Asia discussing trade and the importance of the TPP--Trans-Pacific
Partnership--the European Union trade negotiations, and the ways that
we can expand trade that would benefit our economy.
The first step to seeing these benefits in these agreements is
renewing trade promotion authority, and then we set our goals and our
priorities in these agreements. This was a big topic of conversation
throughout the week as we met with leaders from Japan--including Prime
Minister Abe--South Korea, and then also with the leaders in China and
the People's Congress.
Time and time again, America has reaped the benefits of completed
trade agreements in our country. For me, the profound impacts that we
have seen in agriculture are particularly interesting.
We have seen an 18 percent increase in ag exports since we have
signed the agreement with Panama. There has been a 68 percent increase
in agriculture exports to Colombia since passing trade agreements with
those countries.
We have also generated new business in other sectors of the economy,
like manufacturing and the service industry. We have created jobs here
at home, while benefiting those people across our country and economies
abroad and built relationships with them that we certainly reap the
benefits for when it comes to foreign policy and security issues as
well.
In my home State of South Dakota, we have seen export support and
create jobs and higher wages for our economy, including our State's
number one industry: agriculture.
Currently, South Dakota agriculture exports total more than $3
billion annually, and they support over 20,000 jobs on and off the
farm. It is estimated that more than one in five jobs in South Dakota
depend on international trade.
Those plants that do export goods pay higher wages, they hire more
people, and they do it a lot faster than those who don't. Soybeans,
corn, wheat, feed grains, and livestock grown in South Dakota are
already shipped to countries around the world. We can increase that by
growing our access to markets through free-trade agreements.
As we are working towards trade promotion authority and negotiating
the trade agreements, I think of the enormous benefits that it can have
for our country. Especially as our economy struggles to recover,
increasing exports in trade and markets across the Asia-Pacific and
Europe is essential.
Japan is one of those countries that is included in the Trans-Pacific
Partnership talks and is already one of the largest purchasers of U.S.
corn and soybeans. With a good TPP agreement, we could see an increase
in grain and livestock exports to Japan and the entire region. That
would spark economic activity throughout our country as well.
Of course, we need to ensure that we get it right. I have asked for
assurances from our U.S. trade representative that we won't close the
TPP negotiations with Japan unless they agree to eliminate trade
barriers to agriculture.
I appreciate that the bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act
outlines trade negotiation objectives. It includes prioritizing
agriculture. We need to ensure that food safety and animal and plant
health measures are restrictions justified based on sound science.
Ultimately, we need to ensure that we have an agreement that is fair to
our agriculture producers.
When I had the opportunity to travel to Asia last week and discuss
some of the ways that our country and Japan and China and others in the
region can mutually benefit from trade agreements, I made it very clear
how important the ag industry is in finalizing any final trade deal and
some of my concerns that we already had with existing barriers.
We are making progress. We need to give those who are negotiating
some of the agreements in the region the tools that they need to get
this job done. This is one of the main topics I heard from leaders
involved in these discussions. It is something these leaders see as key
to coming to an agreement on these free-trade agreements, and it is key
to agreeing on how a final deal will impact the agriculture sector.
I think a lot of folks don't realize that Japan has the number three
economy in the world, behind the United States and China. If we can
finalize an agreement with them, it will set the table for TPP and also
for the region on how our discussions go forward with China as well.
It will open up new opportunities in China where 1.3 billion people
call home. There is no way that China can continue to feed its own
people and will rely on outside sources for their proteins, for their
grains, to make sure their people are well fed into the future.
In fact, some of the discussions I had with businesses and government
officials was the difference between USDA beef and United States beef
and South Dakota beef than what they are currently enjoying today.
As incomes have risen in China and people are making more money, they
have a desire for more proteins in their diet. Today, their main source
from that protein is from Australian beef; but yet, every day, they
ask: When can we get USDA beef?
That is what these agreements would bring, not only open markets for
us and increase our exports, but bring the Chinese people the kind of
goods, food, and services that they want to enjoy as well. Fifty
percent of the people in this world live in that region. It is a market
that we can't ignore and that we need to prioritize into the future.
We need to take this first step, so that we can continue reaping the
benefits of trade in South Dakota, in the United States, and across the
world. It is imperative for job growth here at home and for prosperity
for all of the countries involved.
Historically, when you have looked at free-trade agreements with
other countries, the prosperity of all the countries involved have
risen after those agreements have come forward and been done and
completed.
I believe that as we focus on this issue, as we approve TPP, as we
negotiate agreements that work for all of our countries involved and we
finalize with TPA authority, we will certainly get an agreement that is
good for all of our countries and beneficial to create jobs here in the
United States.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this discussion tonight.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Noem very much for
not only taking time to come here and speak with us, but in particular
the references that you make to your home State, a State which you
represent so

[[Page 6282]]

proudly and which you not only carry the flag of South Dakota with you,
but really on behalf of all Americans that live not just in rural
areas, but who, every single day, get up and go to work to make this
country stronger, to take our products and services and goods overseas
to make sure that the agriculture products are clean and the very best
products available.
I think one of the most interesting things that you said was really
the point which we do understand, and that is the world thirsts for
American-made products.
The world understands firsthand how important your industry--your
agricultural industry is in South Dakota and throughout the Midwest,
the very best of not only beef--I did include Texas in there, I hope--
but the very best of agricultural products that go around the world and
then, as you travel to see people, thirst for those products.

{time} 1945

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Chairman, if I may, I would just like to expand on
that a little bit because a lot of our discussions that we had with the
Prime Minister of Japan and also with the leadership in China was the
fact that, not only as we negotiate these trade agreements our
economies are linked in creating jobs and prosperity for both of us,
but then it helps our foreign policy as well. We recognize how much we
need our allies in the region to come alongside us. We recognize that
it sets the table for agreements that we have with China and for
keeping peace throughout a region that, right now, the United States is
very focused on, where we have had to be a leader of strength in order
to keep peace and to keep presence. By having trade and interactions
with their leadership and their people dependent upon us for their food
and their protein sources, it certainly is going to be beneficial for
us today, tomorrow, and long into the future if we can continue to do
that and to make these trade agreements finalized.
Mr. SESSIONS. I thank the gentlewoman.
Perhaps more important than that is that you build a friendship
between groups of people who really not only share cities, where we
have sister cities that grow up and are born of each other, but it is a
merging together of America to make us closer with the rest of the
world and then our values of not only the rule of law, of intellectual
property, but also, I think, of the thing of which we know most--trade
policies. A tariff is a tax, and we are reducing taxes, or tariffs, and
taxes--costs--on people for products, goods and services and food. That
is where I believe agricultural products from America will be king
around the world.
Mrs. NOEM. Very true. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. SESSIONS. I want to thank the gentlewoman for taking the time to
join us tonight.
We are also joined by a young man who, from the very beginning of his
time here, was described by his Governor as one of the brightest young
men in Minnesota. Erik Paulsen is a young man who came to the United
States Congress as a seasoned and experienced thoughtmaker but also as
a person who understood the global implications of Minnesota, whether
it be with medical products and devices that are made or whether it be
with other agricultural products.
I yield at this time to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen),
the gentleman from the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the chairman for yielding.
Let me just thank the chairman for his leadership not only on the
Rules Committee but for leading the bipartisan free-trade caucus and
leading that effort in knowing and understanding the value of trade and
the value of exports.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue to Members. It is good to
take time on the floor to talk about this because international trade,
I will tell you, is a vital part of my economy, to Minnesota's Third
Congressional District. The chairman just alluded to that. Statewide in
Minnesota, global trade supports almost 750,000 jobs. That is a pretty
big number. It is all about exports. It is about selling where 95
percent of the world's consumers are living outside of the United
States. Despite our successful economic relationships with a lot of
countries around the world--we have good agreements with Korea and
Colombia and Panama--there is no doubt that a lot more can be done now.
It really begins with passing this bipartisan Congressional Trade
Priorities Act, which will renew and update Trade Promotion Authority.
Why is that important?
It is important so we can make headway and get forward momentum on
the TPP and the TTIP negotiations. This ensures that we will accomplish
several very, very important goals as a part of increasing transparency
in trade negotiations and of empowering Congress, of empowering
ourselves. This is why there is bipartisan support. It will
specifically direct the administration to pursue congressional
prerogatives through congressionally mandated negotiating objectives.
It will establish very robust consultation and access to information
requirements before, during, and after the negotiations so that we have
a very open and transparent process with all Members of Congress and
the public. More importantly, it also preserves the congressional
prerogatives that are there, giving Congress the ability to vote and
giving Congress the final approval to any trade agreements through
procedures and providing an up-or-down vote, which is really critical.
Our trading partners are certainly looking for that authority to move
forward.
I want to commend the chairman, who has had a role in that
legislation, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, as well as
in the Senate, with bipartisan support in making sure the
administration will be negotiating a deal that covers the issues that
are most important in today's economy. The reason it is important, Mr.
Speaker and others, is that this is not simply about focusing on
tariffs. We always know that trade negotiations and agreements focus on
tariffs. This is about import quotas and other nontraditional barriers
to trade because the regular, traditional barriers are no longer
enough. This is about finding 21st century solutions to streamline
trade and end these nontariff barriers so we can interconnect
regulations across our borders and reduce foreign regulatory barriers
to our exports.
You have got the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which, of course, my
colleague from South Dakota spoke so eloquently on, in which we have
got 11 countries participating with emerging markets. Yet the area of
negotiation that I am most interested in right now is TTIP, the
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, with our Atlantic
friends. This is one of those opportunities, I think, as cochair of the
TTIP Caucus, along with Congressmen Neal and Keating and Young, in
which I want to make sure that the ongoing negotiations are going to
move forward, because the transatlantic economy is our largest in the
world. It is the most integrated in the world. It is 50 percent of the
world's GDP. It is generating about $5 trillion in total commercial
sales each year--30 percent of global trade. Mr. Speaker, those are big
numbers as well, and we have known for years that a trade agreement
between the United States and the European Union is the right thing to
do.
I remember, back in the summer of 2012, I authored a bipartisan
letter with 50 different Members of Congress bipartisanly supporting
such an agreement. Then, last year, we had the launch of the Business
Coalition for Transatlantic Trade. We had a chance to meet with our
Ways and Means counterparts and introduce the resolution calling for
swift action on TTIP. Then as I mentioned, earlier this month, we
launched that TTIP Caucus, which is the chance to move forward, I
think, significantly. I will tell you what it means to Minnesota: $4.5
billion in Minnesota goods are purchased by European countries right
now; 42,200 Minnesota jobs are supported by European investment
annually; if we pass TTIP, it is estimated that another 3,000 jobs are
going to come on hand. This is

[[Page 6283]]

about higher wages and a healthier economy, and that direct investment
is absolutely going to be helping us right here at home.
These TTIP negotiations present a huge opportunity to tackle these
nontariff barriers, as I mentioned earlier, such as regulations that
will needlessly impact and increase the cost of trade between the U.S.
and Europe right now. Yet everyone knows getting to this agreement is
not going to be easy. There are some real differences between our
economies and our continents, such as the way we approach regulation,
but all indications are, it seems--and I think the chairman would
agree--that the negotiators are moving full speed ahead. They want to
continue to make progress towards a final agreement. The next round of
negotiations is actually set to take place this next month, but we
can't get there unless we pass the TPA.
Passing this Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act is going
to make sure we are protecting intellectual property and that we are
setting high standards. Other countries around the world are going to
be forced to look at what the United States and the EU are doing, and
then we can make sure that the bad actors are following our lead by
setting those high standards.
So, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Chairman, I just want to commend you for
hosting the time today, and I want to thank the chairman again for the
opportunity to discuss trade and the Bipartisan Congressional Trade
Priorities Act as well as the importance of trade to both of our States
and to the entire country. I know it is important to Minnesota and to
my economy back home.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Paulsen, I want you to stick around for just
another minute because I really want to engage you in speaking about
exactly what you just said.
We know TPA is that process--Trade Promotion Authority--whereby
Congress gives authority to the President of the United States. Then,
once that is done, the President and the trade ambassador go to the
world, and there are two different processes which have been started
now: one in Asia and one, essentially, that is in Europe. These really
offer America a chance to become a better and a bigger player in the
world and to even get a better deal in working so that the consumers of
the world get a better opportunity.
Is that really the way you see this working?
Mr. PAULSEN. Absolutely. I think you just pretty much laid it out.
That is the way we do see this working. This is a win-win for the
opportunities for our companies to engage in a healthier economy and to
employ more people, but also for consumers to benefit on the other
side.
I mean, I know that, without a doubt, South Korea, Panama, and
Colombia were significant trade agreements and that they had been
languishing on the sidelines for a long period of time, but with
bipartisan support, we were able to pass them all. Now we have got a
chance to show and prove that America is back on the playing field. We
know the benefits of trade. I know, when I had a chance to visit South
Korea, they spoke about the Costco in South Korea and about their
interest in selling American goods and how that was the number one
Costco in the world, essentially, after the free trade agreement
because they want to buy American. This is about exporting. It creates
more jobs at home; it keeps the innovation here at home; and it sells
where the customers are.
We can't get to these agreements, though, unless we get this Trade
Promotion Authority, which makes sure every Member of Congress is going
to have a hand in seeing the negotiations process forward to the tune
where we have not had that type of involvement among individual Members
of Congress in the past. This is very important, I think, for Congress
to exercise its congressional prerogative and, at the same time, to
work in partnership with the administration in moving some very
important initiatives forward.
Mr. SESSIONS. In continuing our dialogue here--and I appreciate the
gentleman's taking time to do this--American-made products, whether
they be manufacturing, whether they be medical instruments, whether
they be pharmaceuticals, all have to go through a really pretty
stringent viewpoint from a perspective of regulators, who look at
things that we have in our marketplace and, certainly, that travel
across State lines; but once these products and services are made
available and become generally available in the United States and once
people learn how to use them, we create a thirst for the rest of the
world to be able to buy our products.
There is a figure that we deal with--and I know the gentleman is a
strong, strong supporter of our trade working group. Essentially, 38
percent of what we manufacture and build--our output here in the United
States--is something that gets into a trading partnership one way or
another. Almost 40 percent of the output of the United States is based
one way or another off trade, of our making sure the rest of the world
gets a chance to get those products also, which lowers prices in our
country on a per-unit basis. Perhaps more importantly, it keeps our
jobs here in the United States. That has got to be good for somebody
from Minnesota.
Mr. PAULSEN. Yes.
I should just mention here that the first trade agreement that really
dealt with the opportunity to negotiate on medical devices specifically
was the Korea free trade agreement, which recently passed. Medical
devices is kind of near and dear to my heart because it is so prevalent
in Minnesota. We have one of the strongest ecosystems in the medical
device community in the country--in fact, in the world. These are high-
valued manufactured products that are improving lives, that are saving
lives, and there is a regulatory scheme that is often surrounding it,
of course, making sure these devices are approved before they move
forward.
We have the opportunity, I think, now, Mr. Chairman, with some of
these trade agreements that are moving forward to not only negotiate
the tariffs--making sure that these manufactured products are going to
be available to others around the world and also lowering costs for our
consumers--but also to know that the regulatory environment can be set
up in a way that, if we have oversight committees--for instance, in the
EU and in the United States and if we have got a device that is on
track to be approved, say, by the FDA in the United States--we can make
sure that, if our oversight committees agree on the other side of the
continent, on the other side of the Atlantic, that they can sign off on
it. So you save a tremendous amount of time in moving forward and in
having those goods be available pretty quickly to a lot of consumers
around the world, which is going to help, again, the economy; it is
going to grow jobs; and it is going to help patient care around the
world. That is one area in particular that Minnesota will and has
benefited.
Mr. SESSIONS. In continuing our dialogue, the gentleman sits on this
awesome and the most powerful committee here, the Ways and Means
Committee. The committee on a regular basis hears from people in the
United States who do a lot of business overseas, and one of the things
which they talk about is intellectual property--the rule of law and
following contracts to make sure that what you agreed to is equally
agreed to by the others.
Would you mind taking just a minute to talk with us tonight about the
importance of intellectual property, how the world can capture this
idea and how it can, in fact, increase not only the value of products
but make sure that the product which is actually bought and sold is the
real product as is the company that stands behind it.
Mr. PAULSEN. This is an area, I think, in which the United States
really stands out and shines. If anything, we are known for our
innovation. It is really part of our DNA in terms of having a patent
system that protects intellectual property, the rule of law. There are
many other countries around the world that don't have those same
standards, and that is where the benefit of trade agreements can help
bring in high-standard agreements. It is so that other countries can be
forced to follow these agreements.

[[Page 6284]]

Intellectual property protects the ideas. That protects the
innovation. That protects the invention and the dreamers who are coming
up with all of these ideas, and that is critical. There are some
countries that are lagging behind. We have had frustrations, I know
recently, with China by which they have targeted U.S. information
technology. They have targeted renewable energy, and they have targeted
biopharmaceuticals and other products for the express purpose of
creating local production opportunities for Indian companies, for
instance, and that is a violation of intellectual property in many
respects.
Having these trade negotiations is going to ensure that we can keep
that conversation moving forward and having those high standards. It is
going to protect our jobs here at home for the dreamers, the thinkers,
and the folks who create and innovate these new ideas and these new
products.

{time} 2000

And so, when you have unfair and you have harmful practices that are
happening in other countries--maybe it is India, maybe it is China--
that is ultimately going to damage the long-term health of the economic
health of both of our economies when we are having that type of a
situation.
Mr. SESSIONS. I guess, lastly, what I would like to do is engage the
gentleman on really a broader perspective, and that really is the idea
of American exceptionalism; how we have the greatest military in the
world, our United States military; men and women, working together all
around the globe to make sure that really there is fairness; and that
our friends and neighbors and allies have an opportunity to live in a
free world, as part of this process, American exceptionalism, where we
are able to go and compete anywhere with our goods and products and
services and to let the world have that advantage.
Would you mind taking just a second and speaking specifically about
American exceptionalism?
Mr. PAULSEN. Well, Mr. Chairman, I think what you are alluding to is
that fact that America can compete and win at any level if we are on a
level playing field. If the rules are even, if the rules of the game
are set the same, Americans can compete and win. That is, again, going
to help improve our economy, help grow jobs here at home.
In terms of American exceptionalism, there is no doubt that, when you
have got a free flow of goods going across borders, it is going to help
our foreign policy, it is going to help us lead from a position of
strength. There is someone who famously said at one time:

If goods are not crossing borders, guns will.

Having that trade connection is very, very important. It helps us
have diplomatic conversations. It helps us, as America, lead the rest
of the world, showing that we are strong, we are leading out front.
Again, if you have two pretty significant trade agreement
opportunities being negotiated right now, coming close to conclusion, I
think we can wrap those up within the year, if we pass Trade Promotion
Authority, both in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and with the TTIP
negotiations going on in Europe; and that will cover, by and large,
two-thirds of the economy in the world, and all the other countries
will follow our lead.
This is a huge opportunity, as the chairman knows, for our companies
and our economy back home.
Mr. SESSIONS. Well, I am just most impressed with not only your
thoughtful consideration and your hard work, but really the things
which I see that you bring to the table are words and ideas on a
regular basis; that is you talk about we need to make sure that we have
a stable environment where good decisions can be made, instead of in a
vacuum, they can be made on the fly and, secondly, growth.
One of the things which I read on a regular basis, a young man named
Peter Roff, who is with U.S. News and World Report, and he talks about
how growth is important. You have to grow your economy. You have to go
and continue in the hunt, so to speak, to make sure that more and more
people not only buy your products, but the next generation of those
products come out also.
I want to thank the gentleman for his thoughtful leadership, where
you come to the meetings and you have a real thoughtful handle on
stability, making sure business knows what the rules are, making sure
we build great neighbors and have good contracts and have great
relationships, and then the generation and the next generation of goods
and services where we can make things even better for the next
generation.
I want to thank you very much for being here tonight. I know that you
want to get back to the office and call your family and tell them the
exciting Special Order that you were a part of tonight. I am sure your
wife will be very, very excited about that, Congressman Paulsen.
Mr. Speaker, we have had an opportunity tonight to speak, Members of
Congress who come really from the heartland, we have had people come
from Indiana, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Well, I am a Texan, so I
guess I would call myself from the heartland of this great Nation also,
at least from the center of the country.
As we talk about what we are attempting to do, I think that it is
important for you to know, Mr. Speaker, that the things which you have
led our Congress in trying to perform, the strong leadership of John
Boehner from the very top, in trying to say that we need to grow our
economy, that part of that job creation comes as a result of trade
agreement.
So that is why we are here tonight, to talk openly with Members of
Congress and you, Mr. Speaker, about the need for America to understand
why we must pass Trade Promotion Authority, TPA. TPA is a mechanism.
That is all it is. It is a mechanism to begin the starting point
whereby we give the administration, whether they be Republican or
Democrat, but we give the President its marching orders in developing
trade agreements.
We say to the President of the United States that we believe that
growing our economy, we believe that having trade agreements, we
believe that having agreements that make things so much easier and
better for us not only to make sure that agricultural products, that
other markets become available to us, but that we also understand that,
as we engage in this, not only do we want to grow our own marketplace,
but the world has an opportunity to reduce the taxes, the trade
barriers that are on, many times, their products and services because
American products weren't available.
Perhaps we could talk about receiving products that they have back
into our country and the consumer being a winner. We have to worry
about environmental protection. Here in the United States, we believe
that we are trying to be responsible in what we do, not only in
production manufacturing, our day-to-day energy needs, but I think we
also see where we could share many products that we have in the United
States, notwithstanding we have seen many industries--energy industries
selling our products and services overseas.
We talk about intellectual property. Intellectual property is not
hard to understand. It is the opportunity to make sure that, if you
have an agreement--and it might be because you have something that you
have gotten as a patent, it could be a scientific citation that the
world, when they are going to use that product, service, or that idea,
that they give respect to not only making a payment, if that is
required, or supporting the standard as required by rule of law.
Market access, market access is so important. It is important that we
have an opportunity to make sure that the goods and services, which we
present to another country as we enter their ports of entry or to their
customs, that our products and services are to the highest standard
that they would be, based upon a contract or an agreement as we enter
those countries.
We would want to make sure that our products and services were not
held at bay by that foreign nation because of some perception about our
product or

[[Page 6285]]

because they were trying to protect their home product, their home
base. It opens up markets and gives us market access.
Physical goods, to make sure that we would be able to reduce tariffs
on all sorts of products, whether it be clothing, whether it be
manufacturing, whether it be pharmaceuticals, we need to make sure that
the products which are passed are timely and fairly handled, not only
in these two different types of trade agreements, but that it is a good
deal for the American person who wishes to go sell, whether it be an
agricultural good or a physical good that may be manufactured in this
country.
Lastly, services, services which I think America has not only
excelled at, but been able to make sure that we are able to promulgate
effective ways of doing business, to where people can continue to have
a great product and make that product even better--the second, third,
and fourth generation of products that would be sold and available with
the protections under intellectual property and rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, that is what we are talking about, the marketplace of
the world becoming open to American goods and services and America and
its consumers gaining that benefit also.
So TPA ensures that Congress promulgates itself more fully by
incorporating ahead of time discussions with the administration. You
heard the gentlewoman from South Dakota say that she had a discussion
with the trade negotiators, and she negotiated with them and said: Here
is my understanding about what I think is in America's best interest.
She didn't say what was in South Dakota's best interest. She didn't
say what was in her own personal interest. She looked at a more global
perspective and said: I think, in looking at this agreement, this is a
piece, a part of what should be included.
And that, Mr. Speaker, is also why this administration, when they do
consult with us--and Ambassador Froman does come up on the Hill on a
regular basis, and we should remember that he is an active,
intelligent, thoughtful man who is not just learning his job, but
learning the nuances about how he protects America and goes across the
world and negotiates what is in our best interest; what was a good deal
for others, our trading partners, to make sure that they will want to
take up the goods and services, the exchange, the ideas, the tough
things that come from these trade negotiations.
So this topic is timely because these two major trade agreements are
on the horizon. The world is speaking about TTIP, and it is speaking
about TPP. The United States is currently negotiating TPP, the Trans-
Pacific Partnership.
The discussions that take place in Asia are all about how we can form
better, longer-lasting partnerships, whereby the people of their
countries and the people of the United States of America better
themselves, lowering taxes, getting new products and services, and
having a chance to make sure that we become friends in the process.
TPP is comprehensive, and it is ambitious, and it covers really an
active and growing Asia-Pacific region. As you think about it, Mr.
Speaker, you will recall from your days in the United States Army and
your service as a member of the military, where you went and were a
part of other countries that desperately wanted and needed not only
goods and services, but really the tranquility of America and what we
would bring to them, the exceptionalism that we can pass on to these
other people to make their life better.
It will bring together 12 countries on both sides of the Pacific
Ocean in hopes of tracking and putting traditional trade barriers away
and overcoming those and giving a chance to where we can make sure that
the consumer becomes king.
The TPP would cover 40 percent of all global output. It would ensure
that participating countries conduct business, really just as we do, in
an open, thoughtful, transparent way; and we would make sure that we
reduce tariffs, regulations, while respecting intellectual property.
Meanwhile--and we have heard more about this, the European Union,
through TTIP, it would create a trade agreement that literally
encompasses about half of the global wealth in the world.
In other words, we would be doing business with a region that is
larger than the United States of America. We would be trying to ship
our goods and services and do business with half of the world's wealth,
open markets that would allow them an opportunity to have American-made
products.
Currently, $2.7 billion is traded daily between the United States and
the EU, which is about 30 percent of world trade. We think creating
this historic opportunity would mean that we can grow that amount of
trade, grow our ability here in the United States to not only have more
output and employ more people, but to pay for the next generation of
products and services to where they continue to meet the needs of
others, not just here in the United States.
So combined, these two agreements would give American businesses and
consumers, we believe, unprecedented access to global markets. That is
why the Republican Party and its members are on the floor tonight,
members of the Ways and Means Committee, members of the Agriculture
Committee, and at least one member of the great Rules Committee.
I, as chairman, have an opportunity, as a result of the chance to
have jurisdictional elements in this, to be firsthand at these
discussions where we can push and talk about how important trade is and
these basic agreements to empower and work with all parts of the United
States government.
Obviously, our great young chairman of the Ways and Means Committee
is very much up to this task, and Dave Camp has been leading not only
America with an understanding about what is in our best interest, but
how we have growth, how we move forward, and that is exactly what TPA
is all about.

{time} 2015

So, Mr. Speaker, I will tell you that we have a plan. We have ideas
which we not only well understand, but what we are trying to make sure
is that we understand that 38 million jobs are supported by trade--38
million American workers--and that in 2012 our goods and services
supported an extra 9.8 million jobs as a result of the growth.
These are all important ideas, Mr. Speaker. They are ideas that move
our country, they move countries forward, but at the same time giving
us new goods and services that on a per unit basis can drop because we
are sharing them with the rest of the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like for you to know that Members of this United
States Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, support members of the
United States military, as you served your country so ably. We give
thanks and pause every single day to not only the freedoms that we
have, but to know that young men like you who have served our military
and come back home and married and have beautiful young babies and
represent a future in this country to where we believe that there is no
problem bigger than a solution, but that by working together, having
stability under rule of law, intellectual property, and growth, that we
can continue to lead the world through American exceptionalism and the
world can have an opportunity to have that little part of America,
whether it be a great steak from Texas or South Dakota or perhaps jeans
manufactured somewhere here in the United States or, if lucky enough,
something from the great State of Ohio that said, ``Made in America.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

____________________

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: WEALTH CREATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY GAP

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2013, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.

General Leave

Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

[[Page 6286]]

may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a privilege to once
again have this opportunity to stand on the House floor as part of the
Congressional Black Caucus' Special Order hour.
For the next 60 minutes we will have an opportunity to speak directly
to the American people about an issue of great significance: the
growing wealth gap in America that is stratified along racial lines. It
is a wealth gap that should concern all of us here in the House of
Representatives, and certainly people who are concerned about the well-
being of this country in its entirety should be alarmed by any segment
of this country being left behind across any measure of economic
status.
We will get into that throughout the duration of this CBC Special
Order. Certainly, I am glad to be joined by the distinguished gentleman
from Nevada, my good friend, the coanchor of this CBC Special Order,
Representative Horsford.
I will just begin by making the observation that it has often been
stated that when Wall Street catches a cold, communities of color get
the flu.
We know that in 2008, when the economy collapsed and plunged us into
the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Wall Street had a
high fever; and as a result, as one might expect, communities of color
all across the country have been suffering from economic pneumonia. In
fact, a study that was prepared by the Center for Global Policy
Solutions illustrates the point that communities of color were hurt the
worst by the Great Recession and have benefited the least as a result
of our recovery.
And so the wealth gap, broadly defined across measures such as home
ownership and access to good-paying jobs, retirement savings, has
gotten worse, exacerbated by the shock of the Great Recession and the
disproportionate lack of certain communities benefiting from the
recovery that has taken place. So these are some of the topics that we
are going to explore during this Special Order.
I am pleased that we have been joined by a very distinguished member
of the freshman class, my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey,
one of the best-dressed Members of the House of Representatives. I am
surprised today that I do not see him with his classic bow tie. He is
the ranking member of the CBC freshman class, but I believe he arrived
here a little bit earlier.
I am pleased to yield to my good friend, Representative Payne.
Mr. PAYNE. I would like to thank the gentleman from New York for that
kind introduction.
I want to also say that we are here tonight on a very serious issue
in tonight's Special Order. As so aptly put by the gentleman from New
York, it feels like pneumonia in a lot of communities that we
represent. I would dare to say that we might even need to call it an
epidemic, because it has risen to epidemic proportions.
Mr. Speaker, this Nation is supposed to be the land of opportunity,
the land of equality. We are a Nation that says that if you work hard
and you do the things you are supposed to do and you do everything that
we ask you to do, you too can be successful and provide a better life
for you and yours. That is the promise of America.
Unfortunately, for too many in this country, this promise has been
broken.
Generation after generation, millions continue to experience
generational poverty in this country--and this is especially true for
people of color.
Too many of the people in the district I represent in New Jersey have
worked their entire lives. They have endured hard labor. They have
worked two or three jobs. They have made minimum wage their entire
lives. Yet they are still in poverty. The same is true for their
parents before them and their grandparents and their great-
grandparents.
Unfortunately, for too many people of color, the opportunities to
succeed and move beyond circumstances of poverty are too little and far
between. This leads to the wealth gap we see today. That wealth gap,
Mr. Speaker, is unconscionable.
In the 21st century, African Americans own just 5 cents for every
dollar of wealth Whites own. More than 62 percent of African American
households do not have assets in a retirement account. The median
income of an African American is just over $33,000, barely above the
poverty line. And African Americans are less likely to own homes, with
just 44 percent of African Americans owning homes compared to 74
percent of Whites.
In New Jersey alone, the poverty rate has grown to a staggering 28
percent. Many economists believe that this is an underestimate of the
number of people falling into poverty in New Jersey.
How can those who are clawing just to get by even begin to think
about creating wealth for their children or future generations? How can
a single mother who works 40 or more hours a week still find herself in
poverty? How does she begin to dream about saving for her children's
college education or to save for a home or to plan for her retirement?
The simple answer is they can't. And the racial wealth gap will
continue to grow even wider.
Mr. Speaker, there is so much Congress can do to change the course of
this country and to help those who are working hard and playing by the
rules.
The priorities we place within our national budget determine whether
we strengthen our economy and grow our middle class or whether we
create a greater wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots.
This Nation has a clear choice, Mr. Speaker. The Ryan Republican
budget cuts hundreds of millions of dollars in vital education
investments, ends the Medicare guarantee for seniors, and it will cost
this country more than 1 million jobs next year alone. And if that is
not bad enough, the Ryan Republican budget asks working and middle-
class Americans to pay for the thousands of dollars in tax breaks given
to the wealthiest among us. That is why, in good conscience, I cannot
support such a budget.
At a time when too many people are still desperately struggling to
make ends meet, I know that the people in my home State of New Jersey
deserve better. I believe that all Americans should demand better as
well.
In contrast, the budgets that the Democrats and the Congressional
Black Caucus have proposed recognize the dangerous course this country
is on and work to move us forward rather than divide us deeper.
The Democratic budget builds ladders of opportunities to grow our
middle class by investing in education, strengthening Social Security
and Medicare, and protecting the 8 million people who, for the first
time, now have access to affordable, lifesaving health care.
The proposals within the Democratic budget would restore the American
promise that if you work hard, you can succeed. And not only can you
succeed for yourself, but you can generate wealth and create a better
life for your children and your grandchildren.
That is the choice that each Member in this Congress has to make, and
it is a choice every American has to make. This choice will determine
the direction of this country, not only for this generation, but for
generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, it is not a zero-sum game. We all can be winners with
the right kind of focus and investment; and in doing so, we will
strengthen this country for future generations.
As I stated and made clear, we are talking about people that have
played by the rules and have worked hard, working 40 hours-plus, and
yet still find themselves on the margins. We are not even talking about
the hundreds of thousands of citizens that I represent that we don't
even want to help with programs such as SNAP anymore.
I am not even talking about the needy in this country, Mr. Speaker. I
am talking about the people that play by the rules and that are doing
everything that they have been asked to do in this great Nation and
still find themselves on the margin.

{time} 2030

So we will continue to raise these issues. We will continue to talk
to the

[[Page 6287]]

American people and get them to understand that we cannot continue down
the path that we are headed. It is bleak. It is grim. It is a total U-
turn in where this country has gone.
I can only think of the statements that have been made by several
individuals in this country that are distasteful and disgusting over
the past several weeks. We need to keep the American Dream alive for
everyone.
Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank my good friend and the distinguished gentleman
from New Jersey for his very thoughtful and eloquent remarks and
observations, and for pointing out that, while we can have
disagreements, of course, here in this Chamber on matters of policy, we
should all share the same objective as it relates to making sure that
every American has got a robust, full, complete access to the
opportunity to robustly pursue the American Dream.
As this report and the Color of Wealth Summit will illustrate later
on this week, that is not necessarily the case right now in America,
where you have such a disparate reality between the wealth in certain
communities where the dividing line is race.
It is a wonderful thing that this great country is becoming
increasingly diverse. I think our diversity is one of our great
strengths.
But the reality of the situation is that if certain communities, the
African American community, the Latino community, other communities of
color, find themselves left behind, locked out, unable to advance
economically in the numbers that they should because of barriers,
institutional and historical, that have existed or been erected that we
have yet to tear down, that is something that should alarm all of us
because it relates to the ability of America to fulfill its promise as
we move forward.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we have been joined by a very
distinguished Member of the Congress, someone who has been a champion
on issues of fairness and equality and justice for all Americans, and
certainly for the district that he represents in Baltimore and in
Maryland.
Let me now yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).
Mr. CUMMINGS. Thank you very much. I want to thank the gentleman for
yielding. And I want to thank you and Mr. Horsford and the
Congressional Black Caucus and certainly Mr. Payne for being here
tonight.
We are, indeed, at a critical moment in our country's history. As I
listened to my colleagues talk about the wealth gap, you know, a lot of
times when we address these issues, people say the words, ``Here they
go again,'' almost as if to say, let's dismiss this issue; this is an
issue that is limited to a limited number of people.
But the problem is, as we listen to the things that have been said
here tonight, this is not a Black problem, this is not a Hispanic
problem; this is an American problem.
We have to keep in mind that when you have this kind of gap, these
kind of gaps, what happens is the driving force that makes our economy
run is placed in a position where they cannot make the purchases that
are necessary. When I say purchases, I am not talking about purchases
of washing machines and dryers and curtains and things of that nature.
I am talking about being able to properly educate their children.
A lot of what has been talked about here tonight is whether you can
place your children in a position to do better than what you did. So
what we are talking about is trying to figure out ways to close that
gap so that everybody rises, as opposed to--it has been said, when you
have got a wealth gap of 5 or 6 cents for Hispanics and African
Americans, as compared to Whites, what that means is that, slowly but
surely, you have one part of your society that simply is not
participating at any reasonable level.
So the question is, how do we address those issues?
I know that the Black Caucus budget goes in that direction. But one
of the things that I have concentrated on quite a bit is the whole
situation with the loss of wealth with regard to property.
African Americans and Hispanics, quite often, their wealth is tied up
in property. Over the past few years, we have seen a tremendous loss of
that wealth.
You talked about it a little bit earlier, about how when America has
a cold--is that what you said--then we have pneumonia.
So what has happened is that, disproportionately, African Americans
and Hispanics have lost a lot of that wealth in property because they
lost their property. And when they lost that property, they no longer
had collateral to make business loans, to even get loans for their
kids, or to do the things that they really wanted to do to make their
lives better.
But just as significantly, they were losing jobs at the same time. So
as quiet as it is kept, you have a situation where a lot of Hispanics
and African Americans were trying to help their relatives.
So not only were they losing their houses, but then whatever savings
they may have had, or the little extra income that they may have had
that they could have put aside for a rainy day, or in an effort to
create some wealth, it simply was disappearing.
Then we have had some major settlements with regard to these mortgage
lenders, and the mortgage lenders have come in and basically, pretty
much admitted, through these settlements, that they wronged a lot of
people.
As a matter of fact, in my city, in Baltimore, there were certain
mortgage companies that admitted that they were pushing people into
subprime situations, that they could have done even better, and these
were African Americans, by the way, and giving them all these loans,
``no doc'' loans and things of that nature, and the next thing you
know, the people had lost all they had.
So the question now becomes, with two major settlements, what did
they get?
As we are doing our research on the Oversight and Government Reform
Committee and looking at some of this, what we have noticed is that a
lot of the people who suffered the most got the least out of the
settlements.
There are still settlements that are going to take place, so what we
are trying to do is study the settlements that have been resolved to
learn from those so that future settlement monies will go to the people
who actually were harmed. That is just one area.
But again, we have got to do everything in our power to close this
gap. This is our watch. We are here today. We are the ones who must
guard the progress that has been made.
Quiet as it is kept, slowly, but surely, we have seen some of that
progress go in the opposite direction in a downward spiral. So what we
are here to do is to make sure that not only do we stop that slide for
African Americans and Hispanics, because, like I said, if we stop that
slide there, then the entire economy does well, then all of us do well,
and that is what it is all about.
So I want to thank the Congressional Black Caucus for doing this.
This is so important. We must be the voice, and we must constantly
pound the drums because so often I think what happens--and I will close
on this--is a lot of times people see things going in the opposite
direction and they say, we will get to it tomorrow, or we will wait
another day, or somebody else will deal with it, or maybe somebody else
will speak up about it.
So what happens is nobody does anything. Nobody says anything. And
the next thing you know, 10 years have passed, 20 years, and you look
back and you say, Wow, there was a lot of slippage there.
But you know what?
That slippage also represents people. I heard Congressman Payne talk
about people in his district. I have heard you talk about yours and
Congressman Horsford. These are people. These are people whom we
represent. These are people who get the early bus, the ones who go
through trying to make it possible for not only their children but
their grandchildren to do well.
So again, I want to thank you.
Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Maryland for
his very thoughtful remarks and observations, and for pointing out that
if we

[[Page 6288]]

can find a way to make sure that, collectively, the African American
community is uplifted, the Latino community is uplifted, that we can
close the racial wealth gap that exists in America across these
different measurements, whether that is home ownership or access to
good-paying jobs or retirement security, savings accounts, whatever the
case may be, that if we can close this gap that exists, that America,
overall, benefits, particularly as we become a more diverse country.
Now, 50 years ago our President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, came to this
very floor and, before a joint session of Congress, declared a war on
poverty. As a result of this legislative effort, there were several
things that were put into place that have benefited Americans over
time. Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, the school breakfast program, the
Food Stamp Act, Job Corps, minimum wage enhancement, college work
study--all of these programs were part of the effort to create a great
society.
Over the last 50 years, as a result of the war on poverty,
significant progress has been made. Tens of millions of Americans have
been lifted out of an impoverished condition and set on a pathway
toward the middle class. But we know that there is still a long way to
go.
In fact, the middle class, broadly defined, has taken a huge hit in
the aftermath of the collapse of the economy, and that hit has
disproportionately and adversely impacted communities of color, and the
African community in particular.
We are here to illuminate the fact that, in our humble opinion, that
is bad for America as a whole.
I am pleased that my good friend, and the coanchor of this CBC
Special Order, has joined us today, the distinguished gentleman from
the Silver State, who has worked incredibly hard on behalf of the
district that he represents.
Let me now yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).
Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my good friend, my
colleague, the gentleman from the great State of New York (Mr.
Jeffries) for his leadership and for coanchoring this hour, and for
focusing the efforts of the Congressional Black Caucus and the
attention on such an important and pressing matter as the issue of the
decline of opportunities for millions of Americans.
So often people ask the question, why do you have to talk about race?
Why do you have to raise issues in the context of the
disproportionality of issues as it applies to race?

{time} 2045

If there is any question about why that is the need or why there is a
need to do that, unfortunately, the events over the last week and the
comments by individuals over the last week indicate why these issues
are still so prevalent in our country.
They talk about the original sin being slavery in this country, and
the fact is so much of the disparate treatment of color is based on
some institutional issues that are so pervasive in a number of
different areas.
For me, it is necessary because I represent a district that is very
diverse, like many Members in this body. My district is home to Cliven
Bundy, the rancher that has received so much national attention, not
just because of the issues around his use of public lands, even though
he had failed to pay the grazing fees and was prohibited from being on
that land, but because of the racist, hate-filled words that he talked
about pertaining to African Americans.
The fact that he said that people didn't take the time to understand
his way of life in a town in Nevada's Fourth Congressional District,
but yet he would profile another community based on the fact that he
just drove by and looked and observed their situation and then judged
and made the judgment that maybe they were better off under slavery.
Maybe it is the recent remarks by the owner of the L.A. Clippers, the
fact that, in a private conversation, he would talk about what his true
feelings are about the people who have made him such a wealthy
individual; and yet it is that hate-filled racist view that we are here
to expose today.
So when we talk about opportunity, it is fundamental. It is a
fundamental tenet of our great Nation, and we still are trying to live
up to that ideal of an equal opportunity for every individual.
So just like I advocate for constituents who live out in Bunkerville
and Mesquite, in Moapa Valley, in Virgin Valley as part of my
congressional district, in rural areas that may not have a lot of
diversity, just as they are concerned with the armed militia that are
still in their communities tonight--and I have spoken up and asked law
enforcement agencies to help remove those armed militias from that
local community that just wants to return to normal--I am also here to
speak up for communities throughout my district that are very diverse,
that have Latino communities and African American and Asian American
communities that are faced with this opportunity gap issue that we are
here to talk about.
This is not a one-way conversation that we are having. We want to
invite those of you who are watching on C-SPAN or those of you who are
following us on Twitter at #CBCtalks to get involved in the
conversation. Tweet us your comments about what this opportunity gap
means to you.
The ability to work hard and achieve success, no matter what part of
society you were born in, this is what has produced the world's largest
middle class and has propelled all of us to be the most powerful and
wealthy country in the world; and it has also been an economy that
works for everyone, in that it grows wealth from the middle out. That
has produced our country's most prosperous times, and that is what we
are here to defend tonight in this conversation.
But in the past two decades, in particular, and particularly during
our Nation's recovery from the great recession, as my colleague from
New York (Mr. Jeffries) illuminated, the promise of opportunity is not
materializing for millions of Americans.
It is not because these individuals don't want that opportunity. It
is not because there is a lack of willingness or hard work on behalf of
individuals. The question is: What is keeping so many people from that
same opportunity?
More and more Americans are falling out of the middle class and into
poverty while those in poverty are unable to climb beyond the first
rung of the economic ladder.
Just last week, we learned from The New York Times that America no
longer has the wealthiest middle class in the world, falling behind our
neighbors to the north, Canada; and this should not come as a shock to
anyone, given the troubling economic trends of the past decade or so.
We have to recognize that these income inequalities and a shrinking
middle class is a crisis for our Nation and one that will not go away
if we do not act. In fact, it is a crisis that will only grow worse and
will ultimately catch up to our ability to sustain our position as the
world's wealthiest country.
Now, as my colleague from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the ranking
member, just said, it is not an easy crisis to solve, and no single
policy will address all of the factors that are contributing to the
growing opportunity gap, but one issue that I want to speak about
specifically is the fact that experts have consistently and nearly
universally identified the area that will go the furthest in providing
expanded opportunities for all, and that is education and particularly
early education.
Positive social and cognitive development starts very early, and
children who are encouraged to actively learn, starting from when they
are as young as 3 or 4 years old, experience tremendous long-term
benefits.
Research also shows that high-quality early childhood education can
provide children from poor working class backgrounds with the similar
early learning experiences as children from wealthier backgrounds.
Now, why is this important? The enrollment and graduation rates by
race

[[Page 6289]]

matter. For those individuals who belong to the Asian American
community, they have the highest graduation rates, at nearly 70
percent. Among the White population, it is about 62 percent. Among the
Latino community, it is 51 percent.
But for African Americans, according to the 2005 cohort, we have just
a 39.9 percent graduation rate compared to enrollment. So if we are
going to change these statistics, we have to start at the beginning,
and that is an investment in education, in early childhood education.
Now, we can't do that by supporting the budget by Congressman Paul
Ryan, which would cut investments in Head Start, which we know greatly
helps all children develop social and cognitive skills that they
otherwise might not receive at home.
In addition to early education investments, it is critical that we
invest in our middle schools and high schools, so that every student
has an opportunity to succeed and to be prepared to go to college and
ultimately graduate with a college degree.
Still, to this day, schools are not even close to receiving equal
amounts of funding; and that is why groups, such as the Children's
Defense Fund, talk about be careful what you cut and that our budgets
reflect our values, that if we don't invest properly in education, in
early childhood education, then we are not going to get the type of
return on investments and improved outcomes through high school
graduation and college. Low-income African American students, in
particular, suffer the consequence from these circumstances.
If I could talk about this chart for just a moment, dealing with the
access to a full range of courses in math and science among the White,
Asian, Latino, and African American population--again, this is an issue
of access.
If students aren't being exposed to a curriculum in science,
technology, engineering, and math, then they are not going to be able
to learn or perform or graduate in these areas.
In this chart, we see an incredibly reduced rate for African
Americans when it comes to math and science courses. Only 57 percent of
African American students have access to a full range of math and
science courses. These are subjects that have major impacts when it
comes to college readiness and achievement scores on standardized
testing.
Now, in my home State of Nevada, the graduation rate discrepancy
between White students and students of color is striking: 72 percent
for Whites, 55 percent for Latinos, and a staggeringly low rate of 48
percent for African Americans.
Nevada's high school graduation rate is the lowest in the Nation. In
fact, today, they just released the most recent high school graduation
statistics for every State in the country, and Nevada was at the
bottom.
It contributes greatly to our State receiving the lowest opportunity
score in the country by Opportunity Nation, which factors in economic,
educational, and community conditions that affect people's ability to
succeed and climb the economic ladder.
So if we don't address education and invest in education, then we are
never going to really be able to truly close this wealth gap that
exists.
That is why the CBC and the Democratic alternative budgets both
propose investing billions of dollars--in fact, reinvesting because,
under the budgets that were passed when we were in the majority in this
House, the funding was there for school and the training of our
teachers to properly address the growing opportunity gap between high-
income and low-income students; but under the GOP here in the House,
they have slashed those budgets. It is time for us to reinvest.
The Republican budget ignores the long-term opportunity gaps that
arise in our Nation's low-income schools. It would pull the rug out
from under as many as 3.4 million disadvantaged students and 8,000
schools across the country. It cuts 29,000 teachers and teacher aides,
educating disadvantaged students by 2016. The GOP budget cuts 170,000
vulnerable children out of Head Start, as I said.
So it is pretty clear to me that the differences between the House
Republican budget and the Democratic priorities stand when it comes to
investing and providing opportunities to the next generation of middle
class workers, but it starts with education. That is why we need to
fulfill that promise of opportunity for all and allow those who work
hard and who play by the rules to climb that economic ladder and to
achieve economic stability in their lives, no longer living paycheck to
paycheck.
Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank my good friend for that very comprehensive
presentation and, in particular, for focusing in on the importance and
the significance of investing in education in order to create a bright
future for everybody.
Certainly, we cannot continue to allow so many people across this
country to find themselves trapped in a dysfunctional public school
system that essentially dooms them to life sentences of disadvantage
and despair and fails to adequately prepare them for the challenges of
a 21st century economy.
Now, we are here today talking about the racial wealth gap in
America; and invariably, there will be some commentator who is going to
make the observation: There they go again, members of the Congressional
Black Caucus taking to the House floor, speaking about race.
Actually, it is not that frequent an occurrence, but we are compelled
to do so today; and then, as my good friend made the observation: Who
should we allow to talk about race in America? Should we just leave it
to Paula Deen to talk about race in America? Does that reflect
positively on this great country?

{time} 2100

Should we just allow Cliven Bundy to talk about race in America? Does
that paint our country in the best possible light? Or should we just
leave it to Donald Sterling to talk about race in America? Does that
reflect the views of the great many good-hearted people across this
country? Of course we shouldn't. And so we are here today to illuminate
a problem that we think America should deal with for the good of the
country--not just the African American community, because there is a
significant gap in terms of wealth generation, creation, and
maintenance that threatens the economic security of this country.
Let me just briefly highlight a few points along this spectrum, one,
in terms of the unemployment rate is a significant difference. The
White unemployment rate is 5.8 percent in this country, as this chart
illustrates. The Latino unemployment rate is 7.9 percent, and the
African American unemployment rate is 12.4 percent.
In terms of annual median income, you see the same type of disparity.
The average median income for White Americans is $57,009. The average
median income for African Americans is $33,321. And in terms of overall
wealth, for White families, $113,149, but for African American families
in this great country, the average collective wealth is $5,677. That
means for every $100 in a White household, a similarly situated African
American household only has $5. That is a problem for America that we
should all feel compelled to confront, and that is why the
Congressional Black Caucus wants to invest in education and job
training, invest in transportation and infrastructure, invest in
research and development, invest in technology and innovation, and
invest in preserving the social safety net so that you can lift up
communities left behind by the recession, but also collectively lift up
America for the good of everyone.
It is now my honor and my privilege to yield to the very
distinguished gentleman from New York, a prominent member of the Ways
and Means Committee, someone who has given so much of his life to
public service and made such a difference for so many people in Harlem,
in New York City, in the country, and, in fact, across the globe, the
Lion of Lenox Avenue. I am proud to now yield to Congressman Charlie
Rangel.
Mr. RANGEL. I want to thank you so much for pulling together this
special

[[Page 6290]]

hour. I got from New York a little late, and in working, I turned on
the TV and saw these eloquent spokespeople, and I am just so glad I got
here in time before our time has expired. So all of those that made
this possible, it starts my new week down here with a breath of fresh
air.
Last Sunday, I participated in ceremonies at Grant's Tomb. That is
General Grant. That is President Grant. And his great-great-grandson
was there to speak on Grant's not wanting slavery. They even had a few
people dressed up in Union uniforms, which I had not seen before. But
at the conclusion of listening, just a few generations ago, this guy
talking about General Grant and President Grant, it convinced me that
in some parts of the United States of America, they don't believe that
the Union won. The reason I come to that conclusion is that, as I never
saw that many Union uniforms, I have never seen so many Confederate
flags that represent groups that are proud of the fact that they call
themselves the Tea Party. And then I was thinking, because it was a
long ceremony, where do these Tea Party people, what areas of the
country are they most comfortable? And I reached the conclusion they
are from that part of the country that the States owned slaves. And
then I thought, well, are they Democrats or Republicans? They used to
be not only Democrats, but they fought against every civil rights bill
we had here.
I never thought in the 54 miles I marched with Dr. King from Selma to
Montgomery that we ever would get the civil rights and the voting
rights, but when we got it, somehow the Dixiecrats disappeared. And all
of a sudden, they came up in the South as Republican, Republicans that
really hate this President as much as their predecessors probably hated
Abe Lincoln. And it was all about slavery--all about slavery. And if
you go to the parts of South America and the Caribbean islands, Mexico,
all you see are remnants of slavery--even Puerto Rico.
But here in this country where we thought we had broken out of the
Civil War, what the heck does it take for people to understand that you
shouldn't hate the President so much that you are ready to destroy the
Republican Party, the entire Congress, but most of all the people of
this great country? We have been able to take people of all colors, all
blood, all languages, and they didn't come here and just fall in love
with each other. They hardly knew each other. But somehow they set
aside these differences and in 300 or 400 years became the power of the
world.
That power just wasn't in dollars and cents and the ability to have
more than any other country in wealth, but it was hope. It was the
ability to believe that no matter what level of the economy you were
in, you could achieve. This could not be said for many of the countries
in Europe. That is why they loved their countries, but they cared more
for their families here.
And now we have millions of people whose complexions look more like
the people who were here when Columbus so-called discovered them. And
then you find a hatred which defies economics and sound politics
against people who want to come to this country, who have invited
constructively as we say in the law because they came, they got paid,
everyone was happy, but the more that came, the more that wanted to
come, their complexion started changing the complexion of the Nation.
And why they refuse to allow the President to try to remove this
cancer from America, why they don't understand that we just can't
afford to destroy everything this country stands for? We are talking
about immigration laws so that we can bring more talent. But, most of
all, most of my colleagues, we are talking about education. How the
heck can we allow party differences with the President to agree that we
have got 2 million human beings locked up in jail? Most of them have--
the only people they ever hurt was themselves. The cost of keeping them
incarcerated--cops, courts, food, and health care--is mind blowing
compared to the infinitesimal fraction of America's education as paid
to by this Congress. So much of the setbacks has to do with the stigma
of having come from slaves rather than slave owners.
But the thing is, if a nation like ours is going to maintain any
degree of similarities, we have to all pull together and not be divided
by color, sex or where a person has been born or the language that they
speak.
So I came over wondering what can 43 people of African background,
combined with scores of people that have Latin American backgrounds,
combined with so many other people that families can remember poverty
and the pain of not being a part of the middle class, and to see this
shrinking and missing a paycheck, a check on unemployment compensation,
a month in rent, homelessness, being in shelters, not being able to get
a job, losing your kids--man, that is pain. That is not America.
So what can I do? Well, I am 84, and I guess I don't want to say
anything that would jeopardize my getting to Heaven without any hassles
with St. Peter and the rest of them up there. So I will make an appeal
to the priests, the ministers, the rabbis, and the imams in saying that
you deal with a higher authority. You deal with all people. God can't
possibly have expected, when He would have us to believe we are made in
His image, that He could be so many different colors. He is one in our
mind as He used these colors to make the world.
I want to hear their voices when we talk about education, hunger,
nakedness, thirst, and being locked up and having some comfort, because
that is what we are talking about today.
So let me just thank you. We can't give up. We can't give in. We
can't give out. We may not have an answer in this Chamber, but the will
of America can change this Chamber, and we just have to have good
people, whether they are in synagogues, mosques, or cathedrals, to call
their Congressperson and say that this is not the time for our great
Nation to be divided by class, color, or wealth. It is time for us to
do what that sign says: ``In God we trust.'' And we have got to trust.
We have got to fight, and we are going to win.
Thank you for the opportunity for all of us to express ourselves.
Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentleman from New York for
his incredibly eloquent, thoughtful, and insightful presentation and
analysis.
We have now been joined by a senior member of the Judiciary Committee
and the Homeland Security Committee, a voice for the voiceless, someone
who has fought to promote justice and equality across a wide spectrum
of issues but certainly in the economic arena in such a compelling way
during her career in the House and throughout her entire career in
public service. Let me now yield to the distinguished gentlelady from
Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me thank the gentleman from New York for
convening this dialogue with our colleagues and, through our
colleagues, the American people and Mr. Horsford as well as the
Congressional Black Caucus and the passionate words of our colleague,
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), and others who have come on
this floor to challenge our colleagues.
I think the backdrop of this whole discussion is the Ryan budget,
which we debated before we left for the work recess. And I think it is
important that we not allow that budget to just pass with a vote and
let it not represent the moral document that now the Republicans have
tied themselves to.
Interestingly enough, while we were away, it seems that America
caught on fire. For some reason, the season generated a number of
unfortunate and sad incidents that really reinforce this wealth gap
that is so very important.
I have 10 points that I would like to succinctly mention in the
backdrop of the Ryan budget, which cuts drastically the social network
of America which really makes America great. Some of us had the
opportunity to be in countries outside, countries as we were, during
the recess, South and Central America, Europe and other places.

{time} 2115

You come back to this country and you thank God for its greatness,
and I

[[Page 6291]]

still do that. But I also know that it is great, or it was great,
because people pull together and realize there is no shame in a social
safety network because it was people of all backgrounds--Caucasians,
Hispanics, African Americans and others--who were in this country who
celebrated the creation of Social Security under Franklin Delano
Roosevelt and Medicare and Medicaid back in the 1960s.
This is the 50th year of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and so it is
tragic that we still have to look at numbers that show the wealth
inequality. It is more tragic that we compound this discrimination with
ugly words that really suggest that there is a lack of understanding
for why these numbers exist.
I might say to Mr. Bundy, who suggested that government subsidies is
all that African Americans receive, and that we would be better off as
slaves with a garden and picking cotton: maybe if there had been a fair
distribution of wealth at the end of slavery, as it was supposed to be,
there would have been the investment in that now-free population where
you could look at them and say, Why didn't you succeed?
Well, if you read your history books, you know that we lived under a
discriminatory society for much of the 20th century. And in actuality,
there was not an equalizing or trying to equalize rights until the
1960s.
Even today, the decision that was just rendered on affirmative
action, some people would shout for joy, but in actuality it undermines
America's great quality, and that is diversity. It takes away from
Hispanic and White students and African Americans students and Asian
students an opportunity to go to school together, a very unfortunate
decision in affirmative action, compounded, of course, by the
atmosphere and the attitudes of the likes of the owner of the Clippers,
who today, in 2014, suggests I don't want to be sitting next to, taking
a picture with, don't promote it, whatever his heartbroken situation
might have been with an ex-girlfriend, it still sets a tone that
speaks, if you will, to the discrimination that exists in wealth.
Some would say, how do you tie that together? We have to change our
attitudes about all of us. And frankly, unemployment rates emphasize
the discrimination in employment: African Americans, 12.4 percent and
higher among young African American men; Hispanics 7.9 percent.
I don't want unemployment in any group. I fight for full employment
for everyone because I know that is what America is about, giving
opportunity and creating the working middle class. That is what we
should fight for, and I hope our discussion focuses on the fact that we
want that to occur.
Decline in wealth. We can clearly see that the decline in wealth has
gone to some 53 percent in the African American community. And then of
course bankruptcy filings; likewise, you can show that the highest
amount is in African Americans.
Let me conclude by simply saying the budget that Mr. Ryan has will
never answer the question of solving the problem of lifting the boats
of all Americans. I thank the gentleman for having yielded to me. The
challenge tonight is clearly to find a solution that ends the evilness
of racism, but more importantly lifts the boats of all of our fellow
Americans because they deserve the kind of equality and wealth
opportunity that goes for poor Whites, Hispanics, African Americans,
and Asians. A solution must be found.

key messages

The median wealth of White households is 20 times that of African
American households. Put differently, African Americans own just five
cents for every dollar of wealth whites own.
Buying a home is the single largest investment most families can
make.
Asset accumulation is the foundation to economic mobility for low-
and middle-income families.
Public--such as Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment
Insurance--and private assets are important for the economic security
of communities of color.
Investing in assets and limiting debt can help families build wealth
and improve their financial security.
Families of color lack the necessary savings and assets to climb up
the economic ladder.
This wide gap in wealth between families of color and White families
is a reflection of systemic and social barriers that have limited
economic mobility.
Along with a history of discrimination, communities of color face
obstacles getting a good job or using banks to save for future
investments.
Public policy--rooted in historical discrimination--created the
racial wealth gap and it will take public policy to overcome economic
inequities.
The national budget is a primary vehicle through which public assets
are protected and strengthened.
Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

____________________

ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cook). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 3, 2013, the Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Minnesota (Mrs. Bachmann) for 30 minutes.
Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be here tonight. Today
is a significant day. It is Holocaust Remembrance Day. And the greatest
ally that the United States has, Israel, had a remarkable experience
that they hold every day because of the unique situation that the
Jewish people have endured, and that is, the entire nation and all of
the people in Israel come to a complete stop. Cars literally stop in
the middle of highways. Buses literally stop in the middle of highways.
Metros stop. If a pedestrian is walking on a street, kids playing in a
park, they stop. A siren goes off for 2 minutes' time, and during that
time every person in the nation comes to a standstill. Why? Why this
extraordinary action?
Because, quite simply, nothing like the history of Israel has ever
happened anywhere in the annals of recorded human history. It is this:
6 million people lost their lives. They lost their lives simply because
they were Jewish. They were children, they were grandparents, they were
moms and dads. They were disfigured. They were disabled. They were high
functioning. They weren't even necessarily in Israel. They were in
countries all across primarily European areas. But 6 million died. And
it is important that we never forget. That we never forget that a
people were so brutally targeted that 6 million were killed virtually
in silence; silence because of the devious ways in which the German
regime carried out this horrific action. That is what happened about 70
years ago.
We will commemorate D-day, the 70th anniversary this June 6, as we
should, probably one of the greatest sacrifices ever made by one people
for another, led in large part by the Americans to liberate Europe as
they were under this cloud of Adolf Hitler. It is a horrific past, but
it is something that we have to remember because we can never forget.
We can never, ever, ever forget.
We join with our great ally Israel today as we remember this horrific
act. It was a racist act on the part of Adolf Hitler. It was a bigoted
act on the part of Adolf Hitler, and I think that is why today we are
all rather shocked when the story was disclosed that our American
Secretary of State had made comments last Friday behind closed doors in
a meeting with members of the Trilateral Commission, and he had said
that if Israel does not go along with the proposed two-state solution,
that Israel would risk becoming an apartheid state.
Now that is a shocking comment to come from an American Secretary of
State, particularly to have this comment revealed on Holocaust
Remembrance Day, to accuse the Jewish people who have undergone what no
other people have undergone, a horrific act to be targeted by Adolf
Hitler some 70 years ago, within the lifetime of some people who remain
alive today. And yet our Secretary of State, accusing this nation of
engaging in an act, an institutional act against another people based
upon race with no evidence whatsoever because there is none.
I want to read the definition of the 1998 Rome statute. It says:

The crime of apartheid is defined as inhuman acts committed
in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic
oppression and domination by one racial group over any other
racial group or groups and committed with the intention of
maintaining that regime.

[[Page 6292]]

Now, that would apply to an Adolf Hitler. That did apply in the case
of South Africa. It does not in any possible imagination or universe
apply in any possible sense to the Jewish State of Israel, and yet that
is what our Secretary of State said last Friday in reference to our
greatest ally. Our Secretary of State needs to apologize humbly to the
people of Israel, and then he needs to tender his resignation
immediately to the President of the United States.
But our Secretary of State did not stop there. He went on to
reiterate a statement that he had made prior that merely was an echo of
what the Palestinians had intimated, and it was this: That Israel could
be looking at a third fatwa--that is a war--that Israel could look at a
war by the Palestinians, by people who would engage in terrorist acts
against Israel, that Israel could be looking at the threat of another
war if they failed to give up 40 percent of their land to people who,
number one, don't recognize that Israel has the right to exist; number
two, that they have the right to exist as the Jewish state; and number
three, that they have the right to defend themselves.
Since when do we force our greatest ally to sit down with people and
negotiate with people who want to see them killed and annihilated? That
is the stated position of Hamas. Just read article 7 of the Hamas
charter.
The head of the Palestinian Authority, Abbas, recently said:

I am 79 years old, and I have no intention of changing my
ways.

In other words, he has no intention of recognizing the legitimacy of
the Jewish State of Israel and their right to exist. And the United
States is expecting, our Secretary of State is expecting after that
statement, not only that Israel would sit down and negotiate in good
faith with people who have said unequivocally they will never recognize
the right to exist. And Israel is the bad guy here, Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, I think we have our priorities wrong. Not only did Abbas
say he would not recognize Israel's right to exist, we also heard last
week that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, which is a foreign
terrorist organization, part of the violent Muslim Brotherhood, have
said that they are looking to merge--the Palestinian Authority and
Hamas. And again, we are going to force our great ally, Israel, to sit
down at a negotiating table and negotiate with terrorists over Israel's
right to exist and give the terrorists 40 percent of their land?
This is madness. This is once again an alternative universe that
doesn't make any sense.
Our Secretary of State went on to say that Israel has built 14,000
living units, apartments, extra rooms, what have you, for Jewish
people. Well, of course, a population that increases has to build
apartments.
How many times has our Secretary of State talked about the
Palestinian building of apartments on their land? Because, after all,
this is Israelis building apartments on their own land. Since when is
this a detriment to peace? And since when will our American Secretary
of State ever call out the Palestinians and say those Palestinians,
they shouldn't be building apartments, they shouldn't be building
houses on their own land. Are you kidding? In the multiple times that I
have been to Israel and the multiple times that I have been to
Ramallah, to the Palestinian Authority, it is a building bonanza going
on in the Palestinian Authority. And if it is their land, more power to
them. Let them go ahead and build.

{time} 2130

Since when is it wrong for Israel to build on their own land? You
see, there is a reason why the Obama administration has been accused of
being the most anti-Israel American administration since Harry Truman
wisely recognized the modern Jewish state's sovereignty in May of 1948.
Eleven minutes after Israel declared her independence, the greatest
military economic super powerhouse of the world, the United States of
America, recognized Israel's right to exist. That meant something
because our strength and our wealth was behind Israel. We had Israel's
back.
No one, no nation, thinks that America unequivocally has Israel's
back today. All you have to do is look at Israel's neighborhood. It has
become a very dangerous place, a very dangerous place, indeed. The
epicenter of jihad today is on Israel's border in Syria.
There are more weapons floating around in the Middle East today in
the hands of terrorists than ever before; and yet our Secretary of
State, rather than being focused on Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon,
which it has stated unequivocally it will use to annihilate the Jewish
state and to murder millions of Jewish people in Israel, rather than
the Secretary of State calling out Iran for its ongoing action tonight,
as I am speaking before C-SPAN and before the Speaker of this House,
tonight, Iran has thousands and thousands and thousands of centrifuges
spinning, fissile material that can be used and converted into nuclear
weapons.
Tonight, as we speak, research and development continues to go on for
nuclear warheads. Tonight, as I speak, Iran continues to work on a
delivery system--a missile delivery system to deliver a nuclear bomb, a
nuclear warhead with the fissile material to take out Israel. The fact
is Iran already has the capability to deliver a missile into Israel.
What they don't have is that capability yet to deliver a nuclear
warhead against us, the United States. You see, that is Iran's ultimate
goal. They call us, the U.S., the Great Satan. Israel is the Little
Satan. So, of course, the goal of Iran will be let's wipe out, with a
nuclear weapon, some strategic main cities in America, so that we can
achieve our real goal, which is the annihilation of the Jewish State of
Israel. That is the goal.
Where is our Secretary of State calling out Iran? What about the
epicenter of jihad, Syria, where weapons are awash? Where is our
Secretary of State there, talking about the numerous, numerous
terrorist organizations that are already running completely independent
in Syria? Where is our Secretary of State talking about the problem
with the communist nation of Russia, which has illegally seized Crimea
and is now making incursions into the eastern area of Ukraine?
I just returned from a trip, Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, visiting some
former Soviet bloc nations to talk about their response to the
aggressive illegal actions of Russia and what is happening to reset the
table in the former Soviet bloc nations.
These are nations that are very worried about what they are seeing.
They are worried because they understand that you can trust a communist
to be a communist, and their actions today are a mere image of what
their actions were formerly.
Russia recognizes that, if no one pushes back, they will continue to
salivate over more lands and more influence and seek to dominate more
people. Russia is responsible for enslaving millions of people. In
fact, they even murdered tens of millions of their own people under
Stalin. This is a regime that needs to be watched.
Unfortunately, under our previous Secretary of State, Hillary
Clinton, she gave, in my opinion, unwisely, the reset button to the
former Russian government and apparently didn't think that they would
push the button.
They did. They pushed the reset button, and they pushed it in a way
that has the Soviet Union looking at the United States and making the
calculation that the United States is now a weak power, that we have
weakened ourself, and therefore, now is Russia's opportune time to seek
to influence and pull back into the fold former Soviet bloc nations.
As we have learned from history, when a madman speaks, listen. Madmen
spoke in the form of Lenin and Stalin, and millions--tens of millions
of people were enslaved in misery for decades. The same happened under
Adolf Hitler, with a madman who spoke, and he murdered 6 million Jewish
people. That is why we have, today, the Holocaust Remembrance Day.
We need to pay attention today to the thugs and rulers that are
making their mad statements. They are doing

[[Page 6293]]

it again. That is why again--why did the Obama administration demand
that Israel release from prison over 100 murdering terrorists,
murderers who murdered innocent people--children, women, men--in order
for the Palestinian authority just to go to the table and have
negotiations and talks?
Now, these same leaders are saying: Don't worry, we will never
recognize the Jewish state; and, oh, by the way, we want to form up a
new league with a terrorist organization.
That is why I say tonight, Mr. Speaker, our Secretary of State has to
first apologize to the Jewish state and then tender his resignation. I
call on President Obama, Mr. Speaker, to completely change course on
his foreign policy.
We are looking at one foreign policy disaster after another. After
the thugs of the world have calculated that the United States has put
itself into a position of weakness, while we are in the process of
gutting the greatest military force in the world, the bad actors of the
world are recalculating and resetting the table.
We are seeing China making aggressive moves that we haven't seen
before against Japan and causing trouble in that area and region of the
world. We are seeing Russia making incursions, again, as I just said,
in Eastern Europe that we haven't seen before.
Even just today, we heard of a mayor in eastern Ukraine who was shot
in the back by Russian forces. Just over this last weekend, there were
those who were killed also in Ukraine and those who were taken hostage.
This is moving forward. This isn't stopping. This is moving forward.
In Syria, with the epicenter of jihad, and as we saw three Americans
killed--innocent Americans killed in Afghanistan by a member of the
Taliban. You see, they are making calculations, these murderers. They
are looking at the United States. They are seeing this failed foreign
policy.
They are seeing that America won't stand up for her allies, like the
Jewish State of Israel, and at every turn, we lift up the agenda, for
some inexplicable reason, of the radical Islamist who seeks to destroy
the Jewish state and destroy the United States of America. It is a
policy that will lead to a day that I believe we will all regret.
That is why America and the world needs to wake up and listen to
these bad actors. So when our Secretary of State calls the Jewish State
of Israel an apartheid state, it is more than unhelpful. Those words
are dangerous because a state that was born after seeing 6 million of
its compatriots, one-third of the entire Jewish population in the world
at that time, one-third of its people annihilated by the maniacal evil
ruler named Hitler, to see them called an apartheid state,
institutional oppression, really? There is no such thing. You will find
it nowhere.
Mr. Speaker, as we look again to the Jewish state and as we remember
with great sadness what this day signifies, the incredible loss of life
that this signifies, I am reminded of the violence that I witnessed
myself on a recent trip that I took to Israel.
I was in the area that President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry
have demanded that the Jewish state give up and yield, which is 40
percent of its land. It is the biblical homeland of the Jewish people.
Hebron is the city, essentially, where the Jewish people were born.
Abraham was in Hebron.
It was in Hebron where I was invited into the home of a Jewish woman
who is in a so-called settlement and has been there for decades. She
invited me into her kitchen.
In her kitchen, she showed me some of the doors on her cabinets.
Those doors on her cabinets had bullet holes in them, Mr. Speaker,
bullet holes, bullet holes fired across her land, over her deck, in
through the glass windows of her kitchen and into the cabinet doors of
her kitchen.
Every day, her family is reminded of the very real existence that
they have, that they literally can be in their home and bullets can fly
in to a place where children should be able to be free, where a wife
should be able to whip up supper or breakfast and not have to dodge
bullets.
You see, that is the very real existence that the Jewish citizens
have had to face in the southwestern section of Israel, where I had a
chance to live for a summer. The day after I graduated from high
school, I was privileged to be able to go and live and work on a
kibbutz down in Be'er Sheva.
Kibbutz Be'eri is the area now that is oftentimes dealing with the
violence from Gaza where Qasam and various rockets are fired from Gaza
into the Jewish area with no other intention other than killing
innocent civilians. This is what Israel deals with on nearly a daily
basis.
Mr. Speaker, just in the month of February alone this year in 2014,
there were more rockets that were shot into Israel in this one month
this year in February than there were all of the previous 12 months in
2013 put together.
The Jewish state is under attack, and yet what is Israel's response?
In Israel, especially in the area known as the disputed territory, what
is called occupied territory by people in our United States State
Department, the greatest human rights that women--Arab Muslim women in
the Middle East are afforded is in no other country but Israel, in the
so-called occupied territory.
That is the area where women--Arab Muslim women enjoy the greatest
protection of human rights, and Israel is being called the apartheid
state--Muslim women enjoying the greatest rights that they can find
anywhere in the Middle East in Israel.
What about jobs? Jobs are available for Palestinians in Israel at
higher wages, at better conditions, and they are grateful to have those
jobs. I was in the area where there is a threat by now potentially
European nations and other nations.
Even 5,000 academics from America were calling for boycotts,
divestment, and sanctions on any products that are made in the so-
called occupied territories of Judea and Samaria. Those are Israel's
biblical homeland. There are 3,500 years of history. Just pick up the
Bible, read the Bible.
This is the land that God gave to Abraham. He said: I give you this
land, Abraham, to you and your descendants through Isaac. Through the
descendants of Abraham, I give you this land, not just for a year or 5
years or 10 years.
But in the Bible, God said: I give you this land for eternity.

{time} 2145

If you don't want to believe the Bible or if you think that it is a
book of fiction, that is up to you. I believe it is true. You can look
at historic documents. You can look at documents from this last
century. International agreements gave this particular piece of land
not to any other country but to Israel. This is Israel's rightful land.
Don't we recognize that this has been a very long effort on the part
of the Arab Muslim people, who made a decision that they don't want
Israel to exist?
As I said previously, Mr. Speaker, even the head of the Palestinian
Authority--Abbas--has said:

I am 79 years old. I am certainly not about to recognize
Israel now.

He is the one Israel is supposed to negotiate with?
Even with the leader of the Palestinian Authority--and going back for
decades--the stated position has been from the Palestinians: Israel
does not have the right to exist. We will push the Jews into the sea,
and we will take it over.
It isn't that they just don't want Israel. It is that they don't want
any Jews in Israel. They want Jews gone. They don't want Jews anywhere
on the planet. There is nowhere they believe that the Jewish people
have the right to exist.
And this is after 6 million Jews were murdered by Hitler?
You see, there is an ongoing genocide, if you will, because there is
a group of people who still believes today that the Jews have no right
to exist. This isn't just a modern phenomenon. You can go back to the
days of Haman, when Haman didn't want to have the Jewish people exist,
and he persuaded the king at that time to issue an edict to eliminate
and exterminate all of the Jewish people.

[[Page 6294]]

One woman--her name was Esther--was called upon by her uncle,
Mordecai, and Mordecai said to her:

Esther, could it be that you have been called to a position
for such a time as this?

Mordecai, her uncle, called upon Queen Esther, and said to the queen:

You need to go to the king, and you need to ask the king to
pardon the Jewish people from this death sentence.

Esther said to her uncle:

But if I go in to the king, I could be killed. I am not
allowed to just go in to the king. I have to wait until he
calls upon me.

That is when Mordecai infamously said to his niece, to Queen Esther:

Could it be but that you were appointed for such a time as
this?

She rose up at that moment. She had courage, and she went before the
king. The king, rather than banishing her or rather than having her see
the end of her life, called her in, and he asked what it was that she
wanted. She made the request and interceded on behalf of the Jewish
people, and, ultimately, the Jewish people were spared.
You see, Mr. Speaker, this isn't a one-off. This is throughout
history--from the time of the creation of the Jewish people through
Abraham and through Abraham's line. This was a God thing. He created
this people. He created this race.
In the Book of Genesis, it is extremely clear:

Those who bless Israel, I will bless, says God. Those who
curse Israel, I will curse, says God.

That isn't just a one-off. It is for all time.
The United States of America, I believe--it is my opinion--has been
singularly blessed by standing by the Jewish people, and on this day of
remembrance of the Holocaust, we stand with Israel. We, too, remember,
and we stand up against those who want to see the extermination and the
annihilation of the Jewish race.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

____________________

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted to:
Mr. Griffin of Arkansas (at the request of Mr. Cantor) for today on
account of him assisting with the emergency response to the tornadoes
in Arkansas.

____________________

SENATE ENROLLED BILL SIGNED

The Speaker pro tempore, Mr. Thornberry, on Thursday, April 10, 2014,
announced his signature to an enrolled bill of the Senate of the
following title:

S. 2195. An act to deny admission to the United States to
any representative to the United Nations who has been found
to have been engaged in espionage activities or terrorist
activity against the United States and poses a threat to
United States national security interests.

____________________

ADJOURNMENT

Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 49 minutes
p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow,
Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

____________________

EXPENDITURE REPORTS CONCERNING OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL

Reports concerning the foreign currencies and U.S. dollars utilized
for Official Foreign Travel during the first quarter of 2014 pursuant
to Public Law 95-384 are as follows:

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, DELEGATION TO UNITED KINGDOM, EXPENDED BETWEEN MAR. 18 AND MAR. 24, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
Hon. Ander Crenshaw.................... 3/19 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 1,968.00 ........... n/a ........... ........... ........... 1,968.00
Hon. David Cicilline................... 3/20 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 2,440.00 ........... 1,600.00 ........... ........... ........... 4,040.00
Hon. Robert Latta...................... 3/20 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 2,440.00 ........... 1,470.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,910.00
Hon. Robert Aderholt................... 3/19 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 1,968.00 ........... 1,515.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,483.00
Hon. Ed Whitfield...................... 3/18 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 1,968.00 ........... 1,030.00 ........... ........... ........... 2,998.00
Hon. John Delaney...................... 3/20 3/24 United Kingdom........... ........... 1,968.00 ........... 820.00 ........... ........... ........... 2,788.00
Hon. Phil Roe.......................... 3/20 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 2,440.00 ........... 7,490.00 ........... ........... ........... 9,930.00
Hon. George Holding.................... 3/19 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 1,968.00 ........... 1,716.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,684.00
Hon. Jim Moran......................... 3/18 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 1,968.00 ........... 1,062.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,030.00
Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton............. 3/20 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 2,440.00 ........... 1,062.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,502.00
Janice Robinson........................ 3/20 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 2,440.00 ........... 1,062.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,502.00
Ed Rice................................ 3/20 3/23 United Kingdom........... ........... 2,440.00 ........... 1,062.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,502.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee total.................. ........ .......... ......................... ........... 26,448.00 ........... 19,889.00 ........... ........... ........... 46,337.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. ANDER CRENSHAW, Apr. 14, 2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. FRANK D. LUCAS, Chairman, Apr. 4,
2014.

[[Page 6295]]

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON ETHICS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, Chairman, Apr.
2, 2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. CANDICE S. MILLER, Chairman, Apr.
2, 2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON RULES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. PETE SESSIONS, Chairman, Apr. 1,
2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson............. 3/9 3/11 Belgium.................. ........... 535.48 ........... ........... ........... 117.25 ........... 652.73
Richard Obermann....................... 3/9 3/11 Belgium.................. ........... 946.44 ........... 2,050.50 ........... 51.00 ........... 3,047.94
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee total.................. ........ .......... ......................... ........... 1,481.92 ........... 2,050.50 ........... 168.25 ........... 3,700.67
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. LAMAR SMITH, Chairman, Apr. 15,
2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. SAM GRAVES, Chairman, Apr. 2,
2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. BILL SHUSTER, Chairman, Apr. 8,
2014.

[[Page 6296]]

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, JOINT COMMITTEE ON TAXATION, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Please Note: If there were no expenditures during the calendar quarter noted above, please check the box at right to so indicate and return. x
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. DAVE CAMP, Vice Chairman, Apr. 3,
2014.

REPORT OF EXPENDITURES FOR OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, EXPENDED BETWEEN JAN. 1 AND MAR. 31, 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Per diem \1\ Transportation Other purposes Total
---------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar U.S. dollar
Name of Member or employee Country Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent Foreign equivalent
Arrival Departure currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S. currency or U.S.
currency currency currency currency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\-----------------------\2\----
Mark Milosch........................... 2/12 2/16 Austria.................. Euro 1,487.00 ........... 1,751.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,238.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee total.................. ........ .......... ......................... ........... 1,487.00 ........... 1,751.00 ........... ........... ........... 3,238.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Per diem constitutes lodging and meals.
\2\ If foreign currency is used, enter U.S. dollar equivalent; if U.S. currency is used, enter amount expended.
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Co-Chairman,
Apr. 15, 2014.

____________________

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC.

Under clause 2 of rule XIV, executive communications were taken from
the Speaker's table and referred as follows:

5438. A letter from the Congressional Review Coordinator,
Department of Agriculture, transmitting the Department's
final rule -- Consolidation of Permit Procedures; Denial and
Revocation of Permits [Docket No.: APHIS-2011-0085] (RIN:
0579-DA76) received April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Agriculture.
5439. A letter from the Acting Under Secretary, Department
of Defense, transmitting a letter on the approved retirement
of Lieutenant General Stephen P. Mueller, United States Air
Force, and his advancement on the retired list in the grade
of lieutenant general; to the Committee on Armed Services.
5440. A letter from the Deputy Chief, Policy and Licensing
Division Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal
Communications Commission, transmitting the Commission's
final rule -- Service Rules Governing Public Safety
Narrowband Operations in the 769-775/799-805 MHz Bands [WT
Docket No.: 96-86] received April 14, 2014, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
5441. A letter from the Director, Office of Congressional
Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, transmitting the
Commission's final rule -- Response Strategies for Potential
Aircraft Threats, Regulatory Guide 1.214, Revision 1 received
April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce.
5442. A letter from the Assistant Secretary, Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting the Department's
final rule -- Amendment to the International Traffic in Arms
Regulations: Changes to Authorized Officials and the UK
Defense Trade Treaty Exemption; Correction of Terrorism
Lebanon Policy and Violations; and Adoption of Recent
Amendments as Final: Correction (RIN: 1400-AD49) received
April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
5443. A letter from the Diversity and Inclusion Programs
Director, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
transmitting the Board's FY 2013 report, pursuant to the
requirements of section 203(b) of the Notification and
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of
2002 (No Fear Act); to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform.
5444. A letter from the Chairman, Council of the District
of Columbia, transmitting Transmittal of D.C. Act 20-307,
``Small and Certified Business Enterprise Development and
Assistance Amendment Act of 2014''; to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform.
5445. A letter from the Director, Court Services and
Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia,
transmitting the Agency's annual report for FY 2013 prepared
in accordance with Section 203 of the Notification and
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of
2002 (No FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174; to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform.
5446. A letter from the Secretary, Department of
Transportation, transmitting the Department's annual report
for Fiscal Year 2013 prepared in accordance with Section 203
of the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination
and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act), Public Law 107-
174; to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
5447. A letter from the Director, Federal Housing Finance
Agency, transmitting the Agency's annual report for FY 2013
prepared in accordance with Section 203 of the Notification
and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act
of 2002 (No FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174; to the Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform.
5448. A letter from the Director, Office of Equal
Employment Opportunity Programs, National Archives,
transmitting a copy of the Administration's Fiscal Year 2013
Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and
Retaliation (No FEAR) Act Annual Report; to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform.
5449. A letter from the Acting Director, National Science
Foundation, transmitting the Foundation's annual report for
FY 2013 prepared in accordance with Title II of the
Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and
Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174; to
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
5450. A letter from the Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation, transmitting the Corporation's annual report for
FY 2013 prepared in accordance with Section 203 of the
Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and
Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174; to
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
5451. A letter from the Chief, Branch of Permits, Division
of Management Authority, USFWS, Department of the Interior,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reinstatement of the
Regulation that Excludes U.S. Captive-Bred Scimitar-Horned
Oryx, Addax, and Dama Gazelle from Certain Prohibitions
[Docket No.: FWS-HQ-IA-2014-0010; 92220-1113-0000; ABC Code:
C6] (RIN: 1018-BA47) received April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Natural Resources.
5452. A letter from the Chief, Branch of Listing,
Endangered Species, Department of the Interior, transmitting
the Department's final rule -- Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status for the
Olympia Pocket Gopher, Roy Prairie Pocket Gopher, Tenino
Pocket Gopher, and Yelm Pocket Gopher, with Special Rule
[FWS-R1-ES-2012-0088] (RIN: 1018-AZ17) received April 11,
2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on
Natural Resources.
5453. A letter from the Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, transmitting
the Department's final rule -- Migratory Bird Subsistence
Harvest in Alaska; Harvest Regulations for Migratory Birds in
Alaska During the 2014 Season [Docket No.: FWS-R7-MB-2013-
0109] [FF09M21200-123-FXMB1231099BPP0L2] (RIN: 1018-BA02)
received April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A);
to the Committee on Natural Resources.
5454. A letter from the Department of the Interior Chief,
Branch of Listing, Department of the Interior, transmitting
the Department's final rule -- Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Species
Status for the Georgetown Salamander and Salado Salamander
Throughout Their Ranges [Docket

[[Page 6297]]

No.: FWS-R2-ES-2012-0035; 4500030113] (RIN: 1018-AY22)
received April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A);
to the Committee on Natural Resources.
5455. A letter from the Chief, Branch of Recovery and State
Grants, Department of the Interior, transmitting the
Department's final rule -- Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Removing the Island Night Lizard from the Federal
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife [Docket No.: FWS-
R8-ES-2013-0099] (RIN: 1018-AY44) received April 11, 2014,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on
Natural Resources.
5456. A letter from the Acting Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Department of the
Interior, transmitting the Department's final rule -- 2013-
2014 Refuge-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations
[Docket No.: FWS-HQ-NWRS-2013-0074] (RIN: 1018-AZ87) received
April 11, 2014, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the
Committee on Natural Resources.
5457. A letter from the Chairman, Federal Maritime
Commission, transmitting the Commission's 52nd annual report
of activities for fiscal year 2013; to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
5458. A letter from the Assistant Secretary, Legislative
Affairs, Department of the Treasury, transmitting a report
concerning the operations and status of the Government
Securities Investment Fund (G-Fund) of the Federal Employees
Retirement System during the debt issuance suspension period,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8438(h); jointly to the Committees on
Ways and Means and Oversight and Government Reform.

____________________

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of committees were delivered to
the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as
follows:

[The following action occurred on April 11, 2014]

Mr. CAMP: Committee on Ways and Means. Referral to the
Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General, of former
Internal Revenue Service Exempt Organizations Division
Director Lois G. Lerner for possible criminal prosecution for
violations of one or more criminal statutes based on evidence
the Committee has uncovered in the course of the
investigation of IRS abuses (Rept. 113-414). Referred to the
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

[The following action occurred on April 14, 2014]

Mr. ISSA: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Resolution Recommending that the House of Representatives
find Lois G. Lerner, Former Director, Exempt Organizations,
Internal Revenue Service, in Contempt of Congress for Refusal
to Comply with a Subpoena Duly Issued by the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform (Rept. 113-415). Referred to
the House Calendar.

[Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 544, the following reports were
filed on April 17, 2014]

Mr. CULBERSON: Committee on Appropriations. H.R. 4486. A
bill making appropriations for military construction, the
Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and for other purposes
(Rept. 113-416). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union.
Mr. COLE: Committee on Appropriations. H.R. 4487. A bill
making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and for other purposes
(Rept. 113-417). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union.

[Submitted on April 28, 2014]

Mr. ISSA: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
H.R. 4192. A bill to amend the Act entitled ``An Act to
regulate the height of buildings in the District of
Columbia'' to clarify the rules of the District of Columbia
regarding human occupancy of penthouses above the top story
of the building upon which the penthouse is placed (Rept.
113-418). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union.
Mr. ISSA: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
H.R. 4194. A bill to provide for the elimination or
modification of Federal reporting requirements (Rept. 113-
419). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington: Committee on Natural Resources.
H.R. 4002. A bill to revoke the charter of incorporation of
the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma at the request of that tribe, and
for other purposes (Rept. 113-420). Referred to the Committee
of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington: Committee on Natural Resources.
H.R. 4120. A bill to amend the National Law Enforcement
Museum Act to extend the termination date (Rept. 113-421).
Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of
the Union.
Mr. BURGESS: Committee on Rules. House Resolution 555. A
resolution providing for consideration of the bill (H.R.
4414) to clarify the treatment under the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act of health plans in which expatriates
are the primary enrollees, and for other purposes (Rept. 113-
422). Referred to the House Calendar.

____________________

PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 2 of rule XII, public bills and resolutions of the
following titles were introduced and severally referred, as follows:

By Mr. LEWIS (for himself and Ms. Brown of Florida):
H.R. 4488. A bill to make technical corrections to two
bills enabling the presentation of congressional gold medals,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Financial
Services, and in addition to the Committee on House
Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned.
By Mr. CLEAVER (for himself, Mr. Poe of Texas, Ms.
Norton, Mr. Graves of Missouri, Mr. Yoder, Mr.
Wittman, Mr. Rush, Ms. Moore, and Mr. Young of
Alaska):
H.R. 4489. A bill to designate memorials to the service of
members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and
for other purposes; to the Committee on Natural Resources,
and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
By Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. Engel, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen,
Mr. Sherman, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Connolly, Mr.
Chabot, Mr. Keating, and Mr. Salmon):
H.R. 4490. A bill to enhance the missions, objectives, and
effectiveness of United States international communications,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
By Mr. BUCHANAN:
H.R. 4491. A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to
restore the 10-year statute of limitations applicable to
collection of debt by administrative offset; to the Committee
on the Judiciary.
By Mrs. CAPPS:
H.R. 4492. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to
provide for the availability of breastfeeding support,
supplies, and counseling under the TRICARE program; to the
Committee on Armed Services.
By Mr. CASSIDY:
H.R. 4493. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to expand the definition of minister for purposes of
excluding the rental value of a parsonage from gross income
to include duly recognized officials of nontheistic
spiritual, moral, or ethical organizations; to the Committee
on Ways and Means.
By Ms. DeGETTE (for herself and Mr. Paulsen):
H.R. 4494. A bill to launch a national strategy to support
regenerative medicine through funding for research and
commercial development of regenerative medicine products and
development of a regulatory environment that enables rapid
approval of safe and effective products, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
By Mr. FORBES (for himself and Ms. Hanabusa):
H.R. 4495. A bill to strengthen the United States
commitment to the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific
region, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed
Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
By Mr. GARDNER:
H.R. 4496. A bill to establish universal access programs to
improve high risk pools and reinsurance markets to ensure
coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, and
for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
By Mr. GARDNER:
H.R. 4497. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to provide tax relief for damages relating to federally
declared disasters during September 2013, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means.
By Mr. GRIFFITH of Virginia:
H.R. 4498. A bill to provide for the legitimate use of
medicinal marijuana in accordance with the laws of the
various States; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
By Mr. HIMES:
H.R. 4499. A bill to require reports submitted to Congress
under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to
also be submitted to the Privacy and Civil Liberties
Oversight Board; to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in
addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select),
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
By Mr. KILMER (for himself, Ms. Tsongas, and Mr.
Connolly):
H.R. 4500. A bill to improve the management of cyber and
information technology ranges and facilities of the
Department of

[[Page 6298]]

Defense, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed
Services.
By Ms. KUSTER:
H.R. 4501. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to adjust the limits on expensing of certain depreciable
business assets; to the Committee on Ways and Means.
By Mr. LUETKEMEYER:
H.R. 4502. A bill to authorize the Attorney General to
exempt certain products from the requirements of subsections
(d) and (e) of section 310 of the Controlled Substances Act
if it is not practical to use such products in the illicit
manufacture of methamphetamine; to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the
Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
By Mr. McDERMOTT:
H.R. 4503. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to permit the Secretary of the Treasury to issue
prospective guidance clarifying the employment status of
individuals for purposes of employment taxes and to prevent
retroactive assessments with respect to such clarifications;
to the Committee on Ways and Means.
By Ms. TSONGAS (for herself, Mr. Peters of California,
and Mr. Carson of Indiana):
H.R. 4504. A bill to improve military readiness by
establishing programs to consistently track, retain, and
analyze information regarding suicides involving members of
the reserve components of the Armed Forces and suicides
involving dependents of members of the regular and reserve
components; to the Committee on Armed Services.
By Ms. TSONGAS (for herself, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Larsen of
Washington, and Mr. Connolly):
H.R. 4505. A bill to direct the Comptroller General of the
United States and the Chief Information Officer of the
Department of Defense to assess the cloud security
requirements of the Department of Defense; to the Committee
on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

____________________

PRIVATE BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 3 of rule XII,
Ms. LOFGREN introduced a bill (H.R. 4506) for the
relief of Antonia Esmeralda Aguilar Belmontes; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

____________________

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the following statements are submitted regarding the
specific powers granted to Congress in the Constitution to enact the
accompanying bill or joint resolution.

By Mr. CULBERSON:
H.R. 4486.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
The principal constitutional authority for this legislation
is clause 7 of section 9 of article I of the Constitution of
the United States (the appropriation power), which states:
``No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in
Consequence of Appropriations made by Law . . . .'' In
addition, clause 1 of section 8 of article I of the
Constitution (the spending power) provides: ``The Congress
shall have the Power . . . to pay the Debts and provide for
the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States .
. . .'' Together, these specific constitutional provisions
establish the congressional power of the purse, granting
Congress the authority to appropriate funds, to determine
their purpose, amount, and period of availability, and to set
forth terms and conditions governing their use.
By Mr. COLE:
H.R. 4487.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
The principal constitutional authority for this legislation
is clause 7 of section 9 of article I of the Constitution of
the United States (the appropriation power), which states:
``No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in
Consequence of Appropriations made by Law . . . .'' In
addition, clause 1 of section 8 of article I of the
Constitution (the spending power) provides: ``The Congress
shall have the Power . . . to pay the Debts and provide for
the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States .
. . .'' Together, these specific constitutional provisions
establish the congressional power of the purse, granting
Congress the authority to appropriate funds, to determine
their purpose, amount, and period of availability, and to set
forth terms and conditions governing their use.
By Mr. LEWIS:
H.R. 4488.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 5 and Clause 18 of the United
States Constitution
By Mr. CLEAVER:
H.R. 4489.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
The constitutional authority of Congress to enact this
legislation is provided by Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2
and Article I, Section 8, Clause 18
By Mr. ROYCE:
H.R. 4490.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution
By Mr. BUCHANAN:
H.R. 4491.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution
By Mrs. CAPPS:
H.R. 4492.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the United States
Constitution.
By Mr. CASSIDY:
H.R. 4493.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the United States
Constitution.
By Ms. DeGETTE:
H.R. 4494.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1: ``The Congress shall have
Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises,
to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and
general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts
and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;''
and
Article I, Section 8, Clause 18: ``The Congress shall have
Power To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper
for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all
other Powers vested by the Constitution in the Government of
the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.''
By Mr. FORBES:
H.R. 4495.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clauses 1 and 18
By Mr. GARDNER:
H.R. 4496.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
This bill is enacted pursuant to the power granted to
Congress under Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United
States Constitution.
By Mr. GARDNER:
H.R. 4497.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I Section 8
The Congress shall have Power To lay and Collect Taxes,
Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for
the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States;
but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform
throughout the United States;
By Mr. GRIFFITH of Virginia:
H.R. 4498.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
This bill is enacted pursuant to the power granted to
Congress under Article I, Section 8 of the United States
Constitution.
By Mr. HIMES:
H.R. 4499.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United
States
By Mr. KILMER:
H.R. 4500.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 ``To make all Laws which
shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the
foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this
Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in
any Department or Officer thereof.''
By Ms. KUSTER:
H.R. 4501.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (relating to the power to
lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay
the debts and provide for the common defense and general
welfare of the United States) of the United States
Constitution.
By Mr. LUETKEMEYER:
H.R. 4502.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States
Constitution.
By Mr. McDERMOTT:
H.R. 4503.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.
By Ms. TSONGAS:
H.R. 4504.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:

[[Page 6299]]

Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution
By Ms. TSONGAS:
H.R. 4505.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution
Ms. LOFGREN:
H.R. 4506.
Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant
to the following:
Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 and Amendment I, Clause 3 of
the Constitution.

____________________

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS

Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors were added to public bills and
resolutions, as follows:

H.R. 20: Mr. Becerra, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Connolly, Mr.
Larsen of Washington, and Ms. Hahn.
H.R. 32: Mr. Stockman, Ms. Brown of Florida and Mr.
Barletta.
H.R. 54: Mr. Jolly.
H.R. 60: Mr. Lowenthal and Mr. Scott of Virginia.
H.R. 148: Mr. Waxman and Mr. Cleaver.
H.R. 155: Mr. Deutch and Mr. Gene Green of Texas.
H.R. 300: Ms. Meng.
H.R. 333: Mr. Jolly and Ms. Jackson Lee.
H.R. 351: Mr. Jolly.
H.R. 352: Mr. Labrador, Mr. Gosar, and Mr. Pompeo.
H.R. 389: Mrs. Ellmers.
H.R. 411: Mr. McDermott.
H.R. 485: Mr. Lance.
H.R. 494: Mr. Ross and Mr. Marchant.
H.R. 508: Mr. Cardenas.
H.R. 519: Mr. Doyle.
H.R. 521: Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Ms. Shea-
Porter.
H.R. 543: Ms. Frankel of Florida and Ms. Linda T. Sanchez
of California.
H.R. 556: Mr. Jolly.
H.R. 563: Ms. Shea-Porter.
H.R. 578: Mr. Young of Alaska and Mr. Gowdy.
H.R. 594: Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. Nugent, and Mr.
Wilson of South Carolina.
H.R. 676: Mr. Ryan of Ohio.
H.R. 713: Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Coble, Mr. Schrader, Mr.
LoBiondo, and Mr. Moran.
H.R. 719: Ms. DelBene and Mr. Lowenthal.
H.R. 721: Mr. Scott of Virginia.
H.R. 732: Mr. Gingrey of Georgia.
H.R. 741: Mrs. Noem.
H.R. 837: Mr. Crowley.
H.R. 906: Mr. Frelinghuysen.
H.R. 963: Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Kind, Mr. Deutch, and Mr.
Peterson.
H.R. 997: Mr. Lamborn.
H.R. 1020: Mr. Coffman, Ms. Hanabusa, Ms. Moore, Mrs.
Hartzler, and Ms. Fudge.
H.R. 1070: Mr. Israel, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Enyart, and Mr.
Peterson.
H.R. 1074: Mr. Ross, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Stockman, Ms. Frankel
of Florida, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Joyce, Mr.
Thornberry, Ms. Shea-Porter, and Mrs. McMorris Rodgers.
H.R. 1094: Mr. Coffman and Mr. Lewis.
H.R. 1141: Mr. Simpson, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. McIntyre,
Mr. McDermott and Mrs. Noem.
H.R. 1148: Mr. Goodlatte.
H.R. 1149: Mr. Gene Green of Texas.
H.R. 1175: Mr. Heck of Washington.
H.R. 1179: Mr. LoBiondo.
H.R. 1199: Ms. Gabbard.
H.R. 1201: Ms. Moore.
H.R. 1250: Mr. Messer and Mr. Quigley.
H.R. 1266: Mr. Cramer and Mr. O'Rourke.
H.R. 1284: Ms. Brown of Florida.
H.R. 1286: Mr. Horsford.
H.R. 1330: Mr. Thompson of California.
H.R. 1331: Mr. Griffin of Arkansas.
H.R. 1369: Mr. Waxman.
H.R. 1428: Mr. Peterson.
H.R. 1429: Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Meng, and Mr.
McGovern.
H.R. 1470: Mr. Schneider.
H.R. 1507: Mr. Visclosky and Ms. Meng.
H.R. 1509: Mr. Deutch.
H.R. 1515: Ms. DelBene.
H.R. 1528: Mr. King of New York.
H.R. 1563: Ms. Brown of Florida, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr.
Fleischmann, Mr. Marino, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of
New Mexico, and Mrs. McCarthy of New York.
H.R. 1573: Mr. Roskam and Ms. McCollum.
H.R. 1588: Mr. Grijalva.
H.R. 1597: Mr. Murphy of Florida.
H.R. 1619: Mr. Ellison.
H.R. 1649: Mr. Huffman.
H.R. 1666: Mr. Langevin and Mr. Gibson.
H.R. 1698: Mr. Lynch and Ms. Jackson Lee.
H.R. 1716: Mr. Gene Green of Texas.
H.R. 1736: Mr. Doyle.
H.R. 1750: Mr. Maffei, Mr. Shimkus, Mrs. Lummis, Mr.
McHenry, Mr. Rokita, and Mr. Rahall.
H.R. 1771: Mr. Hastings of Florida.
H.R. 1798: Mr. Meadows.
H.R. 1812: Mr. Mullin, Mr. Salmon, Ms. Granger, Mr. Runyan,
Mr. Collins of Georgia, Ms. Eshoo, and Mr. Hastings of
Florida.
H.R. 1821: Ms. Shea-Porter.
H.R. 1827: Mr. Johnson of Georgia and Ms. Bass.
H.R. 1830: Mrs. Beatty and Mr. Rush.
H.R. 1852: Mr. Tierney, Mr. Benishek, Mr. LoBiondo, Ms.
Wilson of Florida, and Mr. McDermott.
H.R. 1861: Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 1883: Mr. Bishop of Utah.
H.R. 1893: Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Crenshaw, Ms. Clark of
Massachusetts, and Ms. Lofgren.
H.R. 1975: Mr. Rush and Ms. Kuster.
H.R. 1998: Mrs. Bustos, Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New
Mexico, Ms. Moore, and Mr. Farenthold.
H.R. 2028: Ms. DeLauro.
H.R. 2035: Mr. Crowley.
H.R. 2037: Mr. Peterson.
H.R. 2056: Mr. Tierney.
H.R. 2101: Mr. Lewis.
H.R. 2123: Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico.
H.R. 2135: Mr. Johnson of Ohio and Mr. Peterson.
H.R. 2139: Ms. Bordallo and Mr. Paulsen.
H.R. 2203: Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr.
Owens, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. David Scott of
Georgia, Ms. Tsongas, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Huizenga of Michigan,
Mr. Mulvaney, Mr. Ross, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Becerra, and Mr.
Neugebauer.
H.R. 2324: Mr. McDermott, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Lewis, and Mr.
Gohmert.
H.R. 2332: Mr. McDermott.
H.R. 2365: Mr. Frelinghuysen.
H.R. 2377: Mr. Smith of Washington and Mr. Rush.
H.R. 2424: Mr. Yarmuth and Mr. McIntyre.
H.R. 2429: Mr. Ross, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Hanna.
H.R. 2493: Mr. Loebsack.
H.R. 2502: Ms. Esty and Mr. Barber.
H.R. 2509: Mr. Larson of Connecticut.
H.R. 2537: Mr. Cotton.
H.R. 2548: Mr. Rangel, Mr. Grimm, Ms. DelBene, and Mrs.
Wagner.
H.R. 2553: Mr. Walz and Ms. Kuster.
H.R. 2591: Mr. McCaul.
H.R. 2632: Ms. Velazquez.
H.R. 2648: Mr. Clay and Mr. Farr.
H.R. 2654: Mr. Ruiz.
H.R. 2662: Ms. Brown of Florida.
H.R. 2663: Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Joyce, Ms. Bass, and
Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico.
H.R. 2692: Mr. Lewis and Ms. Kaptur.
H.R. 2697: Ms. Norton.
H.R. 2707: Ms. Slaughter.
H.R. 2746: Mr. Crawford, Mr. Griffin of Arkansas, Mr.
Cotton, and Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia.
H.R. 2782: Mr. Tiberi.
H.R. 2794: Mr. Nugent.
H.R. 2800: Mr. Doggett, Ms. Tsongas, and Mr. Costa.
H.R. 2807: Mr. Marino, Mr. Butterfield, and Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 2825: Mr. Heck of Washington.
H.R. 2841: Ms. Tsongas and Mr. Carson of Indiana.
H.R. 2870: Mr. Murphy of Florida, Mrs. Black, and Mr.
Israel.
H.R. 2892: Mr. McHenry.
H.R. 2907: Mr. Massie.
H.R. 2921: Mr. Higgins.
H.R. 2939: Mr. Cotton, Mr. Benishek, Mr. Boustany, and Mrs.
McMorris Rodgers.
H.R. 2955: Mr. Yarmuth and Mr. Crowley.
H.R. 2959: Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Cotton, and Mr.
Bilirakis.
H.R. 2978: Ms. Brownley of California and Mr. Takano.
H.R. 2996: Mr. Chabot, Mr. Stockman, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kilmer,
Mr. O'Rourke, and Mr. Yarmuth.
H.R. 3043: Mr. Rooney.
H.R. 3097: Ms. Schwartz.
H.R. 3240: Mr. Lowenthal.
H.R. 3279: Mr. Rogers of Alabama and Mr. Cramer.
H.R. 3303: Mrs. Lowey.
H.R. 3310: Mr. Courtney.
H.R. 3313: Mr. Nunes and Mr. Thompson of California.
H.R. 3334: Mr. Peterson.
H.R. 3335: Mr. Culberson.
H.R. 3344: Mr. Yoho, Mrs. Black, Mr. O'Rourke, and Mrs.
Napolitano.
H.R. 3367: Mr. Meadows and Mrs. McMorris Rodgers.
H.R. 3377: Mr. Burgess, Mr. Culberson and Mr. Bachus.
H.R. 3382: Mr. Polis, Mr. McCaul, and Mr. Mulvaney.
H.R. 3407: Mr. Yarmuth.
H.R. 3413: Mr. Murphy of Florida.
H.R. 3416: Mr. Stivers.
H.R. 3461: Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Lewis,
and Mr. Takano.
H.R. 3478: Mr. Amodei and Mr. Terry.
H.R. 3494: Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Cummings, Ms. Michelle
Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. Takano, Mr. LoBiondo, and
Mr. Carson of Indiana.
H.R. 3505: Mr. Peterson, Mr. Moran, and Mr. McHenry.
H.R. 3549: Mr. Franks of Arizona.
H.R. 3571: Mr. Dent, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Tsongas,
Mr. Collins of New York, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. Shea-
Porter, and Mr. Enyart.
H.R. 3593: Mr. Stivers.
H.R. 3600: Mr. Carson of Indiana.
H.R. 3601: Mr. Graves of Missouri.
H.R. 3610: Mr. Yoho, Mr. Moran, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Holding,
Mrs. Black, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Herrera Beutler, Mr. Cramer, and
Mr. Latta.
H.R. 3619: Ms. Lee of California.
H.R. 3655: Mr. Lewis.
H.R. 3657: Mr. King of New York.
H.R. 3665: Mr. Lynch, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Peterson, and Mr.
Michaud.

[[Page 6300]]

H.R. 3673: Mr. Guthrie, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Barber, and Mr.
Carson of Indiana.
H.R. 3689: Ms. Foxx.
H.R. 3698: Ms. McCollum.
H.R. 3708: Mr. Walberg, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Neugebauer,
and Mr. Goodlatte.
H.R. 3712: Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Capuano, Mr.
Doggett, and Ms. Speier.
H.R. 3723: Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mr. Johnson of
Georgia, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Walorski, Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of
New Mexico, Mr. Roe of Tennessee, and Mr. Rokita.
H.R. 3742: Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico.
H.R. 3744: Mr. Connolly.
H.R. 3833: Ms. Shea-Porter, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Lofgren,
and Mr. Graves of Missouri.
H.R. 3836: Ms. Kuster, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Aderholt, and Mr.
Vargas.
H.R. 3854: Mr. Kind, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Enyart,
Mr. Conyers, Ms. Esty, and Mr. Nunes.
H.R. 3877: Mr. Posey, Mr. Heck of Washington, and Mr.
Peterson.
H.R. 3925: Ms. Schakowsky.
H.R. 3929: Mr. Grijalva and Mr. Schneider.
H.R. 3930: Mr. Flores, Mr. Benishek, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Smith
of Missouri, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Woodall, Ms. Shea-
Porter, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Kline, Mr. Marino,
Ms. Brown of Florida, and Mr. Loebsack.
H.R. 3978: Mr. Lipinski, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New
York, and Mr. McIntyre.
H.R. 3982: Ms. Tsongas and Ms. Lee of California.
H.R. 3988: Mrs. Napolitano.
H.R. 3992: Mr. Polis, Mr. Chaffetz, Ms. Wasserman Schultz,
Mr. Coffman, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Coble, and Mr. Daines.
H.R. 4031: Mr. Posey, Mr. Walden, Ms. Jenkins, Mr. Shimkus,
Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Stockman, Mr. Cook,
and Mr. Wenstrup.
H.R. 4035: Mr. Langevin, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. Grijalva.
H.R. 4040: Mr. Moran and Ms. Lofgren.
H.R. 4058: Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Yoho, Mrs. Black, Ms. Herrera
Beutler, Mr. Cramer, and Mr. Rangel.
H.R. 4060: Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Brooks of Alabama, and Mr.
DesJarlais.
H.R. 4092: Ms. Tsongas and Ms. Speier.
H.R. 4102: Ms. Pingree of Maine and Mr. Carson of Indiana.
H.R. 4106: Mr. Byrne and Mr. Holding.
H.R. 4108: Ms. Shea-Porter.
H.R. 4119: Ms. Waters, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Rush,
and Ms. Wilson of Florida.
H.R. 4131: Mr. Doggett.
H.R. 4148: Mr. Foster, Ms. Pingree of Maine, Mr. Capuano,
Mr. DeFazio, and Mr. George Miller of California.
H.R. 4158: Mr. Johnson of Ohio.
H.R. 4162: Mr. Scott of Virginia.
H.R. 4173: Mrs. Napolitano.
H.R. 4188: Mr. Benishek, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Conyers, Mr.
Jones, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Peterson, and Mr. Rangel.
H.R. 4190: Mr. Roe of Tennessee, Mr. Jeffries, Ms. Michelle
Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Rush, Mr.
Peterson, and Mr. Harper.
H.R. 4208: Mr. Takano and Ms. Bass.
H.R. 4213: Mr. Joyce.
H.R. 4219: Mrs. Wagner.
H.R. 4221: Ms. Bass.
H.R. 4225: Mr. Schock, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Rothfus, Mr.
Walberg, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Granger, Mr. Barr, Mr. Murphy of
Pennsylvania, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Pearce, Ms. Herrera
Beutler, Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. Cramer, and Mrs. Walorski.
H.R. 4226: Mrs. Napolitano.
H.R. 4227: Ms. DelBene, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Rangel,
Ms. Schwartz, and Mr. Deutch.
H.R. 4234: Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Griffin of Arkansas, and Mr.
Johnson of Georgia.
H.R. 4254: Mr. Posey.
H.R. 4261: Mr. Yoder.
H.R. 4272: Mrs. McMorris Rodgers.
H.R. 4285: Mrs. Davis of California.
H.R. 4304: Mr. Cotton, Mr. Price of Georgia, Mr. Meadows,
and Mr. Rokita.
H.R. 4305: Ms. Gabbard, Mr. Coffman, Ms. Norton, and Mr.
McGovern.
H.R. 4308: Mr. Nugent.
H.R. 4316: Mr. Cotton, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Gosar, and Mr.
Olson.
H.R. 4317: Mr. Cotton, Mr. Cramer, and Mr. Gosar.
H.R. 4318: Mr. Cotton, Mr. Gosar, and Mr. Cramer.
H.R. 4320: Mr. Goodlatte.
H.R. 4321: Mr. Goodlatte.
H.R. 4325: Ms. DeLauro and Mr. Gene Green of Texas.
H.R. 4342: Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Nugent, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Wolf,
and Mr. Griffin of Arkansas.
H.R. 4346: Mr. Cotton.
H.R. 4349: Mr. Cotton.
H.R. 4351: Mr. Joyce, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California,
Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Matheson, Mr.
Butterfield, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Eshoo,
Mr. Doyle, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Yarmuth, Mr. Lance, Ms. Lofgren,
Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Tipton, Mr. Nugent, Mr.
Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Coble, Mr. Braley of Iowa, Mr.
Israel, Mr. Farenthold, Mr. Vela, Mr. Honda, Mr. Peterson,
Ms. Meng, Mr. Rokita, and Mr. King of Iowa.
H.R. 4365: Mr. Enyart, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Chabot,
Ms. Fudge, Mr. Turner, Mr. Marino, and Mr. Ellison.
H.R. 4367: Mr. Daines and Mr. Massie.
H.R. 4370: Mr. Salmon.
H.R. 4383: Mr. Bachus.
H.R. 4387: Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Stivers, and
Mr. Hultgren.
H.R. 4388: Mr. Rangel.
H.R. 4407: Mr. Collins of New York, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr.
Benishek, Mr. Duffy, and Mr. Peterson.
H.R. 4410: Mr. Enyart, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. McGovern.
H.R. 4415: Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Ms.
DeLauro, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Esty, Mr. Foster, Ms. Frankel of
Florida, Mr. Garcia, Mr. Grayson, Mr. Hastings of Florida,
Mr. Heck of Washington, Mr. Honda, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Jackson
Lee, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Carolyn B.
Maloney of New York, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Moran, Mr. Murphy of
Florida, Mr. Nadler, Mrs. Negrete McLeod, Mr. Payne, Mr.
Pierluisi, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Ruppersberger, Ms. Schwartz, Mr.
Scott of Virginia, Ms. Speier, Ms. Waters, Ms. Wilson of
Florida, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Braley of Iowa, Mrs.
Christensen, Ms. Chu, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Cummings, Mr. DeFazio,
Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California,
Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Cooper, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr.
Doyle, Mr. Farr, Mr. Israel, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Ms.
Roybal-Allard, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr.
Thompson of California, Mr. Rush, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of
California, Mr. Welch, Mr. Gibson, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Himes, Mrs.
Kirkpatrick, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr.
Lewis, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr. Meeks, Mr.
Pastor of Arizona, Mr. Schiff, and Ms. Velazquez.
H.R. 4426: Mr. Walz and Mr. Connolly.
H.R. 4427: Mr. McGovern.
H.R. 4429: Mr. Roskam and Mr. Smith of Nebraska.
H.R. 4438: Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Ms. Jenkins,
Mr. Reed, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr. Kelly of
Pennsylvania, Mr. Boustany, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Young
of Indiana, and Mr. Marino.
H.R. 4445: Mr. Rangel.
H.R. 4450: Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Hanabusa, Mr.
Cardenas, Mr. Keating, Mr. Israel, and Ms. Norton.
H.R. 4457: Mr. Neugebauer, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Reed, Mr.
Loebsack, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Griffin of Arkansas,
Mr. Ribble, and Mr. Smith of Nebraska.
H.R. 4459: Mr. Ellison, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Fudge, Mr.
Cummings, and Mr. Lewis.
H.R. 4460: Mr. Jolly, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr.
Swalwell of California, and Ms. Schakowsky.
H.R. 4464: Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California.
H.J. Res. 50: Mr. Barletta.
H.J. Res. 113: Ms. Waters, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Kelly of
Illinois, Ms. Sinema, and Ms. Esty.
H. Con. Res. 16: Mr. McKinley, Mr. Culberson, Mr. Lynch,
and Mr. Keating.
H. Con. Res. 27: Mr. Blumenauer.
H. Con. Res. 51: Mr. Rothfus and Mr. Connolly.
H. Con. Res. 86: Mr. Walden, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Price of North
Carolina, and Mr. Gibbs.
H. Con. Res. 94: Mr. Cotton.
H. Res. 30: Ms. Tsongas and Mr. Jolly.
H. Res. 72: Ms. Brown of Florida.
H. Res. 109: Mr. Johnson of Georgia.
H. Res. 169: Mr. Shimkus, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Wilson of
Florida, and Mr Lewis.
H. Res. 190: Mr. Moran, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Courtney, Ms.
Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Keating, Mr.
Cotton, and Ms. Tsongas.
H. Res. 208: Mr. Engel.
H. Res. 284: Mr. Cuellar.
H. Res. 365: Mr. Courtney.
H. Res. 412: Mr. Stivers.
H. Res. 422: Mr. Carson of Indiana.
H. Res. 489: Mr. Ellison and Mr. McGovern.
H. Res. 494: Mr. Simpson and Mr. Carson of Indiana.
H. Res. 503: Mr. Doyle.
H. Res. 522: Mr. Honda.
H. Res. 525: Mr. Higgins and Ms. Waters.
H. Res. 526: Ms. Kaptur and Ms. Jenkins.
H. Res. 527: Ms. Titus.
H. Res. 532: Mrs. Napolitano and Mr. Lowenthal.
H. Res. 538: Mr. Rangel.
H. Res. 540: Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mr. Graves of
Missouri, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Ms.
Schwartz.
H. Res. 545: Mr. Gibson.
H. Res. 547: Mr. Southerland, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania,
Mr. Stockman, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Huelskamp,
Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Daines, Mr. Harris, Mr.
Neugebauer, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mr.
Latta.

____________________

CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, OR LIMITED TARIFF
BENEFITS

Under clause 9 of rule XXI, lists or statements on congressional
earmarks,

[[Page 6301]]

limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits were submitted as
follows:

Offered By Mr. Camp

The provisions that warranted a referral to the Committee
on Ways and Means in H.R. 4414, ``Expatriate Health Coverage
Clarification Act of 2014,'' do not contain any congressional
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as
defined in clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the U.S.
House of Representatives.

Offered By Mr. Goodlatte

The provisions that warranted a referral to the Committee
on Judiciary in H.R. 4414 do not contain any congressional
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as
defined in clause 9 of rule XXI.

Offered By Mr. Hastings of Washington

The provisions of H.R. 4414, the Expatriate Health Coverage
Clarification Act of 2014, that fall within the jurisdiction
of the Committee on Natural Resources do not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of House rule XXI.

Offered By Mr. Kline

The provisions that warranted a referral to the Committee
on Education and the Workforce in H.R. 4414, the Expatriate
Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014, do not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule XXI.

Offered By Mrs. Miller of Michigan

The provisions that warranted a referral to the Committee
on House Administration in H.R. 4414 do not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule XXI.

Offered By Mr. Upton

The provisions that warranted a referral to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce in H.R. 4414 do not contain any
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule XXI.

____________________

AMENDMENTS

Under clause 8 of rule XVIII, proposed amendments were submitted as
follows:

H.R. 4486

Offered by: Mr. Rothfus

Amendment No. 1: At the end of the bill (before the short
title), insert the following:
Sec. __. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a
performance award under section 5384 of title 5, United
States Code.

[[Page 6302]]

EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS
____________________

RECOGNIZING THE 75TH THEODOR LANG MAY DAY MEDICAL CONFERENCE

______

HON. ADAM KINZINGER

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize OSF
Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois, as it holds the
75th Theodor Lang May Day Medical Conference on May 1 and 2, 2014. One
of the oldest medical conferences in the United States, May Day was
started by Dr. Lang, a radiologist serving Saint Anthony Hospital. Dr.
Lang's goal was to improve patient care by gathering physicians from
the region for a day of education and fellowship under a large tent.
The May Day conference has outgrown the tent on the front lawn, but OSF
continues to strive to improve patient care by bringing fellowship and
continuing medical education to health care providers.
Throughout the years, the May Day conference has attracted such
renowned speakers as Dr. Christiaan Barnard, the surgeon from South
Africa who performed the first human-to-human heart transplant, as well
as Abigail Van Buren and Ralph Nader.
The physicians who have addressed the May Day conference through the
years have come from some of the most prestigious institutions in the
United States, including the University of Illinois Medical School,
Washington University Medical School, Chicago Lying-In Hospital,
University of Chicago, Penn State School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic,
Children's Memorial Hospital, Hines Veterans Administration Hospital,
Northwestern Medical School, Baylor University Medical Center, Sloane-
Kettering, and the National Institutes of Health.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to
express our deepest thanks to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center for
continuing to provide valuable continuing education to clinicians and
students.

____________________

CELEBRATING MR. JOHN KRAMER

______

HON. JARED HUFFMAN

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, we rise today in memory of John Kramer, who
passed away on February 26, 2014, after a battle with cancer. A
longtime Sonoma State University political science professor and icon
of the North Bay progressive community, Mr. Kramer was a champion of
social justice and environmental causes and an outspoken advocate for
the issues in which he passionately believed.
After a childhood in suburban Cincinnati, Kramer earned a bachelor's
degree from Miami University and a master's degree in physics from the
University of Illinois. In 1961, he volunteered with a program that was
the precursor to the Peace Corps and helped build a community building
in Guinea, West Africa. After receiving a Ph.D. in political science
from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, John joined the faculty of
Sonoma State in 1970, lecturing hundreds of students during a
distinguished career spanning more than 40 years. In 1987, he was
awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study public broadcasting policy in
Europe.
Together with his wife, Nancy Dobbs, Kramer co-founded local public
television station KRCB and was an active board member of Sonoma County
Conservation Action, the political arm of the local environmental
movement, in addition to his involvement in many other community
organizations and pursuits.
Mr. Speaker, John Kramer leaves a legacy of political action,
education, and community service that will not soon be forgotten. It is
therefore appropriate that we pay tribute to him today and express our
deepest condolences to his wife Nancy Dobbs, and his children Annie
Dobbs Kramer, Andrew Dobbs Kramer, and Ian Dobbs Dixon.

____________________

CONGRATULATING CHANDLER AND MARIA SMITH ON THE BIRTH OF THEIR CHILD

______

HON. MARKWAYNE MULLIN

of oklahoma

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MULLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Chandler and
Maria Smith on the birth of their daughter, Rosslyn Marie Smith.
When my wife and I were married sixteen years ago, Chandler was our
ring bearer. His family is very special, and I have been close to his
parents for years.
Chandler graduated Basic Training on December 13, 2013 as a Private
First Class, and graduated from the Infantry Training Battalion on
April 1, 2014. It's my privilege to honor him for becoming a father.
Rosslyn Marie Smith was born on December 28, 2013. She and her
mother, Maria, are both healthy, and their family is currently
stationed at the United States Marine Base in Camp Pendleton,
California. I thank Chandler for his service and his commitment to our
country. I wish him and Maria all the best as they watch their daughter
grow.
I ask my colleagues to join me, Chandler, and Maria in celebrating
Rosslyn Marie Smith's birth, and look forward for the many years of
happiness for their family.

____________________

CURTIS WILSON TRIBUTE

______

HON. SCOTT R. TIPTON

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Curtis Wilson, a
dedicated educator and principal of Centauri High School in La Jara,
Colorado. In recognition of his continued excellence, the Colorado
Association of Secondary School Principals has selected Mr. Wilson as
the 2014 Colorado Principal of the Year.
This highly competitive award is based on personal excellence,
collaborative leadership, curriculum, instruction, assessment and
personalization of learning for students. In every one of these
criteria, Mr. Wilson far exceeds expectations. Students and teachers
alike praise Mr. Wilson's ability to motivate students to never settle
for less than their best. Centauri High School is located in the second
most impoverished county in Colorado providing a number of challenges
including tight budget restraints. Despite these challenges, under Mr.
Wilson's leadership, the students of Centauri High School achieve
strong academic results.
Mr. Speaker, it is truly a privilege to honor Mr. Wilson for his
outstanding performance and leadership. Through his dedication to
excellence, he continues to inspire his students. I congratulate Mr.
Wilson on his selection for this prestigious award, and thank him for
his continued service to his students.

____________________

HONORING THE WEST SUBURBAN WATER COMMISSION 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS
INCORPORATION

______

HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 50th
anniversary of the West Suburban Water Commission, which celebrated the
milestone on April 23, 2014. The Water Commission was created to
provide the residents of Justice and Willow Springs clean and safe
water. Chairman Alan Nowaczyk, who also serves as the Mayor of Willow
Springs, has provided great leadership to the Water Commission and
continues to expand the excellent service it provides.
Founded in May of 1964, it was originally named the Justice-Willow
Springs Water Commissions. The Water Commission became incorporated in
Cook Country which created a utility with a mission to providing safe
and clean water to the residents of Justice and Willow Springs. From
that point on the newly

[[Page 6303]]

formed Water Commission began planning major projects to enhance and
expand service throughout community.
One of the Commission's first major accomplishments came in 1975 when
the Water Commission finished installing a new water main to expand
service to North Willow Springs. Just over a decade later in 1986 the
Water Commission faced its first major crisis when the Des Plaines
River flooded. The flood displaced thousands and caused an estimated
$35 million in damage to the surrounding community. The Water
Commission responded by working around the clock to pump water from the
streets and get life back to normal in the western suburbs.
Since the flood, the Water Commission has committed itself to
upgrading and improving the infrastructure of the rapidly growing area.
For example, The Commission added a new computerized monitoring system
increased the efficiency of the newly renamed Water Commission. This
year the Water Commission was renamed the West Suburban water
Commission to signify the expanding scope of the commission and usher
in the next chapter of its history.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the great
service that the West Suburban Water Commission has provided to the
citizens of Justice and Willow Springs. May their selfless dedication
to their community serve as example to us all.

____________________

39TH ANNUAL LABOR AND COMMUNITY AWARDS RECEPTION

______

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

of indiana

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to congratulate
several of Northwest Indiana's finest citizens. The Northwest Indiana
Federation of Labor, American Federation of Labor-Congress of
Industrial Organizations, recognized several individuals for their
dedication and service during the 39th Annual Labor and Community
Awards Reception, which was held at Wicker Park in Highland, Indiana,
on Thursday, April 24, 2014. These individuals, in addition to all
Northwest Indiana Federation of Labor members who have served Northwest
Indiana so diligently for such a long period of time, are the epitome
of the ideal American worker: loyal, dedicated, and hardworking.
At this year's event, several individuals and organizations received
special recognition. The Joseph A. Beirne Community Service Award is
presented each year to local and national labor leaders for their
volunteer service to United Way. This year, Jim Stemmler, retired
Business Manager for Ironworkers Local 395, was the recipient of this
prestigious honor for his outstanding dedication and noteworthy service
to the United Way movement.
Dave Fagan, Financial Secretary, International Union of Operating
Engineers Local 150, is this year's recipient of the President's Award.
Mr. Fagan was honored for enhancing the well-being of workers
throughout Northwest Indiana through countless contributions to further
the philosophy of the Labor Movement.
The Union Label Award was presented to Lake County Sheriff John
Buncich for his unselfish devotion to the Labor Movement through its
promotion in all areas of endeavor: social, civic, educational, and
political.
Larry Regan, Vice President, Teamsters Local 142, was honored with
the Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of Labor activism and
his commitment to his community. For the exceptional service he has
provided to the people of Northwest Indiana, he is worthy of our
admiration and respect.
Dr. Debra Dudek, Director of Title and Special Student Services for
the Portage School District, was honored with the Community Services
Award for her exemplary service to her community and to the enhancement
of the quality of life for the people of Northwest Indiana.
The Industrial Sector Award was presented to Dave McCall, Director,
District 1, United Steelworkers, for his leadership and support of
working families throughout Northwest Indiana.
David Tharp, Midwest District Vice President, Carpenters Local 1005,
was the recipient of the Building Trades Sector Award, which was
bestowed upon him for his many years of service to the Labor Movement
and his outstanding dedication to his fellow union members.
Tim Murray, of the Ceramic Tile, Terrazzo and Granite Cutters Union
Local 21, and Michael Larson, of the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers Local 697, received the George Meany Award for their
significant contributions to the youth of their communities through
their involvement with the Boy Scouts of America.
Northwest Indiana has a rich history of excellence in its
craftsmanship and loyalty by its tradesmen. These honorees are all
outstanding examples of these qualities. They have demonstrated their
loyalty to their unions and the Northwest Indiana community through
their hard work and tireless service.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me
in congratulating these dedicated, honorable, and exemplary citizens,
as well as all of the hardworking union men and women throughout
America. They have shown commitment and courage toward their pursuits,
and I am proud to represent them in Washington, DC.

____________________

HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF G. RICARDO SALAS

______

HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

of guam

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy
of former Guam Senator G. Ricardo Salas, a dedicated public servant and
successful businessman on Guam. Senator Salas passed away on April 4,
2014, at the age of 90.
Affectionately known as Rick, G. Ricardo Salas was born in Guam's
capital city of Hagatna on November 14, 1923, to Jose and Coltilde
Santos Salas. When he was just eight years old, Rick began helping with
his family's business; he would assist his father and brother in their
architecture and land-surveying professions and walk through the
streets of Hagatna selling baked goods.
As a young man on Guam after World War II, Rick decided to move to
the U.S. mainland to pursue higher education. He graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from Doane College in Crete,
Nebraska, in 1949.
Mr. Salas married Rosa Teresita Perez on November 26, 1951. Together
they had eight children: Richard Conrad, Sr.; Melissa; Ronald John;
Kathleen Angelica; Lucina Elaine; Teresita Marie; Vicente Ramon and
Solange Mirim. They also raised their first grandchild, Richard ``Ricky
Boy'' Conrad, Jr., and were blessed with 19 grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren.
Rick began his career of public service with the Government of Guam,
working at the Department of Land Management and later at the
Department of Revenue and Taxation. He was an active member of the
Republican Party of Guam, and in 1972, he represented Guam as a
delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 19XX, he was elected
a Senator to the 12th Guam Legislature. He went on to serve an
additional term in the 13th Guam Legislature before returning to the
private sector.
As a businessman, Senator Salas played an integral role in
diversifying business on Guam. He used his background in real-estate to
successfully attract international clientele from Asia to invest in
Guam. He also managed his family businesses, the Salas Agency
Corporation, Salas Services, and Salas Equipment Co. until his
retirement in 2005. However, despite retiring many continued to rely on
his advice and expertise of real estate on Guam.
Senator Salas will always be remembered for his years of public
service and many contributions to the people of Guam. I am deeply
saddened by his passing, and I join the people of Guam in mourning a
great businessman and statesman. My thoughts and prayers are with his
family and friends. His legacy will live on in the memories of the
people of Guam.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF THE ART OF MAGIC

______

HON. PETE SESSIONS

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of one of my
constituents, Dal Sanders, National President of The Society of
American Magicians, to recognize magic as an art.
The art of magic has been around for centuries and is intended to
entertain audiences with the staging of tricks and creating seemingly
impossible illusions. Throughout its history, magic has grown to show
innovative and creative ways to delight and engage audiences worldwide.
It takes a great deal of dedication and a strong work ethic to devote
the practice time necessary to master this art.

[[Page 6304]]

I would specifically like to take this opportunity to recognize the
world's oldest magic organization, The Society of American Magicians,
SAM. Since its founding in 1902, The SAM has attempted to elevate and
advance the art of magic by promoting an environment for magicians
worldwide to come together and share their passion. The SAM members
follow in the footsteps of renowned magicians Harry Houdini and Howard
Thurston, who each served as national president of The SAM, and Harry
Blackstone, Jr., and David Copperfield, who both have served as The SAM
ambassadors.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my esteemed colleagues to join me in recognizing
the art of magic.

____________________

HONORING RABBI JOHN ROSOVE

______

HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my dear friend
Rabbi John Rosove as he celebrates his 25th anniversary with Temple
Israel of Hollywood (TIOH).
I have had the incredible privilege of knowing Rabbi Rosove
throughout his tenure at TIOH and truly look to him as a leader in the
Los Angeles faith-based community. Rabbi Rosove's work has extended
well beyond the walls of TIOH. He has made a tremendous impact on the
City of Los Angeles as a whole with his successful efforts to promote
social action and improve education. Our entire community owes him a
debt of gratitude for his tireless work.
Under Rabbi Rosove's leadership, TIOH has blossomed and become well-
respected for its strong programs and great efforts to improve the
lives of Angelenos. TIOH's Big Sunday Weekend of Service is one example
of the exemplary programs Rabbi Rosove has spearheaded. It has grown to
become one of the largest volunteer service days in California.
Additionally, Rabbi Rosove is responsible for the TIOH Green Team, a
group of community members and schools committed to promoting a number
of initiatives, including the use of reusable containers and bags,
consumption of organically or locally grown food, and reduction of
energy utilization.
Rabbi Rosove's vision has also given TIOH's work international
recognition. He was the 2002 recipient of the World Union for
Progressive Judaism International Humanitarian Award and has received
special commendation from the State of Israel Bonds. In addition, he
formed twin synagogue relationships with TIOH and Kehillat Mevasseret
Zion, Israel, and with Congregation Darchei Noam in Ramat Hasharon,
Israel, as well as with the Progressive Synagogues in Kiev and Kharkov,
Ukraine.
I would like to congratulate Rabbi Rosove on 25 remarkable years with
TIOH. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating his inspiring
career and in wishing him all the best for the future.

____________________

HONORING PASTOR WALSTONE FRANCIS OF SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH ON HIS 22ND
ANNIVERSARY

______

HON. BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Pastor Walstone
Francis of Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan, on his 22nd Pastoral
Anniversary. Pastor Francis has been a dedicated community servant, a
passionate religious leader, and an important and prominent figure in
the suburban Chicago district that I represent.
Since 1992, Pastor Francis has offered his vision, his guidance and
his spiritual insight to Waukegan and established himself as an
invaluable leader in and out of the religious community.
A moving preacher, dedicated scholar, gifted writer and clear
communicator, Pastor Francis is an exemplary ambassador for the Shiloh
community. His tremendous impact in the community is also a testament
to the great immigrant tradition of this country, having obtained
citizenship two years after being called to pastor Shiloh.
In his distinguished 22 years, he has crowned seven deacons, licensed
ten ministers and ordained six preachers--ensuring that his passion
for, and commitment to scripture and positive vision continue through
the work and preaching of others.
Leaders like Pastor Walstone Francis ensure our communities remain
vibrant, strong and focused, in common purpose, on giving back and
helping our neighbors.
Congratulations again to Pastor Francis on 22 years with Shiloh
Baptist Church. I look forward to many more years and many more
celebrations in the future.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF DR. JANE CHU OF THE KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS

______

HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Dr. Jane Chu,
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kauffman Center for the
Performing Arts, located in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District,
which I am proud to represent. The promotion of creativity through
artistic endeavor that leads to innovation and exposure to the arts has
been Jane Chu's personal and professional persona. In Kansas City, this
self-proclaimed workaholic has earned the reputation for stimulating
change through a multitude of artistic disciplines, philanthropy and
professional management skills. She helped to reinvigorate our historic
Union Station as the Vice President of External Relations.
Additionally, she served as Vice President of Community Investment for
the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and as Trustee for William
Jewell College.
Her professional imprint and legacy on Kansas City can best be found
through her work since 2006 as President and CEO of the prestigious
Kauffman Center. The $413 million center was designed by renowned
architect Moshe Safdie. The magnificent structure houses two state of
the art theaters, the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Theatre and Helzberg
Hall. Since its grand opening in September 2011, more than 1 million
people have attended events at the Kauffman Center. The center has
elevated Kansas City's stature due in large part to Dr. Chu's ability
to work internationally, nationally and locally to bring programing and
funding to our community.
With programing for every genre of music, opera, theater and dance,
the Kauffman Center is truly a place for artistic discovery. Audiences
soon become absorbed in performances that can impact the spirit,
elevate the imagination, entertain and stimulate thought. She has
engaged the community and stressed the educational rewards that stem
from exposure to art. And it is all happening in the heartland, in
Kansas City.
Dr. Chu was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but was raised in Arkadelphia,
Arkansas, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Learning both English and
Mandarin at home, she used music as an outlet and means to cultural
assimilation. No doubt reflective of growing up in academia, her
father, Dr. Finley Chu, Chairman of Ouachita Baptist University
Economics and Business Departments, encouraged her to always keep
learning. Her mother, Rosemary ``Mom'' Chu, demonstrated amazing
strength through her own perilous journey as a teenager to escape
communist China. Serving as an inspiration, Rosemary has the honor of
having the Mom Chu House in Gosser Hall at Ouachita bear her name.
In 1979, Dr. Chu received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance
and a Bachelor in Music Education from Ouachita Baptist University. She
would augment her education with Masters Degrees in Music and Piano
Pedagogy from Southern Methodist University, a MBA from Rockhurst
University and a Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana
University. In addition, she can proudly boast of an Honorary Doctorate
in Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of
Music and Dance.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in expressing
our appreciation to Dr. Jane Chu for her continued contributions to our
country's artistic culture. As she continues her work to bring
communities together through music and art, she inspires the next
generation of artists. Dr. Chu has enriched the lives of many in Kansas
City and around our country, making her truly deserving of our
recognition and gratitude.

____________________

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

______

HON. GARY C. PETERS

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on Friday April 4, 2014, I was
not present for 6 votes. I wish the record to reflect my intentions had
I been present to vote.

[[Page 6305]]

Had I been present for rollcall No. 159, I would have voted ``aye.''
Had I been present for rollcall No. 160, I would have voted ``aye.''
Had I been present for rollcall No. 161, I would have voted ``aye.''
Had I been present for rollcall No. 162, I would have voted ``aye.''
Had I been present for rollcall No. 163, I would have voted ``aye.''
Had I been present for rollcall No. 164, I would have voted ``no.''

____________________

COLORADO MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM

______

HON. CORY GARDNER

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Colorado Model
Railroad Museum at the Greeley Freight Station.
Throughout our history, Colorado has been known for its numerous
scenic railroads. Now this great state is also known around the world
for housing America's finest railroad of another type--a model
railroad. Just as the great railroads of America started with the dream
of one man, so did the Greeley Freight Station Museum.
This story begins with a man named David Trussell, who grew up around
the railroads and began modeling them early in his life. After serving
in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Mr. Trussell bought his first newspaper
business and began his journey towards his greatest achievement. Mr.
Trussell moved to Greeley, Colorado, to publish the Greeley Tribune,
which he owned from 1990-1997. The Trussells fell in love with Colorado
and Mr. Trussell decided to build his dream in this great state. He
wanted to see if he could construct the ``ultimate'' model railroad. He
purchased land directly between the Union Pacific mainline from Denver
to Cheyenne and the Great Western Railroad's Greeley branch line. The
plan was to build a new facility to house a 5,500 square-foot model
railroad. A dedication for the building was held on February 11th,
2004. After more than 5\1/2\ years of construction, the Greeley Freight
Station Museum opened its doors to the public on Memorial Day weekend
of 2009. 1,800 visitors enjoyed the grand opening.
Since its inception 10 years ago, the museum has become one of the
largest year-round attractions in northern Colorado. During its first 4
years of operation, the museum saw more than 60,000 visitors, and most
of that time, the museum was only open one day per week. With visitors
from all 50 states in the first year and from over 45 different foreign
countries since opening, the museum has become an international
attraction, and is now open daily during the summer months of high
tourism.
The museum has been showcased on the cover of three international
model railroading magazines and has been the feature of the PBS show,
``Tracks Ahead''. The economic impact for Greeley and Weld County from
the influx of visitors has been substantial and with the increase in
motor coach tours to the museum, it will only continue to grow. This
family-friendly museum has been ``bursting at the seams,'' so to speak,
and now has outgrown its name too. Due to the increase in out-of-state
and out-of-country visitors, the Greeley Freight Station Museum
celebrated the tenth anniversary of its dedication on February 11,
2014, with a new name. The museum will now be the Colorado Model
Railroad Museum at the Greeley Freight Station. Please join me in
congratulating the Colorado Model Railroad Museum on its success.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF JOHN H. PRICE ON THE OCCASION OF
OBTAINING STATE RECOGNITION AS FIRE OFFICER AND CERTIFIED FIRE
INVESTIGATOR

______

HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

of pennsylvania

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Deputy Fire Chief
John H. Price for receiving the professional designations of Certified
Fire Investigator and Fire Officer. Deputy Chief Price has been a
firefighter for the Easton Fire Department for 31\1/2\ years. After
five years of study and hard work, Deputy Chief Price received the
Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) certification. Through education,
training, and years of experience, he met the requirements needed to
pass the comprehensive exam and successfully obtain certification.
Deputy Chief Price joins the 58 other Certified Fire Investigators in
Pennsylvania. Additionally, Deputy Chief Price was awarded the
designation of Fire Officer (FO) by the Commission on Professional
Credentialing. There are only three Fire Officers in Pennsylvania, and
Deputy Chief Price is the first officer from the Lehigh Valley to
obtain that distinction.
I offer my congratulations to Deputy Chief Price for obtaining the
Certified Fire Investigator and Fire Officer certifications, and I
applaud him for his continuing dedication to the City of Easton Fire
Department and his outstanding efforts to develop as a professional in
order to keep the Easton community safe. I ask my fellow Members to
join me in recognizing Deputy Chief John Price for his outstanding
service and achievements.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOODBANK OF MONMOUTH AND
OCEAN COUNTIES

______

HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

of new jersey

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the FoodBank
of Monmouth and Ocean Counties as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Since 1984, the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties has been
providing resources to try to combat food insecurity in Monmouth and
Ocean Counties and their efforts are truly deserving of this body's
recognition.
Since its opening, the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (the
FoodBank) has grown immensely in size and mission. Started in a
warehouse in Spring Lake with the help of volunteers and donated
supplies, the FoodBank quickly began receiving food from hundreds of
donors to assist residents of the Jersey Shore. Within 10 years, the
FoodBank went from serving 25 charities with 100,000 pounds of food in
1985 to distributing almost 2 million pounds of food. In 2001, the
FoodBank opened an expanded 40,000 square foot facility in Neptune to
accommodate the growing demand and today serves 260 agencies with over
8.5 million pounds of food annually.
Although its largest program is emergency food distribution, the
FoodBank also began programs and resources to further assist local
residents and increase efforts to create food-secure communities. The
FoodBank offers residents a culinary training program, nutrition
education, free tax preparation, SNAP application assistance and
assistance with the Affordable Care Act through trained and certified
Health Care Marketplace navigators.
Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in congratulating the
FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties as it celebrates its 30th
anniversary this year. The organization continues to provide
outstanding service to the residents of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGIC SHOOTING AT FORT HOOD

______

HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest
sorrow for the family members of those that were lost in the terrible
tragedy that occurred on April 2, 2014, at Fort Hood, in my home State
of Texas.
Three soldiers were killed, with an additional sixteen injured,
before the gunman turned the gun on himself. Our brave American
soldiers are all too aware of the dangers and turmoil of war. When they
return from war, we can only hope that they would return to the peace
and security that they have sacrificed so much to create and protect.
Mr. Speaker, I want to honor the fallen soldiers: SFC Daniel M.
Ferguson, age 39, of Mulberry, Florida; SGT Timothy W. Owens, age 37,
of Effingham, Illinois; and SSG Carlos A. Lazaney-Rodriguez, age 38, of
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. These three brave soldiers were laid to rest
entirely too soon. These three soldiers will be remembered for their
achievements and their dedication to our country.
Americans are becoming all too familiar with tragedy of this
magnitude, but it does not change the immense heartache and pain that
comes with the loss of some of our Nation's finest. A horrible tragedy
such as this highlights the importance of serving our soldiers both
while at war and during the difficult transition back into normal life.
Worse is that it comes in the wake of another terrible incident at Fort
Hood that occurred just 5 years prior. We must be able to wholly
understand the

[[Page 6306]]

challenges that our soldiers face in a time of such stringent and
demanding operational tempos.
I extend my thoughts and prayers to the families of those that were
lost on April 2, and offer my deepest condolences and hopes for the
sixteen others that were injured in the shooting.
The men and women of Fort Hood are true American heroes. They deserve
our greatest honors for the sacrifices they make every single day,
within and beyond our borders. It must be our duty to always remember
those that we have lost and we must be forever dedicated to preventing
tragedies like these from ever happening again.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to observe a moment of silence in honor
of the three fallen soldiers, Sergeant First Class Ferguson, Sergeant
Owens, and Staff Sergeant Lazaney-Rodriguez.

____________________

RECOGNIZING DENNIS CARDOZA FOR HIS SERVICE

______

HON. JIM COSTA

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my friend and
former colleague, Dennis Cardoza. Dennis served as the U.S. Congressman
for the 18th Congressional District of California. He has truly led a
life dedicated to public service, and his efforts deserve to be
commended.
Dennis grew up in Atwater, CA, where he attended Atwater High School
followed by California State University, Stanislaus. He later
transferred to the University of Maryland--College Park where he earned
his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1982. He was the first member of his
family to graduate college. Dennis' first taste of public service came
in 1979 when he spent a summer in college interning on Capitol Hill.
After graduation, Dennis returned to the San Joaquin Valley where he
ran a successful small business and served as a city councilman for
Merced and Atwater. In 1996, he was elected to the California State
Assembly where he served as Chairman of the Rules Committee and
cofounder of the Moderate Democratic Caucus.
In 2002, Dennis was elected to his first term in Congress. He had
many legislative accomplishments that truly made a difference in his
district. Dennis was an unwavering advocate for issues impacting Valley
residents such as water, agriculture, unemployment, and poverty. Dennis
lobbied to bring Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, and Secretary
of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, to the Central Valley. Their visit
influenced the decision by the Department of Agriculture to declare
Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties as natural disaster areas.
Also, Dennis was an active member of the Blue Dog Coalition. He proudly
cosponsored H.R. 2166 the ``Fiscal Honesty and Accountability Act of
2009'' to extend Pay-As-You-Go spending through 2014 in order to
strengthen Congress' commitment to fiscal responsibility and
accountability. In 2007 Dennis joined the House Rules Committee where
he assisted the victims of the Valley's home foreclosure crisis by
securing language in H.R. 1728, the ``Mortgage Reform and Anti-
Predatory Lending Act'', that established a Federal database to track
foreclosures across the country. In the 110th and 111th Congresses,
Dennis served as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's
Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, which had a
prominent role in the formation of the 2007 Farm Bill.
Dennis believes that one of our greatest responsibilities as a
society is to leave our nation a better place for our children and
grandchildren. Dennis worked diligently to ensure that the University
of California's 10th campus would be in Merced, CA. In addition, one of
Dennis' proudest legislative accomplishments was the language he
introduced in the ``Fostering Connections to Success and increasing
Adoptions Act'', which ensures that children in the foster care system
receive necessary medical attention until the age of 21. Dennis has
been an advocate on behalf of children and adoption not just as a
legislator but also as a parent, raising two adopted children in
addition to his one biological daughter.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the
leadership and public service of Dennis Cardoza. His contributions to
the Central Valley, the State of California, and the future generations
of this Nation ennobled this body of Congress with his presence.

____________________

EQUAL PAY DAY

______

HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

of new york

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today
outraged and baffled that we are in the 21st century and still have to
have an Equal Pay Day. Equal Pay Day symbolizes when, more than 3
months into the year, women's wages finally catch up to what men were
paid in the previous year.
Why this is still being debated when the Equal Pay Act was passed 51
years ago is crazy.
How can we as a nation begin to justify unequal pay simply because
you are a man and I am a woman? Why does my gender diminish my value to
the workforce?
I, and all women, am not asking for any more than what we deserve for
being productive, valuable employees.
Today, in 2014, women earn 77 cents for every dollar that a man
earns. This is outrageous. It gets even worse for women of color. Black
women only earn 64 percent and Hispanic women, even less, just 53
percent of what white men earn. I am appalled by this, and so are the
American people. Not only does my gender decrease my pay, but my race
does as well.
According to the American Association of University Women, African-
American and Hispanic women are paid less than their white peers even
when they have the same educational background.
There are a record number of women in the workplace and two-thirds of
women are the primary or co-bread winner in their families. Consider
the position that the American family, our economy and our Nation would
be in if we all agreed that women should have equal pay for equal work.
Our President said it best, ``When women succeed, America succeeds.''
Women are losing money every year and every hour due to the pay gap.
It is time to close the loopholes in the Equal Pay Act.
I urge Speaker Boehner to bring H.R. 377 the Paycheck Fairness Act to
the floor.

____________________

HONORING CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD, GRAPEVINE-COLLEYVILLE ISD, AND
HURST-EULESS-BEDFORD ISD FOR THE DISTINCTION OF ``BEST COMMUNITIES FOR
MUSIC EDUCATION''

______

HON. KENNY MARCHANT

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of three school
districts in the 24th District of Texas, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD,
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, that have
recently been designated to receive the prestigious honor of ``Best
Communities for Music Education'' by the National Association of Music
Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.
The ``Best Communities for Music Education'' is a program that
celebrates communities in America who support access to music education
as part of their core curriculum. Each school district involved filled
out a survey that answered detailed questions about funding, graduation
requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities,
support for the music program, and community music-making programs.
This year, with over 2,000 school districts nominated, 376 were awarded
this designation, of which I am incredibly honored to have three of
those in the 24th District of Texas. This award recognizes the
commitment of these school administrations, community leaders,
teachers, and parents who believe in music education and are working to
ensure that it is part of a complete education for children.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I
ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring this
recognition from the NAAM Foundation for the Carrollton-Farmers Branch,
Grapevine-Colleyville, and Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School
Districts.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO CLAUDINA McCAMMACK

______

HON. TODD ROKITA

of indiana

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute a
remarkable Hoosier, Mrs. Claudina McCammack, who passed away on April
18, 2014. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for
her

[[Page 6307]]

friendship and service to our community, State, and country.
Claudina was a dedicated Republican Precinct Committeewoman, county
voter registration officer, and secretary to the Delaware County
Commissioners and U.S. Congressman David Dennis. Claudina also served
on the March of Dimes Board, the Muncie Housing Authority Board, and in
many other community organizations.
Claudina was one of the first elected convention delegates in
Delaware County to fully support my candidacy for Indiana Secretary of
State. Throughout my service, I received no less than a dozen
handwritten letters of encouragement, congratulations, and recognition
from her. I frequently sought her wisdom, both personally and
professionally. More than anything, she always helped me keep things in
perspective. She was a constant reminder to me and others in public
service, like Governor Mike Pence, that we should draw on our faith in
God. In fact, such reliance was the only way we could truly serve the
people of Indiana.
Known in Delaware County simply as ``Claudina'', she was a frequent
stop when I traveled to Muncie. My family always enjoyed our visits
with her, as recently as last December. I often ate, prayed, laughed,
and cried in her home--all in one visit. In casual conversation at her
home, Claudina would confide that she paid for her neighbor's roof,
even though she was a woman of modest means. She would tell me how she
assisted the elderly in the community, even though she was 92 herself.
Claudina personified selflessness and humility.
Mr. Speaker, you know I speak often here of American Exceptionalism.
I describe it in terms of our unique history and how we are blessed to
have as a primary source of that Exceptionalism our founding documents:
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as amended by the
Bill of Rights. What I don't do enough is provide examples of people
who embody American Exceptionalism. Claudina, like many of her
generation, was a product and a shining example of what Americans ought
to be. I hope we never forget Claudina's unwavering commitment to our
national heritage and responsibility to future generations. She would
expect nothing less from her community, her friends, and her country.
If, for no other reason, I can hear her say: 'God demands it of us.'
Claudina leaves her three children, seven grandchildren, and fourteen
great-grandchildren behind to remember her love and kindness. She also
leaves her extended Republican family to celebrate her life and legacy.
She will be remembered and honored by those who knew and loved her as a
woman of faith, conviction and compassion. Rest in peace Claudina, and
thank you for having such a meaningful impact on my life.

____________________

HONORING THE BRUDERHOF COMMUNITIES IN NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, WEST
VIRGINIA, AND FLORIDA

______

HON. CHRISTOPHER P. GIBSON

of new york

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Bruderhof
communities in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Florida. This
year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of Woodcrest, the first
Bruderhof community in the United States.
Founded in 1920 in Germany, the Bruderhof is a Christian church
community known for its exemplary contributions in education, care for
the needy, excellence in business, and interfaith cooperation. Expelled
from Germany by the Nazi regime in 1937, Bruderhof members initially
found refuge in England and South America before settling in 1954 in
Rifton, New York.
In celebration of this anniversary, it's my honor to quote from
Foundations of Our Faith and Calling, the Bruderhof community's
constitution:

Our life together is founded on Jesus, the Christ and son
of God. We desire to love him, to follow him, to obey his
commandments, and to testify in word and deed to the coming
of his kingdom here on earth.
Our faith is grounded in the Bible, the authoritative
witness to the living Word of God. Through the Holy Spirit,
we seek to be guided in all things by the New and Old
Testaments.
We hold to the teaching and example of the early Christians
and affirm the apostolic rule of faith in the triune God as
stated in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds.
We stem from the Anabaptist tradition, but feel akin to all
who are pledged to full discipleship of Jesus. We recognize
his power to work in all people, regardless of their creed or
walk of life.
Our calling is to Jesus, who calls all people to himself.
Jesus sums up the nature of his kingdom in two great
commandments: ``Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all
your strength,'' and ``Love your neighbor as yourself.''
Jesus asks us to live as citizens of his coming kingdom. We
must prove our love to him in deeds, putting into practice
his words in the Gospels, especially the Sermon on the Mount.
His commands are practical: to forgive unconditionally; to
renounce all violence; to stay faithful in lifelong marriage;
to live free from wealth; to serve as the least and lowest;
and to give up all power over others.
To live for the kingdom of God leads to church community.
God wants to gather a people on earth who belong to his new
creation. Such a people came into being in Jerusalem at the
first Pentecost. As described in Acts 2 and 4, the Holy
Spirit descended on the believers who had gathered after
Jesus' resurrection, and the first communal church was born.
We are a fellowship of brothers and sisters, both single
and married, who are called by Christ to follow him together
in a common life in the spirit of the first church in
Jerusalem. Our vocation is a life of service to God and
humankind, freely giving our whole working strength and all
that we have and are.
If asked whether we are the one true church, we reply,
``No''--we are merely objects of God's mercy like everybody
else. But if asked whether we experience the church as a
reality in our daily lives, then we must affirm that we do,
through the grace of God.
We give all honor to God, knowing that our life together is
nothing unless it is filled with his love and continually
renewed by his mercy.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

______

HON. RICHARD B. NUGENT

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Day
of Prayer.
Since 1952, the first Thursday of May in this great Nation has been
dedicated to prayer. As in years passed, on May 1, 2014, millions of
people of all faiths across the United States will gather together and
humbly bow their heads asking God to bless our country. With great
pride I can say that many of my friends and neighbors across Florida's
11th Congressional District will be joining me in participating in this
annual observance of prayer for our Nation.
This day of prayer is reflective of the faith our Founding Fathers
had that the United States of America would one day be a great nation.
These men with deep religious and spiritual convictions built our
country from the ground up and our continued faith and prayer will keep
it moving forward.
Therefore, I, Richard B. Nugent, Member of Congress representing the
Eleventh District of Florida, do hereby recognize the district's
observance of the 63rd National Day of Prayer.

____________________

OUR UNCONSCIONABLE NATIONAL DEBT

______

HON. MIKE COFFMAN

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President
Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.
Today, it is $17,437,874,260,412.18. We've added
$6,810,997,211,499.10 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.8
trillion in debt our Nation, our economy, and our children could have
avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

[[Page 6308]]

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF INDEPENDENCE MAYOR DON REIMAL FOR HIS YEARS OF
SERVICE

______

HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Don Reimal, Mayor
of Independence, Missouri. Mayor Reimal will be retiring from office
leaving a rich legacy of quiet determination that slowly and
methodically lifted his city from stagnation to restoration. He has the
ability to solicit assistance from his constituents while working in
tandem with his fellow mayors, county executive, state and federal
officials, bringing an era of cooperation to Eastern Jackson County.
His style of leadership is embedded in civility, compassion and
understanding, rare characteristics in today's political climate. His
departure will leave his city in a far better place after his twenty
years of public service, twelve years on the City Council and eight
years as Mayor.
As Mayor Reimal fondly gave his final state of the City address at
the Independence Chamber luncheon, he shared how he witnessed the
evolution of his city with personal memories as he and his city grew,
evolved and matured. In 1948, during Don's formative years, he grew up
in an Independence that encompassed only 3.3 square miles; but by 1975,
he had witnessed the city's expansion to 78 square miles. During those
years, Don met and fell in love with his wife, Jo, and together they
committed themselves to each other, their family and their city. Don,
more serious in nature, and Jo, with her outgoing bubbly personality,
would serve as the first family of Independence with a deep
appreciation for the city's rich heritage and a profound sense of
responsibility.
As Independence evolved, there came a slow shift to the city's center
of commerce and activity causing the older historic parts of the city
to fall into slow decay. Since 1994, in his capacity as Councilman and
later as Mayor, he helped to lead the effort to revitalize the area
that President Harry S. Truman called home. Under his influence, the
Independence Historic Square has had a rebirth due to the restoration
of old historic buildings into new and vital centers for its citizens
due in great part to Don Reimal working in cooperation with his
constituents.
Today, as you visit the old square, you will find the Chicago Alton
Depot that opened in 1870 saved, in great part, due to Don and Jo's
efforts. The Truman Memorial Building stands tall, restored while Don
was City Councilman. Don had worked with State Representative Franklin
to obtain funds for the then-named Soldier and Sailor Memorial
Building, built after World War I, with the support of local veteran,
Harry S. Truman. The building was renamed the Truman Memorial Building,
where today's soldiers have been welcomed home and an area in the
building has been designated the Veterans Hall, designed for the
Veterans' Video Project with recordings housed in conjunction with the
Library of Congress' Veterans History Project.
In addition, the Palmer Junior High was converted into the highly
recognized Palmer Center for those over 50. These renovations, along
with the Roger T. Sermon Community Center, were the cornerstone to the
beginning of the Independence Square revitalization. The final piece
was added when the Jackson County Historic Truman Courthouse was
renovated and rededicated on September 7, 2013, eighty years after
Harry S. Truman dedicated the same building. Don had worked for years
to find a way to save this wonderful building where Judge Harry S.
Truman served Jackson County.
Don's personal touch has had lasting impacts, as he respectfully
listened to his constituents, providing support and encouragement to
projects that would serve as stepping stones for further neighborhood
stabilization. He was rarely deterred, but would just try another way
to accomplish his goals for the city. In 2007, the voters approved a
school district change that would expand the Independence school
boundary on the western side of the city and annex seven schools. Don
and the city knew that they could provide a better opportunity for the
students and bring families back to that part of the city. The Mayor
worked with a prominent group of local citizens to upgrade an area
known as the Norledge Place Redevelopment site, also in the newly
expanded school area. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan visited the site in
2011, praising the work of the community and city for using NSP funds
and working with private and local funds to transform a depressed area
into a site of remodeled and rebuilt homes. With much needed
improvements for transportation, a new transit center was built and the
IndeBus lines were developed to provide better access for the citizens
of Independence.
During his time in office, Mayor Reimal helped to shepherd the
continued economic growth along the I-70 corridor and the Little Blue
Parkway. With the closing of older outdated hospitals, Center Point
Hospital opened in 2007, and in 2012, Children's Mercy East opened in
the expanding eastern part of the city. Don has never been deterred
from criticism if he believed in what he was doing. He supported new
shopping areas, the Greater Independence Business Incubator, fought to
have the new Genealogy Library built in Independence, and an
Independence Event Center that is the home of the Mavericks hockey team
and the Comets soccer team. Mayor Reimal has brought excitement to
Independence as both teams are of championship caliber.
His accomplishments are far too many to list, but we can all learn
from Don's amazing ability to work with people of all political
persuasions and interests. He is deeply admired, well respected and
will be sorely missed because he truly cares for his city and the
constituents that he was elected to serve. I will remember him as a
quiet man whose heart and mind is always in the right place.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in saluting the
Mayor of Independence, Don Reimal, for a lifetime of dedicated service,
and wishing him and his Jo a wonderful retirement.

____________________

HONORING THE NORTH AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS AND ENTREPRENEURS COUNCIL FOR
ITS 2014 INNOVATION CONFERENCE AND ITS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING A
STRONG AND INNOVATIVE AMERICAN ECONOMY

______

HON. BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the North American
Professionals and Entrepreneurs Council (NAPEC) on the occasion of its
2014 Innovation Conference. Drawing many of its volunteers and
organizers from the suburban Chicago district that I represent, NAPEC
demonstrates a commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the
entrepreneurs and startups that will increasingly define our success in
the 21st century.
Lacking the necessary support, too many of our brightest
entrepreneurs' ideas and innovations never get off the ground.
Dedicated organizations like NAPEC and the volunteers who make them
great--many of whom come from the Tenth District--are helping these
young innovators go from startup to step out to success.
Organizations like NAPEC play a key role in building and maintaining
the infrastructure and networks our innovation economy needs. I am
grateful for the tremendous work of NAPEC, and I look forward to many
more years of supporting innovation and ensuring our economic success.
From a successful 2014 Innovation Conference to all of its work
throughout the year, NAPEC is hard at work trying to kickstart our
economy and accelerate our startups.

____________________

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

______

HON. GARY C. PETERS

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 I
was not present for 3 votes. I wish the record to reflect my intentions
had I been present to vote.
Had I been present for rollcall No. 152, I would have voted ``nay;''
had I been present for rollcall No. 153, I would have voted ``nay;''
had I been present for rollcall No. 154, I would have voted ``nay.''

____________________

TRIBUTE TO HONOR FLIGHT OF OREGON

______

HON. GREG WALDEN

of oregon

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 52 World War II
veterans from Oregon who will be visiting their memorial this Saturday
in Washington, DC through Honor Flight of Oregon. On behalf of a
grateful State

[[Page 6309]]

and country, we welcome these heroes to the Nation's capital.
The veterans on this flight from Oregon are as follows: Don W.
Bohnert, U.S. Army Air Force; Wallace F Burton, U.S. Army Air Force;
Walter D. Haines, U.S. Army Air Force; Glenn V. Koch, U.S. Army Air
Force; Ernest A Meyer, U.S. Army Air Force; Orvin J Sletten, U.S. Army
Air Force; Robert H. Walton, U.S. Army Air Force; Thomas L. Warren,
U.S. Army Air Force; Miles R. Barfield, U.S. Army; Chelsey T. Barton,
U.S. Army; John C. Bates, U.S. Army; Donald L. Freeman, U.S. Army;
Theodore P. Geck, U.S. Army; James C. Hickey, U.S. Army; Cordino
Longiotti, U.S. Army; Richard M. Macdougall, U.S. Army; Benjamin D.
Morrison, U.S. Army; David Ha. Packard, U.S. Army; Albert V. Panacy,
U.S. Army; James B. Ragsdale, U.S. Army; Robert J. Resner, U.S. Army;
Gordon P. Rutter, U.S. Army; Raymond O. Sims, U.S. Army; Arthur N.
Sorenson, U.S. Army; Charles W. Weeks, U.S. Army; Howard L. Abbe, U.S.
Navy; Fred A. Carneau, U.S. Navy; Gail D. Cox, U.S. Navy; Herbert N.
Ellis, U.S. Navy; Henry T. Fuqua, U.S. Navy; Marlin E. Hammond, U.S.
Navy; Donald F. MacLean, U.S. Navy; Donald Cl. Moberg, U.S. Navy; Wayne
D. Mosher, U.S. Navy; Francis G. Nelson, U.S. Navy; Harlan S. Nice,
U.S. Navy; Omer L. Oyster, U.S. Navy; Frank S. Palmer, U.S. Navy;
Robert E. Peterson, U.S. Navy; Charles W. Pio, U.S. Navy; John D.
Randall, U.S. Navy; Robert E. Reindl, U.S. Navy; Matt S. Satalich, U.S.
Navy; Eugene J. Schmidt, U.S. Navy; Roy Al. Schnurr, U.S. Navy; George
R. Schwarz, U.S. Navy; John S. Sherbeck, U.S. Navy; Kenneth E. Thomas,
U.S. Navy; Howard P. Thomas, U.S. Navy; William F. Tromblee, U.S. Navy;
Robert J. VanDyke, U.S. Navy; Fred R. Young, U.S. Navy.
These 52 heroes join more than 98,000 veterans from across the
country who, since 2005, have journeyed from their home states to
Washington, DC to reflect at the memorials built in honor of our
Nation's veterans.
Mr. Speaker, each of us is humbled by the courage of these soldiers,
sailors, and airmen who put themselves in harm's way for our country
and way of life. As a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of
gratitude owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifice in
defense of the freedoms we have today.
My colleagues, please join me in thanking these veterans and the
volunteers of Honor Flight of Oregon for their exemplary dedication and
service to this great country. I especially want to recognize and thank
Gail Yakopatz for her tireless work as president of Honor Flight of
Oregon.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE WEST CONTRA COSTA YOUTH SERVICE
BUREAU

______

HON. GEORGE MILLER

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the
tremendous work of the West Contra Costa Youth Service Bureau as the
agency celebrates 30 years of service to the children and families of
my Congressional District. The Youth Services Bureau (YSB) began in
1984 as a grass roots community movement focused on addressing the
systemic causes of violence plaguing our West County neighborhoods at
that time.
Under the outstanding leadership of Ms. Taalia Hasan, the Bureau
consolidated services independently offered by the West County Unified
School District, the County Probation Department, municipal and county
law enforcement agencies, and local community based organizations. By
coordinating the efforts of these agencies, YSB developed an innovative
``wraparound'' response system that has, since that time, been widely
acclaimed as the most effective way to address the needs of children
and families in crisis.
Using the Best Practices Model, the Youth Services Bureau staff has,
for 30 years, successfully supported children and their families in
difficult situations by providing reliable case management,
professional counseling, critical crisis intervention, and caregiver
respite services. YSB has also developed innovative programs such as
the Family Enhancement Collaborative--known as Kinship, the Early
Periodic Screening and Diagnostic Testing Program (EPSDT)--and has
collaborated with community initiatives such as Building Blocks for
Kids to ensure children and families in West County grow and thrive.
The Youth Services Bureau also works closely with local law enforcement
agencies and the West Contra Costa Unified School District to enhance
delinquency prevention efforts and promote academic achievement.
Throughout the past 30 years, the Youth Service Bureau has been a
constant guiding light in the West County community. I ask my
colleagues to join with me today in recognizing work well done by
Taalia Hasan and her dedicated staff and wish them many more years of
success as they support our children, families and community.

____________________

HONORING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN FLORIDA'S PALM BEACHES AND TREASURE
COAST FOR THEIR COURAGEOUS DECISION TO JOIN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES

______

HON. PATRICK MURPHY

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 20 high
school seniors from the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches of Florida for
their commendable decision to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces following
their graduation this year. Of these 20 enlistees, 8 are Army
enlistees, 4 are Navy enlistees, 4 are National Guard enlistees, 2 are
Air Force enlistees, 1 is a Coast Guard enlistee, and 1 is a Marine
Corps enlistee. These young men and women have displayed an unmatched
sense of bravery and courage in their commitment to defend and protect
our Nation. Thus, it is important they know that they have the full
support of the U.S. House of Representatives, their communities, and
the American people. It is the dedication of these individuals which
reminds us who we are as a people, and that though diverse problems may
lie ahead, the United States remains a shining example of freedom,
strength, and perseverance on the world stage.
The service of these young men and women must not go unrecognized,
and so I want to personally thank these twenty local graduating seniors
for their selflessness and commitment to our Nation by naming them here
today: Oneil Daley, Antonio Allen Jr., Juan Machua, Mario Esquilin,
Henry Thomas, Dion Yu, David Colton, Corbett Pervenecki, Matthew
Connelly, Laquann Pitts, Corey Boyce, Jose Ruiz, Kristi McMillion,
Selena Harrison, Ty Torres, David Tarrant-Schneiderman, Angela
Fernandez, Tristan Sperling, Andrew Williams, and Tyler Stewart.
All will be recognized on May 8 at the Our Community Salutes event in
Boca Raton.
Mr. Speaker, we owe a debt of gratitude to each and every one of them
and to all who defend our freedom by serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
That spirit of service and sacrifice is something we all can be proud
of. For this very reason, it is my honor to recognize these young
leaders here today.

____________________

RECOGNIZING GRETA CARDOSO IN CELEBRATION OF HER 90TH BIRTHDAY

______

HON. JIM COSTA

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Mr. Valadao to
recognize Mrs. Greta Cardoso as she celebrates her 90th birthday.
Greta's generation set an example for our country in the 20th century,
and Greta's life is truly reflective of the American Dream.
Greta was born in Tranquility, California, on April 1, 1924. She grew
up in a large immigrant family with nine siblings. Her parents,
Senhorinda Barcellos and Elisas Baptista, both emigrated from the
Azorian Island of Terceira. Strong values were instilled in Greta at a
young age. She attended Kerman High School and worked at the local Five
and Dime. After graduation, Greta met her husband, Lee Cardoso, while
she was working at The Chat and Chew.
In 1950, Lee and Greta married and began their lives together. Both
of their families emigrated from Terceira, so their union encompassed
many common traditions and values. Their marriage initiated a
partnership between the families and led to the establishment of a
dairy business. Greta and Lee raised four children: Linda, Sonny, Joe,
and Mark. Growing up on a dairy, the Cardoso children gained a strong
work ethic and learned to never take their successes for granted.
Greta is a loving and devoted mother to her children. She always gave
her children freedom to learn and explore on their own. While they were
in elementary school, Greta would volunteer as a room mother. She was
not only an outstanding mother to her own children but

[[Page 6310]]

also to her nieces, nephews, and neighborhood kids. Greta's hospitality
goes unmatched. Relatives and friends are always more than welcome in
the Cardoso household. On a personal note, Greta was an exceptional
role model for me--her nephew.
Outside of working on the dairy and spending time with family, Greta
enjoyed several hobbies. She loved to sew, crochet, and needle point.
Her needle points are a work of art and are cherished by many. She also
loved to play cards and liked Portuguese card games the most. Playing
bridge, bunko, and bowling were all activities that Greta truly enjoyed
because she loves to be in the company of others.
Greta loved her husband, and loves her children, nine grandchildren,
and 14 great grandchildren dearly. She has led a long and fulfilling
life, and is a great example of a strong woman who shows many
individuals the beauty and love this amazing life has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives
to join Mr. Valadao and myself in recognizing Mrs. Greta Cardoso as she
celebrates her 90th birthday. She is an inspiration for all of us as
she has led a long life filled with joy, love, and happiness.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO YOUNG STAFF MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE
PEOPLE OF THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS AND THE UNITED
STATES

______

HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress we know well,
perhaps better than most, how blessed our Nation is to have in reserve
such exceptional young men and women who will go on to become leaders
in their local communities, states, and the nation in the areas of
business, education, government, philanthropy, the arts and culture,
and the military.
We know this because we see them and benefit from their contributions
every day. Many of them work for us in our offices as junior staff
members, congressional fellows, or interns and they do amazing work for
and on behalf of the constituents we are privileged to represent.
Mr. Speaker, I believe there is no higher calling than the call to
serve a cause larger than ourselves. That is why I ran for public
office. I was inspired to serve by President Kennedy who said, ``Ask
not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your
country,'' and by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said:

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. . . . You
only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

By this measure, there are several other great young men and women
who served as volunteers this year in my offices. They may toil in
obscurity but their contributions to the constituents we serve are
deeply appreciated and that is why today I rise to pay tribute to four
extraordinary young persons for their service to my constituents in the
18th Congressional District of Texas and to the American people. They
are: Aide Meza, Josh Crook, Katherine Welbeck, and Ayanna Costley.
I wish to thank Aide Meza, who graduated with honors from the
University of Houston, for numerous and substantial contributions,
including her work on H.R. 4108, ``Breath of Fresh Air Act of 2014,''
and the highly successful ``When Women Succeed, America Succeeds''
leadership summit held in Houston in March of this year.
Josh Crook, a student at the University of North Texas, provided
invaluable assistance to me and my legislative team in the areas of
national defense and veterans affairs. In doing so, Josh continued his
record of providing distinguished service to his country first begun
with his enlistment in the Armed Services as an airman in the U.S. Air
Force. Josh's experience and understanding of the challenges faced by
veterans transitioning from active duty to the civilian sector was
critical to the development of legislation I introduced earlier this
year, H.R. 4110, ``Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity for Veterans
Transitioning from Battlespace to Workplace Act of 2014,'' also known
as the ``Heroes Transitioning from Battlespace to Workplace Act of
2014.''
Katherine Welbeck came to my office from the University of
Pennsylvania Law School, from which she will graduate next month and go
on to a highly successful career in law and public policy. A graduate
of Princeton University and former teacher in the Teach for America
Corps, Katherine brought to my office a commitment to educational
opportunity for all persons, especially girls and young women, and a
passion for justice and fairness. Because of Katherine's initiative and
skill, I was able to introduce H.R. 4112, Equal Rights and Access for
the Women of South Sudan Act,'' legislation requiring that activities
of the United States in South Sudan relating to governance,
reconstruction and development, and refugee assistance support human
rights and promote the active participation of women in government and
civil society.
Ayanna Costley is completing her junior year at the Madeira School in
McLean, Virginia and judging by the work ethic and appetite for
knowledge she displayed, can look forward to a bright future as she
begins her college studies next year.
Mr. Speaker, the energy, intelligence, and idealism these wonderful
young people brought to my office and those interning in the offices of
my colleagues help keep our democracy vibrant. The insights, skills,
and knowledge of the governmental process they gain from their
experiences will last a lifetime and prove invaluable to them as they
go about making their mark in this world.
Because of persons like them the future of our country is bright and
its best days lie ahead. I wish them all well.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that such thoughtful committed young men
and women can be found working in my office, those of my colleagues,
and in every community in America. Their good works will keep America
great, good, and forever young.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING SEASON OF THE 2013 DICKINSON RED DEVILS
MEN'S LACROSSE TEAM

______

HON. LOU BARLETTA

of pennsylvania

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleagues,
Rep. Jim Gerlach (PA-6) and Rep. Bill Shuster (PA-9), to congratulate
the players and coaches of the 2013 Dickinson College Red Devils Men's
Lacrosse Team of Carlisle, Pennsylvania on their incredible season
which was capped by their advancement to the ``Elite Eight'' in the
2013 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
The 2013 Dickinson Red Devils captured the Centennial Conference
Championship for a third consecutive season en route to their
appearance in the quarterfinals of the NCAA National Championship
Tournament. The team was led by First-team All-American, Division III
Long Pole Midfielder of the Year and Iroquois Award winner for
Outstanding Player of the Year, Brandon Palladino; First-team All-
American and Lt. Col. J.I. Turnbull Award winner, Brian Cannon; and
First-team All-Americans Matt Cherry and Peter Zouck. Slay Sudah was
named Third-team All-American and Greg Hanley and Parker Waldron
received honorable mention recognition.
The Red Devils' 2013 roster included: Reid Barger, Nick Baxter,
Christian Beitel, Matt Brinc--kerhoff, Greg Castro, Chris Clementi,
Reiley Crosby, Eric Dircks, Draper Donley, Collin Farrell, Kobi
Frankel, Nolan Funchion, Brian Gleason, Youssef Gorgi, Patrick Haig,
Mattison Hamilton, D.J. Henderson, Rob Kendall, Greg Kirchner, Marek
Laco, Dave Largey, Kevin Leary, Nick Leon, Chris Menard, Carter Moore,
Andrew Morgan, Palmer Murray, Jack O'Connor, Brett Parker, Graham
Parsons, Max Pawk, Chris Pianko, Mike Reid, Sam Rosenburgh, Reed
Salmons, Andrew Salvitti, Will Scott, Mike Serpa, Nick Shepherd, Greg
Shildkrout, Michael Smith, Ace Sudah, Will Trevenen, and Tyler White.
The Red Devils were ably led by Head Coach David Webster, Assistant
Coaches Tim Marshall and Pat March, Statisticians Emily David and
Rachel Moore, Athletic Trainer Adam Richmond with dedicated
administrative support by College Athletic Director Dr. Les Poolman.
Mr. Speaker, in light of their outstanding accomplishments and
noteworthy season, we ask that our colleagues join us today in
recognizing the players and coaches of the Dickinson College Red Devils
Men's Lacrosse Team of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

[[Page 6311]]

____________________

TRIBUTE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS LOCAL 58

______

HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the men and
women of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 58,
who celebrated their 100th Anniversary at a gala I was pleased to join
on Saturday, April 12th. In 1914, IBEW Locals 18 and 271 merged to
create IBEW Local 58. For the last 100 years, IBEW members helped to
build the City of Detroit and Southeast Michigan, served our nation at
home and overseas during wartime, engaged in volunteer activities to
strengthen our communities, and have stood at the forefront of workers'
rights on the job.
The rich history of Local 58 is inextricably bound with the history
of Southeast Michigan and of the nation. Local 58 was created to ensure
that its members have safe working conditions, receive fair wages and
health and welfare benefits, and security when they retire. These vital
responsibilities helped propel the men and women of Local 58 to the
forefront of the labor movement in Southeast Michigan, and due to their
efforts as well as those of many others, working people can achieve and
thrive in the American middle class.
While building the middle class, the members of IBEW Local 58, along
with their brothers and sisters in other building trades unions,
literally built the City of Detroit and the Southeast Michigan region.
Iconic Detroit projects such as the Ambassador Bridge, the Fisher
Building, the Guardian Building, the Detroit Opera House, the Fox
Theater, and the Masonic Temple were built using the skills of IBEW
Local 58's members. In 1948, Local 58 wired Briggs Stadium for lights
so that the Detroit Tigers could play nighttime games. As Detroit and
the region grew along with the growth of the automotive industry, Local
58 workers brought electricity to the new homes being built in Wayne,
Oakland, and Macomb counties.
Local 58 members have served in the armed forces in every war our
nation has fought since World War I. Beginning in World War II and in
every war since then, Local 58 has ensured that those members who
served in the military during wartime would have their union dues paid
while they were in service, and that they could return to the union
with no loss of status or seniority when their service was completed.
The men and women of Local 58 also served our country at home during
times of war, most notably during World War II, when Detroit was known
as the ``Arsenal of Democracy'' and skilled workers were needed to
retool automobile factories to produce the aircraft, tanks, and
artillery needed to win the war. More than half of the tanks, 75
percent of the aircraft engines, and 92 percent the cars and trucks
used by the military in World War II were built in Detroit factories.
The men and women of Local 58 have always been involved in efforts to
strengthen the communities in which they live and work and to support
causes important to them. From their donations to the American Red
Cross, Boys Town and the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis in
the 1940s and 1950s to their work on behalf of Habitat for Humanity and
to local churches, community centers and schools today, IBEW members
have been willing to commit their time, talents and money to help
others.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent so many members and families of
IBEW Local 58 in Michigan's 9th Congressional District. For the last
century, they have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to excellence on
the job, to the rights of working people, to the well-being of Detroit
and Southeast Michigan, and to the strength of our country. I hope my
colleagues will join me in congratulating the men and women of Local 58
as they celebrate 100 years of excellence, and in wishing them
continued success in their second century.

____________________

TRIBUTE TO ANDREW LIVERIS

______

HON. DAVE CAMP

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Andrew Liveris
in recognition of his 60th birthday on Monday, May 5, 2014.
Originally from Darwin, Australia, Andrew currently resides in my
hometown of Midland, Michigan with his wife Paula and three children.
Mr. Liveris has been an instrumental figure at The Dow Chemical Company
for over 35 years, serving in a myriad of positions spanning three
continents. He is currently the company's President, Chairman, and
Chief Executive Officer. Under his guidance, the Company has continued
unparalleled success across the globe, in addition to being a key
employer in Midland. He is a true visionary and an innovative leader in
the field of manufacturing.
In addition to his success at Dow, Mr. Liveris has carried on and
expanded the company's culture of community outreach to improve the
quality of life of all Midland residents. The company continues to play
a crucial role in the vitalization of the City of Midland, sponsoring
local events such as the Dow Tennis Invitational and the Midland
Community Center's Dow RunWalk. With strategic planning and a focus on
the lives of those within the company and the community, Mr. Liveris
has taken to new heights, the important relationship, and friendship,
between Dow and Midland.
On a national scale, Mr. Liveris is an advocate for expanding the
important role of manufacturing in our economy and his expertise
expands well beyond his work at Dow. He serves as co-chair of President
Obama's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in the United States, where
he continues to present viable business policy solutions for economic
growth.
As a successful business leader and community organizer, Mr. Liveris
has received numerous awards including the Chemical Industry Medal by
the Society of Chemical Industry, the CEO of the Year award at the
Platts Global Energy Awards, and the George E. Davis Medal by the
Institution of Chemical Engineers. Most notably, he has been identified
for his influence in the global chemical markets as a Top Power Player
by the ICIS Chemical Business magazine for several consecutive years.
On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am
honored today to recognize Andrew Liveris in celebration of his 60th
birthday and to thank him for his continued work in Michigan, the
nation, and abroad. I wish him many years of continued health,
happiness, and success.

____________________

HONORING MAYOR GARY BROWN OF SALEM, MISSOURI

______

HON. JASON T. SMITH

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayor Gary
Brown of Salem, Missouri for his achievements and years of service to
the community.
This April, Mayor Brown will have served for fourteen years as mayor
of Salem. Prior to being elected mayor, he served as Alderman of the
East Ward for four years. Mayor Brown has dedicated much of his life to
public service. This dedication has not only been towards his local
community, but also to our nation during the four years he served in
the Navy.
In his eighteen years of service to the city of Salem, Mayor Brown
has devoted his time to be a positive influence to the community. I am
thankful for his leadership which has greatly benefitted my hometown of
Salem. It is my pleasure to recognize his service and achievements
before the House of Representatives.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF VIRGINIA ``GINNY'' TREACY

______

HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

of new jersey

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Virginia
``Ginny'' Treacy on her retirement as Executive Director of JNESO
District Council 1 International Union of Operating Engineers AFL-CIO.
Ms. Treacy has dedicated over 35 years of service to labor causes and
her contributions and accomplishments are truly deserving of this
body's recognition.
Virginia Treacy has been an active labor member since 1977 when she
organized her first campaign while a Registered Nurse looking for fair
and equitable treatment. She began her labor career as a business agent
for the New Jersey State Nurses Association's labor division and become
Union Director in 1980. Five years later, she began an independent
professional health care union under the name JNESO with the then 2,300
Registered Nurses from the New Jersey State Nurses Association. In 1992
JNESO became District Council

[[Page 6312]]

1--IUOE after affiliating with the International Union of Operating
Engineers. Today, JNESO District Council 1--IUOE represents over 5,000
registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and other healthcare
professionals and technical employees in both New Jersey and
Pennsylvania.
In addition to her leadership of JNESO District Council 1--IUOE, Ms.
Treacy is a member of the Gender Parity Council, the New Jersey Health
Care Workforce Council. She has been recognized for her many
accomplishments, being honored with awards from her union and other
labor and nursing groups.
A graduate of New York City's Beth Israel Medical Center School of
Nursing, Ms. Treacy worked at various hospitals in New York and New
Jersey before entering the labor movement. She is married, a mother of
two daughters, a grandmother and an avid golfer.
Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in congratulating Virginia
``Ginny'' Treacy on her retirement and thanking her for her years of
service.

____________________

HONORING KATE VERNEZ

______

HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Kate Vernez as she
retires after 27 years of dedicated service as the Deputy City Manager
of Santa Monica.
Kate transitioned to Southern California after a successful career
with the City of New York, and the City of Santa Monica has truly
benefited from her presence. I have had the distinct pleasure of
working directly with Kate for many years, and I have personally
witnessed how crucial her participation was in cultivating the
necessary cooperation and collaboration among city, county, state, and
federal governments time and time again.
Kate has played an instrumental role in numerous transportation
projects, including the City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus. My staff
and I also were able to work one-on-one with her on the Expo Line
project, which will ultimately connect Downtown Los Angeles to Santa
Monica.
In addition to improving transportation, Kate has been an integral
part in addressing the issue of hopelessness, specifically among the
Santa Monica veteran population. Furthermore, she has been a strong
advocate for legislation at all levels of government that would provide
support to veterans at our local West Los Angeles VIA campus.
Kate is a natural leader and I have repeatedly been impressed with
her talent and dedication. Her record of excellence is an inspiration.
With Kate in City Hall, I have always been confident that our mutual
constituents in Santa Monica were being well-served at the city level.
I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the remarkable career
of Kate Vernez and in wishing her all the best for the future.

____________________

FAIR PLAYING FIELD ACT OF 2014

______

HON. JIM McDERMOTT

of washington

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Fair
Playing Field Act of 2014. In 1978, Congress was concerned that lack of
clarity as to the proper classification of some workers, increased IRS
enforcement activity, and retroactive application by IRS of
interpretations that were arguably new had caused hardships for some
small businesses and other taxpayers and confusion as to the applicable
rules.
To allow time to develop a comprehensive approach to the problem,
Congress enacted section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 as an interim
measure protecting taxpayers from liability for misclassification if
the taxpayer has a reasonable basis for classifying a worker as an
independent contractor and meets certain other conditions. In addition,
the Act prohibited the Secretary of the Treasury from publishing
regulations or revenue rulings on workers' employment tax status
pending the expected near-term enactment of clarifying legislation.
During the ensuing 33 years, Congress made section 530 of the Revenue
Act of 1978 permanent, however, changes in working relationships and
the continued prohibition on new guidance have increased the
uncertainty as to the proper classification of workers.
Many workers are properly classified as independent contractors. In
other instances, workers who are employees are being treated as
independent contractors. Such misclassification for tax purposes
contributes to inequities in the competitive positions of businesses
and to the Federal and State tax gap, and may also result in
misclassification for other purposes, such as denial of unemployment
benefits, workplace health and safety protections, and retirement or
other benefits or protections available to employees.
Workers, businesses, and other taxpayers will benefit from clear
guidance regarding employment tax status. In the interest of fairness
and in view of many service recipients' reliance on current section
530, such guidance should apply only prospectively.

____________________

SUPPORT FOR CYPRUS

______

HON. MARK MEADOWS

of north carolina

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my support for the
people of the Island of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots have agreed to come
to the table and begin negotiations with their Turkish counterparts.
The United States stands by its commitment to peace in the Eastern
Mediterranean. While this is merely the beginning of what could be a
very long process, it deserves our commendation. A peaceful resolution
would set an example of stability in a region beset by turmoil, tumult,
and upheaval.
The Turkish Cypriot people have been isolated for too long. They have
desired a unified island for nearly half a century and this new start
is a significant step towards their reinstatement into the political,
economic, and social structure of not just the Island of Cyprus but
also of the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, I restate my resolute support for the start of talks
between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. It is important that
we encourage both sides to remain at the table and negotiate in good
faith. I also implore our State Department to continue to be resolute
in supporting these talks. The power of diplomacy is strong. The world
is watching and waiting with hopeful anticipation.

____________________

HONORING DR. ANDREW TAYLOR STILL

______

HON. SAM GRAVES

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Dr.
Andrew Taylor Still, who is being posthumously inducted into the Hall
of Famous Missourians on April 16th.
Dr. A.T. Still is best known for his work with osteopathic medicine.
Dr. Still traveled throughout Northern Missouri to spread his drugless,
manipulative medicine that was officially named ``osteopathy'' in 1885.
Finding he had more patients than he could handle, Dr. Still founded
the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri in 1892. It
was estimated that on any given day, over 400 people would travel to
Kirksville to be treated.
While Dr. A.T. Still may be known as the father of the osteopathic
profession, this is not his only accomplishment. Dr. Still was deeply
embroiled in the fight over whether Kansas would be admitted to the
Union as a slave State or free State, helping it be admitted to the
Union as the latter. Dr. Still also fought in the Civil War, serving as
a hospital steward. His outfit helped repel the Confederate forces
advancing on Kansas City. Also, with his medical school and practice
firmly established, Dr. Still was able to focus on mechanical
inventions. He patented an improved butter churn, a smokeless furnace,
and many other machines.
Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me, along with the great State
of Missouri, in celebrating the life of Dr. Andrew Taylor Still as we
induct him into the Hall of Famous Missourians.

____________________

HONORING SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS COLLEGE'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR
OLDER PERSONS

______

HON. WILLIAM L. ENYART

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. ENYART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor
Southwestern Illinois College's Programs and Services for Older Persons
and to congratulate this organization on 40 years of service. As their
founders, partners and members gather to celebrate 40

[[Page 6313]]

years of unparalleled service to southwestern Illinois, I ask all my
colleagues to join me in honoring this organization.
Founded by Eugene Verdu, Programs and Services for Older Persons
began as a Preparation for Retirement class in 1970 at then Belleville
Area College. This led to a federal grant for the Retired Senior
Volunteer Program in 1973. Additional Federal, State and local grants
provided a myriad of services, activities and opportunities for people
over the age of 55.
Under the administrative leadership of the General Studies and
Community Services division, with full support from the BAC Board of
Trustees, an office for PSOP was established in late 1973. This new
office was responsible for administering all college activities related
to the field of aging. Today, PSOP is part of SWIC Community Services.
In the early years, PSOP was housed in a rented facility. By 1979,
more space was needed, so the city of Belleville purchased the building
that now houses PSOP at 201 N. Church St. A lease-purchase agreement
was established between the city of Belleville and BAC and by 1999, the
cost of the building was paid in full and the college now owns the
facility.
Today, PSOP's mission is to provide a comprehensive program of direct
and referral services to seniors and their families, designed to assist
them in maximizing their health and independence. PSOP's programming is
directed at healthy aging and enjoying a rewarding lifestyle for those
55 and beyond, allowing them to ``age in place'' and remain independent
as long as possible. PSOP's myriad of programs and services focus on
engagement in social and recreational activities as well as travel and
cultural activities to stimulate lifelong learning. Multiple volunteer
programs provide seniors opportunities to serve others.
Mr. Speaker, on their 40th anniversary, I am pleased to honor
Southwestern Illinois College's Programs and Services for Older Persons
for their service to southwestern Illinois. I ask my colleagues to join
me in honoring this organization and wishing them continued success as
they continue to serve the people of our area.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF DANIEL E. COHEN ON THE OCCASION OF HIS AWARD FOR
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

______

HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

of pennsylvania

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daniel E. Cohen,
who has dedicated 45 years as a board member and as President to
ProJeCt of Easton, a human service agency founded by local clergy and
community leaders in response to rising tides of poverty and social
unrest in 1968, that works to support poor and underserved populations.
Under Mr. Cohen's leadership, ProJeCt of Easton provides emergency
assistance and food programs; case management and life skills support;
and educational programs including adult basic literacy, English as a
second language, GED preparation, family literacy, and supplemental
programs for school-age children.
Since joining ProJeCt just after its incorporation, Daniel Cohen has
been a tireless advocate for the vulnerable individuals who depend on
the agency. After working for Easton's needy families for decades, he
became board president in 2001 and served until 2007. Leading by
example, he and his wife Nancy donated the cost of a classroom to
ProJeCt's Fowler Literacy Center, which now serves 25 ESL adult
learners on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Mr. Cohen has also donated his time, effort, and considerable skill
set to other charitable and non-profit organizations, including the
Bnai Abraham Synagogue, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, and
the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation. He also served on the boards for
the Hugh Moore Canal Commission, Friends of the State Theater Inc., and
the City of Easton Police Practices Commission. As a community member,
he is a constant figure at events as and always eager to help out,
along with his wife Nancy and his two daughters.
In recognition of his service, ProJeCt of Easton founded the Daniel
E. Cohen Award in honor of Mr. Cohen and recognized him as its first
recipient on April 24, 2014. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to offer my
heartfelt congratulations to Daniel E. Cohen for this great honor and
my thanks for his years of public service.

____________________

HONORING REV. FRANCE A. DAVIS OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, PASTOR OF
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH

______

HON. JIM MATHESON

of utah

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exemplary man of
faith, courage, and civic engagement. Reverend France A. Davis has
served as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City for the
last 40 years. He is a fixture in the community and a role model for
many of its citizens. He is admired throughout the state as a man of
integrity as he leads and inspires his congregation; as a man of
compassion in his fair treatment of
everyone--particularly those who are marginalized in society; and as a
man of dedication to the university students he has taught and the
civic community he leads.
Born on a large farm in rural Georgia, Rev. Davis learned early the
value of hard work and education while working and studying alongside
his eight brothers and sisters. He was blessed with caring and humble
parents who dedicated themselves to their faith and family. Recognizing
the value of education, young France committed himself to reading and
the pursuit of academic excellence.
While attending Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, France met Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. as a student reporter for the school newspaper. That
experience had a profound effect on him and Dr. King became a mentor.
Recognizing the gross injustice of racial inequality and violence,
France soon joined Dr. King in civil rights demonstrations throughout
the South, including the Selma to Montgomery March and the March on
Washington where Dr. King delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. He
was particularly moved by Dr. King's hallmark traits of nonviolence and
love. It was this example that would eventually help lead him to the
ministry.
After his participation in the Civil Rights Movement, France served
his country honorably in the United States Air Force before returning
to school to resume his studies. In the years that followed, he earned
six academic degrees, in Arts and Humanities, Afro-American Studies,
Rhetoric, Religion, Mass Communication, and Ministry. He has approached
all facets of his life and service with this same tireless devotion.
Joining Calvary Baptist in 1972, he became Pastor in 1974. Beyond
weekly preaching and counseling with members of his faithful
congregation, he has become an advocate of numerous causes in the civic
community. Among dozens of other positions, Rev. Davis has served on
the Salt Lake Community College Board of Trustees, the Utah State Board
of Regents, the Utah Board of Corrections, the Salt Lake NAACP Board,
the Governors' Policy Council, and the Salt Lake Convention and
Visitors Bureau. Under his guidance, the 122-year old church built a
new 47,000 square foot home a decade ago. He has led civic and welfare
organizations, is a renowned public speaker, has become a resource for
the governor's and mayor's offices, and after touching hundreds of
students in his years as a professor at the University of Utah, is
retiring this spring. An avid reader, he is also an accomplished author
of four books. Perhaps most importantly, he has served as a voice of
reason and sound judgment to transcend social divisions and form bonds
of understanding in the community.
With his wife Willene by his side, he has raised three children and
has three grandchildren and one great-grandson. I would like to take
this opportunity to recognize the extraordinary legacy of Rev. France
A. Davis, who has been referred to as ``one of Utah's human
treasures,'' and who we honor today for his 40 years of service to
Calvary Baptist Church and the Salt Lake community.

____________________

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

______

HON. KAREN BASS

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, on March 5, 2014, I unintentionally opposed
H.R. 2126, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014, which passed
in the House 375-136. H.R. 2126 is an important piece of legislation
that will increase America's annual energy savings, create jobs, and
significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I would like the record
to note that I support H.R. 2126. I recognize that energy efficiency-
focused legislation plays a key role in crafting a thriving,
diversified

[[Page 6314]]

national energy strategy. I am dedicated to strengthening our
country's energy efficiency and look forward to working with my
colleagues on this issue in the future.

____________________

WASHINGTON STATE ALLIES FOR ADVOCACY: A PROCLAMATION FOR THE DIGNITY
AND RIGHTS FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS

______

HON. DEREK KILMER

of washington

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to meet with individuals from
my region and the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council
about important issues concerning people with developmental
disabilities. I support their advocacy efforts for people with
developmental disabilities and programs that support them. The
Washington State Allies in Advocacy has issued a Proclamation for the
Dignity and Rights for All Human Beings and I am honored to submit a
copy.

A Proclamation for the Dignity and Rights of All Human Beings

PREAMBLE

We believe all persons are whole human beings, regardless
of ability, mobility, expression, communication,
intelligence, accommodations, strengths, independence or
support needs: All human beings are able to grow and develop
to their full potential.
Being human, we believe and affirm that all people have
absolute power to direct their own lives, with determination,
dignity and meaningful choice.
We believe and affirm the basic human right to live free
from abuse, neglect, and exploitation in our homes, jobs and
the community, so as to be secure at all times:
1. We refuse to tolerate physical, mental, emotional or
sexual violence. We deserve freedom from violence that comes
from people or systems where abuse has become commonplace and
is ignored.
2. Our money and resources must be safe and under our own
ultimate direction.
3. We must be free from discrimination based in hate or
fear, and discrimination based on good intentions.
Discrimination will be determined by the effect it has on our
lives and not the intentions of those who discriminate.
4. We must be free from attitudes and beliefs that talk
down to us.
We believe and affirm that all human beings have the right
to live free from the oppression of:
1. A transportation system that isolates us in our homes or
within a community.
2. Supports that control us and our environment, talk for
us, do not listen, or fail to recognize that we are the boss
of our own lives.
3. The fear that we will be eliminated or left to die
because the circumstances of our existence are deemed too
costly, too difficult or simply not important.
4. Being imprisoned in institutions that isolate, control
and segregate us. (Community housing without autonomy is like
an institution.)
5. Labels given to us, used to separate, devalue or
dehumanize us.
6. Societal, cultural and physical barriers that restrict
full participation in communities.
7. Any system that takes it upon itself to determine who is
worthy, that imposes services based on perceived, rather than
real needs, or makes decisions in secret without the
participation of those impacted. We have a right to services
tailored to assist us by empowering our abilities.
8. Those who devalue us through medical discrimination.
Every human has a right to be:
a) Free from those who deny or force medical treatment.
b) Free from those who assume we don't deserve medical
treatment to improve or sustain our life.
c) Free from those who make medical decisions without our
consent or voice, under the pretense of knowing better than
we what is best for us.
d) Free from those who treat or alter us, without consent,
for the convenience of others, society, or any system.
e) Free from parents, guardians, or other decision-makers
who would override our decisions, without listening and
considering our perspectives, and alter our self-determined
course as human beings.
We believe and affirm that everyone has the freedom to lead
a meaningful life, in which:
1. We each have a name, and choose the groups with which we
identify. We reject labels, imposed by others, that minimize,
specialize or segregate us.
2. We exercise the right to choose our meaningful
relationships: the people with whom we spend our time, share
personal details or with whom we are intimate.
3. We have the right to fail. Risk is acceptable, even if
we are not successful. The quality of a choice does not
determine one's value as a person.
4. Power resides within each of us. The right of people to
decide for themselves is respected, celebrated and supported.
5. We have the right to direct financial decisions
consistent with personal ambition. We pursue careers that
enable us to grow and be promoted, with work relationships
that empower us, and employment supports that protect
autonomy. Meaningful careers provide us with economic
stability and freedom. A job is not a career. Everyone should
have the opportunity to create a life with employment that
enriches the mind and spirit.
6. We are the primary drivers of our life choices and
decisions.
7. We always start by presuming competence. We all have the
absolute right to grow intellectually, sexually, physically,
spiritually and socially to our full potential; to be who we
choose to be, human beings, without pressure to alter how we
speak, feel, think, or move.
8. We have the right to technology, including assistive
technology, which increases our personal power through access
to information, and gives us the ability to more fully,
productively and effectively interact with the world.
9. All human beings rise to high expectations, to get to a
place where one can achieve and strive to be all one can be.
Limited or no expectations restrict our growth, advance
stereotypes, and move us to a path of poverty and labeled
incompetence, instead of a full life of choice and
independence.
10. We reject the notion that people are on a predetermined
path. We have the right to equally access an education that
prepares us each to enter the working world and participate
fully in our community.
11. Education directly impacts a strong society and
economy. Every human has the right to a higher education.
Every human has the right to learn and grow as one desires.
Whereas all of the above rights are recognized, honored and
practiced, we endeavor to create and uphold opportunities to:
1. Promote the health and well-being of all people.
2. Fully, meaningfully and productively participate in
civic, cultural, political, economic and social life.
3. Presume competence and uphold high expectations. Include
all people regardless of communication style, mobility, race,
nation of origin, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual
orientation, expression, intelligence, accommodations,
strengths, independence, support needs and ability.
4. Never abandon those who struggle and seek support when
needed.
5. Respect each other, even in conflict.
This we say and believe.
Signed:

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF MADERA COUNTY, VICTIMS
SERVICE CENTER

______

HON. JIM COSTA

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Community
Action Partnership of Madera County (CAPMC), Victims Service Center for
the tremendous efforts they have made to help crime victims in Madera
County.
CAPMC operates a multi program victim service center for Madera
County that addresses the needs of victims of all crime types
including: domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and
homicide. CAPMC's broad range of services greatly benefits the
population that they serve. In one agency, individuals can apply for a
restraining order and at the same time, request shelter. Since CAPMC
has all of their programs under one center, they reduce the barriers
that sometimes prevent victims from accessing services. In addition,
CAPMC is the only agency in Madera County that provides 24 hour crisis
intervention to crime victims.
CAPMC operates the Martha Diaz Shelter, the only shelter in Madera
County for battered women and their children to seek immediate safety
when fleeing from abusive relationships. Women and children are
provided supplies for their immediate needs including: food, medicine,
toiletries, and transportation. CAPMC strives to protect families from
experiencing further abuse by informing them of their rights as crime
victims and advocating for their safety. Each year, they provide a safe
haven for over one hundred women and children experiencing domestic
violence.
In 2013, CAPMC achieved national accreditation by the National
Children's Alliance (NCA), and they are now recognized as the
Accredited Child Abuse Center for Madera County. CAPMC received their
accreditation based on their utilization of a functioning and effective
multidisciplinary team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse
investigation, prosecution, and treatment. CAPMC worked diligently with
law enforcement, social

[[Page 6315]]

services, the district attorney's office, health services, and
hospitals to ensure that they received the national accreditation.
Each year, CAPMC serves an average of 112 child abuse victims. CAPMC
strives to provide an immediate response that identifies the victim's
needs and reduces the level of trauma. They operate an aftercare
program for child abuse victims and their caretakers to seek therapy,
so they have a safe place to talk about their most horrifying
experiences. Every family is assigned an advocate to ensure that their
rights as crime victims are enforced.
As a founding member and co-chairman of the Victims' Rights Caucus,
it is my honor to recognize the good work of CAPMC and to thank the
board members of CAPMC for their support and activism. These
individuals sincerely care about victims' rights and helping those in
need.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the
Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Victims Service Center
for their efforts on behalf of crime victims. They have truly made a
difference throughout the region and will continue to do so for many
decades to come.

____________________

HONORING THE COLORADO FARM SHOW

______

HON. CORY GARDNER

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Colorado Farm
Show on its 50th anniversary.
Each year, the three-day Colorado Farm Show in Weld County showcases
agricultural successes. The Colorado Farm Show displays 350
agriculture-related exhibits and draws more than 30,000 visitors from
throughout the region. The exhibitors this year were from Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana, and came to Greeley, Colorado to
present state of the art machinery, farm products, and farm services.
The event, which started from humble beginnings in 1964, has now grown
to be one of the Nation's largest agricultural shows. It is so popular
among those in the agricultural business that there is a waiting list
to join.
Over 100 volunteers annually contribute to the show's successes and
donate more than 8,200 hours of their time. The volunteers assist in
tasks ranging from administration to maintaining buildings and grounds.
One of the many great committees works directly with education and
organizes thirty speakers to discuss various programs and seminars.
Further, the show is dedicated to training the next generation of
people who are engaged in farming. Thus far, the Colorado Farm Show has
given over $123,000 to Colorado high school seniors who are interested
in careers in agriculture.
It is with great pride and honor that I recognize the Colorado Farm
Show today. Please join me in congratulating them on 50 great years of
tradition and continued agricultural success.

____________________

RECOGNIZING VIRGINIA'S REBOUNDING OYSTER INDUSTRY

______

HON. ROBERT J. WITTMAN

of virginia

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to submit for the Record a March
24, 2014, New York Times article featuring Travis and Ryan Croxton and
their small business in the First Congressional District of Virginia,
Rappahannock Oyster Company, which is building a historic family
business and contributing to a healthy Chesapeake Bay.
One of the crown jewels of our nation's natural resources, the
Chesapeake Bay is rich in history and also provides a way of life for
so many that live in the Bay region. I appreciate the efforts of these
fine Virginians creating jobs, producing a fine product, all while
working to preserve the Bay and a historic way of life.

[From the New York Times, Mar. 24, 2014]

A Chesapeake Homecoming

(By Julia Moskin)

Topping, VA.--When Travis and Ryan Croxton first went to
New York City in 2004 to market their homegrown oysters, one
of the few seafood places they had heard of was Le Bernardin,
so naturally they just showed up with a cooler at the kitchen
door.
``We really Forrest Gumped it,'' said Travis, 39. ``We had
no idea what we were doing.''
Chesapeake oysters were so rare then that the chefs wanted
to try them on the spot. But neither Croxton, both of whom
had master's degrees, knew how to shuck an oyster. ``Finally
the chef took it out of my hands and did it himself,'' Travis
said.
Oysters had almost disappeared from the Chesapeake Bay when
the Croxtons, first cousins and co-owners of the Rappahannock
Oyster Company, graduated from college. And after decades of
bad news about pollution, silt, disease and overfishing in
the bay, many locals wouldn't eat them raw. ``A whole
generation of Virginians grew up without virginicas,'' said
Peter Woods, the chef at Merroir, the Croxtons' oyster bar
here, where the Rappahannock River empties into the bay.
``For oyster roasts, oyster stuffing, all these traditions,
you just couldn't get your hands on them.''
As he spoke, Mr. Woods was shucking a dozen just-pulled
virginica oysters, the kind that grew wild on thick shoals
all around the bay when the first Europeans sailed in, the
wooden hulls of their ships brushing against the shells. It
is the same oyster that grows in Long Island Sound and on
Cape Cod and points north--and now, with modern aquaculture,
as far south as Georgia.
``Now they can't get enough of them,'' said Mr. Woods,
twirling the flesh into a plump and attractive ``Rappahannock
roll'' that sits up high in the shell. Food styling was not
part of the traditional job description for a waterman
(Chesapeake-speak for fisherman), but it is just one of many
ingenious ways that a new generation is trying to bring a
thriving oyster trade back to the bay.
In 1899, when the cousins' great-grandfather leased five
acres of nearby river bottom and started the company, the
water here was still rich with the plankton and
phytonutrients that oysters need to live. The bay's floor was
inlaid with shell and rock, the sea grasses were tall, and
the water was brackish (part salt, part fresh, ideal for
oysters) like most of the coastal Chesapeake, among the
world's largest estuaries with more than 11,000 miles of
shoreline.
But the oyster population was already cratering under
commercial and environmental pressure. The 20th century
brought more-sophisticated dredging tools and more pollution:
Modern farming, with its fertilizers and insecticides, dumped
enough nitrogen and phosphorus into the bay to bring its life
cycle to a near-complete halt, said Bill Goldsborough,
director of fisheries for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,
which was formed in 1967 to protect and restore the bay.
The cleanup is proceeding (slowly), and oysters play an
active part. They are filter feeders, slurping 50 to 60
gallons of water a day and cleaning it as they go. ``For
protecting seafood, usually you're talking about restraint:
Don't eat it, don't catch it,'' Ryan Croxton said. ``But with
oysters, the more you eat, the more we grow, and the more bay
they can clean.''
At peak trade, around 1875, 20 million bushels of wild
oysters were taken from the bay each year. By the late 1990s,
the total was 20,000. Restoration of the bay's ecosystem,
undertaken by multiple state, federal and private agencies,
was proceeding with painful slowness, and repairing the
oyster business was not a high priority.
To Tommy Leggett, a local marine scientist and
environmental educator who is also a working waterman, the
low point came when the governing bodies began to consider
abandoning Crassostrea virginica and reseeding the bay with a
disease-resistant oyster native to the South China Sea,
Crassostrea ariakensis.
``That oyster grows fast and it grows strong,'' said Mr.
Leggett, who was in a position to see all sides of the
argument. ``It reaches market size in less than a year, so
the whole industry was drooling over the thing. But it didn't
belong in our bay.'' Introducing nonnative species has often
led to unforeseen problems, like the proliferation of kudzu
and the infamous ``walking catfish'' in the Southeast.
So Mr. Leggett, 58, became an activist for virginica
farming. Although aquaculture was already well established in
the Northeast and internationally, it hadn't caught on here,
partly because the wild stock was so plentiful. Long after
the beds up north ran out, baymen here were still pulling up
enough oysters (along with blue crabs, striped bass and other
valuable creatures) to make a living.
But eventually, Mr. Leggett couldn't support a family on
his catch. ``First the hard clams tanked, then the oysters
tanked, then the crabs tanked,'' he said. ``I could see which
way the bay was going.''
Mr. Leggett set up a demonstration oyster farm for the
Chesapeake Bay Foundation at the Virginia Institute of Marine
Science, and began to preach the advantages of aquaculture:
the ability to sustain the supply, predict the harvest and
control the quality of your catch by creating optimal growing
conditions at each life stage. Oysters grow from tiny spat,
the most juvenile stage, to market size of three inches, in
about 18 months.
An oyster farm doesn't look much like a farm. The oysters
grow in metal cages, eating the same food in exactly the same
water as their wild counterparts. But they are groomed for
market: brought into dock, sorted and tossed in a tumbler,
then bagged for sale or returned to the water. The process

[[Page 6316]]

gives each oyster room to grow a full ``cup,'' which brings a
premium price, and keeps the shells looking pretty.
It's a low-tech system, but it lets growers raise oysters
for high-end restaurants the way farmers raise vegetables:
with consistency in shape, size, texture and flavor; with
careful handling from farm to table; and with an eye to
beauty and shapeliness. Aquaculture has begun to turn the
tide back toward virginicas. Last year, for instance, the
take from the Chesapeake was about 400,000 bushels.
Anderson's Neck, Choptank Sweets and Misty Points are just a
few of the euphonious new oysters to hit the market, and Mr.
Leggett's own York Rivers fetch premium prices.
The Croxtons did not grow up as oystermen (Travis studied
finance; Ryan, Southern literature), and neither did their
fathers. ``Grandpa told them to go to college instead of
messing around with oysters,'' Travis said. The boys
inherited the leases on the river, and by law they had to
grow oysters there or give them up.
Thus began the road to Le Bernardin, the Grand Central
Oyster Bar and beyond. The two have reinvested what they've
earned, opening restaurants with high visibility, one in
Richmond, Va., another in the busy Union Market in
Washington.
After building a steady market for their trademark oyster,
the Rappahannock River, they began to build a range of
flavors. Now they grow oysters in several locations, where
the water varies in salinity and depth, each producing
somewhat distinct flavors: crisp Stingrays in Mobjack Bay,
briny Old Salts in Chincoteague Bay and the oyster for the
people, the Barcat.
The Barcat is an all-purpose Chesapeake oyster, distributed
and marketed along with the Croxtons' premium oysters, but at
a lower price to feed the current boom in raw bars and $1
oyster happy hours. Instead of growing Barcats themselves,
they hatched a new cooperative of oyster farmers, mostly
current or former watermen, that serves as an entry point to
aquaculture. The members can grow as few or as many as they
like but still go fishing and crabbing on the bay.
These watermen, Travis said, have seen that farming helps
sustain both the bay and their businesses. In the last
decade, all the Chesapeake fisheries have become more tightly
controlled, and law enforcement more persistent. Illegal
fishing in protected waters, or at night, or out of season,
was a low-risk income stream for generations of watermen.
Now, it's far more difficult. This month, Maryland's Natural
Resources Police scored its first conviction for oyster
poaching based on evidence from a state-of-the-art
surveillance system it shares with the Department of Homeland
Security.
Under these conditions, the peaceful, lucrative life of the
oyster farmer grows ever more attractive. ``Even the
roughest, meanest water guys notice when their friend is
driving a new truck,'' Travis said. ``Suddenly, they get
interested.''

____________________

THE RYAN REPUBLICAN BUDGET: DANGEROUS TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND
DANGEROUS TO OUR SAFETY IN NATURAL DISASTERS

______

HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

of new york

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to
the severely regressive Paul Ryan Budget Proposal, a radical and
erosive bill that undermines our national security by slashing funding
for essential emergency assistance and jeopardizes our preparedness and
safety in natural disasters.
The Ryan Budget would be a fiscal wreck to high-growth states and
states affected by natural disasters. In the immediate aftermath of a
disaster, states and local areas often depend on help from the Federal
Government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) helps people
affected by the disaster get food, water, and shelter, and helps with
search-and-rescue missions and providing electric power. FEMA also
helps states and local governments repair or replace public facilities
and infrastructure, which often is not insured.
Last year New York was completely devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
Sandy's impact included the flooding of the New York City Subway
system, many communities, the closure of all road tunnels entering
Manhattan except the Lincoln Tunnel, and the closure of the New York
Stock Exchange for two consecutive days. Thousands of homes and an
estimated 250,000 vehicles were destroyed during the storm. Economic
losses across New York were estimated to be at least $18 billion. In my
district, it was nothing less than a miracle that the section of the
Shore Parkway connecting Sheepshead Bay with Canarsie was not
destroyed; which by coincidence, a National Park Service project had
placed a huge amount of soil near the bridge, which effectively saved
it.
The Federal Government's ability to respond to natural disasters,
like Hurricane Sandy would be significantly hindered under Chairman
Ryan's Budget Proposal and shift very substantial costs to states and
localities forcing them to make do with less during difficult times of
disaster.
House Republicans continue to push for devastating cuts that threaten
the safety net designed to provide the most basic needs for millions of
Americans at their most vulnerable time. It is for these reasons that I
will vote ``no'' on this budget and I ask my colleagues to oppose this
budget as well.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE SAN JOAQUIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

______

HON. JEFF DENHAM

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate
San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation as they celebrate their 100th year
anniversary.
The San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation was formed in 1914; it began
with 650 members and 14 Farm Centers. In 1919, the San Joaquin Farm
Bureau Federation helped hold the County's first fair, located in Oak
Park. By 1931, SJFB was the largest Farm Bureau in the United States
with 2,301 members.
The SJFB soon outgrew their building and dedicated their new, larger
building in 1938. During this time, their vision created structure.
Subcommittees comprised of local farmers were established in every area
of the county. They were charged with mapping out and organizing the
sections. The idea behind the plan was to prevent sabotage and fires,
provide information, develop a cooperative use of farm implements and
labor, as well as to assist in any national food production plan.
During World War II, the Farm Bureau devoted a major part of war
emergency to defense work.
The top 10 priority issues declared by the Farm Bureau in 1952 were:
economy, good government, citizenship, schools and school costs,
international trade, adequate labor, inflation, water, terminal market
waste, and a better understanding of the relationship between the farm
bureau and the consumer.
In the mid-1950s, there were many changes to the local politics and
organizations. The Farm Bureau took a hard stance opposing a certain
State Assembly bill relating to gun control, citing that it would drive
firearms underground. During this time, the San Joaquin County Agri-
Center was formed. A year later, the California Division of Water
Resources was set up; it abolished several State boards and
commissions. The Young People's Department was approved by the board,
which served as the forerunner for the Young Farmers and Ranchers
Program. Shortly after, two land use policies were passed. One
addressed the protection of agricultural lands from annexation and
another to prevent the use of top soil for road and other construction
fills.
In the 1960s, the SJFB made changes to the Cow Testing Association
and created the San Joaquin County Dairy Herd Improvement. Farm Bureau
records and funds were turned over to the new cooperation. The SJFB
took a hard stance in 1964 by opposing the Delta Peripheral Canal,
which would have cut a large swath through some of the county's most
valuable farm land. Toward the late 1960s, the County Board of
Supervisors approved a resolution for the establishment of agricultural
preserves for the county.
The current San Joaquin Farm Bureau Office was dedicated in 1972.
There were many changes during the 80s for the San Joaquin Farm
Bureau. They reinforced the importance of the dairy industry to the
county when the SJFB Board of Directors voted in sharp disagreement
with the California Farm Bureau Federation when they asked for $.29 per
hundred weight drop in Class One milk. In addition, the president of
Zenith announced its purchase of CalFarm Insurance. The partnership
between the Farm Bureau and CalFarm began to materialize.

[[Page 6317]]

The Immigration Reform Act of 1986 came through a joint effort by the
agricultural interests of California and Congress. The Alien
Legalization for Agriculture program was formed in 1987 as a result of
immigration legislation that passed in Congress. The SJFB contracted
with federal officials to provide local agriculture workers the ability
to gain citizenship through the amnesty program that was granted at
that time. Thousands of workers were able to utilize this program to
become U.S. citizens. At the end of the process, excess funds were used
to help start the SJFB Foundation for Agricultural Education.
In 1988, the Environmental Affairs Committee was formed and
immediately set out to work on the Endangered Species Act, San Joaquin
Air Basin Air Quality, and pesticide regulation and enforcement.
The 1990s brought the advent of many ``new town'' proposals, self-
contained urban areas that would not become incorporated cities. Only
one of these new town proposals, Mountain House, was supported by the
San Joaquin Farm Bureau and remains an active, growing community in the
county.
Efforts were made to create a rural crime task force under the
Sheriffs Department to ensure adequate personnel would be allocated to
counter crimes impacting agricultural operations. The SJFB initiated
policy language at the State Farm Bureau Convention to prioritize metal
theft, and to require recyclers to adhere to strict guidelines when
accepting metal. Their efforts led to legislation that passed the
California State Legislature the following year.
The 2000s enabled the SJFB to work with the county on what is now
known as the Cabral Agricultural Center which houses the Agricultural
Commissioner, U.C. Cooperative Extension, and the Office of Emergency
Services.
San Joaquin Farm Bureau members and staff have advanced the concept
of providing an ``Ag Venture'' program, which helps 13,000 3rd grade
students from throughout the county attend one of three ``Ag Venture''
days. The program gives students the opportunity to learn more about
where their food comes from and the benefits of eating local crops.
They have also advanced a ``Farmers Market'' program that educates
4th grade students in low income schools on the benefits of eating
specialty crops that come from the region. At the end of the 4 session
program, students are given the opportunity to purchase fresh produce
for 10 cents each to bring home fruits and vegetables.
In the past two years, the SJFB was recognized by the American Farm
Bureau Federation under their ``Counties Activities of Excellence''
program. The San Joaquin Farm Bureau's advocacy efforts, agricultural
education, and safety training programs all have contributed to their
being recognized under this program. The SJFB was selected as the
County of the Year in 2013 by the California Farm Bureau Federation.
The San Joaquin Farm Bureau has accomplished a number of commendable
things within the community. They have also maintained a county
legislative committee that has worked with the State Legislature, and
an economic committee that has made progress in enforcement of State
realty laws. The San Joaquin Farm Bureau has also assisted the Federal
Land Bank to provide funds to farmers, and have campaigned for
reapportionment of the State Legislature. In addition to this, the SJFB
has maintained a cow-testing association, sponsored 4H activities,
cooperated with the extension service in educational programs, and have
represented livestock men in demanding dog law enforcement.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating with the San Joaquin Farm
Bureau Federation for their significant contributions, not only to
agriculture, but to the community, and the State of California.
Congratulations on the past 100 years, and I wish you the best success
in the years to come.

____________________

HONORING THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE MID AMERICA BANK IN MISSOURI

______

HON. BLAINE LUETKEMEYER

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mid
America Bank and recognize the contribution the institution has made to
communities in Missouri during its 100 years of operation. Since April
is Community Bank Month, it is fitting to celebrate the anniversary of
one of Missouri's finest financial institutions. On April 27, 1914,
this community bank was founded as the People's Bank of St. Thomas. It
was then relocated to Meta, Missouri in 1951, where it operated as the
sole location for 27 years and was renamed the Meta State Bank. In
1978, the name Mid America Bank was adopted as the bank grew and opened
a second branch in Linn, Missouri. Mid America Bank has continued to
expand and currently has five branches throughout the state that allow
the people of Missouri access to the financial tools that provide
stability and security in their daily life.
The longevity of Mid America Bank is not only a testament to its
success and knowledge of the financial services industry, but also its
commitment to our Missouri communities. Community banks such as Mid
America Bank have a desire to help their customers improve their lives
and realize their dreams, all while valuing the customer and respecting
the vital role of relationship banking.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in
wishing all the employees of Mid America Bank our sincerest thanks and
appreciation for their service to the men, women and families of
Missouri. Congratulations on 100 years and best wishes for continued
success in the next 100 years.

____________________

CELEBRATING THE CAREER OF MARIA De La MILERA AND CONGRATULATING HER ON
A WELL DESERVED RETIREMENT

______

HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to celebrate the
long and successful public service career of Maria De La Milera and
congratulate her on a well-deserved retirement. Her commitment to our
community and our nation is exemplary and we are all forever grateful
for her service. With over 30 years of experience and countless
accolades and accomplishments over such an expansive career, South
Floridians are truly losing an invaluable member of the fabric of our
community.
Maria was born in Holguin, Oriente, Cuba, the oldest of three
daughters. After the brutal dictator Fidel Castro seized power, Maria
came with her younger sister to the United States in the largest exodus
of unaccompanied children from the regime--known as ``Pedro Pan.'' She
then spent four years in a Los Angeles orphanage until her parents were
finally able to join her in the United States.
As an adult, Maria moved to Miami and began her career helping our
South Florida community through public service, working as a
constituent service representative for Senator Richard Stone. She
continued her career in the office of Senator Paula Hawkins, focusing
primarily on immigration cases where she earned a reputation as a
caring and compassionate advocate on behalf of all those needing a
helping hand. Her commitment to others allowed her to positively shape
the lives of many individuals.
Maria then spent a few years in the political realm as Executive
Director of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County, and then joined
the government of Miami-Dade County, where she spent the last 23 years
supporting our local residents. She has long been known for inspiring
those around her, people who will undoubtedly carry on her legacy of
professionalism and commitment. There is no greater reward than the
satisfaction gained through serving others, and Maria embraced this
most noble of endeavors with remarkable principle.
It is my distinct pleasure to join Maria's family; her children
Beatriz Maria, Maritza Isabel and Raul De La Milera, Jr.; her
grandchildren Michael, Mathew, Madison, Mark, Laenie and Rachel; as
well as friends and peers as they honor her many accomplishments and
outstanding career. Maria, thank you for your exceptional public
service. I wish you only the best in any challenge you choose next to
accept.

____________________

ON RECOGNITION OF THE OPENING OF SAINT JOSEPH MERCY OAKLAND HOSPITAL'S
SOUTH PATIENT TOWER

______

HON. GARY C. PETERS

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to
recognize the opening of Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital's South
Patient Tower. The South Patient Tower is an eight-story, contemporary-
styled facility that features 208 private, technologically integrated
and enhanced patient care rooms, which provide ample space for the
family and friends who we know are vital to the healing

[[Page 6318]]

process. This patient-centered and technologically advanced addition
highlights this hospital's dedication to administering a high-quality
health care experience to members of our community.
Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital is an award-winning facility that
has provided expert and compassionate care to the citizens of the
Pontiac area for more than 85 years. In that time the hospital has
chosen to focus its efforts on quality, patient safety and cost-
efficiency. In doing so it has become nationally recognized for the
high level of care that it provides and as a leader in Cardiology,
Critical Care, Women's Health and Orthopedics. The South Patient Tower
builds on that tradition, and illustrates Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland
Hospital's longstanding commitment to providing the best care possible
to the community.
This South Patient Tower is the culmination of the Saint Joseph Mercy
Oakland Hospital's ongoing commitment to medical excellence. A major
feature of the tower is the deployment of the most advanced integrated
medical technology, which will transform the future of health care. The
Intelligent Care System technology that this facility will employ
creates the most technologically advanced health environment in the
country. In doing so, hospital staff will be empowered to bring a new
level of responsive, proactive, collaborative and innovative care to
the patients that they serve.
Additionally, Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital has chosen to
invest in efforts to enhance every aspect of a patient's health care
experience through their Healing Arts program. By recognizing that the
physical environment is an integral part of the hospital experience,
Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital has taken efforts to create a
calming atmosphere and restorative environment for patients through the
integration of intentional art, architecture and esthetic.
Mr. Speaker, I am truly proud to celebrate and recognize the opening
of Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital's South Patient Tower. This
institution is dedicated to putting patient care at the forefront of
its mission and efforts, and by choosing to invest in the future of
health care Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital continues its
commitment to being an exceptional place to come for healing of body,
mind and spirit.

____________________

RECOGNIZING BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS' WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA FACILITY ON
THE OCCASION OF ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

______

HON. G. K. BUTTERFIELD

of north carolina

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bridgestone
Americas, one of our nation's leading tire manufacturers, as it
celebrates the 40th anniversary of its passenger and light truck tire
plant in my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina.
I have represented the Wilson plant for nearly ten years and am
reminded each time I pass it on my way to Washington, DC the impact it
has had on the City of Wilson and Wilson and Edgecombe Counties, and
indeed the state of North Carolina.
For 40 years, the Wilson plant has built a reputation for producing
superior, high quality products that help protect drivers, passengers,
and pedestrians in my state of North Carolina, across the country, and
throughout the world.
The Wilson plant produced its first tire on March 1, 1974. Since
then, Bridgestone Americas' Wilson plant has grown to be Wilson
County's second largest employer and has provided good paying, stable
jobs for thousands of people that call eastern North Carolina home.
Bridgestone Americas' Wilson facility is massive, spanning some 500
acres with two and a half million square feet of workspace. In January
2014, the plant received the highly sought and prestigious ``Zero Waste
to Landfill'' certification by Underwriter Laboratories.
Bridgestone Americas is committed to environmental sustainability so
much so that the men and women who work at the Wilson plant developed
the land surrounding the facility into the Freedom Wildlife Habitat and
Refuge. The area was certified as a ``Corporate Lands for Learning and
Wildlife at Work'' site by the U.S. Wildlife Habitat Council. I am
particularly proud of the Wilson employees who contributed their time
and resources to make our region a better place to live and work.
Without question, Bridgestone Americas and their facility in Wilson,
North Carolina have contributed greatly to our state and national
economies. The Wilson plant is an integral part of our community and a
great corporate partner for our region.
I am so pleased to recognize Bridgestone Americas' 40th year of
manufacturing passenger and light truck tires in their Wilson facility
and look forward to sharing in many more of their achievements.

____________________

HONORING BESS ENLOE

______

HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to
honor Bess Enloe who was honored last night at the 2014 Southern
Methodist University Meadows School of the Art's benefit gala located
at the Meyerson Symphony Center. A graduate of Southern Methodist
University, Ms. Enloe currently chairs the Executive Board of the SMU
Meadows School for the Arts and is a Life Trustee of the Dallas Theater
Center. She is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of
the AT&T Performing Arts Center, where she co-chairs the Development
Committee. Previously, she chaired the Facilities Committee for the Dee
and Charles Wyly Theatre.
Ms. Enloe's contributions have enriched the Dallas-area's culture.
The fine arts is a key component in improving learning throughout all
academic areas. Evidence of its effectiveness in reducing student
dropout, raising student attendance, developing better team players,
enhancing student creativity, and producing a more prepared student for
the workplace. In Congress, I have always advocated for sustained
investments in the arts and humanities.
Ms. Enloe has been an energetic leader and supporter of many of
Dallas' arts groups throughout the years and deserves to be commended
for her contributions to the community. Over the years Ms. Enloe has
been the recipient of several prestigious awards in recognition of her
work, including the TACA Silver Cup Award in 1993, the TITAS Award for
Excellence in 2007 and the Dallas Historical Society's Award for
Excellence in the Arts in 2009. Mr. Speaker, our country is a better
one because we have a Bess Enloe.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF DEBBI O'DONOHUE FOR HER THIRTY YEARS OF SUCCESS AND
SERVICE

______

HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an
outstanding small business headquartered in the Fifth Congressional
District of Missouri, which I have the honor and privilege of serving.
Awards & T-Shirts Specialists, Inc. is celebrating thirty years of
successful business. Their founder and owner, Debbi O'Donohue, is the
driving force behind this nationally recognized company.
As elected leaders, it is important for us to salute successful
businesses such as Awards & T-Shirts Specialists, Inc. The
entrepreneurial spirit of Debbi and her company is truly what makes our
country great.
Their founder and owner, Debbi O'Donohue, started Awards & T-Shirts
on March 3, 1984 as a trophy business in her parents' basement. It
rapidly expanded three months later to offer screen-printed apparel and
custom-made awards. Today, this company is the premier provider of
American-made and union-decorated promotional products in the United
States, having customers in all fifty states and Canada.
Debbi was a trailblazer in 1986 when Awards & T-Shirts Specialists
signed their first union contract. She became the first female owned
and operated contractor in the Greater Kansas City Building and
Construction Trades Council. Specializing in serving the unions' niche
and related companies and organizations, Awards & T-Shirts has
continued to expand and enhance its high-quality American and union
made products, outstanding service, and creative image designs over the
past thirty years.
Awards & T-Shirts' impressive record of delivering proven results has
elevated their company to become a national leader in the promotional
marketing industry that is highly sought after for conferences, special
events, golf tournaments, and workforce motivational programs.
The amazing thirty years of success of Awards & T-Shirts Specialists
can be directly attributed to Debbi and her boundless energy

[[Page 6319]]

and captivating personality. She leads by example, inspiring dedication
and determination in her staff.
It is one thing for a business to be successful; it is another
milestone to achieve thirty years of success. Probably the greatest
good is demonstrated by what a person gives back to the community.
Debbi and Awards & T-Shirts have always demonstrated a commitment to
supporting our community through sponsorship of youth sports teams,
donations to community organizations, and a dedication to charitable
giving by being the lead sponsor for the Annual Muscular Dystrophy
Association (MDA) Labor Day Softball Tournament and Bowl-A-Thon.
Awards & T-Shirts' 30th Anniversary Celebration on April 26th
continued this dedication to giving back through a benefit for the
Autism Society--The Heartland. It was my pleasure and honor to join
Debbi, her family, and team along with customers from around the
country for this worthy endeavor.
If the Speaker and my colleagues will indulge me, I would like to
highlight one of my personal experiences with Debbi and her team. She
and her dedicated staff came to the rescue of our Congressional Art
Competition by producing the awards ribbons for the event at a moment's
notice. As a woman owned business and a union signatory contractor that
provides a full benefit package to their employees, Awards & T-Shirts
Specialist, Inc. is a model for all small businesses in our country.
The company's legacy is reflected in their customers, and I am proud to
have benefitted from their outstanding craftsmanship, innovative and
creative designs, and extraordinary dedication to the highest quality
products.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me, as I am honored
and proud to be saluting and applauding Debbi O'Donohue and Awards & T-
Shirts Specialists, Inc. for thirty years of successful business.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE ROUND LAKE AREA SCHOOLS 2014 FINE ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA

______

HON. BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Round Lake Area
Schools' commitment to quality education and the arts. The Round Lake
Area Schools, located in the suburban Chicago district I represent,
will host its first annual Fine Arts Extravaganza. This program will
offer an area-wide exhibition of student artwork, highlighting the
extraordinary talents of our young people.
Including visual and performing arts, dance, drama and music, the
Fine Arts Extravaganza is a showcase for the creative and artistic
expressions of Round Lake Area students. The school district includes
more than 7,000 students attending five elementary schools, two middle
schools and one high school.
The study and appreciation of the arts is a bedrock quality of an
expansive, well-rounded education fostering independent thought and
self-expression. Our children's future prospects, and the future of our
communities, are enriched when we all understand and appreciate the
arts.
In the student art competition that I host, I am consistently struck
by the excellence and thoughtfulness of the submitted works, and I know
that our community is filled with outstanding artists at every grade
level. The 2014 Round Lake Area Schools Fine Arts Extravaganza offers
another exciting opportunity to showcase much of that talent and
cultivate a breeding ground for future artistic endeavors.
I am grateful for the Round Lake community's commitment to the arts
and to student artists, and I am excited for many future Fine Arts
Extravaganzas.

____________________

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY 2014

______

HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, today is Yom Ha'Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance
Day. It is a day to commemorate the millions of Holocaust victims and
heroes.
In the United States, Yom Ha'Shoah is observed with events in cities
and states around the country. In the Los Angeles area, home to
approximately 10,000 survivors, the Museum of the Holocaust held a Walk
of Remembrance and a day of activities at its memorial in Pan Pacific
Park.
In Washington, DC, Yom Ha'Shoah is commemorated as part of the Days
of Remembrance sponsored by U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The theme
of this year's event is, ``Confronting the Holocaust: American
Responses.'' As we reflect on our country's action and inaction in the
face of genocide, we study how to recognize extremism and respond
before it is too late.
Holocaust Remembrance Day comes this year amidst recent acts of anti-
Semitism, both at home and abroad. Earlier this month in Kansas City,
three people were killed by a gunman in a tragic shooting outside of
the Jewish Community Center.
In Ukraine, as the interim government attempts to return stability
and democracy to its borders, we have seen groups exhibiting violence,
intimidation and propaganda towards Ukrainian Jews. The international
community's condemnation has been swift and unequivocal. Nevertheless,
these incidents and others serve as a poignant reminder that our
obligation to teach the history of the Holocaust and fight intolerance
remains ongoing.
As Congress prepares to assemble for the Days of Remembrance memorial
service, we rise today to honor the lives of the victims and heroes of
the Holocaust. We pay tribute to them by proclaiming that the American
response will forever be, ``Never again.''

____________________

HONORING THEODORE DAY

______

HON. JOE COURTNEY

of connecticut

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a small-town hero.
After 20 years of exceptional service, Theodore Day has earned his Life
Membership to the Gales Ferry Volunteer Fire Company.
Ted became a volunteer fire fighter with the department in 1994.
Since then he has logged in 21,000 hours serving the residents of the
village of Gales Ferry and the town of Ledyard, Connecticut. Ted has
responded to over 1,700 emergencies, including fires, motor vehicle
crashes and hazardous materials releases. His skills and sharp
instincts have been an asset to the department, enabling Ted to save
lives and minimize damage to property. His courage and dedication
earned him the title of Fire Fighter of the Year for 2002 and 2003.
In 2007, Ted was named Deputy Fire Chief. A strong advocate for the
Gales Ferry Volunteer Fire Company, Ted has applied for grants and
relentlessly pursued all avenues to save the department money. In tight
budget years, Ted was able to keep the fire company running smoothly
without sacrificing public safety.
In addition to his work with the Gales Ferry Volunteer Fire Company,
Ted Day is a dedicated husband to this wife Tiffany and father to their
children, Mason and Lia. I ask that my colleagues join with me in
honoring Theodore Day for his dedication and outstanding service to the
Gales Ferry Volunteer Fire Company and the community it serves.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE FLORIDA CUSTOMS BROKERS AND FORWARDERS ASSOCIATION

______

HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Florida
Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association (FCBF) on its successful 55th
Annual Gala.
FCBF was founded in 1960 by several Miami brokers and forwarders.
Since then, it has thrived as a positive forum for the interchange of
ideas; a promoter greater industry knowledge and ideals; and a powerful
advocate on behalf of brokers and forwarders.
From these humble beginnings, FCBF has grown into one of the most
influential and active members of the Florida freight forwarding and
customs brokerage community. FCBF's active and experienced volunteer
professionals have been at the forefront of matters that directly
affect their industry, encouraging the development of common sense
international trade policies that can help our nation thrive and
protect our fragile economic recovery. Its professionals are equally
committed to fostering positive working relationships amongst the trade
community and federal agencies, creating a healthier environment for

[[Page 6320]]

economic development and job creation in our state and our nation.
Small business owners like customs brokers and forwarders are vital to
our South Florida economy and it will be through their success that we
will be able to realize true private sector jobs growth.
FCBF's annual gala celebrated over half a century of accomplishment
and included the induction of John Ballestero of PortMiami, Lilly
Cabrera of Lilly & Associates, Nelly Yunta of Customized Brokerage,
Raymond Jones of Florida East Coast Railway, and Jorge Rodriguez into
its hall of fame. FCBF was also proud to recognize the contributions of
both Florida East Coast Railway and Florida Governor Rick Scott.
Congratulations again to the Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders
Association on its recent gala and I wish all of its members continued
success in the years to come.

____________________

STOP TARGETING FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

______

HON. ROBERT J. WITTMAN

of virginia

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I voted on Thursday, April 10, in favor of
H. Con. Res. 96, authored by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan,
because it is my belief that Congress has a responsibility to address
our nation's fiscal crisis. This proposal is simply a way forward in
the budgetary process so we can continue the debate about the financial
challenges our country faces.
Like last year's proposal, the House budget plan for FY 2015 calls
for significant reductions in discretionary spending, reduced taxes,
and the full repeal of the President's costly health care reform law.
It proposes a balanced budget in the next 10 years and recognizes that
we can no longer ignore the trillions of dollars in mandatory spending
on entitlement programs that almost completely consume our nation's
budget.
This year's plan also asks Members of Congress to again lead by
example by cutting their own pay, benefits, and office budgets in the
quest to reduce our debt and put this nation on sound financial
footing.
Further, the Ryan plan protects our nation's defense and security
forces. I have repeatedly said that we must get serious about the
national security threats that exist in this world and what is required
of our forward presence and response forces.
Reality is that we live in a 15 aircraft carrier world. The United
States Navy has 10 right now and the law says we have to have 11. We
need 11 carriers in our Navy. These are mobile, sea based, warships
that can sail around the globe to project power and protect our global
trade and commerce.
This budget keeps 11 carriers in the fleet, giving the United States
the flexibility and capabilities that are essential to the rebalance of
our security posture toward the Asia Pacific, our enduring security
commitments in the Middle East, and the need to respond to contingency
operations around the globe.
Our nation has no greater asset than the folks who have served and
are currently serving our nation, both military and civilian alike.
Their dedication and service to our nation is unwavering and it is
important that Congress provide the best equipment, training, and
compensation so these men and women can meet their duties in full. The
Ryan budget plan restores national security spending and helps our
defense maintain its current strength.
These are all measures that I have and will continue to support;
however, it is disappointing that this proposal, just as in past budget
proposals, unfairly targets only one group of Americans for additional
sacrifices: the civilian federal workforce. I have serious concerns
that this resolution again forces federal employees to contribute more
towards their retirement, which is the equivalent of a pay cut, and
ends their defined benefit retirement plan for deficit reduction
purposes.
America's First District is full of hardworking and dedicated
citizens who serve the people of this nation every day, such as on the
front lines of the War on Terror or in support roles for our military.
Still others provide invaluable services at places such as VA
hospitals, cancer and Alzheimer's research laboratories, and law
enforcement agencies such as the FBI and DEA. And yet, federal civilian
employees continue to see their pay cut and their benefits reduced on
multiple occasions.
Federal employees have endured a pay freeze since 2010; furloughs due
to sequestration; and, most recently, were required to not work because
of indecision and political gamesmanship that resulted in a government
shutdown for 16 days. Enough is enough.
I am fully ready and willing to enact deeper cuts to my own salary,
benefits, and congressional operations, which are provisions included
in this year's Ryan budget, but we must stop singling out federal
employees simply because Congress continually fails to address the out-
of-control spending.
There is no question that our nation must get its spending in order,
and federal employees are certainly willing to do their part to help in
this effort. Their daily contributions to their fellow citizens and to
the cause of freedom are simply innumerable, and yet during deficit
reduction debate over the last few years, federal employees have been
asked to contribute much more than their fair share. Our federal
civilian employees live a life of selfless service, and they deserve
our appreciation.
Mr. Speaker, I voted in support of the Ryan budget because it is
Congress' constitutional duty to budget and appropriate. This budget
proposal is a means for Congress to further discuss our country's
fiscal challenges, but I am hopeful that deficit reduction efforts
going forward will focus more realistically on addressing the true
drivers of our debt, rather than targeting those who are trying simply
to serve their nation every day.

____________________

HONORING THE GREELEY CHORALE

______

HON. CORY GARDNER

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GARDNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Greeley Chorale,
which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The Chorale, which
originated in 1964 as a community chorus, performs a variety of choral
masterpieces from classical to contemporary and sacred to secular.
Since its inception, it has been led by several directors who have each
worked diligently to garner international exposure and develop the
talents of the group's 94 singers.
The Greeley Chorale has conducted eight international tours. In 1985,
the Chorale completed a tour of Germany, the Netherlands, England, and
Wales. Three years later, the Chorale was invited by the governments of
the United States and Australia to sing at the opening ceremony of the
World's Fair in Brisbane, Australia. In 1992, Greeley Chorale was
selected as one of only three choirs to perform in the Vienna
International Choral Festival, and during their 1996 tour of Scotland
and England, the chorale performed the inaugural concert for the
renovation of the Chapel Royale in Stirling Castle in Scotland. More
recently, the Chorale has visited China, Italy, and Ireland. They
performed a series of concerts in each country.
At home, the Greeley Chorale works to engage the community by
providing citizens with the opportunity to experience the performance
of choral masterpieces as both artists and patrons. The continued
vision of the Chorale in promoting classical, innovative and
educational opportunities is extremely valuable to this region and to
all of Colorado. Please join me in congratulating the Chorale for its
fifty years of success.

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF THE CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR
10TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY

______

HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

of pennsylvania

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Cancer Support
Community for their decade of service to the Greater Lehigh Valley
area. Since 2004, this organization has provided support, hope, and a
sense of control to 26,400 people struggling with cancer in seven
counties, including Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and
Schuylkill Counties in Pennsylvania as well as Warren County in New
Jersey.
The Cancer Support Community offers free programs, educational
classes, and support groups to patients and their families as they
undergo the difficult stages of this terrible disease. Through their
works, the Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley
ensures no one has to face cancer alone. I extend my personal gratitude
to the members of the board of directors, staff, and volunteers for
their invaluable service to patients and their families in these
communities.

[[Page 6321]]

____________________

IN RECOGNITION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CENTRAL JERSEY CLUB OF
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEGRO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S
CLUBS, INC.

______

HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

of new jersey

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Central
Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business and
Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. as its members gather to celebrate its
50th Annual Founders' Day. This milestone is truly deserving of this
body's recognition.
The Central Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business
and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC) was established in 1964
by 18 local women in the business community and other professional
fields. Since that time, the Central Jersey Club has continued to
advance the mission of the NANBPWC to promote the interests of African
American business and professional women while striving to improve the
quality of life for its fellow citizens.
The 50 members of the Central Jersey Club represent and serve both
Monmouth and Ocean Counties of New Jersey. They work to improve the
social conditions of the community through volunteerism and community
involvement. The Central Jersey Club provides resources to promote
opportunities for local youth, through academic scholarships, mentoring
and tutoring. In this endeavor, its members work closely with area
schools, the Sisters Academy in Asbury Park and the Asbury Park
location of the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County. The Central
Jersey Club also serves as a member of Meridian Health's Partners in
Health advisory committee for minority health and diversity issues.
Mr. Speaker, once again, please join me in congratulating the Central
Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business and
Professional Women's Club, Inc. on its 50th anniversary. The Central
Jersey Club has paved a successful path for its members and future
generations of women in business and continues to provide outstanding
service to its community.

____________________

HONORING JAY SHEETS

______

HON. JASON T. SMITH

of missouri

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jay Sheets
of Farmington, Missouri. Jay recently was a contestant on the NBC
reality show, ``The Biggest Loser.'' Over the course of the 4-month
competition, he lost an astonishing 114 pounds.
Jay was chosen out of more than 250,000 applicants for a spot on
``The Biggest Loser'' television series. He certainly made the most of
his opportunity. By following a rigorous diet and workout plan, Jay
went from 297 pounds to weighing a lean 183 pounds. Jay, the father of
two, said his biggest goal was to show his kids to reach for every goal
and dream. Undoubtedly, he accomplished this goal.
After finishing ``The Biggest Loser'', Jay teamed up with The
Farmington Civic Center to sponsor a weight loss program called,
``Spring Into Fitness With Jay Sheets.'' The program has 113
registrants and focuses on promoting fitness in the community. Jay
serves as a tremendous example of what hard work, dedication and a
healthy lifestyle can accomplish. It is my privilege to recognize his
accomplishments today before the House of Representatives.

____________________

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE

______

HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 20th
anniversary of the terrible tragedies that began on April 7, 1994, and
endured for 100 days after, in which Hutu militias ordered the
country's Hutu majority to exterminate the Tutsi ethnic group.
Neighbors attacked neighbors, teachers killed students, and in mixed-
ethnicity marriages, husbands handed over wives to be killed.
In total, 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus,
died at the hands of Hutu extremists during a 100-day period. 10,000
victims were killed each day--7 per minute on average. To make matters
even worse, hundreds of thousands of victims were infected with HIV as
Hutu extremists used rape as a tool of violence. The terrible violence
only ended when Tutsi rebel forces attacked and retook the country.
Even now, the international tribunal created in the wake of these
atrocities has delivered only 49 total convictions out of 95
indictments since 1995.
We must remember the victims of this horrific event in world history,
honor those who survived the tragedy, and vow to never allow something
like this to ever happen again.
We must look to the progress that Rwanda has made 20 years later.
Life expectancy has almost doubled and economic growth continues to
flourish and improve every year.
We can see hope in Rwanda now where before there was torment. To keep
on this path of prosperity, we must dedicate ourselves to peace and
work to actively eliminate violent extremism. This event will forever
stand as a testament to the horror that can result when human beings
give in to the dark side of their nature, and we must learn from this
very tragic lesson in history so that it never happens again.

____________________

HONORING DALLAS AREA NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

______

HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to
recognize several of the best and brightest students in the Dallas area
who have recently received National Merit Scholarships. The National
Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition
and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the
National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT which serves as an
initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year. Less
than 8,000 students are selected as finalists for this prestigious
award.
I want to commend these students for their efforts. I also want to
comment on the high quality education the students in these school
districts and other schools like it are receiving, they can have the
opportunity to live the American dream, to do anything they want to do,
to go on to a great college or university of their choice, and to
pursue any career path that sparks their interest.
Mr. Speaker, we must continue to invest in education to help us out-
educate, out-innovate, and out-build the rest of the world. We must
identify ways to help improve schools like these that provide
educational excellence to my community. We must not waver in our
commitment to our children, their children, and the future of this
country. With encouragement and support from their principals and
teachers, the following students are achieving remarkable success:

ARLINGTON

Timberview High School--Justice I. Njoku, National
Achievement NMSC Scholarship.
Summit High School--Ireoluwawamiwa Olagbami, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.
Oakridge School--Olubunmi A. Solano, National Achievement
$2,500 Scholarship.

CARROLLTON

Hebron High School--Catherine D. Leigh, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.

DALLAS

Richardson High School--Melody Iro, National Achievement
$2,500 Scholarship.
Talented and Gifted Magnet School at Townview--Miranda N.
McClellan, National Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.

DESOTO

Science and Engineering Magnet School at Townview--Wesley
J. Runnels, Honorary Achievement Scholarship.

FORT WORTH

Paschal High School--Ihoma C. Owhonda, National Achievement
$2,500 Scholarship.

FRISCO

Hockaday School--Dominique Danielle Cooper, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.
Heritage High School--Ivie Imhonde, National Achievement
Walgreen Co. Scholarship.
Centennial High School--Devon Olivia Lewis, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.

GARLAND

Garland High School--Keshawn M. Ivory, National Achievement
$2,500 Scholarship.

[[Page 6322]]

PLANO

Plano West Senior High--Bradley George Hamilton, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.
Plano East Senior High--Michael O. Oluwole, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.

RICHARDSON

Richardson High School--Nanette N. Elufa, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.

ROWLETT

North Garland High School--Olatunde A. Badejo, National
Achievement $2,500 Scholarship.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF TONY COELHO

______

HON. JIM COSTA

of california

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of Tony
Coelho. Tony, a former U.S. Congressman, has led a life devoted to
public service, and he deserves to be commended for all of his efforts
in making the Central Valley as well as our nation a better place.
Tony was born and raised in Merced County. He grew up in a Portuguese
immigrant family and learned the value of hard work helping on his
family's dairy farm. Obtaining a college education was a priority for
Tony, so he moved to Southern California to attend Loyola University of
Los Angeles. In 1964, he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree. He
hoped to study for the priesthood, but his plans were interrupted when
he was diagnosed with epilepsy, and canon law in the Catholic Church
precluded anyone with epilepsy from entering the priesthood. He
ultimately found a new ministry--public service--and it took him to
Washington, DC.
Tony served as a staff member for Congressman Bernie Sisk for 13
years, ultimately becoming his Chief of Staff. As staff, Tony honed his
political skills and his knowledge of water and agricultural issues in
the Central Valley. When Congressman Sisk announced his retirement,
Tony ran to succeed him and won the seat in 1978.
After serving just one term in office, in 1981, Tony was selected to
be chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee whose
main job was to help get Democrats elected to Congress. He
professionalized the campaign committee raising more money than had
ever been raised before from traditionally Republican interests as well
as Democratic interests to support worthy Democratic candidates. He
also developed the permanent infrastructure comprised of pollsters,
speech-writers, and fundraising staff to enable Democrats to be
competitive in races. Due to his success, in 1986, Tony was the first-
elected House Majority Whip, third in line to the House Speakership. As
Majority Whip, Tony secured the votes needed to pass the Democratic
legislative agenda.
One of Tony's greatest accomplishments in Congress was serving as the
primary sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This
legislation has provided people with disabilities equal access to
employment, public facilities, and transportation and has made it
possible for them to become a full participating member of society.
Since the passage of the law in 1990, millions of Americans have found
employment that had previously known only discrimination. It is
considered the most important piece of civil rights legislation in the
past 30 years.
Although Tony resigned from Congress in 1989, he continued to
dedicate time to public service and has remained deeply committed to
his work in the disabilities movement. For many years, Tony has worked
closely with the Epilepsy Foundation of America, serving as a national
spokesperson, Board President, and fundraiser. He was appointed by
President Bill Clinton to serve as Chairman of the President's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and Vice Chair of
the National Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities as
well as Co-Chair to the U.S. Census Monitoring Board. Tony also served
as the U.S. Commissioner General to the 1998 World Exposition in
Lisbon, Portugal.
Tony also has stayed very active politically. In 2000, he served as
chairman of the Gore presidential campaign and continues to serve as an
informal adviser to numerous Members of Congress and elected officials
at all levels of government.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I ask my colleagues in the
U.S. House of Representatives to recognize a mentor and friend to many
of us, Tony Coelho. He has made a lasting difference in our nation, and
we must thank him for his unwavering commitment and service.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA

______

HON. PATRICK MURPHY

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the
centennial anniversary of the City of Stuart, Florida, which I am so
proud to have located in my Congressional District.
The City of Stuart, with its ideal location bordering the St. Lucie
River and West of the Indian River, has long been a key destination for
those looking to connect with the water, whether through fishing,
boating, or other activities. Famed for its Sailfishing and other types
of sport fishing, Stuart is known as the ``Sailfish Capital of the
World.'' The city offers a scenic and historic downtown, with museums,
live music, and numerous dining and shopping options.
For the past 100 years, the City of Stuart has worked to promote and
advance the interests and well-being of its residents and of the
environment. Stuart has played a leading role in protecting and
restoring local waterways from pollution, understanding that this issue
impacts the community's entire way of life. Stuart's water treatment
facility has received numerous awards for its efforts and dedication to
protecting our waters, including the Operations Excellence Award from
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Medium
Public Water System of the Year award from the Florida Rural Water
Association.
I am incredibly honored to represent the City of Stuart in Congress.
This is a city whose beauty is paralleled only by the work ethic and
dedication of its people, creating jobs and boosting economic growth.
This is a city that knows the importance of protecting our environment,
and is working to preserve it for our children and grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I again congratulate the City of Stuart on their
centennial anniversary, and I wish them many more milestones to
celebrate.

____________________

THE DALLES READINESS CENTER

______

HON. GREG WALDEN

of oregon

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to take the opportunity to
recognize the newly completed Fort Dalles Readiness Center in The
Dalles, Oregon. For the past 15 years, the Oregon Military Department,
Columbia Gorge Community College, The Dalles Outreach Team, and other
local, state, and federal officials have worked tirelessly to bring
this innovative project to life. The Readiness Center will be home to
the Oregon National Guard's Alpha Company, 3-116 Cavalry and replaces
the original unit armory built in 1951. What makes this building so
unique is its dual-use capability and its state-of-the-art
construction. Situated on the campus of the Columbia Gorge Community
College, the Readiness Center complex will host not only the unit's 150
soldiers during regular monthly drills, but also share a large portion
of its nearly 63,000 square foot space with the college for use as a
lecture hall and workforce training center for students, and flexible
rental space for the community at large. The Readiness Center is likely
the first armory in the country to achieve ``net zero'' energy
consumption, meaning it will produce as much energy on site as it uses,
and will serve as an example of efficiency for Oregon Military
Department's future armory projects. The building's solar panels, sod
roof, and geo-thermal heat pump system also will serve as a working
classroom for the college's Renewable Energy Program.
I would be remiss to not point out the Center's special relationship
with Columbia Gorge Community College. Throughout his tenure as college
president, Dr. Frank Toda, a 30-year veteran of the Air Force, has
maintained his commitment to his fellow veterans and the local citizen-
soldiers of the Oregon National Guard. This dedication was reflected in
Columbia Gorge Community College being recognized as among the top
fifteen percent of schools nationwide in helping returning veterans
acquire needed job skills.
The Fort Dalles Readiness Center will be officially dedicated to the
public on April 17, 2014. While I cannot be there to help the community
celebrate its success, I believe it fitting to recognize the years of
hard work and steadfast devotion by all of those involved.

[[Page 6323]]

____________________

OPPOSE THE PAUL RYAN BUDGET

______

HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE

of new york

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in opposition to
the severely regressive Paul Ryan Budget Proposal a ``slash and
burden'' bill written on the backs of programs and tax cuts that
grievously affect low-income and middle-class Americans.
The Ryan plan proposes a pathway to American prosperity by attempting
to balance our nation's budget through vicious cuts to programs that
working people rely on, paired with cuts to taxes for the wealthy.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, sixty-nine
percent of Ryan's cuts would come from low-income programs while the
richest one percent of Americans would enjoy nearly a fifty percent tax
cut.
One of the many low-income programs that would feel the sharp effects
of the Ryan Budget proposal is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, also referred to as SNAP. SNAP funding would be cut by $137
billion over 10 years effectively starving millions of families and
children and furthering the economic instability of Americans.
These cuts would force states to decide whose benefits to reduce or
terminate. They would have no good choices; the program already
provides an average of $1.40 per person per meal primarily to poor
children, working-poor parents, seniors, people with disabilities, and
others struggling to make ends meet.
These proposed cuts rest on inaccurate claims about how the SNAP
program discourages work and encourages waste, fraud, and abuse.
Chairman Ryan claims that SNAP doesn't encourage recipients to work.
Yet, among SNAP households with at least one working-age, non-disabled
adult, more than half work while receiving SNAP and more than eighty
percent worked in the year prior to or the year after receiving SNAP.
The rates are even higher for families with children; more than sixty
percent work while receiving SNAP, and almost ninety percent worked in
the prior or subsequent year.
Chairman Ryan and House Republicans continue to push for devastating
cuts that virtually eliminate assistance for millions of low-income
Americans, instead of working to help lift them out of poverty and away
from government assistance by refusing something as fair and practical
as raising the minimum wage.
The Ryan budget threatens the most basic needs of millions of
Americans already struggling to make ends meet. It significantly
increases hunger, poverty and hardship. It is for these reasons that I
will vote NO on this budget and I ask my colleagues to oppose this
budget with me.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS AS 2013-14 SOUTHERN PROFESSIONAL
HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESIDENT'S CUP CHAMPIONS

______

HON. JEFF MILLER

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the
Pensacola Ice Flyers on winning their second consecutive Southern
Professional Hockey League President's Cup Championship. This
outstanding achievement is evidence of the hard work and dedication of
the entire Ice Flyers' organization.
Northwest Florida has a long and storied history as the ``Cradle of
Naval Aviation,'' and the Ice Flyers name was chosen to honor this
legacy. Since joining the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2009,
the Ice Flyers have been consistent contenders--reaching three straight
President's Cup Championship finals and bringing two championships home
to Pensacola.
This season, the Ice Flyers experienced unparalleled success, also
winning the Coffey Trophy as the league's best regular season team. En
route to these titles, the Ice Flyers set several Southern Professional
Hockey League records, including the most wins, most points, highest
winning percentage, most road wins, fewest regulation losses, and
longest road winning streak. The Ice Flyers boasted the league's best
offense, scoring more than 200 goals, while also allowing the fewest
goals in the league. The Ice Flyers regular season was so outstanding
that they posted a better regular season record on the road than any
other team in the league had on home ice.
The Ice Flyers did not allow their regular season dominance to
engender complacency, and when the playoffs began, the Ice Flyers
raised their game to another level. The team averaged four goals per
game while giving up just over one, and the deeper that they went into
the postseason, the better the Ice Flyers performed. They posted an
impressive 6-1 postseason mark, setting the playoff record for the
highest road winning percentage. The Ice Flyers, however, proved to be
truly clutch performers, saving the best for the President's Cup
Championship, where they set the playoff record for most goals in one
game, most goals in one series, and largest winning margin.
In addition to their tremendous success on the ice, the Ice Flyers
fans also proved that they are the most dedicated fan base in the
Southern Professional Hockey League. The team shattered the league's
attendance record, with more than 114,000 fans attending games at the
Pensacola Bay Center, and three busloads of fans made the trip to watch
the Ice Flyers defeat the Columbus Cottonmouths to clinch their second
straight President's Cup Championship.
On behalf of the United States Congress, it is my privilege to
congratulate the Ice Flyers players--Ryan Salvis, Steve Bergin, Shaun
Arvai, Brett Lutes, Ross MacKinnon, Malcolm Lyles, Tyler Amburgey, Drew
Baker, Keegan Flaherty, Paul Rodrigues, Joshua Turnbull, Mitchell Good,
Steve Whitely, Joe Caveney, Adam Pawlick, Corey Banfield, Peter Di
Salvo, John Dunbar, Jeremy Gates, and Joe Bueltel--and their staff of
Majority Owner Greg Harris, Head Coach Rod Aldoff, President Chuck
McCartney, Group Sales Manager Patrick Casey, Merchandise Manager Josh
Kersh, Communications Manager Geoff Nichols, Director of Ticketing Tom
Reading, Manager of Corporate Partnerships and Fan Experience Brittany
Tindell, Athletic Trainer Jen Lorenzo, and Equipment Manager Mark
Bradtmueller on a fantastic season and another championship success. My
wife Vicki and I are proud to have the Ice Flyers call Pensacola home
and to honor our long and proud history as the Cradle of Naval Aviation
with their name, and we wish them continued success and many more
championships to come.

____________________

COLONEL GEORGE McDOWELL

______

HON. TED POE

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, to live to be 100 years old is in and
of itself a remarkable accomplishment. But, to do what Colonel George
McDowell has done in his life is truly impressive. His patriotic legacy
of military service is one of the best examples of a founding member of
the Greatest Generation.
Born in Detroit, Texas on August 27, 1913, McDowell grew up like most
rural Texas children. At the age of 17, he enrolled in North Texas
Agricultural College (now the University of Texas at Arlington). In the
1930s, this college served primarily as a military academy. In less
than two years, McDowell graduated and decided to attend a third year
to command D Company. This decision proved to be life-changing: in
1933, he earned a competitive appointment to the United States Military
Academy at West Point where he eventually served as president of his
class. He graduated four years later, in 1937, as a Second Lieutenant
in the Field Artillery.
McDowell started his military career at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the
18th Field Artillery, a horse-drawn artillery unit. There, he trained
with new long range guns, participated in the development of bomb
handling equipment and worked with specialized vehicles that would be
used during World War II. He learned the fundamentals of how to support
the U.S. Infantry with close fire support.
In Oklahoma, McDowell's friend from West Point, Lt. William
Westmoreland (Class of 1936), later the Vietnam Commander, set him up
on a blind date with Rae Woods. Rae, an Army ``brat'' of an Artillery
Officer also stationed at Fort Sill, would soon become Mrs. McDowell.
Two years later, with the mechanization of the Army, McDowell was
transferred to the Ordnance Department for duty with the Air Corps. He
attended the Aviation Ordnance School at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in
Maryland and at Langley Field in Virginia. There, he served as an
instructor and participated in developing bomb-handling equipment and
specialized vehicles that were used in World War II.

[[Page 6324]]

With the Germans invading across Europe and the Japanese seeking to
gain ground in Asia, the U.S. Army and Air Corps were expanding
quickly. Under this expansion, McDowell was assigned positions as
Ordnance Officer at Bowman Field, Kentucky, Ireland Task Force, New
Orleans Air Base and at Birmingham Air Base in Alabama as Ordnance
Officer, Third Support Command.
By the summer of 1942, McDowell was ordered to Washington, D.C. to
serve in the re-designated 12th Air Support Command of the Western Task
Force to prepare for the North African campaign under the command of
General Patton. McDowell was in charge of logistical planning,
including movement of units and equipment, in the invasion of French
Morocco called Operation Torch.
General Patton and his troops, along with McDowell, arrived in
Morocco at the port of Casablanca aboard the USS Augusta in the fall of
1942. Within three days, Casablanca fell, providing the U.S. a strong
military port. This Campaign built up the power of the U.S. Armed
Forces leading into World War II by eventually pushing the German
forces out of North Africa.
McDowell then spent two years overseas in North Africa and Italy.
There he was responsible for the logistics for arms and equipment
necessary for both the Royal Air Force and the U.S. Tactical Air
Support for the Fifth and Eighth Army Operations. In 1944, two years
after deploying, McDowell was assigned to the War Department general
staff where he was responsible for standardizing and approving
procurement of newly developed small arms, ammunition, and specialized
vehicles for the Army and Air Corps units.
Upon returning home from World War II, part of America's Greatest
Generation, McDowell wanted to do more with his life. He took his
experience and knowledge from West Point and his military service and
enrolled at Harvard Business School where he earned an MBA degree in
1948. After Harvard, McDowell was then transferred from the Army to the
Air Force, and he served at the Air Force's Headquarters at the
Pentagon and at Wright Patterson Air Force Base from 1948-1955. He
signed the procurement order and oversaw the installment of the first
four UNIVAC computers for the Air Force, the Navy, the Bureau of
Census, and Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
McDowell then studied for one year at the Industrial College of the
Armed Forces and was reassigned from 1958-1960 to the Air Force's
ballistic missile program, first in California and then as a project
officer and commander of the Thor Missile Force in England. In England,
McDowell contributed to training the Royal Air Force crews, who manned
the Thor Missile Force of 60 missiles with atomic warheads--a mission
that helped counter the Soviet Union's missile threats. He was later
assigned to the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense's
Weapons System Evaluation Group.
In 1961, Colonel McDowell retired from the Air Force and a 24 year
career as a commissioned officer in both the Army and Air Force. For
his distinguished service, Colonel McDowell received the Legion of
Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Air
Force Commendation Medal.
After retirement, McDowell moved home to Houston, Texas with his
wife, Rae. There, he became a successful real estate entrepreneur and
formed Clark McDowell & Kic, Inc., which has grown to become one of the
leading residential property management firms in the Houston area. He
and his wife, Rae, raised two children in Houston--Larry and Linda.
Regrettably, in 2006, his wife, Rae, passed away at the age of 90. They
were married for 70 years.
After an admirable career in the military and a successful business,
Colonel McDowell still wanted to give back: he served as an Adjunct
Professor at the University of Houston Continuing Education School for
nine years, as the first president of the Houston Chapter of the
Military Officers Association of North America and as president of the
West Point Society of Greater Houston. True patriot and citizen,
Colonel McDowell has also served on three grand juries. Colonel
McDowell is currently the fifth oldest living graduate of West Point.
Our nation is indebted to Colonel McDowell for his service, and our
local community is privileged and grateful to call him a fellow
Houstonian and hero. At 100 years old, he continues the good fight. It
is with great pleasure that I recognize and honor Colonel George
McDowell, for his service to our country and for continuing to give
back to our community through a lifetime of service. Without his
service, we would not be the greatest country the world has ever known.
George McDowell's 7 Rules to Live By:
Rule 1: Stay Mentally Challenged Every Day
Rule 2: After age 70, associate only with younger people
Rule 3: Forget any rocking chair concept of retirement--stay active,
exercise, walk
Rule 4: Get at least 7 hours' sleep each night
Rule 5: Schedule an hour's nap each afternoon
Rule 6: On getting up from a nap, mix a good bourbon Old Fashioned to
drink before dinner
Rule 7: When leaving the doctor's office, if he does not shout
``whatever you are doing, keep doing it'', get a new doctor and a
second opinion
And that's just the way it is.

____________________

RECOGNIZING THE ACTIVISM OF WOMEN'S FAST FOR FAMILIES

______

HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the courageous
actions taken throughout March and April by women participating in the
Women's Fast for Families. Representatives of this group held a series
of events on the National Mall earlier this month, marking the end of
their month long campaign to raise awareness about the need for
comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the needs and includes
the voices of women and families.
Beginning on International Women's Day, over 1,200 women across the
country engaged in a series of 24-hour fasts to raise awareness about
and push for change related to these important issues. In early April,
over 100 of these women were present on the National Mall here in
Washington, D.C., to end their campaign with a 48-hour fast.
I had the privilege of meeting with several of these fasters on the
National Mall during their fast, and I was inspired by each and every
woman I had the privilege of speaking with. I believe that their
devotion to the cause of meaningful immigration reform that treats
women and families fairly will keep this issue moving forward until we
are able to pass a comprehensive solution into law.
I would like to thank each and every one of them for taking a stand
and working to make the change that they believe in a reality.

____________________

COMMEMORATING THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST

______

HON. GENE GREEN

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of
``Yom HaShoah'' or the day commemorating the victims of the Holocaust.
The six million Jewish victims and the millions of others who
perished during those dark and horrible days will never be forgotten.
The Jewish community and individuals across the world have committed
themselves to the memories of those lost but also to the strength of
those who survived.
As we mark another Holocaust Remembrance Day, and more time passes
since those unspeakable atrocities were committed, we should never
forget the precursors, context and attitudes that allowed such crimes
to be committed.
Never again will peoples of free, liberal, open democracies stand
idly by and watch an aggressor perpetrate crimes against humanity.
Today, we remember those that rose up and overcame and I stand with
them.

____________________

RECOGNIZING KNIT WITS II

______

HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK

of pennsylvania

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, because volunteers are essential to our
community and institutions as they go about helping people in need,
congratulations to the Knit Wits from Ann's Choice in Bucks County for
donating their skills and time to the cause of our wounded veterans.
Since early this year, the members have created more than 140 hand-knit
stockings for military veterans, specifically those injured in combat
and now recuperating at Walter Reed Medical Center, where I had the
privilege of meeting some of the soldiers and heard their strong
message of hope and confidence. Together, the volunteers have

[[Page 6325]]

made the stocking gifts in all patterns and sizes and generously
donated them to the hospitalized soldiers. Thanks to all involved in
this worthy cause for recognizing the contribution and sacrifice of our
veterans in this way. The gift of love that goes into this particular
project has not gone unnoticed by the families and friends of the most
deserving young men and women. And in the course of this ongoing
project, the small and faithful group of knitters has set an example
for others to follow.

____________________

RECOGNIZING FRANK M. KALDER

______

HON. FRANK R. WOLF

of virginia

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend Frank M.
Kalder on the occasion of his retirement, having served for nearly 15
years as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA). In total he provided nearly 31 years of
distinguished service to our country.
Mr. Kalder began his career in federal service in 1983 as a budget
examiner with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the
Presidential Management Intern program. After OMB, he helped establish
the newly created Office of National Drug Control Policy in 1989. Mr.
Kalder went on to serve in important management positions with the
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Justice Management Division
and Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys.
For the past 15 years, he has served as DEA's CFO, where he has been
the recipient of three Presidential Rank Awards. My subcommittee has
had the pleasure of working with Frank in this capacity and can attest
to his hard work in communicating DEA's budget needs to ensure the
agents have the necessary resources to continue their fight against
drug trafficking in this country and the rest of the world.
During his time at DEA, Frank ushered in countless improvements and
reforms to DEA's financial management practices. Not only was he
instrumental in leading the implementation of two updated financial
systems, but he also ensured that DEA had a clean financial audit year
after year. Because of his efforts, DEA was able to avoid employee
furloughs during the recent budget sequester through an innovative
rethinking of how DEA allocates funds internally--a process known as
zero based budgeting. Frank has served as an inspiration to those who
have had the privilege to work for and with him during his tenure.
Frank's contributions also extend beyond his role as CFO at DEA. He
is an active member of his church, where he has served in various
leadership roles throughout the years. He is also an adjunct professor
at Northern Virginia Community College, educating future leaders for
careers in public service
Mr. Speaker, Frank Kalder has left a tangible, lasting imprint on
financial management at the DEA and was a responsible steward of
taxpayer dollars. He will be remembered for his many contributions to
DEA's outstanding reputation in the federal financial management
community. I wish Frank, his wife Stacy and their family continued
success as he enters this next stage of his life, and I ask my
colleagues to join us in expressing our appreciation for his tremendous
contributions to federal service, our Nation and the Northern Virginia
community.

____________________

HONORING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

______

HON. JEFF MILLER

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the
100th anniversary of the City of Milton Fire Department. For 100 years,
the Milton Fire Department has served the local community and its
citizens, and I am proud to have such a first-class fire department in
Florida's First Congressional District.
The City of Milton Fire Department traces its roots back to April 21,
1914, when, following the third of a series of devastating fires that
destroyed downtown Milton, the Town Council decided to establish the
Milton Volunteer Fire Department. The town ordered three hand-drawn
hose reels and 1,500 feet of hose, nozzles and wrenches for the new
fire department, and a group of local citizens signed up as the first
firefighters in Milton. Although they were an all-volunteer fire
department, the residents of Milton were dedicated to providing state-
of-the-art firefighting equipment, and to help carry out the
department's mission, Milton purchased a 1914 American La France
Chemical Engine on a Ford Chassis, which was the first automobile fire
truck in all of Northwest Florida. The Milton Volunteer Fire Department
served the Town of Milton and surrounding areas for 13 years at their
original location on Grace (now Caroline) Street before moving in 1927
to Milton's newly constructed Town Hall on the corner of Berryhill and
Broad Streets.
In 1954, the department began the shift towards a professional
firefighting department when it hired a ``Nighttime Firefighter'' and a
``Weekend Firefighter.'' The department became a 24 hour firefighting
operation in 1960 when they hired a ``Daytime Firefighter.'' With these
changes, the department moved to a new fire station at Susan (now
Bruner) and Berryhill Streets in 1962, and by 1965, the department had
grown further, establishing two full-time firefighting shifts. A third
full-time shift was created in 1974, and the City of Milton Fire
Department has grown today to a full-time force consisting of 16 career
members, including the Fire Chief and three shifts of a Captain,
Lieutenant, and three Firefighters to provide fire suppression,
emergency medical response, fire prevention and public fire safety
education to the citizens of Milton.
On September 11, 2009, the City of Milton Fire Department began
operating from its modern facility located at 5321 Stewart Street. The
department currently operates with three pumpers, a midi-pumper rescue
vehicle, two staff vehicles, and a rescue boat, and thanks to the hard
work and dedication of the personnel, the fire department consistently
exceeds national safety standards, while upholding their core values of
Respect, Integrity, Accountability, Responsibility, and
Professionalism. Today, the department boasts more than 165 combined
years of firefighting experience with an impressive average response
time of less than four minutes. Whether they are fighting fires or
providing excellent first-response medical care, the residents of
Milton all rest well knowing that the City of Milton Fire Department
always stands ready in their hour of need.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is an honor
for me to recognize the 100th anniversary of the City of Milton Fire
Department. All of the residents served by the department are thankful
for their exceptional service to our community. My wife Vicki and I
wish them all the best as they continue to serve Northwest Florida for
the next hundred years and beyond.

____________________

REMEMBERING WORKERS WHO WERE KILLED OR INJURED ON THE JOB

______

HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

of michigan

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today--the 25th observance of
Workers' Memorial Day--in memory of the thousands of men and women,
husbands and wives, fathers and mothers who got up one morning, got
dressed, kissed their loved ones goodbye, and never returned home.
We owe those workers--the pillars of our modern economy--and their
families more than mere remembrance. We owe them more than just our
thoughts, prayers, and sympathies. We owe them something that is far
too rare in this town: we owe them action.
Anyone who remembers the history of workplace safety would tell you
that the problem has improved since the labor movement first coalesced
around safer workplaces. In 1970, their hard work finally paid off.
Congress came together--Democrat and Republican--to pass the
Occupational Safety and Health Act. Even then we did not see eye to eye
on this issue; the process was long and fraught with setbacks. However,
we knew that 13,800 workplace fatalities every year--18 for every
100,000 workers--was something we could not in good conscience allow.
We knew that we could not sit idly by while so many died--so we put
aside differences, worked together, and saved the lives of thousands of
Americans, and protected the health and well-being of millions more. We
cut workplace fatalities, from 18 out of every 100,000 employees to 4
out of 100,000. We cut total yearly workplace fatalities, from over
13,000 to almost 4,000, despite massive growth in the size of the total
national workforce. We did what Congress is supposed to do: pass
legislation that improves peoples' lives.
However, with time and neglect the vitality of our workplace safety
protections has waned. Enforcement actions are rarely undertaken. Our
criminal penalties are paper tigers. Civil penalties have been flat
since before the

[[Page 6326]]

Clinton administration, after being raised only once since 1970. It
would take hundreds of years to inspect all our workplaces at current
funding levels. We have failed to act, and our failures are measured in
lost lives and wrecked bodies.
We spend too much time debating whether employers can risk their
workers' lives without consequence. We spend too much time arguing
about the cost of regulation--when the median penalty for killing a
worker is only $5,175.
Today, I hope my colleagues will remember that a human life is worth
more than that. I urge my colleagues to consider the multiple pieces of
legislation that would enhance workplace safety protections introduced
this Congress. We should start with the Protecting America's Workers
Act, which would strengthen the penalties for workplace safety
violations, index them for inflation, and provide for additional
penalties for the most callous violators.
The time has come to address the shortcomings in our workplace safety
system. The time has come to ensure that more fathers and mothers,
husbands and wives, sons and daughters return home to the people they
love.

____________________

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY 2014

______

HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

of new york

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity on
Holocaust Remembrance Day to pay a solemn tribute to the six million
Jewish victims and millions of other victims who perished during the
Holocaust. As we pledge to ``never forget'' the Holocaust, we must also
pledge to do more to ensure that the world never again allows the
conditions to arise that contributed to this horrific era in history.
As the representative of a Congressional District in the New York City
area, I have heard the stories of those lost in the Holocaust and I
have also heard stories of survival and heroism. Holocaust Remembrance
Day is a time to stop and remember those lost and salute those who
stood up to the Nazis. I thank my colleague from Illinois, Brad
Schneider, for taking this Special Order for Members of Congress to
make official statements on this important day.
There are those who deny the facts and the lessons of the Holocaust.
The nations of the world and the people of those nations must continue
to keep the memory of those dark days alive. Unfortunately, genocide
did not end in 1945 and we have seen many examples of crimes against
humanity in the years since the end of World War II. Tolerance is a
value that must be learned by each generation. The United States must
continually commit itself to leading the world in the fight against
intolerance and oppression of people because of their religious
beliefs, their ethnic heritage, or their race.
Today the Holocaust will be remembered throughout this country with
events at schools, workplaces, churches, synagogues, and museums. In
Israel, where many Holocaust survivors settled after the war, Yom
Hashoah is noted with a two-minute sounding of sirens, religious
services, and flags flown at half-staff in tribute to those who were
murdered by the Nazis.
Mr. Speaker, although the horrors of the Holocaust are slipping from
current memory, the lessons are clearer than ever. I am hopeful that
with teaching through our schools, churches, synagogues, and museums,
we can prevent future genocides and ingrain tolerance in our culture
and around the world. Teaching the lessons of the Holocaust is a task
we take on to honor the millions killed during World War II. ``Never
forget'' and ``never again'' are not just words, but a solemn vow to do
all we can to educate our children about the horrors of the Holocaust.
I urge all Americans to take a moment on this Holocaust Remembrance Day
to honor the victims of the Holocaust.

____________________

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

______

HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on April 9 and 10, 2014, I was
unavoidably detained attending to representational activities in my
congressional district, including attendance at the memorial services
for the victims of the tragic shooting at Fort Hood, and thus unable to
return in time for rollcall votes 171 through 177.
Had I been present I would have voted as follows:
1. On rollcall No. 171 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9) (H. Con.
Res. 96, Mulvaney of South Carolina Substitute Amendment No. 1).
2. On rollcall No. 172 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 9) (H. Con.
Res. 96, Congressional Black Caucus Budget (Rep. Moore of Wisconsin
Substitute Amendment No. 2).
3. On rollcall No. 173 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 9) (H. Con.
Res. 96, Progressive Caucus Budget (Grijalva of Arizona Substitute
Amendment No. 3).
4. On rollcall No. 174 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9) (H.R.
4414, Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014).
5. On rollcall No. 175 I would have voted ``no'' (April 10) (H. Con.
Res. 96, Woodall of Georgia Substitute Amendment No. 4).
6. On rollcall No. 176 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 10) (H. Con.
Res. 96, Democratic Alternative Budget (Rep. Van Hollen--Budget)).
7. On rollcall No. 177 I would have voted ``no'' (April 10) (H. Con.
Res. 96, Republican Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Resolution (Rep. Ryan--
Budget)).

____________________

RECOGNIZING YOM HaSHOAH--HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

______

HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

of florida

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Yom
HaShoah--Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Almost 70 years ago, the worst genocide in modern human history was
exposed to the entire world and the murder of six million Jews and
other political, religious, and social minorities was forever seared
into the collective memory of humankind. In the face of such an
unimaginable tragedy, many individuals, including myself, have vowed to
not only never allow something so heinous to occur again--we promised
to never let the spirit of those victims fade from our hearts and from
our minds.
It is in that vein that I have personally and professionally
dedicated myself to issues such as providing Holocaust survivors with
adequate financial and social services so that they may live in
dignity, the dignity that was stolen from them decades ago. As a Jew, a
policymaker, and a representative of one of the largest survivor
populations in the United States, I have undertaken such issues with
pride and humility.
This week is a particularly moving one as we engage in the National
Remembrance Days here at the U.S. Capitol, and look forward to the
planting of a sapling from the horse chestnut tree that was visible to
Anne Frank and about which she wrote so poignantly in her diary while
in hiding. Such a meaningful ceremony is particularly fitting in light
of this year's Remembrance Days theme: Confronting the Holocaust:
American Responses. What better way to further our American response
than by planting a sapling that inspired her during her darkest days at
the seat of our democracy? The tree will remind Members, staff, and the
millions of annual visitors to the Capitol that life, liberty, and
freedom from persecution are enduring ideals of our common humanity
that we will never cease fighting for and protecting.

____________________

2014 VICTIMS' RIGHTS CAUCUS AWARDS

______

HON. TED POE

of texas

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 30th Anniversary
of the passage of the Crime Victims' Rights Act, and we celebrated that
great achievement during National Crime Victims' Rights Week with our
2014 Victims' Rights Caucus Awards. We honored 6 amazing individuals
and organizations who are changing the lives of victims of crime.
Fellow Houstonian Sheriff Adrian Garcia of Harris County, Texas,
received the Suzanne McDaniel Memorial Award for Public Awareness. For
the past 6 years, Sheriff Garcia has headed the largest sheriff's
department in the

[[Page 6327]]

state of Texas and the third largest department in the nation. He has
been on the forefront of using social media to help fight crime. His
department has created an app that allows residents to report crime
immediately and anonymously, if necessary. This has been especially
beneficial in the fight against human trafficking. Sheriff Garcia has
made cracking down on human trafficking a top priority within his
department. Under his leadership, the Sheriff's Department works hard
to close illegitimate businesses and to arrest those exploiting the
vulnerable. The impact of Sheriff Garcia's work is far reaching. He
truly is a hero whose efforts are felt in our community and homes each
and every day.
Congressman Scott Perry honored Mrs. Jane Tucker, the co-founder of
ACCESS York with the Eva Murillo Unsung Hero Award. As a survivor, Jane
Tucker knew more services were needed for victims in York,
Pennsylvania, so together with likeminded individuals, ACCESS-York was
created. ACCESS-York is a program for victims of domestic violence that
continues to provide free and confidential emergency shelter,
transitional housing, medical and legal advocacy, individual and group
counseling, life skills training, and a 24-hour hotline for all victims
seeking help. Ms. Tucker has served ACCESS-York for thirty years, and
continues to volunteer to this day. She has used her story and her work
with other victims to advocate on behalf of programming for domestic
violence survivors.
Congressman John Lewis honored Ms. Jessalyn Dorsey, Victims' Advocate
at The Crime Victims Advocacy Council (CVAC) with the Eva Murillo
Unsung Hero Award. In 1999, Ms. Dorsey's only son Terrence Green was
shot and killed by teens after a neighborhood party. She was devastated
by the crime and eventually attended CVAC's support group for homicide
survivors. As she began to heal, she started to help co-facilitate the
groups. Now she runs support groups as a professional victims advocate
for CVAC. She served as CVAC's President for three years and won the
award for CJCC's Volunteer of the year. During her tenure, she and her
team have helped over 7500 crime victims. Ms. Dorsey used what she
learned from her personal tragedy to help others in similar
circumstances.
The Ed Stout Memorial Award for Outstanding Victim Advocacy was
awarded to Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Victim
Service Center (CAPMC) by VRC co-founder and co-chair, Rep. Jim Costa.
CAPMC operates a multi-program victim service center for Madera County,
California that addresses the needs of domestic violence victims,
sexual assault victims, child abuse victims, homicide victims, and
victims of all types of crime. CAPMC's broad range of services greatly
benefits the population that they serve. CAPMC's programs are all in
one center, which reduces the barriers that can prevent victims from
accessing services. In addition, CAPMC is the only agency in Madera
County that provides 24 hour crisis intervention to crime victims.
Congresswoman Ann Wagner awarded Mrs. Kimberly Ritter, Director of
Development of the Exchange Initiative, with the Allied Professional
Award. Ms. Ritter has used her involvement with the conference and
hospitality industry to raise awareness of the role that this industry
can play in combatting human trafficking. She is a resource for law
enforcement and hotels in the St. Louis area and around the country for
training and awareness purposes, and has been the driving force behind
many large hotels signing of the ECPAT Code of Conduct. She brought
together the knowledge from her career with her knowledge of human
trafficking to make a real difference in stopping this crime and saving
victims.
Rep. Eric Swalwell awarded District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley of
Alameda County, California with the Lois Haight Award for Innovation
and Excellence. D.A. O'Malley is a leader in fighting for victims of
crime throughout her career. As District Attorney, she created the
first unit in the country to focus exclusively on rescuing child
victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those who exploit these
children, called the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) unit.
From this work, she has created a blueprint, so other communities can
create similar programs. In addition, she created a diversion program
for sexually exploited girls in the juvenile justice system. DA
O'Malley has led efforts for victims of domestic violence and sexual
assault. She is a true champion for victims at the local, state, and
federal level.
These wonderful survivors and advocates stand up for victims and make
life better for them every day. They cannot be commended enough.
And that's just the way it is.

____________________

RECOGNIZING APRIL AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH

______

HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize April as Fair
Housing Month. April 11, 2014 marked the 46th anniversary of the
passage of the U.S. Fair Housing Act, which enunciates a national
policy of fair housing and bars discrimination based on race, color,
religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability. Decent,
safe, and affordable housing is part of the American dream and a goal
of all Illinois residents.
This year also marks the 35th anniversary of the Illinois Human
Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on race, color, religion,
national origin, sex, physical or mental disability, familial status,
age, ancestry, marital status, disability, military status or sexual
orientation (including gender-based identity).
Acts of housing discrimination and barriers to equal housing are
repugnant to a common sense of decency and fairness. Federal and state
laws affirm the right of every person to equal housing opportunity.
Economic stability, community health, and human relations in all
communities and the State of Illinois are improved by diversity and
integration. Stable, integrated and balanced residential patterns are
threatened by discriminatory acts and unlawful housing practices that
result in segregation of residents and opportunities in Illinois
communities.
The hard work and commitment of grassroots and non-profit
organizations, housing service providers, housing professionals,
financial institutions, elected officials, state agencies and others
must be combined to promote integration, fair housing, and equal
opportunity and to address the immense challenge of ensuring that every
person in Illinois has access to affordable housing.
Again, I would like to recognize April 2014 as Fair Housing Month in
commemoration of the signing of the U.S. Fair Housing Act and the
Illinois Human Rights Act. These critical laws help establish the
United States as an open and inclusive country committed to fair and
equal housing opportunities for all.

____________________

RECOGNIZING SISTER FRANCESCA ONLEY, PH.D.

______

HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK

of pennsylvania

in the house of representatives

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, Sister Francesca Onley, Ph.D., served
as president of Holy Family University for 32 years--from 1981 to
2014--and is widely recognized as an outstanding and effective
administrator. She was the driving force behind the expansion of the
institution in northeast Philadelphia, while maintaining the integrity
of its educational philosophy and academic programs. Scholar, educator,
innovator, and astute businesswoman, Sister Francesca guided Holy
Family to its University status in 2002, expanded enrollment and grew
the endowment fund from thousands to $16 million in 33 years. Sister
Francesca also attained leadership positions in many educational
associations, including charter president of the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education, the prestigious
International Association of University Presidents, and the United
Nations Commission on Disarmament Education, Conflict Resolution and
Peace. She addressed the commission's goal to nurture concepts of peace
through education, organizing peace conferences in areas of conflict,
establishing outreach programs in Africa, and integrating technology
into the teaching of English. In 2012, she was named Chair Emerita.
Sister Francesca is honored today for a life of faith, grace, and
achievement. Her family of friends and associates look forward to the
future accomplishments of a most remarkable woman.

____________________

SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate of February
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees,
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place and
purpose of the meetings, when scheduled and any cancellations or
changes in the meetings as they occur.

[[Page 6328]]

As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
Meetings scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, 2014 may be found in the
Daily Digest of today's Record.

MEETINGS SCHEDULED

APRIL 30
9:30 a.m.
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment,
and Related Agencies
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for
fiscal year 2015 for the Forest Service.
SD-124
Committee on Armed Services
To hold hearings to examine reform of the defense
acquisition system in review of the Defense
Authorization Request for fiscal year 2015 and the
Future Years Defense Program.
SD-G50
10 a.m.
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Department of Defense
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for
fiscal year 2015 for the Department of the Army.
SD-106
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and
justification for fiscal year 2015 for the Department
of Education.
SD-192
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
To hold hearings to examine lessons learned from the
Boston marathon bombings, focusing on improving
intelligence and information sharing; with the
possibility of a closed session in SVC-217 following
the open session.
SD-342
Committee on the Judiciary
To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Drug
Enforcement Administration.
SD-226
Committee on Rules and Administration
To hold hearings to examine how undisclosed money and
post-McCutcheon campaign finance will affect the 2014
election and beyond.
SH-216
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To hold hearings to examine overmedication, focusing on
problems and solutions.
SR-418
Joint Economic Committee
To hold hearings to examine the first step to cutting red
tape, focusing on a better analysis.
SR-301
10:30 a.m.
Committee on Foreign Relations
Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian
Affairs
To hold hearings to examine Afghanistan beyond 2014.
SD-419
2 p.m.
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and
justification for fiscal year 2015 for the Department
of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service.
SD-138
2:15 p.m.
Special Committee on Aging
To hold hearings to examine exploring the perils of the
precious metals market.
SD-562
2:30 p.m.
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for
fiscal year 2015 for the National Nuclear Security
Administration.
SD-192
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
To hold an oversight hearing to examine the
Transportation Security Administration, focusing on
confronting America's transportation security
challenges.
SR-253
Committee on Indian Affairs
To hold hearings to examine S. 2132, to amend the Indian
Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act of
2005.
SD-628

MAY 1
10 a.m.
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy
Innovation
To hold hearings to examine the importance of regional
strategies in rural economic development.
SR-328A
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related
Agencies
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for
fiscal year 2015 for the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
SD-192
Committee on the Judiciary
Business meeting to consider S. 1720, to promote
transparency in patent ownership and make other
improvements to the patent system, and the nominations
of Carlos Eduardo Mendoza, and Paul G. Byron, both to
be a United States District Judge for the Middle
District of Florida, Darrin P. Gayles, and Beth Bloom,
both to be a United States District Judge for the
Southern District of Florida, James Walter Frazer
Green, to be United States Attorney for the Middle
District of Louisiana, Department of Justice, and
Elisebeth Collins Cook, of Virginia, to be a Member of
the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
SD-226
10:30 a.m.
Committee on the Budget
To hold hearings to examine exploring social impact
bonds, focusing on investing in what works.
SD-608
11 a.m.
Committee on Finance
To hold hearings to examine the President's 2014 Trade
Policy Agenda.
SD-215
2 p.m.
Committee on Armed Services
To receive a closed briefing on the Ukrainian crisis and
Russia.
SVC-217
2:30 p.m.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
To hold hearings to examine shortages on gas, focusing on
a look into propane shortages this winter.
SD-366
Select Committee on Intelligence
To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence
matters.
SH-219

MAY 6
9:30 a.m.
Committee on Armed Services
To hold hearings to examine Department of Defense
proposals relating to military compensation.
SH-216
12 noon
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
To receive a briefing on Georgia 2008, and Ukraine 2014,
focusing on if Moldova is next, and to examine Russia's
intentions with regard to Transnistria and Moldova.
CVC-268
2:30 p.m.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal
Programs and the Federal Workforce
To hold hearings to examine a more efficient and
effective government, focusing on cultivating the
Federal workforce.
SD-342

MAY 7
10 a.m.
Joint Economic Committee
To hold hearings to examine the economic outlook.
SH-216
2:30 p.m.
Committee on Indian Affairs
To hold hearings to examine S. 1603, to reaffirm that
certain land has been taken into trust for the benefit
of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatami
Indians, S. 1818, to ratify a water settlement
agreement affecting the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, S.
2040, to exchange trust and fee land to resolve land
disputes created by the realignment of the Blackfoot
River along the boundary of the Fort Hall Indian
Reservation, S. 2041, to repeal the Act of May 31,
1918, and S. 2188, to amend the Act of June 18, 1934,
to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the
Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.
SD-628

[[Page 6329]]

MAY 14
2:30 p.m.
Committee on Indian Affairs
To hold an oversight hearing to examine wildfires and
forest management, focusing on how prevention is
preservation.
SD-628

MAY 20
9:30 a.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Airland
Business meeting to markup those provisions which fall
under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the proposed
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year
2015.
SD-G50
11 a.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on SeaPower
Closed business meeting to markup those provisions which
fall under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the
proposed National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal
year 2015.
SR-222
2 p.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Closed business meeting to markup those provisions which
fall under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the
proposed National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal
year 2015.
SR-222
3:30 p.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
Business meeting to markup those provisions which fall
under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the proposed
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year
2015.
SD-G50
5 p.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Business meeting to markup those provisions which fall
under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the proposed
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year
2015.
SD-G50

MAY 21
10 a.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Personnel
Business meeting to markup those provisions which fall
under the subcommittee's jurisdiction of the proposed
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year
2015.
SD-G50
2:30 p.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Closed business meeting to markup the proposed National
Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2015.
SR-222
Committee on Indian Affairs
To hold an oversight hearing to examine Indian education,
focusing on the Bureau of Indian Education.
SD-628

MAY 22
9:30 a.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Closed business meeting to continue to markup the
proposed National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal
year 2015.
SR-222

MAY 23
9:30 a.m.
Committee on Armed Services
Closed business meeting to continue to markup the
proposed National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal
year 2015.
SR-222