Joe Baca

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the passage of the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. Since 1987, The Lord's Resistance Army has conducted mass killings, mutilation, and forced recruitment of children. It has terrorized the citizens and families of Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. This legislation calls for serious action to protect and heal victims of Joseph Kony's LRA--Lord's Resistance Army. For more than two decades over 20,000 boys and girls have been abducted and over 1.5 million people have been displaced. Survivors of these horrors are haunted by medical, psychological and social consequences. We must help the abducted return home, where they can receive treatment. This tremendous humanitarian crisis involving young boys as child soldiers and girls as reward for combatants has almost completely destroyed a generation, in a post holocaust era, when we warn ``never again.'' This legislation calls for the capture of LRA leader Joseph Kony to be tried for crimes against humanity. It is imperative he is removed from society to pave the way for reintegration and reconciliation. The United States and the appropriate agencies must assist in ending LRA violence and help the people of this region rebuild their lives.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, in my district, a 45-year-old mentally disabled legal immigrant, Guillermo Gomez-Sanchez, was unjustly detained by ICE for 4 years. This tragedy is further evidence that we need comprehensive immigration reform now. Over the weekend, I marched with 2,000 individuals in San Bernardino, California, to oppose Arizona's law, SB 1070, and support the passage of comprehensive immigration reform. This unconstitutional law is inspired by racism and will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics and people of color. The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police opposes this law because they know it will hurt community relations and waste valuable resources. This hateful law also has a negative impact in schools and will lead to increased bullying of Hispanic children. I urge Americans to boycott the State of Arizona and show their opposition to the misguided Arizona law by wearing these red, yellow, and blue bracelets. Republicans and Democrats must work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform for human rights, respect, and having our families work together and work toward securing our borders.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I stand this morning in solidarity with all those who respect fairness and justice in opposition to the Arizona Senate Bill 1070. This is an unconstitutional law that is inspired by racism and will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics and people of color. We must do all we can to stop this law. That's why I am calling for an economic boycott of Arizona. I also encourage all those to oppose this kind of hate and to wear the red, blue, and yellow bracelet to express opposition to this bill. We must all remember that immigration is not a Latino issue, it's an American issue. This misguided law is another reason why America needs comprehensive immigration reform to fix our broken system. I call on my Republican colleagues to have courage and to work with us on immigration reform. The American people need this reform, but we cannot do this alone. Again I say to the Republicans, step up to the plate and together let us pass real, comprehensive reform.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. I stand to voice my strong opposition to the new Arizona law, S.B. 1070. This is an unjust law, inspired by hate and racism. The new law opens the door to serious civil rights abuses, and will lead to racial profiling of Latinos and Latinas in Arizona and people of color. It is unconstitutional, violating the 4th and 14th amendments. This new law will create a division between people who are asked for legal documents and those that are not. Anyone who values fairness is opposed to this kind of hate and should not spend one cent of money in Arizona except to create jobs. I urge Americans to show their support of the boycott by wearing red, yellow, and blue wristbands. This misguided law is another example why we must act now. We need Republicans to stand with Democrats in a bipartisan fashion to support comprehensive reform now.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Yesterday I urged all Americans to boycott the State of Arizona until this law is appealed. This law is unjust. It will only lead to the increase of racial profiling and hate crimes in the State, especially towards Hispanics. This is a violation of the fourth and 14th amendment in the United States Constitution. It does not require local police officers to have a warrant. This new law will create a divide between people who are asked for legal documents and those who are not. This law will create distrust between police and the communities they protect. This law is backwards, and sets us back in time. I urge Americans show their support of the boycott and wear a red, yellow, and blue wristband. This is an unjust law and must be overturned, and an example of why we need comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support House Resolution 1257, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Financial Literacy Month. In these tough economic times, increasing financial literacy is one of the best ways we can accomplish a complete recovery and take significant steps to prevent another crisis. Every day, many Americans struggle with their finances. These problems are especially prevalent among young adults and minorities. In fact, the FDIC found in a recent study that approximately 60,000,000 people in the U.S. are underbanked. These numbers are more disturbing when we look at the percentage of underbanked people among minorities: 43.3 percent of Hispanic households and close to 54 percent of Black households are either unbanked or underbanked. We must do more to educate every American on how to safely manage their wealth and build a stable foundation for themselves and their family's future. In the fall, Mr. Hinojosa, Mrs. McCarthy, and I introduced an amendment that would create a new consumer education office within the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. This office will operate programs and develop initiatives to ensure that all financial institutions are doing their part to come up with innovative ways to increase financial literacy among their consumers. Throughout my time in Congress I have been a consistent supporter of improving financial literacy efforts and I am committed to remaining one as long as I hold office. I want to commend Mr. Hinojosa on his hard work on this issue and for bringing this resolution to this floor. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of House Resolution 1257, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of the modern State of Israel. After the horrible actions of the Holocaust, Israel was established as an independent nation. She has since advanced into a successful, democratic, and thriving nation. Since her inception 62 years ago, Israel continues to be a friend and a strong ally to the United States. I stand here with my colleagues and reaffirm this bond of solidarity and cooperation between the United States and Israel. As Iran gets closer to nuclear capability, threatening our collective security, we must stand together in accord, now more than ever. We support Israel and commend the progress made as she continues to work towards peace with her Arab neighbors. I also commend all our Jewish friends in the United States whose tireless efforts contribute to American and Israeli achievement. I urge my colleagues to support and reaffirm our unwavering friendship with the Israeli people, and congratulate Israel on this memorable occasion.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, last Friday, Arizona State Governor Jan Brewer signed into law Arizona State bill 1070 which would require police officers to act on ``reasonable suspicion'' to determine a person's immigration status and turn them over to ICE. President Obama referred to the law as ``misguided.'' Forcing Federal immigration duties onto local law enforcement officers is not the right way to fix the broken immigration system. It violates the presumption of innocence granted to everyone by the Constitution of the United States. In fact, I as a Member of Congress because of the color of my skin may be approached in Arizona and be asked for my legal documentation. They may question whether it's authentic or not authentic. This law is unjust and will only lead to an increase in racial profiling. We must never forget that America was a nation founded by immigrants. I call on all of us to consider a national boycott of all industries in Arizona and to a wear a band on our sleeves to protest against this unjust law and to show that this is not the American way. We must not tolerate unjust laws inspired by racism and hate.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the passage of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, if allowed on its present course, is well on its way to obtaining nuclear capability. Experts say it could be in the possession of a nuclear weapon in less than a year. Since 1995, several U.S. regulations have been enacted to pressure Iran's economy, curtail its nuclear advancement and curb the government's support for jihadist militant groups. They have not been adhered to; no firms have yet been sanctioned. This legislation will pressure persons violating Iran Sanction acts and other accomplices of the National Guard in pursuing uranium enrichment and oppressing religious and human rights. Nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to American security. Safeguarding nuclear materials from terrorists is absolutely critical to international peace and stability. This legislation provides the much needed teeth and Presidential authority necessary to deter this regime's nuclear intentions. Timing is crucial, for this reason it must be passed today.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009. The United States of America has a moral obligation to provide for all the brave men and women whose courageous service allows all of us to live the lives we do. This service comes not without a price, and America must provide for these service members and their families during deployment and post- deployment. Our disabled, ill and injured veterans need the assistance and care they deserve for their sacrifice. S. 1963 will expand mental health services for veterans; enhance health services for 1.8 million women veterans--which for the first time includes care for newborns. This is a landmark legislation that builds upon the last three years of significant accomplishments for veterans, troops and military families. S. 1963 will allow for a caregiver of a veteran to receive training, counseling, lodging and subsistence payments when accompanying a veteran on medical care visits. We must ensure that those who care for our veterans are properly equipped and trained to do so. In addition, we will prohibit the VA from collecting copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled. I am proud to vote for S. 1963, on behalf of all the service members, veterans and their families in my District. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. We need financial regulatory reform. In 2008, our country witnessed the failure of some of the biggest and most interconnected companies in our economy. Years of greed and irresponsible behavior allowed financial institutions to make casino bets with the money of hardworking American families. Last year the Financial Services Committee and this Chamber passed a comprehensive set of reforms that will prevent these abuses from happening again. This reform finally put the American consumer over the bottom lines of banks. They will allow shareholders to have a say on the excessive bonuses that many executives receive regardless of performance, and they will end the problems of too big to fail. The time has come for Members of both Chambers to stop making false accusations in return for political gains. Let's work together and pass financial regulatory reform. It's time for change.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Chair, I rise and ask unanimous consent to address the House for one minute. I support the reauthorization of the National Estuary Program, NEP, through the adoption of H.R. 4715, the Clean Estuaries Act of 2010. Estuaries are bodies of water that receive both outflows from rivers and tidal inflows from the ocean. They are transition zones between fresh water from rivers and saline water from the ocean. The mixing of fresh and salt water provides a unique environment that supports diverse habitats for a wide variety of living resources, including plants, fish, and wildlife. Estuaries provide habitat for 75 percent of the U.S. commercial fish catch and 80 to 90 percent of the recreational fish catch. Coastal counties for 40 percent of the employment and 49 percent of the economic output for the nation. Estuaries are also vital to the health of our beaches, which produce between $6 billion and $30 billion for coastal communities each year. We need this bill because many of the Nation's estuaries are currently in poor ecological health. This bill requires the Administrator of the EPA to undertake a programmatic evaluation of EPA's overall National Estuaries Program to asses its effectiveness in improving water quality, natural resources, and sustainable uses of included estuaries. In addition, the bill requires the EPA to submit a report to Congress on the results of this evaluation. H.R. 4715 includes evaluation and update requirements to ensure accountability. With this legislation, all approved estuary programs will be evaluated and will now update their management plans on a periodic basis, increasing program transparency and improving program performance. In addition this bill requires that Federal agencies participate in the management planning process, incorporate local priorities into their activities and actions and increase coordination within the estuary. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4715, Clean Estuaries Act.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute. Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor the life and historical contributions of Dr. Hector Garcia, a WWII hero, civil rights leader and medical doctor of the poor and disenfranchised. I rise to support the passage of this legislation which will encourage educating Americans on the life, deeds, and accomplishments of Dr. Hector Garcia. Motivated by a teacher who said that no ``Mexican'' was going to get an A in class. Hector Garcia graduated with a doctorate in Medicine in 1940. He founded the American GI Forum (AGIF) in 1948, when a Mexican American soldier, Private Felix Longoria, was denied a proper funeral due to racial segregation. Motivated to fight against discrimination, Dr. Garcia sent out telegrams to elected and government officials. In response, Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, arranged to have the private buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, becoming the first Mexican American serviceman awarded this honor. AGIF and Dr. Garcia became a voice for Mexican Americans in the post WWII era. During Vietnam he made it a point to accompany the families of fallen soldiers to collect the bodies of their loved ones. Dr. Garcia loved to quote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, applying it to his daily life. Dr. Garcia's motto, and the AGIF's today is, ``Education is Our Freedom and Freedom should be Everybody's Business''. He strove to make a more equitable and peaceful community both locally and internationally. Appointed alternate Ambassador to the United Nations, he was the first representative of the United States to address the UN body in a language other than English. This legislation will encourage his legacy and increase public knowledge of Dr. Hector Garcia's exemplary dedication to eradicating ethnic discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which will have a positive impact on our young people and help craft the next generation of social leaders.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, it has been a little over a year since this Congress approved, and the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As we are set to finish tax season this week, the Middle Class is continuing to see the positive impacts from this bill and other significant pieces of legislation. 95 percent of families have already received immediate and sustained tax relief with the Making Work Pay Tax Cut. First-time homebuyers were able to take advantage of significant tax benefits--benefits that have now been increased and expanded. The Recovery Act also provided up to $2,500 in tax credits to help 4 million students go to college. We have also provided tremendous relief to small businesses struggling to stay afloat in these tough economic times. The Recovery Act cut the capital gains tax on investors who buy and hold small business stock over 5 years which incentivizes investments in America's small businesses. We also offered tax credits to companies that hire recently discharged and unemployed veterans and young adults who are having trouble finding work. This relief wasn't limited to the Recovery Act. Last month, we passed the most sweeping healthcare reform package since the 1960s. This provides 40 million families with incomes up to $88,000 with tax credits to help pay for healthcare. It also provides $40 billion in tax credits for 4 million American small businesses. Continuing along this path, the HIRE Act was signed into law, strengthening small businesses with tax credits and write offs allowing them to expand and increase employment. I am committed to continuing to support measures like these that put the American people first. I am confident that if we continue to put the American people first instead of relying on partisan talking points, we will continue to recover.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, the Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award was established to pay tribute to those members of Congregation Emanu El, who have conspicuously and exceptionally reflected Rabbi Feldheym's qualities of love for and loyalty to the synagogue, and service to the community. Today, I rise to congratulate Jeffrey Spears for receiving the distinguished Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award for loyalty and service to the Community and the Congregation of Emanu El. Jeffrey Spears has served his congregation selflessly and faithfully, with uncompromising integrity, candor and generosity. Jeffrey has been an extraordinarily devoted community leader. His family now marks five generations at Congregation Emanu El. Jeffrey has given evidence of his deep love for Judaism through strong contribution to worship and education, an exemplary commitment to Jewish values, and their application to contemporary society. Jeffrey has served the surrounding community as member of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board, the American Water Works Association, the Mueller Water Products Advisory Council, the California State University San Bernardino School of Education Friends of the College, and the Community Advisory Board of Security Bank of California. Jeffrey has demonstrated his devotion to Jewish learning and practice by serving on the faculty of Congregation Emanu El's School for Jewish learning, attending Judaism Conventions and traveling to Israel. Jeffrey has made familial commitment central to his life, continuing to work in the family business founded by his grandfather Julius. Jeffrey and his wife, Heidi Nimmo, have raised their two children, Neil and Sarah, exemplifying commitments to scholastic achievement, community involvement and leadership. Jeffrey is respected and beloved by our community for his honesty, courage, kindness and compassion. The success of his extraordinary citizenship is best summarized in the receipt of the prestigious Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award. I join today with public leaders throughout my State to express our gratitude to Jeffrey and Congregation Emanu El for reflecting the late Rabbi Feldheym's qualities of service to community, as well as humility, care and loving-kindness. Madam Speaker, Jeffrey Spears will be honored with the prestigious Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym Award on Saturday, June 2, 2010, marking the 119th Anniversary of the chartering of Congregation Emanu El. It is fitting, on such a momentous occasion, that we stand here today to honor Jeffrey Spears, for his humble and outstanding service.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in strong support of the health care reform the American people so desperately need. American families and small businesses--not insurance companies-- deserve control over their health care decisions. The bill we are debating today will: Lower insurance costs--and hold insurance companies accountable. End denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions. Provide coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans. Close the Medicare Doughnut Hole--so seniors will be able to afford the coverage they need. Eliminate waste in our current system--and lower the deficit by $138 billion over 10 years; and $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years. And allow young adults to stay on their parents' insurance coverage until the age of 26. Health care reform is an issue that affects every single American-- but is especially important to our Hispanic American community. Forty-one percent of Hispanics over the age of 18 lack health coverage. We must do better--and with this bill--we will. Twenty-one percent of older Hispanics suffer from diabetes--compared to only 14 percent of non-Hispanic whites. The preventive care this bill provides will lower this disparity. This truly is a historic time. In 1935 we passed Social Security. In 1965, we passed Medicare. Today--we pass a health care reform that will save millions of lives--shrink our deficit, and put our nation on a path to prosperity. We must move past the hate, the fear, and the lies that have dominated this debate, and get the job done for the American people. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill and pass health care reform that we need now and for generations to come.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Health care reform is needed now. Not tomorrow, not yesterday, but now. After decades of working hard, the Hernandezes from my district now struggle to pay for prescription drugs with disability payments and unemployment checks. This is wrong. With the fourth highest foreclosure in the Nation and 15 percent unemployment in my district, my constituents cannot wait any longer. We need health care reform now. Health care reform will lower the costs and hold health insurance companies accountable; provide new coverage for 31 million people; end discrimination based on preexisting conditions; close the doughnut hole for thousands of seniors; allow 75,000 young adults in my district under the age of 27 to stay under their parents' coverage; provide millions of dollars for funding for seven community centers in my district; cut the national deficit by a hundred-and-some billion over 10 years; and produce 4 million new jobs in the coming decade. Health care reform is good for seniors, good for adults, good for women, good for families, good for America. Let's support health care reform now.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4252, the Inland Empire Perchlorate Ground Water Plume Assessment Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of water resources in the Rialto-Colton Basin in the State of California, and for other purposes. I would like to also thank Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Doc Hastings, and my good friend, chairwoman from the Water and Power Subcommittee, Grace Napolitano, and the ranking member, my good friend from the State of California, Representative Tom McClintock, for their support of this legislation. And I want to thank Representative Bordallo from Guam for speaking in support of this much-needed legislation. I also want to take the time to thank my colleagues in the House of Representatives for their bipartisan support on an important bill, not only the Inland Empire, but it will also give us a study in terms of the effects it has on many cities too as well. In addition, I want to commend the city of Rialto and the Perchlorate Task Force, city Councilman Ed Scott and Rialto Mayor Pro Tem Joe Baca, Jr., for their hard work and dedication in protecting families. The city realizes that the water from over 20 wells was contaminated by perchlorate. I state, 20 wells were contaminated by Perchlorate. Perchlorate is a rocket fuel additive, an unstable organic compound that has been found to be harmful to humans because it interferes with the thyroid function. And you know when it interferes with the thyroid function it affects many women and others in that area. I'm very familiar with the water contamination. My family lives in the city of Rialto. My children, my friends and close neighbors know what it's like to live with water that is contaminated. When we first learned that our water was not safe to drink, we were all very much scared in terms of the water and the quality that came out and the neighbors and the people in that area. We wondered how long this water was bad. We worried about the damage caused by poor quality water. We were nervous because we drank the water, cooked with the water, bathed our children with the water. Therefore, I drafted this bill to make sure that other families and neighboring cities will not have to suffer or have that kind of fear. This bill is requesting that the plume in the Rialto-Colton basin is studied, and I state studied. Plumes are underground pockets of water, and some are pools of water. Some travel like underground rivers. In Rialto, the plume has perchlorate in it. We know that the water in this plume is moving. The contaminated water is traveling underground. We don't know how big it is or how fast the water is moving. We need to know more about the plume to permanently the fix the problem. The research established by the study in H.R. 4252 will guarantee that the problem will be identified. A study by the U.S. Geological Survey is not something done lightly. It is an intense research endeavor. As the Nation's largest water and earth and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey collects, monitors, analyzes and provides scientific understanding about the nature of the resource, the conditions, the issues, and the problems. The diversity of the scientific experts enables them to carry out large-scale investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. As an unbiased science organization that focuses on biology, geography, geology, and water, they are dedicated to the timely, relevant, impartial study of the landscape, our national resources, and the natural hazards that threaten us. The USGS study will reduce the perchlorate problems in my area that have caused heartaches, frustration, and fear. Fortunately, under the city council of Rialto's zero tolerance policy, the city does not blend any detectable level of perchlorate into the water system. They are all making sure that water is safe by conducting well-head treatment. But what about the cities that do not have the policies or the treatment facilities to clean their water? How will those people be affected? How will the children be affected--how will those be affected by it? We are very familiar with the wealth of water problems in California, as described by my colleague on that side, not only in the northern portion of California, where water is very much needed in that area. Apart from those problems, water contamination is one that can be prevented. I ask that all Members vote in support of this legislation, not because it is a California issue, but because it is a national issue that could impact anyone. It is a way to help correct a wrong and to prevent further problems. Commissioner Connor from the Department of the Interior stated that the directives in this bill are within the USGS's jurisdiction. The USGS has found that ground water constitutes about 79 percent of the drinking water supply in the entire Inland Empire. A study by the USGS is long overdue. We have learned that perchlorate contamination began in 1940 through the actions of the U.S. military and continued to 1960 through the work of U.S. defense contractors, and was made worse by fireworks companies. Some cities in the area discovered the high level of perchlorate contamination in drinking water in 1996. Since that time the USGS has not made the plume a priority. I state: It has not made the plume a priority. Water managers need to know the source, and the fate, and the transportation of perchlorate within the Rialto Colton Basin and the adjacent basin in order to effectively mitigate the contamination. That is why I drafted this bill. That's why I'm grateful that we are here today. In the administration's written statement regarding this legislation, they indicated that the citizens relying on water from the Rialto- Colton Basin would have to compete with other administrative priorities for funding. The message you will be sending to USGS by voting in support of this study will be that families deserve clean drinking water throughout our country, and especially those areas like mine that are being affected. Families that rely on drinking water from the tap should not have to drink contaminated water, or wonder what's going to happen to their child or fear to give that water to their children or have to go out and purchase additional water to make sure that the thyroid does not affect that woman or that child or the individuals in that home. This is a national issue, and it's a basic right for our citizens and their families. When someone has contaminated the only source of drinking water for the community, this issue becomes a national issue. These families should not suffer from health problems associated with perchlorate. It is common knowledge that perchlorate affects the thyroid in our body. Women and infants are at greatest risk. I want to let you know the hardship faced by people living in the area and why this bill is important. The people are innocent victims. Others misused the land and left us with a legacy of contaminated water. The families in my area are living under a median household income of $41,254, very low for the State of California; and 17.4 percent of these citizens live below the poverty line. People in the area have had double-digit unemployment rates for many months. This area has ranked in the top five consistently for having the highest foreclosure rate. These families already shoulder too much of the cost associated with trying to find a solution. H.R. 4252 moves beyond finding those at fault. We need to know and fully appreciate the extent of the damage. We must do this to help isolate the problems and prevent other cities from suffering. The contamination plume is moving and many other areas will suffer. The hot spot for contamination is in Rialto, California, which has an area that in 2009 was designated as a Superfund site. That shows how bad the problem is because it is very difficult to obtain this designation. This Superfund designation will help take care of the hot spot. But what about the water traveling? What about the water traveling underground in the plume? What about other cities that are impacted? What about my neighboring city and the City of Riverside? The contamination is spreading and no one knows exactly how much of the contamination is moving or where exactly it is going. The well-head treatment alone will not solve the problem because of the contamination in the ground. The Rialto-Colton basin has a plume that is contaminated by TCE, perchlorate, and other harmful chemicals. Without treatment, the water is dangerous. I fear for the communities that do not have well-head treatment facilities. The study will identify the extent of the damage underground. The bill does not violate PAYGO. I state the bill does not violate PAYGO requirements, but serves to notice and highlight that there is a plume in the Rialto-Colton basin that must be reviewed. We have an opportunity to be proactive. Your vote in support of this bill is proactive and will help families. Again, I want to thank Rialto City Council member Ed Scott for coming in September of 2009 to testify in support of H.R. 4252. He spoke not only for his residents in the city of 96,000 people, but also approximately 400,000 residents who reside in the neighboring cities that are affected by the chemicals which have polluted the Rialto- Colton basin. I want to thank the Association of California Water Agencies for writing a letter in support of the legislation. What we learn from the study in H.R. 4252 will help other areas where there is the hardship of perchlorate. There are many States who have perchlorate issues. This study will help them be aware of what could be happening underground. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4252.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, we must pass health care reform now. A step- by-step approach is not the answer. If we do nothing, Americans will continue to pay higher premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs now and in the future. There are too many Americans that are without health coverage. In my district in San Bernardino County, California, there are over 220,000 without coverage. We also face a 15 percent unemployment rate and the fourth highest foreclosure rate in the Nation. Health care reform will lower the costs and hold health insurance companies accountable; end discrimination based on preexisting conditions; cut and eventually close the doughnut hole for thousands of seniors, including 5,200 seniors in my district; cut the national deficit by $100 billion over 10 years; and produce over 4 million new jobs in the coming decade. Families, not insurance companies, deserve the right to make their own health care decisions. Congress must not kick the can down the road. We need health care reform now. I state, we need health care reform now. This is a historic moment. I ask us to support health care reform now--not tomorrow, not in the future, but now.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3509) to reauthorize State agricultural mediation programs under title V of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987.

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill H.R. 3509.

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 3509, the Agricultural Credit Act of 2009. This bill would reauthorize funding for the State agricultural mediation grant program, which operates under title V of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987. The grant program for the agricultural mediation program was established more than 20 years ago to respond to the agricultural crisis of the 1980s. Mediation helped agricultural producers, their creditors, and USDA agencies address disputes through a confidential and nonadversarial process that takes place outside the traditional legal system of foreclosure, appeals or litigation. This bypasses a lot of the bureaucratic red tape that usually comes with resolving these conflicts, saving taxpayers money in the process. Earlier in the month, the House Agriculture Committee approved this bipartisan legislation by unanimous voice vote. I urge my colleagues to support the extension of this successful initiative. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for carrying this legislation. I think it's good bipartisan legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

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